<purga> shaman 41

The Shaman can't become a Hero
Act 5: Worst Harem Party
Chapter 41: Poison Swamp
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"Ah-...Ruinhilde-sama"

*"Mine devotee, Momokawa Kotarou. It beeth slight, but I see thou hast bolstered thine powers of Shaman"*

"T-thank... you..."

Before I noticed, I was once more standing accompanied by grim reaper-looking God of Curse.

I'd decided to nap a bit before heading out, so I guess I'm being summoned to this *wonderful* God area in that span. Seriously, I just can't get used to this. I was let off without any pain last time, but who knows what'll happen this time. Like really, isn't there a better a better way to do this?

*"Strong feeling, hopes, that be what feeds and nurtures thine Curse. Howe'er, with emotions solely, meaning ist found not"*

*"Erm... As in, the results will be botched if I don't actually defeat monsters and show concrete progress, something like that, right?"*

"*Indeed*"

As if satisfied with that reply, the bizarre skull-only head nods in contently.

Well, it *is* logical to think that the experience points won't enter unless you actually deafeat something. Stuff like getting all pumped up in a fight with a big boss like, "I'll never lose to you! <UoOOOo>!!", and miraculously getting a new power to end with an awesome victory, that kind of thing is only acceptable in cheap RPG scenarios with half-assed plot events.

In other words, no matter how much I long for some attack moves, I'll be getting zilch if I can show results God is satisfied with. But what if, *there's no offensive Curses in the first place. Just accept it and start swinging a sword. No way else to raise attack power,* what if that kind of heartless reality is awaiting me?

No way that's right, right? Ruinhilde-sama's Curses have attack oriented skills <right>?

*"Very well, let us grant this power to injure another, thou so wishes for"*

"Eh, you're kidding!?"

No wait, right then, wasn't he reading my mind? Don't tell me, <all> those monologues are being transmitted to you? M-my apoligies, I know my thoughts may seem incredibly rude sometimes, but please, these things aren't in my control!

*"All if fine, thou hast earned, shown results enough, to garner this Curse. It is simply that"*

"Whoaa, t-thank you very much!"

Being straight-cut praised makes me kinda, really happy. I'm not what you call the getting praised type. My parents were also pretty laissez faire, not going around congratulating their kid for any and all things, and due to that kind of home education, not being praised is my norm. My thought pattern works with the motto: it's fine as long as they're not mad at me.

To sum up, I'm just not used to praise. *Too much pampering and I'll get too cocky*, I kind of worry if that could happen

"Uhm, but I don't remember doing very much in the last boss fight so... is it really alright?"

*"The curse's power, relateth to the depth of one's own karma. Those that resent with misguided hate, simply cannot fathom the abyss that is the curse"*

If I'm getting this right, he must be talking about how I didn't begrudge Hirano-kun and Nishiyama-san. Someone who gets boiled up, starts raging towards people for any little thing, won't be competent as a Shaman, is what he's saying.

But then, what's the right timing I need to be angry at? That aside, I don't feel anything other than wanting revenge against Higuchi though.

*"A great curse, cometh at the end of great composure and spirit— Now, Momokawa Kotarou, presenteth thine hands"*

"Y-yes..."

Ah, I guess it's time. Time for getting a new Curse. Will it hurt, or won't it? My thoughts were increasingly concentrated on that question rather than what attack oriented Curse I'll be granted.

*"Know that a Shaman isn't solely in spirit, but in flesh too he is curse. Bear that mark of curse"*

Taking my presented right hand, on the back of it, Ruinhilde-sama's chalk white, knife-like bone finger stabb—

"<GyaaaAAAAAAAAAAaa!!>"

He cut me! He's really cutting, no, he's gouging at it!?

God's fingertip was mercilessly scraping against the insides, the meat in my hand, making a large hole in its place.

*"That is indeed, the very first step, to becoming a Shaman"*

<Ahh>, fuck, it was pain this time huh!

Ruinhilde-sama's important words went in my right ear, and out my left; screaming to throat-shattering levels, I fell unconscious at some point doing God's trial, and somehow passed that hell.




"...Guess, we should get going"

"Sure!"

After replenishing in herb, and finishing the laundry + repair of our clothing, we restart our dungeon challenge. Futaba-san looks cheerful and at ease, but I just finished up a nightmarish level up ritual so I can't really say the same for myself.

But I can't go showing off too much of a pitiful state. I'll try not to.

"This area seems, kinda like the first one?"

"Yes, but... it's somewhat dark, and gives off a bad aura"

We've been walking on a stone passage where the end wasn't visible. There's the usual light panels spotted around, and to me, it looked just as dark as the other ones... but Futaba-san said "a bad aura", so there has to be something. Well, it's not like she has any Berserker skills like enhanced instincts or a sixth sense of something.

"So you mean, something like traps?"

"But, remember they said you can't find any of those traps here unless you're a Thief"

Right, from what we know, unless your vocation happens to be Thief, you'd be hard pressed trying to discover traps or treasure chests. Meaning, it's no use without the appropriate skills.

Or more like, if us normal highschoolers could find them without any special powers, I'd seriously doubt the trap setters IQ. No well, there's traps set by Goma living in the dungeon, and we fell into one of those too... Though I think we can somehow manage with something of that level. It's not like I'll fall for something so obvious over and over, don't misunderstand![Note 1]
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*Note 1: Said in fluent Tsundere-speak.
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"Nonetheless, we should never let our guard down in places like these"

"Ah, Momokawa-kun, stop there"

At the moment the narrow passage came to an opening, Futaba-san briskly stops. And I was dangerously close to crashing into that large behind in front of me. Talk about a close call, I'd like to praise myself, but also dismay a bit.

Futaba-san, not having a clue as to my internal disharmony, attempts to peer into the end of the passage in a serious expression. From that action, there's obviously something there. I regained calm, and cautiously, also peeked in.

"<Uwah>, aren't those like... Zombies?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought too"

With a wide floor and high ceiling, it was a familiar tunnel-like large passage, where two human shaped creatures we're distinctly visible. Like a pair of adult and child, they had a clear difference in height as well.

Additionally, both their bodies had become rotten black, large portions of skin peeled off revealing fibres of meat within. A part of the arm or around the ribs, even the meat was gone and their white bones were peeking out.

As for clothes, both individuals only had a a dirty rag around their waist. Wandering around like that, going "<Ooo>" in a low voice, I really can't imagine it as anything other than a zombie.

"... The smaller one's a Goma"

"And the bigger... I wonder, it doesn't look like a normal human"

The smaller Zombie, looking at its size and build, it's unmistakably one of those gluttonous devils that have since descended into the realm smallfry thanks to Futaba-san. But as for the bigger one, it's all tall and lanky, and its outline is clearly different from any Goma I know. Bigger, meaning it's bigger lined up with other Goma. It's actually around 170 cm(5'7") I guess. Taller than me, but not so much reaching Futaba-san.

So at a glance, you'd think it's an adult man on the thinner side... but that color of skin, being so characteristically reminiscent of Goma, make it feel quite close to looking human. Perhaps it's, an evolved form?

"I don't think they will be tougher than Skeletons"

Futaba-san announces their imminent defeat. Seriously this girl, she's grown strong, courageous, to such a degree since I met her in the dungeon, it's like she's a different person. If we had a status attribute called manliness, she'd already have 10 fold the number I would.

"If those Zombies are really as weak as Skeletons, I want to test out my new Curse"

"Alright, I'll take out the bigger one then"

That'd help. It's hard to think the Goma got stronger because it became a Zombie. There's the supposed setting that a Zombie's brain has its limiter removed and it can call on 100% of its speed, power, yada yada, But if that we're true, I'd expect it to apply to all undead monsters, and those Skeletons would've felt much stronger.

It's ok. I can beat this.

Futaba-san and I left the passage and entered the tunnel.

"<Ei!>"

First strike goes to Futaba-san. An unimaginable blunt force that can pulverize a Skeleton's skull, it's her stone throw.

The small stone flies in a smooth, straight line making a whistle, and dully slams a direct hit on the bigger Zombie's chest. With a short scream-like moan, the Zombie falls collapses.

"<UboaAAAA!>"

On the other hand, the Goma Zombie's reaction was sharp. Makes you think as if it already noticed us when we entered. When its friend was shot, it had starting running towards us already.

"<Uwah>, its the damn running type!"

I let out a complaint on impulse. Fuck this, zombies should just be zombie-like and slowly stalk towards you. The hell are you doing making a sprint with perfect arm swings, you bastard!

Well, the fact that I can actually see it running means that the brain limiter thing is still on and it hasn't become super strengthened, so that's some relief. One thing to note, its power looks like it's not changed since it was alive.

"<Fuhn!>"

And since it hasn't changed, there's no way it'll last against Futaba-san's attack. With one swing of her axe, the Goma Zombie was quickly divided in two from its abdomen, and releasing entrails and dirty black blood, it was reduced to waste lying on the passage.

"Ah, sorry Momokawa-kun! It was coming pretty fast so I kinda..."

Those instictive and decisive methods, make Futaba-san a splendid Berserker if I've seen one.

"No that's fine. Since we learned that you can beat them with a small degree of damage"

The Goma Zombie's corpse doesn't even twitch. Kinda thought, it'd keep moving until the head's gone, and I've also heard of types that keep going without a head too, but those don't seem to apply here.

"Plus, looks like that one still needs more work"

Further ahead, the other Zombie was slowly rising up. It's chest area looks caved in, but nonetheless, it looks lively enough to start dashing anytime.

"Futaba-san, stand a little behind me please"

She nods, and quickly falls back. But her grip on the axe hasn't loosened a bit, she's cautious to come to my aid if anything goes wrong. How reliable.

"Well then, I'll be trying out my long awaited attack Curse now, Ruinhilde-sama—"

I gently raise my right arm, and properly recite the aria.

"On trials not of will. On fate not of honor. On destiny of such aversion, I will carve my own path — <Black Bloodline>"

A pattern that looked as if drawn in fresh blood appeared on the back of my outstretched right hand. A magic circle, or rather, it looked more like a big eye. This is probably what Ruinhilde-sama was grinding away at with his sharp finger on the insides of my hand, a genuine crest of God. No, I guess it's a curse in this case.

This mark of curse also extended to my palm. On there, its was a simple X-mark. As I turned my palm and it faced the ground, a single drop of blood fell from the x-mark.

With that, the preparation for my attack Curse is done.

"Putrefy, in the depths of vile red— <Rotten Bog>"

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*Note 2:  腐り沼 — Kusari Numa — Rotten Bog
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One drop of <Black Bloodline> descended from my hand. And the moment that single bead of blood stained the ground, it expanded along with vigorous bubbling. As if, the ground itself was bleeding out.

This is in fact, just how my first attack curse, the <Rotten Bog>, is supposed to work. With my blood as the epicenter, a poisounous pool like Hell's lake of fire is created with a certain range, and vague shape and radius. The width and toxicity seems to be determined by the density and amount of my blood used. Finally, my blood isn't currently that of a normal human being, but has some kind of special attribution.


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|<Black Bloodline>||Blood that may be blessing or curse. No matter one's lineage, the fact that blood is an essence of life is  absolute. Body, curse, magic, faith— its effect manifests in a myriad of matters.[Note 3]|
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*Note 3:  黒の血脈 — Kuro no Kechimyaku — Black Bloodline (repating from ch29)... it's like a sharingan?
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That's about it for the description in my head for <Black Bloodline>. Kinda like, *it says bloodline, and I don't have any special origin story, but this curse will help out with some stuff*, is the feeling.

Just letting it out there, I have a pair of completely normal Japanese parents in an ordinary Japanese household, nothing like any impressive ancestry whatsoever. Nothing like, *in fact, the Momokawa house has been handing down this special technique for generations.*

But it's clear that with this <Black Bloodline>, my blood has the ability to strengthen the <Rotten Bog>. It's just a gut feeling, but if I used plain old blood to make the bog, I have a feeling I wouldn't get something this big or toxic.

Which means, this is a lucky combination of skills I got as a result of piling on experience as a Shaman.

"Yeah Futaba-san, get back a bit more!"

The dark crimson pool of blood kept expanding in the passage. It gained a radius of 2 meters rigth in front of me. More that big enough to catch a dumb Zombie running in a straight line.

In case it passes over with a big jump, Futaba-san and I stand a bit away from the rotten bog so we can react to it, and keep on wait for the rushing Zombie.

"<BuoOOAAAAAA!!>"

With a mad shriek, the Zombie steps foot into the swamp of deadly poison—


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|<Rotten Bog>||In but a single step, the meat melts off, rotting into the toxic liquid.[Note 4]|
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*Note 4:  腐り沼 — Kusari Numa — Rotten Bog... it's like a portal, but you don't come out the other side
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That description being right on the money, from its first step, sizzling sounds came from the Zombie's feet as parts melted off.

"<Buah! GhoOOAAAAA!!>"

And it fell in that first step. Since the sole of its foot melted, it slipped smoothly, and bashed into the ground with the full force of its previous rush. With no defences of speak of, the Zombie flopped head first into the poison bog.

It was a scene you could maybe find in those gag prank shows on TV, falling down with a dumb expression and the works, but me and Futaba-san couldn't really point and laugh at the end result.

"Wha, Uwaah..."

Seeing that kind of gruesome melting damage from my own Curse, I reflexively let out a voice of aversion.

Getting its body smeared in the poison, or more like, potent acid-like liquid, a loud fizz released from the Zombie along with smoke tinged in red.

Writhing in agony, the Zombie attempted to get up... only to find its hand on the ground had gone. When I saw its wrist just plop off, then came its elbow, then from the knee.

"<Oo...AAa...>"

Losing any limbs to struggle with, what remained was only the pitifully frothing head and trunk. And in no time, the head crumbled away, and lastly, the Zombie's back descended slowly into the poison bog, its everything returning to nothing.

"Oh... I beat it"

"You did it! That's great Momokawa-kun, you beat the Zombie by yourself!"

As I was reflecting on whether this kind of beating was truly valid, Futaba-san raised her voice in explosive cheers.

Reading the description, I knew it'd end this way. I knew, but looking at the enemy dying so gruesomely... I can't really feel like jumping in joy. Hoping for something a bit cooler in terms of killing, is probably too much to ask for.

Aaaanyway, this marks my first real victory since becoming a Shaman. It wasn't a series of lucky events like with the Armor Bear, nor was it getting saved by Futaba-san like in the Goma trap incident. It was simply, purely me achieving a win with my powers as a Shaman. One mere Zombie. But a Zombie nonetheless.

So I'm glad of it. No matter how awful, how grotesque it looks, a win is a win.

"E-ehehe... Thanks"

With somewhat of a wierd laugh and awkward bashful expression, I pat myself on the back along with the brightly smiling Futaba-san for my first ever victory.