Chapter 167: The God of Snakes Breaking Out

Chapter 167: The God of Snakes Breaking Out

We were all frozen in shock at the sight of Yamata No Orochis form. Luckily, I was not taking part in the battle against Shuten Doji. The others who had been in close proximity were too late to react to Orochis residue poison.

However, the poison wasn't the only problem. Yamata No Orochi's body emanated such an intense aura that most people were frozen in place, with the weaker ones even losing consciousness. As Yamata No Orochi's aura burst forth, the very foundations of the mountains quivered at the raw power. The radiant light of day succumbed to an eerie darkness, engulfing the land in twilighta haunting eclipse that defied the natural order.

The overwhelming sensation was fleeting, lasting only momentarily, and the soft sunny light landed on my skin.

"Damn, even the residual energy in a corpse can create something like this? That bastard was truly powerful," Shuten Doji grinned. He was one of those deranged individuals who admired power for its own sake and took pleasure in beholding formidable beings.

Should I just get out of here? Yes, that would be for the best. Because if I had stayed any longer, I might have been obliterated like a mere background character.

Just then, Agon yelled and attempted to attack Shuten Doji from behind. It was a futile effort, resulting in Agon receiving a blow to the face from a spiked bat, which knocked him unconscious and sent him crashing into Orochi's gigantic corpse.

Shuten Doji had a sword in his hands. When did he get that? The weapon was familiar to meit was Kusanagi, the same blade with which the Magician had sealed Yamata No Orochi's body.

For a moment, worry crept over me. Protagonist or not, this was real life, and Agon was in grave danger. Despite his foolishness, annoyance, and idiocy, he was still a friend.

As I was thinking of my friends and how I couldnt afford to lose any more, I had forgotten who I was referring to.

What happens when a protagonist faces an overwhelmingly stronger opponent? Well, the obvious answer is to gain a significant power-up in the midst of battle.

Yamata No Orochi's residual poison condensed into a swirling purple cloud that enveloped Agon. This was a potent poison that even most ultimate-class demons couldn't resist, and humans stood no chance against it. But this was Agon, so at most, the poison caused him to sneeze a couple of times. When the purple cloud dissipated, he had a runny nose.

"Ow! Some dust got into my eye!" He rubbed his bloodshot eyes.

I couldn't help but smile when I saw this. It was a strange combination - being blessed by the heavens yet displaying such stupidity.

There was a logic behind this power-up. It was called Demonic Resonance, where one demon can mimic another demon's power due to their similarities. In the original story, Sei experienced it when he was near Tamae No Mae. His hair would flash silver, and he would inadvertently tap into the nine-tailed fox's abilities, surpassing his own limits.

Personally, I thought this power-up was ridiculous. Was it unfair? Yes, especially for Shuten Doji. Did I care? No, I fully supported it!

Keep it up, Agon! Pull out some more bullshit power-ups!

Wait... What if I could be the one to give him a power-up? Even if it wasn't much, anything would help.

I grabbed the cursed sword by the blade, and with Carpy's assistance, I created a ball of water to surround it. I threw the blade, and usually, my throws were terrible unless I was in my Perfect Me state. But with the water guiding it, the sword landed right next to Agon.

It might seem like a weak ability in someone else's hands, given its few conditions and limited versatility. However, Shuten Doji had trained with it for thousands of years, turning it into something truly terrifying.

"Why? Why do you demons kill humans?! What have humans done to you?" Agon asked weakly.

Shuten Doji regarded him with a puzzled expression and replied, "What have cows and pigs done to humans?"

"What?"

"Demons don't need to feed on humans. They can consume other things, and some don't need to eat at all. But humans are just too delicious" Shuten Doji said with a predatory smile.

"You see this sword?" Shuten Doji crouched down, presenting Kusanagi, a seemingly ordinary katana that emitted an eerie sensation every time it caught my gaze. "Somehow, this blade was lodged within one of Yamata No Orochi's tails, and was imbued with his energy and could handle the corrosive poison. The Magician sealed the serpent's body within it, and I have now unsealed it."

Suddenly, he forcefully pressed his hand against Agon's abdomen, his finger penetrating deeply into the flesh. "Just as I will release the being trapped within you."

Wait, what the fuck did he just say?!

"Carpy! Stop him!" I commanded, panic rising within me. This was unprecedented. If Yamata No Orochi's soul managed to escape along with its body, we would face unimaginable consequences, as the entity would regain its full power!

Despite our frantic efforts, I knew it was already too late to halt Shuten Doji's actions.

***

Yamata No Orochi vividly recalled that fateful night Okay, maybe not that vividly as he was so drunk he could barely recall faces. But he wasnt going to tell that to anyone. That damn sake mountain really was the best and worst thing he had discovered in his life.

The day he was sealed, Yamata No Orochi vaguely remembered a human figure who possessed seals capable of resisting his poison. Orochi could sense that these seals were draining the man's lifespan, albeit in small amounts, leaving him fatigued.

In the past decade, Orochi had drowned his sorrows in copious amounts of alcohol following the death of dear friends. Enduring eternity as the strongest being held little allure for him. He had never exerted himself like Tamae No Mae, nor did he seek the thrill of challenging battles. Human affairs meant little to him.

"Why bother saving people?" Orochi mused, finding the prospect to be an arduous endeavor without any worthwhile reward. He much preferred indulging in the intoxicating Sake Mountain.

However, his contemplation came to an abrupt halt when he sensed the moon-like object he was impaled upon quiver, and the wooden stakes that bound him shattered, allowing a foreign demonic presence to invade the young brat's consciousness.

"The seal is broken; you are free to go," a voice from beyond proclaimed.

Now presented with a golden opportunity, Orochi saw his chance to escape his prison and, in the process, get revenge on that brat.