【Before Battles】
Girl: My dad’s room is at the end of the hallway. Please come with me...
The closer they got, the intenser the rotten smell and the crawling sound were, making them itchy all over the body. Kushinada’s palm started sweating nervously——
Kushinada: W-Why are y-you holding my hand!
Susanoo: Don’t be scared. I’m here.
When their fingers locked together, Susanoo’s warmth encouraged Kushinada. Although the unknown enemy was lying behind the door, she felt no fear at all.
Pushing the door open, Kushinada saw a man lying at the center of the room, who appeared to be the girl’s father.
As they stepped forward to look closer, the man was panting in agony. When Susanoo pulled off the blanket, he saw a lot of black marks on his body, as if bugs were eating him alive.
Susanoo: This isn’t good...Did he receive anything like a gift or something?
Girl: Yes...A man gave my dad a luxurious box last week, but the man said that the box must not be opened.
The girl took out a black silky box tied by a golden string. Taking the box over, Susanoo held it close to his ear, which sounded like something was moving inside.
Susanoo: “Just as I expected, a poisonous magic.”
Susanoo untied the string and opened the box carefully...A foot-long black centipede was crawling inside!
Just when Susanoo was trying to grab the centipede, it slipped away one step faster and crawled into the man’s mouth! Next second, the man opened his eyes and stood up——
【After Battles】
The girl went over as she saw her father in pain, but he lifted her off the ground by grabbing her neck!
At this moment, Kushinada created multiple light spheres with fulus, blinding the man to let go.
Girl: Dad!
Girl’s Father: Baby...I’m sorry...I...don’t wanna hurt you...Run...
Girl: No, I ain’t going anywhere! I’ll stay with you no matter what you’ll become!
Kushinada, who seized this chance, stuck a few fulus on the man and poured the spiritual energy into him.
Next second, the man vomited an extensive amount of bugs, and the blood-stained black centipede eventually.
Susanoo killed it with his sword, which vanished into black smoke. The moment when the centipede was gone, the rotten smell spreading in the air disappeared too.
Although the man fainted, the black marks on his body were recovered.
Girl: Thank you very much! My dad wouldn’t survive this without you two...
Kushinada: The poison in him hasn’t completely gone yet. He must be cleansed by fulus.
Girl: This...Please help my father! I...I will pay you!
Kushinada: Relax. I’ll help, but this guy won’t stay behind. He got his own business to deal with.
Susanoo: ...What?
Kushinada: Haven’t you been missing your family? Stop hiding it!
Susanoo: “Right...I can’t escape anymore. I need to save Tsukuyomi just like how the girl saved her father! I need to protect my own family!”
Susanoo: “But...I promised Kushinada to find the fortune youkai together and protect her…”
Kushinada smacked his cheeks as if she had read his hesitation.
Kushinada: I’ll be here waiting for you. So, get your butt on the road! Don’t you come back without reconciling with your family!
Susanoo: “Haha. This woman knows me too well. Looks like I won’t be able to get rid of her for the rest of my life.”
Susanoo: Alright. I’ll be back very soon.