Fireflies of the Dark Night

It was a night of the full moon. A large, pale blue moon faintly illuminated the snow-covered mountains of the northern country, shrouded in dense forests.

"..."

Several shadows emerged within the thick, overgrown forest. Figures clad in meticulously scent-masked black attire, their faces concealed, stood silently.

Among them was me.

"..."

We communicated through hand signals, sharing information. And then... the black shadows scattered all at once. They dashed through the darkness of the night.

Yes, we were like black shadows racing through the forest. No words were spoken. In complete silence, without making a sound, using a special breathing technique to avoid heavy breaths, we advanced at a speed akin to that of top athletes, charging through the unpaved animal trails.

"...!!"

The comrade at the front noticed something and signaled with his hands. Simultaneously, we halted our sprint and each of us hid behind cover. From the shadows of the trees, we peered at the enormous figure.

"..."

Hidden behind the shadow of a large tree, I slowly gazed at it. At the same time, I held my breath.

A massive, jet-black shadow was illuminated by the moonlight, revealing its form clearly. Its total length... might have been around ten meters. It was a gigantic wolf, covered in silver-white fur, letting out a low growl.

...It was clear that this was no ordinary creature of the natural world. No matter how you looked at it, a wolf couldn't grow to such an enormous size under normal circumstances. No, such logic didn't matter. Without even needing to think about it, I—no, we—knew at a glance that this thing was not of this world.

We could see it. The dark, ominous aura emanating from its body. Was it what those outsiders called "youki"? The sinister, nauseating energy it radiated meant that this monster before us was no mere beast but an existence that defied the natural order of this world... a yōkai. And...

(Damn it!! This isn't what the intel said...!! This isn't a mid-level yōkai... it's a high-level one!!)

I suppressed the urge to click my tongue in frustration at the sloppy work of the intelligence team. If I made even the slightest sound, the creature would undoubtedly detect our presence and attack. The distance between us and the target was about thirty meters... but for a high-level yōkai, that distance was nothing. Their senses far surpassed those of humans—no, even wild beasts.

"..."

Instinctively, I touched the amulet hanging around my neck. It had been forced upon me by that gorilla-like princess who only knew brute strength. Since I had accepted it, I had no choice but to wear it. I had checked beforehand to ensure it had no curse-like effects... but damn, maybe I would've been better off with an amulet that actually had some power.

(Bad luck... or maybe I was set up...?)

That possibility wasn't out of the question. Given the actions of that despicable family in the original story, it wouldn't be surprising. Even the protagonist, who came from a prestigious family, was treated poorly. So for someone of low status like me, this much...

(If that's the case, I've really done my comrades a disservice.)

It wasn't like there was any particular camaraderie among us lower-ranked operatives. As the original story showed, we were "trained" to suppress our emotions, to fight coldly and mechanically like machines. Even without being set up, the attrition rate was high, so I didn't know many of my comrades well. In fact, out of those I did know, only one in three was still alive.

...Still, the fact remained that they were caught up in this because of me.

"Tch..."

The leader of the front-line team signaled new instructions with his hands. Following them, we each drew our weapons. Swords, bows, spears... all coated with charcoal to prevent reflection of the moonlight and treated with herbs to mask the scent of metal and blood. On top of that, they were laced with poison—a tasteless, odorless, and highly lethal one.

All of this was preparation for dealing with the monster before us. Against a mid-level yōkai, this would have been enough to get by... but this was our first time facing a high-level one. Whether this would work or not, we had no choice but to try. By the way, the weapon I held was a spear.

The other teams should have already surrounded the monster. With five operatives per team and four teams in total, this would have been sufficient against a mid-level yōkai... or at least enough to avoid annihilation under normal circumstances. But...

Gwooooooohhh...!!! 

"Huh...?"

Before I could even process the sudden roar, a tremendous shockwave hit us. I felt a dull pain in my head, as if struck by a blunt object, and my vision spun as my consciousness began to fade.

"Ugh... damn it! I can't pass out here...!!"

I forced my fading consciousness to awaken and struggled to regain control of my tumbling body. I knew all too well that losing consciousness here would mean certain death.

"Ouch... damn it, just one hit and it's this bad...!!?"

As I stood up, I was struck by the gruesome scene around me. Everyone else in my team was dead. And not just dead—their bodies were mangled, barely retaining human form. It was likely the result of a single strike from the giant wolf's tail. The sheer force of the blow had sent us flying, along with the trees and rocks we had been hiding behind.

Those directly hit by the tail had their upper bodies torn apart, while those who avoided the direct impact were shredded by the shattered rocks and wood fragments flying at high speed. It was a miracle I was still alive. It seemed I had only been blown away by the wind. Well, that gust had slammed me into the ground and dislocated my left shoulder, but still.

"Ugh... the ambush failed, huh...!!"

I let go of my spear and desperately retreated while the remaining three teams of lower-ranked operatives fought the monstrous wolf. Let me be clear—this wasn't desertion in the face of the enemy. A lone operative with a dislocated shoulder and a decimated team would only be a hindrance if I charged in.

From the shadow of a distant tree, I observed the battle. Nearly half of the surviving operatives had already been lost. Arrows and sword strikes were stopped by fur as hard as steel, and spiritual or yin-yang techniques were quickly neutralized by the overwhelming demonic energy. Literally, there was no way to fight back. The lower-ranked operatives, though extraordinary by human standards, were utterly outmatched by the monster's sheer, unreasonable violence. One by one, they were cut down. Yet, they didn't flee. No, they couldn't flee. There was no escape for them. They had no other choice.

"Damn it... damn it, damn it, damn it!!"

I slammed my left shoulder against the tree trunk. With a sickening crack, I forced my shoulder back into place, crouching in pain before quickly standing up again. There was no escape, after all. I couldn't afford to wallow in pain and wait for time to pass. Wasting time would only mean more allies falling and my chances of survival dwindling.

"Ugh... I'll do it... yeah, I'll do it. You damn piece of trash..."

As I stood up, I couldn't bring myself to finish my sentence. Because right before me sat despair.

Grrrrrr...!! 

The massive wolf growled, its crimson eyes glaring down at me. Clenched in its jaws was one of my comrades, drenched in blood, his right arm bent in an unnatural direction. His mask was half-shattered, and he gasped for breath, blood spilling from his mouth. Who was it? I think it was Yahiro from the Kawachi team.

"Ah... gah... Banba? P-please... help... me..."

Yahiro's eyes met mine as he pleaded. But it was futile. Not because I had no intention of saving him, but because there was no time to save him.

Gwooo!! 

"Ah..."

In the next moment, the high-level yōkai swallowed my comrade whole. There was no time for a scream. He was gone, devoured into its stomach.

And soon, that fate would be mine as well.

The massive wolf growled, its face drawing closer to me. I trembled, tears of fear welling up in my eyes under its overwhelming pressure. Yet, even knowing it was futile, I drew a dagger from my pocket and held it up. The dagger, forcibly bestowed upon me by that gorilla-like princess, wasn't bad in terms of sharpness, thanks to its cursed power... but even I knew that a single small blade like this wouldn't do anything against a monster that shrugged off spears and greatswords. Still... I didn't want to die. I absolutely refused to meet my end like this, in this place.

...Even if I knew it was a futile struggle.

"Damn it...!!"

As I uttered what I thought would be my final words, the monster opened its massive jaws to devour me. And then... a greatsword struck from above, piercing through its skull and sending it crashing to the ground.

"Ah..."

I was left speechless by the sudden turn of events. Dust filled the air as the monster's massive body collapsed. When the dust settled, I saw her. Someone I knew well—or rather, someone I knew all too well. A member of that detestable family.

Standing atop the monster's head was a girl. A black-haired, youthful, and breathtakingly beautiful girl around my age. Dressed in a practical male kimono, she held a greatsword nearly as large as herself. With the full moon illuminating her from behind, she looked almost surreal.

At the same time, I felt a sense of relief. She... this young lady, was at least relatively tolerable compared to the others in her family. At the very least, she was far more reasonable than that twisted old hag or that fox-like woman.

"...Well, this is a surprise. A survivor?"

The girl suddenly noticed me, as if spotting an insect at her feet. Her words, spoken in a masculine tone, didn't match her delicate beauty.

"...Lady Hina. It is an honor beyond measure that you, in your noble grace, have personally come to this place to lend your aid. I am deeply humbled."

I knelt and bowed deeply, expressing my gratitude. Truthfully, I didn't want to show such deference to this little girl, a member of that despicable family... but I understood the absolute difference in strength and status between us. Resisting here would be pointless. For now, I had to act subserviently, avoid drawing attention, and wait for an opportunity... that was the only path forward.

"I just happened to sense a strong demonic energy on my way back from work, so I came to check it out. ...Still, this is a mess. Did the intelligence team get the information wrong? The number of operatives here is far too few to take on something like this."

She glanced disinterestedly at the scattered remains of what were once humans and voiced her thoughts. If I mentioned the misinformation, she would likely frown, her expression shifting as if she had realized something.

"I see. ...What a hassle. Even if they're just lower-ranked operatives, they're not so easily replaceable. Losing this many is problematic."

She spoke as if she were lamenting an expense in a ledger. Then, as if remembering something, she turned to me and issued a command.

"You, come with me. I need a living witness to testify to the elders that this failure was due to the intelligence team's mistake. You will report it to them in person."

It was an order from someone of higher status. Normally, refusing would be impossible, and of course, I, who wanted to avoid drawing any more attention, would have humbly accepted this offer...

"My apologies, Lady Hina. I cannot accompany you immediately."

...Or so it should have been.

"...Why? Do you, a mere lower-ranked operative, intend to defy me?"

"I must handle the bodies of my comrades and the yōkai."

There are many reasons yōkai are born, but one of the most common is when beasts consume the flesh and blood of humans or yōkai with special abilities. Therefore, the corpses of monsters and our comrades must be collected or disposed of as much as possible.

Especially the bodies of my comrades—I wanted to handle them with care. It wasn't like we were particularly close... but they were still fellow beings treated as expendable tools by that despicable family in this shitty world. I couldn't help but sympathize.

"I see. That is indeed a problem. ...Very well. But it would take you too long to handle all this alone. Use these."

With that, the young lady pulled out a set of shikigami from her sleeve. There were about ten human-shaped ones and one bird-shaped one. In the next moment, they slipped from her hand, the human-shaped ones transforming into scarecrow-like figures the size of humans, and the bird-shaped one into a massive, talisman-faced monstrous crow.

"Use the human-shaped ones to handle the bodies. Once you're done, ride that crow and follow me."

She spoke coldly and matter-of-factly. In the next instant, a massive dragon appeared beside her. I gasped at the sudden appearance of the divine beast, radiating immense spiritual power. The young lady mounted the dragon as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Then, I'll be waiting."

The moment she said this, the dragon leaped into the sky. It shone like a shooting star, and in the next moment, it was indistinguishable from the stars illuminating the heavens.

"...That's the 'Yellow Glow,' huh? Haha, seeing it in person really drives home how absurd it is."

In the original story, it was a top-tier shikigami only usable in the late stages... but as expected of someone ranked among the top three strongest characters in the original. She's human, but in a way, she's a monster herself.

"...The problem is that even without her, this world is full of monsters."

I looked at the corpse of the yōkai with its shattered skull and remembered. In the original story, high-level yōkai like this were treated as mere cannon fodder by the protagonists in the latter half... but that was only possible because they were the protagonists. For someone like me, with no special talents, these monsters were insurmountable. And the real issue was that there were far worse monsters lurking around...

"It's not just the enemies in front of me I have to worry about..."

No, in a way, the people behind me were even worse. At least with enemies, their hostility was straightforward. What's truly dangerous is their affection. After all...

"This world is like a depressing game full of yandere heroines..."

I let out a small sigh. And to make matters worse, I've already caught the attention of one of those yandere girls. Come on, I'm just a nameless mob character. Please, direct your dangerous affections toward the original protagonist, okay?

"...No use complaining. First, I need to get to work... Haha, seriously?"

It was only then that I noticed. The amulet I had been wearing around my neck was gone.

"Lost it... It'd be bad to admit that outright. So then..."

I looked at the forest with a deeply displeased expression.

"...Will I even find it?"

I sighed, looking up at the sky as I contemplated the worst-case scenario...

---

Under the starry sky, a dragon soared through the heavens, a dignified young girl clinging to its head... The eldest daughter of the prestigious yōkai-exterminating family, the 'Onitsuki Clan,' glanced at the amulet in her hand.

She knew what it was. It was something her innocent, selfish, and capricious younger sister had bestowed upon that lower-ranked operative. That girl, who took it for granted that she could have anything she wanted, who looked down on others...

"Of all things, she had to give him something so creepy and tasteless..."

In the next moment, the amulet, disguised with intricate spiritual manipulation and a curse of clairvoyance, was consumed by pale blue flames that erupted from her hand, burning away along with its enchantments.

"..."

The eldest daughter of the Onitsuki Clan tossed the remaining ashes aside as if they were something filthy, then continued to ride through the night sky. She pondered who had tried to frame and assassinate him, and how she would deal with such a foolish, overreaching individual.

"I've let them have everything else so far. Land, money, houses—I've given it all to them. So..."

After a moment of silence, she whispered in a resonant voice.

"He is mine...!!"

Her voice, as quiet as the night, was dripping with dark, twisted desire and passion...

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