Chapter 118.4

Chapter 118.4

[Part 4/5]

My premonition immediately turned into reality.

'Vroom vroom!! Vroom vroom!! Vroom vroom!!'

Roaring through the forest, the large man with a white mask appeared, the same man we had encountered before. He wielded a chainsaw that emitted a mechanical noise similar to a growl. No need to question the inconsistency in the world-building.

"Ah!? W-What's that...!!?"

"He's a stalker!"

In response to Tamaki's screams at the sight of the seemingly indestructible man who is going to wake up on the 13th, I provided a concise response. Certainly, to a girl seeing him for the first time, his appearance was terrifying.

However, in a world filled with such creatures, original ones aside, parody-like knockoffs lacked the necessary punch...

'Grrrr!!'

'Vroom vroom!!?'

'(;^o^) Super! Exciting!!'

Immediately, the bear charged, shaking its fat belly, and sent the man flying. He was thrown headfirst into a nearby pond.

'Arghh!!'

"Is that all!?"

Simultaneously, I was grabbed by the Grim Reaper masked man, which had jumped from the treetops with a dagger in hand. I responded while still in its grasp. I grabbed its outstretched arm and threw it towards the ground. The Grim Reaper masked man mask rolled on the ground in anger, attempting to chase after me, but unfortunately, it couldn't match the bear's full speed. The distance between us rapidly increased.

"Bear!! That gate!! Hurry!!"

'(≧∇≦) Goal tape is almost there!!'

'Grrrr!!'

Pushing through the forest, we saw it. The iron fence surrounding the forest, with a gate installed. Next to it was an hourglass, seemingly measuring time. Without me pointing it out, the bear youkai understood that it was the exit of this place and headed towards it.

'Hehehe!! We meet again, annoying servant!! I won't let you escape... guheee!!?'

The bear kicked away the doll that appeared, blocking the gate like a soccer ball, and swung its elbow forcefully at the lever fixed to the gate. The gear-operated gate opened. It charged headfirst. The scenery around us changed. Ahead appeared a traditional Japanese-style corridor. It was the same long corridor I had first gotten lost in.

"!!? Run! Hurry!!"

The momentary confusion turned into panic. The corridor behind us started to collapse.

The walls, the ceiling, the floor, the sliding doors - they all collapsed like an avalanche, crumbling and disappearing into nothingness. The bear understood it and hurriedly resumed the marathon.

"The speed of collapse isn't too fast!?"

If it were human legs, it might have been cutting it close, but for a bear youkai, it was different. Its bear-like legs were much faster than the pace of the corridor's collapse. I felt relieved. But it was a moment of complacency.

Roaring, the bear's horns turned into drills, spinning rapidly. Following the hummingbird's warning, I hurriedly lowered my head. Immediately after, a sonic boom from the spinning drill was unleashed.

'Gyah!?'

'Guaaaah!!?'

The minions were shredded to pieces as the shockwave from the collision of the drill and their bodies reached them. They wore expressions of shock as if saying, "What!? How is this possible!?" before turning into mincemeat. I understand their feelings, but unfortunately, it seems they are indeed ants.

'Kikikikii!!'

Of course, it was impossible to completely crush all the descending youkai. So, some of them managed to attach themselves to the bear, albeit with some damage to its body. One of the insect youkai managed to crawl towards Tamaki despite losing its back half.

"Uwaah, waah!?"

"Get lost, you pests!!?"

I intervened between Tamaki, who could only cower in fear, and the attacking youkai, slashing it with my dagger (tantō). Damn, these persistent, filthy calcifer!!

"However...!!"

'We're almost there!!'

Pushing through the rain of youkai, we were now just steps away from the exit. Approximately fifty steps remained. It was the final spurt. We can make it. I was certain of victory. The others probably felt the same way. This was going to be a happy ending.

...Perhaps that thought led me to let my guard down in front of the flag.

It seemed that I had forgotten my bad luck that nothing ever goes smoothly until the very end.

'Gghh!?'

Suddenly, the deafening noise from the lower half of the bear ceased. The bear, which had been launched upward, floated momentarily.

'It's not good. We're out of fuel.'

"Huh! We're out of fuel?! Noooo!!!"

As we rapidly went from soaring to plummeting, I retorted to the words the hummingbird let slip, nearly screaming. Then, the bear's body plunged into the depths of the endless corridor.

"Darn it all!!!!!!"

'ヾ(* ́∇`)ノ Yayyy!!! We're falling!!!?'

Instinctively, I thrust my dagger (tantō) into the corridor's wall. The dagger (tantō) sliced through the wall, creating sparks as it did. But the fall continued relentlessly. Damn, it won't stop!!

"Kuuh!? Wait, bear!! Hurry, turn back into a talisman!!!!"

'Grrrrrrrrrrr-!!?'

Enduring the intense vibrations that felt like my arm would be torn off, I realized one reason for the situation and yelled. Considering its weight, there's no way it would stop!! No, even if it did stop, my body would be torn apart!! '(゚∀゚;) I'm doomed!'—Noisy idiot!!

'That's enough. Young lady, use this.'