Chapter 111 - Tobio's power

What's Natsume doing here?

Well, no matter what the reason, she's in danger now. Tobio is currently a beast in Berserker mode, and he's going to attack both allies and enemies indiscriminately.

"Drako-kun?" Natsume asks when she sees me standing in front of her.

"Oh, you must be the man Kazuhisa told me about, the boy with the bow. And you... Minagawa Natsume, aren't you? Fufufu, how nice of you to come. Nice to meet you, I'm Hanezu Himejima. I presume you've heard this name before, right?

Floating in the surroundings were several ritual implements, tokko, which were facing towards the black beasts. These ritual implements possessing supernatural power, they moved freely through the air as they attacked the black beasts.

<<Kill kill kill kill KILL kill kill kill kill kill kill KILL kill kill kill kill kill kill KILL kill kill kill kill kill kill KILL kill kill kill kill kill kill KILL kill killlllllllllllllLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!>> (AN: He's saying "kiru=kill" over and over using different kanji, hiragana, and katakana)

From the mouth of the humanoid black beast, something like a curse was being spat out. Hearing it made one's mind feel odd, such was the power possessed by the resentment in this voice.

The tokko Himejima Hanezu has fired, they all failed to score a direct hit. From the ceiling, floor, and walls the numerous blades extended, resulting in all of the tokko being chopped apart.

At this result, Himejima Hanezu was anything but astonished, he was in ecstasy.

"...Already my tokko have been seen through huh. Observe."

He pointed in the direction of a windowed wall. In all likelihood, this was an outlook room, which had been made for the purpose of observing the scenery outside. That scenery——had been repainted in black. The entire visible scenery had become a world of mountains engulfed by blackness. Even the scenery of the sky had been dyed black, wrapping the entire region in jet blackness.

Tobio's power had caused all the sunlight to hide, creating a world of eternal darkness.

As I watched, from here and there throughout the mountain forests, gigantic distorted blades were springing up successively. The entirety of the surrounding was being buried by the force of these bizarre blade-like objects.

After releasing a brave roar, the black lion sank into the shadows that had extended beneath its feet. Once the lion was within its shadow, the shadow scattered and began shooting around the room. As each of them crawled along seemingly with an independent will, Tobio merely watched patiently. Thereupon, raising both arms up high, he immediately swung them down. Instantly, within the room, countless huge blades sprung from the floor, piercing through to the ceiling! Some of the blades had captured the black shadow, and the captured shadow was once again forming the form of a lion.

The lion had been skewered by the blades, but by violently shaking its huge body it forcibly destroyed the blades. With the lion having been released, it raced across the floor at high speed, closing the distance to Tobio, but Tobio also vanished in an instant, and without a sound, the battle commenced.

This battle... is not a battle in which I can interfere in human form. Not for the lion, who barely had a power that put him at the top of a High-Class Devil, but for Tobio himself.

Tobio's power today, while not being well utilized because he was acting in a frenzy, was very similar to the power I have in my Dragon form. Of course, this is not counting the use of [Senjutsu] in my true form.

As the two black beasts were battling, there was also a black <<Hound>> left behind, Jin, who was steadily walking around the room, his red eyes shining mysteriously.

With a *ZUN!* a single large thick blade appeared from behind Jin. The black lion was pierced by this. Jin, having sensed the lion's movements, had followed up for Tobio. Tobio revealed his form as he approached the lion head-on.

While in that pierced condition, the lion breathed out flames at the approaching Tobio but... Without any hesitation at all, and without evading, facing straight forward, stabbed into the blaze with both of his sharp hands! He kept stabbing with both hands until they reached the source of the flames it was breathing out of its mouth!

<<Kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill killlllllLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!>>

Releasing a shriek of deeply held resentment, Tobio slipped his hands into its mouth and in one forcibly spread them apart!

The lion, its body ripped right in half, tumbled to the floor. With the apparent death to its body, the lion melted away into the darkness——.

Tobio and Jin had destroyed the lion. As for the next objective, it appeared to be Himejima Hanezu.

However, there was a third party that appeared at that moment. It was a silver-haired youth, Valina. Upon seeing this scenery, Valina's whole body began trembling as she smiled with ecstasy.

"Despite visually confirming Minagawa Natsume he's hasn't returned to normal. Azazel!! Isn't this different than what you said!! What was that about a 'cute dog comparable to a heavenly dragon'!! This is…that monster is!!"

Putting aside the youth's trembling voice, another familiar voice was heard reverberating throughout the room.

'Repainting the surrounding landscape on top of changing into a black beast, huh. Geez, that I would happen to meet a Longinus with such a shady history.'

The plush dragon on Vali's shoulder, its mouth was moving on its own, and the voice of the 'Governor-General' was coming from it.

The 'Governor-General' addressed Himejima Hanezu.

'Yo, chief engineer-dono.'

"Grigori huh."

Himejima Hanezu immediately guessed as to the identity of the voice he was hearing.

'How about it? His power is quite irregular?'

The tone of the 'Governor General's' voice was cynical.

"This is that 'Dog', isn't it? The one incarnation that overthrows gods… it must be the dog of the black blade."

'Ahh, that's it. That's the correct understanding. His black blade is the one said to cut even god. However, in any case, I hear that boy was born naturally being able to express the Sacred Gear.'

"Isn't that something particularly rare? The case of one being naturally born with that…"

The 'Governor-General' continued Himejima Hanezu's words.

'Ahh, that's right. Ikuse Tobio was one who was naturally born that way.'

"That such a thing was possible…"

Contrary to Himejima Hanezu, who was smiling fearlessly, Valina narrowed her eyes, saying, "It's not such an irregular thing."

The 'Governor-General' continued.

'Ikuse Tobio's grandmother placed a seal on her grandchild, who was naturally born, possessing the power to break the balance of the world. You guys came casually into contact with that in such a reckless and rude manner. You wanted to see it didn't you? Abandoning everything for the sake of seeing this form, right? That comes at a price. It's nice to have a chance to enjoy being able to freely watch you getting sliced apart.'

Hearing that, Himejima Hanezu sneered.

"...Kukuku, it's fine whether it's the case of the 'lightning' or if it's this case, the bloodline of the Himejima is being cursed, Oji-ue (uncle)!!"

That sneer, it was a level of ugliness that he hadn't shown until now. However, he put on a satisfied smile.

Himejima Hanezu took one step forward. His expression was one of satisfaction.

"It should be possible for you with one of those ominous blades."

He took one step towards Tobio, then one more. Again he launched the tokko, and again they were completely shut down. He also attacked with the shakujou in his hands, but a blade was produced from the shadow beneath Jin's feet, cutting off both of his arms. Despite losing his arms, Himejima Hanezu again drew closer.

Tobio calmly swiped horizontally with his arm.

Approaching until he was right before his eyes, Himejima Hanezu spoke.

"The Five Principal Clans, the Himejima, destroy them."

Announcing that, Himejima Hanezu's head went flying in an arc after being severed from his body by a blade protruding from the floor.

The black lion, Himejima Hanezu, both had been defeated by Tobio and Jin.

Natsume, Valina and I had been watching this happen....

"Well, how about it? Has it been boring for you having yet to encounter the 'Red One', Valina?"

While saying that, the figure of a man was revealed at that point, a beard growing from his chin. The suit he was wearing was very disorderly, giving him a very tough impression.

"It's just your imagination, 'Governor-General'. No, Azazel. I mean, for you to have come here expressly, particularly since you can simply transmit your voice through this dragon."

Grinning, the man called 'Governor-General' gently brushed Valina's head.

"Nice to meet you, Minagawa Natsume. I am Azazel, the 'Governor-General'. And it's good always to see you, Drako."

"Azazel…"

"I am just a little bit late, Natsume, Dra-kun."

"Lavinia!"

The two of them, Lavinia and Natsume, having exchanged a brief reunion greeting, Lavinia spoke to Azazel.

"That you would show your honourable face is quite a big deal, Governor-General Azazel."

While saying this, she looked over at the completely transformed Tobio.

"I see, this is what the big deal is."

Having merely just seen it Lavinia seemed to understand what had happened.

Azazel then asked.

"Lavinia. Did those guys escape?"

Lavinia sighed.

"I feel very regretful."

"No, from the beginning, I had understood that they would be extremely troublesome."

Shrugging his shoulders, Azazel set his sights on Tobio, and then he looked at me.

"Drako… would you help us this time?"

"We have already finished our deal, Azazel. I'm no longer in debt with you."

It seemed that he was waiting for this answer, and he just took a little sigh and turned to Valina and Lavinia.

"Now then, Lavinia, Valina. Let's stop that. Lend me your power."

Azazel took one step forward, and Valina began following right behind him.

"Good grief, I'm always being asked to clean up afterwards. How long do I have to put up with this cruelty?"

Lavinia also took off her worn-out hat and began advancing towards Tobio.

"Toby, please come and return to us. Have we conversed enough?"

The three of them selected a fixed distance.

Glowing wings grew from Vali's back, a magic circle filled with powerful magic formed beneath Lavinia's feet, and simultaneously she summoned the ice princess to appear beside her.

As cold air began to circulate within the room, Azazel who was leading had 12 black wings appear from his back with a *kasakasa* sound!

Lavinia spread her arms, and the princess simultaneously did the same. The room was instantly frozen. Even the countless blades that were sprouting up had been frozen over, Lavinia's world of ice. Tobio and Jin had also been encased in ice. However, the ice engulfing them immediately began to crack.

"Ikuse's Baa-chan! You had used Buddhist magic to manage it!"

From his b.r.e.a.s.t pocket, Azazel produced something similar to a sutra (religious text). While tying a token to his hand, he opened the sutra. The sutra started glowing, with multiple characters floating up into the air. These floating characters, they surrounded Tobio and Jin while lacing with power. The characters became a single, long chain that bound Tobio and Jin.

The encas.e.m.e.nt in ice, together with the characters from the sutra, were restraining Tobio and Jin.

"Valina! Steal his power now!"

Hearing Azazel's order, Valina quickly flapped her light wings and closed in on Tobio and Jin, touching each of them once.

The silver-haired youth snapped her fingers while floating in the air.

"Halve."

'Divide!!'

A powerful voice reverberated within the room, and even Natsume noticed that the power surrounding Tobio had immediately been reduced. Furthermore, when the voice said 'Divide!!', there was a light released from Vali's light wings in concert with it.

Gradually Tobio and Jin were losing power. As they watched, the darkness outside was steadily clearing, and the gigantic blades were beginning to crack. After a short while, Tobio dropped to his knees on the spot. And simultaneously with the cleansing of the dark regions, the countless blades crumbled and dissolved. The dark clothes that had been covering Tobio had come off, and his true appearance began to become visible. Jin was also losing strength, having bent down on the spot.

Due to the teamwork of Azazel, Vali, and Lavinia, Tobio was beginning to wake with the total conclusion of the supernatural phenomenon, and the room's interior was also returning to how it was originally. Visible through the glass wall was the splendid mountain forest scenery that was spread out before them.

Confirming all of this, Azazel sighed.

"Phew, with this one task has been completed, huh. The Himejima follow Shintoism, yet she was familiar with this sort of sealing technique. For that, she was banished, Ikuse's grandmother."

Leaving behind Azazel who was muttering such words, Natsume rushed towards Tobio who had returned to normal.

"Ikuse-kun!"

Natsume confirmed that the fallen Tobio was breathing. He...was still breathing.

I placed a hand on Natsume's shoulder.

"Everyone, they are all safe. Now, lets return, Natsume."

Natsume, wiping her overflowing tears away with her arm, nodded.

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Author Notes!!

Finally, SlashDogs volume 1 has ended (It still have the aftermath and an extra final chapter about the Himejima's and Freed. Still, all the main stuff has already finished.)