Hikigaya's God Slayer Story

Chapter 14: What Komachi's Friends Think of Hikigaya Hachiman

Eavesdropping on people can be quite a painful ordeal.

At first, Hikigaya was simply zoning out, but before long, he drifted off completely, snoring thunderously—loud enough to rival the war drums of Taurens from Azeroth.

When he woke up, the girls were no longer in the room.

He could faintly hear their voices coming from upstairs.

Seems like they had moved to Komachi's bedroom.

Hikigaya stretched lazily, then tiptoed upstairs.

As a qualified older brother, naturally—it was time to eavesdrop!

The walls in the Hikigaya household were relatively thin.

If voices were loud enough, they could be heard clearly from the neighboring room… and it just so happened that the siblings' rooms were right next to each other.

He crawled into his own bed and clearly picked up the voices from next door.

From the sound of it, Kousaka Kirino was being "attacked." She was shouting, "I told you, that's not how it is!"

Then Komachi teased her: "Liar. Then show me your phone?"

"No—no way, that's private! Personal stuff, you know!"

Kirino was desperately resisting...

Honestly, from Hikigaya's experience, he figured that trying to stop his little sister's curiosity through mere words was pointless.

That bear of a girl was born with the mouth of a gossip queen—once she locked onto a target, she'd stick to it until the end of time.

Meanwhile, Hikigaya stared at the wall in a conflicted way. Hm... he really was listening in without any guilt, wasn't he?

How disappointing. It felt like he'd lost yet another shred of purity…

Then he perked up and kept listening with full attention.

"...It's still super suspicious, Kirino. Just confess already!"

What the heck are they talking about anyway? A boyfriend? Aha! As long as it's not Komachi's, everything's fine!

"Hmph, h-hmph... what is there to confess?"

"Geez! Stop playing innocent! Tell us—what kind of guy is he?"

"I told you! I don't have a boyfriend!"

"Liar! I don't believe you! It's definitely a guy! Come on, just tell us quietly, we won't tell anyone!"

"I said no means no! How many times do I have to say it?!"

Damn it, if you have one just spill already so they can move on to the important stuff—like asking if my dumb little sister secretly has a boyfriend!

"I've been saying it from the start—I don't have a boyfriend."

"Huh? How can that be… we're just worried about you, Kirino—ouch! Stop hitting me!"

At that moment, Hikigaya almost went berserk...

You H-gold-haired brat, careful or I'll make you the live-action heroine of a real H-game!

"Stop it, it really hurts... hehe..."

Looks like it was all for nothing. That light-hearted tone clearly meant they were just horsing around.

"Well, fine, fine… let's drop it, Kirino. Look, she's already repenting... okay?"

Aragaki Ayase's voice chimed in—this girl was definitely into girls, and her target was most likely Kirino.

"Hm... what should we do now? If we're done with that, I guess I can forgive you… no wait! We were supposed to talk about your brother today!"

Kirino seemed to have found her counterattack strategy.

"Yeah yeah! Komachi, what kind of person is your brother? He's got such a presence! He was so cool when he spoke!"

Huh? That little ponytailed elementary school-looking girl actually has good taste, huh?

Hikigaya perked up his ears even more.

"...Ugh… That trash brother of mine is actually popular…"

"Why are you making that face, Komachi? Isn't he a really gentle person?"

"Eh!?"

Come on, Komachi, cooperate here! This is where you jump in and build up your brother's cool rep. What's with that reaction?!

But then, Komachi said something that nearly made Hikigaya's nose twist in anger:

"If it's your eyes, head out the door and turn left—no need to see you off. Hope you find a good eye doctor."

"Don't say that, Komachi! Your brother is clearly really kind. I wish I had a brother like that too."

Oh? Who was that? Komachi's friend B? Or C? Nice! Recognizing the inherent handsomeness of yours truly—very commendable! I hereby officially approve of you being my sister's close friend!

"And his presence is really strong—like a big boss from a movie!"

"Totally! He gives off that 'will be a big shot in ten years' kind of vibe!"

"Wow, that's such a weird feeling… but I get it! When he speaks, I get so nervous!"

The girls burst into laughter, sounding silly—but clearly having a lot of fun.

Next door, Hikigaya touched his face in astonishment, looking like: Damn, I'm actually such a world-shakingly handsome demigod? You guys should've told me sooner!

The rest of the conversation in Komachi's room continued to revolve around him.

Geez, so embarrassing to be adored by kids like this. Should I go out and buy a box of lollipops to hand out?

He grinned gleefully at the thought—so much that he almost forgot about the mission he had to give the yandere girl.

When he finally remembered, his expression grew subtle, and he quietly left the room.

Just moments ago, he'd already come up with how to handle those scavenger dogs. But for the strongest one—the Aragaki family—he decided to give them one extra chance.

Unlike the others, the Aragakis didn't use underhanded means; they beat Yukinoshita fair and square after she lost Chiba's political backing.

No tricks—just raw strength.

To someone who won in a direct fight—even a scavenger dog—Hikigaya would show respect.

Affinity aside, the victor deserved privilege.

The loser simply had to obey.

That was the code of a Yomi Warrior.

The seeds planted in his heart by the Demon God Fist had long since sprouted—now grown into a towering tree within the man who became a Godslayer.

Besides, it was clear AragakAyase i was truly a good friend to Komachi. He had to take that into account.

After leaving the room and heading downstairs, he first called Kushinada Mikumo, then sat silently on the couch, deep in thought.

A long while later, footsteps came thudding from upstairs—followed by the girls' laughter.

"Big bro, we're heading out now!" Komachi called out cheerfully, already halfway to the entrance with her friends putting on their shoes.

"Alright. Be careful on the road," Hikigaya replied.

Once the girls left, he remained seated in the living room until the doorbell rang again.

Given the "prestigious" nature of today's home visits, he'd upgraded the doorbell's title—calling it the "internal line", like some high-class intercom, just to give it some status.

Only after the bell rang several more times did Hikigaya finally get up and open the door.

Standing outside was Aragaki Ayase, composed as always, radiating the image of a refined, intellectual beauty.

But in her eyes was a glimmer of curiosity—and anticipation.

"Onii-san, sorry to intrude. I'd still like to talk to you about Komachi."

Chapter 15: The Expectant Aragaki Ayase

Godslayers are not human. Though they are not gods either, they are greater than gods.

These beings possess the power to crush all opposition. Though sometimes restricted by human society, once they set their minds to something, they can overcome any obstacle and destroy their enemies.

This is a widely accepted truth in the magical world, particularly in the European magical society.

Anyone who once doubted this was crushed by the overwhelming power of the one later known as the Wolf King, the Marquis Voban.

His unrestrained and savage ways plunged Europe's magical world into a dark era.

The Church, bearer of divine authority, became his toy.

Under his power, it crumbled.

Ancient and proud magical organizations bowed their heads and surrendered everything to this king.

A century of slaughter eventually forged an absolute reverence for godslayers among European magicians.

By modern times, almost no one dared to follow in the footsteps of their foolhardy predecessors.

Hikigaya Hachiman, a godslayer from the East, was similarly revered. But he differed from his kin in many ways.

Through constant battles with gods, he stole not just individual powers, but their very essence.

This vast potential for power came at a cost—his evolution transcended the human level, stripping away his emotions and making him increasingly cold... or, to put it more bluntly, cruel and heartless.

Though it seemed he himself hadn't noticed this change…

And for those like the Yukinoshita family who used his name for personal gain without his consent, they paid for it in blood.

Just as the enemies of Yukinoshita feared, Hikigaya displayed terrifying indifference to their downfall.

Even when the Yukinoshita's father died, his response was no more emotional than someone reacting to a neighbor's dead dog.

Yet the Japanese onmyoji hadn't fully grasped the depth of his cold nature.

What they didn't know was this: even if Hikigaya hadn't gone to China, he still would've allowed Yukinoshita's fall.

But that applied only to their family's ruin—he had not agreed to excessive physical or mental harm.

The Yukinoshita senator needed to pay a price, yes. But not his life.

Still, the hyenas needed to taste death and fear.

Hikigaya planned to follow Voban's methods: force-feed these dogs excrement, and throw their clean-picked bones to the Four Great Families as a warning.

From both anime and his experience since arriving in this world, Hikigaya understood the sad reality of the Japanese magical world—it was inward-looking and bloated with pride.

Japan hadn't seen an anomaly like a godslayer in ages.

As a result, these magicians never developed the rationality or respect for such beings as the Europeans had. They didn't even realize they needed to change.

Now, these hyenas were still alive only because Hikigaya wanted to have a talk with a certain girl.

This girl now stood at his door, at the so-called most terrifying place in all of Chiba City in the eyes of the onmyoji community—facing the seventh Demon King of the world, the cold and merciless Hikigaya Hachiman, for a casual chat.

"Something about Komachi?" Hikigaya smiled as he looked at Aragaki Ayase standing at his door.

Senator Aragaki had quite the daughter. She had unknowingly grasped a sliver of hope.

Had Ayase not come back tonight, by morning, the Aragaki family would have ceased to exist.

A godslayer could destroy cities and topple nations with ease.

With that kind of power came absolute authority.

At Hikigaya's command, the Yomi Hand-to-Hand Group had mobilized. The lowest rank was Adept.

These brutal martial artists now filled every corner of Chiba, casting their vicious gaze over the unsuspecting hyenas, who were blissfully enjoying the final moments of their lives.

The onmyoji who joined in would face even worse slaughter.

A Demon King's anger could only be soothed with blood.

Many would soon experience total annihilation—homes destroyed, families wiped out.

Their fate would be worse than the Yukinoshitas.

Whether the Aragakis would join them depended entirely on Aragaki Ayase's performance.

"Come inside. Don't stand at the door. I just so happen to have something to ask you as well."

Hikigaya opened the door and walked back inside.

"Thank you very much," Ayase replied with a bright smile, stepping back into the house she had just left not long ago.

They returned to the sofa. Hikigaya grabbed two drinks from the fridge—one for himself, and one for Ayase.

"You go first. About Komachi."

"Yes. After talking with Komachi—and you, Hikigaya-san—I had a bold guess."

Whoa, bold, huh… Girl, this is a conversation, not a light novel plot.

Hikigaya mused to himself, until Ayase asked:

"I was wondering… could it be that you're hiding some special secret from Komachi?"

That question caught Hikigaya off guard.

"Why would you say that?" he asked after a brief pause.

"Because… you give off a very mysterious feeling, like you're sharp as a sword. Maybe that's why Komachi feels uneasy?"

"…" Hikigaya opened his mouth slightly.

What the heck is a sharp taste supposed to mean? Does this girl go around licking knives or something?

Still, maybe it's just the instincts of a politician's daughter… he could smell a hint of it.

Hikigaya watched her with interest until he noticed she was starting to fidget nervously, and then he withdrew his probing gaze.

"You're overthinking. Komachi's just a kid, and kids tend to worry a lot." He smiled, slipping back into his "kind big brother" persona. "Thanks for looking out for her. I'm always worried she might get bullied at school."

"You're too kind. Komachi is so considerate—everyone likes her."

"Oh? Even the boys?" Hikigaya immediately tensed up. "She's not dating anyone, right? She didn't fall for some scam, did she?"

"Eh? That… I don't know. Probably not?" Ayase chuckled at how the mysterious brother had suddenly turned into a full-on overprotective goof.

That air of mystery disappeared in an instant, replaced by pure doting big brother energy. It matched what Komachi had said perfectly.

So he really was kind—a good brother who cared deeply for his sister.

Ayase suddenly felt at ease, but also a little envious.

Coming from a single-parent home and being an only child, she never knew what it was like to have siblings.

She had always longed for it, but her father had no interest in having more kids.

It wasn't until she met Komachi and Kirino that this gap in her heart was finally filled.

"Looks like I was overthinking. Sorry for the trouble." She stood up and bowed apologetically.

"Oh, right!" she clapped her hands. "Since we know each other now… can we exchange contacts?"

She held out her phone toward Hikigaya.

"Uh… no rush. Sit down first and hear me out," Hikigaya replied with an awkward laugh, waving his hand.

Looking at the puzzled Ayase, he said:

"Actually, there's something that's been bothering me. Since you're here, maybe you can help me analyze it. It goes like this…"

Then, as Ayase listened attentively, Hikigaya began explaining the "test" he had carefully prepared.

Word for word.