It seemed to be a simple earth manipulation technique, using a talisman as the core to gather rocks, dirt, and even trees to create a condensed form. At first glance, this incarnation looks like an ugly snake or a caterpillar. It was called the 'Housan Dakuryuu (崩山濁竜)', and according to the novel and manga versions, it was a "simple technique comparable to the Hondo style (main style)" used by Onitsuki Kochou.
"It’s a waste of resource. To think that I would have to use the shiki I borrowed from Madam Adviser for something like this," I heard a person land from above while cursing. He was dressed in a typical onmyoji outfit with a raven hat and a Shakujou (錫杖). The appearance of exorcists specializing in curses.
"Retainer-dono..."
"Don't speak so familiarly, you lowly servant. If it weren't for Lord Uemon's order, I would have let you be devoured," Kibihagi Kage, the Onitsuki retainer, spat in disgust at my call.
* * *
For Kibihagi Kage, it was an unwelcome situation.
The simple formula 'Housan Dakuryuu' is an easy-to-use formula that can be used according to the skill of the practitioner. If the advisor, the developer and the master of the shiki, could make a dragon as big as a town, a servant could summon a dragon of no more than a foot in height if they wanted to.
While many traditional shikigami and simple shikigami have a minimum spiritual power requirement for operation, 'Housan Dakuryuu' is certainly an easy-to-use shikigami that is not too difficult for practitioners in that sense.
At the same time, Dakuryuu's intelligence is not high because it is a simplified form. Moreover, since its attacking method is a simple mass attack using its body or crushing and grinding it down by swallowing it and crushing it into the rocks inside, it is easy to cause collateral damage to its allies as well. In fact, Kibihagi Kage knows from the post-battle report that his teacher, the adviser, did not use this shikigami when fighting Tsuchigumo's minions because it was a chaotic battle.
For him, who was not as good in manipulating shiki as the adviser, using it to swallow up monsters around me without involving me, a servant, required a considerable amount of concentration. Especially when it came to helping a fugitive...
(I feel sorry for my teacher.)
There seemed to have been a change in the advisor's feelings after the Tsuchigumo incident, as the way she treated her family, disciples, and subordinates became softer. In this mission, she even lent her shikigami to the various teams heading in different directions, showing that she was concerned for their safety.
Kibihagi Kage also expressed his deep gratitude when he received the Dakuryuu, and he firmly vowed to protect the Hidden Group. Considering this, it was truly unwelcome to use the shiki he had received for this kind of thing.
Nevertheless, a mission is a mission. It cannot be neglected.
"Stay there. Don't you dare run away. If I take you roughly, I won't get you all in one piece. ...Now then," warned the retainer to the wounded servant. There was a chance that the servant would be captured roughly and killed, or that he would be devoured by some unknown youkai who had not yet been taken care of. So, it was necessary for the servant to stay within sight. Hence the warning. In response, the servant bowed his heads in affirmation.
"Hmph, his attitude is very courteous. How arrogant," thought Kibihagi Kage, while sniffling and chewing on a bitter bug, confirming why the curse has not been invoked. He thought the servant's behavior was quite calculated, despite his respectful demeanor. But he couldn't let his guard down, especially considering that he was also trying to gain favor with the second princess.
And then the retainer glanced at the monster before him.
"It was very courteous of you to wait until we finished our discussion, you monster," said the retainer.
"Well, of course. You were planning to counterattack with your hidden trap the moment I attacked you, right? I'm not so reckless as to jump into an obvious trap," replied Kamaitachi nonchalantly.
"......" Kibihagi Kage became more wary of Kamaitachi's nonchalant tone. At the same time, the ground began to bulge, and the monster appeared. It is the same as Dakuryuu, but smaller one, intended to become a trap as Kamaitachi said.... but now that it has been noticed, there is no need to hide it anymore.
"Don't get carried away, you monster!" warned Kibihagi Kage.
"Don't get carried away, you monkey!" retorted Kamaitachi.
Kibihagi Kage and the youkai curse at each other in a casual manner, but with definite contempt and hatred. And then... they both make their move.
"......!!!"
When Kamaitachi swung their arms, eight wind blasts were released from each arm. The invisible blades easily cut through the metal plate, but immediately afterwards a second 'Housan Dakuryuu' slipped in from the side as a shield. The rocks and sand that make up its body are blown away. However, if Shiki still had its core and spiritual power, it could regenerate its body as much as it needed.
Then, the second one approached Kamaitachi from behind. Its trajectory was quite forced and possible only because of its inorganic nature.
"You're too naive!!" said Kamaitachi as they gracefully turned backwards like a spring, avoiding the rushing attack of the Dakuryuu trying to swallow them whole. At the same time, the blade pierced Shiki. Kamaitachi continued to split the Dakuryuu's as it moved. It was reminiscent of the way eels are gutted. The Dakuryuu fell to the ground. Of course, the regeneration began immediately. It begins, but... it is not immediately complete.
"Hahaha!! Come on! I'm gonna cut you into three pieces!!" Kamaitachi taunted.
"Just this much!!" Kibihagi retorted.
Kibihagi controlled the second Dakuryuu to block the wind blades relentlessly released by Kamaitachi. However, there was a limit. The shiki, hit by nearly twenty slashes, is temporarily incapacitated. Just before that, Kibihagi leaps and fired three Shiki charms. They ignited and simultaneously attacked the youkai in the form of blazing birds.
"Don't underestimate me, monkey!" Kamaitachi shouted.
As the youkai's tail expanded, it instantly transformed into a sharp blade. Its form was more like an axe than a sickle... Then, as its body twisted, it swung its butt-turned-blade tail, which cut through the gathered wind and tore through Shiki. But out of the flames of the vanishing fire birds, shadows appeared, wielding a sword or a spear.
"What!?" Kamaitachi exclaimed.
It was a two-step strategy of fitting a shikigami inside a shikigami. It was a simple trick for Kibihagi, a disciple of Onitsuki Kochou, who is well versed in shikigami techniques. Now, the shadows attacked with their swords. Kamaitachi dodges their slashes and slices off their heads with the scythe on their arm. But the shadows do not disappear and attack again!
"Ho, you're good!! Is it a combination!?" Kamaitachi surprised.
The shadow itself looks like a single shikigami, but it is actually a combination of several simple shikigami. The head was for detection, the body for combat, and the legs for mobility. While it was complicated to operate and consumed a lot of spiritual energy, it had the advantage of being able to exploit the weaknesses of its opponents. However, it is only a simplified type, and once its flaws were exposed, it could easily be dismantled.
But that was all part of the plan. While the enemy was distracted, the resurrected Doku-ryu attacked. Two shikis, like serpents, coiled around the youkai and instantly detonated, producing a rough, choppy cut reminiscent of the infamous Nanban eel stew.
In the midst of the scattered Doku-ryu, what appeared before him was nothing short of a mass of blades. With 17 silver sickles protruding from both hands, tails, and feet, Kamaitachi danced around, rotating their body like a dancer, slicing the shiki into pieces, and leaps with a look of triumph on their face. Kamaitachi then jumped towards Kibihagi's figure, closing the gap with astounding speed.
But then, Kibihagi shoots a Tsukishou (a buddhist staff) at Yuka's head. Hagikage's immediate reaction was a counterattack with a thrust of his staff. The staff is also a suitable curse tool, and any youkai touched by it would not come away unscathed, even if they were a calamity youkai... if it hit, that is.
"Whoa, that was close!" Yuka exclaimed as she dodged Hibikage's thrust by leaning her head to the side. At the same time, Kibihagi lashing a tongue, "Tch! You're fast." As Yuka did so, a spearhead was thrown at her from the side. However, she managed to deflect it with her tail. The youkai looked in the direction of the attack and saw the servant. He smiles coldly at her.
But then, several blades pierced Kibihagi's body. His stomach is gutted. Only a few moments had elapsed from the moment of the attack on the retainer to this moment.
"Gah!?"
"Retainer-dono!?"
The servant shouted in horror as he saw the retainer impaled. The youkai grinned, drawn in by his screams. But the laughter of Kamaitachi disappeared quickly in the face of a feeling of unease. It was at that moment that they noticed what was happening to the figure of the retainer. His body turns into countless shikigami and they all attacking the calamity youkai.
"Shikigami...!?"
"Hmph, why would any curse master be so close to youkai?"
Kamaitachi was shocked. And then Kibihagi appears from behind a large tree. From the beginning, he has been using a substitute to hide himself and deceive the others. The staff was a disguise, and he had tricked the youkai into thinking he was carrying a powerful talisman. Exorcists were no less cunning than youkai when it came to dirty tactics.
"Tch!! You're quite smart!!" exclaimed Kamaitachi.
Kamaitachi cuts up the thousands of shikigamis that are coming towards them, one after another, but there are too much. Every time they tears apart a dozen of them, twice as many slip through the gaps and attach to them. They are Fuin (sealing talismans). Kibihage was trying to capture calamity youkai alive. It was not only because couldn't handle it alone, but also because of the interrogation.
"!? What a futile struggling..." taunted Kibihage.
The Kamaitachi, who is trapped like a mummy by the talismans, unleashes a gust of wind like a final blow. Kibihage pulls his shakujou from the ground and swats them away with ease. Although he was a sorcerer, it did not mean that he could not use martial arts. And thus, the victory had already been decided.
It was supposed that way.
"Huh!?" Kibihage cried out as he suddenly lost his balance. Almost reflexively, he looks down at his feet in the unexpected situation. And then he sees it. He sees that one of his legs has been cut off. "No way...!?" he cursed, wondering when it happened and why he didn't feel any pain. He had avoided or deflected all the wind gusts. Such doubts are in the mind of this retainer. But it delays his judgment. It was fatal mistake in this situation.
Youkai monster, who saw it, whispers with a twisted mouth. They whispered someone's name, which echoed throughout the surroundings. "Now, it's your turn. Rouya."
Without warning, a massive figure appeared as if it had been there from the beginning, showing no sign of life until just before. This huge shadow emerges from behind the retainer, looking down at Kibihagi.
"What...!?"
Kibihage, who had been focused on Kamaitachi in front of him, is momentarily slow to react. When he turned around, he saw the approaching monster's scream and realized it was the last thing he would ever see.
