Volume 4 Chapter 13, Part 2 Demon World Outer Realm： Mount Ontake Annihilation War IV： Burning the Cradle
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Don’t complain later, Senkyou Taiitsu──come forth, Kyuuryuu Shin Kaaou!!”
The spirit energy of Yuzura, prepared in perfect harmony, formed a massive net-like dome over the area.
”──!?”
A shimmering heat haze rose, and the air rippled.
Distracted, the Tsuchigumo looked up at the sky, pulling the threads wrapped around its body to draw in the small spider, slamming it sideways like Kurikoma did with Harugasumi.
”Hey! What are you doing, no way──!?”
Realizing the situation too late, she voiced her confusion, and Naoshi wore a sadistic smile.
”Well done? Is rare better? It means I’m becoming one.”
”Shaku!”
Immediately, a flash like a sun born on the ground illuminated the gloomy world.
”────!”
Naoshi closed his eyes and mouth, shielding his face with both arms.
Even so, a vivid moment of light and heat was clear.
Holding his breath, he relaxed his arms and took a stance.
Through his eyelids, he traced the Tsuchigumo’s presence in the bright, searing world.
To the right front, about 4 meters away.
The tree he was mounted on had burned down, conveniently lying on the ground.
He stepped in swiftly.
This was a motion repeated many times, and sight was not an issue.
With a flowing thrust from his waist, he pierced.
”──────!”
He felt impact.
He jumped back suddenly and took a distance.
He stepped back, encountering the cold winter air that pierced his skin.
”──Ha”
He inhaled deeply, opening his eyes.
He felt stinging pain along parts of his body, but no serious injuries.
He felt heat on his forehead and blew out the fire singeing his bangs.
”Rushing in without checking if the threads are burned, that’s reckless.”
”If you get scared and miss the timing, all that burning was for nothing.”
Responding to her friend’s lighthearted banter, he took out a half-burnt fireproof talisman from his pocket.
As he threw it, it crumbled to ash in the air.
”Now then──”
He turned his gaze toward the battlefield still waving with heat haze.
The remaining snow melted away completely, and countless small spiders, shriveled and exposed, lay dead among the few charred trees.
In all of Japan, who could perform a technique that affects such a wide area?
(Is he a genius after all──)
Seeing the true skill of a long-lost friend, a mix of reliability and rivalry flickered within.
”Damn it… damn it, how could I let this happen!”
Seeing the Tsukumogami woman rise after being knocked away, Naoshi gathered spirit energy and charged again.
With that momentum, ‘swift as the wind and fierce as lightning’ (shippūjinrai).
The Great Youkai’s reaction, with skin reddened and blistered, was slow.
Just before the collision, instead of a fist, he recreated the technique shown to him just days ago.
”Shah!”
The result of Ashina Itoko’s accumulated training, the Eight Extremes, Tenzankō.
Though he couldn’t match that kung fu, his understanding of his own body was not lacking, especially since Naoshi was 2 sizes larger than her.
”Guh──!”
With a heavy sound of impact, Harugasumi’s body bounced off the giant rock.
”Bonus!”
He thrust a front kick into her chest.
He felt the sensation of his foot crushing something hard.
”────!?”
The Tsukumogami, with her lungs crushed, could no longer scream.
There, cold as ever, Naoshi declared.
”Did you misunderstand just because you bullied weaklings with your friends? A newly formed Great Youkai can’t possibly defeat me.”
”────, ──, !!”
With a silent scream, the woman’s body swelled.
Her skin tore, flesh burst, leaving only her face, twisted in agony, as the spider transformed (henge) into its massive true form──
”Die.”
Naoshi pierced her with his right fist.
The surging spirit energy coursed through her body like lightning.
”────!”
After 2 or 3 convulsions of her death throes, Naoshi pulled his fist out from the now motionless ayakashi and slapped his forehead with his left hand.
”No good. I silenced her before I could see her crying face.”
”Really, you do terrible things.”
A voice scolded him with a tone of amusement.
”Well, that’s my line. You had no intention of helping at all, did you?”
”Love isn’t just about keeping your little sister from falling, right?”
”If she dies, that’s a problem, isn’t it?”
”Are you the one to say that after killing her?”
The last remaining Tsuchigumo laughed, enjoying the oddly mismatched conversation, and gracefully leaped down from the giant rock.
Her red eyes met Naoshi’s.
Even though they were at the same eye level──rather, he was looking up at her, her presence felt even larger.
”…Naoshi”
”Don’t come near me, stay away.”
He gestured to calm his friend, who raised a tense voice.
In the still lingering heat, the strongest exorcist of Kansai felt a tension that was hotter than the air, as if the tips of his hair were burning.
──This Great Youkai is strong.
Stronger than anyone else present, including himself.
”I’m Tsuine. Hey, what’s your name?”
”Kazuramichi Naoshi”
Still, he felt no fear.
Nothing changed about what he had to do.
He had promised to take care of this situation.
”Naoshi, Naoshi… yes, that’s a nice name.”
”Don’t call me so casually,” Naoshi grumbled, and the Tsuchigumo woman smiled like a blooming flower.
”I’ve made up my mind.”
”What are you talking about?”
”The next little sister will be your child.”
”No, that’s ridiculous. What kind of ecology is that?”
”Hehehe──”
Even at Naoshi’s exasperated words, Tsuine just laughed with a voice like rolling bells.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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