The Disgrace Of An Exorcist Family (7)

Io rarely went to the dojo anymore now that he was already sufficiently skilled, but there was a chance he knew about the furball.

Most of the weak Aberrations imprisoned there had been captured on a whim during extermination missions. It was entirely possible Io himself had found this one and brought it back.

“Huh.”

Io let out an amused sound, the corner of his mouth curling upward.

“Perfect. This’ll make a good warm-up.”

“Io-san?”

“If I make enough of a commotion, maybe some Aberrations will come to us.”

Io pulled a long string of prayer beads from inside his clothes and wrapped them around his fist. The temperature around them slowly rose, and his body began to glow faintly.

“You mustn’t. Harming harmless Aberrations is forbidden.”

Sakuma immediately grabbed Io by the arm. Having not been raised in West Suo, perhaps he simply could not comprehend the idea of attacking a harmless Aberration. Io, however, was different.

“That rule doesn’t mean anything here in West Suo.”

“Io-san!”

“An Aberration is an Aberration. What’s the problem with crushing one!”

Io wrenched his captured arm free by force and shoved Sakuma away. Sakuma apparently had not expected Io to do such a thing, because he lost his balance and staggered backward.

Taking advantage of that opening, Io raised his fist high.

Realizing it was about to be attacked, the furball sprang high into the air and tried to flee.

“Don’t run!”

Io’s faintly glowing fist chased after the furball. Each time it cut through the air, the smell of something scorching filled the surroundings. His fist was now hot enough to burn the very air itself. Whether his target was an Aberration or an inanimate object, he possessed the power to burn it away as he pleased.

“Take this!”

His fist grazed the furball. Along with the sizzling sound of burning flesh came the familiar stench of Aberration blood Mei had smelled countless times before.

“Stop, Io! You can’t do that!”

Before she realized it, her body had already moved. She thrust out her arms as though to shield the furball.

“Stay out of my way!”

“Aah!”

But Io would not allow it. With the arm not wrapped in prayer beads, he struck Mei hard across the cheek, sending her crashing to the ground.

“Mei-san!”

Sakuma’s voice sounded from somewhere in the distance. Her body throbbed painfully, and the shock of the blow left her unable to move.

When she slowly lifted her head, Io was looking down at her in silence, all expression gone from his face. His gaze was so cold it seemed capable of freezing her heart, and her chest clenched painfully.

“…Nee-san, just stay there and watch!”

“Io!”

(—No. What did that poor thing ever do?)

She had finally managed to set it free. Tears blurred her vision at her own helplessness.

Perhaps Sakuma had already given up, because he watched Io’s actions with a cold expression. It seemed he no longer intended to stop him.

“Pathetic trash.”

With the cruelty of a beast tormenting its prey, Io raised his fist over the cornered furball.

“No, stop! Somebody help!”

She did not want to see it. She did not want to see a powerless Aberration being hurt. She did not want to watch Io commit such an act of cruelty.

“What are you doing?”

“…!”

All at once, the air around them seemed to grow immensely heavy. Along with the sensation that the oxygen had suddenly thinned, Mei felt her vision sway.

“What… is this?”

Io lowered the fist he had raised and looked around. Sakuma had also sensed something was wrong and braced himself.

The crunch of fallen leaves being crushed underfoot sounded nearby, and everyone turned toward the source at once.

The only sound that echoed through the area was someone sharply drawing breath.

“I asked what you were doing.”

An oni stood there.

At first glance, he looked like nothing more than a human man perhaps several years older than Io.

But the pair of long horns emerging from his glossy black hair made it clear he was not a being of this world. His breathtakingly refined features immediately drew the eye. His supple frame was clad in dark navy clothing resembling a kimono, yet he possessed an overwhelming presence.

For an instant, Mei thought of the oni boy she had once met. There was something uncannily familiar about the calm shape of his eyes.

(—Could it be him? No, it can’t be. Because…)

That boy’s eyes had been golden. The oni standing before her now had eyes the color of the night sky.

“W-Why is an oni in a place like this!”

Sakuma was the first to raise his voice. Perhaps that was the difference experience made. He stepped in front of Mei and Io as though to shield them and prepared to confront the oni.

“I am the one asking questions. Why did you attempt to harm my servant?”

“Your servant?”

“That.”

The oni pointed toward the furball trembling at Io’s feet.

The furball seemed to realize the oni had appeared. It bounced once on the spot, then scurried toward him.

“It is a harmless creature that merely exists. Since when did you exorcists begin committing such acts?”

“Gh…”

Mei could feel the pressure in the air growing denser. Sakuma and Io bent forward, apparently barely able to remain standing, groaning in distress.

Strangely, Mei alone could remain upright. Perhaps the oni had decided she was too insignificant to even warrant his attention.

“To think you would engage in such foolish behavior. How contemptible.”

Exposed to his icy gaze, Mei froze where she stood. The oni’s anger was entirely understandable. The furball had done nothing but exist there and had never harmed anyone. And that was only what had happened just now—if the oni knew about all the days it had spent imprisoned in West Suo’s dojo…

(—There’s no way we’ll get out of this unharmed.)

If it had only been the young oni she had met long ago, perhaps things would have been different, but Mei could not imagine Sakuma and Io—who was not even officially an exorcist yet—being able to do anything against a fully grown oni like this.

As for Mei, it was obvious she would be of no use at all. At best, she could serve as bait or a shield against an attack.

“Io-san, Mei-san, run. I’ll handle this…”

Even as he groaned in pain, Sakuma spread his arms as though to shield them.

“Don’t screw with me. This is my prey.”

“Io-san!?”

Perhaps being protected had offended him, because Io shouted and stepped forward. Even walking seemed to take everything he had, yet something almost frighteningly intense burned in his expression. Mei could not understand what drove him so far.

“If I take down an oni, it’ll add to my reputation. Prepare yourself!”

“That’s reckless!”

Sakuma hurriedly tried to stop him, but Io refused to listen. Worse, he struck Sakuma when the man approached in an attempt to restrain him.

Sakuma had clearly never expected Io to hit him and collapsed where he stood. Perhaps his body had finally reached its limit after enduring the pressure from the oni.

“Sakuma-san!”

Mei wanted to rush to him, but terror had locked her body in place.

Io clicked his tongue as he looked down at Sakuma, then immediately turned toward the oni and took a fighting stance. He raised the arm wrapped in prayer beads, causing his fist to glow, and before anyone could stop him, he kicked off the ground and charged straight at the oni.