Mob Yandere
Chapter 167-2

[Part 2/4]

"Even so, we need at least some mementos. It's not just for them, but for their families too."

"True."

Nodding in agreement, but everyone had grim expressions. The new head of the household had just died, and they heard his daughter had been kidnapped. There was little hope for her survival, and even if she did survive, her safety and purity couldn't be guaranteed. With the exorcist family already in decline, this situation was beyond dire. The remaining servants were silent with pale faces.

As the foremost martial family, they couldn't help but sympathize with her. Still, tightening their lips with solemn expressions, they resumed their duties. They resolved to at least find some memento of the daughter during the extermination mission.

"Where should we start?"

"There are traces of a carriage passing by, and discarded weapons nearby. No doubt, this is where the attack occurred."

They pinpointed the location based on the traces left in the mountain forest. The armored samurais searched diligently for the target's remains. Searching and searching, until...

"What!? Is this...!?"

One of the samurais searching in the bushes cried out, clearly shaken.

"What's wrong!?"

"Did you find something!?"

The rough-looking samurais, shouting in a southern accent, rushed over one after another. The person who found it stood there speechless. He just slowly pointed with a pale face towards something deep in the bushes.

"What in the world...!?"

"T-This is...!?"

Including Ukon, the samurais froze as they saw it. They exchanged glances, nodded, recognized what they saw, and reached a conclusion.

"...Someone needs to go back to camp right away. And we need to prepare for an investigation."

The stern expression on their faces was typical of samurais who had fiercely battled youkai in the southern lands.

"It seems they may have infiltrated among us... It could become troublesome."

Everyone agreed with Ukon's murmurs, representing their collective thoughts.

Ahead of them lay something discarded: a "skin." Yes, it was a human skin, eaten away from the inside and left empty. It was the mask of an exorcist, abandoned as useless.

It was the new head of the Kakitsugi clan's skin...

* * *

Their thoughts were consumed by thoughts of divine retribution, causing a delayed reaction as all their focus was on it.

'Ahaha~♡'

A strangely sweet, cute voice, but even more cunning and cheeky, one that grated on the nerves, echoed.

Amidst the overlapping voices, a shadow kicked Kaede.

"Gaha!!?"

"Kaede!!?——'"Gotcha~♡"'——Gghh!!?"

Calling out the name of my blown-away comrade was all I could manage. It was simply a matter of physical stamina, but it was more than that. Control of my body was immediately handed over to someone else.

'"Being careless is a big no-no~♡, you know? You're like a male monkey♡"'

Shadows of fox ears and tails move forward. She captures me from behind, wrap her arms around my neck, and whisper sweet insults in my ear.

It's not Kakitsugi Inaba. No, it's the ones who puppeteer that body, mocking fox spirits who possess it.

"Oh, you...!!?"

'"Hey, isn't that bad? You can't let your guard down even for a moment in the exorcism business, you know?"'

Suddenly, she's here, and unlike the expressionless her I've seen so far, her joy is exposed in a way I couldn't have imagined. It's not so much her own doing but something lurking inside her that's forcing her actions.

'"I'm Ruri Kouka, second in command of the Youkai Salvation Organization's Fox Confusion Division. Nice to meet you, okay?"'

A whispered introduction in my ear. That didn't matter. The problem is...

"Don't move anyone!!"

A shout directed at the Tengu, including Kaede, and at Hina, who was about to draw her sword. Everyone around freezes in response.

'"Isn't that right? Don't make any strange moves, okay? Otherwise, who knows what'll happen to both of them~♡"'

"Huh!? So, it's the 'Fox Possession' after all!"

It's one of the many abilities fox-type youkai possess. They possess humans, read and manipulate memories, and skillfully impersonate them beyond recognition.

A malicious power that combines the strengths of both the living and the dead...!!

'"You got it! It's not a big deal in terms of ability, but it's better than directly wearing someone's skin, right?~♡ Pulling out organs and wearing their flesh is gross, isn't it?~♡ How can that yellow-senpai do such things... It's really creepy, isn't it?~♡"'

Giggling energetically, the fox laughs in the body of a lively girl. Despite my irritation at the sight, I ask a question.

"When did this start? When did you start possessing her?"

'"From the beginning~♡ Would you believe that~?"'

The response was seductive and filled with derision.

"You...!!"

Hina stares intensely at the fox with a stern expression. The fierce aura she exudes makes not only the fox possesing the girl, but even me, shudder in fear. Though the hostility isn't directed towards me directly, it feels as though a sharp blade is being held against my throat. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ Nʘvᴇl(F)ire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

'"Wow~ So scary~♡ I might wet myself~♡ Not that it's my body, though!!"'

Whether alone or with others, the fox possessing her adds comedic tsukkomi. Despite the joking, her ears, nose, and rainbow-colored gaze remain alert, not relaxing for a moment.

(She's not letting her guard down, not even a hint of arrogance from the fox!!)

Contrary to her demeanor, or perhaps it's an act, it wasn't easy to expose the fox's vulnerability.

"What do you want?"

There must be some motive for her to show up now, especially after the giant snake's died. What could it be in this situation...?

"'Oh, isn't that obvious?~♡'"

"Huh!?"

Our body presses close, my cheek licked. I can't help but shiver involuntarily.

"'Oh? Please stay asleep for a while~♡ We'll meet the parent and child soon——'(:ﾟ皿ﾟ) Fox, I'm not scared!!'——Ouch, what was that!?"'

As the fox-possessed person strokes my chin, trying to hypnotize me and the others around, she's suddenly bitten by a white spider that escaped from its cage and climbed onto my body, causing her to scream in fear.

"Now..."

"'Don't move!!? I don't care about this spider's life!!'"

'(TvT) I am a captive princess!!'

Seeing me manipulate spiritual power, the fox-possessed person immediately warns me. She has the captured white spider in her grasp, unable to resist even as it bites her fingers.

"'Hehe. You were careless, huh~♡ Now your heart belongs to me, got it? ...And everyone else, don't move~♡ I might accidentally crush them, you know?"'

'(;v;) Don't fight for me, everyone!'

She is mocking me and warning the surrounding Tengu and Hina, trying to outsmart them. The tension is rising once more. No, it's getting even worse. Everyone likely felt the same.

...Except for me.

"Saving your trump card for last, right?"

"'Huh? Gaha...!?'"

The fox-possessed person tilted her head at my sudden mutter, then recoiled the next moment, having been hit by a shock all over her body. With the restraints released, I escaped from the fox's arms and tail. I snatched the spider away.'(ˆ▽ˆ) Papa great turn!'

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