My knees buckled as I grew colder, cold from fear that was spreading from deep within me.
Carefully, on tiptoe, hoping I would surprise the cursed spirit and not the other way around, I moved toward the shop the butterfly had flown into.
Instantly, a loud bang followed by deafening crashing porcelain echoed through the abandoned building, causing a sharp scream to escape me, and I flinched violently.
"A-ah-," I quickly slapped my hand over my mouth to silence myself, as Mio stood protectively in front of me.
"W-who a-are you-u, v-visiting m-me?!," came a mechanical-sounding, stuttering voice.
It went through my bones.
I pressed my lips tightly together.
Footsteps immediately followed, slowly approaching me.
Everything inside me screamed to turn around, as long as it was still possible, and run the hell out of there. But my shock paralyzed me, keeping me firmly trapped in its grip, and I didn't move a single inch. On the contrary, it was almost as if I wanted to see what was coming.
"D-did you-u c-come t-to v-visit me?," the cursed spirit asked again in its broken voice, suddenly appearing in the doorframe, emotionlessly staring at me.
I almost burst into tears!The Ring. The Grudge – those two films flashed through my mind at the sight of my opponent. The pale, white face covered by pitch-black long hair, under which far too large button eyes peeked out.
Mio growled threateningly, bared his teeth, and would have charged at the cursed spirit without hesitation if it hadn't suddenly collapsed to the floor.
Its uniform-like clothing tore open as it fell. In the next moment, the cursed spirit moved at a breakneck speed, crawling on all fours with grotesque contortions toward me.
Holy shit!!
Having just panicked, I finally managed to break free from my confusion and was about to run backward. As fate would have it, I stupidly tripped over my still-rooted feet and fell flat on my back. But I didn't realize that this had been a curse technique from my opponent, which held me fast by the feet.
"V-visit!" the monster croaked, swinging a blow at Mio.
The Shikigami skillfully dodged and countered immediately. I saw him sink his teeth into the cursed spirit's shoulder with strength, leaving a gaping wound.
But the cursed spirit wouldn't allow that a second time. At the last moment, it swung a counterattack at Mio and slammed its large hand down, its long nails digging into the fur. My companion immediately dissolved into the shadows.
Now or never!
While I fumbled for my weapon that had fallen from my hand when I tripped, I didn't take my eyes off the cursed spirit for a second. It was the same for him, who lustfully and bloodthirstily scrutinized me.
"V-visit," he muttered oddly again, crawling toward me with the same terrifying speed, his icy hands gripping my ankles.
Where the hell was that damned scythe?!
With shaking hands, I desperately searched for my defense while the cursed spirit continued to loom threateningly over me.
"Ugh! Will you get off me, you damn leek parade!" I complained in disgust, pushing my knee against his slippery and cold body.
At least that gave me a tiny advantage in distance, and I finally felt the metal – but at the same moment, a sharp pain shot through my right leg!
I gasped hastily and looked down at myself. The bastard had dragged his claw from my thigh to my ankle! Immediately, my hot life essence began to leak from the huge wound and ran down my leg.
Shit!
I had to hurry!
With a swift motion, I swung the scythe blade and quickly severed the torso from the middle of its ribs.
"V-visi-," he tried to whisper his last words, but they faltered as the severed halves of his body slid to the ground, his black button eyes lifelessly staring at me.
"Gross," I whispered, bracing myself on my elbows and glancing down at my throbbing leg.
It hurt just as much as it looked. Deep and bleeding heavily.
"My former boss would rush in with needle and thread," I assessed the situation, crumpled, "that bastard. I saw it coming…"
My heart was still racing, and I was still trembling all over. I carelessly let the scythe fall beside me and tried like hell to process the scene I'd just experienced.
I... I had just killed a cursed spirit!
The very one that dissolved beside me – and dropped something to the floor.