Novel Full Chapter 471: Kage, The Centipede Demon
Chapter 471: Kage, The Centipede Demon
"Do you know who you’re dealing with?" Godfrey asked, his eyes gleaming as he lifted up the tray.
Yuna’s eyes widened. It couldn’t be that these people in their home were ghosts?! Her heart almost leaped out of her chest the moment the tray struck her face, covering her with the food.
Yuna quickly got to her knees and kowtowed. She pressed her head against the floorboards, sobbing quietly.
In the next moment, Ema’s hands morphed into a bear’s claws. She then lifted her hand with the aim of ripping open Yuna’s back.
She was almost infected. Her reaction was justified, but Godfrey activated Will Freeze, forcing Ema to pause.
Then she shivered and slowly went down until her knees touched the floorboards. Even under the effect of the skill, she tried turning her head toward Godfrey but couldn’t. That still didn’t stop her eyes from locking on him with an intense glare.
"We have a lot of questions that need answers. Don’t you think we should first ask those questions from a native of this town?" Godfrey tilted his head toward Ema.
Ema clenched her teeth, then turned her eyes away. Godfrey released her from his skill, then faced Yuna.
"Ancestors from the underworld!" she suddenly said while trembling. "I know the reason you are here. I’m willing to tell you where the imprisoned spirit is, and even if you’re still willing to kill me, please kill Kazuo too."
"Hinata is imprisoned?!" Ken frowned, but it wasn’t visible since his face was hidden behind the mask.
"We need sacrifices for the Two-Faced Lady. If we don’t provide sacrifices, the sound of the flute will bring the end of this town," Yuna said while trembling.
"That woman was dressed like you. She will be in the temple. That’s where sacrifices are prepared before they’re taken outside the town and tied to stakes for the Two-Faced Lady."
"Tied to stakes?" Ken squinted. "They’re burned."
Yuna nodded heavily. "Once the sacrifice is burned by the Two-Faced Lady, the centipede demon will be appeased and will spare our town. These sacrifices have preserved our town while others perish."
"Why do you want the innkeeper dead then?" Ema leaned against the wall, her arms folded.
"I once had a good husband, but he ended up as a sacrifice. My fate would end like his, so I took shelter, working for Kazuo, but..."
She trembled.
"How many times?" Ken grabbed his katana.
"None yet, but he’s getting bolder," Yuna whispered.
Ken sprang to his feet, but Godfrey held his arm and made him sit back down.
"Are you infected?" Godfrey’s question was met with silence. Yuna looked at him, then at Ken, and finally at Ema, before she slowly nodded.
Ema’s eyes widened while Ken’s other hand went around the hilt of his katana.
"What about Kazuo?"
Yuna also nodded.
"What about every other person in this town?" Godfrey probed further.
When Yuna responded with another nod, Ema’s face changed completely. They’re right in a town of infected people! What was the assurance that they weren’t already infected?!
"Tell me more about this Two-Faced Lady and why no one in this town has ended like the others." Godfrey leaned back.
Yuna slowly sat up. She gulped and pinched her fingers hard to control her fear. "All I know about the Two-Faced Lady is that she’s a messenger of mercy sent by the centipede demon. There are tales that the centipede demon was once a man named Kage, the greatest ronin to walk our land a hundred years ago. The elders say he was the most fearsome fighter and a cruel man but was eventually defeated by two ghost samurai, and his spirit was dragged to the underworld."
Yuna eyed Ema, her eyes resting on those bear hands on such a beautiful woman. Strange things like these reinforced her judgment that these people were indeed from the spirit world.
"Unfortunately, Kage grew into an Oni in the spirit world after he formed a bond with a centipede and made it his pet. His plague spread through the spirit realm, and once he was done causing chaos in the spirit world, Kage found a way to the mortal world, and he wanted to dominate. Those who give in to his mercy, like Omi Town, will always have centipede eggs in our diet to keep us under control."
Yuna’s eyes went back to Godfrey. "The festival of the Two-Faced Lady is a day we remember his mercy and offer a rebel as a sacrifice. Over time, it’s not only rebels. It’s become a political menace..."
"So the eggs do not hatch then?" When Godfrey asked this, Yuna lifted her sleeve, revealing a tiny centipede in her forearm.
"Sometimes one or two hatch, but they’re dormant."
"And there are hundreds of eggs inside of you. This town itself is a plague waiting to explode." Ema clenched her teeth.
"We should burn it all."
Yuna nodded heavily. "Yes... yes, burn us all." She turned to Ema, almost making an attempt to crawl toward her. "Please..."
Goosebumps popped up all over Ema’s skin. She almost felt like centipedes were crawling on her body.
"We were going to be part of this sacrifice, right?" Godfrey asked.
Yuna spent a good while before she responded with a nod.
"It’s not my wish, but I must do what I am told."
Godfrey rose to his feet, walked past Yuna, and looked through the window. His eyes went to the temple. It was built beside a watchtower.
"I would have said we should go to the temple, but Hinata is already infected. Let’s allow her to draw out the Two-Faced Lady."
When Godfrey said that, Ken lowered his head. Rescuing Hinata made no sense when she was already infected. It might even put them at risk.
"What are we going to do about this woman and the Kazuo guy that’s not just harassing a woman but has plans to infect us with this plague?" Ema faced Godfrey.
"I’ve dealt with the innkeeper. She’s all that’s left." Godfrey’s reply made Ken’s and Ema’s eyes widen in shock.
"What?!"
"When?!"