Somehow, it wasn't surprising that Fujiwara had brazenly allowed herself to sustain a gruesome injury. As long as the centipede didn't consume her liver, that wasn't really any reason to be worried.

Even if it did, the Hourai Immortal herself would be fine. The centipede would, however, be immortal.

Not that Youmu doubted her ability to suppress an immortal centipede, however.

She took a deep breath. As grotesque as these creatures were, the sheer size made them far less unpleasant to look at then their offspring. It was strange, but the half-phantom saw no point in questioning what aspect of her psychology made her feel that way.

Youmu had to make sure no-one who was more vulnerable to the centipedes' venom than Fujiwara or the Scarlet Devil was injured.

Drawing Roukanken back, her eyes narrowed, she channeled spiritual energy over the blade and swung it, releasing a flurry of nearly-invisible razor-sharp wind slashes in a barrage down towards the nearest of the enormous arthropods.

But each clashed with the monstrous creature's chitinous exoskeleton without piercing it. Certainly, she could see the lines cut into the shell, but beyond that it hadn't done enough damage to kill or even simply injure it.

Youmu grimaced, but drew Roukanken back all the same. The fact was that she'd have to strike them directly, as unpleasant as it was, in order to cut through the----

Suddenly the enormous centipede was lurching skywards, gnashing moutherparts snapping as it lunged towards her.

But it was fine. Even if that was unexpected, it didn't matter. She'd simply dodge---

A tremor ran through her body as she tried to move.

Damn it, she'd forgotten---!

Her phantom half's loosened connection was like a torn muscle. She'd pushed her body too hard in that instant, for only a second, and nearly tore it further. Youmu couldn't use her full speed. If she'd remembered that, she'd likely have been able to evade the monster.

But stunned her body throbbing, pulsing with even a split second of agony, she couldn't.

The centipede's massive jaws snapped shut and Youmu felt herself hurtling towards the earth beneath it, the sheer weight of the creature over her.

But the half-phantom's instincts hadn't failed her.

Roukanken's unbreakable blade had intercepted the gnashing jaws. Clamped between them, she'd manage to hold it back at the last second despite the pain that had struck her, purely by instinct.

Youmu gritting her teeth. The sudden shock, the sensation of striking the ground reverberated up through her as she landed on her back, another dull burst of pain striking her. But it wasn't the sharp stab of her soul being pulled on.

She could bare with it.

It'd fade swiftly.

More importantly than anything else---

A Konpaku wouldn't falter against a simple beast.

She forced her legs under her and pushed off the ground. The weight of the centipede was incredible, but she was pushing back against it all the same. Her arms burned only for a moment as she pushed again.

Roukanken's blade slipped through those gnashing jaws.

A blade forged by youkai, an unbreakable and perfect artifice that could cut even phantoms.

This centipede never stood a chance---!

It wasn't her full speed. But nevertheless, the moment Roukanken slipped through the centipede's mouthparts, Youmu broke into a sprint.

She could feel its bulk over her as she moved, as her blade sliced through chitin and flesh like a tatami mat.

Blue blood sprayed onto the damp forest floor behind her, as the massive centipede's bisected form fell apart, cut cleanly down the middle.

[@Izurich][@Raineh Daze][@PKMNB0Y][@Lugubrious][@EchoWolff]