When Granny Shiori appeared in the shrine holding a wooden spear, the clear, brilliant starry sky above the Royal Capital began to darken beneath thick clouds, with faint thunder rumbling within them.
Just as the man reached for Akishinomiya Yuri, a powerful sense of danger suddenly surged through him. Following his instincts, he rolled aside without hesitation.
But he was clearly too late.
When a hunter had waited patiently and silently for prey that was practically within reach, the attack launched was bound to be deadly and difficult to evade.
Splat!
"Ugh! Aaaaahhh!!"
As the wooden spear came down, a shrill scream instantly rang through the area.
Bright red blood sprayed wildly from the gaps in his severed arms, as spectacular as a fountain statue.
Two mangled arms fell onto the ground nearby with two thuds, telling of the man's agony.
The man in black nightwear embroidered with golden trim lay sprawled on the ground, howling in pain. Blood flowing from his severed arms dyed the ground crimson.
Upon hearing that miserable scream, Niao and Kakashi, who had been facing each other in the distance, both turned their attention in this direction.
The first thing they saw was a wooden monster standing eight or nine meters tall, its back covered in protruding wooden spikes and its eyes glowing with sinister red light.
Kakashi's pupils contracted instantly as he said bitterly,
"What is that thing?"
Unfortunately, no one was there to answer his question.
Seeing the armless man still howling, Niao immediately abandoned Kakashi and rushed toward him.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three wooden spears tore through the air and forced him back viciously.
Then the wooden spikes on the back of the eight- or nine-meter-tall monster wriggled and transformed into elongated wooden arms. They carefully picked up Akishinomiya Yuri, who was