DxD: The Sorcery System Chapter 58

Chapter 58: Cry For Help

[Late Night — Arashiyama Park, Kyoto]


<<Upward Aerial Thrust>>


<<Forward Aerial Thrust>>


Guess what happens when I use a bit less upward thrust and more forward thrust?


Simple—I glide through the air.


“What a view~”


I found myself whistling as I 'flew' through the sky.


You get the idea. It was quite an experience.


<<Gust>>


I cast a strong wind spell behind me, propelling myself forward at an even faster speed.


And being this high up, no one could see me—not that anyone would be here. After all, this is more of a dense forest than a park.


Considering it was nighttime, there wasn't a soul around.


As for why I took this route, it's because it's a shortcut. And with my magic, I can travel even faster through it, or well, over it.


Not to mention, I get to enjoy the spectacular view around me. It feels even better now that I have the Magic Circulation ability, which prevents me from suffering from the usual issues that come with flying at high altitudes.


Thanks to Magic Circulation, I could do this too.


“Woohoo!”


I allowed myself to lie back, crossing my legs as I soared through the sky.


I didn't have to worry about wind pressure, low oxygen levels, or even motion sickness. All of it was taken care of by Magic Circulation.


Possibly one of the best passive abilities I've acquired.


It felt relaxing—too relaxing.


If I kept flying around mindlessly like this, I might even fall asleep. And it made me wonder...


If that ever happens, would my magic keep me floating, or would the shutdown of my brain mean I’d come crashing down to earth?


Eh, it didn’t matter.


I wasn't asleep anyway. And even if I was, that thought would have jolted me wide awake.


So, my flight continued, taking me toward my intended destination. I made sure to avoid flying too close to any temples or shrines.


Sona warned me—`Yokai and Gods can track you more easily if you're near their temples.`


The closest was Kinkaku-ji, and even that was a few thousand meters away.


Maybe Yasaka Shrine, but that was in the opposite direction.


So, I was safe.


“P-Please help me!”


But it looked like someone else wasn’t.


…

…


[Same Time — Arashiyama Park, Kyoto]


{Kunou}


Why?


Why were they chasing me?


“Catch her!” Their shouts were deafening. “Don’t let that cub escape!”


They were terrifying people, armed and perverted.


“That darn fox can’t have gone far!”


Humans and other Yokai. 


But why were Yokai helping humans? And why were they trying to hurt me?


I couldn’t run fast in my humanoid form, but staying in my fox form made it difficult to keep my presence hidden for long.


“Over there!” one of the Yokai yelled. “That’s the cub’s essence!”


No!


I ran as fast as I could, abandoning any attempt to hide my Yokai magic. And it wasn’t possible to conceal my magic while running at this speed.


I had to outrun them.


“Fire!” one of the humans shouted, and a fiery arrow shot in my direction, striking the tree I had just passed.


“You fool! Don’t kill her!” one of the Yokai screamed. “If you kill her, your heads will be on pikes!”


They didn’t want to kill me. They wanted to capture me.


I tried my best, running in erratic directions, leaving some of them puzzled while others couldn’t reach me as I slipped through small gaps thanks to my smaller size.


But that didn’t last long.


“Ugh!”


“Bullseye!” one of the humans yelled, his arrow hitting my tail and causing me to tumble to the ground.


“Grab her!”


I couldn’t escape.


It hurt—my tail was bleeding.


It hurt so much!


“Don’t let her go!”


Why?


Why were they doing this to me?


Why were they hurting me?


It—It hurt so much...


I felt tears rolling down my cheeks as my body transformed back into its humanoid form, allowing me to clutch my tail.


“Please…” My voice was weak and broken. “Someone, please help me…”


“Shut that bitch up!”


“Please!” My voice grew louder despite the pain in my throat. “P-Please help me!”


“Hush!”


Mommy… I’m sorry.


I shouldn’t have come out alone. I should have listened to you.


I’m sorry.


“Come here, you little twerp!”


I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the man’s grip.


I couldn’t move anymore. My tail was in agony, and my legs had no strength left.


I...


“That’s not good.”


<<Shardstorm>>


The hand I expected to grab me never did.


“Ughhh!”


Instead, I felt a coldness around me and something wet on my body and clothes—something liquid.


And as I opened my eyes…


I—I lost my voice.


“Who are you?!” Voices echoed around me, all eyes focused above me.


But… But I was too scared to move.


The man who had been approaching me lay unconscious in front of me, possibly dead, his hand severed, his blood splattered over me.


“Don’t be scared,” a voice said as it drew closer. “He isn’t dead, but he will be soon.”


I heard the person land behind me, as if they had been flying.


“Answer us! Who are you?!”


But the other men didn’t like this person’s presence.


“Are you okay?”


Despite their yelling, he didn’t respond to them, nor did he seem to care. Instead, he knelt beside me, looking at me and my injured tail.


When his eyes met mine, they widened slightly.


“A... nine-tailed Yokai?” he muttered.


Of course...


He wants to capture me too.


Everyone wants to hurt me because of my tails.


“Please don’t hurt me…” I begged, meekly looking at him.


“Oh, don’t worry!” he quickly reassured me with a smile. “I’m not here to hurt you.”


“Kill that fucker!”


“I just want to help,” he said, turning his attention ahead as he extended his hand.


<<Spiral Barrier>>


With a whisper, a beautiful purple barrier appeared in front of us, protecting us from the arrows and attacks flying our way.


“What the hell is this?!” the men yelled, while the person beside me continued to look at me with soft eyes.


“Don’t worry, I won’t let them hurt you anymore.”


Who was he?


“Who the hell are you?!” the men demanded, furious that he was protecting me.


But instead of answering them, he frowned.


“No,” he spoke with a dark tone. “Who are you?”


Even the men who had been so intent on hurting me seemed to falter. They took a step back, drawing their weapons.


“You don’t need to know, freak!” one of them shouted. “We’ve dealt with plenty of freaks like you and dragged many more Yokai to the slaughterhouse, just like that bitch!”


But his words didn’t faze the man protecting me. Instead, he seemed to grow angrier.


I felt his magic intensify, his voice deepening.


“Oh,” he said coldly. “So you kill Yokai?”


“We do anything for money, you magical bastard!” one of the men with an axe yelled. “Now give that bitch back to us, or we’ll show you a slow and painful death.”


My body jerked in fear.


Th-They were terrifying.


They wanted to kill me.


“So, you’ve killed innocent Yokai before? Tortured them?” he asked, his voice colder than ever.


“Innocent?” the humans scoffed. “Innocence doesn’t mean shit when money weighs heavier! We’ve torn apart humans and Yokai alike for the right price!”


With that, they all readied their weapons, magic-infused arrows, and enchanted spears.


“Kill that bastard!” And with that shout, they unleashed their attacks.


“Perfect...” But the man protecting me didn’t seem afraid.


Instead...


Instead, he seemed calm.


“Because now, killing you won’t trouble my conscience.”


And with that, he set the forest ablaze around us.


…

…


[Minutes Later — Yasaka Shrine]


{Yasaka}


No!


“My lady, we have detected Princess Kunou’s presence in the forest ahead!”


No! No! No!


That’s where the fire started!


“L-Lady Yasaka, please, calm down!” The Yokai around me pleaded, but I couldn’t hold back.


My daughter was in danger.


People were trying to hurt her, and a fire had broken out right where she was.


No!


“I’m going there.”


“B-But, Lady—”


My pupils narrowed to slits, magic overflowing and cracking the floor beneath me.


“I said… I’m going there.”


“Y-Yes, My Lady.”


The magic was unnatural.


It wasn’t Yokai, Fallen, Devilish, or even Angelic.


No, it felt strange.


And those clouds…


“Whoever hurt my daughter… I’ll tear them to shreds.”


It didn’t matter that the clouds were raining lava, or that the magic felt different.


Kunou must remain safe.


Or else...


No one around here will be.


Everyone will suffer.


____________________________________________________________________________________


[[A/N: Upward Aerial Thrust: Continuous thrusts of air that pushes you up, basically making you continuously go up and if controlled, can keep you floating.


Upward Aerial Thrust: Continuous thrusts of air that pushes you forward/front, basically making you continuously go forward without having to walk or move your legs.


Gust: Basically a strong wind towards a certain direction.


Shardstorm: Creates shards, pieces, blades made of ice and launches them towards a certain direction.


Spiral Barrier: Creates a continuous spiraling barrier that is great against sharp projectiles.



Yasaka

 ]]