[Part 3/5]
'Buzzz!'
'Chirppp!'
I looked around at the sound and confird it. The insect-like youkai that had been lurking in the shadows of the surroundings revealed themselves one by one.
"These pests...!!"
They were likely hiding out of fear of both the jade block and Namahage. The surviving offspring of Yamanba slowly but steadily surrounded us, closing in on us.
"Stop !!"
I tried to stop the insects swarming around Hikorokurō's corpse nearby, but it was futile. The insects quickly blocked my path, standing in my way. So of them attacked Hikorokurō's corpse, biting, tearing, and ravaging it. They devoured it without any regard for the dignity of the dead.
"You damn pests...!! Ah, Iruka!?"
Furious at their rampage, I noticed a presence behind and desperately crawled towards Iruka. The malevolent hands of the insects were getting closer to the unconscious her. The priority between the living and the dead was clear. Unfortunately, I had no choice but to abandon Hikorokurō.
"Don't co near! Stay away...!!"
I crawled on my hands and knees, throwing snow and branches at the insects to stop them from getting closer and protect Iruka. I endured the intense pain in my body, desperately reaching Iruka's side. I struck the advancing insects to keep them at bay. I shouted, yelled, and threatened them. Perhaps it had so effect because the insects montarily backed off and glared at .
"You d*mn pests...!! Are you scared? You worthless vermin!!?"
Gasping for breath, I continued to shout with all my might. Without any weapons, it was my only hope. As the insects slowly closed in from blind spots, I glared back at them, protecting Iruka. But my limits were quickly approaching.
"Ah...!?"
Suddenly, sothing ca rushing at with the speed of a pitching machine's fastball. My vision shook accompanied by a dull pain, and I collapsed.
"Ah... Gah!?"
The last sight I saw before losing consciousness, was a horde of insects eagerly closing in on ...
* * *
What had severed the consciousness of the servant was a flea. It was a leap from a flea youkai, just like during the attack on the county capital. If there was any difference, it was that there were hardly any larger specins left, and the flea that leaped onto the servant this ti was about two sizes smaller.
Of course, that alone wasn't the reason why the servant only lost consciousness instead of having his head blown off. The angle at which the flea attacked was shallow, and most importantly, the servant's body, particularly the cranial (skull) area, was stronger and more resilient than an ordinary person's.
It was the result of the erosion from the fallen Earth Mother Goddess's blood, continuously transforming the flesh beneath the servant's skin. Without that, the servant's head would undoubtedly have caved in. It was nothing but ironic. The servant lost consciousness but didn't die, falling next to the werewolf and being covered by her.
...However, if things remained as they were, it would only prolong the servant's life to a certain extent.
'Buzzz!'
'Chirp! Chirppp!!'
The youkai, disguised as humans that has been resisting for so long finally collapses. And then, the insect youkais slowly gathered around, closing in and trapping them, holding back their companions from both sides. They argued among themselves about who would be the first to eat this prey. So even resorted to eating each other, ignoring their fellow predators.
In the midst of the chaos, a mantis youkai pushed others aside, intimidating them, and stepped forward. It claid the right to devour the most delicious parts of the person's brain and heart. Proudly showing off to the jealous onlookers, the mantis took a step towards the servant... only to jerk back in pain from its leg.
'Chirp!?'
The mantis looked down at its feet, wondering what was happening. And then, it spotted it—the white spider.
'(ﾉ･`з･)ﾉ Don't co any closer!!'
The white spider spread its arms wide in what seed like a threatening posture. For a mont, the mantis and other youkai were stunned... and then the mantis swung its scythe.
'(゜ロ゜ノ)ノHey!? It's dangerous!! (*｀Д´*) Bwah! Don't you dare hit a lady!'
Panicking, the white spider wriggled its body and avoided the scythe. After evading the attack, the white spider raised its arms again, trying to make itself look bigger, and clacked its mandibles in a threatening manner.
It was a feeble ax of a mantis, and the dium youkai teased it with "Teke teke." The surrounding youkai laughed, getting caught up in the mockery. However, the white spider, undeterred, beca indignant.
The mantis tried to ignore the spider and continue forward. Hurriedly, the white spider bit its leg.
'(＃ﾟДﾟ)ﾉ What!? You little...!?(. >дд
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