Volume 10 Chapter 19 The Poisonous Monster
Hygieia is the goddess of health, widely revered in Greek mythology.
She's the daughter of Asclepius, the famous god of medicine, and the granddaughter of Apollo, the founder of medical arts.
In mythology, she doesn't play a major role, which means she's not as powerful as other gods. However, she doesn't have any weaknesses that stem from mythology either.
In other words, she's just a typical goddess. And that goddess is Hygieia, the goddess of health.
"..."
Toxy was thinking about how to torture and kill her.
There are places that people don't want to be touched, and touching them can have consequences.
But Hygieia was different. With the traumatic hallucination effect of the poisonous mist that dissolves and kills, she could manipulate the trauma of those who inhaled the mist.
That's what Toxy thought.
If she thinks about it, she's the one who summoned Hygieia in the first place. Getting angry at her counterattack is just ridiculous.
But Toxy's anger wasn't about the counterattack. It was about her careless attitude towards stimulating people's trauma, which was unacceptable.
And the fact that such a god was floating on the magic seal etched on her body, saying "I'm similar to you," was infuriating.
Someone who would use such mental attacks should die in regret and suffering, Toxy thought. They should suffer and suffer until they die.
So, Toxy said.
"Hey, Hygieia, didn't you have Asclepius as your parent? The god of medicine? So, what if we summon him and make him almost die, and then tell you, 'If you don't want your parent to be killed, then kill yourself'? What do you think?"
"'...'."
Sandra and Hydra responded to Toxy's proposal with a mixture of shock and disgust. Sandra's face was expressionless, but her open mouth suggested she was taken aback.
This was happening in a vacant house near the place where they had just escaped the poisonous mist. The 3 of them were discussing how to attack Hygieia next.
"...Toxy, you've really gone through a lot, haven't you? Good kid, good kid."
"Sandra, stop saying that."
'Little girl, your frenzy was painful to watch. Watching you is like watching a trainwreck. Today, let's not bother with Hygieia and just take it easy, okay?'
"Don't coddle me, Hydra."
The two of them try to calm down Toxy, who's quietly seething, but it's no use.
Toxy's mind is made up. She's going to make that damned mud pay for her regret.
"Let's talk about something realistic, then."
Seeing Toxy's determination, Sandra opens her mouth.
"It's not realistic to call upon another evil god. We don't have enough blood, to begin with."
"No, we have some left over. Hydra."
'Hmm, yeah... Oh, geez...'
One of Hydra's heads spits out a barrel of blood it had swallowed. Sandra lets out a surprised "Whoa, I didn't think we had any left!"
"It's just one, but it's better than nothing. And if we're going to take a hostage, it's better to choose the weaker one. We can do it with a partial manifestation, I think."
"That makes sense. But what about faith? The Demon that becomes the material for the blood needs to have faith in the god they're calling, right?"
"It's a bit tricky, but I don't think that's a problem. This is a mix of Poseidon faith and Hygeia faith, after all. As long as the bloodline is good, it's all good, I think."
"Good, you mean?"
Sandra tilts her head, and Hydra says, 'Ah, it's like a family tree thing.'
'Poseidon, the brother or uncle of Zeus. Apollo, the child of Zeus, and Asclepius, the child of Apollo. And then there's Hygeia, the child of Asclepius.'
"...So, if we mix the blood of siblings and the blood of a grandchild, it becomes like the blood of a grandchild, or something?"
"I don't think that's a bad idea. It's a good mix that's likely to be called forth. And that way, Hygeia will take some damage too."
Right now, they're facing a god, and a partial manifestation of that god is nothing to sneeze at.
Of course, they're not going to let their guard down. By thoroughly crushing Asclepius, they can make it so that Hygeia takes the damage instead.
Toxy asks,
"So, who's in favor of this plan, and who's against it? Give me your reasons."
"Me."
"Yes, Sandra."
"I'm in favor because Toxy's eyes are looking sharp and it feels good."
"Alright."
The reason is decent, but if she agrees, there's no complaint.
'Then.'
"Yes, Hydra."
"I agree. It's only natural for us monsters to bring down a good god and make them suffer, taking them hostage and all that."
Toxy is impressed by Hydra's mischievous grin.
"...That's right. I'm a monster who's possessed by Hydra, after all. I didn't have much self-awareness, did I?"
Looking back, I realize I didn't have any self-awareness at all, Toxy thinks.
"When I made Sieg spit out blood with poison, he said 'I thought you'd do it sooner.' That's what I mean. I'm a monster, and I'm being asked to do things that heroes can't do. And."
Ice said I had to become strong enough to kill Wade. It was sad, lonely, and the approaching end was terrifying.
But that's what's necessary for Wade's sake. Toxy is the weakest and can do the least.
So, above all, she needs a madness that doesn't choose its methods.
"...I'll take on the self-awareness of a monster. I'll become a monster. No, I'm already a monster, so..."
Toxy gives a faint smile.
"...I'll defile the gods and kill them mercilessly."
Suddenly, Toxy felt her heart settle. The unconscious obsession to hold on to her humanity, like a lingering attachment, was fading away.
And so, Toxy looked ahead. Sandra and Hydra were both gazing at Toxy's determination with a smile.
"Alright, let's start, everyone. Hydra, spit out the magic circle."
'Uh-huh.'
Hydra spat out a sheet with the magic circle written on it. Toxy quickly spread it out and had Hydra hold up the blood-filled vessel.
"Answer my call, O god of medicine, O supreme god. Touch this magic circle and respond to my prayer."
Hydra opened the lid of the vessel and poured the mixed blood into the shining magic circle. The magic circle vigorously drank in the tainted blood, and finally, it shone brightly after consuming it all.
Immediately after, everyone in the room sensed a powerful presence. But it was different from the perfectly summoned god, a distorted and incomplete presence.
It took on the form of an old man who had melted away.
His skin was decaying in patches, and his sunken eyes seemed to be empty. The old man looked like he couldn't walk without his cane. He was extremely frail.
But his cane was different.
The cane was shining with gold. A thick snake was coiled around it, radiating an aura of divinity.
Toxy saw this and was convinced.
The summoning had been successful. This was Asclepius, the incomplete body.
"Thunderbolt Burst Out."
The first to move was Sandra.
Sandra's lightning bolt pierced Asclepius's body. Purple electricity scattered around, making a crackling sound.
However, Asclepius was unharmed. From somewhere, a withered, corpse-like hand grew out of the ground, gathering together to form a shield for Asclepius.
'Ah, ah... where am I...?'
Asclepius stumbled forward, trying to escape, while supporting himself with his cane.
Toxy then used Hydra's illusionary attack to blow Asclepius away.
'Nggh... where am I...?'
Asclepius again used the shield of gathered corpses to defend himself. However, the impact was too strong, and he was blown away, rolling on the ground.
"Sandra, escape!"
Toxy took out the black death sword, Nergal, from her waist.
"Aphorism."
With those words, Sandra understood Toxy's intention. "Escape. Thunder Speed," she said, and instantly vanished.
Toxy thought, "Sandra's speed is really her strong point, haha."
"'You should know the pain of a rotting body'."
Toxy drew Nergal. The sword's blade appeared, and the surrounding air was filled with a maddening, diseased aura.
The aura was different from what she had seen in her illusions. But Hydra was the king of poison. 'This is, this is...,' Toxy muttered, protecting herself.
So, feeling at ease, Toxy readied Nergal in a low stance. She stood up and charged towards Asclepius, who was trying to escape again.
"Aaaaaaaaah!"
As Toxy charged, Asclepius summoned the Shield of the Dead. But before that, Hydra's illusion shattered the shield. Asclepius was knocked down, and Toxy stabbed Nergal into his torso.
Just before that, Asclepius swung his staff.
"It's purification power," Toxy felt. The intense purification power used by gods. Even as an evil god, his essence as a medical god remains unwavering. Nergal's curse is lifted.
But The Cursed Thirteen Blades of Victory were beyond even the gods' power, which was why they were The Cursed Thirteen Blades of Victory.
The lifted curse immediately burst out from within Nergal. And then, Nergal pierced Asclepius's weakened old body.
'Eeegh, aaaaah...!'
Asclepius let out a despairing scream. But Toxy didn't loosen her grip. She dug deeper into Asclepius's flesh with Nergal's blade.
And so, Toxy stood up.
Looking down, she saw Asclepius writhing in agony. The medical god was desperately trying to resist Nergal with his healing powers, but he couldn't move.
"..."
Toxy gazed at him with a sense of déjà vu. The image of her father's lifeless body, hanged and lying on the ground, was still etched in her memory.
Asclepius was the same. In his incomplete form, he was pierced by Nergal and lay on the ground in a pitiful state. Toxy never wanted to see his father in such a state again.
That's why he was suitable as a means to attack Hygieia. Toxy raised her voice.
"Sandra! You can come back now. Nergal's curse is already inside Asclepius."
"Really?"
Sandra peeked out from above the window, flipped over, and landed on her feet, quickly returning to the house.
"Really. Toxy, Nice."
"Alright, let's just tie him up with ropes and make it easy to carry. Nergal's still stuck in him. He'll probably revive immediately if we pull it out."
"Got it. Even in his incomplete form, he's still a god."
The two of them quickly decided on a plan, and Hydra laughed with glee.
'It's good, it's good, both of you. This treatment towards God...'
"I'm not a monster, though!"
"Sandra, this is when you ride it!"
"Monster, yeah!"
"Sandra's really straightforward, that's one of your good points, yeah?"
Toxy smiled wryly, binding Asclepius with ropes and feeding him to Hydra.
Now, this is where the real Hygieia battle begins. Let's do it mercilessly, like monsters.
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