Such tremendous force.
What kind of monster is this?
Kiana blocked the blow that had been swung toward the crowd, her body sliding back across the ground under the sheer weight of its power, leaving two deep grooves in her path.
She didn't even have time to think about the pain in her body.
Her heart was pounding violently as her eyes locked on the massive tentacle rising from the river.
It was as thick as a pair of human arms, its surface glistening with slick mucus.
"Why aren't you running?!"
Seeing the terrified faces of the few men she had just knocked down, Kiana shouted in frustration, her voice filled with anger.
The river boiled, and the tentacle withdrew, revealing its true form—not a real octopus, but a creature resembling a human shape, yet grotesquely adorned with numerous tentacles extending from its head and body, each of varying thickness. Several pairs of crimson vertical pupils glared down from atop its head.
"A m-monster…"
The terrified onlookers collapsed to the ground, trembling uncontrollably as they tried to crawl away. Kiana, however, showed no fear. She drew back the arm she had used to block the blow and stared intently at the creature.
This was the land of Izumo—so the hideous being before her must be one of the so-called Yaoyorozu no Kami, gods from Takamagahara.
She had only just learned about their existence from Yae Sakura earlier today, and now, by nightfall, she was already face-to-face with one.
It had jumped out of an ordinary river.
If these monsters were so rampant, how had Nagazora City managed to maintain order? How did most people not even know these Kami existed?
Her arm ached terribly from the earlier impact, but Kiana steadied her breath. "You all go! Take the kids with you—I'll cover your escape."
The octopus-like Kami let out a shrill, inhuman screech, and its extra tentacles lashed out in several directions.
Kiana nimbly dodged the ones aimed at her, noting that its speed wasn't too fast—she even had time to disrupt its attacks to protect the fleeing humans.
Driven by terror and the instinct to survive, their adrenaline surged, and they ran faster than they ever had.
But some stumbled in their panic.
"Ah! Ahhh!!! Don't come near me! Help! Help me!"
A young man who had fallen screamed in horror. Seeing this, Kiana kicked a bottle lying by her feet straight at the tentacle reaching for him.
This Kami didn't seem to possess any particularly dangerous abilities. The bottle struck its tentacle, deflecting it slightly.
The young man desperately tried to crawl away.
But time didn't stop—and Kiana didn't have the strength to destroy even a single tentacle in one blow. The Kami's limb soon coiled around the man's ankle, dragging him backward, while another tentacle wrapped tightly around his torso and arms.
Without a weapon, she couldn't inflict real damage. There was no way to kill this Kami.
Would she have to watch helplessly as this monster devoured a human right before her eyes?
No—she couldn't. She wouldn't allow a life to be lost before her!
As Kiana dodged another strike, preparing to rush forward and rescue the man, she suddenly heard Mei's voice calling from behind her—almost like an illusion.
"Kiana! Catch the sword!"
"Mei?!"
The familiar voice snapped her out of her reckless focus. Turning, she saw a katana flying toward her.
Not an illusion—it really was Raiden Mei.
Her face was full of urgency, and behind her were three children running toward the town, along with the terrified young men who had barely escaped earlier.
There was no time to wonder why Mei was here—or why she had a sword with her.
Kiana leapt up and caught the blade midair, rolling to the side just in time to avoid another tentacle slamming into the spot where she'd just been.
She drew the blade and swung it toward the Kami.
Silver light flashed—the resistance was strong, but she forced her way through, cutting cleanly through one of the tentacles. Then, gripping the sword tightly, she charged to rescue the young man being dragged away.
They weren't good people, those men.
But neither were they monsters deserving of death.
She couldn't just watch someone die in front of her eyes. As long as she had the power to save someone, she couldn't stay indifferent to the loss of life.
"Let him go, you monster!"
Ignoring the pain in her arms, Kiana gripped the long blade tightly, cutting through one tentacle after another.
With her drawing all of the Kami's hatred toward herself, the man who had been ensnared finally had a brief moment to breathe.
The tentacle's grip was so tight it looked as if it might tear him in half. His face had turned a ghastly shade of blue, his breath faint as he gasped, "H-help… me…"
One after another, more tentacles blocked Kiana's path. She couldn't get close to the Kami's humanoid body, nor to the young man wrapped up above it.
This Kami's regenerative ability was terrifying—each tentacle she cut off would grow back within seconds.
"Kiana!"
Raiden Mei had arrived on the battlefield. While Kiana occupied most of the tentacles, Mei seized the opportunity to break through the weaker defenses and reach the Kami's main body.
But she only had one sword.
Once she was in position, Mei didn't waste words. She simply called out to Kiana.
Understanding instantly, Kiana took advantage of a brief gap in the Kami's attacks to hurl her sword toward Mei, then switched to dodging and defending as the monster's fury turned on her.
Catching the blade midair, Mei's sharp eyes flashed. Unlike Kiana, she didn't need brute force to sever the Kami's limbs. Her movements were smooth, precise—each strike flowing seamlessly into the next.
In the chaos, she dodged only when necessary, cutting through one tentacle after another at lightning speed as she pressed toward the creature's core.
So this was a Kami.
Was this what her father had fought against?
Holding her blade firmly, Mei—uninjured and composed—radiated strength far beyond Kiana's. The bloodthirsty Kami no longer paid attention to Kiana, turning its focus entirely toward Mei. Kiana finally let out a breath of relief.
"Mei… you're amazing!"
Her swordsmanship was flawless, her form elegant, her movements like a dance even amid relentless attacks. Kiana couldn't help but wonder when she would ever become as powerful, as graceful, as Mei.
With a flash of lightning, Mei struck—one clean slash severing the tentacle that had been strangling the near-dead young man. Kiana, who had been following closely behind her, seized the opening to rush in, grab the man, and retreat. She flung him toward a safe distance before turning back.
At last, everyone else was clear.
Kiana didn't dare blink, her gaze fixed on Mei as she fought the Kami head-on.
"Damn it, does its regeneration have no limit?!" she muttered under her breath. By now, there were already over a hundred severed tentacles littering the ground.
At this rate, things would only get worse.
If the Kami's regeneration was truly limitless, Mei's stamina would eventually run out.
But Yae Sakura hadn't told her how to fight these things!
She wanted to jump in and help—but her hands, already injured from earlier, were throbbing again. She couldn't even lift them properly.
Useless! How could she falter at a time like this?!
Kiana took a deep breath, her teeth gritted as she looked at Mei still locked in combat. Then, with resolve, she summoned her system interface.
She needed strength.
The power to help Mei—to save others!
"Honkai…"
Her eyes fixed on the "Summary" line. Then she looked at Mei again, her gaze filled with determination. Without hesitation, she reached out and chose Activate.
This power would have to be used eventually.
"Maybe… it's not as terrifying as I thought."