Saint of Mt. Koya
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"There was no mistake, anyone would have recognized the creature, but the disgusting thing was so large it took a moment before I realized what it really was. I had never supposed a slug of this size existed either in the rice fields of today, or in the legendary swamps of old.

"I waved my arm frantically trying to shake the thing off, but quickly realized that it was stuck fast in its desire to consume my blood. I had to pluck it off with my fingers, and in the process it broke in two. I could not stand to have the awful thing on me, so I flung it to the ground. I tried to squash it with my foot, but in this deep and sunless part of the forest, the ground was soft and it merely sank into the mud. I was unable to crush it.

"Suddenly the back of my neck began to itch and I realized there was another leech there. I tried to brush it off with my hand, but it was too slimy to get a grip on. Then I noticed that I was covered with the things. One was on my chest and another was working his way beneath the sash around my stomach. I blanched with horror only to find that there were more of them on my shoulders.

"Starting up with a frightened leap and shaking myself furiously, I moved out from under the branch from which the leeches had dropped. Crazed with terror I plucked frantically at the leeches wherever I could find them.


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Intangible