Mob Yandere

 [Part 3/4]

 "I withdrew because my pathetic partner was almost dead. I myself am in great shape, you see? Should I even show off some street performance here?"

 Then he lightly moved to show that he's in good condition. His agile movements were definitely not from someone who escaped with injuries. At least, it seemed much less serious than the story Tengu had been told in advance.

 "There must have been a surveillance role, right? If so, you should know. I didn't use my trump card in the morning battle. I wasn't pushed to the point of using it. ...And just when I was about to get serious and finish it off, there was interference, right?"

 In an accusing manner, the man looks around at the Tengu. The Tengu immediately understand what the disturbance means, and who it involves.

 'You...!!'

 'Do you dare to mock the favor of my mother...!?'

 "At the very least, it's a fact that we were disturbed. Let me vent a little. Isn't that okay? You guys are going through a rebellious phase too, right? Weren't you arguing?"

 'How dare an outsider meddle in our family affairs...!!'

 The surrounding Tengu all direct their hostility towards the man. Hostility mixed with hesitation. They were unable to gauge the man's strength, and this was due to the disparity between information and reality. The man keenly discerns this situation and makes his move.

 "I see, it's certainly unpleasant for someone else to belittle your family. It's good to have affection. I'll respect that. ...But? That's exactly why you shouldn't direct your hostility towards me. It goes against the will of that woman, doesn't it?"

 And the man spoke. What did the Bougumi-head, as well as their mother, tell him?

 "You guys asking the guests to please go home. Well, it's a selfish thing to say, but... kicking me out means ignoring her wishes. Don't you care? You’ll get scolded a lot for that, right?"

 Ao-bougumi leader's assistant is irritated by people who declare things as if they're someone else's business.

 'So what? Even if Mother gets angry, I can't change that person's life. Even if we get scolded, that's no reason not to catch you guys. Stop trying to deceive us by begging for your life!'

 "Begging for your life is exactly what you guys are trying to do, isn't it? Even if you hand us over, is there any guarantee that your Mother will return? Is this a pledge? I can't believe you're doing this in exchange for a few monkeys who can't even be a threat to you. Do you think you can take a pledge on an equal footing with a god? Don't you know how arrogant a god is?"

 Matsuhana understood the point. Unable to argue, they remains silent. The problem was that since there was no chance of winning by being reckless or reckless, there was no other option but to surrender. At least Tengu's upper management had decided that this was the best chance for the village to survive.

 So, Tengu's leader's assistant, who had been ordered to capture them, couldn't be swayed by the deceitful and flattering words of the monkeys here.

 'Shut up...!! It's much better than betting on you guys, at least!!'

 "No, it's wiser to bet on me. Relax, I'll take care of it next time. Leave it to me like you're on a big ship."

 The confident human's rebuttal, however, was incredibly irresponsible in the eyes of Tengu's assistant.

 'Don't joke around! Don't speak lightly...! Don't spout nonsense to a divine being!! Stop pretending to know everything!!'

 "Even if it seems like nonsense or pretending, I'm well aware of the damn gods more than you guys."

 Tengu's leader's assistant vehemently rejects and denies the man's attitude, his words, and his absurdity with a fierce, angry voice.

 'It's a shameful deception! Can I trust the words of a monkey-like, let alone a lowly person! Leave it to chance! With no evidence, just flimsy excuses! Deception! Are you trying to mislead Bouchou's determination, our family's fate, and the life-and-death choices with such baseless words...?!'

 It was an open display of raw emotions. It was a plea. It was a desperate cry as an executive of the organization. It was a scream borne out of the unbearable weight of responsibility.

 '...'

 The tense atmosphere replaced the killing intent from the surrounding Tengu. Everyone was aware that they stood at a crucial crossroad and felt a sense of fear. They were scared. They were afraid to choose between two dangerous options.

 Now, silence filled the air...

 "...Yeah. Words alone won't earn trust and reliance, right?"

 The one who broke the silence was, unsurprisingly, a human. He looked at each Tengu individually, as if trying to peek into their thoughts, and made his declaration after observing their reactions.

 "Understood. I'll prove that I can defeat the damn snake."

 And the man placed his hand on the insect cage he had prepared by his side. Some of the Tengu instinctively tensed up, wondering what he was about to do.

 "Hey, calm down. It's not a weapon. ...But in some ways it's more dangerous than a weapon?"

 The man lightly ignored the warnings around him and opened the basket. And this time, all the Tengu tightened their posture. Feeling like something was being released from the cage, a mysterious presence, I pulled my hips back. The man naturally thrust his arm into the cage.

 And then he shows off a spider that's too big to fit in his arm.

 The mysterious white spider is exposed.

 'What!? This is...!?'

 Matsuhana froze in surprise. The surrounding Tengu are noisier than ever. Confused as if seeing something unbelievable. Even Kaede beside him couldn't help but widen her eyes. It wasn't acting.

 'What's? What on earth is that...!? That mysterious presence...!!?'

 "Tsuchigumo...have you heard of that legend?"

 It is the existence of a giant spider god that has been passed down since ancient times. It is a notorious evil god who has been terrorizing Fusō-kuni for many years.

 'Um, about this... No way, right!?'

 "You idiot, be quiet... It's obvious. This guy has taken over. And they're cursing me. Personally, you know? It's a curse."

 Whispering something quietly, the man explains to the Tengu. About the spider that wriggles and thrashes in his arms as if dancing. About its true nature and connection.

 'No way, you kill a god...!?'

 "It's not surprising, is it? If you think for a moment about what I am when I peel back my skin, about how I came to be like this... Don't you understand? Do you really think I was born like this?"

 The man suggests that he has become a monster cursed by the Earth Mother Goddess.

 "Even this Tantō, you should understand if you can see through my skin... Here, take a look!"

 The man takes out the Tantō from his pocket and throws it, along with the sheath. One of the Tengu forming a encirclement hurriedly catches it and stares closely at it. And then, they gasp. They are astonished.

 'Stupid... No, certainly this ominous presence, could it be divine!?'

 'Moreover, its nature is different. It's another pillar separate from the one within itself.'

 'It's different from that spider too? Could it be three pillars...!?'

 Tengu hastily sheathes the blade, sensing a leak of presence. Tengu and the man exchange bewildered glances. The surrounding Tengu start chattering, talking all at once. They begin to gossip.

 "What are you doing!! Don't chatter! Fulfill your duty!!"

 The leader's assistant shouts angrily, desperately trying to regain control. However, it was impossible to suppress the disturbance any longer.

 "To be precise, I've clashed with four pillars, no, five pillars before? I've taken down three pillars... Hey you, stupid spider, be quiet!"

 Without delay, the human tells another tale of bravery to the shaken Tengu. After boasting of his bravery, he whispers something to the spider that's causing a commotion at his side and pushes it into a small cage at his waist. He pushes it in and closes the cage tightly.

 '...Unbelievable. Why is he able to fight and survive against such divine beings? What about the curse?'

 "Well, there are a few reasons. First of all, I'm not exactly in one piece, and that spider guy is to blame... Do you really think I'm just a reckless braggart?"

 The human calmly responded to the questioning Tengu, with an air of mystery. No one could criticize his tone or attitude anymore. In fact, they were left breathless.

 For the Tengu, who only knew the world within the mountains, the presence of this man had transformed from a mere talkative monkey to a fearsome monster.

 The truth was, the encounters with the Earth Goddess were nothing more than stories of failed attempts, where he was cursed with a single strike. The fights against the Tsuchigumo were not fought alone. With Yamanba, he used the power of a special-grade jade after sending Namahage to attack. As for the bat, they were nothing more than false gods mimicking their appearance. The Tengu were unaware of all this. There was no need to inform them. They couldn't even fathom such possibilities. For the Tengu, the only divine beings they had ever witnessed were evil serpent.

 Inexperienced little birds are deceived...

 'Do you mean 'win'? ...Is it really possible?'

 Muttered the Tengu who caught the tanto. Asking tentatively, hoping, and fearing.

 'Hey!! You guys!! Don't talk without permission!! This, this fraudster...!!'

 Matsuhana realized that letting this go on was dangerous. Their friends were being misled, and the only way to wake them up was to show their strength. They had to show how true this person really was, to crush their hope. There was no other choice.

 '...!!'

 So, they swiftly moved in closer, like a sudden gust of wind, and circled around behind with a burst of wind. From a blind spot, they swung a shakujo.

 Without even turning around, the man cut the staff with a string from his sleeve.

 'What!? This...!?'

 Then, hidden weapons tied to ropes flew out from the tengu's sleeve, aiming for the man's weak spots. But they were dodged and cut away with the same string, just like cutting down weeds without even looking once.

 'No way... Gghh!?"

 They were stunned, but the momentary pause wasn't necessarily a failure. It only lasted a few seconds. Actually, during that brief freeze, they were trying to grab their conch shell as a signal for help.

 But as the man turned around and tripped up Matsuhana from behind, he threw them off and they dropped the conch shell without understanding what was happening. They were pushed down by the man, who held a hand blade to their neck. Even though they realized the situation, they could only stand there in shock.