Zongman, daily life starting from hunting the supernatural

Sakurai took another step forward, and now the distance between him and the statue was only two meters.

He was so close that his eyes met the statue's.

"If I'm not mistaken."

"You've been [sealed], right? No..."

"You are bound, to be exact."

"You, as a desolate god, chose to occupy this vanished village because you had no faith."

"If we replace them, they will just be tied down here as well."

"The girls who lost their lives because of this village and because of you."

Provocation, blatant and naked provocation.

Sakurai, who tends to be cold-tempered, contrary to his usual behavior, repeatedly provoked the wild god who was bound in the stone statue and unable to move.

It's like teasing a hungry dog ​​in a cage.

however--

The bad-tempered God of the Wilderness did not make any other movement except for his resentful gaze becoming more substantial.

"Now that we've come to this point, are you still going to play dead?"

Knowing that the deity in front of him was simply unable to move, Sakurai simply taunted him further.

"Forget it, since you are so polite, I won't be polite."

"Thank me, you wild god who has lost your freedom because of your own stupidity and fear of death. You will soon see the light of day again."

Taking one last look at the girls behind the statue, Sakurai approached the statue again with a twinkling eye and slowly raised his right hand.

The dagger that slid into his palm was shining with a cold light, and a dark black aura was rolling and entwining around it, revealing a dangerous aura.

Just as the dagger was about to fall, Sakurai's hand was suddenly stuck in the air.

He lowered his head and saw several girls in shrine maiden costumes whose faces he couldn't see clearly hugging his body.

Without saying a word, without any unnecessary movements, she just hugged him.

A chill ran through Sakurai's body.

they...

He was not allowed to move forward and was prevented from destroying the stone statue that imprisoned the God of the Wilderness.

It's not about protecting the wild gods, but...

Protect Sakurai.

They who died were unwilling to let this wild god see the light of day again from his seal.

They grabbed Sakurai's hands and hugged his body to prevent his hands from falling.

Even if...

The price was that their bodies, which were already translucent, became even dimmer.

They died at a young age and did not feel resentment towards the living because of such an ending, but silently protected more living people.

This was their choice. The only thing left of them who were "eaten" at the end of their lives was the hope that such a thing would not happen to others.

Without exception.

So, as human beings, they created a miracle, and this obsession sealed the wild god until now, before the supernatural came to the world.

What happened to them never happened to anyone else from that day on.

"It's okay. I won't let it hurt any more people."

Sakurai said.

The hand holding the dagger slowly dropped, and Sakurai restrained his edge.

This was the first time that he did not raise the butcher knife when facing an alien, but chose to persuade with words.

He didn't want the last traces of the girls who were about to disappear to disappear because of his own reasons.

With no intention of letting him go, the girls stubbornly hugged Sakurai's body, not allowing him to move forward even a step.

They didn't understand what Sakurai said. Over the long years, their minds were not clear to begin with, and the only thing left was the obsession of not allowing the wild god to see the light of day again no matter what.

I don’t know anything else.

Therefore, even if Sakurai gave a guarantee here, they would not understand.

No matter what, tragedy must not be allowed to happen again. This was the only thought of these kind-hearted women before they died.

Yes, they are just ordinary people who do not possess extraordinary powers. This is their final gift to the world that gave them birth.

"I think the reason why I got lost in the ancestral hall was because of you, right?"

"Thank you. Thank you very much for considering me who is still alive even though my life has ended."

"Thank you."

Sakurai expressed his gratitude sincerely.

“But it’s enough. You’ve helped [us] so much.”

“It’s been too much.”

"This is not something you should bear."

"A girl's eyes should contain the stars and the sea and the infinite light, instead of being filled with disappointment, pressure and nature."

"From bud to bloom, from standing tall to withering."

"You have done enough to be a modest girl."

"You deserve more beauty, not to be plucked and destroyed when you are just about to bloom."

Sakurai whispered his thoughts, he wanted to convey his thoughts to these respectable girls.

But unfortunately, the girls still had no intention of letting Sakurai go. They held Sakurai stubbornly without moving.

Even if the price is that the already shaky body becomes even more transparent.

"Don't you understand? I think so too."

"How can the spirits understand human speech?"

"Not to mention, you are no longer even psychic now, you can only be called dregs."

"But even so, you still protect the living in your own way."

Sakurai lowered his eyes and sighed silently.

Then he gripped the dagger again.

"I'm not an Onmyoji, nor am I a monk."

"I don't know the Sutra of the Original Vow of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, the Sutra of Infinite Life, the Sutra of Amitabha, or the Sutra of the Three Officials."

"I don't know how to pray for the dead, let alone any method to help the deceased to be at peace."

He whispered while being hugged by the ghosts of the girls.

He doesn't have such ability. The only thing he can do is...

"me--"

"This uneducated fellow's only means of dealing with the supernatural is to fight."

"So I'm sorry, I don't know if there's any way for you to rest in peace after doing this."

"But I think this is the only thing I can do."

Instead of using the happy smile that he had learned from Kirisu Mafuyu, Sakurai tried very hard to curl the corners of his mouth and smile.

It was an ugly smile, but it was the best he could do.

next moment--

The dagger fell and wiped the neck of the undead girl.

Sakurai's movements were light and quick.

He worried that he was pushing too hard, that he was going too slowly and causing pain to the girls who didn't deserve to die.

They had a future with infinite possibilities, but that future was taken away from them.

The wild god hidden in this stone statue.

The dagger was emitting black energy as it slashed across the girls' necks one by one.

A dim golden light flowed out from the neck and dissipated in the air.

Sakurai closed his eyes.

70. Battle - God of Desolation (Fire) (Part )

When Sakurai opened his eyes again, his body was free again, and the girls who were hugging him all turned into golden light and disappeared from this world.

Have a good journey and I hope you will have a better future if given the opportunity.

In his heart, Sakurai, who was not good at expressing himself, gave his sincere blessings.

This is the first time that the ghost that was [erased] by Sakurai did not drop any corresponding relics.

Perhaps it is because the existence of girls no longer allows such a thing to happen.

Or maybe they have already passed away.

Spots of golden light sprinkled on Sakurai, and the bodies of the girls kneeling in a row behind the stone statue turned into dust as their last obsession disappeared.

The strong stench in the air disappeared, replaced by a faint scent of cherry blossoms.

Yes, the girl of this country should be Sakura.

Sakurai seemed to hear the girls' voices of thanks, but he didn't pay any attention.

It's like I didn't hear it at all.