Sett Chapter 16: Solved (Patreon)

'Violence may not solve all problems, but it can protect you,' Yukino thought to herself.

If she had Tadashi’s strength, even if she had been bullied, she could have stood her ground and fought back, rather than fleeing abroad like a failure.

With that thought in mind, Yukino’s gaze toward Tadashi shifted, carrying a new, inexplicable depth.

*Meow!!*

A chilling cry echoed once more.

The kitten that had crashed into the tree began to swell, growing to the size of a small calf. Its fur turned a dull gray, and its eyes gleamed with a malicious, oily green light. At the same time, a second tail sprouted from its back.

It had transformed into a two-tailed *nekomata*!

"So it finally reveals its true form?" Tadashi smirked slightly.

"Two tails?" Hiratsuka exclaimed in surprise. "That’s the nekomata from the legends!"

"Legend says these creatures are born from a cat's resentment and suffering. They relentlessly seek revenge on those who have harmed cats," Yukino said, frowning in confusion. "But I didn’t harm it; I gave it a proper burial…"

Hiratsuka nodded in agreement. She knew Yukino well enough to know that she loved cats and would never hurt one.

So why was this nekomata attacking Yukino?

"Because these creatures lack reason and are driven by instinct," Tadashi explained, shaking his head. "It doesn’t differentiate between those who harm it and those who are innocent. It just attacks indiscriminately."

"You did nothing wrong, Yukinoshita. It was just bad luck that you encountered this newly-born spirit, and it latched onto you."

Hearing this explanation, Yukino felt both relieved and conflicted. Who would have thought that her act of kindness in burying the kitten would endanger her?

"Since Yukino wasn’t at fault, let’s just finish it off, Tadashi," Hiratsuka said, her eyes fixed on the nekomata in the tree.

Tadashi nodded, clenching his fist.

*Meow!!*

The nekomata, provoked by Tadashi’s movements, bristled and lunged toward him once more.

*Whoosh!*

A gust of foul wind followed its massive form as it hurtled forward with terrifying speed, more like a tiger than a cat—its aggression and ferocity unmistakable.

But Tadashi calmly raised his right hand and punched.

【Pit Grit 1 · Heavy Hands: When alternating punches, your left punch deals normal damage, while your right punch strikes faster and deals an additional 5-90 (+55% bonus AD) damage!】

*Whoosh!*

His right punch, faster than the left, shot out like a bullet.

*Boom!!*

The nekomata, caught in mid-air, exploded into a mangled heap of flesh.

It flew backward, crashing into the tree trunk with even greater force. Its limp body slid down the trunk, its ribs shattered and organs crushed.

Its entire abdomen had turned into a grotesque mess of blood and tissue from just one of Tadashi’s punches.

*Meow...*

The nekomata let out a weak, trembling cry, its wide, protruding eyes staring at Tadashi in disbelief.

It couldn’t comprehend how a human could possess such overwhelming strength. With a single punch, it had been fatally wounded!

"It’s over," Hiratsuka exhaled, turning away from the gruesome sight, feeling uneasy with such a bloody scene.

"Wait, Tadashi!" Yukino also averted her gaze, but from the corner of her eye, she noticed something and shouted, "The aura around it hasn’t disappeared yet!"

"I know," Tadashi replied calmly, having already sensed it. There was no need for Yukino to remind him; he had noticed the anomaly from the start.

Did this newly-born nekomata really think it could pull a trick on him?

"What do you mean, it’s not dead yet?" Hiratsuka asked, looking up in confusion.

They saw strands of dark gray aura rising from the nekomata’s body. These wisps of energy didn’t dissipate in the breeze but instead seemed to possess a consciousness, quickly floating away.

In the blink of an eye, they had drifted three meters away.

The aura rapidly condensed, forming a new nekomata, though this one now had only one tail.

The original corpse, still at the base of the tree, faded away like an illusion.

"Its tail is gone!" Yukino was the first to notice.

"Indeed," Tadashi nodded. "Legend says that a nekomata gains an additional life for each tail it grows, up to a maximum of nine."

"It just lost one life."

"So it lost a tail," Tadashi explained as he extended his hand toward the nekomata that was now three meters away, spreading his fingers.

*Meow!!*

Sensing danger, the nekomata’s eyes filled with fear as it turned and bolted.

It had already used one life to confirm that this human was far stronger than it could handle. Its only option was to escape!

*Whoosh…*

The nekomata leapt with all its might, speeding away like an arrow, quickly covering several meters.

"Tadashi!"

"Tadashi-kun!"

Both Hiratsuka and Yukino grew nervous.

They couldn’t let the nekomata escape, or it would be a disaster later!

"Don’t worry, it won’t get away," Tadashi reassured them with a smile as he closed his outstretched hand.

It was time to use the skill he had acquired from his encounter with Yukino.

*Facebreaker*!

*Boom!*

As Tadashi made the gesture, a powerful force of attraction appeared, like an invisible cage trapping the fleeing nekomata.

*Meow?*

The nekomata’s movement abruptly halted, its expression confused.

It couldn’t move, as though something behind it was pulling it back.

*Whoosh!*

The air roared, and dust swirled as the nekomata was forcefully pulled backward, flying straight toward Tadashi’s waiting hand.

*Knuckle Down*!

A gleam flashed in Tadashi’s eyes as his right fist, empowered by his skill, smashed into the nekomata’s body as it flew back.

*Boom!!*

The nekomata exploded mid-air, its body bursting like a balloon into countless fragments.

"!?"

Both Hiratsuka and Yukino were stunned by the violent spectacle.

It was terrifying!

A creature the size of a calf had been sucked back and blown apart with a single punch!

Such frightening strength—he could probably punch through a ten-centimeter-thick steel plate with ease!

‘Could I learn this kind of power from Tadashi-kun?’

Yukino’s eyes sparkled as she gazed at Tadashi, her curiosity and admiration growing stronger.

"It’s done now," Tadashi said, lowering his fist as he turned to face the two women.

"Really?"

Both Hiratsuka and Yukino blinked, sensing a change in the atmosphere.

The chilling cold that had surrounded them was gone, and the oppressive summer heat returned, making the air feel heavy and stifling again.

This was a clear sign that the nekomata’s power had been completely destroyed!