I Don’t Want to Die as a Mob in My Second Life! ～A Story Where I Kept Training from Inside the Womb and Ended Up Being Mistaken for a Monster～ - Chapter 27: Unicorn Vandam

Chapter 27: Unicorn Vandam

“Excuse me, could you give us a ride?”

“Huh? What’s up, missy? Got money—WHAAAT?! Kanata Soranaki?! No way!”

“Hello.”

It was the day of the exam.

After finishing breakfast, we decided to take a taxi parked near the station to head into central Tokyo.

We have a car at home, sure. But Maro said, “I want to experience what commoners call a taxi, de ojaru.” Since we had some extra time, we opted for a taxi ride instead.

“Fancy meeting you again, Mr. Driver. This will be my second ride with you.”

“Y-Yeah, totally…!”

Oh, by the way, the driver was the same guy who gave me a ride home the day I was born.

Funny how life works, huh?

“By the way, were you able to bill Commander Ouma for that fare back then?”

“No way I could! I-I mean, sorry! I just handled it privately…”

Oh, wow. Did he give me a free ride because I was a baby?

What a kind driver. I’ll make sure to ride with him again if I see him around.

“This time, I’ll pay properly.”

“This time, you say…?”

Well, thanks to capturing [Hihiirokane] and all the rights associated with it, I’ll be swimming in cash soon enough.

So, Mr. Driver, get ready—I’ll be using your services again!

“To the Spirit Conductor Agency, Tokyo Headquarters, please.”

“Y-Yes!”

And so, we set off.

Currently, Maro sat in the front passenger seat, while in the back, Dad sat by the window, I was in the middle, and Setsuna had the other window seat. The taxi was speeding along the highway.

I appreciated the driver’s urgency—there are plenty of people who take their sweet time or even “accidentally” take the wrong route just to hike up the fare, but this guy wasn’t like that.

“Hohoho! It’s a bit cramped, but I like this wild ride, de ojaru! Very much to my liking, de ojaru!”

“Glad to hear that.”

Smiling at Maro, who seemed thoroughly pleased with the experience, I decided to pass the time.

I created loops of thread made entirely from spiritual energy, manipulating them without moving my fingers. Since it wasn’t physical, it responded directly to my thoughts.

—Ta-da, Tokyo Tower!

“Wha, Kanata, what are you doing…?”

Setsuna turned to look at me, her face somewhere between curious and incredulous.

“Is it weird to play with string figures?”

“No, it’s fine. But… it’s a bit, uh, childish.”

Who’s childish?

“That’s not what I meant. You’re controlling spiritual energy to do it—that’s impressive. How do you even manage that?”

Her tone was a mix of amazement and exasperation.

Curious, Setsuna decided to give it a try herself. She formed a spiritual energy loop and attempted string figures, but her movements were slow and awkward. Each time a section shifted, it clumsily snapped back to its original position.

Is that… a garden eel?

“Hmm, ugh…! I tried to hook the string on the right to my left finger and the one on the left to my right finger, but switching positions instantly is really tough.”

“I can do something like this.”

I spread my hands wide and created a long loop of spiritual energy thread.

Then, I manipulated multiple sections of the thread simultaneously, moving them back and forth to form an intricate shape.

“All done. Here’s ‘Unicorn Vandam.'”

“Wait, why does it look like that giant robot in Odaiba!?”

Setsuna let out a startled shout, pointing at the 1/144 scale figure of Vandam I had just created in my hands.

“That’s so ridiculously technical it’s creepy!”

“Rude. Also, it’s not a robot—it’s a multipurpose humanoid combat suit used to fight against the Shiton Principality.”

“I wouldn’t know. I don’t watch anime…”

She shook her head, clearly baffled.

“Still, Kanata, I didn’t realize you had such a talent. There’s no way I could copy that.”

Ah, that’s right. Now that I think about it, Setsuna’s ice soldiers were always in simple formations, only charging straight ahead.

If she could control both swordsmen and archers at the same time, her strategies would really improve.

“Kanata, you already showed off your skill during battle, controlling those threads and your scarf so intricately. You moved up to eleven at once!”

“Yeah, I use spirits to help with motion correction, so with practice, it’s manageable. …Here, watch—Unicorn Vandam, transform! Longinus Mode!”

“What the—!? It turned into a spear!? …Hey, why don’t you record that and upload it somewhere?”

“Good idea.”

It might be nice to earn a little ad revenue from it.

While I was thinking that, even Dad, sitting beside me, watched my spiritual energy string figures and let out an impressed “Hmm.”

“I’ve been watching, Kanata. That’s amazing. Honestly, I thought your spiritual energy control was still a bit rough.”

Ah… he’s not wrong. When it comes to constructing and maintaining techniques, that’s a different story.

You have to precisely grasp the fluctuating heart (spirit) of the Conceptual Spirit you’re hosting, and continuously adjust to their changes while holding everything together.

In simpler terms, it’s like understanding someone’s feelings and adapting to them.

Honestly? I’m terrible at that.

“I’m good at manipulating techniques however I want. It’s fun, after all. But when it comes to creating and maintaining them—adjusting to the spirit’s heart while controlling my spiritual energy… not so much.”

Maybe it’s because I spent my first life living as a mob character, always looking at other people’s faces to get by.

Inside my own mind, I just want to be the king.

That kind of selfish attitude messes with my control. Since spiritual energy control is a mental act, even a single emotion can throw everything off.

It’s a clear area I need to work on. Maybe I need to get rid of that arrogance and act more humble, like a servant or something.

“(That’s the opposite, you know~)”

“(What?)”

At that moment, the tiny [Doll] perched on my shoulder sent a strange thought my way.

I glanced back, wondering what it meant, but the little thing just smiled at me with a look full of expectation. What’s your deal?

“I see now. Kanata, you may not be great at internal control for techniques, but your external manipulation is exceptionally good.” 

Setsuna’s remark sums me up perfectly.

Yeah, that about hits the mark.

“It’s probably thanks to the spirits I host. For example, I control the scarf imbued with [Ittan-momen] just by thinking about it.”

“Want me to strangle you~?!”

The blonde pervert [Ittan-momen] inside me laughed happily.

She seemed genuinely pleased with my growth. Or maybe she was just excited about the way the spiritual threads moved, like tentacles.

…Yeah, it’s probably the latter.

“And when hosting [Doll], I can move my body more efficiently. Since spiritual energy feels like an extension of myself, I think it sharpens my control.”

“Kanata is my masterpiece!”

[Doll], perched on my shoulder, puffed out her tiny chest proudly.

In fact, this spiritual energy string play was originally her idea.

Back when I didn’t have the ability to create threads using lower spirits, she whined, “I wanna see string figures~! Make some thread for me~!” That’s when I came up with this.

It was just a lighthearted game using spiritual energy as glowing threads.

“And as for [Blank Shot]…”

“…!”

“[Blank Shot] hasn’t really been helpful. All it does is make noise.”

“!!!!????”

The silent, Chinese-dress-wearing [Blank Shot] in my Spiritual Domain looked absolutely devastated.

Sorry, okay? Your ability is just to create shockwaves randomly. Not much I can do with that.

“But Kanata, doesn’t external manipulation have nothing to do with the exam?”

Setsuna hit me with a cold, hard fact. You really must not have any friends, huh?

“Well, yeah, that’s true…”

The exam focuses on the quality of spiritual techniques. In other words, how you create them is what matters.

It’s like cooking—the judges care about your cooking skills, not how you serve the dish.

My external manipulation is just about how you move what you’ve made.

If a waiter serves food while doing stylish backflips but brings out some sloppily made bachelor chow, people are still going to think, “Uh, no thanks.”

“Hehe, did I manage to get one over on you, Kanata? Looks like I’ve regained my dignity as the older sister figure!”

What’s with the smug attitude, Setsuna?

“Oh, the taxi’s about to turn. My body might lean your way, Miss Setsuna.”

“Wait—wahhh!? K-Kanata, you’re squishing me—! …Ah, but your hair is so silky and soft, and it smells amazing… sniff, sniff…”

“Please don’t sniff me like some sow searching for a mate.”

“A sow searching for a mate?!”

And so, despite the cramped space, we had a lively, chaotic ride to the exam venue.

Maro, by the way, got bored of the taxi and fell asleep.

◆　◇　◆

“Spiritual Energy Technique: ‘Thousand Wriggling Worms.’”

“Hiee! All those squirming movements coming at me—every single one is different!?”

“It’s just spiritual energy light, so there’s no physical substance. Don’t worry. …Although, if I used [Doll]’s ability to make it into real threads…”

“Stop!”

As I was messing around with Setsuna, the taxi came to a screeching halt.

It looked like we’d arrived. Everyone got out and took in the view around us.

“So, this is it. The Spirit Conductor Agency’s Tokyo Headquarters. That special training field is massive.”

Behind the main building was a sprawling area that resembled an athletic field.

The size? Absolutely ridiculous.

It’s designed to double as a disaster and wartime evacuation site for Tokyo residents, complete with spiritual barriers for protection. Just the sandy section alone was the size of four Tokyo Domes.

On one side, there was the ‘Urban Combat Training Area,’ lined with uninhabited buildings, and on the other, the ‘Underwater Combat Training Area,’ featuring a vast artificial lake.

Straight ahead was the ‘Field Combat Training Area,’ complete with mountainous terrain and forests.

Basically, it’s the ultimate playground for chaos.

“Phew, finally free from the worm nightmare… Looking at it again, the Tokyo HQ is really impressive.”

Setsuna walked up beside me and said.

“The building complex is livable, the artificial lake serves as a reservoir, and the forest is planted entirely with edible vegetation. As an evacuation site, it’s got everything you’d need. But… actually…”

Setsuna trailed off, hesitating. Oh, right. I know where this is going.

“Ouma Shiranui set this place up as the final stronghold for a mainland battle with Libertalia, right?”

“Yes… Wait, huh?! How do you know that?!”

Setsuna looked at me, utterly shocked.

Ah, crap. That whole ‘Ouma Shiranui’s Confession’ thing doesn’t happen for another ten years.

“Haha… (That’s from a future where relations with Libertalia completely broke down.)”

In that future, Libertalia deployed a devastating spiritual energy weapon aimed at Japan.

The entire nation was taken hostage, and Ouma Shiranui was summoned to Tokyo’s offshore islands.

There, 100,000 Spirit Conductor Knights of the Empire awaited him, with the entire event broadcast as a public execution.

And in the face of that… Ouma Shiranui made his confession.

“I am no saint, just a wretched demon of vengeance.”

His love for Japan was genuine.

But he admitted that he wanted to use that very love as a weapon to exact revenge on the Libertalia Empire, which had taken everything from him.

That’s why, he declared, there was no need to mourn his death.

And then, it led to the legendary ‘One Against 100,000’ battle where he annihilated them all.

After everything was over… the people of Japan, despite everything, swore their unwavering love and loyalty to Ouma.

It was the moment when even his carefully calculated plans went completely off course.

“…Even I wasn’t told that story until he really trusted me. ‘I’m a scoundrel,’ he said. ‘So when the time comes, don’t hesitate to have me executed.’”

Wait, really?

…So that’s why Ouma Shiranui thinks I turned Setsuna, someone he trusts that much, into my pig slave?

Doesn’t that make me sound at least a hundred times more evil than I actually am?

Seriously… what the heck?

“But why is it you, Kanata?”

“Ah.”

For now, I tried to come up with an excuse for Setsuna.

“It’s common knowledge that his hometown was burned to the ground, right? So, a man like that, full of pure love for his country? Hah, not likely. If something precious is stolen from a person, of course, they’d be filled with fury.”

“…”

“I’ve met his gaze several times now. The madness burning in his eyes—it’s both true love and genuine thirst for revenge. …These two desires aren’t contradictory. Making his homeland a superpower also means crushing the top dog, Libertalia.”

So, spotting his true nature isn’t exactly difficult—or so I told Setsuna, completely bluffing.

Thanks to my annoyingly handsome face and equally annoyingly smooth voice, it somehow sounded way more convincing than it should’ve.

“I… see.”

Setsuna’s eyes widened, and then she fell silent for a moment before adding,

“Lord Ouma… must have been looking for someone like you.”

Eh, ehh?

“I could never do it. If Lord Ouma ever went out of control, there’s no way I could stop him. But you, Kanata—you’re different.”

She looked at me with a serious, piercing gaze.

What’s this about? Why is this getting so intense?

“A wicked foe, yet without hatred. Someone who can see the filth within him directly, and might even surpass him someday in strength.”

Wait, what?

“A true rival—someone who makes him think, ‘Until this person deems me worthy of elimination, I must live virtuously,’ or, ‘Even if I lose control, this person would be capable of putting an end to me.’ That’s who you are, Kanata.”

What… WHAT?!

I was just some background mob, and now I’m supposed to be Ouma Shiranui’s rival!?

No, no, no, no, no, this casting is way off! What is she even saying!?

I have zero interest in playing a “kill-or-be-killed” game with a guy who swings his sword at incomprehensible speeds!

“Not a disciple, not an enemy—more like an ‘archenemy.’ Someone who stands on equal ground. If someone like you exists, maybe that person who lives such a sad, lonely life might turn out a little more normal.”

What am I even supposed to do with that?

I just want to get along with the guy, okay?

And maybe get rid of this ridiculous “pure evil” label while I’m at it.

“Hah, being seen as his equal… (That’s way too much pressure…)”

“Fufu, as expected of Kanata. Are you saying you think you’re above him? That’s so rival-like.”

No, that’s NOT what I’m saying!

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[Tips]

Spiritual Energy Manipulation: 

The act of controlling the life energy known as spiritual energy.

It’s divided into two types:

-The technique of constructing and maintaining abilities inside your body, tailored to the spirits you host.

-The technique of manipulating spiritual weapons or constructs you’ve created, like Kanata’s threads or Setsuna’s ice warriors.

Unfortunately, the exam evaluates the first type.

This is because the exam prioritizes “stable talent”—someone who can create reliable tools—over a prodigy who can cleverly manipulate subpar ones.

Special Training Field: 

A vast area used for Spirit Conductors’ training or recreational activities.

Ridiculously huge, with the sandy area alone being the size of four Tokyo Domes. On top of that, it has various specialized zones for different environments, including underground spaces.

In reality, the Special Training Field, along with the Spirit Conductor Agency’s Tokyo Headquarters, serves as the ultimate wartime base.

Even if Japan were spiritually contaminated and burned to the ground, this facility is designed to rebuild and manage the country from this very spot.

Vandam: 

A legendary myth-based space war anime series that became immensely popular in the modern era of 2030.

Streamed worldwide, it’s also a significant source of revenue for Japan.

When Kanata talks about Vandam, he gets a little silly.

He’s even considered wearing a mask to attend Vandam fan meetups incognito.

In contrast to ancient yokai—beings that might exist in a world where spirits are real but lack any definitive proof of their presence—modern fictional creations are clearly recognized as fiction.

Because of this, Conceptual Spirits based on modern fictional works cannot materialize or hold a physical form, and thus generally cannot appear in the world.

However, in the past, the Emperor of the Holy Libertarian Empire attempted an outrageous plan:

He kidnapped and brainwashed 1,000 infants, then produced an “original sci-fi anime” about powerful weapons in large numbers, making the children believe “This is real.”

The goal was to manifest Conceptual Spirits from the fictional creations and use them as weapons.

But there was one fatal flaw:

Everyone involved in the plan— The Emperor, the researchers, the trainers—

Deep down, they all thought:

“It’s just anime. There’s no way it’s real.”

This subconscious disbelief tainted the process, preventing the Conceptual Spirits from taking physical form, and the plan ultimately failed.

Frustrated, the Emperor dumped his original anime in Japan for dirt-cheap prices.

That anime was later reworked and evolved into the Vandam series, which would go on to become a cornerstone of Japan’s thriving anime industry.

The Emperor… wept.

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