***I got Aglaea in 1×10 pulls~ lucky me~ Now I’m ready for Castorice~***
Part ② Raid on the Curse Master’s Base
Kagari Yui turns 24 this year.
She has been working as an exorcist shrine maiden since she was not even ten years old, and has returned from every battle alive. She is a genius and an outstanding person. Her battle record and achievements make her the best exorcist in the country.
Exorcist shrine maiden is her calling.
That feeling hasn't changed even now. To defeat evil on behalf of the powerless. She thought it was the job that suited her.
However, before she knew it, she had begun to wish to find happiness as a woman as well.
"Yui-chan"
A gentle voice echoed through the quiet car.
The voice belonged to a slender young man who was driving next to her.
"You should come back after all, Yui-chan,"
“The unit wouldn't work without the captain."
"But I'm here as your vice captain."
Yui's heart skipped a beat at these reassuring words. When did he become able to say something like this?
The young man's name is Kinoshita Jin.
He is an exorcist who has been teaming up with Yui for the past few years. Although he seems a little timid and unreliable, his support-type exorcism is outstanding among the unit, and he is also adept at close combat, so everyone recognizes his abilities.
And above all else.
She is Yui's precious fiance.
"...You're stupid. You should say things like that when you're stronger than me."
"I-I'm sorry."
There's no need to apologize. Not wanting to be seen, he turns towards the window. The night view that spreads out below him was very beautiful.
The thought crosses her mind that she wished she'd come here on a date, and Yui shook her head vigorously.
That was a really stupid thought. They were about to go to battle, so unnecessary thoughts could be fatal.
The car came to a halt.
They arrived at the parking lot, halfway up the mountain, where they were to meet.
However, the other members were still nowhere to be seen. It seemed they had arrived too early.
Silence fell.
But only for a short time.
"Yui-chan."
"Ah, Jin-kun--"
The word "no" remained unsaid. Jin unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned forward, pressing his lips against his. A strand of her long black hair fell on his arm. He was hesitant, but he accepted. He wanted to fulfill his request as much as possible. Yui was stubborn and had never been with a man other than Jin, but he opened his heart to the man he was truly in love with.
"Mmm, smooch, muh..."
Their tongues intertwined, and the sound of saliva sloshing echoed through the car. Yui was engrossed in the deep kissing he had recently learned, which was still awkward.
"Slurp, squish, mmm, slurp... mmm"
Suddenly, he grabs her left breast over her shrine maiden outfit. Jin's palm is big enough, but the huge fruit is still big enough. An adult pheromone that a child cannot give off drifts inside the car. Jin's fingertips slip through the gap in her chest, almost touching the underwear under her coat,
"N-No!"
"Ah, that hurt!"
Instinctively, she pushes Jin away, and his head hits the window on the other side. There's a dull thud, but Yui's anger doesn't subside.
"What are you thinking? We're about to fight!"
"I'm sorry. I can't help it."
"You can't choose the time and the place?"
"But, because Yui-chan is so attractive."
Yui's face turns bright red at his straightforward words, and steam rises. -- Really, this guy. Although she's usually effeminate, she's bold in strange ways. But that's one of her good points.
Anyway, in an instant, Yui's anger subsided.
Besides, she also felt guilty.
Yui herself is confident in her own body. Even during fierce battles every day, she never neglects to take care of her skin, and she is aware that her breasts and butt have grown to be too full for a Japanese person. She's not bad looking, either. People pick her up when she walks down the street, and in her teens she was even scouted by celebrity recruits many times.
She feels nothing but disgust at the thought of any man other than Jin wanting sex with her, but it's clear that her body arouses such feelings.
Despite that, she has yet to have sex with Jin even once.
She is still a demon-exorcising shrine maiden fighting on the front lines. In that state, there's no way she would let her carnal desires get the better of her. That was Yui's sense of justice.
But it's also true that she has forced even Jin to abstain from sex.
"Jin-kun"
"Y-Yes."
She spoke softly to Jin, who still seemed frightened.
"After work today... I'm going to Jin-kun's room."
She felt embarrassed that she couldn't say it more cutely and turned away.
Jin was stunned for a while, but then,
"Y-Yes! I get it!"
He nodded happily several times.
At the same time, the light of the headlights approached. --The other comrades seemed to have arrived.
"Let's go."
Yui and Jin got out of the car.
One exorcist and three exorcist priestesses got out of the three cars that had arrived. All of them were selected members of Yui's squad.
"Commander."
At the head of the group was the other vice-commander, but in contrast to Jin, he was a muscular man -- the exorcist Ino Kouichi. His tough face and sunglasses intimidated anyone who saw him. But in reality, he was a very reliable childhood friend of Yui.
"Everyone, we're ready to charge in."
"Thanks, Koichi."
Yui glanced at the mansion on top of the mountain and turned back to his team members.
"Let's split into two teams. A diversionary force will charge in from the front, and the main force will charge in from the side. If there are hostages, rescue them is a priority. Don't pursue them too far, the lurking curse user is likely to be quite skilled."
"Understood. What are the team members?"
"I and Vice Captain Ino will act as the diversionary force. Jin-kun -- Vice Captain Kinoshita -- will lead the remaining members -- the main force."
"Isn't that a bit too unbalanced?"
One of the exorcist shrine maidens expressed concern. But Yui shook her head.
"I discussed it with my vice captain and decided it beforehand. Ino and I are used to fighting together, and we'll be a sufficient force for a diversion. And -- I think you know this, but from now on, vice captain Kinoshita will be leading this unit. I want you to gain some experience as a leader."
"Understood. -- Then captain, vice captain Ino. Good luck."
The four members of the main force run off first.
The last one to stay was Jin, who should be leading the unit. He was reluctant to move, perhaps because he was feeling reluctant.
"What are you doing? You're the captain, aren't you?"
"Y-yes. I had a bad feeling about this."
"It'll be fine. You and I are here."
"...Yeah. That's right. That's right. I'm off."
Finally, Jin smiled and departed. "It's going to be a lot of work," Yui said with a wry smile, before turning back to Koichi.
"Well then, let's go as well. This may be the last time we team up."
"That's right. I hope that's the case."
"...Yeah."
A dilapidated Western-style mansion on top of a mountain.
It has been confirmed that no one lives there. However, this is the place where traces of concealed cursed energy were found.
Hidden from all presence, the two of them proceed to the front gate.
"--This is--"
"I can feel it. There's a sorcerer there."
A clear sign of cursed energy.
Koichi whispered, hiding his large body in the bushes.
"They may have noticed our intrusion. What should we do?"
"If they're performing some strange ritual, we can't just ignore it. There's no guarantee that we'll be able to gather any more forces by the end of today or tomorrow. Let's go ahead."
"Understood."
Over the intercom, the other members of the unit also conveyed their understanding.
Taking a deep breath, Yui quietly passed through the gate.
The old main gate was unlocked. However, the door had been enchanted with a curse that repelled humans. It was probably to keep ordinary people away. It didn't work on Yui, who is an exorcist shrine maiden, so she just pushed in.
Koichi and the two of them walked through the darkness. They had the floor plan of the mansion memorized.
The place where the strongest cursed power is felt is-
"The basement."
"I'll take the lead."
Koichi quickly goes through the living room on the first floor to the stairs leading to the basement.
However, a demon is blocking his way.
A plump purple demon stands tall, from floor to ceiling, like a tree trunk. It could be called a pillar of flesh, but it doesn't seem to have a will of its own. It just rumbles and breathes, spreading a putrid stench.
"Hmph!"
Koichi's decision was quick. He punches through the pillar of flesh with the spiritual power he has put into his fist. With just one blow, the pillar of flesh is shattered into pieces.
But that's not the end.
The shattered flesh still lives on as a demon. It's obvious that the countless pieces will attack Koichi.
"Haa!"
So he takes a two-stage stance. Yui's naginata shoots down all the chunks of flesh. Not a single trace of the demon remained.
It was a combination they had had since they were children.
It wasn't moving at all. It was just normal for the two of them.
Without exchanging any unnecessary words, they nodded to each other and headed to the basement.
They ran down the stairs and through the narrow corridor.
Their destination was the place with the strongest cursed power - the room with the largest floor space, which seemed to have originally been used as a theater room.
Koichi kicked open the door.
--The sorcerer was waiting for them. It was only natural, after all, after all that rampage up there.
Thin, skinny limbs like tree branches.
Bulging eyes.
He was wearing a red hoodie, but he recognized the person from the wanted poster. He didn't remember his name, but there was no doubt that he was a high-ranking sorcerer.
He was alone within visible range, but it wasn't impossible that he had other companions. However, I will leave that to the main force - Jin - to deal with.
"I'll make you regret stepping into my domain!"
The sorcerer roared and raised his staff.
In an instant, eight tentacles shaped like dragon heads sprouted from the floor, just like the Yamata no Orochi. There was no doubt that they contained the cursed power of a high-ranking demon. It was different from the pillar of flesh from earlier.
Yūshin wasn't worried, however.
He believed that Koichi wouldn't fall behind. In fact, he had fought eight tentacles with just two fists.
Speed was his motto. He lowered his body and slipped past the tentacles, aiming for the sorcerer.
Perhaps he was confident in the demon he had summoned, as he seemed surprised that Yui had approached so quickly.
He didn't give them any time to counterattack.
Yūshin lashed out with his naginata.
The blade was filled with all his spiritual power. An ordinary person would have died instantly. But this was a sorcerer. He could see that the damage was being reduced with his cursed energy.
Yui tried to swing his naginata down for another blow.
But the blade didn't reach its target.
The red hood exploded.
No, it was the sorcerer's body that exploded -- a purple-red jelly-like mass swelled up from inside.
No way, this is --Yui shuddered.
"Demonization!"
Demonization -- a sorcery technique that transforms a person into a demon.
In exchange for becoming a non-human body, it is a skill that grants great power. Even an ordinary human can wield enough power to give exorcists a hard time.
When it comes to a skilled sorcerer, it can't be dismissed as more than just troublesome. Yui was certain that this enemy was involved in the recent incidents. But at this point, he couldn't afford to think about capturing him alive.
"Korokorokorororororokoroshuu!"
"Aah!"
The curse user let out a cry like a broken record, swinging his three left arms around. Although she quickly created a spiritual barrier to soften the blow, Yui ended up slamming her back into the wall.
"Give me a break, already...!"
But her fighting spirit didn't wane one bit. She was used to this level of difficulty.
Yui wasn't alone.
"Uuuuu!"
A man let out a loud cry and grabbed the curse user from behind.
It was Koichi.
The demon had not been defeated, but it had retreated to the corner of the room. A moment was left. The body of the curse user, now a demon, was hot, and it burned Koichi's body. But that wasn't all, the raging tentacles were hurting him.
"The abdomen, Yui! Aim for the abdomen!"
Koichi shouted, as if he had seen through his weak spot. Yui reflexively obeyed. Koichi had never made a wrong decision when it came to tactics. Besides, there was no time to think. At this rate, Koichi could die. The Yamata no Orochi was also trying to rise.
"Teyaaaaah!"
The tip of the naginata pierced the sorcerer's abdomen. The demon's elastic body was no match for Yui's spiritual power.
Silence fell on the room.
The raging tentacles and the serpent stopped moving --
And crumbled away like sand.
All that remained was the sorcerer's original body.
"Ahhhh"
The naginata slipped from his hand. Yui collapsed to the ground. But she had done it. At the very least, the curse user here has been defeated. SHe needs to go and support Jin and the others, but first she needs to treat Koichi.
"Thanks, Koichi..."
She called out to him as she knelt with blurred eyes.
"Huh?"
Her heart, no, her whole body trembled.
She was hot.
She was thirsty.
Her head hurt.
Her heart was beating fast.
Was she put under a curse? No, she had defeated the curse user. Since she had defeated the curse user, there couldn't be any curse left behind.
In the midst of confusion.
"Yui"
"Koichi..."
Yui, unable to move, was picked up by Koichi. She had to give him instructions. No, Koichi would have been able to lead the way without him having to say anything. First, I need you to remove the curse that was placed on me -- no, if there was a user of curses that continued even after death, I'm worried about Jin even if he had friends --
Her thoughts were not coming together.
She didn't feel like she could make the right decision. After all, Yui thought she should leave it to Koichi,
"Eh?"
She opened her eyes wide.
Right there, Koichi's face was approaching, without his sunglasses --
Yui’s consciousness was interrupted for a moment.
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