Chapter 115.2


    [Part 2/4]


    In the next instant, a dragon (Jyakuryuu) released from the torn ofuda surged from behind Shishimai.


    "Ngggh..."


    Reacting too slowly, the poorly formed dragon made of construction materials swallowed Shishimai and pierced through multiple earthen walls in session, as if trying to separate her from Tamaki.


    "Shishimai-san...!!?"


    Staring at that sight dumbfounded for a moment, Tamaki hesitated whether to follow, but soon the resounding roar and rumbling in thebyrinth made her fearful. She realized whose voice it was.


    "Tomobe-kun...!!"


    In a brief moment of indecision, Tamaki sprinted towards the source of the roar. She understood her current priority, the order of things.


    With her breath ragged, Tamaki heard the beast-like roar echoing once more.


    For some reason, it sounded like a cry of anguish... * * *


    The scene before me was filled with an approaching horde of monstrous creatures. However, they turned into red dust with a single swing of my arm. They became dust, but new enemies came at me one after another, flowing in from all directions without a break.


    Yet, my actions remained the same. I relentlessly ughtered the monsters in front of me. Ripping them apart with my ws, crushing them underfoot, whipping them with my tail, and tearing them apart with my fangs. I bathed in the countless stters of their blood, dyeing myself red. Iughed maniacally, howling like a beast.


    "!!? Was I almost swallowed!?"


    After discarding the torn carcass of a youkai beast, I spat out. That was close. I didn''t want to think the insaneughter from earlier came from me.


    "Hey, spider sh*t. Eat more, eat more spectacrly. Don''t hold back!!"


    ''(=＾ω＾) It''s tasty, it''s tasy (*???)!! Let''s enjoy this delicious ice cream buffet ofdybugs and water striders!!?''


    I don''t know if it was listening to my impatient demand or not. Most likely, it wasn''t listening at all. It was that carefree and impudent spider brat. Since when did my blood be dessert...!!?


    ''ROOARRrrrrr!!!!''


    A particrlyrge one-eyed youkai beast, resembling a gori, charged straight at me. Ignoring the allies in its path, it sent them flying or crushed them as it approached. In the moment of impact, I lunged with my blood-soaked ws...!!


    "It''s hard...!!?"


    Hard fur, thick fur. Unable to kill the monster before me, I couldn''tpletely avoid it either. As a result, I had to face the monster''s impact and mass head-on. I braced myself to withstand the blow, and my wed feet dug into the ground. I was pushed back, but I endured it!


    "Now, it''s payback time...!!"


    If cutting with my ws didn''t work, then I returned the favor with a full-force punch to the monster''s face. Its head was severed and flew behind me. A momentter, a fountain of red blood erupted from the severed neck. It showered all over my body.


    "...Ugh, scary!?"


    ''╰(*°▽°*)╯ Superrrr! Exciting!!''


    There were a lot of things I wanted to say, but the first thing that came out was that line. In a way, it was carefree and almost rxing. Regardless, I was increasingly aware that I had strayed far from being human and had be a monster.


    ...And, you idiotic spider. You''re pretty impressive for being able toe up with jokes in this situation.


    ''(*′ω｀*) Yay! I''m honored!!''


    "Don''t take it as apliment!"


    ''Still, 400 left.''


    "!? Seriously!? In that case...!!"


    Ignoring the spider''s yful banter, I punched and killed two monkey-like youkai beasts that had crept up from behind and stomped on their bodies. Then, with a thunderous sound, I leaped.


    "It''s a bad idea to fight by force...!"


    There was no end to the swarming youkai minionsing at me like water. Time is money. Since time is limited, I needed a fundamental solution, not just a superficial one.


    (Where is it...!!?)


    Among the diverse swarm of monsters overflowing on the ground, I searched for it.


    ''There it is!''


    ''φ(゜▽゜*)? Where do you hide, I wonder!?''


    "!! Found it...!!"


    Ignoring the spider''s yful words, I listened to the hummingbird''s whisper in my ear. It pointed out the hidden hibachi (japanese traditional brazier) in a ce away from the group of youkai.


    ''Ggah!!''


    Immediately, a bird-like youkai that had been approaching from behind actually came in handy. It aimed for my neck with its hooked ws, but I dodged and bit it instead. Then, I used the youkai itself as a springboard to charge forward. I became a projectile. The bird-like youkai that suffered the recoil turned into an ugly fireworks disy. It was a very precious sacrifice.


    ''ヾ(*′?`)? I will fly into the sky in the future!!''


    "I''m just jumping...!! Tch!? Didn''t work!!"


    As I leaped towards the hibachi located in a corner of thebyrinth, I couldn''t help but retort to the nonsense buzzing in my ears. Immediately after, I realized that my attack had failed.


    ''Guh!?''


    ''Gya!?''


    ''Guo!?''


    My n to crash into the hibachi was instantly shattered by a wall of acrobatic-like youkai beasts constructed before me. It was a formidable wall, and despite my high speed, I couldn''t break through it. At the moment of impact, dozens of low-level youkai beasts at the point of contact were crushed, letting out their final cries. Then... the remaining youkai swarmed towards me who had tumbled in from all directions.


    "Are you kidding me!!"


    As most of the youkai were young and small, I turned them into meat chunks with a single swing of my arm. However, the problem was that such small fry wouldn''t get me any closer to the true "Mayoiga," the main body of the entity.


    ''300 left.''


    "Damn it, are you all trying to buy time!!"


    From a distance, I saw the hibachi that the minions were carrying, and I cursed. I tried to push forward, but the more I forced my way, the fiercer the youkai resistance became... This was bad. I couldn''t break through!!


    "Sh*t...!! RooOOOAAARR!!''


    Had frustration and impatience tipped the scales of my reason towards the monster''s side? In the next moment, I let out a roar that resounded throughout the area. I could feel the boiling heat in my gut. It was increasing rapidly... Instinctively, I understood what I needed to do.


    With a wide-open jaw, I spewed mes from the depths of my throat. It was as if I had a methrower in my mouth. The pale blue inferno incinerated the youkai in front of me and I swung my head to mow down the surrounding monsters, reducing them to ashes.


    ''RooOOOAAARR!!!!''


    The roar I directed towards the sky seemed to release the beastly nature trying to control my mind. My rationality was barely holding on. I plowed through the heap of carbonized corpses and dashed forward. I ran straight towards the hibachi.


    ''Roar!!''


    ''Hissss!!"


    ''Almost there!!''


    I sliced through several youkai leaping at me in a passing move, killing them instantly. Normally, I would have to fight with my life on the line against these youkai, but now they were nothing more than mere foot soldiers to me.


    ''RooAARRrr!!''


    ''Shut up!!''


    Arge lizard-like great youkai attacked from behind the pile of corpses. But I didn''t bother to look back. It wasn''t worth it. A casual swing of my tail was enough to rip the massive monster apart.


    ''200 left.''


    ''As long as there''s that much, it''s like a buffet!!''


    The remaining time was less than half, but the goal was now within reach. It was about 300 paces away (≈ 750 feet/228.6 meters.) I spewed mes from my mouth again. The surrounding youkai acted as a shield and were burnt to a crisp. No problem. It was as expected. Thanks to that, the path ahead was clear.