[Part 4/4]
I chose the best path. Fortunately, the monster that had co to the village seed focused on the body covered with straw mats. It was snorting like a breath while digging under the mat. After a while, I heard the sound of muscles tearing and bones breaking... it's eating!!
(Damn it, the sll is reaching !!?)
With the log between us, the distance was about ten steps. The mixed stench of rotting flesh, sulfur, beast, and other foul odors assaulted my nostrils, making shiver. Fear and nausea churned inside , but I fought to keep them in check. I gripped my spear tightly.
I must endure. I have to stay calm. No sudden movents. No noise. Don't attack. The opponent is a monster. There's no way I can win. Even a simple bear is dangerous. If it's a youkai, whether it's a child or lowly, it's not sothing I can handle. So, hold on...!!
"Phew...!! Haa...!!"
Quietly, quietly, take a deep breath. Suppress the pounding of my heart that feels like it's going to burst. I peek out from behind the log. It seems to be focused on its al. It hasn't noticed ....
(Once it's full, it'll go ho...!!)
I shout in my mind. I wish. I pray. It hasn't been long since the monster appeared, but it feels like I've been hiding for ages. My heart races with fear and tension, and beads of sweat start to form on my forehead. I worry that the sll of sweat will give away, and tears start to overflow.
'Guuuuuu...!!'
Crunching, chewing, and tearing sounds end with a low growl. Then, silence fills the space.
"......"
Quietly, quietly, slowly. I peek out. I see the youkai bear that has already attacked twice. The monster stays frozen in place, then slowly starts to move. It looks down at the footprints.
Following my mother's sandals back ho....
"Hey, wait..."
Wait. Wait a minute. Hey, monster. Where are you going? Why are you following those footprints....
"What are you planning to do...?"
In an instant, the worst scene flashes in my mind. Breaking down the door, my mother, my sister, screams rising, horrible sounds. Surely, the villagers won't help. Instead of helping, they'll probably surround it to make sure it's killed, aim carefully, and if they have to, they might even douse it in oil and burn it completely....
"!?"
My body moved almost instinctively. I leaned forward, dashed out, and plunged the spear deep into the monster. I stabbed it in the side. A short beastly scream echoed. After acting, I realized how reckless I had been.
"Ah..."
Suddenly, silence fell. Then, slowly, the monster looked at . I felt its gaze through the long, hanging fur. For the first ti, I noticed that the monster had 8 eyeballs. Bright red eyes embedded all around its mouth...
"Eek!?"
I instinctively pulled out the spear and stepped back. That was the right move. Sothing grazed my nose. A mont later, pain hit . My skin ripped open, and blood splattered out.
"UAHHH!?"
I quickly covered my face and scread. I swung my spear, trying to intimidate the monster and create so distance. My actions seed to have worked; the monster halted its charge and let out a fearso roar. Its mouth split wide open, revealing three writhing tongues and four exposed jaws. Countless teeth dripped with silver threads. It was the monster itself, with a face straight out of an old Hollywood sci-fi horror movie...!!
"Huh!? Sci-fi? What's that...!? Whoa!?"
I was confused by the strange word that flashed in my mind, and I was stunned by its aning, but a punch brought back to reality. I turned and barely dodged. I felt sothing scratch my back. It hurt...!?
"Damn it!?"
As I got up, I swung the spear desperately, over and over again, trying to keep the monster from closing the distance. I swung with all my might, knowing that if I got knocked down, it would be the end.
"Don't co near , don't co near !! Stay away, you monster!!?"
The sound of the spear buzzing through the air. The monster keeps its distance, searching for an opening. As it watches, I keep swinging my spear. There’s no ti to whistle now. I realize my mistake――I should have whistle first...!!
"Damn, damn, damn...!!"
I swing the spear. I thrust it forward. I try to intimidate. Desperately, I show the tip of the spear. But I can't keep swinging it fiercely forever; I'm out of breath and my movents slow down, but it's all I can do.
"Don't co near, don't co near! Don't 'co' near!!?"
I thrust the spear towards the swinging fist. I swing too wide and get deflected. In an instant, it slips into my range. Its speed is unbelievable for how it looks.
"Ah..."
Our eyes et, and I feel looked down upon, swallowed by darkness. My legs tremble, and I instinctively step back. The fist approaches...
"Aaahhh!!?"
A high-pitched girl's scream. My mother appears from the side. With a desperate look, she throws sothing at the monster's face. It was a Furoshiki (wrapping cloth). To be precise, she stuffed snow into the Furoshiki and swung it like a bat. The surprise attack worked because the monster was focused on its prey.
"Get up! Stand up! Please, hurry...!!?"
"!?"
I grab her outstretched hand. I'm pulled up. We start running together. And I whistle. The monster's heavy footsteps echo behind us. We run towards the house.
"Don't co after us...!!?"
While running, I swing the spear behind to keep it at bay. My mother throws the heavy Furoshiki with the snow. However, her slender resistance lacks strength, and it falls short of hitting the monster. The bear-like creature steps on the Furoshiki and charges forward.
The distance closes in an instant...!!
"Mother, run away!!"
"Eh!? Kya!?"
I pushed my mother aside and dodged the bear's charge. Turning around, I braced myself and stepped forward. I swung my spear, and the monster let out a scream. The spear's tip grazed its jaw, causing blood to splatter. It was a surprisingly precise counterattack.
"Grrrrrrrrr!!!!"
"Uoaaaaaa!!"
I responded to the roar with my own. It was pointless. It ca rushing in. It was completely overwhelming. And it had figured out my weakness. It knew I didn't have the power to kill it.
"Mother, hurry and run! Help!!"
"But...!!?"
"Just go! Quickly!? Uooh!!?"
I was grabbed by the spear and thrown away. I heard the sound of it breaking. I sat up in the snow. All I had was the spear's handle. The tip was...
"The tip...!? There was!!?"
A black iron blade was discarded on the pure white snow. It was my only hope. I crawled. I hurriedly crawled to grab it. A smile appeared on my face.
A thick, furry leg appeared in front of ...
"..."
I looked up in silence as it looked down at . A scream echoed, my na being called, but it felt like a distant voice. The approaching claw strike seed to move in slow motion. I recalled the words "running lantern (Phantasmagoria)."
In the mont before death struck, I thought about my life so far. It was about my mother, and my sister. It was the mories of the days I spent with them.
And then, it was about my younger siblings, my parents, my subordinates, the princess' sibling, Magoroku and the others, the brat from my household, the protagonists, the orphanage, the foster ho, and the presence behind when I was playing eroge...
"Princess? Eroge? What...!?"
Questions and doubts swirled in my mind, but there was no ti to ponder them. As the claws approached, I instinctively closed my eyes... and then, nothing happened?
"Huh?"
I opened my eyelids. A fireball hit my face, and I writhed in pain. Stunned, I turned back with a bad feeling.
"Don't touch my big brother!!"
In the snowy field, the white fox stood still, desperately shouting while floating a fireball...
Author:
We received fan art from Xin. Thank you for creating it!
- Past Arc Aoi: here
- Chapter 8 Hina Scene: here
This work has also entered its 4th year!
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