abcnovels
Chapter 191
Chapter 191
Chapter 191
“You’re still using that…?”
Sukuna said with a wry smile to Shuten, who was still using Sukuna’s avatar when they first met.
“I’m still in a tight spot. But Sukuna, this time it was much easier for me to call you because you were approaching me.”
The reason why the Shuten uses Sukuna’s avatar is simply that Sukuna is the one who first met the Shuten.
Shuten couldn’t even take a proper form before then. After Shuten was sealed, it was only after she interfered with Sukuna’s body and copied it into her temporary body that Shuten was finally able to talk to her.
However, because she rescued and copied Sukuna who had been almost killed by the True Dragon Apocalypse, she’s stuck with her tattered avatar.
As for Sukuna, she doesn’t want to see her past self if possible because it would remind her of the moment of defeat.
“This is the magic tool that connects the other world to this world? Maybe it’s because time is different, but it doesn’t seem to work well in this world…. What good is this going to do? As usual, I don’t know what the Creator God Iris thinks.”
Shuten said curiously as she poked at the streaming jewel floating in the air but was somewhat unsteady.
The fact that it wasn’t functioning properly meant that my viewers couldn’t see her, right?
(It’s probably better this way too? I mean, how could I explain this other side?)
“I won’t ask how since it’s always out of the blue, but… why did you call me now?”
Looking back, Shuten will only meet her when she wants to say something, and every time, without fail, Sukuna always got forcibly dragged to this side against her will.
During the battle with the true dragon Apocalypse, Sukuna was rescued on the verge of death, and the day after Sukuna met Kohaku, she was dragged into this world as soon as she logged in.
When Sukuna thinks about it calmly, this Kishin is really doing it selfishly… Anyway, Shuten has shown up, which means she wanted to convey something.
Sensing Sukuna’s question, Shuten answered.
“It was because it was necessary for you right now. As for the battle outside, don’t worry. This space is moving at four times the speed of the outside world, so you have plenty of time… Of course, it depends on how well your companions are doing.”
“I see… well, since it’s them, they’ll be fine.”
Four times the speed of the outside world, which means that one second on the outer side is four seconds on this side.
Sukuna could hear their muffled voice since she woke up; it seems her hearing is fine. It’s just the time in this space flowing differently.
Judging from the way the Shuten put it and various circumstances, it seems that Sukuna herself is still “in battle” under the system and was forcibly brought to this realm by Shuten, just like in the past two encounters.
Sukuna has actually been wondering about what kind of authority that Melty, Shuten Douji, and the other top-ranked NPCs in this game have been given, but that’s not important right now.
“It seems they struggled quite a bit out there, though. It seems that no matter how slow the flow of time is in this world, there is no time for idle chatter.”
Shuten looked at the battle outside and sharpened her gaze a little.
Sukuna could see that Arthur and Drago had changed their equipment and currently fighting Nocturne, who had turned into a wolf.
While also think that it was quite impressive to look at slow-motion fights. Sukuna noticed something strange as she watched it.
(Eh? Where’s Rou…)
Only three were fighting, and Sukuna was confused at the unexpected sight.
In all honesty, it was Rou who Sukuna depended on the most with her secret moves. This is because there are more mysterious atmospheres about Rou that Arthur and Drago lack, and because of that, Sukuna thought Rou might have something extraordinary in her arsenal.
It’s not like he’s going to do anything detrimental to Sukuna from the conversation they just had, but what is Rou thinking?
If Rou even held it for this long probably means that it was a very special move.
While drowning in her thought, Shuten called out to Sukuna with a serious expression on her face.
“We have no time to waste, so that I will speak briefly. I will now give you a choice. That choice will be a turning point in your life in this world.”
“The turning point…”
“You’ll get the power you desire regardless of which you choose, and it’s up to you whether you choose right here or not. If you want to take your time, there is no need to choose now. However, the power to overcome the Moon Wolf will be found beyond this choice.”
As she said this, Shuten held gold and a silver hairpin in her right and left hands.
The golden one looked like a gold version of the copper-colored Houzuki hairpin she had given me, while the silver one was a very simple hairpin without any accessory.
“You have been gifted with my blessing, and you have trained enough while bearing it, now is the time to decide your future. Will you abandon the power of the Douji and gain more as an ordinary Oni? Or will you choose to go beyond [Douji] and become purer Oni? Whichever you choose is up to you, but if you wish to abandon the power of Douji, be aware that this will be your last chance to do so.”
A system window labeled [WARNING] appears in front of Sukuna after listening to Shuten’s question.
–[WARNING]–
You will not be able to redo your job change from the special profession [Douji]!
This is a choice that will greatly affect your future gameplay. Please make your choice carefully so you won’t regret it!
Do you want to change your occupation from [Douji] to a higher profession?
If you choose <<No>>, you will lose your [Douji] profession and will not be able to acquire it again.
<<Yes>>
<<No>>
<<Cancel>>
(There’s no turning back from this huh?)
An irreversible choice that cannot be redone.
If she chooses <<No>>, Sukuna will lose her occupation as a [Douji] and will probably receive back all the points she has invested in the [Douji] so far.
The restriction where she can only enhance her physical status will disappear, and she may be able to enhance her intelligence and magic defense.
On the other hand, if she chooses <<Yes>>, she will be able to change her profession to a higher rank of [Douji], which will make her the first person to held this new power in this WLO.
Or she can choose to postpone it; this is also a choice for Sukuna.
Sukuna can take the choice home and discuss it with Rinne. But since it is Rinne, it is easy to imagine that she will end up saying, “Do what you want with it, Nana”.
Shuten said with a little apologetically tones to troubled Sukuna,
“If it were not for the erosion caused by the curse, I would have given you time to choose when you reached level 90. But after you activated your dead skill, your soul has become extremely unstable.”
“Eh? Is that so?”
Sukuna looked dumbfounded to hear the Shuten’s words.
As far as Sukuna was know, this past week of being absorbed in WLO, after confronting so many emotion was the most peaceful time she had ever felt.
But if that’s what Shuten said is true, then the cursed Sukuna must have been in a very bad situation from a game system point of view.
Indeed, when Sukuna first arrived at the village of the Oni, they looked at her as if they were looking at something dreadful.
“If you were to gain any power in such a state, you would inevitably end up destroying yourself. That’s why I’ve stopped the manifestation of Profession Change and [Closing Ceremony] until you lift the curse and reach this realm. So that you can gain the two powers in the proper form.”
When Sukuna found out that this was the source of the problem of not having mastered the [Closing Ceremony] that Kokuyo had previously told her, she shouted a little.
“Mmm, I knew it was the Shuten’s fault that I couldn’t learn the last dance!”
In response, Shuten responds calmly.
“You can’t learn the Closing Ceremony as a Douji in the first place. You have to choose whether you want to move forward with the necessary strength or abandon your power. In a way, it’s not wrong to say that it’s my fault since I stopped you from changing jobs.”
If what Shuten said is true, that Sukuna was already in a state where she could learn [Closing Ceremony] just by making a selection, then it was just a matter of a few levels of difference from back then.
“Sukuna, as Oni who carries my blessings in your body. Which path will you choose?”
“….Fufu, as if you don’t know already.”
Sukuna smiled at Kishin’s question and pressed <<Yes>>. It was an easy choice without any shred of hesitation.
Sukuna put some thought into it, but in the end, there’s nothing she should worry about.
Since the time she chose [Douji] at Dualis profession registration, she hadn’t envisioned the option of giving up this power at all.
Her promise to Shuten.
And the oath she made to Kohaku.
Valuing both, Sukuna believes that her choice is the right one.
A few seconds after, a light was born in Sukuna’s hand.
She continued to gaze at it and finally saw the golden hairpin Shuten was holding now rested on Sukuna’s hand.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a kind of souvenir of your new job, and it’s pretty valuable, but it doesn’t have any special effect tho.”
“eeh? But it was so pretty.”
Sukuna tucked it away to her inventory, and perhaps a bit wary, she then looked at her newly acquired profession in the status menu.
“The name of the occupation is [Oni no Miko].” {Kanji: Kishin’s Child}
“….you made it sound like I’m your child.”
“And what do you mean? The entire Oni tribe is like my child to begin with.”
“Is that why you watch over them?”
“Kuku, that’s correct.”
Shuten laughs happily as Sukuna questions her.
It wasn’t just Kohaku. Shuten has been watching over the Oni tribe as a whole, even though she could not interfere.
Just as the Oni tribe worships the Kishin, there is no doubt that Shuten also cares for the Oni race.
“Now, go ahead. Show Nocturne the power of my{Kishin} child.”
“Okay! …oh, right…”
Sukuna was pushed and urged to go, but she stopped.
Shocked by their meeting, Sukuna almost forgot that she had something to ask Shuten.
“Since it will take a while for us to meet, can I ask you one last thing?”
“What is it?”
“When you heard my name. What did you think?”
Sukuna first knows her existence from Gold, the Siren knight.
The name of the Oni called “Ryomen Sukuna”, who turned out to be an important individual for Shuten when she was still Oni from Oni village.
Sukuna understands that it’s just a coincidence that her name overlaps. Still, it was something she wanted to confirm.
Shuten’s eyes widened slightly, then she said with a smile.
“I missed that one a lot… I do. But Sukuna is dead, and I too, have accepted it over the years. You don’t have to worry about anything.”
“I understand… Thank you, I’m off then.”
In a brief encounter that lasted less than ten minutes. Sukuna chose what she needed to and heard what she wanted.
Sukuna nodded her head in satisfaction, then walked out of the other side with her Kanabou in hand.
Tl note:
Once again… this is not isekai masked with VR game… right?