I’ve Become a Combat Soldier in a Dark Fantasy Adult Game

Tenri might be versatile, but the limits of her innate talent were clearly evident. Unlike Kanon who, befitting a young lady of a prestigious family even if from a branch, could unleash tremendous firepower with just a vanguard, Tenri could do a bit of everything but was somewhat slow, weak, and tired quickly.

She occasionally showed a displeased expression as if she too was gradually feeling her limitations, but this wasn’t a problem that could be resolved in a short time. I didn’t particularly urge or demand much from her, just waited patiently for her to be able to fulfill her role.

And so, three days passed.
After diligently searching six peaks and driving the yokai, we finally managed to lure it to a wide-open area. With me taking meticulous care of both of them, there should be no issues with their condition. The tiring camping would end today.

+++

He’s too clever for a combat soldier. Not only does he handle administrative tasks well, but he also demonstrates considerable skill in situations requiring thinking and wisdom. Do great families, prestigious houses, provide special treatment even to combat soldiers? That’s what Tenri thought.

And perhaps because she was from a branch family, the somewhat insecure girl still performed her specialty perfectly. Compared to herself, who produced somewhat inadequate results, the girl may have fewer skills but her level of completion was incomparable.

Fortunately, they’re allies. I shouldn’t mess with prestigious families.
Flaunting her dyed long blonde hair and trademark sunglasses, she headed to where the combat soldier was leading them.

A sheer cliff. A relatively flat hillock on the mountain. After spraying something to hide their scent and spiritual power, the combat soldier designated their positions and then concealed himself.

His designated first strike was to use maximum firepower without outwardly releasing spiritual power, aimed at the largest one. As if accustomed to receiving directions from someone of lower rank, she drew the pistol at her waist, matching the rhythm of Kanon who was taking deep breaths beside her.

She used curse bullets made from parts of her own fingernails and ribs.
She fired her most confident shot, timed to hit right after Kanon’s ice spear.

Ice pierced the leader’s eye, and her bullet grazed its right cheek, melting it. As the early mid-level wolf howled in pain and confusion, the combat soldier, who was supposed to move separately, appeared beside it.

With a powerful body slam, he pushed the leader down the cliff and shouted.

“Jump down!”

His second case scenario: if they formed a pack, he would handle the relatively weaker members. Without hesitation, she followed Kanon, who jumped down the cliff, to find the wolf below, shaking off dust as if it had rolled while falling.

The role assignments had already been completed. Tenri doesn’t have defensive techniques that could withstand multiple hits from mid-level or higher enemies. Her role was to run away as quickly as possible without the combat soldier while providing cover fire. She had already developed trust in Kanon’s skills to protect her in emergencies.

She tied up her long blonde hair and temporarily removed her sunglasses. Hearing the already savage howls from above, it felt like they were on a time limit.

She drew her pistol, her most confident creation and weapon, and fired just one shot. She hit the nose to make it aware of her.
A small purple wound appeared on the beast’s nose, and thick blood flowed from it. Being mindful to maintain an appropriate distance from the wolf that was growling “kreung,” she entered into full-fledged combat.

Kanon is accustomed to fighting with a vanguard. Unlike Ohime-Kazuha of the main house, for whom distance is meaningless, or the eldest daughter Miyuki, who even finishes ranged combat with a sword, her greatest specialty was bombing from mid to long range.

One can’t be good at everything. Because she is different from such geniuses, there’s no reason to feel inferior. Geniuses are tasked with fighting great yokai, or ghosts and spirits approaching disaster level. Greater responsibility for the stronger. That was one truth that applied to exorcist society.

The combat soldier treasured by Ohime of the direct line was used to buying time and forming battle formations, making him extremely comfortable to fight alongside, but this time they unavoidably teamed up with someone else. Still, perhaps because she was an exorcist who had faced dangers alone, she was guiding the opponent well without major damage.

When the opponent was distracted by Tenri, she used her major technique with maximum firepower. When the opponent turned to her, she surrounded herself with layers of protective techniques and ran. In between, she delivered fairly good hits with curse bullets and then returned to providing cover fire. Occasionally saving Tenri, who stumbled and faced mortal danger, Kanon was confident of victory.

A smile spread across her face as she faced the yokai that was letting out pain-filled groans.

+++

I felt a strange sense of déjà vu that was difficult to express. Rolling vigorously on the ground at the party of seven wolf cubs, I thought:

“Tsk. This is Dark Souls.”

The endless coordinated attacks of the incoming wolves. Following the narrow openings precariously shown by over ten years of combat experience, I pushed away opponents and rolled on the ground, prolonging my life. While the two hunters below were handling one large wolf, up here seven carnivores were trying to catch and beat their prey.

Ohime, my de facto master, rarely lends me offensive tools. The second son’s claims of treachery are nonsensical garbage that everyone ignores, and the biggest reason is actually that she greatly dislikes “not developing strength due to dependency on tools.”

So my offensive tools are limited to three talismans imbued with Ohime’s power. They must be used perfectly at the appropriate moment. Fortunately, the small ones are weak enough to be classified as minor yokai, and even the rest are at most mid-level low yokai, so if I act with thorough safety in mind and just buy time, I can endure.

What I thought when I saw this pack was that they were a mother and children.
The large wolf is the mother, and those following are her children. If we hadn’t separated them, the experienced and powerful mother would have commanded her children, forcing a more difficult fight upon us.

In the end, my judgment was correct.
With inner relief, I rolled crudely on the ground.

As I got up from the ground, I deflected the jaws of a wolf coming to bite my shoulder with sharp teeth, and used the brief moment to employ a protective technique.
It blocks once. And with that one block, I somehow gain the upper hand.

Having used the protective technique with difficulty, I didn’t want to waste it. Defense is preparation for the next critical hit. Still, as I continued to block, dodge, and roll to buy time, the long-awaited roar came from below the cliff.

A scream mixed with pain-filled groans. Perhaps disturbed by the mother’s roar, the coordination briefly faltered, and one wolf turned around to check below the cliff.

Now’s the time.
I grabbed the scruff of one wolf that had turned around and rolled on the ground, separating it from the pack.
In the process, I allowed one hit, but the technique broke instead of my body, allowing me to survive.

I took a mount position and prepared the fatal talisman, one of only three, gifted by Ohime. I attached it to its head.

“Kyukyuyoritsuryo.”

An incantation requesting divine spirits. Originally a verbal command to drive out minor spirits and handle business, but it’s perfect for using borrowed power.
Befitting Ohime’s talisman that handles forces including gravity, the wolf’s head was crushed as if run over by a truck.

Only two of these precious talismans remain, but the wolves don’t know that.
If I put my life on the line, I can kill you too. I have killing power. Dare to look away and I’ll kill you.

With that thought, I smiled, and the wolves regrouped. Yes, you should abandon thoughts of helping your mother.

Though their attacks became more fierce due to the anger of losing a sibling, their numbers decreased, giving me some time to catch my breath.
Whenever there was a mournful sound from the mother below, some would flinch, and I took that opportunity to eliminate them one by one.

Talismans exhausted. Four opponents remain.
With quite a good result, I drew my sword in earnest and entered a defensive battle. Now I can block head-on without needing to roll and dodge.

Cut, block. Kill.
Over ten years. The mental fortitude trained through a life where a moment’s carelessness could cost me my life held me steady, unwavering even amidst the bloodshed of myself and the wolves.

Now that the minor or early low-level yokai can’t fully concentrate on fighting me. I released the anger that had built up inside me with nowhere to go.

This dog-eat-dog world.
These fucking yokai bastards.
A world setting where you die if you don’t go crazy. Years spent watching my step, lying flat on the ground.

Whether due to the exhilaration of battle or my slightly unhinged mind, I followed its orders and sliced another wolf.
Three remain. Having killed more than half, I could tell that the remaining ones were afraid of me despite my weak spiritual power.

One trying to jump down to its mother. I grabbed it, threw it, and stabbed a knife in its neck.
One abandoning its mother and siblings to flee. I followed, tripped it, and strangled it.
The last one remaining. I smashed its head with my scabbard as it lost the will to fight.

Phew.

I sat down, covered in blood whose origin I couldn’t tell.
It’s over. Many minor wounds, but to win without becoming disabled is commendable, self.

Actually, my role here is to go down and help the two, but I wanted to rest a bit now.

Sitting at the edge of the cliff and looking down slightly, I saw the giant wolf with its front legs completely cut off and its face half-melted, letting out only mournful sounds.

Kanon’s final blow.
The mother wolf howled loudly as she met her death.

Is it finishing up now? Just as I thought that, an alarm rang in my head.
It was my survival instinct, honed from numerous experiences and living as a weak being.

Wolf yokai follow wolf habits.
Wolves howl to call their companions.
If that wolf is the “mother,” where is the “father”?

Feeling a presence swelling from the shadow of the cliff, I immediately jumped down.
My injured and tired body screamed, but I couldn’t afford to stop my movement because of that.

What appeared was a black wolf, as if darkness had transformed into a wolf, wearing shadows.
With their guard slightly lowered, before they could prepare for the suddenly appearing opponent, I grabbed the two forcibly and fled, ready for some injury.

Black claws swung, and fresh blood splattered.