Chapter 12

“There is a small temple on top of this mountain… Exactly because of this, this mountain is plagued by Tengu. You are aware of Tengu, are you not?”

Tengu: A weaker kind of Yokai, something like a C or B rank I guess. Tengu are smaller beings with a long nose and wings… They are primarily found on mountains.

“Yes, I am aware… And I have to get the blood of one, yes?”

“Precisecly. I will wait here.” She gives me a small vial. “You will have to fill this up. If I may give you a hint of advice, I advise you to kill the Tengu first and then take their blood. One Tengu should offer more than enough blood.”

“I will go alone?” “Yes, you will. After skipping class you will at least get some training through this.”

I don’t talk back but simply nod. She seemed to be used to this.. Damnit, was all of this some kind of plan? Did Doctor Itu snitch on me on purpose so that I have to do this? Goddamnit, Doctor Itu! How could you?!

“Okay… I’ll get going then.”

I pull my sword out of its sheath and start going while letting it swing around playfully. I am prepared. I grab around the sword, hard. If a Tengu were to show up I would instantly be able to react and fight… At least I hope so.
I skipped school - well, I didn’t really want to skip the first few lessons so I was kind of innocent? - and now I have to kill a Tengu on a mountain… Yikes! This doesn’t really seem like a good trade at all!

There was a straight road going up the mountain so at least finding the way wouldn’t be a problem at all. Well… that is, if the Tengu would be easily found at the temple on top of the mountain. But I guess they should be.

After like 10 minutes - Miss Haruka had no reason to travel here this fast, this whole quest takes enough time on its own! - I have arrived. In front of me stood a small red temple, its door closed. Well, whatever. I guess I can wait there… Sooner or later they will attack me. I scratch my head and walk to the door of the temple. I hold my sword in my hand and open the door. Inside was a small room, the floor filled with bamboo planks. At the front was a small donation box… Though it looks very dusty. I doubt anyone has come here in the last few months and donated… Despite that, in front of me, inside the temple, on the bamboo planks, just a few meters from the donation box, was a young woman. Perhaps she was around the same age as me… Maybe a bit older. Her back is turned to me, but when she hears the door opening she turns around. She has white hair and looks at me. She is a beautiful individual. What is a girl like her doing here?

“Uh… Hi.” I look at her. Obviously I do, she is beautiful.

“Hello… Dou you have soume foud for me?”

I shake my head. “No… I don’t…” She gave me the same eerie feeling the Doctor gave me… Maybe she planned to trick me into doing some dirty work for her as well? Well, what do I care…

“Do you know if there are any Tengu nearby? And if they are, how can I find them?”

“You dou have some foud. Dou nout lie to me.”

Yikes. What does this girl want? How can she be so beautiful yet so dumb at the same time?

“Uhh… I don’t.” I shake my head. “You know, I think I’ll just leave you alone.”

“Dou have flesh… Foud… A lout ouf foud… A lout ouf flesh…”

I sigh. I turn around and want to leave. And at this exact moment, the lady jumps at me. She jumps through the air, trying to grab me. I turn around and swing my blade. It hits her in the air and she falls to the ground, starting to bleed. I grin.

“Hah! Did you think I wouldn’t be suspicious of you?!” The beautiful woman flickers a bit, then she reveals her true form: An old woman with white hair, long claws and yellow eyes, blood running down from them.

The woman did suffer from being hit by my blade, but she did not die. She only took a small wound. She stands up and stares at me angrily. She holds her wound for a second, then the wound seemingly disappears. I hold my sword firmly and totally focus on her. She is some kind of yokai as well it seems… Well, I will have to defeat her first then.

Before I attack her or try to counter her attack, however, the door behind me is opened. Multiple - I believe it is around ten - Tengus fly in. Their long noses tower on their faces, their mighty wings lay on their backs. In their hands are small spears. Well, shit.

They instantly attack me. I can hardly react due to them coming out of nowhere and me being focused on the old woman yokai. Thus, I quickly turn around to defend myself.

The woman jumps at me again. I slash at the Tengu, however even if I hit one, it is just too many. At the same second the woman hits me. She strikes me with her claws and I fall to the ground. The Tengu keep on attacking me over and over, the woman closes in and sits down next to me. She digs her claws deep into my leg and rips out a piece of my flesh before bringing it closer to her mouth and eating my very own flesh. I can hardly see since there is blood flowing down from my head, due to the Tenug constantly attacking me… Despite that I can see the woman devouring my flesh. And I don’t think she will stop until she is fully satisfied.