CH 106.4

Just as Shishimai spoke those words, she suddenly tensed up. Tamaki also reacted a moment later, assuming a defensive stance. Soon, an anomaly occurred. A sound could be heard emanating from the depths of the complex branching cave. It was a disturbing sound that resembled metallic scraping, clamor, and was indescribably unpleasant.

"...!? Tamaki, we need to retreat!"

"Huh!? Oh no!"

Instantly realizing what it was, Shishimai grabbed Tamaki's arm and sprinted at full speed. They reversed their path, retracing the way they had come. Tamaki, forcibly dragged along, was confused but quickly understood the reason when she looked back. She was made to understand.

"Bats...!?"

Accompanied by deafening screeches and commotion, a massive black swarm emerged from the darkness. Bats, vampire bats, and an army of small youkai. It was an avalanche of creatures.

"So, this is the entrance of the room's master!"

"Room's master? But, that's... at most!?"

"You'll soon understand!"

As Shishimai desperately attempted to escape from each individual bat, Tamaki became perplexed about the reason behind treating them as the master. To her, they seemed too insignificant. She couldn't comprehend why Shishimai handled them with such urgency.

It happened in an instant. The corpses of the rats, moles, and the three-legged creatures they had defeated earlier vanished into the darkness, leaving behind only bones, skin, and shells devoid of flesh and bodily fluids.

"Oh...!?"

It happened in a split second. It didn't even take a few seconds. Tamaki didn't want to imagine what would happen if they were swallowed by that swarm.

"Haa!"

Shishimai swung her naginata as she ran. Not against the approaching swarm behind them, but towards the cave wall and ceiling. Her slashing strikes caused the insect-like youkai clinging to the wall to fall to the ground, and the dislodged rocks caused a collapse, crushing dozens of creatures. It was only a temporary measure, a way to buy some time.

"There are too many of them!"

"We'll be caught if we stay like this!"

"I know! But... Agh! Kyaa!"

"Whoa!"

Due to their desperate running, they neglected their footing and stumbled. They tumbled, and the sound of splashing water echoed around them.

"A puddle!? Is it underground water?"

Shishimai quickly got up and cursed as she shouted. Looking up, they could see water droplets falling at regular intervals from a corner of the ceiling, creating a pattern. Clicking her tongue, Shishimai hurriedly extended her hand to Tamaki.

"Quick! Get up!"

"Y-Yeah! But... it hurts!"

It seemed Tamaki had sprained her foot, and she winced in pain.

"I'm sorry! With this foot, I can't... run!"

"Tch!"

With a frustrated expression, Shishimai grimaced and readied her naginata, stepping forward to stand between Tamaki and the swarm of bats.

"Shishimai-san!?"

"Draw your sword! Don't just make me fight alone!"

Tamaki's companion's actions made her pale. She understood that she was dragging Shishimai down and pushing her into a life-or-death situation.

But there was nothing she could do with her sprained foot. At best, she could plead for Shishimai to abandon her and escape, but even that would only buy her time against the flying speed of the bats.

'Look up.'

"Huh...?"

A seductive whisper echoed in Tamaki's ear. Suddenly, a purple butterfly fluttered in front of her eyes, and instinctively, she looked up...

Plop...

"Huh! Cold... water droplets!?"

In her confusion, Tamaki felt a single water droplet fall onto her cheek. The shock of its icy touch caused her body to tremble. And then... a thought struck her. One possibility. One gamble. A desperate choice.

"Water droplets, water... underground water! Shishimai-san!! Break the ceiling! Quickly!!!"

"Huh!?...!! I see what you mean!"

For a moment, Shishimai wore a perplexed expression, trying to understand Tamaki's intent. But then, her eyes widened, and she nodded. Taking a stance, preparing for a slashing strike.

"I'm counting on you! Hit it!"

Successive strikes were unleashed without hesitation, piercing the cave ceiling. Both Shishimai and Tamaki prayed silently, hoping their expectations would come true.

Suddenly, a powerful gush of cold water erupted from the ceiling. And just as the sound of cracking echoed through the air, cracks appeared. They widened and the cave collapsed. The water overflowing from the underground stream swallowed the cave, engulfing the swarm of bats along with it.

"Whoa!!?"

"Hold your breath!"

In an instant, the cave filled with cold underground water. Tamaki screamed in terror as Shishimai shouted at her to hold her breath. Soon, both of them were submerged in the water.

"Whoa... hah... ugh!!?"

Tamaki, who had never learned to swim, thrashed around in the water. She hadn't thought much about it in their desperate situation, but it was inevitable. When the underground water veins collapsed in the narrow cave, this was the natural outcome. Rough waves and chilling coldness engulfed her, making it hard to breathe. She struggled in the violent back-and-forth between the surface and the depths. She was drowning. Being carried away.

(It's... suffocating!? My legs too!?)

No matter how hard she tried to stay calm, it was useless. As she swallowed water, she couldn't help but cough while she was underwater. Coughing only made more water enter her mouth and nose. She started to panic and attempted to move her legs, which made the pain in her sprained foot worse. It started to spasm and hurt. She felt cold, scared, and overwhelmed. There was no way for her to calm down.

(No...! No... not here... like this...!)

She struggled. She struggled. She struggled. Terrified. Terrified. Terrified.

(No... no more... no more...)

She sank into darkness. Swallowed by the darkness. Her consciousness faded away.

(Father... Everyone...)

Memories of her hometown flashed through her mind. Images of her family appeared.

(Suzune... Iru..ka... Tomobe-kun...)

Memories of her friends and the image of her benefactor passed through her mind

It was like a flickering lantern before it went out.

Everything faded. Disappeared. Warm memories sank into the deep darkness, into the cold water. And for her, for Tamaki, there was nothing she could do, feeling utterly powerless...

'Let it flow. Be still. Let ominous fate, grudges to...'

(Huh...?)

In the next moment, Tamaki couldn't comprehend the scene that flashed through her mind. She didn't understand the voice or the meaning behind the words of celebration.

'The ancestral burden rests here. Offerings in celebration, standing as pillars. May the leader of the clan embark on the boat and be sent off...'

Tamaki couldn't discern whose voice it was. She didn't understand the meaning behind the uttered blessings. Only the vastness of the sky remained. It was the only thing she could see, adorned with a magnificent display of jewel-like stars. The only things she could hear were the splashes of water and the sound of the wind. The only sensation that felt real was the chilling touch of the wind brushing against her cheeks.

'A detestable curse. May it accompany the descendants of our bloodline until the ends of the underworld. May it wander until the end of time.'

...And the ominous figure accompanying her on the boat was her only companion.

(What... is this?)

Confusion, chaos, and turmoil. Memories she didn't know. An unfamiliar scene. No, that wasn't it. This memory, surely, surely, surely...

"Ah...!"

That was as far as her thoughts could coalesce. In the suffocating agony, unable to inhale oxygen, Tamaki's consciousness finally began to slip into silence. Her consciousness faded away. Strength drained from her body. The approach of death loomed. Death entwined around her...

Just before losing consciousness, Tamaki caught sight of Shishimai Asami swimming towards her with all her might...