The Healer in a Japanese-Style Game World: Mastering Healing to Save My Favorite Character in a Brutal World, Only to Find Everyone Around Me Becoming Obsessed - Chapter 31: Confrontation with Nozuchi

Chapter 31: Confrontation with Nozuchi

In front of me was a giant Nozuchi, wounded and intimidating.

It was definitely larger than usual, likely carrying an equally enormous curse. 

Now that I had mastered the power to control cold with the Law of the Glacier, I carefully observed the creature while devising a strategy.

Despite the opponent lacking eyes, I felt an unmistakable, unpleasant sensation of it being intensely aware of me. 

It didn’t feel like it was watching me; rather, it seemed to recognize my very existence. How was it perceiving me?

“Makami, take care of the three! And don’t look at the Nozuchi!”

“What about you, Master?”

“I’m better suited to handle curses, so leave it to me.”

The critical failure to avoid in this battle was worsening the curses on the children and Sanae-san. My intuition suggested that recognizing this creature’s presence acted as a trigger. Since I couldn’t push Makami too hard, it was clear that I should handle it.

“Well, it’s going to be a swift attack.”

Additionally, the children and Sanae-san were already afflicted by the disease, and who knows what would happen if I didn’t lift it quickly. Therefore, I decided to take swift action against this creature. Forming a blade out of ice, I launched it at high speed.

“—It’s tough!?”

However, the ice blade I launched was blocked by the creature’s skin. 

The skin deflected even the sharp blade I had carefully crafted, showcasing the threat it posed.

Given its appearance, its abilities were likely limited, and the most troublesome attack I could imagine was a mass-based charge. Such an attack could easily involve everyone, and I had to prevent that at all costs—just as I was thinking that.

“A wind!?”

A sudden gust of wind blew, and when I looked at the creature, I saw that the Nozuchi had opened its enormous mouth, trying to suck me in. The suction was immense, pulling everything around into its maw unless one clung to something.

As trees and rocks were swallowed without distinction, I quickly created an ice wall to protect everyone behind me, preventing them from being sucked in. However, in that brief moment of distraction, my body was lifted and swiftly drawn toward the creature’s mouth.

“This is bad—but…”

No matter how tough and big the opponent, it couldn’t defend against an attack from inside its body.

Thinking that, I threw a chunk of cold energy into the creature’s mouth. It swallowed the cold mass, but the next moment it exploded, freezing the Nozuchi from the inside out, turning it into something resembling a small iceberg.

“Alright—victory… right?”

It seemed effortless, but I thought it was genuinely a dangerous opponent.

Without my powers, I would have likely succumbed to the disease and wouldn’t have been able to move as I did. That Nozuchi, a Yokai, seemed to prey on weakened victims and had been living off them for a long time.

“Sanae-san, is everyone safe?”

“Yes—but… who are you?”

“It’s Yomi… ah, I guess you can’t recognize me in this form.”

She responded, confirming their safety, but she didn’t seem to recognize me.

I quickly remembered that my appearance changes when using the blessings of calamity and dispelled the transformation.

Sanae-san sighed in relief, realizing it was really me, and I smiled wryly as I used a purification spell to heal the disease affecting them.

My spells can’t cure natural illnesses, but they can heal injuries and curses, so I was able to remove the effects caused by the Nozuchi.

“Amazing… my body feels so much lighter.”

“I’m really glad. I was worried if I could heal it… are there any other injuries?”

“No, I protected the children, so we’re all safe.”

“You’re strong, Sanae-san.”

“No, in the end, I couldn’t defeat it. I relied entirely on you, Yomi-san.”

“But it’s impressive, isn’t it? Protecting the children against that Nozuchi is quite a feat!”

I really think that, even though I’m not sure how long they faced off against the Nozuchi, it was she who managed to wound it. That means she risked her life to protect the children. Few people can risk their lives with anything less than total resolve, and belittling that effort is not right.

“…Do you really think so? I don’t believe it.”

“No, it’s amazing… Anyway, the children’s health is worrying, so let’s head to the town doctor. Makami, can you grow big enough to carry four people?”

“Mm… Master, leave it to me.”

The conversation was going in circles, and considering the Nozuchi’s curse, I decided it was best to have a doctor check them. We didn’t have much time, so we quickly decided to ride Makami for faster travel.

“Come on, Sanae-san, get on too.”

“Right… Yes, Yomi-san, thank you again for saving us!”

[Afterword!]

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