Volume 5 Chapter 10 Midnight Run？ II： Nightwalkers!
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
As the night deepened, Naoshi and the others stepped into the bright downtown area.
Artificial lights lit up the sky, hiding the stars even on a moonless night.
It was late Sunday night, turning into Monday—the most depressing night of the week.
Yet, in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district, there were still people who didn’t sleep.
Among them, exorcists and ayakashi were the most active.
Led by Naoshi, Suzuri and the others suddenly faced a new threat.
Dark, light-consuming creatures appeared—several youma as large as adult men.
Their flat, stocky heads resembled salamanders, and their strength matched Intermediate Youkai.
”Shii!”
Suzuri’s silver blade flashed with her battle cry.
She swung to cut the youma’s arm, slicing through its thick skin and flesh.
But her strike halted at the bone, meeting resistance.
Suzuri grimaced, knowing her fatigue and lack of focus were to blame.
”Ooo────!”
She shouted, pushing the youma back with a front kick to create space.
Despite her efforts to conserve energy and recover in brief moments, the unfamiliar environment and unknown ayakashi weighed on her.
Above all, Naoshi’s gaze distracted her.
”Hmph!”
Instinctively, Suzuri slapped her cheek with her left hand.
Exorcists shouldn’t bring personal feelings into battle—something Naoshi deeply disliked.
Shaking off her thoughts, she refocused on her opponent and surroundings.
(Concentration──)
Though young, Suzuri was already a second-class exorcist.
Naoshi, strict but fair, had decided no intervention was needed.
If she believed this was a winnable fight, it must be true.
She sheathed her sword.
Fatigue lingered in her body, so she planned to counter the youma’s momentum.
Did the creature see this as resignation or an opening? With a cheeky attitude, it charged, protecting its neck with its arm.
Its thick, log-like body had already healed the earlier wound as if it never existed.
”──Hiss!”
She struck sharply, her diagonal slash cutting through the youma’s body and severing both arms.
”Hiss!”
She followed up, swinging her blade down to split the youma’s lower body vertically.
Though it had regenerative abilities like the Hanzaki, one of those grotesque swamp lizards that won’t die even when you slice them in two — there’s no way it’s coming back from this.
The ayakashi’s body hit the ground with a squelch.
”Huu──”
Exhaling, Suzuri widened her perception, looking for the next enemy.
Around her, countless ayakashi and exorcists fought, but their presence was overshadowed by the masses of ordinary people.
There was no room for carelessness.
Suzuri tightened her resolve and sheathed her sword.
The ayakashi’s changes affected Ako more than Suzuri.
Her 7.65mm bullets pierced the youma’s body, and an ice pillar protruded from its shoulder, tearing through its flesh.
Yet, it wasn’t a fatal blow.
The youkai energy inside the ayakashi and its durability prevented a deadly wound.
After three attempts, Ako holstered her gun and drew a rugged knife from her waist—its blade exaggeratedly large for killing.
”Hmph.”
With a low stance, Ako stepped into the ayakashi’s range, her force like a beast’s.
The youma’s arm swung up with speed surpassing Suzuri’s earlier strike.
”You’re slow.”
By then, Ako leaped over the youma’s shoulder.
As they passed, she thrust her knife into its shoulder.
The spirit energy in the blade activated, freezing the youma’s left half.
”──────!”
The salamander roared, whether in anger or pain.
”This is goodbye.”
Three gunshots followed, hitting the thigh, abdomen, and head.
The youma transformed into inanimate ice and flesh.
Ako, cold-eyed, turned to find her next prey.
Her veins were visible through her moist, white skin.
Her instinct as a Snow maiden urged ruthless extermination.
Suddenly, she noticed dull-colored hair like dry grass.
Her cold frenzy faded, replaced by warmth spreading from her chest and lower abdomen.
Ako was grateful for her mother, who helped her embrace her snow maiden blood, which might otherwise estrange her.
Her strength as an exorcist relied heavily on her birth.
Being useful to her cousin—her brother-in-law—and sharing happiness with Naoshi was her purpose.
With a faint smile, Ako killed a small youma without taking her eyes off Naoshi.
From afar, Naoshi raised an eyebrow and muttered,
”Scary.”
Whispering his impression of Ako’s display, he waved at his stepsister.
She waved back, her gesture endlessly innocent yet horror-inducing as she tore her enemy’s neck with a knife.
”Well then, is it about time?”
The ayakashi presence around them stabilized, with no requests for aid.
If so, today’s results were sufficient, and they could conclude with energy to spare.
”Good work, both of you. That was quite skillful.”
Suzuri and Ako approached after finishing their opponents.
”Thank you very much.”
”Really?”
”I don’t lie about work. Suzuri-chan seemed to decline a bit, then kicked it into high gear. Ako-chan also changed tactics based on the opponent—good job.”
”Wonderful,” he added, causing Suzuri to clench her fist firmly.
(Should I praise her more regularly?)
Ako humbly accepted the praise, though their personalities differed.
”So, what should I do? You two can go home now.”
”What about Nao-nii?”
”Of course, I’m working overtime. I haven’t done anything.”
”I’ll go with you.”
”So decisive…!”
”Well, since nothing big is coming out tonight, it’s fine if you two come along.”
Naoshi smirked at Ako’s immediate reply and Suzuri being pushed by it.
”But you both must be sweating, right? Be careful not to catch a cold.”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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