99: Nightmare Saber

 By Effugium August 23, 2023

February, this place is in Ondokozawa, Iwate Prefecture, Tohoku.

The mountains are shrouded in a midwinter haze of pure white snow.

Are there really the creatures we are looking for in this region, which is especially cold in the Tohoku region?

Oya?

There are brand new footprints on the snow. Let’s follow them with the camera.

There it is… a healthy wild short-sleeved shirt.

「Oh, I caught it, I caught it! So you can catch fish even in winter.」

A short-sleeved man wearing a fluffy scarf was enjoying fishing in a half-frozen river. His name is Kurenai Retto, former elite hero, leader of the Victor Rangers and now the sole employee of the Ondokosawa Branch.

It has been two weeks since he was transferred to a quiet backwater located at the opposite end of the civilized world. Retto was adapting to the harsh environment of Ondokosawa with his natural positivity and survival instincts.

「This is a nice cold weather! Do they call it “ugui” over here?」

When Retto triumphantly pulled the fish into his hand, his scarf moved. And then he ate the fish he had just caught.

「Ah, Hey! Geez, I really can’t let my guard down! …it can’t be helped, let’s start fishing again.」

With that, the fisherman casted his line again, without showing any sign of anger. The wild animals surrounding him, including a fox dressed in a collar, watched him fish.

When Retto first visited the Ondokosawa Branch, the first problem he faced was food.

Even though it’s called a branch, it doesn’t even have electricity, it’s just a shack with a roof and walls.

The doors were unlocked, as they should be, and wild animals had free reign to enter. All of the stockpiled food, which he was told plentiful, had been devoured by them.

With shelter from the wind and snow and food, the hut was an oasis for the wild animals. The nearest convenience store is a three-day walk away, and Retto, who was reluctant to turn the animals away, chose to become a resident of that oasis.

No matter how bad the environment is, once you live in it, it can be said to be your capital. However, when he sat on what he thought was a sofa, it turned out to be a bear, and as expected, even Retto was horrified.

「Hmmm, I can’t catch any fish…… I have no choice. I guess I’ll just have to boil some tree bark and eat it today!」

When Retto stood up, the animals followed his lead. It is not that they loved him.

This is due to his constitution, mysteriously, the temperature around Retto rises by about 10 degrees. For the wild animals, Retto was a moving heating device that supplied them with food.

When he arrived at the rough house called the “branch,” Retto put on his partner, the unique weapon, “Burning Heat Glove”. He then unleashed a scorching flame toward the open-air bath he had built himself in the backyard.

「Burning heat glove!　All right, here we go!　Come on in, everybody!」

As soon as the steam rises from the surface of the water, animals such as foxes, monkeys, and bears jumped into the bathtub with all their might. The fiery man also took off his clothes and dunked his brown skin into the bathtub covered with wild animal hair.

When the sun set, he shared the boiled tree bark soup with the animals and slept surrounded by many animal fur. In any case, Retto was thoroughly enjoying his life in Ondokosawa.

…………

It was the night after nearly two weeks of survival living in isolation from civilization. That night was different from usual.

A fierce cold spell from Russia hit northern Japan, and outside there was a blizzard so fierce that one could not see a meter ahead.

Ragged roofs and walls made a creaking, unsettling sound, and even the animals were somewhat restless. The trees were rustling and scattering the snow that was piled up on them, the temperature outside reached minus 10 degrees Celsius.

As one might expect, Retto spent a sleepless night fearing that the hut would be destroyed. Before entering the mountain, he recalled a story told to him by a local grandpa.

『The mountain in winter, is it… Everyone who goes to the mountains in winter dies. Even men won’t be able to live.』

『Haha, no way!　The people at Hero HQ said they have proper facilities, so I’ll be fine, Grandpa!』

『Every year, the resident of the hero headquarters dies… Last year, too, the woman that was demoted…』

『……Eh?』

Those who enter the mountains die. Last year, a woman died alone. That was surely what the local grandpa was saying.

As soon as he recalled these words, a chill suddenly ran down his spine.

The fiery man is not afraid of cold, hunger, or wild animals. However, he has always had a slight fear of the dead, spirits, and other things that cannot be dealt with physically.

『If you want to go to the mountains for the winter, then go ahead and sleep.』

『Oh my, Shigezo-san, You…… sorry, he was telling lies on your way to the mountains, this old man… I’m getting a stomach ache from looking at him while he’s doing his crazy things. Hee hee hee!』

Now that he thinks about it, he had completely no idea what the old woman that came in later was saying to the old man.

That may have been a curse word for Retto who tried to force himself into the winter mountains. Indeed, when he think about it like that, it felt like a curse.

As Retto held his breath in the dimly lit hut, he suddenly heard something mixed in with the roar of the blizzard.

Zashi…… Zashi…… It’s like a sound of someone stepping on snow.

It was a “footstep” that could never be heard in an isolated midwinter mountain with no private houses around. This is not wild animal, they walk more lightly on the snow.　

The footsteps stopped in front of the hut. Behind the door, there was something that was not an animal.

Retto could no longer even stand up, shaking and hugging the bear.

The door of the hut, which should have been firmly closed, creaked open. Against the backdrop of a raging snowstorm, the face of a pure white woman appeared.

「It appeareeeeeeeeeeddddd!!!!!!!!!」

「……What’s wrong with your appearance?」

Retto’s superior, Samejima Asaka, wrinkled her eyebrows when she saw her subordinate hugging the bear.

………………

…………

……

On the other hand, somewhere in Tokyo, in the Hundred Beasts Stadium, which boasts an audience of 1,000 people.

The crowd’s excitement was reaching its peak as they waited for the competitors to enter the ring. On a large monitor above the white ring, the words “Super Strongest Japanese Women’s Wrestling” danced on the screen.

『We’ve kept you waiting for a very long time… it’s time for the players to enter!』

「「「「「Uoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!!!」」」」」

With a loud cheer, the lights in the stadium dimmed and the entrance gate is illuminated by spotlights.

『The numerous techniques performed from her overwhelming height will turn the women’s professional ring into an art canvas of spectacular carnage!　The challenger, Nightmare Saber Minato!!!!』

「「「「「MI NA TO! MI NA TO!」」」」」

A bright red pillar of fire rose to the sky, and stardust-like confetti danced from the ceiling. All eyes in the hall focused on the limbs of a tall, beautiful woman illuminated by the light.

「Noooooooo!　Impossible, impossible, impossible, impossible!　I can’t do it!」

「It’s fine, just go, ssu! Just hit with a don and smash, ssu!」

「ba…… abababababa…… fuguuuuuu! ! !」

The black costume worn by Kenmochi Minato, or Nightmare Saber Minato, was open at the chest, perhaps because of her characterization as a heel.

「Going out in public dressed like this, impossible, impossible, impossible, absolutely impossibleee!」

「Hawawa, the audience are waiting, ssu! GO, ssu! Samecchi will pick up the bone, ssukara.」

Forced by Samecchi into the entrance gate, Minato sprinted down the walkway to the ring with a single-minded determination not to attract attention.

Then she ran to the ring and immediately cowered on her knees in the corner.

The audience, which was quiet for a moment as if it had been hit by a wave, slowly began to throb with excitement at the “performance”.

「That’s… no way! ? “Instant meditation stance”……! ?」

「boycotting to appeal, and even though she was the challenger, she showed no interest in the champion’s entrance!　This is truly the legendary “instant meditation”!」

「That is the signature of the professional wrestler “Barbarian Komatsu” who represents the golden age of the 90’s. Hmm, I never thought there would be a girl who would learn from that stubborn tomboy in this day and age…」

「This is one hell of a newcomer to the scene. …… my hands are shaking. ……!」

Especially among some core fans, Nightmare Saber Minato’s popularity was exploding. However, before the enthusiasm of these fans had cooled down, the entrance gate for the champions shined brightly.

With an arc discharge of tremendous magnitude, a slightly smaller but tighter shadow appeared.

In contrast to the Nightmare Saber Minato, the costume is pure white with lamé.　 She has one bright red eye, a bulky eye patch, and two large ears on her head.

『The absolute queen of super strong Japanese women’s wrestling, the “goddess of footwork,” as they call her…… Andromeda Bunny Usamiiiiiiiiiiiiiii……. !!!!!!!!!』

「「「「「U SA MI! U SA MI!」」」」」

「It’s me! Please kick me! In the ass!!」

With the entire hall shaking, Colonel Usani the rabbit mysterious being, or rather Andromeda Bunny Usami, strode gracefully and majestically down the aisle and into the ring.

Two beautiful warriors stand side by side in the center of the death ring, which is separated by six meters.

Minato’s face had gone from red to blue, through green and purple, and was now completely white. Seconded by Samecchi, who was worried about Minato.

「Is Minato fine, ssuka?　Something is wrong with the RGB value of Minato’s face, ssuyo.」

「Uuuu…… How did it come to this…… I- I’m going to puke…… Uph.」

The challenger, Minato, had already lost her balance. Her opponent was the number two of the Hundred Beasts Legion, probably the most skilled woman in the Ark Dominion in terms of fighting techniques.

Andromeda Bunny Usami laughed and cracked her fingers with one hand.

「Chief medic Minato. No, Nightmare Saber Minato. I know that the greatest repayment to you would be to clash with you with all my might right here and now. Feel free to come at me.」

Andromeda Bunny Usami’s whole body emits a strong bloodlust. 90% of the audience that filled the venue had their faces twitched in fear, and the remaining 10% fainted.

It was not only the audience that was hit by the dense atmosphere. Minato, which was exposed to it closest to the audience, finally broke down.

「Hoh…… Hokya…… Hororororororo……」

Jararararashutotototototo!!!

Let me explain!

the Sword Mountain Mysterious being Swordminas, aka Kenmochi Minato, possesses an extremely vicious characteristic that allows her to create an inexhaustible supply of blades from her body!

However, because she herself is too timid, she has a really troublesome constitution that will scatter knives on its own when her heart gets too excited!

Knives spilled out of Minato’s mouth one after another like a waterfall and pierced the ring.

It was triggered by the intimidation of Colonel Usanyi-chan, and not just one or two of those knives, but a whole lot of them. The amount of knives that far exceeded the average weight of an adult woman, quickly filled the ring.

Once again, the venue, which had become as quiet as the Arctic ice pole, was buzzing with excitement at the “extreme performance” and went into a frenzy.

「Th- This is…!　She’s got a tremendous amount of deadly weapons hidden in her stomach, no wonder…!」

「It’s physically impossible for that amount to…… am I dreaming or what?　The bell hasn’t even rung yet,I’ve never seen such a provocation……!」

「You mean she was swallowing that many knives. …… Jesus, she’s a real heel. …… She’s herself is literally the very sharp knife……!!!!」

「That Nightmare Saber person…  turned her debut into a stabbing knife death match……!」

The excitement of the super-strong Nippon Pro-Wrestling fans reached a climax even before the bell rang, as they witnessed an unparalleled performance.

「I have to record it! “This day must be carved into history!” ……Damn, my hands are trembling and I can’t type…!」

「It’s not a moment of history. …… We’re witnessing a myth right now.……」

「Oh my god…… Am I…… Am I crying……?」

The next day, Nightmare Saber Minato’s over-the-top performance made the front pages of sports newspapers. After that day, the popularity of women’s professional wrestling exploded throughout Japan.