After madly attacking the barrier for a while... the five yokai seemed to realize that they wouldn't be able to break it anytime soon.
So they stopped and turned toward Yingcao in unspoken agreement.
"Poor little yokai, your companions are hiding inside that barrier, completely unconcerned about whether you live or die! It looks like you aren't important to them at all!" A Swamp Kappa held a strange weapon and looked at Yingcao with a sympathetic expression.
"After all, they're humans, while you're just a yokai... How could there possibly be any friendship between humans and yokai? Since you're with her, and we can't catch them for now, we'll whet our appetites with you first!"
As they spoke, the five yokai moved away from the barrier around Mei and Yōki, surrounding Yingcao instead.
"Th-that's not true! Lord Mei and Sister Yōki are Yingcao's best friends! I won't allow you to talk about them like that!" Hearing the five yokai's words, Yingcao, who had been very afraid, suddenly became less frightened and more angry.
She glared angrily at the Swamp Kappas and Old Rats before her...
"You're nothing but a little yokai, yet you dare speak to us in that tone? Get her! Kill her!"
"This little yokai looks so tender and delicate. She must taste even better than that cat yokai from before, hehehe..." Accompanied by Old Rat's sinister laughter, the three Old Rats were the first to rush at Yingcao.
"Y-you don't come any closer! Yingcao... Yingcao isn't afraid of you!"
Watching the vicious Old Rats charge toward her, Yingcao was still terrified, even if she was doing a little better than before. She hugged Tsukumo tightly, looking like a pitiful little girl.
But Yingcao's soft, feeble threat had no intimidating effect on the Old Rats. Instead, they stretched