<purga> shaman 59

The Shaman can't become a Hero
Arc 6: Cannibalizer
Chapter 59: Yokomichi Hajime and Nagae Yukiko
=================

Nagae Yukiko was in despair. She was already in a dungeon where man-eating monsters strutted about. But of all things unlucky, the one she had to survive with turned out to be Yokomichi Hajime.

The title <Disgusting Otaku> wouldn't fit any other man better.

If it was only an interest in anime, manga or games, most boys would be involved in at least one of them. Even Souma Yuuto, alongside his wholesome practice of kendo, he would on occasion play video games, enjoy manga, chat with classmates about them, sometimes getting disapproving word from his sister.

There were also boys with a greater than average interest in the domain. In Yukiko's eyes, the mismatched pair that was Momokawa Kotarou and Saitou Masaru would be described as normal otaku, and most others in class likely think so too. There were plenty of other otaku-ish boys around, so these two never stood out. They were basically living quiet, non-outstanding, peaceful school lives, where they wouldn't cause any trouble unless it was sumething big, and in addition, never inspired any disgust from others, making them accepted as members of the same class.

But in stark contrast, there was Yokomichi Hajime. Even though Saitou Masaru was similar to him, being fat in addition to being an otaku, he wasn't hated. In fact, his over-excitable personality actually gathered a positive impression in class.

Yokomichi Hajime and Saitou Masaru. The fundamental difference between the two, in complete honesty, would be in their character. Yukiko didn't know what was going on in his mind, and neither did she wish to know. But considering that he would repeatedly cause problems in class, it would be fair to brand him as <ill mannered>.

Every word of his came out as complaints. Always cynical, never focused, denying everything. On the spring of entering section 7 of their 2nd year in highschool, Saitou Masaru, as a fellow otaku, called out to Hajime who stayed in his lonesome. In result,

"— *Tch!!* This is why I hate <filthy casuals>!"

Snapped Hajime, and Masaru also got mad, starting off a dispute. Yukiko should know, she was right there.

It didn't devolve to the point there the homeroom teacher would come in, or they would be sent to the counselling room, but Hajime would often get into similar squabbles with other people in class too.

Thus, come the dawn of Golden Week, he attained the nickname of <Porky>. The boys hated his self-important guts, and the girls detested his simply ugly appearance. Yokomichi Hajime was thus, isolated. Like the saying goes, let the sleeping dogs lie, as such, it never turned into bullying and everyone simply ignored him. But this indeed protected the peace of Class 2-7. Since basically, Hajime never called out to anyone himself.

"Here, Yukiko. We only got walnuts, so eat up"

And at present, that Hajime was behaving as if he was her closest friend— No, as if he was her lover, he was being insistently over-familiar. For the already weak-willed Yukiko, that act itself was incredibly terrifying.

"Ah... Mm, thanks..."

With trembling finger tips, she receives the fairy walnut from Hajime's hand. Those hands that had just now finished murdering Goma were dabbed in plenty of blood. Naturally, the walnut grasped by such a hand would also be... But Yukiko couldn't allow herself to shout, "That's filthy!" in refusal.

"— *Hii!?*"

Yet, she ended up letting out a small scream because, the next moment, he had grabbed her hand. Even when simply touching with her fingertips give her such an awful sense of repugnance, having her whole hand tightly grasped gave her psychological damage akin to cockroaches crawling all over her palm.

"Ah, my bad, it's just"

*Just* what exactly? She had no interesting in what sort of flawed logic exists in his brain that makes Hajime suddenly grab onto a girl he's not even close with on the hand. But she at least understands that such an action doesn't "Just happen" and realizes the ulterior implications behind it.

"Yukiko, your hand's, so warm"

Her spine chills over. The feeling strikes her like lightning, the feeling that, as a woman, her body was in danger.

But the frail Yukiko can do nothing except stiffly shake her shoulders. She can in no way, draw back her hands.

"N-not really... They're normal"

Her only form of resistance was a curt response. She must not let this man see her fear. Much less her disgust, that, she **absolutely** cannot hint at.

"I'll never let go of this hand. Yukiko, I'll always protect you..."

Spouting incomprehensible and unreasonable bogus, Hajime reluctantly lets go of Yukiko's hand.

"*Uuu... Uu...*"

Finished with their unsavory meal of walnuts and water, Hajime fell asleep and finally, Yukiko had the chance to wash her hands. She kept her hands sunk in the chilly fountain water, unconcerned with her fingers numbing from the tips, simply needing with wash, cleanse, and purify herself.

"I hate this... I can't, stand it anymore..."

Yokomichi Hajime was strong. He was wholly relying on the power of his <Warrior> vocation, but he nonetheless brought out its potential and wielded it as his own.

He had the gall to tell her "I'll protect you" with his stinking breath, so at the very least he seemed to have concern for her safety. In fact, whenever they encountered any monsters, Hajime would keep Yukiko behind her and hunt down those beasts with determination. Despite the fact that he looked like a psychotic killer intoxicated in blood and violence, it was also fact that he actually protected Yukiko from those fearsome monsters.

As long as she was with Hajime, she would be much safer than if acting alone. She could live without constant fear of her life.

In spite of that, this situation where Yukiko was alone together with Hajime was, as a woman, presenting an unprecedented danger to the next most important thing to her life.

Hajime had yet to come on to her forcefully. But, having her head stroked, and just before with her hand... His actions were clearly escalating.

She wasn't one to boast an abundance of experience with men, but Yukiko could at least tell when one's gaze was muddied in desire. She was not interested in whether Yokomichi Hajime was truely in love with her, but she couldn't help but realized how he was lusting after the woman that was her like a dog in heat.

If Yokomichi Hajime had a forceful personality like Higuchi Kyouya, he would have no doubt had his way with her upon their arrival at their first fairy square. Against the practiced Warrior, Yukiko who didn't even have the courage to shoot a monster with her ice magic, had no hope of resisting. One Hajime felt like it, Yukiko would most definitely be violated.

Maybe after a while, he will give up on her on his own. It was as if Hajime was thinking he had become the protagonist in a shonen manga, and he was trying very hard to be cool in front of her, and **that** was the scary part. There was no way of telling when he would attack with his lust overcoming his reason. No, that time may not be far, that fate would surely befall her.

Her only hope would be if they could meet up with other classmates before then... But Yukiko can't honestly rely on that either. Looking at how Hajime was behaving, he might as well consider others as obstacles and remove them. Remove, or otherwise said, he could straight out murder them. Yukiko could quite easily imagine those classmates who ignored him having their heads lopped off by Hajime's blood-smeared greatsword.

She wanted to escape. She wanted release from the curse that was Yokomichi Hajime. But she couldn't help but be terrified of the hell that would come after.

"Please, someone... Anyone, save me..."

But this time, God didn't answer Yukiko's pleas.

And then, <That> time finally arrived upon her.

"— Yukiko I'm, in lo-LaLuh-love with you, so"

After beating a particularly large Red Dog, one so called boss monster, they had warped from the transfer circle in that room and arrived at a fairy square. And upon arrival, suddenly, and without any rhyme or reason, a blood-soaked Hajime spoke those words.

"*Eh...*"

She had expected this. Yet, there was no way she could be prepared for it... ending up desperately limiting her expression to only surprise.

"I Love you so... I'm d-doing it Alright?"

Hajime takes hold of Yukiko's small shoulders with his dirty, bloody hands.

"*Hii!!* NN-O..."

She couldn't think. Hajime's words of confession, these were in essence, a telling sign that he had reached the limits of his reason.

"I can do it right? RIGHT?"

Little by little, his grip on her shoulders tighten. It was painful.

"NO—"

Rather than physical pain, it was her mental agony that was being tested. Her life may be at risk, but she realized that she simply couldn't let Hajime have his way with her.

It was possible that her pride as a woman had overcome her fear.

"—NOO!!"

Mustering strength in her slender arms, Yukiko pushed away at Hajime. Naturally, his already 100 kilogram mass, along with his new strength as a Warrior meant that Hajime's body wouldn't budge. Yukiko herself staggered and succeeded in escaping from his hands.

"Eh, *huh*?... w-Why..."

Hajime stared dumbfoundedly, somehow utterly bewildered, at his hands that had been made to let go. Perhaps he never even dreamed that he would be rejected.

"I-I have... someone I, like..."

The phrase coming out of her mouth was of the most orthodox in rejecting a confession of love.

"huh, *HAh!?* You're... kidding me"

"It's true"

It was no lie. Nagae Yukiko being in love, was the unfiltered truth.

"N-no way, Souma—"

"It's not Souma-kun"

"Then, it's Tendou!?"

"No, not him either... I like, no well... I'm already, dating him"

"Wuh... What the hell... The Fuck are you on about, no Way, Who is it then!?"

"— Higuchi-kun"

That also, was no lie. In complete and utter truth, Nagae Yukiko loved Higuchi Kyouya, a boy in the same class, and furthermore, they were in a relationship.

"Ha, HahA... No, damn, way... That's gotta be a lie, almost got me"

Hajime's reaction would probably be the same as anyone in their class.

Nagae Yukiko, an unremarkable, plain, quiet girl. Higuchi Kyouya, if one doesn't count exceptions like Souma Yuuto and Tendou Ryuichi, he would rank towards the top in class, and for better or worse, possessed a powerful character. If compared with a school caste system, these two would no doubt be in completely separate levels.

In fact, the two has no point of intersection in their school lives. And there would be no one claiming they saw them talking to each other in class either.

"I'm not lying, I really am in a relationship with Higuchi-kun"

"Lies! Lies, lies, there's no damn way... You got no fucking Proof!"

"I have it"

Yukiko withdraws from her pocket, her smartphone that had been turned off upon arrival at the dungeon. Her ghastly pale fingers softly open the a digital picture album.

"Here, this is a picture from our first date"

What was projected there was a scene that would be impossible to find in the 2-7 classroom. An image showing a joyful Nagae Yukiko and Higuchi Kyouya, their bodies in close proximity.

It was likely a holiday, as they were both in their everyday cloths. Yukiko looked as plain as ever, while Kyouya stood out with his flashy silver accessories. Looking at them together, no one would think them suiting each other but, Yukiko's shy, bashful expression, alongside Higuchi's strangely giddy face made the two of them seem like they were truly happy together.

"No way... Yukiko, with fucking Higuchi... With that fucking DQN..."

"Please don't say that about my boyfriend(Higuchi-kun)"

"B-boyfirend... N-noh-NO fuckkin' WAY! SHUT UP, that's a Lie and you Know it, me, you're Messing with me, <you just wanna Trick me, don't You>!?"

Suddenly shouting, Hajime snatches away Yukiko's article of proof that was her phone.

"Ah, don't—"

Hajime's stubby, blackened fingers mercilessly disclose the maiden's hidden away memories. Indeed, Yukiko's phone not only had that one picture of those two together, but had many other wonderful scenes together with her boyfriend recorded inside.

Things like the time when they first started going out, they were at a close by shopping mall where they almost ran into the Souma siblings and had to quickly hide away. Like at the beach, at the pool, at the festival, all those summer vacation events that could be called cliche yet were utterly thrilling to do together with him.

And finally, about when they did the deed at some point in the summer.

"<Ah, a...uaAAAA...>"

Making a face of anguish as if he'd just seen something otherworldly levels of disgusting, Hajime groaned, and released the phone from sheer shock. The still lit screen was showing the couple in bed, naked, and holding each other close.

"wh-h-Hoh-WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRE!!"

It was no different from a beast's roar. Hajime's sudden howl was easily overshadowing the recently defeated boss Red Dog's cry.

"youUUU, stiNKIN' WHOOORREE! T-thought you could Trick me did yooOUUUUUUUUUU!"

"— <Eis Shield>!?"

As if he had transformed into an animal, he kept saying incomprehensible things while furiusly charging at her... Which she just barely stopped with her shield of ice.

"<Bugeh!?>"

Having slammed face first into the bulky wall of ice, Hajime staggered and yelped like a frog being stomped on.

However, a Warrior's charge was no small thing. Despite him bashing against the ice wall like an idiot, the thick ice suffered a crack.

"<Eis Mist>!"

She invoked her specialty without a moment's delay. In the first place, Yukiko only had this to escape from monsters.

"Fuck! Oi, where'd you Go, where Are you Yukikooo! I'll never forgive you, fucking bitch, acting all prim to Decieve me, you putrid stinking Whore, try'na Honeytrap MEE!"

Along with the foul and hateful language, Yukiko could feel it, because she had become a mage, she could feel beyond the pure white mist, the presence of raging mana. Mana wasn't only the energy used to invoke magic, but also served as the source of the superhuman strength dwelling in a Warrior. That applied for humans and monsters alike.

This magical presense acted as a form of bloodlust, warning Yukiko of her greatest crisis yet. She had no choice but to escape, even if it meant leaving the safety of the fairy square.

"*Hah... Hahh!*"

She simply ran through the stone passages. Run, run as she may, the ever-encroaching voice never got far away. It was fortunate that Hajime never attained any speed enhancing, or as he calls it, <Mobility Boosting Skill>, but since he had a nigh inexhaustable stamina from his <Toughness>, loosing him proved difficult. Hajime was slow on his legs, but Yukiko wasn't fast either. If she was a runner like Natsukawa Minami, she could have zipped away without trouble, but Yukiko was a genuine bookworm, and in addition, had a mage class, running fast was asking too much of her.

"*Hah... Hahh,* Ah!?"

And ultimately, Yukiko's luck had run out. At the end of a narrow alley-like stone path, she ended up... At a dead end.




"*Bufuh... BuFuh...* Yukikoo... Wait dammiit, yukikoOOOO"

Revenge. This is my revenge after having everything betray me, my rightful vengeance.

Nagae Yukiko. She made a big mistake betraying my pure love for her. I won't forgive her, never, I won't forgive you... Fuck, you fucking closet slut bitch. NTR is seriously shit, fucking terrible.

"*— Fuuh, Fuh, Bueeeh*, oh, Oh HEY, It's a Dead End"

At the end of a long passage, there was a dark, dreary, stone-built room. This dungeon has a ton of these things, rooms that don't go anywhere. There's no hidden doors or passages, and as long as no place is collapsed, it'd be a dead end.

In other words, me standing in front of this one entrance to the room means, Yukiko's been perfectly cornered.

"*Eheh*, Yukikoo..."

This is for revenge, so Yukiko can't complain no matter *what* I do. I can do *anything* to her and it won't be my fault. Yukiko, my precious Yukiko, right now I have the right to do *anything* to you... That's right, **anything**.

"Y-Yukiko..."

I enter the room. In this dark, classroom-sized room, I quickly find Yukiko. She has nowhere left to run, so she's probably given up, and is huddled up in a corner.

The room's already murky as hell. I can barely see the corners but... Yukiko's fair, slender arms stand out in the minuscule amount of light.

"I-It's too Late to apologize ok... This is all your Fault... Y-you had the nerve to get a Boyfriend without telling Me... Worse still, it had to be fucking Higuchi... You're over, bitch!?"

I was at the peak of rage, and was about to pounce onto the seated down Yukiko when, I noticed. First, I picked up the smell. I've been getting very familiar with this scent these few days.

Then, I saw. The pool up blood spreading under Yukiko.

"Sh-she's dead..."

You're kidding... L-legit? Yukiko's legit, dead?

"H-how come..."

I don't get it. I have no idea, but I've getting shivers. My lets are shaking but I edge closer to Yukiko even while staggering.

"Uahh, she's literally... dead"

Blood was coming out of Yukiko's neck. It was still vividly pouring out. Must've stabbed it just now.

There's a blood-stained knife in her right hand. This is the one I gave it to her as a gift for her self defense, a relatively good quality Goma knife. She stabbed this into her throat, no doubt.

And tightly gripped in her left hand was... a memo pad?

"Ah, Fuck this... Y-you really liked Higuchi that much more than me, fuuuck..."

On the memo pad, there were pictures of Yukiko and Higuchi kissing while hugging, no, there was a heart drawn on the part where their lips touched, shitty photo booth(purikura) pics. Stuff like, *Yukiko, Kyouya one year dating anniversary, we'll be together forever (heart)* was written down.

"Goddammit... Yukiko..."

I really loved you, you know. Why, how did it turn out this way. Strange, this is all out of whack.

I was supposed to make a harem in this parallel world, where I'd make only Yukiko my legal wife, and live every day happily... I was even sure it was destiny the moment I encountered her in the dungeon... This is all a lie. This just has to be a bad dream.

Actually, there's no way Yukiko and Higuchi are going out. Yukiko's the same as Yuki from <The Melancholy of Suzuhara Haruka>, she's docile, and plain, but hella cute and—

"Y-Yukiko..."

Looks beautiful even if she's dead. It's like she's just sleeping. If there wasn't the stab on her neck and the sea of blood, I'd only think she was sleeping.

I've watched Yukiko's sleeping face many times now. I'd been secretly watching when we rested at the fairy squares. I'm pretty good at holding back, if I do say so myself.

Like really, just looking at Yukiko's lovely and defenseless figure, makes me...

"Ah"

Pop a boner. Look, even now, even when I know she's dead... Crap, WTF, I'm fucking diamonds.

Hold up bro, what's wrong with you. Yukiko's dead for crying out loud. She ain't sleeping man. She's dead, meaning she ain't waking up, ever. She won't wake up not matter what, you, do...

"Uahh, Ah... She's, still warm..."

I touch her. Yukiko's peaceful face resting eternally, I stroke her fair cheek with a finger. It was astoundingly, warm.

"UOOH, oh man... This is, awhh man..."

I hold her face with both hands. The texture of Yukiko's infinitely soft, warm cheeks transmit fully into my palms. It feels different from a doll(figurine), it **feels** like a woman.

"*Hah, Hah...* Yukiko... Yukikooh!"

I'm having my first kiss. There's this old line where it says it's supposed to taste like lemon but... The taste of Yukiko's lips, it was much more amazing.

"yumMMMMYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!"

Holy-fucking-balls. Tasty. Seriously tasty. It's sweet like my mouth is melting, while bitter enough to make the tip of my tongue shiver in delight. The taste is all over the place, but every one of those flavors are stimulating, and all of them are satisfying. Simply delectable.

What literally **is** this? Do all girls taste like this? I wonder why, saliva isn't supposed to have any taste. But then, where's this irresistible taste coming fr—

"Ah, blood"

I got absorbed on the kiss, and made her lip area sloppy in my saliva. A tiny stream of blood exited from her half open mouth. Yeah well, she got stabbed in the throat so some blood coming out isn't all that strange.

But still, the red blood overlayed on Yukiko's porcelain white skin looks really vivid. Red on white, it's a simple 2 color combination, but if I think of it like Yukiko's blood on Yukiko's skin, it's kinda exciting. It's turning me on.

I can't tell whether it's in a sexual meaning or an appetizing one. But one thing's for sure— She looks delicious.

"-!?"

I lick it, the blood coming from her mouth. With that, I understand.

*Ahh, it's this, this is it.* That explosively delectable flavor I tasted, it was the taste of blood.

"Y-YukiKOH—"

About what happened after, it was like seeing a dream, my consciousness was hazy. But the event was distinctly left in my mind. It was my glorious, first time.

It starts with a kiss. I fully indulge myself in the taste of her lips and tongue— <**bite, munch**>—Yukiko's mouth and tongue are so small, I could eat them up with one bite.

"<Hah, hah...>"

Next is her chest. If you're any sort of man, boobs are life. Like pealing the skin off a peach, I impatiently take off Yukiko's sailor uniform— **<rip, tear>**— Her modest breasts white as snow— **<crunch>**!! You're beautiful, Yukiko.

"<Fuhah, buhaAAA>..."

Well it's rude to the girl if you only focus on her chest. I'm a guy who'll love every nook and cranny of his woman— **<chomp, chomp>** One at a time, with great care, I partake in every morsel of Yukiko's body allowing not on leftovers. But look, there comes a point where a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.

"<Bufuh, fuh, fuh.../>"

The moment I laid eyes on her underwear, pure white, perfectly reflecting Yukiko's prim and proper image— **<smash.>**

"<BuruooOOOOOOOOOooh!!>"

I feast on Yukiko, deliriously, ignoring all else, I devour this woman's whole body.

This isn't like the sexual catharsis of ejaculation. This satisfaction isn't something you can get with simply sex. Domination? Conquest? Monopolizing?

Nope, all wrong. This has to be what they call **love**.

I love Yukiko. And She loves me. That's why it's so tasty, that's why it feels so good. I can't think of any other reason.

This clearly means that Yukiko was always, only mine. Yukiko is only mine. And now, the two of us have become one. I'm so relieved, no more worries now. I'm not letting that fucking Higuchi touch a hair on her body. That bastard will never touch my Yukiko.

*Ahh*, love, love is such a wonderful thing.

"*—Bufuh, **BURRRPP**!*"

After relishing in my love, what came up from deep in my stomach was a big ol' belch with a bit of red haze mixed in. Maybe cause I'm stuffed, I suddenly feel really sleepy.

I mean, obviously you're gonna sleep after you have a go at it. I place my heated body on the chilly floor to cool myself down, and lie down with my hands and feed sprawled out.

There's nothing around me. There's no one else here, anymore.

Since, Yukiko and me, we've already become one.

As I bask in the afterglow of having eternally bonded to Yukiko, I fall asleep in the greatest mood ever.


*"**Feast**"*


Which would mean, what I'm hearing is in a dream.


*"**Feast, Feast**"*


Someone's talking. More like, shut up already, it's more like a howling beast? What I'm hearing is just howling, but I somehow understand what it's saying.


*"**Feast to your heart's content, quench your thirst**"*


I could see a dim figure of the howling beast, maybe. What is that, a lion, no, wolf? Maybe a pig? I don't get it. But it's **big**. It was a huge, black beast.


*"**Welcome, kinling of mine, welcome— <Canibalizer>**"*


=================
|~Kinling <Canibalizer>~|

|<Evil Eater>|| Feast on all things. Meat, bone, poison, magic, and occasionally, even on skills, you can feast.|

|<Great Maw>|| For feasting on all things, a monstrous mouth, and a gigantic jaw.|

|<Bottomless Stomach>||For all things feasted on, a gargantuan gut.|
=================



=================
|~Predated Skill(s)~|

|<Nagae Yukiko's Ice Magic>|| Reproduce a part of lower grade ice magic.[Note 1]|
=================

=================
*Note 1:  All right, so 悪食 — Akujiki — Evil Eater, [spoiler](this is the same word as Kurono's sword FYI)
オオアギト — Ooagito — Great Maw, I tried putting a bit of animalistic flair in.
底無胃袋 — Sokonashi Ibukuro — Bottomless Stomach, I guess, he got that growth cheat (lol)
 And the last one should be obvious.
=================

There's these bizarre feeling of stuff vigorously entering my head. It's not a very good feeling, but, never mind that, I just wanna sleep.

I forget about that vague image of a beast, and this time, peacefully, fall asleep.