Metro Labyrinth Chapter 169.1: Legendary Carbuncle

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~Tamiko’s Perspective~

“—Lady Tamiko, are you sure you want to stay?” (Koyuki)

　It was before the residents of Nakano began to evacuate.

“…can’t you accompany your father and the rest of us to Nerima?” (Koyuki)

　Said the small white carbuncle, Koyuki aka Sect Leader.

“I’m joining Abeshuu and others, squeak.” (Tamiko)

“But……” (Koyuki)

“I am the Strongest Carbuncle, squeak. I protect this village, Dad and Mom’s home, squeak!” (Tamiko)

　Saying that I then thumped my chest. Koyuki looked at Kinami, who shrugged and shook her head.

“For that courage and thoughtfulness… As a person from the village, I am truly grateful. However… please take good care of yourself. Above all your life is also just as important.” (Koyuki)

“Oh, leave it to me, squeak.” (Tamiko)

　Other Carbuncles were calling out to Koyuki from behind, but Koyuki still seemed to have something to say. When Tamiko I looked behind her, she fumbled and continued.

“Umm, Lady Tamiko… you can use [Discovery], right? Sir Abe told me…” (Koyuki)

“Squirrel Counter too, squeak.” (Tamiko)

“Squirrel Counter, squeak?” (Koyuki)

“Squeak.” (Tamiko)

“You don’t have to cram in ‘squeaks’.” (Kinami)

“Um… Your mother, have you heard anything about it from Ms. Kinko…?” (Koyuki)

“…Kinko, it was also taught by mom…” (Tamiko)

“Is that so… I’m sorry.” (Kinami)

　Kinami stroked Tamiko’s head.

“Granny…” (Tamiko)

“Can’t you at least make me an auntie?” (Kinami)

“So… I thought I should tell Lady Tamiko.” (Koyuki)

“Squeak?” (Tamiko)

“As you may already know, [Discovery] is a Fungal Skill that is said to be learned only by us, the Carbuncle race, and even among a handful of other races. Currently, I am the only one who can use it in this village, but… …I can’t say it’s a power that I sprouted on my own.” (Koyuki)

“?” (Tamiko)

“It’s all thanks to the people of the village who took care of me, who was naturally sickly and gave me sporangia. I am not strong enough to fight, but I have grown to be more than this. I don’t have the strength to fight, and I don’t expect to grow anymore. …Oh, I’m sorry. I’m a little off-topic.” (Koyuki)

　“Ahem,” Koyuki cleared her throat.

“Each Magical Beast race has their own Fungal Skill. Famous ones include Cait Sith’s [Spirit Sight] and Cu Sith’s [Fairy Transformation]… Carbuncles in particular are said to have a number of such unique abilities, despite our low combat power. It is said that Carbuncles contributed greatly to the victory of the human race in the ‘Demon War’ in the past, although it is not often mentioned in the public…” (Koyuki)

“I squeak.” (Tamiko)

“The chief of the time, who led the warriors… is said to have saved his comrades in arms many times with his exceptional abilities and changed the severe war situation. It is a little-known fact that Carbuncle, who also gave his life, was at the side of the ‘Master Threadweaver’ Pippin when he killed one of the demons by stabbing him in the back.” (Koyuki)

“That’s so cool, squeak.” (Tamiko)

“Yes, it’s cool. Actually, she was my great-grandmother.” (Koyuki)

“A woman, squeak?” (Tamiko)

“Yes, her name is Yukikaze. She is my great-grandmother… and to tell the truth, she is also Lady Tamiko’s great-grandfather’s older sister. In other words, Lady Tamiko and I are distant relatives.” (Koyuki)

“Family? With me?” (Tamiko)

　Koyuki smiled and gently held my hand.

“It’s farther than a second cousin, though. Well, if you put it that way, almost everyone in the village is connected to each other at some point. It’s a small village, and the population was small at first.” (Koyuki)

“I see… Squeak…” (Tamiko)

　I heard about it from my mom, Kinko. Mom’s mother and my grandmother, Miiko, was a fine Carbuncle, she said. According to my father, Tarochi, “When she was alive, she was the leader of the Carbuncles as an executive of the security corps, just like Kinami is now.”

　For me, the story of her roots was very distant. My mother, father, grandmother, relatives… I was able to know and gain those connections when I came to this village.

　It was a little ticklish and very warm. I felt like I had more treasures and felt proud like I had stuffed my cheek pouches full.

“…Lady Tamiko?” (Koyuki)

“Hmph. Once again, I’m adding another page with my psychic powers, squeak. When this battle is over, I’m going to make these guys here talk about us, the legend of the strongest, squeak.” (Tamiko)

“Fufufu. The legend of the strongest, huh? …That’s right, Lady Yukikaze, who we talked about earlier, is also read to children as a ‘Legendary Carbuncle’ in fairy tales.” (Koyuki)

　“Legendary Carbuncle”—That phrase made my chest beat harder.

“Lady Yukikaze was a warrior who possessed exceptional power among the carbuncles. She possessed a number of powerful Fungal Skills, among which the one he acquired in her later years was so powerful that its existence was kept a secret from the outside world. It is, so to speak, the secret of the carbuncle tribe, the strongest Fungal Skill.” (Koyuki)

“What kind of technique was it, squeak?” (Tamiko)

“The only person who could manifest that power was the late Lady Yukikaze. She called it—” (Tamiko)

　The name that Koyuki said along with its power made me even more excited.

“I want to learn that kind of thing, too, squeak.” (Tamiko)

　Then—I can help Abeshuu even more.

“…For a long time since the post-war era, there have been no brave warriors over level 40 among our race. Ms. Kinko, who has been considered the most promising in recent years… but…” (Koyuki)

　Koyuki took Tamiko’s hand again, squeezing it tightly and bringing it closer to her own forehead.

“Lady Tamiko, who inherited her last wish… and Sir Abe, the ‘Master Threadweaver’, has returned to the village in this time of crisis… This must be the fate spun out by the Sacred Tree and the ‘God of Threads’…” (Koyuki)

~Shuu’s Perspective~

“Even if you don’t know what it is, a charged particle cannon is something that you know as every geek’s dream.” (Ryousho)

“………” (Shuu)

“[Thunder] is hard to understand at first glance, but it can be inferred to be a type of dust skill. Both hands are slowly opened together, and within that small area, ultramicroscopic spores are made to swim and generate static electricity by friction… just as ice crystals grow lightning in a cumulonimbus cloud.” (Ryousho)

“……hey……” (Shuu)

“How do they retain the electrical energy they generate, and how do they convert it into that kind of bombardment… of unfurled spores into balloons or mutual charges with their left and right hands… No, no, it is common sense in this country to describe all the inexplicable things about Fungal Skill as a miracle of the mycelium’s strength. At any rate, the [Thunder] thus powered up by [Accumulation] is made directional by creating ionized pathways just before it radiates—” (Ryousho)

“Enough! I don’t care what you say, just show me the rest of the story! Don’t you dare look down on me for being a liberal arts major!” (Shuu)

“Ouch, I get it! I get it, don’t grab my neck! Even if it’s the world of the mind, what hurts, hurts!” (Rousho)

“What happened to Tamiko… Noa!?” (Shuu)

“Calm down. This has already happened… no matter how much you cry or scream, you can’t change the past. Reality is complete outside of your hands.” (Ryousho)

“Damn it…! Tamiko, Noa…” (Shuu)

“Then let’s see what happens to them. We’ll see how they end up–” (Ryousho)

~Tamiko’s Perspective~

　The bodies of the scorched beasts had steam rising from them,

“Noa… Noa…” (Tamiko)

　In a faint voice, I called out to Noah, who was lying down.

　Even the mighty Metro Beasts and Hakuou Maria collapsed in a devastating scene–only I was nearly unharmed.

“I’ll protect you…” (Noa)

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