Help! I changed the gender of the male protagonist in the yandere game

"Help."

"Someone, help!"

"Help me..."

A series of screams echoed along a mountain path not far from Kasumi City. Several cargo wagons were under attack, and the carters and merchant apprentices fled, screaming at the top of their lungs.

The attackers weren't bandits, but "baboons" that had emerged from the mountains—a type of demonic ape dwelling in the deep forests.

The demonic ape "baboons" possessed immense strength and were extremely ferocious. They moved like the wind through the mountains and had a taste for human flesh. If they marked you in the mountains, there was no chance of escape.

The baboons first killed the horses, tearing them open with their claws, pulling out their intestines and organs, and devouring them.

Then, they leisurely licked the blood off their furry paws while pursuing the fleeing carters and merchants.

One of the baboons, the fastest of the group, leaped into the air, chasing after a figure with incredible speed, and stomped down with all its might.

The man couldn't withstand the demonic ape's weight and momentum, and was crushed heavily on the ground, his internal organs pulverized, spitting out blood.

'These monsters!!'

The carter fled in the opposite direction, trying to slide down the mountain path.

Whoosh! A stone sliced through the air, smashing his brains out.

The carter died instantly, falling backward down the mountain.

"Kee hee."

The baboons laughed loudly.

They felt no hatred, murderous intent, dissatisfaction, or anger towards humans, killing them purely for amusement.

"Humans are all fools," "This mountain has always been our territory," "Too weak," "Kill them all"... The demonic apes weren't satisfied; they wanted to continue their hunt.

With a sharp whoosh, one of the baboons stopped moving, a ninja blade embedded in its forehead.

The moment their companion was killed, the baboons became alert, their gazes fixed on the dust cloud rushing towards them from the distant mountain path, their eyes filled with rage.

"Got it."

Hyakusuke, sitting atop a large wild boar, maintained the pose of throwing the ninja blade.

"Haruka, I need you to provide support… I'll take the lead."

"No problem."

Haruka held several talismans in her hand.

"Hurry!"

The spirit charms flew into the air and were immediately engulfed in crimson flames, rushing towards the baboons like a volcanic eruption.

The demonic apes didn't retreat. They bared their fangs menacingly, running forward while emitting demonic energy from their bodies. A massive amount of energy erupted from the demonic apes.

Boom!

Instantly, the air pressure changed drastically, a violent wind surged, and even the flames were scattered by the demonic energy.

However, the flames released by the talismans were just a smokescreen. Hyakusuke activated "Shrinking Ground," his right wrist, brimming with power, holding a long spear.

"Zzzt!"

Like a lightning flash.

He took a step, the spear piercing through the void like lightning, appearing in front of a demonic ape.

A bloody hole appeared in the throat of the baboon demon. Hyakusuke's attack was too fast. He thrust out the spear and immediately retreated because the two baboons behind him were also chasing after him.

"Go!"

Haruka threw another talisman.

This talisman flew quickly to the ground, piercing into the dirt. In an instant, the black soil began to swell and churn, and countless hedgehog-like needles grew out, densely attacking the two baboons.

Aaaaaaaah!

The baboon demons screamed, pierced by countless wooden needles, dying miserably after their cries.

The leader of the demonic apes was enraged, roaring and pouncing at Hyakusuke, its right hand swinging out, stirring up the fallen leaves on the ground.

It attacked Hyakusuke, using all four limbs, its sharp claws and teeth closing in.

However, inexplicably, this attack, which could shatter rocks, was always an inch short, failing to reach Hyakusuke.

Really, just a little bit off.

But it wasn't that simple.

The wind pressure from the swinging claws would lift Hyakusuke's hair each time. Every time a foot kicked, a tear would appear on the surface of his ninja garb.

"I can see the opponent's movements."

Hyakusuke thought, he had grown after experiencing the deathmatch between the Spear Saint and the Fiend Lord Scorpion Demon King.

Now, he could feel the demonic ape's movements, the airflow around the monster, the hair moved by the airflow, every subtle action. He received and examined all of this, reproducing it in his brain.

'I can see it.'

Just a little bit off.

With that inch or so of distance, he could skillfully evade fatal attacks. That small deviation allowed the enemy's attacks to miss.

Whoosh!

He activated "Shrinking Ground" again, moving to the other side, re-raising his spear, and creating distance from the demonic ape.

"It's about time to finish you off."

Hyakusuke pointed the spearhead forward, aiming the blade at the demonic ape.

"Aaaaaaaah!"

The irrational monster was furious.

Its fur stood on end—but it was too late.

"Hoo!"

The seven-section spear swung like a line.

This was a technique from the Koga Yasaka Style directly taught by the Spear Saint.

"—Tiger Rend!"

Like a tiger's claws, it was a very powerful strike.

The demonic ape recognized the terror of this move. Although surprised, it didn't falter, immediately crossing its arms to block the attack.

With a "chila" sound, the sweeping spear struck the baboon's hands.

The shockwave, comparable to a huge mass, struck the baboon's arms powerfully, shattering the bones of both arms, and the demonic ape's body was sent flying into the air by the impact.

Silently, a second spear thrust out, the spearhead extending and suddenly becoming much longer. Hyakusuke seemed to throw the spear into the air, piercing the baboon's heart.

The demonic ape's life force was extinguished in an instant.

No, it was actually manipulating the seven-section spear to lengthen secretly with spiritual power. This spear could freely change length and combine as desired. Suddenly lengthening during battle was fatal to a monster that couldn't understand the characteristics of martial techniques.

"Defeated."

Hyakusuke sighed in relief.

'Even if it's just a little, I've become stronger.'

When he turned his head, Haruka had already begun cleaning up the aftermath with talismans and spells.

"Speaking of which…"

The female ninja asked curiously, "This place should be relatively close to Kasumi City. Why are there still monsters attacking travelers along the way?"

"It's likely that something happened to the Divine Sky Cherry Tree, and the barrier supported by the guardian deity has broken."

Hyakusuke sighed.

"Many of the monsters in the mountains have their own fixed territories. I think these baboons might be local monsters from these mountains. They were suppressed by the power of the guardian deity and had to leave this mountain, hiding in the deeper mountains far from human habitation… However, after sensing the weakening of the Divine Sky Cherry Tree's power, they returned here."

He said calmly, "The existence of monsters in this world has an ecological aspect. Breaking it rashly carries risks."

Hyakusuke knew that this, as the Snow Night Yaksha Princess said, was the "inevitable decline" of prosperity. The Lake Master had said that for a long time, the Divine Sky Cherry Tree had been too protective of humans, biased towards humans, forgetting that the gods should maintain a neutral position and had given too many favors to the mortals of Dewa Province.

Eventually, this karma would produce a huge backlash.

"…It was only a matter of time."

The Snow Night Yaksha Princess sighed deeply, "If the forest is lush with green trees and grows too luxuriantly, it will squeeze the living space of the weeds. Those monsters who have suffered because of this Divine Era Cherry Tree might take the opportunity to make a comeback."

She said in a low voice, "From a certain perspective, the longer it's delayed, the worse it will be… However, if the results after the outbreak are too severe, then the aftermath will be too difficult to clear up."

"Lord Lake Master, from your tone, is it actually a good thing that the Divine Sky Cherry Tree had problems ahead of time?"

Hyakusuke smiled wryly.

"It can't be said to be a good thing, but from a certain perspective, it's not a bad thing either."

The Snow Night Yaksha Princess said lightly, "It's like having a boil on your foot. Is it better to let it break naturally, dragging on for a few days, or to pierce it directly and apply medicine to heal quickly? There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but whichever one can be controlled is the best solution."

While hurrying on the road, Hyakusuke almost got "boar sick" because the wild boar shikigami "speeding" controlled by Haruka was too fast.

The two had to take a short break midway, and using this little time, he contacted the Snow Night Yaksha Princess again, seeking help from the Lake Master.

"Honestly… I don't have any good solutions for this situation."

The Lake Master shook her head.

"However, I have a suggestion: go to the dream of the Divine Sky Cherry Tree, Mahoroba, again, and see if you can contact Mahoroba to get some answers from it… As the guardian deity, it can't be that it has no reaction at all."

"Before, we failed to make contact with it."

"That must be because of 'tsundere'."

"Huh?"

"Children are like that… It hasn't suffered, thinking it can do everything alone. In the end, when it really suffers a loss, it will run back to ask for help."

The Snow Night Yaksha Princess said with a giggle, "That brat was so arrogant last time. Now, I don't believe it can push me out like last time—"

Lord Lake Master exuded resentment. The corners of her mouth turned up in a smile, but her eyes didn't smile, showing a frozen, icy gaze.

Speaking of which, she was completely rejected after entering Mahoroba's dream last time, so it's no wonder she's so angry.

"Then let's try it…"

Hyakusuke tried to summon "Little Baku."

"I'm counting on you."

The dream-eating baku that he obtained from the Lake Master's treasure vault, hatched after dripping blood to claim ownership of the stone egg, had grown a lot recently, becoming the size of a palm, plump, and covered in fluffy fur.

"Puu puu puu…"

Little Baku snorted from its trunk, spun around proudly in the air, and opened the road to another dream.

"It's convenient to have this little guy."

The Lake Master also laughed. She clapped her hands, and with a crisp snap, the scenery in front of them shattered.

Hyakusuke's vision began to blur, his eyelids began to droop, and his vision was a bit like being underwater. The scenery he saw began to melt.

Then, he didn't know how long had passed before he had to open his eyes. Warm light shone in my eyes… so dazzling, using my hand to block the surrounding light.

After a moment, he lowered his hand, and distorted images filled his eyes.

"…How could this be?"

His tone was full of disbelief.

Unlike the scene he had seen before, what entered his eyes were countless dancing moths, blood-red moths.

"…This is, Red Sky Tiger?!"

The Lake Master Snow Night Yaksha Princess, who had turned into a speck of light, also opened her mouth in surprise.

"Has its power eroded to this extent?"