Chapter 81.4

Chapter 81.4

The exorcists named Kibihagi Kage were not weak. Of course, there is a difference between Kage and the exorcists of the Onitsuki bloodline in terms of strength. However, even so, they are different from the servants. In fact, the fact that he had succeeded in stopping the calamity youkai until the arrival of the reinforcements was the best proof of his strength.

There was no carelessness or arrogance. I believe that even the people around him were on their guard.

Therefore, this was, in a sense, an inevitable fate.

The biggest reason why exorcists were killed by youkai was not simply because of their strength. The biggest cause of their deaths was their compatibility with the youkai and being caught off guard.

"Huh?"

That was the dumb voice I was uttering at the moment the top half of the figure in front of me was torn apart. With a crunch, the wolf lifted its jaws and red splashes flew out, dirtying my cheeks.

I am stunned for a moment. Shocked. Dumbstruck. But I push those emotions aside and brace myself as reason realizes what's happening. And I realize. The seriousness of the situation.

"D*mn it, I didn't even sense that guy's presence at all!?" I thought to myself, realizing that I had made a mistake.

I couldn't even notice the appearance of the wolf devouring the dead body in front of my eyes until the moment of their heinous act. That was my negligence. At the same time, it is also true that I was not careless. No, on the contrary...

"He couldn't even manage to stab back!?" I thought to myself as I witnessed that moment. I saw him waving his Shakujou just before he was about to be devoured. It was a counter-attack that was natural for an exorcist in a situation where their death was inevitable.

But it didn't work. It wasn't because Kage was incompetent. The Shakujou was indeed aimed at the wolf. The problem was that the Shakujou had passed through the wolf's body... The initial posting of this chapter occurred via N0v3l.B11n.

"A conditional ability, huh?" I muttered to myself, realizing the source of the wolf's power. But it didn't matter. The situation has taken a sudden and drastic turn.

'Gye...gye...eee...' howled Dakuryuu.

"!? Well, I guess that's how it goes...!" I muttered as the supply of spiritual power from Kibihagi was lost, causing the Shikigami to lose their power. The two Dakuryuus trembled and then collapsed with a rattling sound. It gave the impression of watching sugar cubes dissolve.

At the same time, it meant that I was now alone and helpless. In front of me were two calamity youkai and a few remaining small youkai, who approached me cautiously. ...Needless to say, the situation was the worst.

'Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...!!!!' growled the wolf. And as I was driven by impatience and despair, the wolf suddenly joins the fight and finishes its meal. The wolf that had finished sucking up the blood and entrails by sticking its face into the cross-section of the remaining lower half of the body suddenly shook violently and transformed. Its body shrank and its fur also shrank. I had seen this kind of transformation before, when Iruka changed from a wolf to a human.

"Has it transformed into a humanoid...?" I wondered.

The shrinking of the body and the shrinking of the hairs of the body were very similar to the change of Iruka when she was trying to change from a wolf to a human being.

...However, compared to her, calamity youkai in front of me was much more like a youkai monster. Even in its current form, it was still clearly a werewolf that had seen a full moon. Its fur was still intact, and its head was clearly not a human skeleton. And it continued to groan and shake its body on all fours, looking troubled.

The youkai exaggeratedly placed their hand on their chest and announced, then smiled and glanced at me.

"Well. Now the nuisance is gone, let me ask you again. How did you find out about our plan? And why did you do such a grandiose thing all by yourself? Could you please tell me? If you do..." the youkai spoke, their voice calm and measured.

"Agh...!?" I cried out as the youkai gouged and shaved my palm. The youkai smiles ecstatically at my screams and licks their lips.

"We don't have much time. Will you answer me? In this world, it's always wiser to go with the flow and take the easy way out in life," the monster continued, both persuading and threatening me.

I look up at the monster with tears in my eyes, laughing submissively and sycophantically. In response, Kamaitachi with a sickle also sneered. Trembling, I opened my mouth...and spat in their feet with all my might.

Immediately afterwards, with a sound that cuts the wind, one of my ears is cut off. "Gaahh...!?" I cried out in pain, holding the section of my ear with the arm that was not impaled. The blood dripped down rapidly and forcefully.

I groan, and the Kamaitachi's foot stomps on my head. My forehead is cut by a stone as it hits the ground. Unfortunately, my head wasn't blown up; they had held back.

"It's impolite to spit on someone's foot, don't you think? Nowadays, even the lowest of servants seem to lack basic etiquette. I can't help but worry about the state of education these days," the youkai scolded me with nonchalant tone but their expression filled with rage.

Their tone of voice was clearly more forceful, or I should say angry. Kamaitachi then played with my ear that they had already grabbed while looking down at me, "But I'm tolerant. I won't get mad at you for this. Everyone makes mistakes and has failures. However ignorance can lead to arrogance, you know?"

Suddenly, the monster shows their feet in front of me. Their thin, white feet that had retracted the sickle and were stained with dirt. "Lick it. Lick it like a dog and clean it with sincerity. Cry, apologize, and confess everything, you monkey... This is your last warning."

As the monster spoke their last words, something grazed against my cheek. A warm, dull sensation runs down my cheek. I looked into their eyes, met with a cruel smile... This was definitely the limit.

"..."

I slowly open my mouth. Then I stick my tongue out at the bare foot in front of me. The monster gave a mocking smile, but I ignored it and leaned in closer and closer to the feet... and then...

"Why don't you become a roasted meal, you monster?" I said.

"Huh!?" Kamaitachi exclaimed.

A moment later, I fired a blast of fire, but unfortunately it didn't reach Kamaitachi. It was because the half-human, half-beast squatting behind the monster grabbed their collar and pulled them away just before the pale flames engulfed them. They held onto Kamaitachi and kept a distance from me. Hidden behind black, long hair, their eyes glared at me while growling as if to intimidate me.

However, Kamaitachi did not express their gratitude. Their companion's eyes also widened and their expression clearly showed their astonishment.

"Hey, hey, this is really a surprise. This presence, that appearance... Is this a joke? Are you really a servant?" Kamaitachi asked me.

What was reflected in their eyes was my own ugly appearance, like a failed monster, wrapped in blue flames all over my body...