Chapter 262 - Koharu

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The piercing scream resounded in the warehouse, and the man sitting in the black sedan that just arrived was instantly alert.

"What's that?" he demanded the driver, but the poor bloke, of course, had no idea what was happening as he too just arrived.

However, the man sitting next to the boss knew what was going on. He was the seventh man who took the kids from school this afternoon after all. The guys were supposed to keep the kids well behaved until they returned. They were not supposed to do anything else until the order was given.

"Maybe your men couldn't keep their hands to themselves and started beating them up," a female's mocking voice suggested, and the boss turned to his other side where a smirking Koharu sat.

"I told them not to touch your friends until we arrived," the boss sighed heavily.

He would scold his men later, but then again, it seemed there was no need. Koharu let out a burst of cruel laughter that even gave him shivers.

"Who cares? They can all kill them if they want. I want them all gone," she said tersely, the memory of earlier playing in her mind. "The gall of those idiots! If they can't give me what I want, then they can just all die!"

The cold, cruel statements coming from such a young girl made the driver and the underling look at her in horror. But the boss was already used to it. He already knew that Koharu was totally out of it, and had already planned to take her somewhere far after all this, back to his hometown in Oita so she could have a change of scenery and perhaps recover someday.

This would be the last time he'd follow her wishes.

"Go check what's going on," the boss ordered the underling, and he quickly followed.

He preferred to get out of the car away from the crazy girl. But, as soon as he stepped inside the warehouse, he was welcomed with the sight of his comrades lying down everywhere, with one hanging from the ceiling by a chain tied crisscrossed around his limp body.

Another one lay on the floor all bloodied with a face that was barely noticeable as if someone hit his face with a very hard object multiple times. Two more were dangling from the holes on the wall. It was as if they were slammed there with their heads first, strong enough to break the wall. Then, two more lay with their limbs bent in unnatural positions, not far away from the two unconscious kids.

Huh? Two?

"Where's the other one?" he asked himself as he stepped in further to search the other missing girl, and found a bloodied school uniform on the floor just below the bloody comrade hanging on the ceiling.

"What the…"He couldn't believe it. Who could have done this thing? Based on the blood on the blood on the missing girl's school uniform, she could have been dead already, he noted as he bent on his knees to check out the bloody clothes.

He wondered if there were other people after the girl, but then again, considering that she was the Koutaishidenka's woman, there's a possibility she was also set up for assassination. He was thinking this when there was a rustling sound behind him.

"Oh, I missed another one?" a singsong voice asked and he swiftly turned to see a tall, slim figure wearing a fox-god's mask.

Huh ?

Then he remembered something about a vigilante who wiped out the gangs in Ueno in one night, and his eyes widened in horror. "K-Kitsune… F-Fox Avenger…"

On the other hand, Suzuki Ara who had switched to her night stroll clothes smirked under the mask. She had changed after pummeling the two remaining guys with her fists. She didn't bother using electricity on them anymore, as the wrath she felt in her heart was still on a rampage. Even now.

It's a good thing another one showed up. She's still in the mood to beat up someone.

"Oh, you recognize me?" she asked mockingly, and then she remembered that this seventh guy went to fetch the boss. "Did you bring your boss then?"

Ara, of course, didn't need to hear the answer. Just based on his expression alone, she already knew the truth.

Good.

"Well, I hope you came prepared," she warned in amusement as she disappeared in front of him.

The man panicked as he looked around, searching for her but couldn't spot where she'd gone until she reappeared just right before his eyes, a few inches away.

"Did you miss me?" she asked as she landed a punch on his jaw, sending him flying backwards, hitting the wall with a thud before sliding down.

Ara wouldn't render him unconscious for now of course. She needed information. She walked towards him with a purpose, and then grabbed his collar to lift him up with one hand.

"Where is she?" she demanded with an icy tone.

No more playing games this time. Since she realized what was wrong with Okada Koharu, she was determined to end things with her as soon as possible. She wouldn't wait for her husband to come home for that. She would deal with the burikko on her own.

"Who?" the man choked.

"Koharu, the nutjob," she answered as she tightened her hold on the guy.

"Ou-Out!"

Oh?

Ara brought her arm down but didn't let go of the guy. Instead, she dragged him towards the entrance of the warehouse. As soon as she spotted the black car, she smirked as her demigod eyes could see the burikko inside with her stepfather. Without further thought, she swung her arm and threw the man towards the car, and watched him scream as he flew and landed on the windshield with a crash.

SMAAAASH!

Shards flew everywhere and Ara watched as the people inside scrambled out of the car in a panic except for Koharu. The girl came out, but instead of fear, she wore a dark expression, displeased upon having to get out.

Since her emotions were tumultuous, Ara now had a clear view of the parasite from within, which was also excited and trying to scramble out. She could also see that it had already multiplied and was now on the verge of transferring any day. The incubation period would be over soon.

Okada Koharu needed to die.  

"Who are you?" the boss asked, but Ara ignored him.

She was focused more on Koharu who glared at her. With a smirk, Ara grabbed a steel pipe from the ground.

"I came here to deliver heaven's retribution," she announced as she threw the pipe at Koharu, piercing her on the shoulder, making her scream in pain.

The boss and the driver were both horrified seeing the steel pipe embed itself on the girl's flesh. However, what horrified them more was when the voice that came out of her was an unearthly agonized chorus like a group of spirits being exorcised.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

Three heads with hollow faces made of shadows tried to come out of Koharu's mouth as she screamed.

"Koharu!" the boss called out as he tried to go to her, but Ara threw another steel pipe which landed just before his feet.

"If you don't want those nasty things to transfer to you, you should stay where you are," Ara warned, and then she turned to the driver. "Take him back inside. Also, make sure the kids are safe if not, I'll hunt you down."

The driver hurried to the boss and grabbed him just as Koharu's body started shaking, and they stood rooted on the spot, watching. Miasma oozed out of her body just as three more shadow lurkers appeared and tried to get out. However, the girl's hate was so strong they couldn't leave immediately, and so they evolved.

Ara who had only ever heard about shadow lurker hosts evolving into a dark beast was also somewhat horrified. Koharu's features slowly warped, changing into a demon, her eyes stretching into a bigger size and they slanted while an extra huge eye – a third one appeared on her forehead, followed by five small ones. Her torso bent just as extra limbs appeared on her body, making her spider-like in appearance.

Great.

Suzuki Ara was aware they couldn't fight near her friends. She was not sure if she's able to kill Koharu before any of the shadow lurkers transferred. She needed to getaway.

Energy was food for these elemental pests. Ara would use that to lure it far away. She reckoned, there was a construction site put on hold not far from where they were and there was no one there.

Ara placed her hands together and created Perun's seal. The energy she exuded made Koharu excited, and Ara was now sure she got her hooked.

"Come get me if you can ugly," she called, riling Koharu up, as she used the steel wall to climb up towards the electric pole.

As expected, Koharu which had turned into a spider demon took the bait and shot dark threads towards the pole and used it to climb up. She was so fast that Ara barely escaped before she reached the top and a chase ensued as Ara led her to the construction site.