Otherworld Company Chapter 223.2: I Would Like To Have Some Breathing Room.

Support the translator on lazytranslations.com

　Going around crushing all the cultists who are attacking civilian.

“Oh, really. Don’t you not care about the elderly? These guys are going to get seriously injured if they keep doing things like this.” (Kirika)

“It’s too late to not swing a big man around with my bare hands. Also, if they had any intention of paying attention, they wouldn’t have done something like this. Besides, wouldn’t Ms. Kirie back us up?” (Jiro)

“If there was, they would have come by now. If you have time to complain, then move on, Jiro.” (Kirika)

“Yeah, sure.” (Jiro)

　On the way, I had a quick conversation with my mother back-to-back, took a breather, and then started running again.

　The power of the sacred tool is now limited.

　The pendant that Suela and the others had given me was in my hand, but he felt that he wasn’t ready to use it yet, so he pulled his hand away and accelerated to work on suppressing the attackers again.

　We were defeating enemies one-by-one, but the opponents were getting up one-by-one, so battered and bruised that you would think that they were truly immortal.

“This is not good.” (Jiro)

　Even in a situation where the magic crest is not fully active, I still have a well-trained body.

　Even if I move around as fast as I can, I won’t run out of breath easily, but my stamina will still be exhausted.

　The slight perspiration dripping down my forehead, my body is relieved from the heat through the release of water, and although it is moderate enough to move my body, I am aware that I am consuming energy in my body.

　My mind wanders to how long I can act at this pace.

　I glance over at my mother, who is still moving around as if she has plenty of time to spare.

　I smile to myself, thinking that my mother would probably be fine with moving around all day long, and think about how to overcome the current situation, but even mother is not an invincible superhuman.

　She’ll eventually run out of stamina.

　But even my mother is not an invincible superhero.

“At times like this, the only thing we can do is hit them on the head, but it doesn’t work. What are we going to do?” (Jiro)

　The man who made the speech, who seemed to be the head of the shrine, was subdued, but this disturbance got worse.

　Zombie-like cultists rampaged through the shrine, while ordinary people, unable to escape the scene, endured the horror.

　And although I said that the status quo has been broken, if you ask me if there is another leader here, I can tell you that there is not.

　There is no artificial movement in the opponent’s movements.

　This appears to be more like indiscriminate behavior.

　They are just spreading fear as much as they can.

　Yes, that seems to be the only objective, but there is no reason.

　I don’t get the feeling that they have already achieved their goal and are aiming for something else.

“…Monitoring team. Are there any irregularities in the enemy’s movements?” (Jiro)

“We are checking, but they seem to be moving around blindly. They are not gathering in a certain place or acting collectively. I don’t see any such direction. We are making progress in suppressing the situation, albeit gradually, so please deal with it as it is.” (Voice)

“Got it.” (Jiro)

　I tried calling out to the eapiece, but the response I got was not what I expected.

　The information was from a helicopter standing by in the sky above.

　The accuracy of the information through a bird’s eye view would be high.

　And that information tells us that the situation is improving, albeit gradually.

　If that is the case, I would like to think that we can continue to endure.

“…I feel anxious.” (Jiro)

　What’s this strange feeling? The enemies’ behavior is too creepy.

　I think I’m thinking too much, but my recent intuition has picked up precisely where I might have missed it.

　I can’t deny that it’s just my imagination.

　Then think about it.

　What can you do with collecting fear?

　This is modern Japan.

　This is modern Japan, a world where the occult has faded away, where magic, yokai, mystery, and illusion have faded away.

　This is a world where crazy religious groups have carried out terrorist actions.

　What does this lead to?

　Is it only for the purpose that Ms. Kirie said?

　Is it just to open the path to the underworld?

　What is their purpose in such a place?

　Remembering the information and compare it with the information I am experiencing.

　What does the other person want?

　Is there any information I can get?

“La-dy-sh-ri-ne-mai-den.” (Cultist)

　These were the last words left by the man who talked.

　Shrine maiden.

　Literally speaking, it’s an ordinary existence.

　Is there a symbolic presence in that organization?

　I don’t know.

　The more I think about it, the deeper I feel like I am getting stuck in it.

　I think I should concentrate on what I need to do now.

“Do they need to collect fear? Just collecting it?” (Jiro)

　I had one thing in mind when I did this.

　It was when I had just joined the company and was being trained by instructor Fusio.

“You are an undead, aren’t you, Instructor?” (Jiro)

“Kakakaka, indeed I am. I am the one who has taken life out of death. Do you feel it is wrong?” (Fusio)

“No, I wonder why you wanted to be like that? And another question. Did you seek immortality?” (Jiro)

　At the time, it was a simple question that I just wanted to know about the reason for becoming an undead.

“I had something I wanted to accomplish, and I didn’t have enough time to do it. That’s why I became an undead. That’s the only reason why beings like us are born.” (Fusio)

“Is that right?” (Jiro)

“Kakakaka, that’s the reason why we’ve done something so outrageous. Hidden behind a good cause, the true intentions are nothing more than a collection of small reasons. Kakakaka, in the past, people committed genocide to bring down gods. The reason is simple. Do you understand, Jiro?” (Fusio)

“No, maybe it’s because you had a wish or something?” (Jiro)

“It was simpler. I just wanted to see more. That’s the only reason.” (Fusio)

“Is that the reason?” (Jiro)

“Yes. With such a small reason, people are able to do great things. In a sense, humans are more terrifying than beings like us.” (Fusio)

　That was the only conversation we had, so why did I remember it at this time?

“…No way.” (Jiro)

　Fear is an emotion.

　Thoughts sometimes become the energy that fills a place.

　Even today, there are haunted places and unknown mysterious places.

　People avoid approaching such places.

　Rarely, a curious being visits the place, but sometimes they are met with misfortune.

　Therefore, people become afraid.

　I’m just assuming that there might be an existence that I’ve never seen before.

　And speaking of that hypothetical, I came up with a possibility.

“It’s rare. Mistaking disaster for a god and calling upon it. It is a familiar practice for us immortals. The embodiment of a curse, that calamity, is what people call it.” (Fusio)

　It is an existence beyond human comprehension.

　Sometimes people call natural disasters such as typhoons divine punishment.

　There is also a phenomenon in Japan where people try to invoke it artificially.

　God-calling.

　There are various names for it.

　Prayer through rituals is the right path, but there are also evil ways.

　The existence that is called out by that evil path is the one who is called.

“Aragami.” (Jiro)

　A raging god.

　It is a calamity.

　A God who brings no benefit.

　It is an existence that is perfect for the atmosphere of this place.

　If it can be embodied.

　If it is a process that opens the way to this disturbance, or even to the underworld.

“……” (Jiro)

　It was an instinctive conclusion, but this bad premonition never came true.

　And I feel like the threads are being connected little by little.

“Is this commotion a decoy? Is it something else!?” (Jiro)

　The answer I came up with became a certainty for me.

Note for the Day

I realized it too late. Please let me be in time!