Episode 17: The Soul Eater Appears
A black shadow moved in the night.
A woman who manipulates souls—Konbaku, a cursed spirit.
And the mysterious man with glasses.
Their destination was Oita.
On an express train bound for Oita, every passenger had been slaughtered by Konbaku.
And now, they had begun their search—for Soma.
---
A few days later—midnight.
Soma was asleep.
But in his dream, his grandfather appeared and warned him.
> “Soma… wake up. Go downstairs. Now.
Something terrible is about to happen. …Goodbye.”
Soma’s eyes snapped open.
“…It might just be a dream… but I can’t ignore it.”
He stepped out of bed and headed downstairs.
Following a strange chewing sound,
he reached the gymnasium—and opened the door.
A metallic scent of blood filled the air.
A pressure that shook the very atmosphere.
Soma froze, sweat running down his face.
And there—
stood Konbaku, devouring a human.
---
“…What… are you?”
“Oh my, your voice is trembling. I can tell.
You’re afraid.”
Soma drew his spear—
his B-class cursed tool: Misen.
“…Come at me…!”
“Oh? You’re going to fight?
So you’re Amagi Soma—the prodigy who used Gōrin twice in a row.
Let me see what you’ve got.”
---
At that moment, someone watched from the shadows.
> “Amagi Soma… I’m not particularly interested in him…
but I suppose I’ll observe for a while.”
The man with glasses.
---
Soma stared at Konbaku.
(The difference in power is obvious…
If I move recklessly, I’ll die instantly…
Head-on won’t work… Think… analyze… move…!)
Konbaku smiled.
“Oh? You’re not charging in.
Smarter than I expected.
Well then… let’s talk a little.”
“…Talk?”
(I need to buy time… until the others get here.)
“…Fine. What do you want to talk about?”
---
“Tell me… do you know who this ‘human’ is?”
“…What?”
“Look closely.”
She pointed to the body on the ground.
“…!”
Soma remembered.
That boy—the one who loved Ultraman.
> “That guy with the wooden sword is so cool!
Just like Ultraman Belial!”
“…What about him…?”
“What do you think he said at the very end?”
“…Stop…”
Soma muttered.
But she continued.
“He screamed—
‘No! Mommy! Ultraman, save me!’
Fufufu…! Just remembering it is hilarious…!”
---
“…That’s enough…”
Soma’s grip tightened on his spear.
“…Don’t talk about them anymore…”
His eyes went cold.
“…You shouldn’t exist.”
Konbaku laughed.
“Oh my! Did I upset you?
Sorry—just kidding. This is so much fun.”
---
Soma moved.
He kicked off the ground and lunged forward.
(Reckless charge… predictable… I’ll kill him in one blow.)
But—
Soma threw his jacket.
It completely blocked her vision.
“…Interesting.”
“Soul Alteration—”
Her arm transformed into a blade, slicing through the cloth.
But—
Soma was gone.
(Where—!?)
She turned.
Too late.
A thrust shot toward her neck—
—but stopped.
“Training your neck… basic fundamentals.”
She countered—
—but Soma’s leg snapped upward.
“Gōrin!”
A red burst exploded—
Konbaku was blown back.
---
“…Impressive. But not enough—”
She coughed up blood.
“…What…? Why is it affecting my soul…?”
(Soul…?
Then… her body isn’t the real target—)
Soma shouted:
“Only attacks that hit the SOUL work!?
Your body just regenerates!?”
She smiled.
“You figured it out. I like smart boys.”
---
(Doesn’t matter… you’re still powerless.)
Soma was out of options.
Then—
Konbaku vomited black crystals.
They transformed into grotesque creatures.
(Mass-produced… I can handle them—!)
“Gōrin!”
One enemy was destroyed—
“…Next—”
“…Mama… play…”
“…What…?”
His hand stopped.
“They’re humans I turned.
You won’t kill them, will you?”
She appeared behind him.
(Crap—!)
“Gōrin.”
A yellow explosion—
Soma was blown away.
---
“Gah…!”
His ribs shattered.
He couldn’t breathe.
Konbaku approached slowly.
“You’re too kind. Just as I expected.”
---
“…Time to finish this.”
She reached out—
---
CRASH!!!
The door exploded open.
Three kunai flew—
Two struck her.
(Fast…!)
“Amagi Soma!! Finish him!!”
But—
A blade pierced her from behind.
Then—
A lightning-infused strike blasted her away.
---
“…More challengers?”
Standing there—
Kagami Toka.
Tohma Kanosuke.
And Himuro Kei.
---
“Soma… sorry we’re late.”
“Get up. We need you.”
“Still alive, right!? Let’s beat her!!”
Soma smiled faintly—
“…Thanks… everyone…”
---
“Four against one…
Now this is interesting.”
---
From the shadows—
the man with glasses smiled.
> “So you’ve arrived…
Himuro Kei… Kagami Toka… Tohma Kanosuke…
But even four of you… it won’t matter.”
> “Now then—
let the experiment begin.”
---
That night—
their fate began to diverge.
