[Part 1/4]
Tension hung heavy in the air. The laborers, unable to move due to poison, were on the brink of attacking the paralyzed Loli Gorilla-sama. In contrast, I stood ready with kunai and a spear. Hisame, providing both perimeter security and rear support, was behind me.
(Now, what do I do from here?)
I pondered while maintaining a stern expression hidden beneath my mask, considering the course of action from this point onward.
My intervention at this moment was not deliberate but rather a product of chance. During the pursuit of monkey's remains, we stumbled upon a boundary. Hisame sensed a presence within it.
Passing through the boundary was not difficult, though it was indeed powerful. However, it was not something that could repel humans, especially when facing Youkai.
I had a bad feeling about this, and it turned out to be accurate. Of all the moments to encounter this scene...
It was a recreation of an event from the original storyline: Onitsuki Aoi's grand Youkai gang r*pe party. Poisoned, assaulted by her father's men, and finally in the hands of Youkai... I was suddenly forced to make a decision: whether to save her or not, right here, right now.
With Hisame right by my side, my available options were limited. The fact that this was within a boundary further influenced my decision. The R-18 scenario was approaching rapidly, and there was no time to waste. So, I acted.
And here we were, in the current deadlock.
"What are you doing? Do you understand what you're doing!?"
One of the laborers, with a kunai embedded in his arm, shouted. If I remember correctly, he was the leader directly under Loli Gorilla-sama. He glared at me with a ferocious expression.
"What am I doing? Isn't that my line? Are you in your right mind? Committing such acts against the Princess will not go unpunished."
It was a case of tit for tat. Naturally, they weren't going to be intimidated by my retort.
"Hehehe, we're well aware of that!"
"Yeah! Did you think we would go ahead with something so audacious on our own!?"
"Lower your weapons, servant. This is an order. Interfering with the Onitsuki family's business is considered a rebellion."
"That's right. Come on, didn't you also go through hell thanks to this brat? I'll let you have a turn too! Come here, you!"
The laborers called out to me one by one. They tempted, cajoled, and tried to persuade me. They knew they had no chance of winning.
"Senpai..."
"Are you going against the Onitsuki main family? ...I see, so that's how it is. ...Indeed, it's quite audacious."
Ignoring Hisame's calls, I declared. I lowered my weapons. I observed the situation, and Hisame followed suit. I moved forward alone.
"Have you already violated her?"
At my question, the laborers hesitated for a moment, then burst into vulgar laughter, understanding the meaning. The captive, Princess, who was mostly naked, stared at me with an expression of despair.
"Hey, servants, don't be so greedy, okay?"
"Wait, wait, it's no big deal anyway. We will let you use the back?"
"Hahaha, that sounds good. Why not?"
The laborers jeered loudly. Aoi seemed to understand the conversation and was clearly terrified. Despite her fear, she trembled and still glared at me. She tried to hide her chest and lower abdomen, but her limbs were restrained, and the poison left her unable to move. Resistance was futile.
"No! P-please stop!"
"Stop? Do you really think saying that will make us stop, Princess?"
"T-that's..."
Captured by the laborers and looking down at me, Aoi struggled to find a response. That was all there was to it. Surprisingly, it appeared that she recognized the moral implications of her actions.
"Come on. Get down on all fours like a dog!"
"Hahaha! Look at that cute peachy butt!"
The laborers forced Aoi into a crawling position, making her adopt a posture as if thrusting her small buttocks forward. They laughed raucously and ridiculed her repeatedly, causing Aoi's face to flush with shame. Her eyes, directed towards me, were filled with tears.
"Well, well, you have quite a defiant expression there. It's troublesome, isn't it?"
"Taming a strong-willed woman isn't so bad. ...Although I'm not into Loli."
"Huh? Lol..."
Before the laborer could finish chewing over my words...
My elbow struck his face.
"What are you... guh!?"
"Ka-ha!?"
I kicked another laborer in the head, rendering him unconscious, and then struck another laborer in the face, breaking his nose and causing him to fall.
"What the...!?"
The leader, who had probably been suspicious of us all along, wasn't surprised. Instead, he swung his Wakizashi with the hand that hadn't been injured... Though he was shot through the palm by an arrow that flew before he could cut me down.
"Aaaaah!!"
"Senpai! Evacuate quickly!"
"I know! Just a bit longer!"
Amid the leader's screams, I responded loudly to Hisame's calls, all according to the prearranged plan and not just my unilateral decision.
I had hidden a secret passphrase within our conversation with the laborers, which we had confirmed beforehand. Hisame had recognized it during our conversation with the laborers and had been prepared for the moment I approached Loli gorilla-sama for protection and when I seized her!
"So, Princess, about that... My apologies!"
Taking advantage of the confusion among the surrounding laborers, I grabbed the half-naked young princess, who was on the verge of panic. I carried her and quickly moved away, using my enhanced leg strength powered by spiritual energy.
"D*mn it!? Don't run away!!?"
"We won't let you...!"
As the laborers tried to pursue us, Hisame fired a suppressing arrow to deter them. It wasn't intended to hit them, but without shields or armor, they couldn't risk moving forward.
"You... how dare you!?"
"You think you can get away with this!?"
"Are you rebelling against Onitsuki?"
Despite clutching their injured cheeks, noses, or arms, the laborers brandished Wakizashis and cursed. They threatened, trying to denounce my actions.
...And the small body I was carrying trembled.
"Well, you see, it's not like we heard that kind of story. Haven't false memories been inserted into your heads by some other family? We can't just take your word for it."
I retorted playfully, a sophistry, an excuse, a way to buy time.
(It seems like Hidden Group and the servants' group aren't on the same page.)
Considering the danger of killing Princess, it would have been prudent to assemble the combat unit here from the beginning. But they weren't here. This suggested that the information hadn't reached them. Given the nature of Princess, those with suspicions should have been killed on the spot. There was no need to hold back. Those not present here should be considered innocent. Probably.
(In other words, it would be great if outsiders could join this commotion...!)
I began to calculate in my mind. If it came to this, I intended to push through. I had no choice but to protect and save Loli gorilla-sama. After all, if I holed up in a safe area for a few days, the poison would eventually dissipate, and she'd be fine!
"Huh!? Senpai!! The boundary!?"
I had thought the same way at some point.
...Hisame, what did you just say?
'Roooaarrrrr!'
A roar reverberated throughout the entire boundary's area. It was a sign of tragedy.
"What the...?"
The first victim was a laborer who had desperately been harvesting spiritual herbs. Greed had driven him closer to the edge of the boundary than the others. He looked up just in time to witness the looming presence of an approaching monster, which was his last sight.
He might have been lucky. He died instantly, without knowing anything.
The boundary was constructed from eighteen components, and one of those components disappeared, creating a hole through which countless Youkai poured in, ranging from small Youkai to great Youkai.
Now, a screams erupted within the boundary.
"What the hell is happening!? Where's the Princess!?"
The temporary squad leader of the protective servants, Manatsuru, shouted. He fired at several approaching small Youkai while in a state of panic. He understood the urgency of the situation. Without the Princess, this situation was unsolvable.
From a distance, he could see multiple medium Youkai and even great Youkai. They were capturing the laborers. Some of them were resisting desperately with Wakizashis, but their efforts were in vain. With unenhanced physical strength and blades, it was nearly impossible to cut through the flesh of higher-ranking Youkai.
The problem was that even with their best efforts, they could only manage to encircle and eliminate the medium Youkai.
"What!? Kurato! Get back!"
True to the call from his subordinate, it was already too late. Kurato, who had been cutting down small Youkai with his sword, was instantly devoured by a giant snake Youkai along with the surrounding Youkai. He couldn't even deliver a final blow.
"D*mn it!? Form a defensive line! Don't let them flank us!"
Manatsuru yelled desperately at those around him, his voice nearly breaking down.
This temporary squad was composed of newcomers and remnants, but Manatsuru still had a sense of responsibility as their leader. It served as a psychological pillar, even in this desperate situation.
"D*mn it, d*mn it! Why is this happening...!?"
"Where's that Princess!? Hurry, do something about those monsters!"
Not only the surviving servants but also some of the laborers and human workers responded to the calls, resisting desperately while complaining.
"Temporary squad leader Manatsuru-dono, Are you safe?"
Tsukuba, who came slashing through Youkai to reach Manatsuru, shouted somewhat frivolously.
"Shut up. Does this look okay to you?"
"At least you're still in one piece, right?"
"Seriously..."
As he casually replied, Manatsuru's back bore a deep gash, which Tsukuba noticed upon closer inspection. Red streaks flowed through the gaps in the face.
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