A moment after the collision, the "Magajuu" lowered its head and attempted to gouge me from below with its tusks, but I struck its snout with my spear. Then, with my arm and leg strength enhanced by spiritual energy, I utilized even the shockwaves produced by the beast's charge, jumping with the technique of pole vaulting. And I succeeded in clinging tightly to the monster's face.
At the same time, however, I felt intense pain all over my body. The fur around the boar's snout was relatively sparsely covered in hair, and although it was burned and charred from forcibly breaking through the boundary, the hair on this "Magajuu" was made of iron needles. So, many needles were piercing and sticking through my clothes. Even if not, the shockwave hit me squarely, leaving shallow cuts all over my body.
The spear? This guy was a good guy.
"And, in addition, while I was holding on like this, the boar was thrashing around... Ouch! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"
The calamity youkai shakes its head even more violently than before. It's no wonder, since there was literally a detestable human in front of it. Its gaze pierces through me as it tries to throw me off like a wild horse, causing the needles that have already pierced my body to dig even deeper with each shake. I grimaced in pain, but I had no intention of giving up here.
"Who's gonna fall down... Uoooohhh!"
Perhaps the youkai had finally lost its patience, as it began to crash into the surrounding trees one after another. Was it trying to knock me into the trees? It collided with the trees, knocking them down and smashing them to pieces in a nonsensical manner. Nevertheless, I clung on, hiding my fangs in the shadows. Fortunately enough, the youkai seemed more exhausted, possibly because it was already injured.
"Good, good...! Just self-destruct already... Really!?"
The moment I made fun of the boar head's thoughtless behavior, I changed my mind. The "Magajuu" seemed to have given up on shaking me off forever and changed its priorities, perhaps because it was disappointed that it couldn't shake me off for a long time. It no longer paid attention to me and rushed towards the shrine. The fact that its decision was not wrong was not funny.
"I won't let you do it...!!!"
This boar alone was too much for me to handle, and if it resurrected the sealed land god, it would truly be beyond my control...
So I decided to jump down from the tusk the next moment. Just before I was about to be slammed into the ground, the thread of the Guruma extended to its full length and prevented that from happening. And the "Magajuu" let out a scream.
It was the same principle as a horse's reins. The youkai boar's posture was disrupted due to the weight of my body being applied to one side. Also, the intense pain from the thread digging into its face caused its charge to deviate from its course.
'Grrroarrr...!!?'
"Haha!! Good!! Keep suffering... but, ughh!?"
The creature screams, and I put more weight on it, smiling with pleasure. But the next moment, I felt a sharp pain running through my leg.
"Ow! Wh-what...!?"
When I looked with teary eyes, I saw the creature biting onto my right foot. The feeling of pressure gradually increased, and an unpleasant grinding sound started to come from my foot.
"S-stop it!! It hurts like hell!!"
I drew my dagger (tantō) from my waist and stabbed it into the monster's gum. The gums were soft skin, but the fur was not. So, the blood sprayed out vigorously, which makes the calamity youkai screams and opens its mouth wide.
"Fall to your death like this!!"
As we passed the shrine and just before the boar charged off the steep mountain edge, I cut the thread of the Guruma. rolled over on the gravel-covered ground, taking a fall. And then...
'GRROARRRR!!!??'
The youkai that had jumped off the mountainside rolled down the slope. It was probably due to being slammed into trees or rocks. Of course, calamity youkai will not be killed by such a fall. However, with its existing injuries, it's unlikely to get away unscathed... I mean, if it were fine, that would be a problem.
"Well, that's bought me some time... wait, why are they coming back!?"
As I stood up while enduring the pain in my bitten foot, I saw a group of people running up the stairs towards me. Tamaki, who is at the head of the group, sees me and rushes over to me with a worried expression. No, wait, that's not it!
"Tomobe-san...!?"
"Idiot! Why did you come here!? Hurry up and run away!! Don't waste my efforts!!"
"I don't have a choice!! They're coming from below too!!"
One of the guards answers my question. As I look further ahead, two of the remaining guards desperately swing their swords and spears to ward off several small youkai trying to climb up the stone steps. Oh, no, are you serious!?
Later, I would come to know that they were minions of the 'Magajuu' who had planted them around the village to infiltrate and spread chaos. At this point, however, it did not matter. I had bigger concerns.
"Ah, your leg!? We need to stop the bleeding...!?"
"Don't worry about that!! Put your own safety first! Think about your position!!"
Tamaki tries to patch up my bleeding and somewhat torn leg. But from my perspective, having her in this dangerous area was more trouble than it was worth. I must not let her die. So, I scan the area and spot her.
"Suzune!? What are you doing!? Get your master out of here already!! ...Hey, Suzune!?"
I call out to the maid, trying to pull Tamaki away and hide her somewhere, but she doesn't react at all.
She just stood behind Tamaki and stared at me, shaking her body. Or, more precisely, my leg? Either way, she's no longer reliable.
"D*mn, they're here...!?"
Aside from the ones climbing up the stone steps, I spot youkai beasts running up from the forest. One, two, three... four of them!!
"Dammit! Miss, step back!!"
The remaining guards draw their swords and prepared to face the approaching youkai. But for an ordinary person, it was a life-threatening situation to face even a small youkai. And now, there are three more of them approached from the side.
"I won't let you do it...!"
I grabbed my dagger (tantō) and challenged the leading dog youkai. I avoided his attack, which was aimed at me as I jumped towards him, and I thrust my dagger into his throat. With my own weight, the blade pierces through its throat, and I swing it further, slicing its skull open vertically.
"There's more coming...!"
The remaining two are closing in on me. I hastily raise my dagger (tantō), but it was too late...!?
"What the hell are you doing...!!"
With these words of abuse, a gust of wind swept in. And then he appears. A half-youkai, swinging his wolf tail and attacking with his arm. The monkey youkai is struck in the face from the side with his wolf claw, its nose is broken, and its front teeth crack. The half-youkai then grabbed its face and swung it like a club at the next one.
"You Iruka bast*rd...!? Why the hell are you here!?"
"Before you ask me a question! At least say thank you!!"
"Why the hell would I show thank you to someone who might be an enemy or an ally!!"
I shouted and threw my dagger (tantō), which pierced the face of the small youkai facing the guard. And with a gasp, I fall to my knees.
"Iruka!? Why did you come out...?"
"Who wouldn't come out in this situation!? Or better yet, we need to run... D*mn, it's already reviving!!"
Iruka, who had just said this to Tamaki's words, bit his tongue, his wolf ears standing up on the top of his head. At the same time, there is a roar that shakes the mountain. And then it appeared again.
"I knew it, but it's already...!!"
Blowing away trees and rocks as it climbed the slope, the youkai boar reached the mountaintop once more. It shakes its body, roars, and glared at us with eyes full of murderous intent. It was clearly aiming at us. Its face was covered with blood from the spider threads wrapped around it, which made it even more horrifying.
'You little monkeys... You'll regret it when you underestimate me!!"
The 'Magajuu' chokes with a strong accent, which he must be forcing himself to utter. But that makes the words even more terrifying to listen to. In fact, Tamaki was so frightened that she fell on her backside.
"Get up!! Stand up and run away quickly... damn it!! I can't take this anymore!!"
I had little hope of protecting Tamaki or even taking her with me, so I drew my dagger (tantō) across the face of the youkai I had just knocked out and braced myself against the calamity youkai. Likewise, the half-youkai moves forward to act as a barrier for Tamaki.
Why he did that? That question came to mind, but there was no time to ask it here. There was no room for such luxury. After all, the monster was now right in front of us.
"Damm*t...!!"
I try to think of a way to get out of this situation, but there is no way. My injuries make it difficult to avoid the monster, and the main character is helpless. In other words, it's a dead end.
Still, I step forward and readied my weapon. I couldn't give up, and I couldn't allow it. There was no other choice. Even though I knew it was pointless, there was no reason for me to just submit to being killed without even landing a single blow.
And then, ust as the boar youkai was about to kill me, I aimed for its head with my Dagger (tantō) and then... it was suddenly kicked away from the side.
"Huh?"
I look at the calamity youkai, who is rolling and slamming into the ground, stunned. Then I turned my gaze to the figure standing there.
"Well, it seems we made it in time. They gave me a hard time."
"How humiliating it is to be at a disadvantage due to such petty tricks."
One of them was Onitsuki Uemon. He was probably the one who kicked the "Magajuu" and blew it to bits. He was covered in blood, and his outfit was stained with blood.
And the other one is Onitsuki Keiharu, who was holding a sword with only one hand, seemingly injured in one arm.
As we stood there in shock, the two exorcists calmly advanced. Along the way, Uemon bowed to Tamaki and said, "It's safe now. You can relax." All Tamaki could do was give a small nod in reply.
'Grroarr... You, the Onitsuki exorcists...! You're here, huh!? All right, let's eat you both up here...!? Baah!!?'
The calamity youkai's words did not last until the end, as Keiharu's slashing strike cut off its tongue in the next moment.
'Gah... Baah!!?'
"Hmph, how conceited. Don't talk too much. You are just a beast that struggles against mere servant. You're the boar youkai from Ayanagi Province, aren't you? You are a waste of life. I will send you to your grave right here."
The two Onitsuki exorcists hurl words of provocation and contempt.
'GRRROARRRR!!!!'
