Chapter 16:Miko

It had been about 2 hours since I found the body floating down the river, in these 2 hours I had already dried out, largely due to the warm weather and the campfire which helped a lot. 

"It's kind of taken too long to wake up already, any ideas on what's going on?"

Hiding my ears, which were the only thing missing for me to return to my normal person image, he asked the expert on strange situations, namely Saya. 

"Mmm... let me see... I seem to already have an idea about the situation this young lady is in."

Placing clouded fang on my waist and grabbing the head of the military yokai, it seems my tails didn't forget to carry it. I watched as Saya floated around the miko looking for the why of her situation.

"Most likely it was composed of more souls than it has at this instant, this confirms its weakened state and why it won't wake up, it may be related to clouded fang."

"You can explain it as we walk, I don't plan to spend another night out in the open."

Concluding my words, I took the body of the young miko before placing it under my arm and started walking along the river bank next to Saya, who continues with her explanation. 

"As I had told you before, clouded fang has the power to control hell. This causes its blade to consume 95% of the souls of those who die at its hands, while that remaining 5% remains in the slain body and revives it as an undead."

"You're telling me we've left a zombie plague in our wake, there are things you say at the start of a relationship."

Although the last thing I said was in jest, the worry I am feeling is completely real. An army of vengeful undead loose in the world, that's a no, no.

"Easy, that ability is active when a low-powered yokai wields clouded fang, in the hands of someone truly strong, clouded fang can directly open a gate to hell and summon his minions."

I was done being amazed at how broken this sword is, but a gateway to hell, are you serious? As I was silently surprised, we were getting closer and closer to reaching the village. 

"Back to the topic, your situation is because the souls within you can sense the danger that clouded fang represents to your permanence on this plane of existence."

"Then the problem is me... Wow and we just met."

Letting out a joke about the situation and confirming that my mood has been better lately, haaa... the good thing about releasing stress by punching other people. We continue moving forward until we reach the entrance of the village, which is the same as when we left.

"Onii-chan!"

Running across the bridge linking the village to the outside, Akemi moves at full speed in my direction with open arms and a beaming smile. She is the perfect example of someone who gets attached quickly. 

"Stop, stop, stop right there."

My first thought was to stop her with one of my tails, but being in this common human form I don't have them, the second way to interrupt her movement that came to my mind was with my free leg and yes as you may have noticed I'm not very good with children. 

"Don't cry child, he really wants to hug you he just can't because his hands are busy."

"Haaa, the spirit is back!"

Instead of stopping the tears that were about to come out of Akemi's eyes, his voice and semi-solid body scared her even more or so it seems, making her run to my back and stand there clutching my waist. 

"Saya, are you serious? And Akemi let go of my waist. I can't move."

Scolding them both for their stupidities, I wait for Akemi to let go of my waist to start walking towards the entrance of the village, where one or the other villager already inside is gathered, I advance along the dirt roads until I reach Izayoi's residence where he is waiting for me outside. 

"Let's talk inside."

Few words that speak volumes, he gave me a glance that lingered for a few moments on the head of the military yokai in my right hand and other moments on the miko under my left arm, before nodding for us to enter his residence