"But I know what I'm doing!!" I shouted.
I had already anticipated a delay in my defense, so the next moment, I unleashed flames from my entire body. I grab the scythe that pierces my shoulder to keep it from escaping. However, it is in vain. The weasel swung its scythe and cut off its own blade, just like a lizard shedding its tail. The weasel then twisted their body and tried to put some distance between us.
"I'm returning it back to you! It hurts!?" I yelled.
I forcefully pulled out one of the blades stuck in my shoulder and threw it at the weasel. However, the weasel, who was propelled into the air by my attack, kicked the blades with its sickle, and boomeranged at my head. When it cut through half of my face, I turned my head away from it, and it was thrown off course. Although it cut through my scalp and shaved off a part of my skull, fortunately, it did not damage my brain. And the wound closes quickly. I've been through this many times before, but I guess I'm starting to quit being human, huh?
"Hah... Hah… Even with this, I still can't seem to break through!!" I thought to myself.
I land on the ground and click my tongue while catching my breath. I pull out the blade that is still stuck in my body and toss it aside, melting like candy when it comes into contact with the flames. I have managed to take down four of the weasel's scythes so far... Well, not really worth it... but considering my physical strength, is it still a good fight?
While I was thinking about this, something comes up behind me. I instinctively prepare to defend myself, but my sense of smell and presence tells me what it is, and I let my guard down. It slides in right beside me, blowing away the dirt beneath my feet. Immediately after, the smell of blood hits my nose.
"...! Iruka, you've been beaten up pretty bad, haven't you?" I said to the half-beast, half-human covered in bite marks and cuts all over her body. Despite Iruka being partly youkai, her injuries were far from light. If it was human, they would have lost consciousness due to excessive bleeding.
"Haha, I guess we both agree. You seem to be having a tough time of it too, right? huh?" Iruka responded with a chuckle. The black wolf on the edge of my vision growled lightly.
'Grrrrr...!!'
"......"
I shift my gaze slightly at the roar. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a black wolf, whose massive body seemed like it could say something like, "Shut up, kid!!" had scars all over its body, but the number and depth seemed to be less than half of Iruka's.
"Anyway, don't complain. They are calamity youkai. I mean, my arm is made of a great youkai. I should be grateful for fighting well," Iruka declared arrogantly. I cower my shoulders in response. It was her choice to ignore my advice and join the fight, after all. Well, I couldn't say that, considering that I was also saved by her.
"Rouya, it seems that you have been beaten up a lot, too. It's a shameful story that two calamity youkai can't kill two humans," Kamaitachi lamented and I I sneered in response.
"Hey, hey, we're not really classified as humans, are we?" I asked.
"Of course, but you can't join us in such a half-hearted and disgusting state. I don't want to cause any misunderstanding in society," Kamaitachi replied with a look of disgust on their face. This guy cower their arms and shoulders in a deliberate and exaggerated manner. Their acting was so fake that their ears drooped down. And this chat was a pointless chat, transparent acting, and a way to buy time...
"This guy is more relaxed than before. Did they anticipate that I would run out of gas before the reinforcements arrived?" I thought to myself
At first, their attitude was ambiguous, whether they were looking for an opportunity to escape or trying to buy time. However, it seemed that their stance had recently become clearer, leaning more towards the latter. It was unlikely that no reinforcements would come at all, but it seemed difficult to expect them to arrive soon.
"Ggh...? D*mn it! Is it time, soon?" I exclaimed, clutching my chest in pain.
Intense pain, like my heart had burst, ran through my chest. No, I think it really burst. It must have been unable to keep up with my body's movements. And it made me vomit from the shock, though I seemed to regenerate with the rupture. It was not just red, but a dark red.
"Haa, haa... Ugh!" I gasped, trying to catch my breath.
"D*mn, hey! Can you really keep going with a body like that?" Iruka asked skeptically.
She rushes toward me, glaring at Rouya who was about to take advantage of the opportunity. I stumble and almost fall to my knees, but she grabs my shoulders from behind and holds me up. And then...
"'I'm fine,' I want to say that but it seems not. However, we have to decide the match soon," I said to be strong.
After a few moments of silence, I release Iruka's hold on me. It was then that the weasel sneered at me and mocked my attitude.
"Well, well, well, looks like we've got ourselves an overconfident one. You still haven't learned your lesson, have you? Do you think you can win the match with such a pitiful condition? ...And I've been thinking about it since a while ago. Don't you dare make fun of others, you stupid monkey!"
The last insult was delivered in a beastly tone, and Kamaitachi growled like an animal. Their tail, raised like a scorpion's threat display, swelled and seemed to split into three scythe-like blades, which looked like the talons of a bird. I try to brace myself for the transformation.
"Huh...?"
But in an instant, my stance faltered. My right leg had been sliced apart. This was just like what happened with Kibihagi...!!
'Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!'
I lost my balance, and the next thing I heard was the roar of a wolf. It was behind me, and it was the presence of death. It was a killing intent.
For a brief moment, I twist my head to see it. There was no movement, no sound, just a wolf closing the distance without warning. His cold eyes looked down on me, and silver threads of saliva stretched between his sharp upper and lower fangs.
I quickly let out a burst of flame from my body, attempting to strike back with 'Metsukyaku (annihilation)'. But even when swallowed up by those pale flames, the wolf remained unscathed, his gaze insulting and sneering at me... and his jaws closing in. Like when Kibihagi's body was torn in half.
But I laughed and declared, "I never fell. I was just acting."
To lure this guy in, I taunted the 'Okuri-ōkami' mockingly. (Note: Okuri-okami => a ghostly wolf or dog-like creature who haunts dark mountain passes, or roads through forests)
* * *
Just as some exorcists have their own unique abilities, there are some youkai that have abilities that are activated under specific conditions. And among them, there are also some that are conceptualized, some that are powerful in exchange for strict conditions, some that cannot be countered depending on the compatibility, and some that cannot be dealt with without specific countermeasures.
There is a folklore of the 'Okuri-ōkami'. The details vary depending on the region, but it is said that the wolf silently chases after a person walking in the woods, and when the person falls because he or she is afraid to fight, or when their back is kicked and they fall over, the wolf attacks the person and devours him or her.
On the other hand, the wolf can only eat someone who has fallen over, and if someone declares that they are just 'taking a break' or 'sitting down,' regardless of the truth, the wolf can only watch with its tail between its legs.
"Come on, take a bite!" I said as I hit the wolf in the nose with all my might after I found out who he really was and being forced to stop moving because of his powers. The wolf, screaming "Woof!" and turned his head back. The wolf had been aware of having his legs cut off. Therefore, the wound on his leg had already been cauterized by the flames inside it.
It was only just before that I realized the trick. Iruka, who had been confronting the wolf, whispered to me the wolf's identity as she supported me as I stumbled. I recognized it in the lore I had been researching to find out the power of the youkai wolf in front of me, and I predicted it in the actual fight. In the fight, it was clear that my opponent was trying to make me fall.
Perhaps, the monster wolf's unique ability, his true nature is the acquisition of the right of life and death of the opponent, which is triggered when the opponent falls. He closes the distance unconditionally and instantly, and bites his opponent to death when his opponent's attack is ineffective. This is the content of his power. And a power that, once the legend and countermeasures are known, can be easily dealt with - a literal first strike capability.
"Rouya, retreat!!" a shout comes from behind me and at the same time, an impact, a blast of wind, came at me. My back is cut deeply, and I turn around, vomiting blood. At the same time, I use all the remaining strength I have to produce flames.
When I turn around, I see the Kamaitachi approaching me. Perhaps my reaction was too quick, but they looked astonished.
"You're caught, you beast!!" I thought to myself.
Unfortunately, I was already aiming for this guy to begin with. I mean, it's hard to control my power, and if it hits the wolves with the fire, it might engulf Iruka behind him. On the other hand, if it's this weasel...
"Even so, you've thought of a good idea, haven't you...!!?" I said.
It was both sarcasm and honest praise.
In a sense, it was rational for Kamaitachi to work together with the Okuri-okami. Among Kamaitachi's abilities were things like "cutting without causing pain" and "knocking down opponents with gusts of wind." Kamaitachi set up the conditions and Okuri-okami used his power to kill the opponent instantly.
This was something that the normally self-centered and cannibalistic youkai wouldn't do. It was only possible because they were members of the Youkai Salvation who could reveal each other's powers. Anyway, enough talk! Time to die!
"Ggh!" Kamaitachi, in their haste to save their wolf friend, unleashed a wind attack, but it was ineffective. The wind they had just released was like a drop in the ocean and in response, I let out a fire with all my strength to stop them. When they realized that the gust of wind would not be effective, they forced their body to twist and used their tail as a shield. But they was engulfed by the flames.
"Grrr!! Don't underestimate me!" It's not a direct hit, but Kamaitachi was slightly seared. The tail of the weasel was burned and more than a third of their body was charred. Moreover, the pale flames that had seared into their body did not disappear, but continued to burn them. Still on fire, the blade of their right arm is lifted. So this guy tries to make me die too, huh?
"But you won't be able to kill me now!!" I thought to myself.
On the other hand, Iruka then sees the wolf retreating. Iruka tries to close in. I plan to join her if I can stop the weasel. But my body is already shattered, still I was sure I could... hold out until then.
That is, until this moment. Until I heard that voice.
"Iruka...!?"
The sudden sound that rang out made me and Iruka, who was also called, open our eyes in astonishment. At about the same time, we both look in the direction of the voice. And we see her. The one who called Iruka. The girl who shouldn't be here.
The shrine maiden dressed in clothes.
"This is bad...!?"
In an instant of dumbfoundedness, suspicion, agitation, confusion, and pushing all of them aside, I immediately realized that youkai would not fail to take advantage of this situation. I turned my gaze to the weasel and our gazes met. The monster who understood our situation and grinned wickedly.
The scythe is swung.
"Get away from thereeeee!!"
I screamed like a beast on impulse. However, such a scream was meaningless to the sheltered girl who had no experience in fighting. If anything, it was counterproductive and only scared the opponent. The invisible wind blade approached the defenseless girl, and then...
Blood spattered.
"Agh...!?"
A small scream rose. I held my breath. I was astonished by that sight. And so was the maiden.
"Iru... ka?"
Hotoya Tamaki muttered her name in a trembling voice. She saw a half-human, half-wolf Ezo with her belly ripped open and her guts overflowing.
It was the image of her friend who had fallen in her place...
