[Part 1/3]
The true stronghold of the Juuyaku family lay beneath the surface—a labyrinthine underground waterway shrouded in endless darkness.
Countless twisting paths sprawled not only forward and backward but also vertically, forming a three-dinsional maze. The waterways seed to be stacked in layers, an underground network teeming with youkai and other strange aberrations. It was like an ecosystem—one born from twisted, unnatural origins.
Despite how chaotic and unrestrained the layout appeared, it was hard to believe it resulted from re negligence. Knowing the Juuyaku family, I suspected it was deliberate.
Disposal of failed experints and hazardous chemicals? Predictable. And it wouldn't be surprising if troubleso individuals were "discarded" here, never to resurface. Yet, beyond that, it felt like sothing more—a testing ground. Or perhaps... a mixing chamber.
My suspicion wasn't baseless. During my escape through this subterranean maze, I'd found undeniable signs of recent activity—footprints, scrape marks along the walls, remnants of weapons, and bones of defeated monsters. From old traces to fresh ones, it was clear that people regularly passed through. This wasn't just a dump.
What cented my conclusion was the discovery of a safe zone—a hidden room tucked away in the maze's blind spot. It was protected by a rope imbued with youkai-sealing spells and reinforced with barrier magic. To humans, it would be nearly undetectable; a pure youkai, lacking intelligence, would instinctively avoid it. This space seed designed for hybrids—half-human, half-youkai beings like .
I wondered if those two... or their kind... had used this place too.
"Haa haa... There's gotta be an exit sowhere, right!?"
'Uue!!? (⊙д⊙)ノ Poisonous worm!?'
"It's not that, damn it...!"
Panting. Swearing. Nausea.
Or maybe... morning sickness? I placed a hand on my chest.
That unmistakable sensation of sothing alive, writhing inside —
God, if only I could pretend it was just my imagination.
(How much longer until it's born...? How many hours have I been stuck here!?)
Parasitic creatures like this probably varied depending on the host. But when the ti ca, it'd claw its way out—screaming. And I had no way to asure how close that mont was.
I'd found temporary safety, but waiting for rescue wasn't an option.
I was running out of choices.
"...No, that choice was crushed a long ti ago! Wait—stupid spider, what are you—!?"
'(>皿
A shiver ran down my spine. Chills.
The spider bit into my neck, drawing blood... along with the parasitic factors.
Slowly, the burning beneath my skin dulled. I exhaled.
"Hah... hahh..."
Collapsing to the ground, I let exhaustion take .
But there was no real relief. Only temporary calm.
The first thing I'd done upon finding this room was transform into my youkai form.
I tried to burn the parasite from within—swallowing the flas that should've erupted outward, scorching my own flesh.
Nothing worked.
Chest-san, that stubborn entity growing inside , was unaffected.
This wasn't just sturdiness—it was sothing more, like the stupid spider's connection to .
A bond of fate.
A parasitic symbiosis.
As I healed, it healed. The flas no longer recognized us as separate beings.
If I could master that power, maybe I could sever the connection... but there was no ti.
"...Can I kill it before it bursts out?" I chuckled bitterly. "Am I being too optimistic?"
I could die the mont it erged. Or worse.
No way to know how far it had developed.
(...Or maybe it'll just die instantly upon birth. Could I survive that? Or will it just be another monster?)
Either way, it wasn't sothing I could just "leave to fate."
I couldn't risk bringing a creature like that into the world irresponsibly.
"...If that's the case..."
'(¬‿¬) Mmmh~ (＾ڡ＾) Delicious~!'
"It's not about food, idiot...!"
I swatted at the bloated spider—too dazed to fight back—as my mind circled back to the last, most desperate option.
This was absurd. What cri did I commit in a past life to deserve this?
"..."
My gaze dropped to the sakura tantō in my grip—a spirit-forged blade from Aoi.
It had saved countless tis.
But this? This was different.
"No... no, no..." I shook my head.
What was I, so kind of rogue surgeon?
Not even a back-alley doctor would attempt sothing like this!
But... it was my body. My responsibility.
Just as my thoughts darkened—
"...Wait."
I froze.
A presence.
Far off, yet unmistakable.
Divine intervention?
No, just a gut feeling honed through countless battles.
But it was enough to pull back from the brink.
"That vibration... that sound... Is that a fight?"
Definitely not monsters devouring each other.
These were the sharp clashes of weapons.
For a mont, hope flared—rescue?
No. Too soon. That'd be wishful thinking.
Pursuers? Or... soone else caught in a trap?
'¯(ツ)/¯ Heh, like a hunter caught in her own snare!'
Tamaki...
I imagined her falling into a pitfall, surrounded by youkai, her blade shattering—
Clothes torn—damn it, stop imagining that!
It wasn't like the original work where the protagonist got dragged into so grotesque ss of interspecies breeding and... no. Just no.
Regardless, waiting wasn't an option.
Ally or enemy—I had to know.
If it was soone I could fight alongside... great.
If not... well, better to face it head-on.
"So that's how it is... alright. Let's go."
'(＾▽＾) Picnic~?'
"...More like a hike."
The foolish spider mounted —my back studded with its nails—tightening the rope infused with my spiritual energy.
Erging from the cramped safe room, I imdiately deflected an ambush from a lizard-like youkai, striking it down with a quick blow.
And then—into the darkness once more, guided by distant echoes of battle...
* * *
'■■■■■!!'
With an inhuman roar, the grass doll swung its iron-like club, striking the approaching monstrous shadow. The impact sent the creature crashing into the waterway, splashing water everywhere.
This grass doll, marked by the lotus flower blooming on its head, was an improved creation of the Juuyaku family. Infused with aquatic youkai and spiritual herbs, it was ideal for search-and-recovery missions in the labyrinthine underground waterways.
Without hesitation, three grass dolls advanced, smashing apart lurking aberrations—crustacean-like beasts, reptilian creatures, and other twisted youkai. Their weapons, forged from Reitetsu steel, crushed their targets as they moved steadily forward under orders from Juuyaku Ichishen.
They were no novices. These were veteran units, seasoned by countless expeditions through the underground waterways. Though plant-based, the grass dolls possessed intelligence beyond simple automatons. With experience, they could handle complex tasks beyond re scouting or fighting.
Economical and obedient, they required nothing more than reiki-infused water to function—making them ideal servants. Yet few exorcist families used them. Imported to Fusō, these spiritual plants rarely thrived in the local climate. Even the Onitsuki family maintained theirs only within the stable environnt of 'Mayoiga,' under Yakushiji family care.
But the Juuyaku family was different. Martial and descended from the Yakushiji lineage, they refined and crossbred their grass dolls, creating countless improved strains. Their secret stock of seeds alone surpassed what most families could imagine, rivaling even the Hidden Group's forces.
Though re foot soldiers, their versatility made them valuable. Pawns easily replaced and deployed.
'...'
'...'
The trio communicated silently, their needle-like appendages brushing together—vibrations relaying vital information. Traces of movent, fresh and scattered, pointed towards a direction. A waiting room lay ahead.
'...!'
'...! ...!'
Weapons ready, they pressed on. Red stains dotted the stone floor. Reaching the boundary of a barrier—thick rope imbued with exorcism magic—they slipped inside, muffling their steps to ambush any targets.
Then it happened.
'■■■■■!!!!'
'!?'
An instant—then carnage. A multi-ard monster burst forth, shredding the lead grass doll. Its body twisted grotesquely, jagged arms slicing limbs like paper. Without flinching, the second grass doll countered, blocking with its club and smashing the creature's face.
'■■!? ■■■■!!!!'
Bones cracked. The monster's neck twisted, joints snapping. Despite injuries that would kill a human instantly, it snarled defiantly. Monstrous willpower—but that wouldn't save it.
'!!'
The third doll, wielding a scythe forged from Reitetsu, swung. One clean arc severed the monster's arm. A silent scream. The second doll struck again, clubbing the youkai until it stumbled. Raising its weapon for a finishing blow, it prepared to end it—
'!?'
—but another creature ambushed from behind. Serpentine body, human-like face—grotesque and fast. The third doll crushed its head with a punch, but too late. Its arm was sliced off in retaliation, forcing a retreat.
One-ard and outnumbered, the doll stepped back as the new monster advanced—only to stop at the rope-bound barrier.
'■■■■■■!!!!'
It roared, filled with hatred, yet trapped. A small rcy.
Assessing the situation, the remaining grass doll made a swift decision. No targets remained in the waiting room. Engaging further was pointless. Losses would only mount.
Ti to retreat.
It abandoned its fallen comrades, leaving weapons behind. Not cowardice—pragmatism. Staggering back through the waterway, it dripped foul-slling liquid from its severed arm. Not blood—thankfully—but spiritual water. A crucial difference. Real blood would've drawn youkai like sharks to a wound. Here, deep within Fusō's Spiritual Vein, the distinction ant survival.
No pursuers followed.
Finding a concealed drainage passage, the grass doll subrged itself. Water covered its form as it slipped away—another shadow vanishing into the depths.
──How far have I walked, back and forth...?
Finally, the grass doll erged into a brighter space, water dripping from its battered form as it floated to the surface.
"That was fast. Did you catch it already?"
"No... Damn it. Took a real beating. Foolish thing."
Two mbers of the Juuyaku family's Research Division, clad in black robes and bird-like masks, stood waiting. They glanced at the injured grass doll with a mix of disappointnt and irritation. Its condition told them everything about the mission's outco.
"Hard to believe you found the target and still got outdone. What were you doing out there?"
"We expected better. You're not just a puppet. Don't embarrass us."
The exchange took place in the entrance chamber—a hidden passage linking the underground sewer to the fortress. Despite their ominous appearance, the researchers' casual tone clashed with their grim surroundings. The room reeked of dampness and chemicals.
Ironically, the word "research" didn't fit these n. Their backgrounds were... unsavory. Rogue exorcists, shady doctors, cursed tool users—people who'd vanished from public records, now bound to the Juuyaku family by contracts and curses. In exchange for their twisted expertise, they were granted temporary safety... though never freedom.
"First, disinfect it. No way we're bringing that filth up here unchecked."
One of them pulled out an injector, spraying the grass doll's battered body with a harsh chemical mist. The underground sewers, saturated with toxins and thick with Youki—Demonic Aura—weren't places for humans. Even those with spiritual power would barely last a few days down there without proper protection.
As the chemicals hissed against its plant-like skin, the doll twitched but didn't resist. It knew better.
"Think the target's already monster chow?"
"Maybe. Doesn't matter. Even if it's bones we're after, orders are orders."
"Tch... Hope we're not the ones dragging it back ourselves. Not in the mood for another ss."
The pair worked thodically. One carefully sliced away the grass doll's severed arm stump with a Tantō, removing infected fibers. Both n grimaced at the task—but more from annoyance than sympathy.
"I heard the agreent was generous," one muttered, voice dripping with sarcasm. "But apparently not generous enough for 'Household mber-sama.' The attitude on that guy... unbelievable."
Their grumbling wasn't just venting—it was truth wrapped in resentnt. The Juuyaku head controlled them completely. Skills or not, they were expendable assets. Disobedience ant death. Yet, part of them wished for a way out... even knowing their past cris made redemption impossible.
"Good enough," said one, finishing the disinfection. "I'll take it for mory extraction. Stay here and prep for the next wave."
"Fine, fine. I'll handle it. Just hurry back."
With that, one researcher led the grass doll away. The other, left behind, sighed and removed his mask. His face—lined and tired—spoke of a man long past caring. He sat at the reservoir's edge, pulled out a handmade pipe, and lit it with a flick.
The tobacco, courtesy of the Juuyaku family, was specially engineered—ant to calm nerves and keep subordinates in line. It worked... albeit with nasty side effects.
"Hah... Damned retrieval missions. Why's everything gotten worse lately?"
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