Toasteful: Chapter 161, Part 2

[Part 2/4]

Just before it hit, the female Tengu managed to dodge the beam, narrowly avoiding a direct hit. It was truly an incredible feat. However, she wasn't completely unharmed.

"Huh!? It didn't even hit me... why!?"

One of her magnificent bird wings, which had been so proud, was clearly burned and charred. Some parts were even carbonized, with the area around it smoldering.

Overall, it's a minor burn. The problem is that it happened even though she didn't touch any heat rays. The feathers of the Tengu, which are highly valued as youkai feathers, are multifunctional and high-performance. But even so, this is how they end up. If it were a direct hit, even a Tengu would be more than just roasted chicken. Needless to say, it would be the same for a human.

"Huh...?! They're coming!"

"I know!!"

I shout a warning. The pillar of light still doesn't stop. Even if we avoid it once, it's not enough. The snake continues to spew out light, rotating its head. The avoided stream of light approaches again, trying to engulf its prey.

"That damn snake, turning my proud wings into damaged goods!"

Tengu curses recklessly, but the Tengu, being cunning, doesn't let emotions guide her. She calmly assess the laser beam, dodge it, and now her legs get burned.

"Aah...?!"

"Aka-bouchou!!"

Her undershirt was burning, leaving the pale skin exposed, the exposed skin burning to the same color as the undershirt, causing a burn. It was a painful wound. Unfortunately, there was no time to comfort it or to treat it.

"It's coming!! ...Dodge diagonally down!!"

"...!!"

I gave instructions to the woman Tengu, who groaned while holding her thigh. The Tengu, with tears in her eyes and a pained expression, didn't need to confirm the spatial awareness of up, down, left, right, or front and back. She completely followed my instructions, perhaps even doing more than I instructed.

Narrowing her wings to reduce air resistance, she made a rapid descent. The diving speed for birds of prey hunting is said to reach 100 km/h (62 mp/h), but it was probably even faster. She skillfully evaded the beam of light and suddenly spread her wings at ground level, and rapid ascent suddenly!!

"Monkey!!"

"Yeah!!"

I understood what Aka-bouchou was saying without panicking. I grabbed the cursed dagger (tantō). Before me, I saw a big, slimy body that looked like a snake, covered in slippery scales. It seemed weak. I gripped the dagger tightly, readying myself.

Then, I gather the power bestowed by the resentful Earth Mother Goddess.

""Die, you!!""

The shout coincidentally matches word for word, and the blade cleanly pierces the body. Tengu flies at high speed along the body, tearing the flesh as if being dragged. The scales must be quite hard, as the blade makes a metallic sound and vibrates fiercely when gripping the Tantō with both hands. The wounds are shallow. But it's definitely pierced...!!

"This one, we can kill him, we must kill him...!!"

"Let's head to its face!!"

The wounds caused by the Tantō, with its known blade length, are just like scratching the surface for the snake, and it was essential to kill it for sure. But I cannot rest assured unless I crushes its skull and pulverizes its insides. She knew that too.

That's why I aimed for the head. To finish it off with the Tantō, or with the Teguruma. It was a standard move. It was the natural outcome.

...So when I caught a close-up glimpse of the snake's profile with Tengu's splendid flying technique, I couldn't help but smile, but it was unnatural that the red glare from its eyes recognized us, yet it seemed completely at ease.

What's going on? Carelessness? Arrogance? Disrespect? No, that's not it. This is...!!

"A trap!?"

"Damn!"

The Tengu spins around. In front of us stands a huge, muscular figure. It swings an awkward-looking sword (nodachi) downward. I quickly ready my Tantō. I try to defend us. Sparks fly as metal clashes. I manage to intercept the strike. But...the force is too much. The Tengu and I are sent flying backward!!

"That was an Oni just now!?"

"This is bad!"

Following my astonishment at the intruder's true identity, Tengu screams. With wings and limbs, she desperately tries to control her posture, but there was more than enough opportunity. The giant tail of the Great Snake swings rapidly, approaching. It fills my entire field of vision.

"You, b*stard!"

Evading and colliding happen simultaneously. It's too late. We couldn't make it in time.

Both of us turn into bullets. We cut through the air and are slammed into a large tree, accompanied by a roar and dust.

"Kaha!?"

"Ugh!?"

I wonder which was worse? The female Tengu who crashed into the big tree from behind, or me who got hit by the giant snake's tail head-on. Either way, it wasn't just a minor injury.

"Ghh..."

"Ouch... It's bad... It's coming!!"

Both of us groaned as we were stuck in the trunk of the big tree, but the snake had no intention of waiting for us. Its jaws opened wide, revealing a golden glow from its throat. It was the same grilled chicken skewer beam as before. The Tengu woman behind me was in bad shape. She was on the verge of passing out. There was no way to escape anymore.

(Is it going to turn into a youkai?! Can I make it in time...?!)

The last resort as promised. However, I had a gut feeling that the beam would be unleashed before I could fully transform into a youkai. Above all, the Tengu woman behind me...

"Ugh!!?"

A moment of hesitation. The light shone brightly in front of us. There was no time to think, and it was too late. I struggled desperately and tried to release the inner curse... But right after, a shadow intervened between the light and us. The figure of a one-armed crow appeared.

The black bird girl raises her hand towards the light.

"'Feathered Guardian (Kogo Hane Kugiru)'."

Her delicate palm shields the thick beam of light. The scattered rays, blocked by an invisible wall, sweep through the surrounding forest in all directions.

"What...who are you!? No...!!"

Assuming the intruder is an enemy from her appearance, I prepare myself for what O must do. With the power of my inner monster, I will clash with this snake...!!

"'Stop'!!"

"Whoa!?"

The spoken words bind my freedom to act. When I look, I see the one-armed girl, Tengu, who surpassed the light beams. Exhausted and drenched in sweat, she approaches us with incredible speed.

"That power...is not good. Don't use it. Understood?"

"Who are you, anyway!?"

"What the heck are you doing...!!? Why didn't you come at the right time, why do you come at times like this...!!"

Aka-bouchou's words overlap with my confused response to the intruder's command. She spits them out bitterly, angrily, and impatiently.

"Can't I?"

"Ugh, damn it...!! If you're going to leave, leave earlier...!! Then, this wouldn't have happened!!"

"'Feathered Guardian'...!!"

Aka-bouchou curses again as another beam of light appears. The same technique as before blocks it unleashed. It blocks it, but...

"Ugh...!?"

Under the intense surge of heat, the young Tengu girl lets out a pained voice. She desperately supports her outstretched palm, as if it's about to be pushed back.

Approaching from the side is a beast-like savage Oni...!

"It's coming from the side...!!"

"!! 'Fall'!!"

My desperate warning echoes as the monster turns around. With a thud, it falls down. The fact that she used a single phrase to invoke a calamity youkai-level curse shows the intruder's high level of skill.

...At the same time, the fact that it wasn't a directly lethal spell indicated the intruder's limitations.

"Damn it!? I can't block it...!!"

And that's when the opening appeared due to the curse tehnique. The intruder was pushed all at once. Her outstretched arm gradually bends. It trembles. Breathing becomes heavy. Coughing fits in.

"Hey...!?"

"...! 'Jump'!!"

The words that were released were aimed at the young girl Tengu. Aka-bouchou forcefully moves, throwing a determined rope towards her. The rope swiftly captures both me and the Tengu, pulling us out of a large tree's hole as if we were bouncing.

In the nick of time, the exhausted young Tengu escapes the beam of light.

The beam pierces through numerous large trees, sends rocks flying, and burns and cuts down everything in its path. It's a scene of complete annihilation.

'Pfffft...'

The big snake, like a steam train, exhales white breath from its mouth, but doesn't emit another beam of light. It seems it can't produce them continuously.

Despite not thinking it was our only option, we managed to survive.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, uh...?"

"You're rough with your handling! Damn it!"

I'm thrown into a corner of the forest, landing roughly alongside Aka-bouchou. My confused response was followed by Aka-bouchou's bitter remark.

"Okay. Good."

"It's not good...!! Haa, haa, damn it!! One more time. I'll try again, you monkey! It's a thank you visit for messing up the mountain! ...You'll help me, won't you!?"

With trembling legs from the pain of burns, the female Tengu made her declaration. She forcefully sought agreement from me and the young Tengu. At the same time, there was a faint hope in her words.

"No."

...That was the young Tengu's merciless reply.

"What...!? Why not!? Can't you stop fooling around for once!? You're wasting this opportunity...!!"

"Don't involve others in your suicide. ...Oh, they're gathering."

"Wha!? Relying on the tiger's power, huh!! You weaklings!!"

The female Tengu clicked her tongue in response to the young Tengu's observation. I also looked around. Despite being hidden by the overwhelming presence of the Great Snake, there were countless signs of mixed intentions, the presence of Mōryō youkais all around.

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