Volume 4 Chapter 12, Part 2 Demon World Outer Realm： Mount Ontake Annihilation War III： Barrier Manifestation ‘The Cradle of the Cuckoo’
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”If you live long enough, you might think your eyes and ears are failing, so I’m just being kind.”
On top of the giant rock stood a girl in a black sailor uniform, which seemed out of place.
Her skin was whiter than snow, and her striking red eyes were impressive even from a distance, but above all, there was an ominous and overwhelming demon energy that she couldn’t suppress.
”Well, on top of that, you’re mean.”
(This one is the boss.)
The girl smiled at Naoshi, who was on high alert.
It was a natural smile, and thus, it was an unfathomable one.
”But I’m glad.”
”Glad ‘bout what?”
”Two strong boys came to see me. Unlike my little sisters, I’m not interested in girls. They cry too easily, and it’s just sad, right?”
”What kinda ridiculous taste is that?”
”That’s what you like, right? I can’t agree with you.”
”Don’t go competin’ with me, ya fool. If ya feel sorry for ‘em, why not just stop ‘em?”
”That’s true──Ishimori, Harugasumi.”
When the girl called out what seemed to be names, the two figures behind her stopped moving completely, which surprised Yuzura.
Though ayakashi tend to gather like earth spiders, they are fundamentally individualistic.
Moreover, to assault a woman is almost instinctual; the fact that they could be halted by just calling a name proves the power dynamics at play.
From their presence, it seemed the two behind her had just ‘become’ but still, how powerful was the girl in the sailor uniform?
”──Anesama, there’s a swordsman.”
One of the creatures that had been tormenting the girl, dressed in a white water robe with red hakama and a white dancer’s outfit, noticed Itsuki, who had a sword at his waist.
”Yes, that’s right. Do you want him?”
”Absolutely.”
”You’re just a child pretending to be a warrior──fine, go ahead and like him.”
With permission granted, the girl in the dancer’s outfit jumped down from the giant rock.
”Ishimori. If you’re not afraid, come with that person.”
She said this while only looking at Itsuki, then turned her back without waiting for a reply.
”Alright, let’s fight.”
Itsuki accepted this with a refreshing smile, and the two swordsmen began to walk without caring about anything else.
It was as if they were casually going out for a stroll.
”Is that okay? omae-sama.”
Even the oni he left behind couldn’t help but tilt their head in question.
”Don’t matter what ya say, ain’t no fixin’ that kinda thing.”
He won’t say anything about how the talk of protecting Yuzura went.
Considering there’s no guarantee we can outmaneuver them in coordination, it’s enough that one Great Youkai will definitely take on the task.
”If Naoshi says it, then Itsuki must be quite something… Is it the influence of a man?”
”Quit spreadin’ rumors, that’s just how it was from the start. And that one still sleepin’ till death?”
As Naoshi asked while raising a storm with heightened spirit energy, the third Great Youkai, still clinging to the woman, lifted its body despite stopping its movements.
With a turning motion, its long, beautiful flaxen hair spread out gracefully.
The ayakashi, with its kimono disheveled──Harugasumi──had a familiar face.
”──Did she get eaten? What happened to Itoko?”
”Is this what you mean?”
Saying that, the tsuchigumo grabbed the head of the woman beneath it and carelessly tossed it away.
The body traced a parabolic arc, soaring several meters high like a ball.
”Kurikoma”
”Understood”
Naoshi, having spotted the center of the nest and the drop point, called for the oni while rushing there.
At the same time he caught the falling body, Kurikoma kicked a rock the size of a human head that flew toward Naoshi.
After a click of the tongue, crude words that didn’t match the voice rained down from above.
”That one was crying ‘pee pee’ after having her hair cut. She quieted down eventually, but ahahaha!”
”Oh, that how it is?”
”What? ──Guh!?”
A stone thrown by Kurikoma struck the forehead of the taunting tsuchigumo.
A dull sound rang out, and red blood oozed from the torn skin.
”Damn it! You’re just a lackey!”
”Heh, now all that’s left is makin’ it shut up.”
”Well done”
”Not at all, this is a piece of cake. As you wish, omae-sama”
Leaving the oni to handle it, Naoshi turned his back on the tsuchigumo, taking a healing talisman from his pocket.
Though she barely had breath, Ashina Itoko’s condition was nothing short of tragic.
Her beautiful hair was brutally cut, and her dirty face was pale like a corpse.
Her entire body was covered in scars of violation, and a thread that looked like a tsukumogami’s was used for hemostasis, but she had lost her left shin.
”──Nao, shi…?”
The cracked lips of Itoko stammered words.
Leaning closer, he urged her not to miss those words.
”It’s me. Got hit bad, just rest easy.”
He glided towards Yuzura’s crane, resting her body and draping his coat over her.
A weak hand gently touched the sleeve of Naoshi, who was trying to pull away.
That alone made the strongest exorcist of Kansai freeze in place.
”Um, you see… I’ve been wanting to say… I’m sorry…”
”Yeah.”
”I want to be… alright… so I’ll… what’s… this…?”
”…”
”I’m sorry.”
In her choppy voice, that apology rang out clearly, and he exhaled deeply.
Responding in his usual tone, he wondered if she could even see him clearly.
”Well, that was eight years ago. If ya still bowin’ yer head even in this state, guess I gotta forgive ya proper, huh?”
He had seen many exorcists like her, enough to feel tired of it.
And he had also witnessed the fate of exorcists who were defeated by being disturbed.
There were those he didn’t know the names of, some whose voices he recognized, and a few he had strong feelings for──overcoming all that, Kazuramichi Naoshi stood here now.
”──So, just leave the rest to me.”
Was it just his imagination, or did Itoko, who had lost consciousness, seem to nod slightly at the end?
He gently pushed the crane’s rear and confirmed he was headed towards Yuzura as he turned back to face the enemy.
”──────!”
”──────!”
”Naoshi?”
Shutting out the low-level squabble with the shiki oni, he waved lightly to his friend’s voice thrown from behind.
”Don’t worry, I ain’t mad. Do I look like a softy?”
”Sometimes, you do. That’s why I’m worried. Well, you seem fine this time──but I’ll go and smash them.”
”Heh, now who’s gettin’ all worked up?” he muttered.
Naoshi shrugged dramatically at Yuzura’s words, which carried a rare anger, and hit his palm with his fist.
His mouth twisted into a smirk, and his narrow eyes curved.
”Well, duh. Ain’t gonna leave a single spiderling alive.”
”How lovely. Ah, today seems like it will be a good day.”
The strongest exorcist from Kansai and the tsuchigumo woman both wore smiles.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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