CH 77.2

However, for a monster like the wild boar, that was undoubtedly an unwanted outcome. After all, this monster, with an intense hatred for humans and a tendency to charge recklessly, possessed intelligence but lacked reason. If it had not suffered the injury, it may have gone on a rampage, ignoring Kubou's commands, and ultimately faced defeat at the hands of the Onitsuki clan's forces. Ironically, the wounds received from the Onitsuki family were what kept this monster alive.

And as time passed, this event led to the beginning of the original story. The wild boar, having finally rallied its followers, led them in an assault on the paradise of the Northern Territories, just as written in the original text. To put to death the arrogant humans...

(But this was supposed to happen after the Harvest Festival...!?)

I look up at the monster that has suddenly appeared in front of me, and my expression becomes tight. My mind is filled with confusion, doubt, and chaos. But I pushed those feelings aside and acted reflexively.

"Excuse me...!!"

"Huh!? Uwaah...!?"

I grabbed Tamaki's arm as she was about to be hit by the monster's hooves, flipped her around, and narrowly avoided the attack. Then I picked her up and ran backwards, leaving behind the ragged Iruka who had jumped in the opposite direction. Just before escaping, I caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of my eye, runs away in the opposite direction from us...

"Miss!?"

Realizing the situation, Suzune ran towards us in shock, her face turning pale. I look down at Tamaki in my arms and our gazes meet.

"Umm...thank you?"

I put the still confused main character down, and dumped her into the hands of the maid without even bowing, unlike before when we met on the stone steps.

"Whoa!?"

"Kyaa!!? What are you doing...!? Hey!! You, what the...!?"

Suzune protested against my rough treatment, but soon fell silent. Perhaps it was because of my piercing gaze or the presence of the youkai behind us...probably both.

"Hey, take the young lady away."

I instructed her, but it was uncertain whether she could fully understand or digest the situation, as it had nothing to do with the usual roughhousing or near-death experiences. So I ordered Katahiko's men. They arrived quickly and silently nodded at me before dragging the protesting princesses away. Their demeanor was a stark contrast to their earlier reckless behavior during the gambling game. As was the case in the manga version, they had the resolve to face any danger when it mattered most.

"Now, what should we do...?"

I said, facing the monster.

The "Magajuu" was in a far different state than in the original story. Although its skin had indeed been burned by the multiple layers of boundaries surrounding the shrine in the original story, the damage was only superficial. However, the boar in front of me is different.

It had lost one of its four tusks during its battle with the Onitsuki exorcists, and as in the original story, it had lost an eye.

However, there was a large, gruesome hole in its stomach, from which copious amounts of blood flowed. It also spat blood from its mouth, and panted heavily. Its eyes were wide with bloodshot anger and hatred.

It was a sight that could only be described as wounded, and clearly it had been a struggle to get here...

(The journey here must have been quite agonizing...)

The boar in the original story was also thoughtless, but at least it was not as rational as the one in front of me right now. Moreover, to have wounded a calamity youkai to this extent...

"Did it run into the Onitsuki family?"

It was probably a matter of deep-seated grudges. Did this monster rush in when it found out that the Onitsuki family was staying in the village? In any case, this was not good for the original story. It is very bad situation. Too bad.

"W-wait, shouldn't I worry about myself first...!?"

My consciousness is brought back to reality by the 'Magajuu' that stares at me and roars. Its fur, bristling with iron needles, shook violently as it approached me.

"I have no choice but to avoid it...!!"

The only option I had against the youkai boar charging at me while screaming was to flip my body and dodge. Defending against it was impossible, and counterattacking it was even more unrealistic.

According to the original story, cheap blades and fire were ineffective against the fur of the "Magajuu". And because of the nature of the beast, any kind of curses would have little effect on it. Also, depending on the compatibility of the exorcist who faced it, it was a difficult monster to fight even for skilled individuals, let alone a mere servant like me.

(Wasn't the main character using *whoosh* divine power to defeat it...!?)

Like a bullfighter, I leap to the side just before the moment of impact as I thought so. I jumped, but...

"Huh!? Just from the wind pressure...!?"

A moment after I dodged, I should have been at least five steps away from the monster. But...there must have been a shockwave generated around it during its charge. I noticed it by the way my costume was ripped and I had a few thin cuts on my body.

"This is not funny, even though I wasn't hit!! ...Huh!?"

I quickly straightened my posture, glanced at the roaring "Magajuu" crashing into the large tree behind me, and desperately recalled the original story.

"Firepower is power!!" Although it wasn't quite right, the way the main character of the original story defeated the "Magajuu" was very simple and straightforward. He used the divine power of the land god that he had absorbed and mimic a Kamehameha and obliterate the monster. It was presented in a mystical way, as if he had been granted sacred power by the land god, but it was just a misdirection.

"And the rest was just a hand-to-hand fight, right!?"

According to the production team, it was recommended to infuriate the monster and then engage in close combat, as it could easily lose its cool and had poor maneuverability... However, just from that one strike, it was clear that trying to engage in close combat with such a creature was insane.

'GRRROOOAAARRR!!!'

With a horrifying roar, the boar buries its face in a large tree and tries to back away. However, it seems that its tusks have sunk into the fibers of the tree, and it takes a long time to pull them out. Frankly speaking, it would be better to escape while the opportunity arises, but...

"As the lord's servant, I cannot let you go that easily. I'll have you play with me a bit longer...!!"

I throw a guruma (yo-yo like weapon) at the "Magajuu". Although it didn't hit directly, the metal object passed just above the bridge of its nose and fell to the ground, entangling the youkai's face in several coils due to its weight.

'GRRROOOAAARRR...!?'

The calamity youkai stares at me with bloodshot eyes because I've been harassing its face. That's right, look at me. Don't worry about the others...!!

"Hello there, pig. Nice to meet you. Would you mind introducing yourself? Don't you think it's important to say hello?"

I grabbed the thread connecting to the Guruma with one hand and held a spear with the other as I approached. The youkai sneered and narrowed its eyes as it watched me.

"Of course. It's unthinkable that a mere servant dares to challenge against a calamity youkai. The outcome is clear. I know that. I know that better than anyone."

But I'm not just going to let it kill me.

"Hey. I can't believe it, but you. Do you think this is a thread that will strangle roast pork?"

'Gwoahhh!!?'

As I mocked and warned while lightly pulling the thread, the creature finally seemed to realize that the thread squeezing its face was not just a fiber thread. Its eyes widen in astonishment. Now it was my turn to sneer and ridicule.

"Ha! Did you realize it? It's too late, you fool boar...!"

With my abusive words, I pulled the thread of the Guruma, and the thread wrapped around the monster's head, centered on its nose, dug into its flesh all at once. With a sound like a pop, muscle fibers burst and blood sprayed out. It seemed that even the woven needle fur that covered its whole body could not completely nullify the iron threads of the spider.

But, on the contrary, the spider's threads could only do so much.

'Grrroooaaarrr!!!!!'

"Whoa, it's bad...!?"

A moment later, the boar pulled out the big tree it had been biting into, root and all. And then it swung it around and threw it. The tree passed right by me and hit the ground with a cloud of dust, then spun around and shattered, engulfing the other trees.

"Did it just aim for me...!?"

I couldn't react. It was a big tree, which ten lumberjacks could not cut down in one night. If it had been thrown at me, I would have been crushed for sure. Literally, I was lucky that the attack did not hit me.

'Groa!? Grrroooaaarrr!!!!'

"Whoaa...!?"

Still, the thread continued to dig into its flesh no matter how much the calamity beast struggled to cut it. As if unable to bear the pain, it also threw a tantrum but the thread sank deeper into its flesh. Of course, at the same time, it also meant that I, who was connected to it by the thread, was being tossed around by the boar's shock

"Isn't this like fishing...!!!?"

I was dragged by the boar through the thread, and if anything, I was swung around by it. My arm hurts from being pulled. Can I get away from it? This is ridiculous!

"I won't let you...you...!!"

I claw desperately at the ground and try to pull the thread to the beast. But then calamity youkai glares at me with eyes full of hatred. Oh no, this is bad.

'GROOOOAAAAARRRRR!!!'

With a deafening roar, the boar youkai in front of me charges towards me with a thunderous sound. Is this really happening!?

"I can't...escape, can I!?"

It is not impossible for me to cut the thread and escape from this place as fast as I can. However, if I run away now, there's no telling where it will go next. Whether it's the shrine that seals the land god, the TS protagonist, or something else, I must stop it. Especially now, when the current situation is different from the original work and there is no complete despair, letting a monster loose is too risky. Therefore...

"Please, somehow...!"

I spat out, taking one look at the boar that was now approaching me. At the same time, I aim my spear. And I time it. ...Now!?

'BWOHH?!?!'

"Yes! It worked...but it hurts!?"