Shinka no Mi – Chapter 151

Destra the 【Absolute Death】 

「Now then——-would you die for me?」(Destra)

Hearing the words of the white haired man——Destra, the four of us jumped backwards together.

We each had our own weapons at the ready, our wariness of Destra increased even more so.

But when he looked at us, Destra let out a sarcastic smile.

「Please, keeping your distance away from me will do nothing. Wherever you flee to, even if it’s outside of this world, you can’t escape from my ability.」(Destra)

「Ability?」(Al)

Being asked by Al, her expression was grim, Destra’s grin deepened.

「You want to know? I’ll tell you then. My ability is———」(Destra)

Leaving his words hanging, Destra held his hand over a nearby grass; the grass quickly withered away right after.

「Fufu, what do you think?」(Destra)

「Wh-, what, you ask……」(Seiichi)

What is it? A power to wither grasses? But that doesn’t explain the corpses of the monsters all around……。

But maybe there’s some kind of secondary effect that happens after he withers the grasses. I don’t know what, though.

But, if it really is the ability to wither grasses, then————。

「B-, boring……？」(Seiichi)

「B-, boring you said?!!」(Destra)

Destra’s face reddened as he shouted at my answer.

Oh, boring is not a good word. Forgive me.

「N-, no, I think it’ll come in handy for farmers, you see! You know, like weeding and stuff……」(Seiichi)

「Just where the heck are you paying attention?!」(Al)

Al retorted at my honest impression. I don’t know that either, I’m sorry.

As of now, the one thing we know about Destra was that he was a 『Divine Apostle』 of the 【Demon God Cult】 ……Nn? Not 『Apostle』, but 『Divine Apostle』? Now I’m confused even more. Well, the only thing we know for sure is that he is an enemy, perhaps.

While I was still sorting out my thoughts, Destra’s smile stiffened 

「W-, weeding……fufu, fufufu……I’ve never been humiliated so much in my life. Aahn!?」(Destra)

「!?」(Seiichi)

In that instant, I felt something awful gushing out from Destra’s body.

In response, I near-reflexively swung out 【Sword of Swirling Hatred (BLACK)】 at it.

Destra, then, looked at me with his eyes opened slightly wider.

「Nnn? That one just now should’ve killed you……」(Destra)

「Killed, you say……」(Seiichi)

「Seiichi, that guy’s dangerous! Restrain him this instant!」(Al)

Al was right, oddly enough, the presence of Destra felt repulsive to me.

「First off, I’ll have you lose consciousness!」(Seiichi)

I activated the skill 【Endless Hell】 as I swung at Destra with strength only enough not to kill him.

Of course, I was already holding myself so much with just that, and yet my movement was fast enough to not be seen by the eye as I slipped into Destra’s reach.

And then, still holding myself back, I would land a blow to his abdomen.

But——— 

「……fufufu」(Destra)

「……」(Seiichi)

That’s weird.

Destra, whom I expected to take my blow and faint, instead was standing tall on his feet.

「Fufufufu……Why, you surprised?」(Destra)

「……What, are you?」(Seiichi)

I asked him after I regained some distance away from him, and Destra laughed wickedly.

「Seems like you misunderstood it, my ability, you see……is the power to kill my target at will.」(Destra)

「What?」(Seiichi)

「You see, I killed the future where I will die or get hurt. And so, I will absolutely never die.」(Destra)

「Haah?」(Seiichi)

What’s with that cheat ability?! I’m pretty much at fault as well, but I’m not that much of a cheater myself! …………Maybe!

「And that’s not all. My supernatural ability…… 【Absolute Death】 lets me kill anything I want, be it tangible or intangible, events, concepts, cause and effect……even this world and the Gods, I can kill them. And even if I’m not aware of it, anything that is hostile, malicious, antagonistic, or even detrimental to me will be killed by reflex. How is it? Doesn’t it despair you?」(Destra)

No, that’s just way too messed up, though?!

Can I even win against this guy, no kidding?!!

No, but, what about things that are already dead to begin with? Also, if there are people who have such cheat abilities like him, then, conversely speaking, people with the ability to revive others should exist too…….  

Then, perhaps my thoughts showed up on my face, Destra’s grin only deepened.

「You just tried to find a weakness in my ability, didn’t you? Something about a dead thing cannot be killed……well, that’s not true at all. I can kill even something that is already dead. After all, I am one who kills all.」(Destra)

「Huh?!」(Seiichi)

Isn’t this guy even more of a Monstrosity than I am! Killing things that are already dead, what does that even mean?! Just how do you even kill dead people?!!

Is there really no way to defeat him?!

「And so, die.」(Destra)

「Cra—?!」(Seiichi)

I was surprised by how insane his ability was, when Destra held his hand out to me.

「Hahaha! Die as you regret making fun of me!!」(Destra)

「GHHAAAK!! I-, I’M DEEAAAAADDDD!!」(Seiichi)

「SEICHIIIIIII!!」(Saria)

I reflexively held on my chest. Saria saw me and shrieked.

『Skill 【Evolution】 has been activated. Your body will adapt accordingly.』

　…………………………。

「Seems like nothing happened to me……」(Seiichi)

「……………EHH?!!」(Destra)

Destra looked at my person dumbfounded, his eyes peeled open.

「WH-, WHY?! It’s impossible for 【Absolute Death】 not to work! Not a single being, not in this world, plane of existence, other worlds, not even amongst the Gods, should be able to withstand it!」(Destra)

「E-, even if you say it like that……Seems like I’m all good because of my Skill……」(Seiichi)

「HAAH?!! You’re saying that a Skill, a mere element of the System that only exists in this world, defended against my ability?」(Destra)

Destra exclaimed and quickly regained his composure.

「Heh, it won’t be a problem if I know the cause. Once I’ve killed your skill, it will be the end of you!」(Destra)

「!!」(Seiichi)

Again, the moment Destra held his hand out to me, Announcement-san spoke in my brain once again.

『You have adapted.』

「Seems like I’m still good……」(Seiichi)

「BUT WHHHYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!」(Destra)

Destra clutched his head at how I responded to him.

Not only me, but the other three were just as puzzled to look at how defenseless Destra was being. Although, none of them made any thoughtless movement, as he still had the power that would kill you instantly.

「ISN’T IT STRANGE?!! There are people with abilities similar to mine in all these universes and dimensions. Even so, I am still the strongest of them all! And yet such a power of mine doesn’t work on you?! This power of mine that can kill the whole world, universes, or even the One who Made All Creation, God, doesn’t work?!!!」

No, that’s one dangerous ability. Or rather, the whole universe? God? Isn’t the scale of things a bit screwed there?

Still mulling that over, I reflexively asked him a question.

「Rather, you’re someone from the 【Demon God Cult】, aren’t you? Are you sure it’s okay to say things like killing gods and stuff?」(Seiichi)

「Haah? Do you really think I’m under that Demon God?」(Destra)

Destra stared down hard at me as if I was an utter idiot. Err, you don’t need to look down on me that much you know……。

「Or rather, doesn’t that power belong to the Demon God?」(Seiichi)

「Of course it doesn’t. You can’t kill the Demon God with the power the Demon God gave to you. This is a power I’m born with. That is why, I can always kill that Demon God if I want to. It’s just that it’ll be all too boring if I just went and killed him. Just imagine, being killed by someone he thinks is serving under him, right at the peak of his rejoicing!! Ahh, just what kind of expression will the Demon God show by then?! Just the thought of it makes me……!!」(Destra)

The ecstatic look on Destra’s face made everyone, me included, taken aback. Eeh, this guy really is dangerous……。

Then, he returned his back gaze to us…….no, to me daggerly.

「And yet why wouldn’t you die?!! My power is absolute! Be it Instant Death Nullification, Concept Manipulation, or any kind of method or power, none of that can defend against me! And yet!」(Desra)

That‘s what Destra said, so how is it, Announcer-san?! Or rather, my body!

Despite knowing the answer wouldn’t come, I couldn’t help but raise such a question inside my own mind, but then, unexpectedly, Announcer-san answered me so indifferently.

『Nullifying nullification, concepts, defends, absolute, and many more……It is already inconsequential once one speaks of thing at such level. It is ineffective because it is ineffective. That is all.』

Even though he was saying all those complicated and difficult things to explain his ability, mine sure is outrageously simple, huh!

But, I am grateful with just how simple it is. To be perfectly honest, I don’t understand even 10 percent of what Destra said. Concept? Events? What? Don’t you know, simple is the best?

　Or rather, I never thought I would get an answer! I’ve only been hearing it when I’ve leveled up or a Skill is activated, so having a conversation like this feels a bit curious.

「Impossible……this is impossible……!! My power doesn’t work on some smallfry who relies on the Systems and its Skills that can’t be used in any other worlds?! That can’t happen!」(Destra)

「Even if you tell that to us……Right?」(Seiichi)

「No, how can you be so carefree, Seiichi?!」(Al)

I mean, I don’t know why, but it doesn’t work on me, right?

While Al and I were having a discussion, Destra’s face lit up as though something was just revealed to him.

「That’s right……even if it doesn’t work on you, what about the rest of your group?!!」(Destra)

Having said so, Destra held out his hand, not to me this time, but towards Al, Saria, and Helen.

Not knowing what I should do, I reflexively braced BLACK, but the Announcement flared up again in my brain at that very moment.

『The Skill 【Attunement】 has been activated. Thereby, you are being attuned with your environment.』

Eh, Attunement?

While Destra was smiling wickedly and Saria and the two had their faces stiffened, I was distracted by the Announcement and showed a dumb look on my face.

『Attunement accomplished. This time, the constitution of Seiichi-sama’s body is used as the base. As the attunement is tuning you with your environment; Altoria-sama that is in your environment, Saria-sama that is in your environment, Helen-sama that is in your environment have been tuned to possess the same constitution of your body.』

Al, Saria, Helen all looked on edge as they saw how wide Destra’s grin was.

Seeing that, I mumbled all by myself.

「Ermm……Seems like Saria and all of them are okay thanks to my skill again.」(Seiichi)

「AND I’M ASKING YOU WHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!」(Destra)

Destra crumbled down once again. Huh? How would this guy fight if he didn’t have his ability?

At any rate, since there was no longer the risk for the girls to instantly die thanks to my skill, I wiped off my sweat.

「Phew……We did it!」(Seiichi)

「Nononono, you serious?!!」(Al)

「Seiichi-sensei……When I heard him talking about his ability, I thought he was the more insane and nonsense of the two of you, but I guess you surpass him by leaps and bounds, huh……」(Helen)

「But why?! I’m an average Joe for all intents and purposes, aren’t I?! I’m normal!」(Seiichi)

「Normal people don’t easily nullify the ability of someone who has absolute confidence in it!!」(Al)

Being retorted by Al and Helen, I tried to convince them that I really was normal when Saria gave me her usual bright smile.

「I see……So we’re okay because of Seiichi, right! Thank you!」(Saria)

「S-, sure? But if you thank me like that……how do I say it, I don’t know if I should feel embarrassed or not, since I don’t feel like I’ve done anything……」(Seiichi)

No, I mean, it’s great that ultimately it’s for the good of Saria and the girls, but rather than saying that I’m doing anything, it’s more correct to say that my body acted on its own. Saying gratitude to my own body feels weird, but really, thank you very much. It’s just that, I’m seriously starting to lose track of what being a 【Human】 means, so I’d be happy if you’re being considerate of how much action to take next time.

Compared to us who lost all of our tension all at once, Destra shook his head in disbelief.

「I don’t accept this……I’ll never accept this……! This is a lie, THIS HAS TO BE A LIIEEE!!!」

The moment Destra shouted like such, I could feel the awful thing gushing out again, but I left it aside as it no longer had anything to do with us.

Or rather, it’s worrisome……the ability itself no longer works on us, but it feels repulsive, and the instant death thing is invisible too……。

『You have adapted.』

「……」

Suddenly, some black murky thing appeared within my vision.

Wait a minute. Don’t tell me, I really can see it now? Are you kidding me?
But I actually could see the black murk all of a sudden, and I also could see the same black murk gushing out of Destra’s body.

In spite of me being surprised, the murky thing moved as if it had a will of its own and went to assault us.

Since it headed towards the girls, I quickly grabbed it with my hand.

「Eeeh……? I can see it, I can even touch it, though……?」

「……Seiichi, the hell are you doing, suddenly reaching out to the air like that?」

While I was puzzled by the black murk that was flailing somewhat impatiently in my hand, I noticed that Al and Helen were looking at me dubiously.

「Ah, hold on! There’s a good reason for this! So please don’t look at me with that look!」

「Even if you tell us not to……」

「You suddenly grope around the air like that, so isn’t it obvious you’d warrant this look?」

That’s fair!

Saria, however, was the only one who acted differently, as she was twisting her head while she looked at my hand.

「I don’t know what it is, I feel like there’s something not good in Seiichi’s hand……」

「Haah? Saria, you can see it?」

「Hmm……Rather than see, it’s my wild instinct?」

There it is, the wild instinct. But it’s just amazing how that intuition keeps hitting the jackpot, huh.

「Why, why is nothing happening……!!」

While our group was chatting amicably, Destra was holding his hands out to us desperately, sweats dripping down his face, as though saying he couldn’t accept what had happened. Umm……let’s just give up?

When I grabbed and collected the black murky thing that Destra sent to us, I accidentally crushed them due to a miscontrol of strength.

「Ah, this thing is crushable, huh.」

『————』

I don’t know why, but the moment I muttered those words, it felt like the black murk became lost for words.

But, what crossed in my mind when I collected these black murk was that, perhaps, this was the very 【Death】  itself. That’s how it felt to me. I can’t give a proper explanation to it, but its aura felt similar to the atmosphere of the Netherworld.

Putting that aside, I frowned as I looked at the black murk in my hand.

「If this is the very【Death】 itself, the shape of Destra’s ability, then……to be honest, it doesn’t feel so pleasant. Being able to take the life of something unconditionally is just outrageous.」

『!』

When I said that with some anger in my tone, the black musky thing froze in my palm and suddenly started to turn into a bright white light.

「Eh, what?! What’s happening?!」

「Err, Seiichi? For both Helen and I, yer the one who’s speaking nonsense, y’know……」

It’s true that I’m abnormal for reacting to something that nobody else can see! But I can see it, you know!

「Eeh? The thing that’s in Seiichi’s hand, it felt no good before, but now it changed into something really good?」

Then Saria, who couldn’t see it like how I could clearly but was capable of sensing it, commented.

Just like what Saria said, I looked at the white light thing in my palm, not panicking this time, and it was the very opposite of what it was before, as it somehow became a power that was full of Life Force and gave my body vitality.

And then, the white light in my hand, though not with words, spoke to me 『B-, Boss! How ‘bout this?! I’ve washed my hands from all the killing stuff, now I’m just going to cure, so please forgive me!!』 or so its intent reached me. Eeeh……?

In other words, the black murky thing……the 【Death】 itself, somehow transfigured into its very opposite, the power to 【Cure】 and 【Life Force】, it seemed.

Moreover, it happened not only to the light substance on my palm, but somehow it extended to those on Destra’s body, and where the black murky thing once gushed out, now a white, warm light was flooding out.

「Why……why won’t my power work……」

Destra was already sobbing and desperate to put strength into his hand by the time I realized it.

Then, instead of a new batch of black murky things, the white light stuff emerged, and I deliberately let myself get hit.

After which my body glowed for a moment, and my mood felt somewhat better.

「Ooh, this is invigorating.」

「「「Heh?」」」

Al and Helen, who couldn’t see the black murk and the white light following it, along with Destra, the key person himself, darted their eyes at my reaction.

「Seiichi, I want some too!」

「Oh, you do? Then, Destra-san. Your ability, please.」

「Hah?」

Destra’s expression told us just how lost he was with the situation, but the white light thing didn’t heed him even for a second of thought and flew towards Saria.

「Mn~! You’re right! It makes me feel energized!」

「Right? Al and Helen, you have some too.」

「What the hell are you saying?!」

「……I don’t understand. I, just don’t understand where you will end up, Seiichi-sensei……」

I was puzzled over how to explain to Al and Helen, both of whom still didn’t understand what happened, when the white light flew towards them, once again disregarding Destra’s intentions.

「!? Th-, this is……!」

「Amazing……My mind that’s been exhausted because of Seiichi-sensei’s antics recuperated instantly……！」

「Hold on there missy.」

Isn’t it cruel to call me mentally exhausting? I’m going to cry, you know?

Well, now that they’ve tasted Destra’s ability, it’ll be easier to explain to them.

「As you’ve experienced, his……Destra’s ability, 【Absolute Death】? Seems like it’s been changed to a 【Healing】 power.」

「But why though?!」

「Just what possibly could have you done……」

I don’t know that myself. Somehow, the 【Absolute Death】 ability just changed itself all by itself, you see……。

Then, Destra, who overheard my statement, looked at his own hands with a stunned expression on his face.

「M-, my power……changed into a healing one……?」

Stunned, Destra held his hand out towards the withered patch of grass nearby, and the grass instantly regained its vibrancy.

Destra who saw it, however, showed a look of despair.

「L-, lie. That’s…. a lie. I-, I love bringing tragedy……I love seeing people in despair, and yet……my power allows me to grant misery, and yet……」

As if trying to run away from reality, Destra desperately applied his ability not only on us but also on the surrounding meadow.

However, contrary to his wishes, we only felt refreshed from it while the grass became happier and greener.

「A-, AAH……AAAAHHH……AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!」

And then, Destra collapsed on the spot, wailing in despair.

Seeing this, Al approached Destra from behind with a somewhat pitying expression on her face, then——-

「Well, go take a nap.」

「Gahk?!」

———struck him as hard as she could.

As he was losing consciousness, Destra let out a few words.

「M-, my power……has even changed the future where I won’t be……hurt……too……」

And thus, Destra completely blacked out.