Miyuki has been upgrading monsters for a day...... No, it was after the actual combat training, and I returned to the village from the Lake of Fog.

At this time, the sun is setting, and the villagers are also returning to their homes after their day's work.

Miyuki returns to the hotel where she stays, where she does not see Shiki.

"Haven't you come back yet?"

Looking at the empty room of the four seasons, Miyuki made a bored sound.

At this time, a white object flew from the window, and flew into the room through the open window, and when she got closer, Miyuki finally saw the thing clearly.

It was a paper crane.

The paper crane flapped its paper wings and flew in front of Miyuki, and then the folded paper automatically unfolded and fell into Miyuki's hands.

“？”

The words are written on the paper, and the signature is the four seasons.

"What?"

Miyuki didn't understand what Shikiku was up to, but she knew it after reading the contents of the paper.

Shiki sent a message saying that he and the little fox were not coming back today, so Miyuki didn't have to worry.

Of course, they have a communicator to contact directly, and the reason why Shiki didn't use the communicator was also written on the paper, saying that he planned to make the effect of his own Shikigami of zuò.

"What, don't you want to think about it!"

Miyuki knew that Shiki was going to visit Yakumo Murasaki today, and although she knew that Shiki wouldn't really be happy for some reason, she still couldn't help but say this.

Miyuki put the letter away a little sullenly, and after eating dinner alone, she continued to study according to the course arranged by the four seasons. It can be seen from Shiji's preparations in advance that he had already anticipated his absence.

Miyuki's studies continued until late at night, and when it was close to midnight, she turned off the lights and prepared to go to rest.

However,

"Ahhh!!h

A scream interrupted her movements, accompanied by the roar of a beast.

"What's going on?"

After a few days of training, Miyuki no longer panicked like ordinary people, and she ran out of her room in the direction of the sound, looking out through the window in the hallway.

It was already late at night and it was pitch black outside, and she couldn't see the scenery outside, so Miyuki focused her mind on hearing, and with the simplest reinforcement, her hearing was greatly improved.

"Help!"

Heard it! The faint sound of the night breeze was near the hotel.

Before she had time to walk through the main entrance, Miyuki jumped out of the window of the hallway.

The height of two or three stories was not a problem for Miyuki at all, and in order to make it faster, she injected magic into her legs and ran in the direction of the sound the moment she hit the ground.

Soon she was at the spot, which was a small trinket shop next to the inn, and she had been in it when she came back to-day.

The door that should have been closed was wide open, and it looked like it had been broken by a great force, and the inside was even more of a mess, like a storm passing through, and the cabinets and the like fell to the ground.

"Don't come here!"

A panicked female voice came from the back of the house, and Miyuki remembered that voice was the proprietress of the place.

Miyuki immediately rushed to the back, and then she saw it. It was a place that definitely didn't belong here, and the moment she saw that thing, she felt a chilling and familiar feeling.

A huge figure, nearly three meters tall, completely black, with demon-like wings on its back. Its figure blends into the darkness around it, but the huge sense of existence does not make people ignore its existence.

It can only be described as a monster.

Passing over the monster's massive body, Miyuki saw the proprietress slumped on the ground, still holding her young child in her arms, while the shopkeeper lay unconscious on the other side of the house.

"Stop!"

Almost subconsciously, Miyuki shouted out loudly.

Immediately, her voice attracted everyone's attention, and the monster was no exception.

The moonlight shone in through the window, revealing the silhouette of the monster, its muscular limbs, half-bent over its body, and its sharp claws, a form more terrifying and hideous than any beast.

Enmity...... No, the killing intent came from the other party. Pure killing intent, like a beast that wants to tear its prey apart.

Miyuki's heart felt a chill, and that feeling was completely different from the feeling of fighting with people during the previous training, it was not a simple competition, but a fight that really wanted to kill the other party.

(This feeling...... ）

Miyuki recalls that the only time she has relied on her own consciousness to fight the enemy in so many battles she has experienced in such a long time has been.

In the passage of the collapsed shelter, the beast that appeared with overwhelming force was the battle at that time.

It feels the same now as it did then!

Maybe it was a coincidence of fate, when she protected a mother and daughter, and now the situation is the same.

The monster was attracted by Miyuki's voice and turned back, and its terrifying gaze cast a strong killing intent on Miyuki.

(It's not the same.) ）

It's still different from then, and I already have the power to fight.

The monster roared, and then rushed towards Miyuki.

“！”

Shocked by the monster for a moment, Miyuki showed a hint of stiffness, which was absolutely fatal in battle.

The huge claws came to Miyuki, and she desperately raised her exorcism knife at the last moment to resist.

There was a metal crash of bells, and Miyuki was knocked out of the way, and although she blocked the attack, she couldn't resist the opponent's massive force because of her haste to meet the enemy.

"Ugh!"

Miyuki didn't stop until she hit the opposite wall, and the pain from her internal organs made her unable to move for a while.

And then her eyes saw that the monster was striding towards her.

Miyuki wanted to raise her sword again to meet the enemy, but found that the demon withdrawal knife was bounced out and fell to the other side of the room.

It is impossible to defeat the enemy in front of you without weapons.

(Weapons...... ）

Miyuki thought of it for a moment, her hand pressed to her side, and she touched the thing through her clothes.

- "In addition, I took out the part of the Balsay Glaive Knife separately, and Miyuki can use it alone. ”

The voice of the four seasons came to Miyuki's mind.

As long as you use the Balsay Glaive, such an enemy can be defeated.

(Use...... ）

But Miyuki's hand didn't move.

(Use...... ）

The monster is coming soon.

(Use it!) ）

I can't move, even if Miyuki shouts in my head, my body can't move.

(Is it still the same?) ）

The body that cannot move because of fear ends up being the same as the original self that has no strength.

(No, it's not.) It's not even as good as the past. ）

In the past, even if I didn't have the strength, I chose to fight, but now I can only fall here and do nothing.

The shouts of the shopkeeper's family could be heard in the distance, and the roar of a monster could be heard in the distance.

But these were no longer able to attract Miyuki's attention, she just felt that it was a cold night today.

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