Chapter 35

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Shouma and Tendou sprang up at the same time.

The Gyuuki ploddingly emerged from the cave before them. Although the creature’s movements were sluggish, its enormous size made it’s impressiveness double. Shouma was glad that most of the people couldn’t see it from the crowded beach.

If it would have accidentally happened, a huge panic would have lashed out.

“If we don’t do something about those kaii, it means there might be more victims in the near future, right?”

“Probably… at any rate, I think that Nure-onna would be disposed of by getting its child back.”

“What child?”

Shouma twisted his head to look up at Tendou.

“Remember I said, that the Nure-onna let people hold the child she carries with herself, to lure the victims to the Gyuuki? Those are not simple tools or illusions, it’s really the Nure-onna’s own child. And now that child is being held captive by the Gyuuki.”

“Is that the case?”

Shouma’s eyes widened in recognition.

“I’m pretty sure I heard her just right. I had a generic expectation that she might be the Nure-onna, and from the way she came looking for you Shouma and how she tried to restrain me from going here, I could see that she was making efforts to avoid any more unnecessary victim to fall prey to the Gyuuki. I thought she might not be completely on the side of the Gyuuki and when I asked her about it, it turned out to be as I expected.”

So that’s what it meant, thought Shouma as now understanding the meaning behind the Nure-onna’s tears. Even if it was the natural instinct of the kaii, she probably didn’t want to hurt people unnecessarily.

Maybe, just like Subaru, she might have decided to scare people but not to kill them.

“The baby of hers is in the back of the cave. I tried to save it, but the child cried too much. Thanks to that, the Gyuuki noticed me and that’s how I got there when you found me. Then the Nure-onna immediately changed sides, though she couldn’t help it since her baby was being held hostage, and even my face was injured. I really am having one misfortune after another.”

That seemed to be the reason why he had been chucked away from the cave just now.

Tendou stroked his chin as if considering something.

“Even if I tried to collect the Gyuuki against its own will, it still has too much power. That said, even if I tried again to rescue the baby, I would just end up the same as I did before…”

“In that case, I’ll do it.”

Tendou looked at Shouma with a somewhat dumbfounded look on his face.

“I’ll get the baby back. In the meantime, Tendou-san, please keep the Gyuuki and the Nure-onna occupied.”

“When did you become this unusually assertive…?”

“So you don’t want me to…?”

“No, that’s not what I’m trying to say.”

With his usual jaunty smile glued to his mouth, Tendou silently shook his head.

“This creature is pretty dangerous. To tell the truth I would rather tell you to run away quickly than keep you here but…”

Tendou patted Shouma’s back vigorously. The parched sound seemed to echo all the way throughout the cave.

The sudden pain and shock made the boy straighten his spine straightaway.

“Then, I’ll leave it to you.”

“Alright! I’ll leave that one to you, Tendou-san!”

Shouma ran off without a second thought, while Tendou turned around and opened his book.

“Subaru-”

“Comiiin~”

His kaii companion appeared from the thin air immediately, Subaru was in his beastly form but quickly became about the size of a large futon.

Shouma jumped on him.

With the boy boarding the kaii, Subaru floated up. They carelessly jumped over their two opponents that came out of the cave.

When Shouma saw that they were more than an arm’s length from the Gyuuki and it’s snake companion, he jumped off from Subaru in a trice and ran straight into the black grotto, where there would be no one to protect him.

Subaru too changed back to his usual size and seated himself on Shouma’s shoulder.

“Gaaaaahh!!”

With a deafening cry that sounded like steel claws were scratched on hard glass, the Gyuuki began to chase after Shouma. The creature’s movement itself wasn’t swift or nimble in particular, but since it was a massive kaii, it’s size helped to make up the distance that Shouma had in advance.

“You know it’s useless. Your opponent is me.”

And just before the Gyuuki could fully catch up, Tendou jumped between Shouma and the giant kaii.

“Nozuchi” [1]

He blew on the opened book. Then, the rock under the Gyuuki’s feet rose up with the earth and sent the demon flying. There was a giant, worm-like creature before Tendou. It had a large, broad toothed mouth on its head, but besides that, there were no eyes, nor nose or anything on it.

The Gyuuki immediately adjusted its stance.

“Gaaahhh!”

It must have given some instruction with that one cry, since the Nure-onna, who had been just standing in the shadows, as if she was befuddled, now began to chase after Shouma.

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Translator’s Notes:

[1] 野槌 ‘wild or field mallet’ A fur covered, mallet-like creature. One of its characteristics is that it doesn’t have any eyes, nor nose, only a large mouth, which, depending on the source, is full of sharp teeth or is completely empty, at the top of their head. These yokai usually live near the rice fields, and make their nests in large trees. (example)

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