Chapter 63.2

Chapter 63.2

Revision : bee shikigami => hummingbird shikigami

It's natural. Because when the surrounding area is a sea of fire, and the kappa on the immediate side are flailing about, charred, and crumbled like dry clay, the two of them can't even feel the heat?

"This is..."

Kochou says in amazement. It was clear that this was no mere flame. It was a unique flame with conditions such as 'Purifying Fire' or 'Annihilation'. It was also clear that it was not a spiritual power.

'Kikiki...'

'Ki... Kiiiii...'

The screams of the kappa dying in agonizing agony echoed here and there.

'Ki... Kiiiii...'

"Eeek...!"

Amidst this situation, one of the kappa, which had become a living torch with its whole body burned, approached Shirowakamaru, crumpling as if its whole body were melting. It crawls toward Shirowakamaru and reaches out its hand. Unintentionally frightened by the shape of the kappa, Shirowakamaru lets out a small scream and clutches at it.

Then he looks up above his head and freezes when he realizes that it is a black shape. The look in its eyes as it stares down at him takes his breath away.

'......'

The figure quickly looks away, as if disinterested, and takes a step forward. It steps forward to get between the burning kappa and Shirowakamaru. As a result, the kappa hugs the deformity's body and is burned to pieces. The pieces of the burnt kappa continue to burn on his body, but gradually lose their momentum...

"......"

And Shirowakamaru saw it. His eyes stared at the screaming monsters burning to death in front of him. Pitying, grieving eyes that showed an emotion inappropriate for a monster...

Gradually, the flames of the fire, which has burned hundreds of kappa to death, die down. And while the remaining fire still smolders, the deformity slowly begins to walk.

"Oh, wait..."

Shirowakamaru, who was standing by the deformity, tried to stop him as he was leaving, but the deformity did not turn around. He just kept going straight. He goes straight to Kochou surrounded by burnt kappa.

"...!? P-Please stop!"

Hayama steps forward and calls out to the black creature. He calls out in a trembling voice. The debut release of this chapter happened at Ñòv€l-B1n.

He, too, understands. The difference between the being in front of him and himself. Still, he calls out. He still cannot tell if the being in front of him is an enemy or a friend, whether he is still a person at heart, because he still cannot tell.

"Please. Please stop...!"

He calls out, but the deformity does not stop walking. Hayama reluctantly points out the dagger (tantō). As he does so, he shouts.

"Tomobe-san, is that you? I'm begging you. Please answer me. Are you on our side? Do you still have human memories? Or are you...?"

Hayama called out again in desperation. As he calls out, his eyes suddenly meet the deformity's and he swallows the words he was about to say. The sadness in his eyes reduces his hostility. He slowly lowers his dagger (tantō). It was impossible for him to point a weapon at the being in front of him. Hayama knew those eyes. He had seen the same look in that person's eyes a long time ago.

'......'

For a few moments, the deformity stares at Hayama, but then resumes his steps. He passes by him with ease, and then arrives right in front of her. On the other side, Kizuki Kochou looks up at him.

"You, those eyes... Aaah, what are you doing!?"

(He is a good-natured person. It is appalling.)

Human beings are creatures who need food, clothing, shelter, and civility. In this world, where living itself is not easy even before basic needs, Botan could not help but be appalled at his behavior of putting others before himself. It is really ridiculous... to take care of others so much when he can't even take care of himself.

(...Well, it has nothing to do with me.)

No matter how poor he is or how much he is hurt, it is ultimately none of Botan's business. What matters is how to utilize him for the extermination of the monsters. That's all there is to this relationship...

(...For the time being, how can the people here fool the others? And, as for myself, I want to get some specimens before the people on the ground come down...?)

Thinking of this, Botan looked through the shikigami at the corpse of the spider and the mole, and that was the moment.

"You, you d*mned...!"

The air trembled at the echoing words. Everyone turned their eyes quickly to the suddenly heavy air. Aoi had her fan ready and swung it almost reflexively. The relentless and repeated slashes of wind... however, are offset by the similarly wielded foot slashes of wind. No, "offsetting" is not quite the right word. The wind blow that it fires is just a single one. It is only one blow, and ten of Aoi's blows canceled it out...

"...You are not elegant. I wish you would not disturb our meeting."

Hiding her mouth with a fan, Aoi muttered a little. She mutters with a cold look in her eyes.

The others also look at the attacker. They hold up their weapons. Or they hide. And as soon as they see it, they are startled. There is also the sound of someone gulping.

Yes, the attacker was a spider girl with her whole body shredded and wounded as she stared at them, but she had a series of hideous spider legs sprouting from her back.

While radiating divine energy all over her body...

* * *

The monster in the shape of a young girl rose up from the rock wall where she had fallen down, covered in blood. The bright, pure white fabric that reminded people of silk was stained in places with the spider's green bodily fluids. Her forehead was bleeding, and her limbs peeking out from behind the fabric were also painfully bruised. She is in critical condition, and seriously injured.

In fact, it was a kind of miracle that Tsuchigumo survived. If it were not for the sacred fabric woven with spider silk imbued with divine power, Tsuchigumo would have died there. That is how severe the destruction caused by the black deformity was. The spider was almost dead. And if the spider had been left alone for a few days, it would have died of exhaustion.

But the spider got up. She stood up and stared at them. Then, with sure footsteps, she takes a step forward.

"Hmm, I see. Is this the reason why the dead are back?"

"Whoa!"

Aoi takes a glance at Shirowakamaru, who is wrapped in a coil and flailing in the air, trying to escape from the foxtail but couldn't do it. As expected, he was an amateur. The dance was intended for him, but even the Tsuchigumo, who was not supposed to benefit from it, can't help but be a part of it.

(No, actually, that's a surprise....)

Aoi thinks with her eyes narrowed. It is not so easy to dedicate a dance to the god and appease them. It may not only be out of the target, but it may not even have an effect on the target. In this sense, it is a marvelous result that the aftermath of the dance has such a great effect on the opponent to whom it is not dedicated directly. If it were not for this occasion, it would even be praiseworthy.

......Yes, if not for here.

"You've been a pain in the ass, haven't you?"

Aoi complains in a tone of voice. Call it selfish or not, the fact is that she put him in danger here, which further lowers Aoi's not-so-high opinion of the boy.

The pressure of the tail of the box slightly increased. Shirowakamaru lets out a small moan. But it is more in response to the ill feeling than pain.

"Kukukukuku...!!!"

As she does this, suddenly a small laugh reverberates through the cave. It reverberated, like an echo.