Chapter 5
Chapter 5 - Judas
1
I stood in the cave, vacantly watching the waves crash against the rocks at the entrance . Small orbs of light were also crashing along with the waves . It looked like snow .
. . . ah, I’m dreaming again . . .
A figure appeared among the waves . It was a woman . She was walking solemnly . With her head bowed and shoulders drooped .
“Nao-san . . . ”
Nao-san, who had finally reached the cave, walked quietly as if she didn’t notice me and exited towards the cove .
“Wait, Nao-san . ”
Upon exiting to the cove, Nao-san was taken in by the wind and blown up towards the sky .
I released a single sigh and looked back behind me . The small shrine was visible . It appeared distorted again . It gave off a very unpleasant atmosphere . I wondered if I should try to get nearer, however, I absolutely couldn’t bring myself to do such a thing .
I vacantly watched the shrine for a while . And then, when my gaze returned to the sea, Nao-san once again entered my vision as she entered the cave from there .
“ . . . Nao-san?”
She did not reply . When I rushed towards her, she unexpectedly flew away as if gently pushed by the wind . Without even shifting her gaze, she went out to the cove, then she was blown up towards the sky again . When I waited for a while, she emerged from the sea again . She repeated this over and over .
“ . . . what?”
I wondered what was going on .
“What is she doing? Please tell me . —Naru! Why aren’t you here!?”
“Rebirth ritual . ”
A voice suddenly came from behind . When I looked back, Naru was smiling .
. . . what!? If I call him, I’ll see him? I thought something like that .
“Rebirth ritual?”
“I think that’s probably so . Passing through a dark hole signifies being reborn once more . Although she’s passing through this cave over and over like that, I think she’s trying to change her nature into something different . ”
. . . something different…
“This cave is summoning souls . A soul that’s summoned like that repeats the ritual . I understand it to that extent, but . . . ”
“I’m a soul right now, aren’t I?”
Oh no, oh no, oh no! I don’t have to participate in that ritual, do I?
“That’s right . Therefore, it’s best not to get too close to here . . . let’s go . ”
Naru held out his hand . I took his hand a little nervously . Unfortunately, I didn’t feel anything . Naturally, it was because I currently didn’t have a body . When he pulled my hand, we rode on a short breeze and soared to the top of the cove like surfacing from the water .
“Hey, Naru?”
‘Hmm?’ he asked as he gently directed his gaze toward me .
“Before, you told me you showed me the direction of the dream, right? Was it also like that all the way until now?”
There was no reply to this . He simply smiled softly .
Wispy lights floated up from the cove one after another .
“Mai . . . ”
“What?”
I looked back when I was called, but there wasn’t anyone there .
“Naru?”
“—Mai . ”
Where . . . where is that voice coming from?
“Mai!”
Y-y-y-yes!
I was suddenly awake . Before my eyes was Masako’s appalled expression .
“Ah . . . ”
When I hurriedly looked around, I was in the base . I was leaning against the wall and seemed to have dozed off . I couldn’t see anyone other than Masako . The morning light was shining in through the window .
“S-sorry . Did you call me?”
Masako stared coldly .
“It seems it would have been better not to have called . ”
“Not particularly . . . ”
“You were probably on a date with someone, right?”
W-w-w-what is this unexpectedly?
Masako smiled maliciously,
“You seem to have mistaken me for someone else . . . or something . ”
Oh no!
“That— that’s not true! I didn’t make that mistake, it honestly isn’t like that, it wasn’t that kind of mistake, err . . . ”
I was dripping cold sweat .
Masako pouted a little, then looked into my face .
“Were there any clues?”
I recalled the dream and my mood fell abruptly .
“ . . . Nao-san was passing through the cave over and over again . ”
Masako looked at me doubtfully .
“Through the cave?”
“Yeah . She went through to the cove from the sea over and over . Was it… rebirth ritual?”
“Yes, that is where someone passes through a dark hole . Tainai-meguri . ”
“Tainai-meguri?”
“That kind of place is common to shrines and temples . There is a dark tunnel and it is likened to the belly of a mother . Upon exiting the tunnel and going out, one is born anew . ”
Really?
“However, why is Nao-san doing such a thing? . . . I wonder if it is the process of transmigration of the soul . ”
“Transmigration of the soul, is that reincarnation?”
“Yes . . . I do not understand it well . ”
. . . yeah .
“Where is everyone?”
“At the entrance . . . —They have returned . ”
When Masako indicated the entrance of the room, lively voices from the direction of the corridor grew closer . The lattice door opened and everyone returned . Though, I noticed the number of people was one greater .
“ . . . Yasuharsan!”
When I raised my voice, Yasuharsan (Yasuhara Osamu . Originally a client . ), who was surrounded by everyone, directed a smile towards me . Yasuharsan’s personality seemed just like his expression appeared .
“Ah, Taniyamsan, hello . ”
I felt somewhat relieved . Seeing his bright smile during such a painful mood was delightful .
“As I thought, you were who Bou-san called . ”
“That’s right, it was me . ”
“You got here just now? Was it difficult?”
Yasuharsan gave a brisk nod .
“It was really difficult . Even I’m fascinated by my finesse . ”
“Where did you come from?”
“I was in Okinawa . ”
Eeeep!
“You arrived quickly, didn’t you?”
Today, right on the heels of yesterday . Fairly early this morning .
“Right? After I hung up the phone, I immediately packed my bags and went to the airport . Because of my critically ill friend . ”
“Critically ill friend?”
“Indeed . I wasn’t just enjoying myself, I was in the middle of my part-time job as a bellboy at a resort hotel . I said my friend named Takigawa was critically ill because of an accident . Saying so, I was able to escape . ”
Bou-san smiled wryly .
“Who’s critically ill? Not me!”
“Now, now . Because of that, one way or another, I caught a flight up to Fukuoka . I got on the last bullet train and went to Osaka . From there, I further hopped on the night train . Then, I arrived this morning . ”
“Remarkable . ”
I clapped my hands .
“Right?”
Laughing, Yasuharsan looked at Bou-san .
“Well? What should I do?”
“We can’t move from here . Shōnen, I want you to gather information outside . ”
“Oh, I see . I should be a detective . But, what kind of information should I gather?”
“I’ll describe the details right now… ”
Bou-san said, then questioned Yasuharsan .
“Which reminds me, Shōnen . About what year was the Ansei era?”
“The Ansei Purge was the year 1858 . Wasn’t it thereabout?”
Remarkable . Truly .
“Well, that kind of information . ”
“Got it . ”
2
Yasuharsan left without even taking time to drink tea, and those of us left behind checked last night’s data . As soon as it began playing, all of us couldn’t help frowning .
“What . . . is this sound?”
A low sound came from every camera . It was almost as if the sea was roaring . Slowly, it repeatedly increased and decreased . It somehow sounded like the breathing of a large beast .
“It’s like the breathing of a sleeping dinosaur . . . ”
That strange description came from John .
“Exactly . ”
We listened to that eerie sound for a while .
It was after it had become late in the afternoon of that day . We, who had been idling in the base, stood up at the shrill sound of bells .
“ . . . what is that!?”
“Isn’t it the fire alarm?”
When we went out into the corridor, there was a faint smoke drifting from the direction of the main building . As we ran, smoke could be seen through the window rising from the back of the main building .
“ . . . isn’t that the grandmother’s room!?”
“It looks like it . ”
As we ran up, flames were rising from the back of the corridor that led to the tatami mat room where the grandmother was .
“Takigawsan!”
Akifumi-san, who was putting out the fire with a blanket, raised his voice .
“Are you okay!? What about your grandmother!?”
“My father just went in from the window . ”
“What about the little kids?”
“They were already taken outside . ”
Hiroe-obasan rushed over carrying a fire extinguisher . I took it .
“Are there more!?”
“Yes . We’re collecting them now . ”
Hiroe-obasan said, then ran away . John held out his hands, so I passed him the fire extinguisher . I was about to follow Hiroe-obasan . It was at that time . Lin-san suddenly looked back behind him .
“ . . . Naru . ”
“Eh!?”
Lin-san pivoted and rushed off .
“Please look after things here!”
Look after… I reflexively started running, too .
“Mai!?”
“Ayako, collect the fire extinguishers with Masako!”
I shouted to Ayako, who was dumbfounded, and ran after Lin-san .
. . . everyone, I’m sorry!
Lin-san rushed into the base . I bound into the base right after him .
“Ah . . . !?”
In the base was Lin-san and another person… Kazuyasu-san was there .
While peering in Lin-san’s direction, Kazuyasu-san tore up the sliding door that lead to the next room with the kitchen knife he gripped . He raised one hand and shook the sliding door, however, it would not open . Growing irritated, he stabbed the paper with the point of the knife . The tightly closed door was in shreds because of that .
“Kazuyasu-san . . . ”
“This means there is someone who is still possessed . ”
Lin-san said as he looked at Kazuyasu-san .
“Stop that . If you open that, you are going to die . ”
Kazuyasu-san roared . He heavily drew back his kitchen knife and stabbed it . A deep gash was made on the sliding door .
“Taniyamsan, will you try attacking with the nine syllables?”
“What . . . !?”
I was told I shouldn’t use it on people .
“If I do it, he will be seriously injured . ”
“But!”
“That barrier will not hold much longer . If Naru is awoken, it will be the end . ”
But . . . Suddenly, an image of the burns on the backs of Katsuki-kun and Wakako-chan appeared in my mind . Hurting people is a dreadful thing .
Kazuyasu-san stabbed the knife again . A long hole opened in the sliding door . The white profile of Naru, who was lying down, was visible through the tear . I raised my hand to ward off Kazuyasu-san, but my hand would not move . I was still hesitating…
Lin-san whistled with his fingers . Kazuyasu-san again pierced the point of the blade into the hole in the sliding door . The hole expanded—
The thing I saw then made me stiffen . From out of the hole came— a red arm . It was an arm of about the length of a child’s and it seemed somewhat twisted . The skin looked like tanned leather, and yet, it was red as if wet with blood . The fingers were gnarled like knots, and the nails were as long as fingers . . .
It moved with a speed that sliced the air, then disappeared into the hole . A moment later, blood went flying and splattered the surface of the sliding door . Kazuyasu-san dropped the kitchen knife . Four deep, narrow wounds were carved into his arm as if gouged out—
Despite me being stunned, Lin-san moved without hesitation . Before I knew it, he had approached Kazuyasu-san, who was crouched and holding his arm, which was stained crimson with gushing blood . Again, blood flew . The spray painted speckles over the sliding door . This time, it was Lin-san who was bleeding .
“Lin-san!”
Lin-san thrust his arm, which was deeply cut, toward Kazuyasu-san . However, Kazuyasu-san quickly drew back . He sprang back like a cat . The movement didn’t seem human .
“Rin . . . ”
I raised my hand .
“Pyō . . . Tō, Sha,”
This . . . terrible fight cannot be allowed!
“Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen!”
Kazuyasu-san howled . He flopped on top of the tatami mat, tumbling, then immediately got up and charged towards me . He hurled himself from right in front of me and I involuntarily screamed . He hit me and my back heavily collided with a post . For an instant, I stopped breathing, but I immediately shook my head with vigor .
. . . what happened to Kazuyasu-san!?
He wasn’t in the room . The figure of Lin-san could be seen rushing out of the base . Though my feet got tangled, I chased after him . When I went out into the corridor, Kazuyasu-san had just broken through a window that was at the end of the corridor and flew outside .
“Taniyamsan, please call Takigawsan! Send someone to the base!”
“Alright!”
3
Just as I ran toward the main building, I was immediately met by Bou-san and the others as they were returning .
“What’s wrong?”
“Kazuyasu-san . . . ”
What should I say?
“He attacked the base and fought with Lin-san… he escaped to the garden . I was told to get you, Bou-san . ”
“—John, come on!”
“Alright!”
They ran off . Akifumi-san followed them . I stopped Ayako, who tried to follow thereafter .
“Go to the base! So it’s not attacked again!”
“What about you, Mai?”
“I’m going after them . ”
My feet already started running .
“Wait—! Don’t go! Even if you go!”
“I’m weak, so there’s something only I can do!”
I rushed into the garden and looked around the surrounding area . Where did Lin-san and Kazuyasu-san go!? The others, who were a little in front of me, were also looking around . Suddenly, I heard the sound of a whistle from the direction of the cape .
“Bou-san, over there!”
We ran . We ran through the large garden, and when we went around the teahouse, Lin-san’s figure became visible .
“Lin-san!”
Lin-san, who cast a glance in this direction, had a growing number of cuts . Kazuyasu-san could be seen hiding behind the shrubbery .
“Takigawsan, watch yourself . He can use whirlwind sickles . ”
“ . . . damn . ”
Kazuyasu-san growled in the back of his throat like a cornered beast . Lin-san and Bou-san slowly closed in on him . Out of breath and dizzy, I placed my hand against the hedgerow . I felt nauseous with tension and fatigue—
“Mai-san, are you alr . . . ”
I didn’t hear the end of John’s words .
Suddenly, the scene lurched violently . It was distorted and twisted, and just as I clung to the hedgerow, I was pushed forcefully from behind .
—I’m falling!
My body became rigid . The scene was shaking and the surface of the water at the bottom of the cliff suddenly appeared in my field of view . The rocky stretch was washed by the waves and the waves bubbled pure white… I was going to crash . I could not live if I slammed into that .
Immediately, my field of view changed . The edge of the cliff was visible at my feet and then time stopped there . I was thrown into the air . The hedgerow was visible by the edge of the cliff, which I was slipping away from . Then, the figure of a person was there . As I grasped at edge of the hedgerow, the apathetic face that watched me fall away was…
“Mai-san!?”
John called me and brought me back to myself .
I didn’t fall . My hand was grasping the hedgerow as it should be . My feet were properly situated . . . . my knees collapsed and I sat down on the spot .
“Taniyamsan . ”
Tears spilled in large drops .
“ . . . Kazuyasu-san, you did it, didn’t you?”
Kazuyasu-san showed his face from among the shrubbery . He looked in my direction .
“You pushed Nao-san from here . ”
Images surfaced in my mind . In an evening room, a birdcage was there and Kazuyasu-san thrusted his hand inside the cage . There were cries like the high-pitched scream of birds…
“It was you who killed the birds and dogs, too . ”
In the garden . He was coming out of the garage . Katsuki-kun and Wakako-chan were watching him…
“You also tampered with the car . . . why are you doing all of this?”
My tears would not stop . Kazuyasu-san did those things, and yet he didn’t .
Bou-san quickly formed the sword seal .
“ . . . who are you?”
Only a growl was heard from the shrubbery .
“What grudge do you bear to do something like this?”
A spray of blood went up like a burst of mist . A red wound appeared on Bou-san’s arm .
“Tell me who!”
A low laughter resounded from the shrubbery .
“Why do you want to release Naru?”
There was no reply . Only a chuckle reverberated from the shrubbery .
“What’s your purpose?”
Finally, a low voice replied .
“Death . ”
Suddenly, he sprung out from the shrubbery where he was hiding and ran low through the garden . He was much faster than my eyes could follow . When my eyes caught up with the direction Kazuyasu-san had run, his figure was nowhere .
When I pushed down the hedgerow, there was only an expanse of sky fully bathed in light .
By the time I reached the hedgerow on the cove side, there was a figure floating in the pure white foam that stretched over the surface of the cove water . Akifumi-san stopped Bou-san who tried to rush off in order to bring him back to his senses .
“It’s already . . . too late . ”
“But . . . ”
After he said that, Bou-san exhaled and looked down .
The neck of that person, who floated face down in the foam, was bent at a very unusual angle . If anyone were to look, they would know that it was already too late .
“Like this . . . ”
People died even before this case . But, it wasn’t in front of my eyes .
“Not like this!”
Tears rapidly flooded my eyes and it was impossible to open them .
“What did we come here for!? We can’t do anything at all!!”
A painful sorrow filled my chest and it was impossible to even breathe or swallow . With this bitter thing caught in my throat, I thought I would surely suffocate . Someone stroked my back . A warm arm went around my shoulders .
“ . . . it was nobody’s fault . ”
It was Akifumi-san’s voice .
“It wasn’t Taniyamsan or Takigawsan’s fault . It was nobody’s fault . ”
I could not answer . I also couldn’t open my eyes . My head was down and I rubbed my forehead against the top of Akifumi-san’s shouldered .
“I know that you did everything you could . ”
Still, it doesn’t make sense that people should have to die .
“I think I’m okay with this . ”
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. . . how . . .
When I raised my face, Akifumi-san was crying .
“Because at least my brother… lived without knowing what he had done . ”
. . . what he had done . That he pushed his little sister and let her die…
I nodded . Even so, I couldn’t stop crying .
4
Yasuharsan returned at night to hear the story of Kazuyasu-san . He sighed once .
“Keep up your strength . Because it’s not finished yet . ”
. . . yeah .
“After suffering such casualties, if you leave defeated, then what was it that you come here for?”
Yasuharsan said, then threw down an extraordinary amount of copied documents on top of the table .
“And now, shall I finish my homework?”
“Homework?”
“Yes . First, this is the newspaper Takigawsan requested . ”
One-by-one, Yasuharsan showed us bound copies of documents .
“This is from the time of the predecessor, and this is from the time of the predecessor before the last . ”
“Well done . ”
Yasuharsan gave Bou-san the copies .
“To summarize, it’s like this . The predecessor— that is, during the time Akifumi-san’s grandfather was ceded the house from his great-grandfather, eight people died . I understand from consulting the newspaper that four people committed double suicide . Of the remaining four people, one was a suicide, one was an accident, and the other two abruptly died from unknown causes . ”
“Double suicide . . . ?”
“Yes . The second son died after killing his wife and two children . I would call that forced double suicide . Two customers died, but those didn’t have clear causes . Since the bodies came out of the water on the coast, it was tentatively considered an accident, but I think it’s suspicious . Three spiritualists died . Two of them burned themselves to death when their clothes caught fire from the flame of a Goma ritual . The remaining one was an unexplained sudden death . It was thirteen people in total . ”
“Thirteen people, huh?”
“Before that, during the time of the great-grandfather, only six family members are listed in the newspaper . However, since it was before the war, I think it was really suspicious that it was six people . Those six people who died, died due to poison that was inside the well . This was immediately after they moved here and closed the shop in Kanazawa . ”
“Well, why was that? Did the great-great-grandfather die after moving over here?”
“It seems so . Since his age at death was seventy-eight, it was a very advanced age . I think he had already ceded the shop to his son . —Next, here’s the family death register . ”
“Oh, you were able to copy it?”
“Yes . I went to the temple first thing in the morning and made a copy . After that I visited the city library, then immediately went to Kanazawa . . . . ”
“You went all the way to Kanazawa!?”
“I certainly went . In fact, I ran and ran . It was on the train, while looking over a bunch of copies, that I noticed something strange . ”
“Something strange?”
“Yes . It was the grandmother who said, ‘Accidents occur whenever there is a change of ownership,’ but actually, the large number of deaths that occurred in this Yoshimi house were only during the last two generations of predecessors . ”
“Let me see!”
Bou-san snatched the copy of the family death register .
“That doesn’t mean the deaths during the previous generation weren’t particularly unusual . ”
“That’s for sure . . . ”
“I thought this seemed strange, so on the way back I visited the temple again and looked at all the family death registers for both the main household and the branch household . This is that copy . ”
Yasuharsan presented the copy .
“In conclusion, the problem isn’t with the Yoshimi house, but with this location . ”
“ . . . what?”
“Akifumi-san’s family— what’s known as the branch household from Kanazawa— have only come to suffer misfortune since moving here . Before that time, the family that lived here were descendants of the main household, however, the family died out about five years before the branch household from Kanazawa came back . ”
“Huh . . . ”
“In addition to that, the first death happened in third year of the Ansei era after the main household came over here . Before that, there wasn’t a Yoshimi house in this area . But, if one were to speak of who had ownership before that, then it would certainly be the family of the Fujisako house . However, the Fujisako house died out in the first year of the Ansei era . ”
Saying this, Yasuharsan then pulled out a different copy with triumph .
“After persuading the chief priest, I was able to make a copy of the family death register of the Fujisako house . ”
“Remarkable . ”
“Right? The Fujisako’s control only lasted two generations, but there’s nothing prior to that in their family death register . In other words, in summary up to this point,”
Yasuharsan said, then lightly cleared his throat .
“This location was originally owned by the Fujisako house . The Yoshimi house came after they died out due to accidents . This Yoshimi house lived here for four generations, but they also died out in the fourth generation . It turns out, the family from the branch household came thereafter . ”
Bou-san ruffled his hair .
“So, the problem isn’t the family, but the location . . . ?”
“It seems so . Next, I tried investigating the history and legends around here . The result was this,”
The bundle of copies Yasuharsan stacked was easily two books worth .
“How did you investigate this much stuff in one day…? While taking a roundtrip all the way to Kanazawa?”
Yasuharsan smiled at the sound of Bou-san’s amazed voice .
“Hehehe . I have a talent for this . ”
“A talent . . . you say?”
“After going to the temple and asking to copy the family death register, I went to the city library, but I did something before browsing newspapers . Can you guess what it was?”
“ . . . what was it?”
“I stopped bored-looking schoolgirls and offered them part-time jobs . ”
Bou-san, who was resting his chin in his hand, lost balance and dropped his chin .
“You hired part-time workers?”
“Quite so . If I wanted to hurry, only human wave tactics would work, right? ”
. . . good point .
“I was able to secure a one person workforce in Kanazawa, too . By keeping in touch with the kid I left over there by phone, I was able to collect this much material . ”
. . . in—incredible .
Yasuharsan, who was puffed up with pride, smiled and looked at Lin-san .
“As such, ‘Shibuya Psychic Research’ will accept the part-time work fees, right?”
Lin-san gave an exceptionally wry smile .
“We’ll pay . ”
“Phew, that’s a relief . ”
His relief was oddly amusing .
5
“Well, after that, while continuing the investigation, I came by a bit of an interesting story related to this location . ”
“Interesting story?”
“Yes . It’s a common folktale about ijin killing . ”
“Ijin? . . . killing?”
What is that?
When I spoke, Yasuharsan laughed .
“Actually, it’s not ijin as in a remarkable person . Rather, of ‘Red Shoes . ’ It says, ‘taken away by an ijin-san . ’ You don’t know it?”
“Ah, a foreigner . ”
In other words, John .
“Yes . But ‘ijin’ in ‘ijin killing’ is a little different . If anything, I would say it means something like ‘outsider’ . ”
Huh?
“In the olden days, a village was a closed society . Nobody left and nobody came in . The villagers were deeply linked in some way by blood as well as by a regional bond . In other words, your relatives were your neighbors . ”
“Mm . ”
“However, a peddler traveling around various countries might perhaps arrive there . He’s in no way connected to the villagers by blood or by region . He is someone completely different from the villagers . In other words, he’s an ‘ijin’ . ”
“Oh, I see . Speaking in a broad sense, an ‘ijin’ is also an outlander . ”
“That’s right . As such, there are old stories left behind as folktales about ‘ijin’ that came into the village being killed . This is what is classified as ‘ijin killing’ . ”
“Wow . ”
“Nevertheless, even in the case of folktales branded as ‘ijin killing’, it was a narrow range of ‘ijin’ . Among the medicine sellers, peddlers, and various others, the ones that were normally killed were the so-called ‘Marebito’ . ”
I looked at Yasuharsan reproachfully .
“Again in this way, you’re confusing me with words I don’t know . ”
“Sorry about that . That is to say, a man named Orikuchi Shinobu, for some reason or another, used the term ‘Marebito’ when speaking of ‘Raihoushin’ to represent divine beings who wandered from village to village . ”
. . . ah . . . I don’t understand .
“Raihoushin is a deity who visits . They come from somewhere to do things like bless villagers and give warnings . To expand on this, any agent of a deity who comes from somewhere to do things like bless villagers and give warnings is called a ‘Marebito’ . ”
“What is what?”
“These are people who, using supernatural powers, are able to communicate well with beings like Gods, Buddhas, Spirits, etc . , unlike common folk who are unable to form such connections . They would come to villages and perform things common folk could not such as exterminating monsters and exorcising vengeful spirits . ”
Hmm, that means… . “Oh, then, we would be ‘Marebito’, too? We’re outsiders from Tokyo and we exterminate evil spirits, right?”
Yasuharsan clapped his hands .
“Yes . That’s right . ‘Marebito’ would be people such as monks and priestesses who wander here and there . ”
“If that’s the case, you should have said so from the beginning . ”
“Now, now . Killings of such ‘Marebito’ is a pattern present in old Japanese tales . It was called ‘ijin killing’ in folktales . ”
“Mm . ”
“The story approximately says that ‘Marebito’ who came to villages were murdered for reasons like being despised and possessing riches, and as a result a curse would arise . ‘Marebito’ were the target of scorn while at the same time being objects of fear . Consequently, their existence was despised and they were murdered for trivial reasons, but at the same time, their existence was feared because after they were killed, a curse would arise . Leaving aside there actually being a curse, it was impossible to kill a ‘Marebito’ and get away without consequences which meant they remained an image of fear and became a kind of legend . ”
“That makes sense . Even we’re looked down on or admired for no reason . ”
Yasuharsan nodded .
“Right? —Because of that, ‘ijin killing’ remained here, but,”
Saying so, he opened a notebook .
“This has two patterns . I don’t really know which one is true, or whether both are, or whether neither are . But anyway, type A,”
Yasuharsan read the notebook .
“Long ago, three Shugendō practitioners came to the village . They saw ‘Okobu-sama’ and said they would attempt to exorcise it because a curse had been placed on it . When they exorcised it, ‘Okobu-sama’ suddenly transformed into a golden Buddha statue . They said since the benevolent Buddha statue had been washed by the waves and ended up in that form, it must have been cursed . The ascetics built a movable shrine to the Buddha statue in the city and enshrined it there . However, the village elder saw it and, due to desire for the golden Buddha statue, took the ascetics to the coast and murdered them, but at the same instant the ascetics were killed, the golden Buddha statue turned back into the original stick of wood . Soon after, the elder’s household was plagued by a series of misfortunes and died out . Because of this, it was said to be the ascetics’ curse . —This is type A . ”
I see, I see .
“The other type . Long ago, three troupe leaders came to the village . They saw ‘Okobu-sama’ and said because it was a benevolent god, a shrine should be built and it should be enshrined there . However, the villagers were having trouble paying the land tax due to a poor harvest that year, and there was no such allowance . Furthermore, a villager saw that the troupe leaders had a lot of money and communicated that . The villages gathered and agreed that they would kill the troupe leaders, then called them to the elder’s house . Poison was mixed in the meal, killing the troupe leaders, and after taking their money, the corpses were discarded into the sea . Since storms and high waves followed from then on, the villagers became remorseful and built a shrine to worship ‘Okobu-sama’ and mounds for the troupe leaders . —This is type B . ”
“How awful . . . ”
“Well, such a thing is known as ‘ijin killing’ . ”
After saying so, Yasuharsan leaned forward .
“I don’t think they’re merely legends . There are a lot of facts shared about the three ‘Marebito’ and the ‘Okobu-sama’, right? Summarizing the two, it would be as such . Three ‘Marebito’ came to the village and said something about ‘Okobu-sama’ . However, in the end, these ‘Marebito’ were killed by the greedy villagers . The crime was related to the ‘elder’ and, the location where they died or where their corpses were discarded, was the sea . As a result, bad things occurred in the village . The outline of both stories are ultimately the same . ”
Bou-san blinked with surprise .
“Then, what? You think there was actually that kind of incident in the past?”
“I think so . I think there was an actual incident that acts as the model, and while it was being handed down, it split into two types . ”
“Hm . . . ”
“So, when I actually researched the local history, I found this . It’s a legend entitled, ‘Regarding Okobutsu-sama . ’”
“Okobutsu-sama? Not Okobu-sama?”
“Right . Nevertheless, it’s a story similar to type A . Somewhere along the coast a stick of wood was washed ashore, and when it was shown to a monk, he said it was a benevolent Buddhsama . In fact, when the monk chanted a sutra, the stick of wood immediately transformed into a golden Buddha statue . However, the following morning it had again transformed into the stick of wood . The story says from then on it was called ‘Okobutsu-sama’ and enshrined . ”
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“I see, it’s definitely similar . Then, type A is more of a true story?”
“I think it’s dangerous to make such an immediate decision . Still, I believe the underlying story is true . ”
Bou-san nodded and contemplated for a moment .
“Three ascetics… or troupe leaders . . . ”
“What is it?”
“There were mounds at the shrine . ”
“Oh, the ‘Tohachi mounds’?”
“Did you know why they’re named that?”
“No . There were no clues about that . I’ll go investigate it further tomorrow, but . . . ”
“There were three mounds, right? They’re also known as the ‘Sanroku mounds’ . Maybe it’s ‘Three Roku mounds’ . ”
“—Ah, I see . Perhaps . But, what are ‘Roku mounds’?”
“Maybe ‘Rokubu mounds’?”
Yasuhara clapped his hands and nodded emphatically .
“Oh, yeah! Maybe ‘Three Rokubu mounds’ was abbreviated to ‘Sanroku mounds’? Then the last part of type B fits perfectly . It says they, ‘built a shrine and built mounds . ’”
I asked Bou-san,
“What’s Rokubu?”
“They were pilgrimaging monks who visited six-sixty sacred sites all over the country . They were referred to as ‘Rokujuurokubu (66 copies)’, which was shortened to ‘Rokubu’, from the fact that they delivered hand-copied scriptures from the Lotus Sutra one copy at a time . It also came to refer to pilgrimaging monks who wandered various countries . In other words, ‘Marebito’ . ”
“Really?”
At the same time I raised my voice, Yasuharsan began to furiously turn over a bunch of copies .
“ . . . What’s wrong?”
“‘Rokubu mounds’ . Somewhere… here!”
Yasuharsan pulled out a binding of documents .
“There was a legend around here about ‘Rokubu mounds’, but I overlooked it because there were no ‘Rokubu mounds’ . Let me see…”
He flipped through the documents and read .
“When it happened isn’t written, but long ago a famine happened around here and the discontented villagers caused a riot . However, they were subdued in the end . At that time, the villagers were told their lives would be spared if they turned in the ringleaders and the villagers handed over the ringleaders . The ringleaders ran away, but their pursuers caught them just after they fled to the ‘Rokubu mounds’ . They were beheaded on the spot . Because odd events took place in the village after that such as the outbreak of an epidemic and strange rumblings in the earth, there was purported to be a curse from the ringleaders . Graves were built for them near the ‘Rokubu mounds’, but it didn’t stop in the least . Eventually, a temple was built there and when the graves were generously worshipped, the strangeness finally subsided . ”
Suddenly, a voice sounded in my head .
(—This . . . betrayal . )
“Next to the ‘Rokubu mounds’? That’s here, isn’t it?”
Ayako asked . Bou-san nodded,
“To the left of the shrine is the sea, and the mountain is on the opposite side of the road, but I wouldn’t say across the road is next to . ”
“There’s more . Long ago, there was a riot that occurred in this area, and the ringleaders were beheaded near the ‘Rokubu mounds’ . Graves were built nearby and they were carefully buried, but if anyone disturbs the graves, he’ll develop a strange rash on the neck . Soon after it will rot and his head will fall off . ”
Ayako and John spoke in unison .
“A strange rash on the neck!”
Yasuharsan flipped through the documents with a speed and fury .
“According to the local history— an uprising occurred only once in this area . The riot in this area occurred in the second year of the Bunkyū era, that is, the year 1862 . And the five ringleaders were decapitated . ”
“Five . . . ringleaders!?”
(Who was there? Me, Naru, Bou-san, Ayako, and Lin-san . . . five . )
“Wait a minute . The riot related to the ‘Rokubu mounds’ and the riot in the second year of the Bunkyū era are probably the same one, right? There were five ringleaders of the riot . Then, the graves built next to the shrine—”
After Ayako said this, John and Bou-san looked at each other .
“The stones in the garden!”
(—always be cursed until the end of days!)
That’s . . . what this meant . . .
6
“Well, should we go then?”
“Bou-san?”
“The five people from the riot and the three Rokubu . Which one do you think is the culprit in this case?”
Bou-san looked around at us . We were bewildered and looked around at each other .
Yasuharsan spoke,
“There are too few clues to choose one of them . ”
When he said that, Bou-san lightly sighed .
“If that’s the case, —John . Let’s split up between the five and three . ”
“Alright . ”
“Lin-san, what are you going to do?”
When Bou-san asked, Lin-san responded,
“I cannot go . Since one of my shiki was knocked away in today’s uproar, I cannot leave here . ”
“Knocked away?”
When I asked, he replied,
“Yes . It’s presence hasn’t disappeared, so it should return in a little while, but in the meantime, if I don’t stay here, Naru will be vulnerable . —May I suggest something?”
“What?”
“I think it’s better not to disperse your powers . I think there will be heavy resistance . ”
Bou-san raised his eyebrows . He looked at the bandage that was wound around his arm with displeasure .
“ . . . good grief . —Eeny, meeny, miny, moe . ”
Bou-san raised his finger . He pointed towards the cape .
“We’ll clear away the most numerous ones . Since it’s five . We’ll try an exorcism . ”
It was as he said this . Suddenly, an impact like a side blow ran through the house .
“What is that!?”
Soon after I raised my voice, heavy footsteps were heard running through the corridor .
“Takigawsan, the temperature is decreasing . ”
When I looked back toward Lin-san’s voice, the video of the six thermography instruments had turned blue as if they had been dyed . On the screen where only number data is displayed, the numbers were rapidly changing . While watching, the word ‘ERROR’ was increasing all over, and just like that, the word ‘ERROR’ filled every screen .
“Unit three has stopped . ”
The video on camera three was interrupted . Following that, the monitor screens went out one after another .
“Bastards . . . ”
To Bou-san’s words, Yasuhara said,
“I guess they made the first move . ”
“I thought we’d go visit, but they left from over there . ”
“Isn’t that our gain?”
“If it’s a beautiful lady . ”
“Is that so? If it’s an ugly woman, then it’s just an annoyance?”
“That particular sort is persistent . ”
“I see . Experienced words carry weight . ”
. . . when Bou-san and Yasuharsan unite, there isn’t even any tension .
The sound of heavy steps continued in the corridor . Overlapping that, a low sound became audible . What John described as, “the breathing of a sleeping dinosaur . ” The low sound gradually grew stronger as if creeping and it became clear that it was the voices of people . Low, low voices like the singing of people .
“Huh? Aren’t those the words of a sutra?”
“If the opponent is the Rokubu, it would be just like them to do that . Are those three the culprits?”
“The one’s applying pressure are the monks? I guess it’s not too appreciated . ”
“At the very least, if they were nuns . ”
. . . how long are they going to keep up this imprudent comic dialogue?
“Shōnen, stay here . Lin, I'm counting on you . ”
“Alright . ”
“Mai, Masako, Ayako . We’re going to have a look at the situation . Stay here until then . ”
“Oh, I’m going!”
In reply to Ayako’s strong voice,
“If you recklessly leave, you’ll be hit by whirlwind sickles, and it’s very painful . ”
“I understand the danger!”
“When you become damaged goods with that personality, offers of marriage will disappear . —Which brings me to John . Let’s be good friends and draw the short straw . ”
“Alright . ”
Bou-san and John went running out of the base . I stopped Ayako, who was going to follow them .
“He told us to wait . ”
“Even so, I can’t comply!”
“Even if we go, we’ll just get in the way! At the very least, let’s see what happens . ”
“Don’t combine me with you! I’m a professional!”
Being yelled at, I got offended .
“Considering that, you haven’t been useful, have you?”
“It couldn’t be helped . Because of the conditions in this place, I’m able to help here . ”
. . . she’s able to help . . . here?
When I tried to ask in return, the lights suddenly went out .
“What happened?”
“It seems like a power line is out or the breaker tripped . ”
It was Lin-san’s calm voice . Due to the moonlight coming in through the window, my eyes immediately became accustomed to the darkness .
“At any rate, I’m going . ”
“Wait, Ayako!”
Just then, Masako raised her voice .
“ . . . over there!”
Masako was pointing at the window . From the eaves above the window, something elongated was hanging . It appeared to be a human arm . Only one arm was hanging down .
While watching it, the hand scratched at the air . It was wriggling as if struggling, then another arm came hanging down . Both arms grabbed the eaves . Then, an upside down human face looked in from the edge of the eaves .
It was the face of a man . The man looked inside the room, then very slowly leaned forward . Remaining upside down, he stretched both his hands out towards the window and pounded on the glass . Right after, the man crawled out from the eaves without even falling . As if he was a gecko or something, he crawled on the glass and revealed his whole body .
The man crawled out to the center of the glass . Another hand immediately appeared from the eaves . Then a woman appeared . From the sides and bottom of the window, hands could be seen sticking to the glass .
I had unconsciously backed up to the opposite wall . Men, women, children… The window was rapidly filling with people who had crawled out upside down from the roof and were clinging to the glass . All of whom peered inside expressionlessly .
One struck the glass with a bang . Another one imitated that . Before long, all of them had started to pound on the glass . The movement was mechanical without expression .
“Yasuharsan, come here . ”
Masako prompted Yasuharsan . She made him sit against the wall and sat herself beside him, then she clasped her hands together . With her eyes closed, she moved only her mouth and began chanting something .
They started to pound the glass in a uniform rhythm . The glass began to steadily tremble . Each time a fist connected, the glass visibly rippled… it was cracking . It would break soon .
Lin-san whistled with his fingers . At the same time, Ayako cut the nine syllables . In a hair’s breadth, the glass was shattered inward . Figures were scattered outside the window and others came leaping inside .
“Mai, there’s no need to hold back because they’re spirits of the dead!”
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“Okay!”
I answered and poised both hands— then I screamed .
From the window frame that had broken glass, a woman was trying to crawl inside . Her body was full of wounds and half of her face was smashed and caving in .
However, I knew it was Nao-san .
—Why? Why is Nao-san . . ?
“Mai! Stop idling!”
I nodded, then readied my hand even though I felt discouraged . I mean, that was Nao-san, right…?
A little girl crawled towards the adjacent room .
“Rin, Pyō, Tō, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zen, Gyō”
That peculiar nine syllables came from Lin-san . As if repulsed, the child went tumbling out the window . It’s expressionless face momentarily showed pain, and because of that I became increasingly paralyzed .
We were not the target of the that crowd coming in from the window one after another . It was the adjacent room . Did they want to release Naru from there or the being possessing him . . . ? Even if they were knocked outside the window, they came crawling up again . It was futile against their persistence and insatiably .
When I bolstered my courage and raised my hand, a sharp pain shot through my wrist . I was surprised and when I looked, there was a thin cut . Then, blood began to trickle .
Ayako screamed . Red spread over the shoulder of her white shirt . Lin-san was covered in thin cuts, too .
There’s no way we can compete… with this…
Something suddenly grazed across the side of my face . There was a dull sound and it stuck in the floor by the window .
“On kirikiri bazara bajiri hora manda manda un hatta!”
I momentarily looked between the ritual instrument that rose up from the floor and the figure that had leaped into the room .
“On sara sara bazara hara kyara un hatta, on amirito dohanba un hatta,”
Suddenly, the swarm of dead tumbled out the window .
“On biso hora daraki shabazara hanjara un hatta, on asan magini un hatta, on shaugyarei makasan maen sowaka!”
Bou-san, who was also covered in cuts, ran up to his Tokkosho and pierced it over again .
“Try to enter if I put this here!”
A man appeared from below the window . He extended his hand, trying to enter the room, then vanished below the window as if repulsed by something . Although they approached the window one after another, something there seemed to cause intense pain and they were unable to enter .
I slumped and sat down . My tension dissolved, then I suddenly broke into a cold sweat .
“Where’s Brown-san?”
After being asked by Lin-san, Bou-san replied,
“He’s leading the young master and the others . They’ll be here soon . ”
“Did something show up over there?”
After Ayako asked,
“Those things showed up! We were surrounded by a band of drowned corpses . I’m telling you, it’s like a zombie movie . ”
Just as Bou-san said this with a bitter expression, a scream was heard from the direction of the corridor .
When we ran into the corridor, screams could be heard from the direction of the main building . Following after Bou-san, who broke into a run, Ayako also broke into a run . I was in doubt, looking between the inside of the room and the pitch-dark corridor . Masako nodded .
“Be careful . ”
I nodded, then followed after Ayako .
The screaming was taking place in the corridor a little past the entrance . Akifumi-san and the others could be seen crouched in the corridor . Katsuki-kun or Wakako-chan, or one of the children was crying . And something faintly white was flying pest-like about the area . John, who stood nearby, was sprinkling holy water and driving them off .
John shouted .
“Please don’t touch this! You’ll have a hard time . ”
. . . hard time?
Just as I stared back at him, a white thing changed its angle and flew towards me .
“Un hatta”
It disappeared as if dissolved by Bou-san’s voice .
“John! Hurry over here! It’s safe if you go to the base!”
Nodding, John spoke to the others around him . Akifumi-san, who was holding Katsuki-kun, was the first to rise, then everyone stood up and ran towards the base .
Despite John saying, ‘Don’t touch,’ there was no way to avoid them . While I staggered without regard to hitting them, I ran towards the base . Being careless and running without thinking, a white thing hit my stomach as I started to approach the base .
I felt an impact . The impact, which pierced by stomach, was from something hard . I fell to my knees on the spot . A severe pain ran through my body from my stomach to my head and toes and it was impossible to breathe . I couldn’t even scream . Something warm came rushing into my hand, which I had immediately lifted to hold my stomach . The stench of blood greeted my nose .
. . I . . . was stabbed . .
I thought so in surprise with my mind that was paralyzed with pain . When I fearfully checked to make sure, there wasn’t even a scar there . There wasn’t one stain on the outside of my t-shirt .
“Mai! Are you okay!?”
“What . . . is this?”
Following the initial impact, the pain had left without me noticing . Staring blankly, the white thing came flying towards my shoulder as well . I tried to avoid it this time, but I didn’t make it in time . A soundless scream came out . It was scorching pain . Suddenly, there was the sensation of blood splashing against my face . It felt like . . . my upper arm had been twisted and dislocated from the socket .
. . . It was simply pure pain . Of course, there weren’t any scars anywhere .
“Mai!?”
“Don’t touch the white things!”
Distracted by me, Bou-san was attacked by a white thing and staggered violently .
“ . . . ow”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m not at all okay… shit . ”
Bou-san joined his fingers .
“Kyataya hanjasa hadaya sowaka!”
Suddenly, the color red flooded my mind . Crimson… transparent light . It wasn’t seen with my eyes, but I sensed light . After the light disappeared, there wasn’t even one white thing left .
“It’s over now . . . go on . Protect the little kids . ”
“Right!”
I ran and rushed over to the side of Teruksan, who was leading Wakako-chan by the hand .
“Are you alright?”
“Yes . . . ”
Teruksan, who answered with a tense expression, was also covered in thin cuts . Wakako-chan had a dazed expression . I lifted Wakako-chan and ran . I feverishly ran down the dark corridor back towards base .
7
Upon returning to base and going inside, there was a strange feeling like caressing downy hair . It wasn’t a particularly unpleasant feeling . Once inside, I lowered Wakako-chan and sat down . I was out of breath, and I couldn’t move anymore . Both my hands and feet were trembling .
Bou-san soon rushed in as well and, with a thud, fell on top of the tatami mat where he had entered the room .
“Are you… okay . . . ?”
“I’m dying . ”
It was a carefree voice, but his breathing seemed like he was suffering terribly .
“Are you alright?”
Masako hurried over and tried to help him up . Bou-san refused it and simply wiggled his fingertips .
“I wouldn’t mind paying 100 million yen… if I you’d let me sleep right here . ”
What are you saying?
I glanced at the doorway . Both the lattice and sliding doors were open at the dark entrance . The white things were flying over again from the corridor, but they seemed to be repulsed at the entrance . I dragged my trembling legs and closed the sliding door . Watching them is bad for the heart .
“You should rest a little . It seems to be all right now . ”
“If I rest, that barrier will be dispelled, too . ”
. . . oh, is that so?
Without noticing, the curtains had been tightly closed over the veranda window and there was a low table propped up there . It was like a simple barricade . Several candles were lit . I would have never thought such small lights could feel as warm as this .
“Hey . . . what do we do now?”
“We wait until morning . They should go away at dawn . ”
I reflexively looked at my wristwatch . It was already close to one o’clock . Since dawn is early in the summer, we’d be able to hold out somehow .
“What about Naru? Is he okay?”
After I asked, Lin-san nodded .
“He’s fine . He wasn’t woken up . ”
Ayako, Masako and Yasuhara were treating all the wounds .
“Taniyamsan, also . Are you injured?”
I was called by Masako and looked at my opened cuts . The blood had already clotted . They didn’t seem like such deep cuts .
“Mine aren’t serious . I’m okay . ”
“Well, it’s only disinfection . ”
. . . I don’t like it because it stings . I thought this, but I quietly had them treated . Yasuharsan kneeled beside Bou-san .
“Are you injured, Takigawsan?”
“A bunch . ”
“Please don’t move for a moment . ”
Bou-san’s t-shirt had become covered in blood . When Yasuharsan attempted to raise Bou-san’s shirt,
“Pervert . ”
“Would you like me to pour the hydrogen peroxide over your head?”
“I wouldn’t like it because I’d be heavy metal . ”
Yasuharsan laughed and pulled up his shirt forcefully . His back was covered in cuts of various sizes . The ones visible below his shoulder blades were especially deep . At this rate, he should be covered in blood . Yasuharsan momentarily frowned, but he immediately spoke as if it was nothing .
“This will sting . ”
After saying this, he applied the cotton wool and Bou-san raised a pathetic voice .
“Ow, ow, ow . ”
“You’re a boy . Endure it!”
“I’ll be a girl starting today . ”
“You’re grossing me out, so please stop . ”
While speaking of one thing or another, Yasuharsan disinfected Bou-san’s wounds, then tore sheets and bandaged him . After a while, Lin-san looked up unexpectedly .
“What’s wrong?”
“It has returned . ”
“Eh?”
“My shiki . Now all five are present . Takigawsan, it is safe to sleep . ”
I didn’t see anything with my eyes and I didn’t feel anything .
Masako frowned .
“That is your shiki?”
“It is, but can you sense its presence?”
Masako nodded .
“I understand why the spirits in this house were so empty . ”
What?
“The ones who possessed Hazuki-chan and Naru, as well as the ones wandering the house, every one of the spirits felt so empty because they are the enslaved spirits of someone . ”
Masako’s hands, which were clasped together, were trembling .
“Those spirits are not acting of their own will . Someone is using them, enslaving them as shiki . Using their resentment… using their deep suffering to the extent that they are unable to rest in peace . ”
. . . Nao-san passing through the cave . If that’s the rebirth ritual, then what is it for? Why was Nao-san participating in the attack? . . . with such… a pitiful appearance .
It’s not over yet . Nothing is over until . . .
We have to cut off this grotesque root and release the trapped spirits .
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