Chapter 97.3

Chapter 97.3

[Part 3/4]

"Plan, huh? It's not a word that a youkai like you should be throwing around so confidently. ...What kind of plan is it?"

"I can't tell you that. Well, you should be able to guess to some extent even without me saying, right?"

"......"

Kamui was right. There was no need to chatter away in a place like this, especially with just a servant. It would be best to quickly turn him into food for the calamity youkai in front of him. Not doing so would mean something else entirely.

"But then, it was unexpected that Namahage b*stard would make a move different from usual. I switched the target to the second one to avoid a confrontation... but it's fortunate that you showed yourself too."

Kamui truly thought it was fortunate. His superior was rational and level-headed, but genuinely insane. He didn't mind if his pay was reduced, but he didn't want to be forced into nonsensical experiments as a punishment.

"The second target, huh? You mean Tamaki? Are you that interested in that black thing of hers? Even though you're similar in a way."

"I don't know about that. If you have questions, ask the boss. ...And that's enough chitchat. I'm going to deliver this straight from the source anyway, so you can ask the boss anything you want over there."

And so, Kamui continued to spread the darkness beneath his feet. It looked like he wanted to swallow Yamanba and the servant too, to take them somewhere.

In other words, this was the opportune moment.

"Hold on, hold on. Before you sink me into that creepy thing, let me ask you one last thing. Can't you at least give me a little something extra? It's not a bad idea for you either, right?"

Upon the target's pleading, Kamui temporarily halted the activation of his abilities. With a slightly strange expression, he inquired.

"Not a bad idea, huh? Don't get your hopes up too much. I'll hear you out, though. What do you want?"

At that moment, the guy wearing Hannya mask fell silent. It trembled for a moment, and Kamui noticed the slight anomaly. However, before he could understand its meaning, the guy wearing Hannya mask spoke.

'Was my puppetry impressive?'

It spun a mocking remark, exuding a malicious air.

"Gh...!?"

In sync with that voice, Kamui fell silent, and then he understood. He realized the true nature of his suspicion. However, it was already too late.

A sharp spear suddenly shot out from the mouth of the Hannya-masked figure that was about to get crushed. It was launched with the force of compressed air and swiftly pierced through Yamanba's head. The old woman, whose forehead had been impaled, jolted back and accidentally dropped the Hannya-masked figure onto the snowy ground. As a result, the shikigami wearing the Hannya mask fell onto the snowy plain, and then... its abdomen burst open.

'Gyeh...!?'

He sarcastically muttered such words with a deep irony.

...Amidst the falling powder snow, he declared it as if he had won.

"What are you talking about...!?"

Kamui, facing him, momentarily showed a perplexed expression at the servant inexplicable attitude. However, he soon realized the meaning behind it. He couldn't help but be aware of the presence that he sensed from deep within the forest.

"No way, it can't be that one...!!?"

Kamui widened his eyes in astonishment and looked at the servant. In response, the servant met his gaze with a sadistic smile. The falling snow had already intensified rapidly.

And amidst the snowfall that seemed to engulf everything, a tremor like the rumbling of the earth began to echo from a distance. The approaching footsteps were so loud that they felt deafening. And along with it, a dense power of youkai and divine energy was drawing near...!!

"Hey, hey, wait a minute! Are you kidding me!?"

Kamui's face contorted once again. He directed his gaze towards the depths of the forest, where the presence was coming from. And then, it appeared...!!

'Hehehe! I've kept you waiting, the main actor has arrived!!"

'ヽ(ill゚д゚)ノ Papa, help meeee!!!!'

Emerging from the deep forest with a burst of energy was a huge black wolf. It had a white spider on its back, and the spider looked like it was crying. With a loud roar, the wolf jumped into the scene and bit the servant's neck. Then, it quickly ran away as fast as it could, leaving the area. Kamui tried to chase after them, but he didn't know whether to follow the wolf or look in the direction where the wolf or the spider had come.

"D*mn it, the only choice is to run, huh!?"

Faced with the impending danger, Kamui had no choice but to resort to escape. He quickly turned into darkness and evacuated from the spot at full speed. And an instant later, 'it' appeared, fully prepared.

*A thunderous roar reverberated through the air*

Captivated by the divine energy of the spider, Namahage charged ahead, knocking down trees as it went. In the process, it pounced on the Yamanba, landing a powerful blow right on her face...

* * *

They say if the front gate is guarded by a tiger, the back gate is guarded by a wolf. But in this situation, it was even more complicated. Our enemies were not ordinary creatures, they were calamity youkai. And to make matters worse, they were all heading towards different targets before.

Naturally, we didn't have the time or ability to deal with two calamity youkai at the same time. And frankly, we didn't even possess enough power to handle one calamity youkai.

Of course, giving up is not an option. Ironically, the fact that there were two calamity youkai in this situation became a double-edged sword and a turning point.

For Namahage, I used the white spider as bait. Then, Iruka, in her transformed state, held the bait in front of Namahage. I also used a cloth soaked in my blood to lure it further. As for Yamanba, I utilized the puppet of the old man's shikigami. And then, synchronizing the timing, I collided the two calamity youkai together.

Both calamity youkai carried remnants of divine essence, but they were pretty dumb and irrational. When they realized they could eat each other, they went all out in a brutal fight until one of them died.

"Hahaha! Just kill each other, you monsters!"