The colossal, earthworm-like Notsuchi was still thrashing violently across the battlefield. Yuto drew his other sword—the Nichirin Blade—and charged forward, his theatrics fully in play.
Because Notsuchi was no match for him, Yuto didn't hold Spider Princess back, letting her unleash her attacks freely. The combination of a B-rank demon and the sheer size of Notsuchi created a spectacle of chaos. Had it not been for the countermeasures team's prior preparations, Spider Princess's reckless power might have killed countless bystanders.
Notsuchi darted underground at lightning speed, then leapt from the earth like a dolphin, its blood-red maw opening wide as it aimed straight for Yuto. Rather than dodge, Yuto drew his twin swords from his back and braced in a crossed stance, taking the monstrous impact head-on.
His demonic power had grown considerably; he was no longer the same half-demon who had once been sent flying by the Rat Demon King. Against this far larger, more powerful Notsuchi, he blocked its charge effortlessly—without even activating his Half-Demon Transformation.
The disc-shaped maw hovered inches from him, fangs dripping and reeking of rot, enough to make anyone retch. Notsuchi, blocked outright, recoiled in frustration, sweeping at Yuto in a flailing motion before attempting to dive underground again for another strike.
At a distance, Yamato Kuka, still suppressing the miasma coursing through her body, saw this and quickly activated her communicator, calling countermeasures headquarters for assistance—a talisman to solidify the ground or otherwise restrict Notsuchi's movements.
Yamato Kuka understood Yuto's strength and spiritual power were superior; he could handle Notsuchi on his own. But Notsuchi was a particularly slippery opponent. In its preferred terrain—underground—it could vanish and strike at will, leaving even the strongest exorcists helpless on the surface.
"Lord Yuto… do you need me to—" Spider Princess began through the spider silk.
"No. Keep fighting as you intended," Yuto interrupted firmly. "If you hold back now, what am I supposed to do when an even worse monster appears?"
"Understood. I will do my best, then. I was wrong to doubt your strength, Lord Yuto," Spider Princess replied, her tone admiring as she began expertly manipulating Notsuchi through her silk.
Notsuchi, sensing Yuto standing motionless, lunged once more, its body shooting from the ground like a tiger pouncing. But Yuto, having fully activated his "Demon Power Perception," easily sensed its movements and dodged effortlessly.
The attack missed, and Notsuchi tried to retreat underground—but this time, it couldn't.
"Always planning to show off and run away, huh? Think you're the protagonist?" Yuto muttered.
Thanks to Yamato Kuka's earlier request, a special talisman capable of solidifying the earth had been transmitted via a magic circle. But before she could activate it, the scene unfolding left her speechless—and it wasn't just her. The ordinary countermeasures team members watching were collectively dumbfounded.
Before them, Yuto, shirtless, had planted his twin swords into the ground and was pulling Notsuchi's massive tail with both hands, preventing it from burrowing underground. Watching him lift a fifteen-meter yokai like a giant radish was almost comical—but nobody dared laugh.
For perspective, Notsuchi was a nearly fifteen-meter-long B-rank yokai. Its strength and ferocity were legendary. And yet here was Yuto, only 1.8 meters tall, demonstrating raw strength that defied reason, slowly dragging the enormous creature out of the ground.
"Miss Yamato, should we still use the solidification talisman?" one of the countermeasures team asked, eyeing the yellow, glowing talisman in her hand.
Items like this weren't free. Using them cost a portion of the merit earned from exorcisms. If they were expended unnecessarily, the team's resources would be wasted.
"Let's wait and see… How did that kid train? His strength is already on par with exorcists who specialize in physical techniques," Yamato Kuka muttered, watching Yuto strain against the earthworm-like yokai.
Despite Notsuchi thrashing, its massive body was slowly being yanked from the ground, the earth cracking under the pressure. Then, as it was nearly free, Yuto drew the demon sword Onigumo—already planted in the soil beside him—and stabbed it through Notsuchi's tail, pinning it to the earth.
With a graceful aerial somersault, he retrieved his other Nichirin Blade from the ground, spinning midair to unleash a flaming downward slash that cut through the chaos below.