"There are two ways this can go," Matoba said, observing Natsume closely. "One, you assist me in exorcising this youkai before it actually succeeds in killing its target. Two, you act against efforts to exorcise it and get us all killed." He tilted his head with a cold smile. "Well? What will it be?"
His shiki loomed over them at Matoba's back, silent and unnervingly blank as ever. There were, Natsume was sure, infinitely more ways the night could unfold than a black and white dichotomy of help or hinder, but he was also aware that any action Matoba didn't view as helping would automatically make Natsume one more obstacle to be defeated in his perspective. Nyanko-sensei was quiet in his arms. "Ayakashi don't just attack without reason," Natsume said. He lifted his chin and squared his shoulders. "If we tried talking to it—"
"It would try to eat us," Matoba said, "like it has been trying to eat the children in the village. Perhaps the ones you have met do have some reason, but you're a fool if you assume all youkai have sympathetic motives or consciences to be swayed. This youkai is gaining power by eating lesser ayakashi and has moved on to human targets; why doesn't matter, the fact that it has caused harm to humans is enough to ensure its demise." Matoba held out a hand. "Surely you wouldn't wish that thing on a child."
Natsume would never, but killing? "Help me seal it instead."