Chapter 61: Chokehold Technique: Python's Trap!
"It's that, that thing—!"
Niguredou Yuria was still pointing at the several tiny old man ghosts, yelling.
Miko lightly glanced at the giant evil spirit above the tiny old men, her heart trembling non-stop...
On the square, terrifying large face were sparse human hairs; around the head-sized eye were several palm-sized eyes; below the neck was a normal-sized body, but it was bizarrely twisted into a spiral rope; the body was covered with countless human-like limbs, gently swaying in the air.
"Eh? Can see..."
It was moving its gaze along with Niguredou Yuria's shouts, uttering hoarse sounds haltingly.
Miko's eyes widened, her hands tightly gripping her cuffs, her legs still pressed firmly together, her body unconsciously starting to sweat...
This, this girl can clearly see things like the tiny old men, but conversely, she can't see this big one...?
'It's okay, I still have the prayer beads, the talismans.'
Yotsuya Miko looked nervously at the evil spirit standing up using several pairs of human hands and feet, telling herself to calm down quickly.
"Don't tell me you can't see..."
Niguredou Yuria showed her wrist, where, like Miko, a string of prayer beads was wrapped.
"Aaaah—so you mean... co-cockroaches?"
'Wuwuwu~ Yuria-chan, please, please stop talking, that evil spirit has already brought its face close...'
Yotsuya Miko clenched her cuffs tighter.
Looking at the still-pretending Miko, Niguredou Yuria shouted anxiously, "Don't underestimate me, let me show you what I can do..."
She extended the palm wearing the prayer beads towards the direction of the tiny old men...
Snap!
Before the two could react, under the influence of the evil spirit that was continuously solidifying in their perception, the string of prayer beads disintegrated, scattering everywhere in the building...
"How, how could this be? My... prayer beads."
Niguredou Yuria froze, looking in disbelief at the scattered beads all over the floor.
And this action had completely startled the evil spirit.
"So~~~ itchy! Can——see!"
The few scattered teeth in the evil spirit's mouth constantly clashed, letting out bursts of roars.
'I'm sorry Yuria...'
Miko walked behind Niguredou, extending her arm...
Niguredou looked at her empty wrist; losing the protection of the prayer beads made her inevitably panic:
"What on earth is— Mmph—!!!"
Niguredou's expression changed, her eyes instantly darting down to the arm at her chin...
Miko's mouth was also trembling non-stop: "Try, trying to make up stories to trick people again... bad, bad children must be punished like this..."
Her arm passed under Niguredou's chin, the other arm tightly locking the arm that passed through, firmly strangling Niguredou's neck.
Niguredou's face consequently became round and swollen...
Chokehold Technique: Python's Trap!
'I'm sorry Yuria, this is the only way I have right now!'
Not daring to use the prayer beads, Miko, with tears hanging in her eyes, looked at the evil spirit that was slowly becoming confused and bewildered, increasing the force in her hands.
"Mmph—"
Niguredou Yuria let out a difficult whimper, her consciousness gradually fading away with Miko's chokehold...
Is, is this how exorcists fight?
So... so powerful.
I... I... I met a... a... proper, powerful... exorcist today...
"Ugh..."
The last bit of consciousness faded away in her mind.
Niguredou's hands, which were grabbing Miko's arm, slowly drooped down, losing resistance.
"Huff, huff..."
Miko gasped for a few breaths, her head drooping powerlessly, her glossy black hair falling down with gravity.
She looked at Yuria.
'No, we can't stay here, that evil spirit is still watching... I must take her out...'
Gathering some strength, Miko silently put her hands under Yuria's armpits, dragged her up, and step by step, left the cursed building...
The square-faced evil spirit, looking bewildered and scratching its hair, watched Miko's retreating figure, saying stunned, "Can't, can't see?"
Step by step, she dragged Yuria out of the cursed building, all the way to the main entrance...
Seeing no evil spirits following, Miko finally let out a sigh of relief.
Thump.
Miko powerlessly knelt on the ground, her hands supporting her on the dust-covered floor, letting her skin touch the ground.
She had... no strength left.
She really didn't have the courage and confidence to use exorcism tools against that giant evil spirit;
So, she could only do this;
Her underwear was already damp from sweat, clinging tightly to her body, so uncomfortable;
'I really want to go home...'
Miko lowered her head, utterly exhausted.
...
The midday sun was very warm, very gentle.
Sitting collapsed in front of the cursed building, the finally recovered Miko slowly got up.
She still had to take Niguredou Yuria to Hana-chan to be looked after.
Miko stood in front of Niguredou...
"Hey!"
There was a pat on her shoulder.
"Ah!"
Miko, startled by the sudden attack on her shoulder, jumped straight to the wall, hugging her knees, squatting in the corner trembling...
"...Huh?"
Luke scratched the arm he had just used to pat the girl's shoulder, looking at her with confusion.
Why such a big reaction from just a pat?
It was clearly her who sent a message suddenly changing the location, asking him to come over.
"Tea... Teacher, do, don't scare me like that..."
Realizing it wasn't a ghost, the trembling Miko turned her head, her eyes constantly twitching, looking at him tearfully, her mouth trembling as she spoke.
Seeing Miko's eyes and mouth trembling into a T﹏T shape, and the tears continuously gathering on her face, although he didn't know what happened, he still apologized to the pitiful girl.
"...Sorry."
Miko clutched her wildly beating heart, taking several deep breaths.
"Please, please wait a moment."
Slowly supporting herself against the wall to stand up, looking at her dirtied clothes, Miko extended her palm to gently pat her light blue-green top, and the black short skirt on her lower body...
And the thighs revealed below the short skirt, above the knees, she didn't forget to clean either.
Gently lifting a corner of the skirt, she carefully brushed off the dust from her legs, cautiously patting the thigh area, ensuring there was no tiny bit of dirt.
'Doesn't look like there's much dust, her thighs are quite white...'
'It's just that she must have been really scared...'
Luke thought to himself, watching Miko who, without hesitation, revealed her fair and striking skin.
Only when she finished tidying up did he ask, "What happened?"
Meanwhile, he cast a puzzled glance at the elementary schooler sprawled on the ground—her hair streaked yellow and pink—as she snored away.
"Teacher, let me deliver her to my friend first, then I'll come back and explain everything, okay..."
Miko's voice was heavy with fatigue.
She didn't reply immediately, instead watching Niguredou Yuria with deep concern.
Miko wasn't sure whether someone who'd been choked unconscious by a martial‐arts hold needed medical attention, but seeing the little girl sleeping so soundly—so blissfully content—she guessed Yuria must be all right.
...Still, she couldn't just leave her here.
"Sure. I'll take her," Luke said without hesitation—he had nothing pressing today—and he scooped the child up, pinching her between his arm and waist.
"...Teacher, isn't this a bit—"
Miko murmured, eyes flicking down to Yuria, limp as a rag doll.
"It's all right."
Luke flipped her over into a proper bridal carry and tucked her in his arms.
Miko glanced at the message Hana had sent on her phone, then led the way into a dessert café by the roadside.
"Hana‐chan," Miko called softly.
"Mmmph mmph~" Hana's mouth was full of sweets, her greeting muffled and adorable.
Luke's gaze stayed locked on her—not because of her charming figure, but because of the overwhelming life energy radiating from her.
It pulsed like the sun, bright and uncontainable...
...