Mob Yandere
Chapter 167-3

[Part 3/4]

"And, what a perfect timing. Were you waiting for this?"

'As if!'

I shouted at the strange blob that popped out of my chest.

Using the core I got, I woke up my inner power, turning it into a roaring lion made of lightning, and called out to its copy.

...Alright, let's finish this case once and for all, shall we?

* * *

"It's difficult to resurrect lost lives. At least, I don't know any actual examples."

Matsushige Botan said calmly, wiping saliva and blood from her mouth with her sleeve.

"Unfortunately, the path to understanding the essence of the soul is still challenging. Even if one is well-versed in forbidden techniques and knowledge."

Anyone claiming to bring back the dead is undoubtedly a fraud. If it were so easy to resurrect, no one would struggle. If skilled exorcists from history were constantly revived from the afterlife, the human realm would expand rapidly. Forbidden territories would be eradicated from the world.

"Of course, in a fundamental sense, in a strictly literal sense, that's true. If you broaden the interpretation, there's nothing that can't be somewhat similar."

Take Nue's secret techniques, for instance. You can't bring back the dead. But what if you could save and keep their soul before they die?

The body might die, but with enough money, time, and skill, you could save and preserve the soul. To put it simply, if you grow a piece of flesh, you could make a new living being that's exactly the same. Botan felt uneasy remembering her research days with her old mentor.

"Cough... To put it more simply, the concept of identity is closely related to resurrection techniques. The techniques used by gods for succession fall into a similar category."

However, tampering with identity harms and weakens the soul, and it's not something people can easily do repeatedly. Succession is no different. It's a big change, almost like destroying yourself and rebuilding from scratch, like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. Even if the memories and body are the same, they're just copies. It's hard to call it real resurrection.

"So it's all the same. Just imitations. They might even be imitations of imitations, degraded into inferior products."

As you're fading away, there's a fake version of you, made to seem like you with your memories and personality. Now, with the right core, it's hard to say how much you can really count on...

"Well, I won't complain. After all, someone from the human has been working as a pawn for youkai. It's only natural for them to make up for it, even if it's just an imitation. So, I'm counting on you, Shishimai Asami-san?"

She tossed out her poisonous words atop the mountain where the youkai scattered for escape, leaving behind a fox spraying blood from its rear.

Still twitching, she tossed aside the severed fox tail...

"No, I'd prefer if you didn't treat people like toys!!"

The female lion shouted, her target unclear as she dashed forward, shouting,

'"Tch!?"'

The Peach Fox's possession straightened her posture and unleashed a spell: Kitsune-bi, a basic fire technique often wielded by youkai foxes. Suddenly, the empty space ignited into blazing fireballs, aimed at Shishimai Asami.

She braced herself without guarding. As she caught them, her flesh burst.

Burst... and then, it was replenished.

'"Huh!? Ah, so it's that kind of setup!"'

The possessed fox immediately grasped Shishimai's body mechanism.

Her body now was just a bunch of things added onto it, like a costume. The real thing was the core, which I'd found before in the 'Mayoiga', a strange substance from space. Matsuhige's granddaughter had saved everything except the core.

Wrapped in a viscous substance disguised as a nucleus recording memories and traits, that's the true form of the current Thunder Lioness girl. Could she do it? I wanted to say no, but apparently, she could. It seems the original was already based on a copy, so it served as a good reference. This is the 3Rs of the Head Exorcists: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle...'(^v^) Earth Fusion of Love' No, it's more like Myaku-myaku-sama (official mascot character of the 2025 Osaka/Kansai Expo) than Morizo (official mascot character of the EXPO 2005 Aichi, Japan), isn't it?

Even if her arms were severed, her legs torn apart, or her head blown off, it was nothing for her current body constructed of viscous substance and core. It was all just exterior, decoration. Regrowing was easy. ...Yeah, it's more like Myaku-myaku-sama, isn't it?

'And then...!!'

'"Huh!? Not tasty..."'

Seeing Shishimai charging in with her body riddled with holes, the fox had a bad feeling. Swiftly retreating, her judgment was correct. But she moved too slowly.

'Eat this!!!!'

She yelled out like a roar, and then the thunder lion unleashed a discharge. It was like releasing a high-voltage current generated within the body into the surroundings. Flashes spread out like branches of a giant tree, scattering countless beams of light. One of them struck the possessed fox.

"'Gyaaah!!?'"

A scream of agony rang out. It's painful to have electricity running through your body. The screams overlapped, and the girl collapsed, her knees giving out in spasms. She was temporarily paralyzed, unable to move.

This meant that the option of holding her body hostage was also lost.

'Gotcha!!'

"(；・`д´・) Do it, Basaka!!"

The thunder lion approached with claws raised like mortar shells, while the surrounding Tengu also closed in with weapons. The fox made a quick decision.

"Farewell, goodbye~♡"

Illusion magic activated. Every kind of illusion overflowed like a muddy stream, not only affecting sight but also messing with hearing, touch, and even the sense of distance. What was the aim of this avalanche of information...!?

"No! Don't interfere!!"

'(>ω

I didn't have time to worry about Hina rushing over. With a desperate expression, I shouted words of warning.

'Huh!? Is that what's going on!!'

The fox's plan was clear right away. Shishimai and the Tengu quickly stepped back, aware of what the fox might pull off.

In a brief moment of trickery, when the mist disappeared, only one girl remained, kneeling and looking dazed, like she might have passed out. The fox was nowhere to be seen.

It was a clever trap, fox-like in its cunning. If they had fallen for the illusion and attacked, the girl left behind would have been lifeless. The fox would have escaped, laughing.

'Don't let her escape! Chase after her! Find her!!'

One of the Tengu leaders shouted angrily, and Tengu scattered in all directions. I looked at Hina, who was helping me even though I was covered with a vomit. Then, she asked,

"Are you okay?"

"Unfortunately... I... pushed myself too hard... My body won't move for a while."

'(;v;) My turn ends here!!?'

It was because of Kakitsugi's girl's special power that I was forced to move my body like this, so it's no surprise. Anyway, the annoying spider retreats back into its cage... It'll probably come out again.

"Um... well, I was just inside the belly of a snake until a moment ago, so maybe you shouldn't get too close?"

Actually, it smelled awful, and even her expensive clothes, supporting me, were dirty... Do I need to compensate her?

"Don't worry about that. Take care of your own body... What do you need?"

As Shishimai rushes over to the kneeling Inaba-hime and glances at the Tengu lurking around, Hina asks so, and I answer.

"Do you need anything to settle the score... Princess, do you have any instructions?" Sᴇaʀᴄh the Nʘvᴇl(F)ire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Rather than that, it's not good to move on your own without it. It would be a big problem if the Middle Counselor were to die. But with some decree issued, there's no need to worry about the Middle Counselor's life. That's how you should think.

"A mission to suppress the Tengu village has been issued on the grounds of rebellion. I'm on reconnaissance for that."

"Rebellion..."

It was within the expected scope. I look around. And I find Kaede coming this way, supported by her comrades. I call out to her.

"Kaede. Can you explain what's been happening up until now?"

"Huh... Me, you want me to do it?"

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