Unforgivable!
Unforgivable to feel such fear!
Unforgivable, this woman who made me feel such fear!!
Jogo clenched his fingers in a sealing gesture, flames roaring up behind him like the fangs and claws of a ravenous beast, surging toward Baobhan Sith as she advanced, undeterred.
Her steps remained calm and measured, and the fire disintegrated into neat slices before even reaching her, like paper shredded into confetti.
Jogo's eyes widened in shock, his instincts compelling him to take a step back—then he immediately stepped forward again, refusing to acknowledge his own hesitation.
Fueled by fury and determined to erase his shame, Jogo roared, his attacks growing more frenzied.
Walls of fire sprang up, only to part when Baobhan Sith's foot touched down.
Explosions of molten rock were cut apart as smoothly as tofu.
Swarms of ember beetles self-destructed, unable to touch her.
No sound—the explosions, the magma, the buzzing of the ember beetles—could drown out the steady rhythm of her footsteps.
Not only were his attacks failing to harm her, but they couldn't even disrupt her pace!
By now, Jogo had descended into a kind of madness. Just as he prepared to launch another assault, he realized that the looming figure, exuding an overwhelming presence, was suddenly right in front of him.
The fireball in his hand trembled.
He had never felt death so close.
It was like a python coiling around him, hissing against his neck.
Like a seed of death had been planted within him, drawing out his life, ready to tear through his body at any moment.
"Argh… aaaah—!!"
Jogo shook, growled, and howled in rage.
Overcoming the terror of death with sheer will, he launched an attack on his formidable foe before him.
Yet, as he tried to throw his fireball, he realized… he couldn't feel his limbs.
When…?
Staring down at his missing arms and legs, Jogo's mind was flooded with confusion.
Then, a surge of force struck his chest and abdomen, raw power expanding from within as though his entire body were meant to be obliterated, destroying every organ, vein, and bone.
Blown back, Jogo's body was launched through the air, smashing through countless trees, gouging deep craters in the ground, before finally crashing into a lake and coming to a halt.
Relying on cursed energy, he barely managed to stay afloat. Leaning over his knees, he spat out a mouthful of purple blood, stumbling under the strain.
Desperately, he tried to rise, but his body refused to cooperate; standing was an exertion beyond his strength.
His vision blurred, his head pounded, and his ears rang incessantly. He could barely breathe, his legs wobbled like jelly.
When his sight finally cleared, the first thing he saw was a pair of blood-red high heels.
"What happened? Where's that arrogant pride of yours? Why are you on your knees now? Are you here to beg to be my slave?"
Under the silver moonlight, Baobhan Sith looked down at him, one hand on her hip, a smile so cold it sent a shiver through his entire being.
"Not a chance. You're ugly, and weak—so much so that I wouldn't even let you be my dog. Your only worth to me is the pitiful screams you'll make when you die. So go on—wail in despair, scream with all you've got. Hahaha!"
Weak? Me?
"You dare call me… weak?!"
Cursed energy pooled in Jogo's hand, the lake beneath him beginning to boil. Steam rose, and the water turned red-hot as if ignited from below.
But before Jogo could launch an attack, Baobhan Sith swung her right arm in a half-circle, bringing her elbow crashing down onto his shoulder.
The devastating impact tore through his body like a swarm of locusts in a rice field, breaking down his bones and sinews.
With a loud splash, Jogo's head plunged into the lake. The force from her strike spread through the water, sending massive waves rippling across the lake's surface.
Baobhan Sith followed immediately, diving underwater.
Despite it being night and underwater, her vision remained crystal clear.
Surges of magical energy propelled her forward, closing the distance between them in seconds.
Just as she was about to reach him, however, her expression shifted slightly.
In the next instant, two enormous, white fish with mouths lined with razor-sharp teeth emerged from the darkness, ready to swallow her whole.
Boom!
Baobhan Sith burst out of the water, the two colossal fish chasing her, each tooth larger than her entire body.
What a catch. If she turned these into sashimi, they'd feed an entire village.
The thought crossed her mind as she lifted her hand and made a slicing motion.
The moonlight seemed to sharpen into blades, cutting through the fish's armor-like scales as if they were paper, killing them in a single swipe.
Her hair and dress billowed in the high-altitude winds. In the distance, she watched a vine stretch into the lake, pulling Jogo out of the water and quickly retracting into the forest.
"I'm sorry… Hanami, Dagon… I've held you back," Jogo murmured.
"It's alright, Jogo. We're family."
The cursed spirit named Hanami was covered in white with black markings, branches extending where its eyes should have been.
The cursed spirit called Dagon was bright red, with an octopus-like head and numerous tentacles around its mouth.
All the Four Disasters were here—well, except that abomination, Mahito.
Jogo, born from humanity's fear of the earth.
Dagon, born from humanity's fear of the ocean.
Hanami, born from humanity's fear of the forest.
Mahito, born from humanity's fear of other humans.
Together, they were the Four Disasters, rare Special Grade curses with intelligence and self-awareness.
"This is fascinating. What exactly brought you all here to attack me?"
If they had fur, every hair would have stood on end—despite their acute senses, none of them had noticed her approach until she'd spoken behind them.
Hanami and Dagon instinctively turned, synchronizing their attacks, each throwing a punch that struck with the force of a battering ram.
But Baobhan Sith's smile didn't waver. She crossed her arms, effortlessly catching their blows with a single hand each, her hair lifting in the gusts created by their impact.
With a sudden surge of strength, Baobhan Sith threw them aside, sending them flying before they could even react.
But in that instant, a flash of red appeared in the corner of her eye.
"Take this!"
With a roar, Jogo unleashed a towering pillar of fire that exploded in front of Baobhan Sith.
As he tried to pull his hand back, a soft, white hand reached through the flames and gripped his wrist tightly.
The soft, delicate hand felt to Jogo like a steel clamp; no matter how he struggled, he couldn't wrench his hand free.
"I always like to keep… a little something up my sleeve."
A red high heel grew larger and larger in Jogo's vision, driving into his face with staggering force. The impact sent him flying backward.
Unfortunately, his hand was still in her grip, so when he was launched backward, his arm tore off completely, while he himself shot into a nearby mountain like a missile, leaving a crater fractured with cracks.
Standing amidst the flames, Baobhan Sith held Jogo's severed arm, a slightly disappointed look on her face.
True "One-Up."