Ch.226Riding with Taiga (4)

“Ugh!! You filthy demon!! Because of you!! Because of you, the doll industry’s sales have decreased!!”

I shouted as I struck the doll in front of me with a fire starter.

“What nonsense!! Seriously!!”

The doll shouted.

“I want to try too!!”

Taiga was always one to recognize a good time when he saw one.

Taiga grabbed a nearby branch and struck the doll.

Thwack-! Whack-! Thud-!!

That’s right!! Regularly beating up humans, demons, whatever—that’s the secret to mental health.

“Kyaaaah!!! Stop!! Stop it!! I’ll die at this rate!!”

The demon cried out in a sorrowful tone.

In the middle of the beating, Taiga made a comment.

“Shota. Let’s stop. This one’s not fighting back at all. It’s boring.”

Taiga said.

“Right?”

I agreed with that. Hitting a punching bag wasn’t any fun.

“Sniff….”

The doll sat down with tears in its eyes.

———

“I’m Ikutsuki Saeko!! I’m clearly human!!”

The doll shouted loudly.

“So you’re a doll that thinks it’s human…..damn. You must have been really impressed by the NieR Replicant series…..”

I muttered.

“What are you saying, you otaku….no, wait! That’s a game, right? Want to play it together?”

Taiga was about to express his usual hatred for otaku culture but immediately pivoted to setting up our next date. Taiga….you must really be hungry for my affection. I should pay more attention to Taiga. I made that resolution in my heart.

“While working as an exorcist….I was sealed inside this doll due to an unfortunate accident!!”

Saeko shouted. Ah, so that’s the concept?

“Anyway…..you two look young so I’ll warn you. Leave this mountain quickly. This mountain has been consumed by a terrifying evil spirit.”

Saeko said.

“You look the most like an evil spirit….”

Taiga said.

“Ah….I’ve heard those rumors lately. That ghosts appear here.”

I said.

“That’s true. Recently….someone removed the sealing stone of this mountain. As a result, the sealed evil spirit was released!!”

Saeko said.

“I….was trying to scare people away in this doll form to chase away hikers and paranormal spot enthusiasts….but eventually YouTubers started coming…..those view-obsessed bastards….”

Saeko tugged at her plastic fiber hair in frustration.

“So!! Where did that YouTuber go! If they wander around the mountain at this hour, they’ll be possessed by the evil spirit!!”

Saeko shouted urgently.

Hmm….she didn’t seem to be acting.

“How would I know? I came here on a date with this one. Now go away.”

I waved my hand dismissively.

I didn’t want any interruptions during my cozy date with Taiga.

“Normally I could sense presences….damn it. The spiritual energy is already everywhere. This is troublesome. I can’t sense human presences.”

Saeko clicked her tongue as she spoke.

“Presences?”

Presences, huh. Maybe I should try it. Thinking of it as part of my training, I focused my breathing. The important thing was to imagine expanding my consciousness.

As a result, I could sense presences.

“There’s one presence running quickly down the mountain. That must be the mountain caretaker.”

I muttered.

“And…there’s someone moving near that peak over there. Are they walking through the bushes? They’re moving slowly. That must be the civilian you’re looking for.”

It was actually funny that I could sense them.

“W-wait….how did you know that?”

Saeko’s mouth gaped open. The doll’s teeth were jagged. Don’t make the teeth so detailed. It’s creepy. Why would anyone make a doll like this? Normal kids are satisfied with teddy bears.

“I just could sense them?”

I shrugged.

“You….aren’t an ordinary human. And…the spiritual energy isn’t gathering around you!! That’s it!! Do you have mental strength strong enough to repel spiritual energy!!”

Saeko seemed to have reached some understanding.

“And….that red-haired one is quite strong too.”

Saeko muttered, looking at Taiga.

“I’ve been needing strong allies….could you help me? It’s about helping people!”

And suddenly the damn doll grabbed onto my pant leg and wouldn’t let go.

“No.”

I said flatly.

“I’m on a date with my princess right now, you know? I don’t want to be disturbed. You’re an exorcist, right? Handle it yourself.”

I said.

“Please!!! I’m only a Class 2 exorcist, so I have limitations!!”

Saeko cried with a tearful expression.

“What’s Class 2? Is that like a driver’s license?”

Taiga asked about that point.

“Ah….exorcists deal with what we call living spirits. They’re like guardian spirits. We use them to subdue ghosts and force them to pass on.”

Saeko explained.

So basically like Stands. Something similar to Psycho-Robo?

“Class 1 exorcists have to operate living spirits with manual transmission….Class 2 uses automatic transmission. But there are limitations to the living spirits that can be controlled with automatic.”

Saeko said.

“What are you, a car?!!!”

I immediately objected.

“Tch. You can’t even handle manual transmission? What a loser.”

Taiga looked at Saeko with contempt.

“I wanted to get Class 1 too!!! But I kept failing so I switched to Class 2!!”

Saeko shouted.

“Back home, I kept failing the exorcist exam so they started pressuring me…..”

Saeko said with a bitter expression.

“Okay. Got it. I understand. So you’re just incompetent.”

I said.

“In-incompetent…..”

Saeko seemed to choke on her breath.

“Besides….while fighting the evil spirit, I ended up with my body sealed in this doll. I can’t use my original powers.”

Saeko said.

“This isn’t just about this mountain!!! The evil spirit’s energy is like a plague!! It will try to extend its dominion over all of Emoshita!!”

Saeko suddenly raised the stakes to the fate of the entire city.

“She seems so desperate….let’s help her. We can deal with this quickly and then enjoy our date.”

Surprisingly, Taiga’s heart was moved.

“I guess so.”

She would probably keep pestering us if we stayed like this.

“Alright. What’s the plan?”

I said as I stood up.

“F-first….follow the presence!! Night is coming soon!!! It will awaken!!”

Saeko shouted.

“Okay. Then climb on.”

I said to Saeko.

“Yes!! Thank you!! I won’t forget this favor!!”

Saeko immediately climbed onto me. Never thought I’d be carrying a creepy doll at the age of 17.

“Taiga. You too.”

I said to Taiga.

“Huh? Is that okay?”

Taiga immediately brightened at the thought of being carried again.

“It’s faster that way.”

I said with a slight smile.

“Okay!! Babe!! Let’s go!”

Taiga climbed onto me. Taiga liked riding on things. Motorcycles of course, and even in bed, she preferred the top position. Taiga wrapped her thighs tightly around my waist as she climbed on.

“The ride might be rough!!”

Right after that, I leaped high.

Whoosh-!! Swoosh-!!!

Stepping on branches that could support my weight, I jumped high.

“W-what are you….are you really just an ordinary high school boy?”

Saeko asked in disbelief.

“Don’t ask for details!!”

While in mid-leap, I tried to sense presences again.

I pinpointed the location. I moved forward along the shortest route, stepping on trees.

“Ah!! Over there!!”

Saeko shouted loudly, pinching my ear.

“I see. There’s something there.”

There was a huge shrine. It was so dilapidated that it was hard to tell if it was a shrine or ruins.

To make matters worse, strange guardian statues were placed all around. The talismans plastered all over them gave off an ominous feeling.

“Here we are at the location in question!!!”

A YouTuber was looking around without showing any signs of fear.

“Ooh…this looks pretty suspicious, doesn’t it?”

She was busy filming. I had to respect her dedication. Truly.

At that moment, the mountain caretaker appeared.

“What are you doing there! Come out now!!! It’s dangerous!!”

The caretaker shouted.

“No. I told you I have permission.”

The YouTuber stopped filming and replied with an annoyed expression.

“This isn’t about permission!!”

The caretaker shouted in a frustrated tone.

“No way! I need to get something! Do you know how much the transportation cost me?!”

The YouTuber ignored him and tried to resume filming.

“………..”

The caretaker fell silent, then picked up a hand axe.

Huh? Suddenly?

Crack-!!!

The caretaker suddenly struck one of the guardian statues with his hand axe. The talisman-covered statue immediately became firewood and toppled over.

“What the….”

She seemed confused.

“You were lucky to be standing on a place with a seal. That’s why no ghost appeared.”

The caretaker said with a smile.

“Now the barrier is broken. Here’s the ghost you wanted to see. Hurry and film it live. People need to know.”

The caretaker said with a cold expression.

“What are you saying…..”

The YouTuber seemed unable to follow the conversation.

“I see….!! He was the culprit!! Recently, the statues sealing the ghost have been breaking one by one!! It was this caretaker’s doing!!”

Saeko shouted loudly. This doll sure talks a lot.

“Hohohohohoho…..!”

At that moment, an eerie sound echoed through the mountain mist.

“What is that sound…!!”

The YouTuber looked around with her camera. Even in this situation, she was still filming….incredible professional dedication.

But I noticed something was wrong.

“Damn!! Landing now!!!”

An extremely unpleasant killing intent was flowing everywhere.

Swoosh-!!

Breaking through the trees, a ghost appeared. Long limbs….a height of at least 3 meters…..a hollow face…..that’s it!

“Holy shit!! It’s a Hasshakusama!!!”

One of the most famous Japanese ghosts!! Or is it a she?

“G-ghost….!!!! This is perfect for views!!! Going for 1 million views!!”

The YouTuber immediately started livestreaming.

No!! What video at a time like this!! Run away!!!

“Hohohohoho…!!”

Whoosh-!!!

Despite its long limbs, it moved incredibly fast.

The Hasshakusama closed the distance to the YouTuber in an instant.

Swish-!!!

As the Hasshakusama swung its hand like a whip, the YouTuber’s head flew off. Blood sprayed everywhere.

“Holy shiiiit!! That’s disgusting!!”

Taiga immediately grimaced. Well, it’s understandable when someone’s head gets cut off right in front of you. But she seemed less surprised than I expected. She had become somewhat desensitized from experiencing so many unusual things.

Thud-!!

I landed on the ground.

“Tch. So you saw.”

The caretaker clicked his tongue.

“Why did you do that?!! Mr. Caretaker!!”

I shouted loudly.

“Hmph. There are circumstances you youngsters don’t understand.”

The caretaker tilted his head.

“Hohohohohoho….”

The Hasshakusama immediately blocked our path. Damn it…..!! What kind of situation is this!!!!