spr | The House in Which Nightmares Dwell 15.3

There was an intense noise as splinters of glass rained down. Naru promptly raised his arm and warded them off. Masaru's hatchet had smashed the dormer of the entranceway.

Masaru raised the pulled up hatchet overhead and hacked it into the door. Naru was able to lower his body and evade it. He sat down on the concrete floor of the entranceway. To pressure Naru, Masaru started to remove the hatchet that was stuck.

He faced his abdomen and hit his hand. Masaru groaned, released the hatchet and seemed to fall back two or three steps. He stumbled over the floor level difference and tumbled down, but it wasn't enough to make him faint. He was already out of charges.

Around him, there was no surface from which he was able to toss energy. From now on he had to pull through on his own strength. He had been overdoing it somewhat so far. He sensed that it was rapidly causing anemia.

Masaru stood up. As expected, his feet were unsteady. He pulled out the kitchen knife from his belt.

He couldn't hope for Hirota. He was struggling in the living room with Takeshi who had untied his belt and gotten up.

Masaru raised the kitchen knife over his head as he staggered. He recklessly cut through the air around him while roaring.

"-- Rin Pyou Tou Shaa Kai Jin Retsu Zai Zen, Naumaku sanmanda bazaradan kan!"

A small quick voice resounded, and Masaru fell forward as if he were pushed from behind. Without missing the gap that was filled by the shoe rack, Naru ran up to the corridor.

"Are you alright?"

Naru angrily shouted at Mai's voice.

"Idiot! Why did you come down here!"

"Of course it's because you're unreliable. Aren't you going to say thank you -- hey, Naru!"

Mai pointed at Masaru who had gotten up while staggering. Naru tripped his unfocused feet. He rushed over to his fallen body facing the door, and snatched the kitchen knife from his hand. He held down his body and looked at Mai.

"Remove the knives."

Mai nodded and rushed over. She removed the weapons on his belt and gathered them.

Hirota avoided the hatchet that Takeshi swung down at him, and tumbled into the dining room. He dodged a desperate tackle from Kazumi who booed at him, and ran out towards the corridor. The hatchet was hurled down at the wall's surface in the place where he turned to the right.

He had seen Naru and Masaru in the entranceway, but Takeshi was between them. So he ran towards the inner side. There, the things used to make a barricade were scattered. That was when he knew he had no chance.

As usual, he tripped over his feet inside the darkness and was about to fall over. A blunt weapon passed by in the proximity where he barely held his ground. Somehow or other, a figure suddenly appeared before his eyes as he moved forward. Hirota was startled.

There was a short whistle. And behind his back, Takeshi simultaneously raised his voice. When he looked over his shoulder, the hatchet dropped. Takeshi grabbed his chest with his right hand and was about to fall down to his knees on that spot.

"Lin -- You."

"How are your injuries?"

"I'm coping somehow."

Mai's high voice sounded behind Takeshi who was about to stand up.

"Naumaku sanmanda bazaradan kan!"

As if pushed by her voice, Takeshi once again fell forward in the corridor.

Hirota rushed over and straddled Takeshi. Lin dashed down the corridor and headed to the entranceway.

"Hirota-san, please keep him pressed down like that for me."

"John --"

John made a sign of the cross and held up a bottle of holy water.

"I command you in the name of the Lord --"

Naru pushed aside Masaru who tried getting up, and retreated down to the corridor. Noticing that the boy was approaching him unarmed, Naru opened the door to the living room and tumbled inside. There were no mirrors in the living room. As a last resort, he rushed over to the window and opened the curtains. As expected, he didn't know whether the glass, which reflected the room, could be used as a mirror.

The energy he tossed took a moment before returning. Masaru staggered as he charged at him. Naru avoided him. Masaru ran straight into the glass and there was a dull sound as the glass cracked.

He touched Masaru with his palm. Masaru collapsed on that spot. At the same time Lin rushed in.

-- The psychics had returned.

His knees were about to give in as the tension left him. He supported himself by leaning against the glass behind him.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah... ..."

"You used your power, didn't you?"

Naru raised both his hands lightly at his icy voice.

"I'm alright, so let it slide."

(-- Naru)

He heard a tense voice behind him, from beyond the glass.

(He's no longer possessing him. -- Kosori's coming.)

Naru's eyes widened.

"Where is he?"

(The back door.)

TRANSLATOR'S NOTES

- Naumaku sanmanda bazaradan kan is based on a mantra of Fudo Myoo or Acala.

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The House in Which Nightmares Dwell 15.3

Alastaire