Chapter 11: The Deer-Antlered God, This Is How He Is
The deer-antlered deity, in Hikigaya's previous life, was how people referred to this form of the Earth God.
Its image even appeared in the divine invocation illustrations of the Mawangdui Han Tombs.
Wearing shorts, barefoot, with a face and torso flushed red—all were signs of health and strength, as well as a direct manifestation of the power of abundant harvests.
Hikigaya thought that the title "Deer-Antlered Lord" suited Him perfectly.
He didn't know what relationship Luo Hao had with Him.
The relationship between Heretic gods and god-slayers was naturally bad. In Japan's shadow world, several self-proclaimed "retired" Heretic gods existed, but they all treated Hikigaya with caution. Even Susanoo with the big beard only outwardly seemed carefree, but Hikigaya knew that meeting him, that guy could unleash his full power at any time.
Hikigaya figured that Luo Hao probably had no direct relationship with Him. After all, just like dung beetles never refuse feces, gods and slayers were naturally in a predator-prey relationship.
However, this didn't mean gods and slayers would inevitably meet. Heretic gods could retreat if bored of the Earth, or "retire" like Susanoo. Compared to slayers, gods clearly had more choices.
Unexpectedly, when the Deer-Antlered Lord noticed him, He only gave brief attention before returning to His own activities.
This left Hikigaya feeling a bit defeated.
Due to the strange mutual perception between slayers and gods, Hikigaya could confirm that the Deer-Antlered Lord had no hostility toward him whatsoever. The defensive aura was minimal—roughly the kind of "as long as we can watch girls together, we're buddies" vibe.
Sitting on the small stone platform wasn't very comfortable—slightly cold, slightly hard. Watching the squinty-eyed Deer-Antlered Lord ogling girls beside him, Hikigaya couldn't help but speak:
"You're drooling."
The lewd Earth God instinctively wiped his mouth, then realized he had been tricked.
Even lewd as He was, He was still a god. How could looking at girls make Him drool?
So He got angry.
"A gentleman shouldn't lie."
"I'm not a gentleman," Hikigaya replied. "Besides, you're not human."
"Right…" The Deer-Antlered Lord displayed a complex expression of both realization and regret. "I forgot."
Hikigaya guessed that this Earth God, exuding the air of a decadent "lecherous old man," probably hadn't seen a god-slayer in a long time.
Could it be that He had been staying on the Earth too long without fighting, so He forgot He wasn't human?
"Do you know Luo Hao?" Hikigaya asked again.
He received no reply. The Deer-Antlered Lord had a "what the hell is that?" expression, so Hikigaya decided to describe in detail.
"She's a girl from the eastern mountains. Pretty face, bad temper, very skilled in combat."
"Seems I've heard of her," the Deer-Antlered Lord nodded. "But never seen her. Too far. Don't want to go."
Reasonable. If there are long legs to see right in front of you, why travel so far?
Hikigaya continued: "Fine, forget it. I'm looking for someone. Can you help me divine it?"
"Sure." The Deer-Antlered Lord was straightforward; His fondness for watching girls had no necessary connection with being reliable.
He then extended a hand to Hikigaya and said something quite sensible: "No image, no truth. Show me the picture first."
As someone equally straightforward, Hikigaya didn't waste words. He pulled out his phone, tapped a few times to bring up the photo, and handed it to the Deer-Antlered Lord.
"Tsk tsk tsk…" The deity made sounds of indeterminate meaning, staring at the photo for a full minute before speaking:
"She's alive, doing well, but not here. She's with a bird."
"Why not a monkey?" Hikigaya immediately asked. Xiao Guang had clearly been taken by the Great Sage.
"It was never a monkey," the Deer-Antlered Lord looked at him strangely. "Monkeys have five legs; birds have two."
Five legs? By that logic, shouldn't birds have three?
"What kind of bird?"
"Very large."
"How large?" Hikigaya's expression darkened—this conversation felt off.
"That bird—you've seen it. Decide victory with it, then you'll get the girl." The Deer-Antlered Lord returned the phone. "Go west. There's a big river—that's where you fought last time. Time is important. Very important."
Hikigaya wanted to ask more, but the Deer-Antlered Lord stood up and patted his butt before walking off.
He was surprised to notice that the girls in the square had finished their exercise and dispersed.
No girls left to watch, so you don't want to talk?
So that's how you are, Deer-Antlered Lord…
Hikigaya didn't try to stop him. The information provided was already sufficient.
It seemed Mariya Hikari was now under Horus's control, but apparently safe. Though lecherous, the Deer-Antlered Lord's information was reliable—after all, his "professional" level in these matters was famous.
However…
"Back again?" Hikigaya fretted. "I promised not to fight until that brat graduated."
Wait!
By the timeline, at that time, not even Komachi's great-great-grandfather's grandfather… would be born yet.
Since Komachi wasn't present, there's no issue of fighting before her graduation.
Besides, who said he even had to fight?
Hikigaya smiled.
Tucking away his phone and whistling, he started walking back.
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