Section 4: The Garden of Divine Play

I am the Divine Spirit known as Umisachihiko.

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Th-that sounds like a really big deal! What's a guy like that doing here!?

Get back, Chika.

I got a real nasty feeling about him.

Dammit! A Divine Spirit, now!?

Hold up.

For a god, this guy doesn't seem like such a big deal.

I mean, we can barely even sense his magical energy! Oto-to seemed way stronger!

Not to mention there's two of us and only one of him, so we've totes got the advantage in numbers, Professor!

Can you please not tempt fate with every single word out of your mouth!?

Although...you're right. I don't sense the kind of overwhelming magical energy typical of Divine Spirits.

If this Divine Spirit has been reduced to a summonable level...we should have a chance against him!

(Although...I'm also getting a bad feeling about this, for some reason...)

So, we have a kidouno, a sorcerer from the continent, and a strange foreign woman.

Oh come on! I'm OBVIOUSLY Japanese!

You look quite young to be soldiers. Perhaps that is simply how it is with Servants.

Umisachi.

Not to worry, Master. Leave everything to me. You just sit back and enjoy the show.

It's not every day you get to see a duel between inhuman creatures, after all.

...Fine.

If you insist, Umisachi, I'll let you handle this alone.

Ngh!

Hehe...

I didn't want anyone to see me like thisa former god, now subservient to a human.

But, I suppose it will make a good story for you to tell after I've sent you to hell.

So, enjoy it while you can!

Khh! He really is in a different class!

He's definitely not just another Servant! What should we do? Do we turn back!?

Facing a Divine Spirit without a plan would be beyond reckless!

No time for cold feet, Professor!

!!!

The Tide-Ebbing Pearl AND the last boss with the Holy Grail we've been looking for are standing right here!

If we retreat now and let them escape to Dragon Castle, we'll be right back to square one!

So, you knew all that when you...

...Dammit. All right, fine! Let's do this, Master!

There's no telling what our opponent may try to use against us, so be ready for anything!

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Woooooo! She who strikes first, wins!

What the hell's going on!?

Our attacks aren't doing anything but I feel my energy draining away! Is he cheating or something!?

This incredible despair... It's the same as the attack they used on us that first day.

So then, it wasn't the turtle who did this to us. It was him!

Faltering...

Hasty...

Impoverished...

Foolish...

I know what that is.

That's the malediction the ocean god granted him in myth! The one he used on his brother!

It's a curse!

That's what Umisachihiko's doing! He's taking his own curse from the Age of Gods and spreading it all around him!

So that's why I'm feeling so gross? What a paaain!

Khh... And this is why we didn't sense his presence until nowwhy Chaldea couldn't even perceive him!

His curse was covering everything around him, messing with our perceptions!

Ahh... How dull.

I thought you would put up more of a fight, but you folded like so much soggy kelp.

What a disappointment you are, Servants.

Did you really think you could take my Tide-Ebbing Pearl like that!?

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Are you okay? ...You're not, are you? Try to hang in there as best you can, okay?

Whoa... What the hell is this? I'm getting nasty shivers all over!

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Hell no! I've got goose bumps in places I didn't even know you could get goose bumps!

This won't do at all!

Aah! Where'd you come from all of a sudden!?

Mr. Smartphone.

It looks like Chika and I are the only ones who can even move right now. Is there any way we can help?

No. There's nothing you two can do against a monster like that. This plan has failed.

I thought we were going up against a shark with horns or something, not Umisachihiko. No wonder he can use the pearl...

Dammit, if only we had a way to turn this around! But to do that, we'd need the pearl in the first place!

... ...

I find I'm not enjoying this show.

Enough playing around, Umisachi. I think it's time you put an end to this.

...or.

Huh!?

Doc...tor... What's...going...on...?

Otaki! What are you doing here!?

I was...worried...

Is Ine...safe...? Come on... You should...get out of...here, too...

No...! Umisachi!

Please restrain that curse of yours! Now!!!

Hmph...

Whoa! I feel way better now!

What happened!? The curse... It's gone!?

Of all the times for her to show up. Curse you, Siebold.

Again and again I told you not to let a mere woman distract you...

...You're wrong.

Wha...!?

Love is nothing to be...trifled with!

Ha! Otohime!? The gall you have, trying something like this when you should be dead!

Woohooo! Way to go, Oto-to!

Chan-mas, the pearl he dropped rolled over there! Grab it, and let's get out of here!

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... ...

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Huh? Who're you, kid? Where'd you come from?

... ...

Are you...giving that to me?

They're gone...

...!

Hibiki! Chikagi! Put your hands on that Tide-Flowing Pearl!

Huh!? What's this all about!?

What, have you gone deaf, spinach head!? Just do it already!

Come on, Chika, over here! Trust Mr. Smartphone!

Trust him!? You DO know who you're talking about!?

？！

Gaaaaaaaaah!!!

... ...

Now what is it!? What's going

Huh!?

Those two pearls are keys! They're keys to the gate of the sea-god's kingdom in the great beyond, Wadatsumi-no-Miya.

By pouring divine aura from that kingdom into the pearl, they were able to restore their incomplete Spirit Origins' true power!

That is the Pseudo-Servant Azumi-no-Isora!

？！

Lord Fujimaru, look out! Umisachihiko is headed right for you!

I see... So you have ties to Owadatsumi-no-Kami.

I never thought I would see another god in a place like this.

... ...

But what you have there is the Tide-Flowing Pearl. You wish to claim the Tide-Ebbing Pearl for yourselves, no?

Your hope is that doing so will give you control of this situation, no?

Khh!

Unfortunately for you, these pearls were made as a set. They have no wish to be apart.

So if you want the Tide-Ebbing Pearl for yourself...you will have to try to take it from me!

Crap! He's going to use his curse against us again!

Umisachi!? What are you doing!?

My apologies, Siebold, but you'll just have to let that woman go.

Faltering, hasty, impoverished, foolish! May your descendants be cursed by the hook of poverty for eighty generations!

...!!!

Haaaaaa!!!

What!?

D-did they just...deflect the curse!?

Wahahaha, that felt great! That was awesome, you two!

... ...

...Huh?

Aah! What the hell am I wearing!?

Huh. I wonder when our outfits got so...frilly.

Um...

Is it just me, or are those two not very Servant-ish?

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Haha... Hahahahaha!!!

Look at you, swatting aside a curse from the Age of Gods so easily. So this is the pearls' true power!

Good, good! A proper Divine Spirit! Now we have a battle!

Go on then, come at me all at once! If you can defeat me, the Tide-Ebbing Pearl is yours!

Hooohohoho! You heard the man, Hibiki and Chikagi!

The pearl was mine to begin with anyway, so let's go get it back!

O-okay? I still don't really know what's going on here, but...

...I guess I could maybe manage that now.

Nagiko! Waver! Manager! I know you all must be tired, but please!

Help us fight Umisachi once again!

Heh. If you're worried about us, newbie, don't be. I haven't even broken a sweat!

You just do what you gotta do, and know that I've totes got your back!

This is why we came here in the first place. If anything, we're counting on you to help us!

Master. No... Lord Siebold.

Forgive me for turning my blade on you.

However...there are things I still wish to know about the surface world. I cannot return until I have.

Otohime... I see.

If that is your decision, I won't stop you. Do as you see fit.

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Yeaaaaaah!!!

Taaaaaake...THIIIIIISSS!!!

Ghh...!

Impressive! Just what I would hope to see from a fellow Divine Spirit!

Ah, I cannot even recall the last time I enjoyed myself so much!

More! More! Give me more! Wring out every last drop of your power! Let us throw ourselves into this fight!

D-dammit. Even with a Divine Spirit on our side, it's still not enough to beat him!?

Hey, we can all still totally fight! This battle isn't over by a long shot, Prof. Mel!

No... That's enough, Umisachi.

We can't let this battle drag on any longer. Let's fall back to Dragon Castle.

What!? Have you lost your mind, Siebold!?

I could ask for no stronger card to have in my hand. However minimal the chances of losing you may be, I won't risk that.

But at Dragon Castle, they will have a much harder time coming after us. There, we can be certain we are prepared to face them.

Tch...

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Where do you think you're going, Mr. Big God!? You're not running away from us, are you!?

Ha! Me, run away? Hardly!

In fact, you are all going to make way for our departure!

!!!

What was that!?

...It's Iwabune! That giant turtle occupying Nagasaki Bay is headed this way!

!!!

Ack! Where'd all this seawater come frooom!?

Blub, blub! Not this agaaain!

The turtle charged with such force it flooded the area... This is getting ridiculous!

Chan-mas, over there! Up on the turtle's shell! I see Umisachihiko and

Huh?

...Uh-oh.

Did I just get captured?

Hmm.

It seems the two of you must be together to use Owadatsumi's power.

I do wish to go on enjoying this little exchange, so I think this should make for an amusing sideshow.

Humans always grow more unpredictable as they are backed into a corner. I am excited to see how tenaciously you will fight.

Oh, yeah, that's a good point.

Why're you agreeing with him!?

You can keep the Tide-Flowing Pearl for now! If you wish to acquire the Tide-Ebbing Pearl as well, then come to Dragon Castle!

Not you, Otohime. You don't need to come back with us.

Huh?

Until this is all over...please, watch over Otakusan for me. I'm counting on you.

Lord Siebold?

Heeey! Get back here, dammit! Where do you get off calling all the shots!?

Give Hibiki back, damn yoooou!!!

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Good question. Here we are, right back at square one.

Now that I think of it, Umisachihiko's curse probably explains why I looked like this after the Rayshift.

Right pain in the ass, he's becoming.

Even if we took him up on his "invitation" to Dragon Castle, we can't get there without his pearl...

Chikachi, stop!

That's the Tide-Flowing Pearl! You'll never be able to hold your breath long enough to reach the seabed!

Let...GO of meee!!!

If I blast the water out like a jetpack, I might be able to get there, right!?

So all we have now is the seawater-producing Tide-Flowing Pearl and a useless Pseudo-Servant...

I think...we might be screwed.

Now, now, let's not be too pessimistic here.

We have one of the treasured pearls back now. That's cause to be optimistic, right?

Don't you agree, Sir Tactician?

... ...

...Who're you?

Huh!? What do you mean, who am I!? After all the help I've given yo

Oh, right. You haven't seen me like this yet, have you?

Well, since you got one of the pearls back, I was able to upgrade my call from audio to video.

So, allow me to reintroduce myself.

Azumi-no-Isora, Divine Spirit, at your service.

Wha...

What is this guy's deal!?

Who's this?

Huh? Smartphone? For real?

Ahaha. What can I say? Ahaha.