* * *

The trees and plants of the Spirit Forest constantly absorb the enormous amount of magical power contained in the soil.

However, excessive absorption of magical power is also poisonous to the plants.

That is why they constantly consume magical power in the form of "luminescence".

The Spirit Forest, brilliantly bright even at night... this fantastical scenery is created thanks to the ecology of these plants.

Now, a beast was running through such a Spirit Forest with the force of the wind.

Its appearance is that of a wolf, larger than a large bus.

However, its pattern is that of a tiger, it has the mane of a lion, the wings of a dragon on its back, and the horns of a goat on its head.

His name... was the Great Spirit of Beasts, Gauugabu.

He ran, and ran, and ran.

His giant body is composed of magical power, and he can freely switch between a material and non-material state.

That's why no matter how fast he ran, his large body would never knock down the precious... trees of the forest managed by the king.

He is now, truly, a gust of wind with murderous intent.

Why is he running?

Where is he running to?

...He is running towards the enemy.

He is running to kill the enemy.

<<<I should have been the one to go from the beginning!>>>

That is the thought that fills his chest as he runs through the forest, snorting roughly.

Gauugabu, having become a great spirit, has been alive for a very long time.

A long time ago, when he was just a ball of light... a lesser spirit, unlike now, there were many beasts in this Spirit Forest.

There was a large goat that devoured the forest.

There was a dragon that spread destruction.

There was an arrogant lion.

And... there was an insolent and cunning wolf that, setting aside the beautiful king, proclaimed itself king.

Gauugabu, despite being a lesser spirit... hunted them all down, alone.

They were all unforgivable enemies.

But at the same time, they were also strong.

That is why Gauugabu chose their forms for his own.

To be strong.

To kill the enemy!

<<<If I had fought from the beginning, no one would have died!>>>

And yet.

To kill the enemy, is why he exists.

In this case, Gauugabu was caught up in the incomprehensible order of the Spirit Forest, and his response was delayed.

He was preempted by a great spirit who had recently come from outside, an old man, and he was unable to move.

The result of that was the defeat of his comrades.

Frustrated, frustrated...

Before he knew it, Gauugabu had jumped out of the flower garden, without listening to the restraining voices of the other great spirits.

<<<I won't stop anymore! I'll kill the enemy! I'll kill them!>>>

Declaring that, though not to anyone in particular... his mood became even more elated.

Unconsciously, his wolf-like mouth opened wide and curved into a smile.

The enemy is said to be a human.

Humans are insignificant, inferior creatures.

However, the enemy, even so, had defeated his comrades.

Then, they must be a somewhat tough, inferior creature.

His chest pounds!

The fun, fun time of battle awaits!

Just thinking that... he can't stand it!

He won't be patient and feel frustrated anymore!

He will enjoy it to his heart's content, enjoy it!

And he will revel in the sweet wine of victory, the enemy's blood and flesh!

He can take revenge, and enjoy himself!

The best time... is waiting!

<<<WAOOOOOOOO!!! I found you, human!!!>>>

Here, he finally found his target.

It has two hands and two feet, and walks on two legs.

Humans are such creatures.

Then, that pitch-black creature, standing quietly in the forest, must be his enemy!

<<<WAOOOOOOOO!!!>>>

Gauugabu, with the momentum he had built up, bared his fangs and lunged at the human.

Of course, he probably wouldn't be able to finish it in one move.

He deliberately aimed for the human's right side and lunged.

The human will probably jump to the left to escape.

He will follow up with his tail.

Unconsciously making that calculation, he lunged at the human.

He lunged, but...?

<<<Huh...?>>>

Before he knew it, he was rolling on the ground of the Spirit Forest.

From outside his awareness... he was hit on the side of his body by something and sent flying.

It was just before he was about to attack the enemy, and his body was materialized.

Therefore, due to the mass of his rolling giant body, several trees in the Spirit Forest were brutally broken.

<<<What!? Who!?>>>

Gauugabu hurriedly looked around.

And the one who hit him was quickly revealed.

It was a dark black, tentacle.

<<<......Eh?>>>

That tentacle... if he followed it with his eyes, its base was that human.

And that human.

If you look closely, he has many, many other... countless tentacles growing from his body.

<<<Huh? Humans...>>>

Do humans have tentacles?

Gauugabu was confused.

However, he was not allowed to spend time resolving this question.

Because!

<<<He... help...>>>

<<<!?>>>

At that moment, Gauugabu's large ears clearly heard it!

His comrade's cry for help!

And that voice... was coming from the tip of the enemy's tentacle... from the oval-shaped, bulging part...!

Furthermore, the next moment!

<<<Ah! Great Spirit of Beasts-sama!? H-Help me...!!>>>

One of the tips of the tentacles, swaying in the air, was forcibly opened from the inside.

The one who did it was... trapped inside the tentacle, the Monkey Medium Spirit!

A being who boasts exceptional strength, and could be said to be one of Gauugabu's underlings!

<<<Th-This guy! He's eating...!!>>>

The words the Monkey Medium Spirit screamed with a desperate expression ended there.

Because the enemy.

Unfeelingly, expressionlessly.

Forcibly closed the mouth of the tentacle that had captured the Monkey Medium Spirit again.

And that tentacle... was raised high into the sky.

And with all its might... was slammed into the ground!

Over and over... over and over again!

Gagya, gagya, gagya...!

A gruesome sound of beating echoed through the brilliantly shining Spirit Forest... and then, it became quiet.

The tentacle that contained the Monkey Medium Spirit was completely flattened.

He, who was inside, would no longer be safe.

Spirits, whose bodies are made of magical power, will not die, even if they are crushed.

However, they will be damaged.

Having become like that, the Monkey Medium Spirit would no longer be able to move properly.

<<<Ah...>>>

<<<Let me out... help...>>>

<<<Uuu, ahhh, ah...>>>

<<<It's being absorbed... my magical power...>>>

<<<I'm disappearing... I... I'm disappearing...>>>

Here, Gauugabu realized that he could hear the sound of sobbing and cries for help from the tips of the other tentacles.

The countless tentacles extending from the enemy's body.

In each and every one of them.

His comrades are captured.

And their magical power is being absorbed.

Until their lives are exhausted...!

<<<What are you... What are you, YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!>>>

Gauugabu got up, bared his fangs, growled, and... while sweating profusely, he screamed.

His tail was completely tucked between his two hind legs.

"............"

Here for the first time, the enemy.

Looked straight at Gauugabu.

Gauugabu also, for the first time, looked at the enemy's form properly.

It was.

...Beautiful.

Swaying its dark black, gruesome tentacles around.

While enveloped in the sobbing of the spirits, and a haze-like something that can only be called a dark black miasma.

However.

Illuminated by the stars and flowers, her skin was white.

"I am"

Here.

The enemy opened her mouth.

"I am a traveler. {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Emi Rune."

That name, released with an 【Intimidation】 strong enough to make the air creak... was carved deeply, deeply into Gauugabu's heart, like a sculpture made with a knife, roughly, and forcibly.

All the hairs on his body stood on end.

His instincts screamed at him to run.

However.

<<<I see, so that's my enemy's name>>>

Gauugabu said that, shivered, and then smiled fearlessly.

He is sometimes made fun of by the other high-ranking spirits.

That he's childish and immature, still in the mood of a lesser spirit.

Certainly, he is not good at thinking deeply.

However.

He has courage.

He has an unyielding heart!

That's why he has defeated many enemies and climbed up to the level of a great spirit!

To run away in front of the enemy... he doesn't have such a weak-willed nature!

To run away here is to deny his own way of being!

He can't do such a thing!

<<<I am Gauugabu! The Great Spirit of Beasts, Gauugabu!>>>

Gauugabu loudly announced his name!

<<<The enemy of the Spirit Forest! I am the beast that will defeat you! WAOOOOOOOO!!!>>>

And putting strength into his limbs... he once again lunged at the enemy, Emi Rune.