I Was Reincarnated as a Nameless Combatant in a Japanese-style Fantasy Depressive Erotic Game, but the Women Around Me Are All Dangerous, and I Have a Bad Feeling about It

　Partly because she was enduring the pain, Tamaki's trembling murmurs caught the attention of the youkai-beast Shishimai.
Her sharp eyes, more beast-like than ever, glared at Tamaki from under her hanging hair.
When Tamaki's figure was reflected on her retina, her wide pupils narrowed slightly.
That reaction seemed to suggest that some part of her rationality had returned.
That was Tamaki's only hope, though it felt too fragile.

　'Hmm, I see, I see.
You've had a tough job…
I remember seeing something like that before.
I think there was a similar one when I visited your village.'

　After offering Shishimai half-hearted words of consolation, Yuka inspected the remains of the now crumbled 'Houzan Jakuryuu (Mud Dragon),' which had been reduced to mere stone, soil, and wood.
Then, seemingly growing bored of it, she spun around and looked at Tamaki, laughing.

　”Ahh…!!?”

　Without warning, blood spewed from Tamaki's thighs.

　'Last time, you suffered a painful fate.
Compared to being devoured entirely, this is quite merciful, isn't it?'

　In response to Tamaki's anguished cries due to her bleeding thighs, Yuka's words sounded like mocking laughter.
It seemed more like an excuse to torment Tamaki than a genuine belief.

　'…Hey? If you're dealing with a dangerous entity, isn't it safer to sever her limbs?'

　'No, no, that's no good.
If I corner her too much, the nasty thing inside might awaken.
Whatever I do, I don't her to use her great ape's power.
…Wait, were you planning to sever her limbs when you capture her? That's risky.
Make sure to handle her properly.'

　Something asks from inside the hibachi carried by the young youkai, and Kamaitachi cries out with a deliberate shrug of his shoulders.

　'Well, this should be the end of my work here…
Now, let's contact our partner; they're probably getting bored.'

　After a slight remark, Yuka took out a talisman from their sleeve.
In an instant, it turned into an ugly, misshapen bird and clumsily flew away.

　'Hmm, I tried using youkai power on it, but it's still no good.
Both the talismans and the shikigami arts are designed for those monkeys, so even if I try to use them, this is what happens.'

　Yuka mumbled as they watched the messenger shikigami wobble in the air before flying away.

　'Th-That…!?'

　'Oh, yes.
We'll deal with the ones outside soon, so don't worry.
But first, we need to transport these guys.
I can count on you to help with that, right?'

　Yuka asked the being barely visible inside the hibachi, a hopeful tone in their voice.
To an observer, it might seem like Yuka was merely making things up, but the being inside the hibachi seemed to genuinely believe them.

　'It's easy! There's precisely a place where the possessor of immense power is located…
That's why…
Hey!! You, go and bring them here!!'

　The being inside the hibachi shouted gleefully.
It was directed at Shishimai, who silently headed toward Tamaki.
And then, she stopped right in front of her.

　”Shishimai-san…!!”

　'……'

　Tamaki called out to the beastly figure of her benefactor in the labyrinth, hoping her voice would reach her.

　'Ahh, futile, futile.
It's a beautiful scene to appeal emotionally, but such things are meaningless to her, you know? Right? Master of the House?'

　Yuka sneered, mockingly looking down at Tamaki's earnestness.
The being inside the hibachi also joined in with laughter, agreeing with Yuka.
Tamaki gritted her teeth in frustration, feeling a deep, dark hatred welling up inside her that she had never experienced before.

　”…!! How can you say something like that!? Ugh, Tomobe-kun and the others have told me everything! Shishimai-san, please, listen to me!! I don't know why you became their servant, but you're being deceived!! You are…!!”

　'Enough with the noise.'

　”Sh-Shut up…
Ugh!!?”

　Once again, Tamaki was punched, her body hitting the wall behind her.
As her body was pushed away, the dagger in her wound opened up, and intense pain overwhelmed her.
Tears flowed without restraint as she felt her own helplessness, and all of these feelings were transformed into hatred.
With all her strength, Tamaki glared fiercely at the creatures before her.

　…And Tamaki vaguely felt the blackest hatred she had ever felt in her life overflow.

　'Kukukuku, she looks quite pathetic, doesn't she? Don't you agree?”

　'…this situation is not very favorable.'

　As Tamaki displayed her pitiful state, the 'Mayoiga' inside the hibachi laughed heartily.
However, the other solitary calamity youkai displayed a different expression.
Instead, she observed Tamaki intently, her face showing a rather stern look.

　Tamaki's outburst and fury in the presence of a puppet she had no emotional connection with surprised her captors.
It seemed that this female monkey was more foolish than they thought.
The problem, in this case, was that her reckless bravery and arrogance were more terrifying.

　(I failed.
How can she get so enraged over a mere puppet? Dealing with monkeys like her is troublesome.)

　There is nothing more dangerous than a bomb that could explode at any moment.
If the curse within Hotoya Tamaki awakened and her powers went berserk, it would be quite troublesome.
Capturing her alive would likely be difficult.
Therefore, it would be better to sever her consciousness.

　'It's easy to kill her, but…'

　”Y-you…!”

　From within Yuka's sleeve, an elongated claw—or rather, a sickle-like claw—approached Tamaki.
As fast as the wind, it came close to her throat.
With a single stab, a thin red line appeared.
The claw's tip almost reached her lips, and in Tamaki's eyes, the reflection of a creature disguised as a human appeared.

　'Please.
I've been told not to hurt you too much.
It's quite challenging to harvest consciousness when you're in one piece.'

　With a joking tone, Yuka teased, and immediately after, Tamaki's clothes were torn.
Specifically, her top's neckline.
It was supposed to be made of a material that the youkai's swords couldn't cut through.
But without any effort, it was ripped, exposing Tamaki's white, soft skin and even a hint of her cleavage.

　”Kyahhh!!?”

　Tamaki's embarrassed scream echoed in the air, and the nearby youkai drooled with desire.
However, with a single sweep of Yuka's scythe, they were instantly reduced to dust.
The other monsters backed away, still eyeing Tamaki with greed.

　'Such pathetic, insignificant trash.'

　Yuka glanced at them disdainfully, and with their free hand, they looked down at Tamaki, who was now covering her chest.
The oppressive aura she had sensed before had lessened.
It had faded away.
As expected…

　'Hahaha, you're crying out so adorably.
Perhaps you lack the resolve of an exorcist?'

　Mocking her, Yuka waved her hand once more.
This time, she cut off the strap of Tamaki's left shoulder.
Carefully, she didn't cause any wounds on her delicate skin.
Not out of kindness, but to avoid turning the pain into hatred.

　”No, nooo…!!?”

　With her underwear slipping and forced into an awkward hunch to cover herself, Tamaki couldn't help but look ridiculous.
Yuka laughed even more at her comical appearance.
Upon Yuka's command, the surrounding youkai joined in, barking and growling, creating a chorus of mockery.

　”Ugh, uguuuguuuguuu…!!?”

　Tamaki's heart was in chaos, torn between anger, embarrassment, and sadness at the reactions of those around her.
Her heart's 'darkness' had nowhere to go and dissipated, but she couldn't throw away everything and become reckless.
Instead, it simply disintegrated…

　(Yes, that's it.
Hate, resent, and direct your hostility.
Tremble in fear and terror.
Retreat into your shell.)

　Observing Tamaki in such a state, Yuka chuckled with satisfaction that her plan had worked.
Now, one more push, and she focused her attention on something nearby.
The presence that had been quietly sulking beside her.

　'That's right.
You should sneer at her too.
Laugh at this idiotic girl who fell for our act! After all, you have the blood of a lion youkai, right? So come on, let's have a hearty laugh together…
huh?'

　To further humiliate Tamaki, Yuka asked her to laugh heartily, but then she finally noticed something.
The lioness woman had turned her gaze away, as if she had sensed something.

　'…'

　In an instant, the beastly youkai's sixth sense rang an alarm once again.
As intensely as before, or perhaps even more so.
Without thinking, she followed Shishimai's line of sight and turned around.

　And there he was.
The man or the servant.
With a twist, the fallen man's head lifted, glaring at them with clear hostility.

　'Hey, this can't be true, right?'

　They hadn't noticed.
They had let their guard down.
They had focused too much on the young girl.
Or perhaps they had underestimated the man's “heart” too much.

　…Whatever the reason, there was only one thing they could say: they realized it too late.

　'What are you doing?!! Hurry up and…!!'

　Yuka's scream was instantly drowned out by a roar that filled the space, followed by a pale purifying flame engulfing everything…