"Ah ah, damn it, what is happening exactly!"
A stiff smile— Touji looked like smiling was the only thing he could do when encountering such a situation, helplessly cursed. This scolding from him without a doubt says about what everyone around him was thinking.
The sudden strange happening had suddenly slowed down, the magic power lines connecting [Morito] units did not disappear, but had obviously stopped.
In fact, "The magic power among [Morito] were in a stable condition, even though the numbers remained high, but compared to the highest value observed a moment before, it had decreased drastically, now it's still decreasing at a slow rate." Everyone couldn't hide their worries after listening to Hummer's report.
Among them, only Natsume started to speak.
"… Harutora."
"What?"
"It's Harutora, it's definitely him, Harutora had stopped the [Tensou Chifu Ritual]."
Natsume's words contain inexplicable confidence, Touji had nothing to say but he did not refute as well, Kyouko, Tenma and Suzuka were the same as well.
Even though it couldn't be guessed when it would happen, but no one thinks that Harutora would not care about this matter. To say that [this change] was caused by Harutora, it wouldn't be farfetched.
"… Truly." Amami agreed with her view. "Other than the enemy, the person that knows the most about [Tensou Chifu Ritual] is him. However, the ritual—technique wasn't [broken], but was [stopped], shows that things hasn't ended yet."
"Yes."
Natsume quickly replied Amami who pointed out this fact.
Harutora made his move. Other than stopping [Tensou Chifu Ritual] and defeating Souma and Kurahashi, it's impossible that he had other goals, it's the same for Natsume and the rest as well. In other words, now is the time for Natsume and the rest to fight alongside with Harutora.
Perhaps Natsume's intentions had been conveyed, the morale of Touji and the rest rose rapidly as well. Touji strike a punch on his palm, Kyouko straightened her body, Suzuka revealed a maniac smile.
However, "Wait, wait a minute, even if we want to stop it, [Tensou Chifu Ritual] has already begun, right? If we are to carelessly obstruct them, causing the ritual to fail, wouldn't that cause a large spiritual disaster…" Tenma fearfully spoke, this concern was quite reasonable. In the past, Tsuchimikado Yakou held the [Tensou Chifu Ritual] and failed, resulting in a large spiritual disaster that changed the spiritual phase of Tokyo. The general public had thought this way, Ashiya Doman, who knows what actually happened, spoke the same thing as well.
"Harutora should know about this more than anyone else, even so, he still stopped them, he must have a good reason for doing this."
Ashiya Doman had explained that [the large spiritual disaster was caused by failed ritual], but he had clearly said that he [had no means of approaching close], in other words, he wasn't clear about the most important truth.
On the other hand, Harutora— Tsuchimikado Yakou was the person involved, he was the center character of this matter. Moreover, Harutora wouldn't risk allowing a large spiritual disaster to happen, but rather he would use this move to prevent this tragedy.
"I believe in Harutora."
"… Me too. Even though these words of Natsume doesn't sound convincing at all, but I think it's the right judgement."
Hearing how Touji was mocking herself, Natsume angrily revealed an unconvinced expression, but she didn't refute, only her cheeks reddened slightly, she too understand that she would lose her cool easily when met with things related to Harutora. Tenma nodded with a straight face, agreeing with Natsume's conclusion.
At this moment, "The missing Miyoshi Tougo called in! He requested to speak with Amami Daizen!" A policeman holding a wireless electronic came rushing to the circular carpark.
Natsume and the rest were nervous, the man in charge of commanding onsite took the wireless phone from his subordinate and turned towards Amami, he extended the phone out without a word. The subordinate was surprised, surely this was something utterly unacceptable in terms of procedures.
"— Thank you."
Amami thanked him from the bottom of his heart, taking the wireless phone. He turned on the loudspeaker mode, an action to show his thanks to the man. Natsume and the rest hurriedly gathered around Amami, paying full attention to the conversation between them.
Then, "How are you, Amami previous chief, I am Miyoshi. Are there anyone on your side injured?" that was a deep yet carefree voice. "It's been a long time, Miyoshi." Amami was collected as well, but he gave a quick reply.
"Fortunately, there were no casualties from our side. Let me confirm this, you are aware of what's going on?"
"I have an overall understanding."
"In other words, you couldn't care less about the barrier on the Agency?"
"I'm sorry, to approach brazenly into a place that obviously is a trap goes against my principles."
"It's okay, this is just like you."
"But we had spent a huge effort to prevent Yuge from running out."
"Yuge is together with you? So, the twins as well then? What about Yamashiro?"
"He is here too."
"He and Kurahashi--"
"They had break off relations with each other, I can vouch for this."
Even though his vouch seems to be nonchalant, "Oh." Amami's tone seems to be very interested.
"You vouch huh, could it be that you had developed feelings after working with each other?"
"I can't deny that."
"Ha, so be it. To be able to increase our firepower at this time is something more than welcomed, what about Kagami? Our side couldn't contact him."
"It's the same on my side. We had used many methods, yet we are unable to contact him, we had originally planned to persuade him to join us before making our move, it ended up only wasting time. I think we should prioritise on the things in front of us now."
"That's true."
The pace of the conversation is neither too frustrating nor too worrying, yet the discussion went on quickly, both of them did not say anything redundant.
Amami and Miyoshi were both important people of the Onmyou Agency, one of them is the brain of the organisation, the other is the eyes of the organisation, the two had dealt with various kinds of situations. They knew each other well, it's natural that they worked closely together when met with emergency situations.
"Have you [see] [what situation] it is right now?"
"Yes, the entire city— the [Early Spiritual Disaster Detection Network] that the chief's side pushed forward, some unknown techniques had flowed into this magical network, initiating the revival of the ley line. It's just after that, someone mixed in a different technique into the network."
"That is the [altar] set up in the city, the ultrlarge-scale ritual prepared by chief's side, the one stopping the ritual perhaps is Tsuchimikado Harutora. I want to know the location of both parties, do you have any way of knowing where the center of the altar is and the locations which allows other techniques flowing into the altar?"
"Regarding the former, the answer is yes. The center of the network is at Kanda Shrine, couldn't it be [seen] from the agency? To be honest, this has developed into something that people wouldn't dare to [see] directly, this is totally a part of change in heaven and earth."
His tone was calm, which makes it more terrifying. Those listening from the side knows as well, Miyoshi wasn't the kind to use exaggerated words to express things, he rather straightforwardly used [change in heaven and earth] for description, it means that such an event fitting that description was currently happening.
Moreover…
-- Kanda Myoujin!
Kanda Myoujin— the official name is called Kanda Shrine, of course Natsume knows of this name. that's the shrine that protects Edo and worships Taira no Masakado. Speaking of which, the place where they met Takiko a few days back was also near Kanda Myoujin.
That place wasn't far from the Agency.
"Hama!"
Before Natsume could speak, Tenma had already called out to the shikigami. Hummer let out a fierce engine noise, looking as if ready to move anytime, rushed to the side of its master.
"Is there no way to know where is Harutora?"
"The locations where the techniques flow into are at Shinjuku Branch and Meguro Branch, this means the other party isn't directly using techniques, but rather traps placed two nights ago during the attacks, this is the most reasonable explanation."
"So, there is no knowing where he is right now then."
"Yes… ah, please wait a moment."
The conversation stopped suddenly, Miyoshi's voice distanced from the phone. Sounds from his surroundings could be heard through the phone, a woman's shouting could be heard softly.
After a few seconds.
"Apologises, just now from Shinjuku— on the west direction, it's confirmed that there are three [Armoured Juggernaut] moving, it's already confirmed they are the same things that was [seen] in the Dark Temple."
"[Armoured Juggernaut]?"
Amami looked towards Natsume while speaking, Natsume nodded with strength. Natsume had witness first-hand the [Armoured Juggernauts] at the Dark Temple, that three [Armoured Juggernaut] were the unquestionably same ones used by Harutora to attack the Dark Temple.
"What should we do?" Touji asked Natsume. "Takiko and Harutora— the [Armour Juggernauts] could be a decoy as well."
Rushing over from the Agency location in Akihabara, the nearest would be Kanda Myoujin. Solely relying on themselves to win against Takiko's camp is near impossible, but it shouldn't be a problem to stop the ritual from continuing. On the other hand, if they were to meet up with Harutora in Shinjuku, perhaps they could forge a better collaboration, of course it's also possible that they hinder Harutora's plans.
No one expressed their views, everybody was waiting for Natsume's judgement. Natsume looked at Amami, he too only grinned at her without saying anything.
"… Meeting up with Harutora would be our number one priority, we shall make our way to Shinjuku."
When receiving the report, Shigeoka was accepting Public Security's interrogation.
To be honest, he was very confused. To be someone like himself, when comes to such situations, he must stand in the frontlines commanding people below him—he was very clear about this in his mind, but this matter right now was something exceeding his capabilities, he couldn't help but to develop this kind of feelings.
Just the matter about Amami Chief exposing Kurahashi Chief yesterday, was already something unimaginable, then the public security came in to do a forced investigation on the day of the forewarned terrorist attack. Even when he was interrogated, he had some kind of feeling that such things shouldn't happen in reality.
Shigeoka believes that something went wrong somewhere in the middle, but this was just his own personal belief, there wasn't any justification. It's impossible for him to work based on his feelings, ordering his subordinates to believe what he believes in. Moreover, now is the time Onmyou Agency must put in all its manpower to stop the terrorist attack, why exact does things developed into this state?
[Early Spiritual Disaster Detection Network] to behave abnormally out of the sudden was the last straw before he was crushed. Shigeoka thinks in terms of efficiency in exorcising spiritual disaster work, the detection network was state of the art creation, giving a rather high commendation, thus, it was hard for him to accept when abnormalities happened.
So far, he knew that some magic was performed on the detection network formed by [Morito] units, perhaps the detection network was being used for unacceptable purposes, to place some sort of magical formation inside the city. But who was doing this for some unknown purpose, there was no way to judge now, the Magical Crime Investigation Department should have headed out to investigate, but due to the forced investigation by the Public Security, all their activities had to be stopped.
Perhaps this was actually the forewarned terrorist attack, next, spiritual disaster would happen inside the city. Anger, frustration and worry caused Shigeoka to nearly go crazy.
That's why the moment he received that report, Shigeoka finally calmed down. The report stated very clearly o the things he should do— at least that was what he thought.
"Independent Officer! Three [Armoured Juggernaut] appeared on the capitol expressway! Moving towards us on the number four Shinjuku line."
Looking at the report, the identity of the other party seems to be Tsuchimikado Harutora.
To bring him into justice was the last official order Shigeoka received. Anyway, it is an actual fact that he attacked Shinjuku Branch and Meguro Branch. Regardless of the contents Amami had exposed, he has actually committed a [crime], moreover now the military purpose [Armoured Juggernaut] were being used.
If that's the case—
-- It's my duty to stop him.
So far, Shigeoka wasn't arrested, especially the terrorist attack that was about to happen, if he wants to go forward to stop it, it would be difficult for the Public Security to stop him forcefully. He then convinced the person-in-charge onsite and proceeded to meet up with the engineers of the Fujiwara Industries.
They seem to have received the news about [Armoured Juggernauts] appearing, the moment Shigeoka was seen rushing over, the main engineer in charge of developing [FAR] stood up from his chair excitedly.
"Shigeoka Independent Officer! We had just received news about the military purpose—"
"I know! Move out immediately, this is the first battle of [FAR]!"
Things outside of expectation happened one after another, not just the main engineer, the other engineers from Fujiwara Industries fell into a heavy mood. However, Shigeoka's declaration swept away all their worries, the eyes of everyone were shining brightly, each of them rushed to their respective work place.
"That… Shigeoksan? I know I should say this kind of things… Is doing this really alright?" the only main engineer who understands Shigeoka's position spoke.
"It's okay, we only need to perform our best in our respective fields— isn't that right?"
Shigeoka asked sharply, the main engineer couldn't find any words for a moment, "Yes." Finally nodding his head in agreement. He then for the sake of fully supporting Shigeoka, he quickly gave out orders to his subordinates. "Technique release! [FAR 01], [02], [03], [04], [05], [06], [07], [08] activate!"
All the [FAR - VER 7] on standby activated at once, Shigeoka used magic for controlling, he then boarded the transport vehicle of the exorcising spiritual disaster team and left the branch. The main engineer accompanied him, the eight [FAR] moved on wheels on the road were following in a line behind the high-speed transport vehicle.
Sun had set, even though the sky was bright still, but the colour had gradually changed from red to purple and into dark blue. Ancient technology operating the latest machines, under the highly skilled operator's control, they moved together forward in unison in the large city of Shinjuku where night fall approaches.
[FAR] had no problems. Shigeoka who had this thinking created his general purpose [ML28 - Karura] inside the transport vehicle. After the shikigami flew into the sky, he focused his mind on the shikigami, rushed towards the reported location first.
[Karura] and [FAR] were the same, both were specially made, shikigamis that requires the user's mastery in control and accuracy. In order to allow them to work together more flexibly, he kept training for the past few days. First was to let [Karura] fly at high speeds towards the site, confirming the location of the target.
He quickly found it.
On the capitol expressway that only has few vehicles due to the traffic restrictions, there was a strange body travelling towards Shinjuku from the west.
There were three armoured type Tsuchigumo made with Metal, the Tsuchigumos formed a line, using their eight legs to move at high speeds, moving forward on the high road. A few years ago, he saw the outer form of Tsuchigumo at Magical Items Storage Facility in Hachiouji, however this is the first time he had seen Tsuchigumo in action. The awesome and fluid-flowing movements as if living organisms, it's hard to imagine this form was created from battles.
-- Imperial Ground Forces… Properties left behind by Tsuchimikado Yakou huh.
The dead spirits of World War II were awakened in the modern era, running on the capitol expressway. Thinking about this calmly, this is something rather strange, but the him leading [FAR] doesn't fit to say such things. On some levels of sense, this was a challenge from Shigeoka and the engineers towards Tsuchimikado Yakou and the Imperial Ground Forces.
The movement speed of the [Armoured Juggernauts] weren't to the point of horrifying, even though they were considered fast among normal mechanical types, but they couldn't compare to [FAR] that uses wheels to move. According to this situation, there was no need to worry about the other party escaping once the battle starts.
"Target has been confirmed, we will reach the initial stage in a few minutes. We are entering the expressway from Shinjuku, attacking them!"
The moment he received report on the appearance of [Armoured Juggernauts], he had given the order to seal the capitol expressway off completely. Perhaps there were still normal vehicles travelling on the expressway, but logically speaking, there should only be a few of them left, they can attack with full force. Shigeoka continued using [Karura] to pursue the [Armour Juggernauts], controlling [FAR] to overtake the transport vehicle he is on to rush to the site first, the eight [FAR] that originally travelled at similar speeds with the transport vehicle rushed out at full speed at the same time.
Once entered the expressway, Shigeoka controlled [FAR] through [Karura] instead. Even in the eyes of experts, even the switching of magic power transmission was done perfectly, this was the result of Shigeoka's strict training, the degree of control through [Karura] was the same as how he used [Modified Emperor] and [Modified Yaksha] previously.
"… The information about [FAR] was sent here… they are working normally… their conditions are great…!"
The chief engineer stared that the laptop that he brought along, Shigeoka listened to his report as he gathered his focus. There were no civilian vehicles on the expressway, Shigeoka used this fact to control [FAR] to rush in the reverse direction, arranging them into two rows, then…
The three [Armoured Juggernauts] that were locked on as well as the [FAR] team appeared in the sights of [Karura]. Not knowing if they were being overly cautious — of course, they should have been overly cautious— the leader of the [Armoured Juggernauts], after finding out about [FAR], seems to panic due to the appearance of unknown bodies.
Shigeoka's heartbeat increased.
"—Attack!"
The moment the words left his mouth, two [FAR] units— [01] and [02] initiated attack on the frontmost [Armoured Juggernaut].
Comparing their sizes, [FAR] was twice smaller than [Armoured Juggernaut], but their weights weren't that much different, that was why the [FAR] units rushed in from the front and using their specialty of flexibility, made their way to the sides before initiating attacks from both sides.
The legs were their target of attack.
The [Armoured Juggernaut] raised its legs immediately, allowing its body to float, dodging [FAR] attacks while maintaining the same speed as it continues moving forward. Shortly after, [FAR] unit [03], [04], [05] began attacking, however, their attacks were skilfully dodged by the [Armoured Juggernaut]. It wasn't just the frontmost unit, the two units behind as well.
--Impressive.
The movements of [FAR] were rather flexible, however, the reactive movements of [Armoured Juggernaut] were faster than [FAR], it's as if old soldiers using their experience to cover up their lack of abilities. It could be observed from [Karura], the three [Armoured Juggernauts] could execute various kinds of movement, and were rather [skilled].
The eight legs vibrated the surface of the asphalt road, the [Armoured Juggernauts] sped through the highway. Unit [07] and [08] which did not participate in the attack, moved in reverse at high speed after applying emergency brakes, parading in front of the three [Armoured Juggernauts] that formed a line, maintaining a certain distance and try to shave the opponent's speed in a controlled manner. The remaining six units of [FAR] quickly turned back, pursuing the [Armoured Juggernauts] from behind.
My side is better in terms of speed, thus, when facing an opponent with an advantage in terms of weight, it's best to attack from the back rather than the front.
It's just…
-- Where is Tsuchimikado Harutora?
The three [Armoured Juggernauts] seems to be moving on their own, however, logically speaking, it should be Tsuchimikado Harutora controlling their general movements. Even if he is using remote controlling, he should have a shikigami like Shigeoka's [Karura], but no suspicious shikigami could be spotted in the surroundings.
-- The priority now is to stop the [Armoured Juggernauts].
The six [FAR] units chasing behind, attacked the rear of the [Armoured Juggernauts] simultaneously, however, at the very moment when the attack was launched, the [Armoured Juggernaut] at the center immediately slowed down, covering their blind spot together with the last unit of [Armoured Juggernaut], additionally both units turned over and kicked towards the incoming [FAR] unit.
The surface of the asphalt road shattered, in the midst of the scattering pieces, the [FAR] unit, making waves of clip-clop sounds, moving left and right to dodge the attacks.
This time, that last [Armoured Juggernaut] unit raised its legs, sweeping them towards the side.
"Boom!"
Even quickly retreating wasn't of use, he immediately made the [01] on the far side to turn at maximum speed and jumped, using the jump to dodge the incoming attack aimed towards the ground. However, the [02] behind didn't manage to dodge in time, the armour installed on the legs took the blow of the [Armour Juggernaut].
Heavy.
The armour, which was made of a special material that is lightweight, hard and tough, was dented and cracked, but it survived the strike. Yet, the momentum could not be stopped, the machine slide to the side and crashed into [04]. Shigeoka immediately made [03] and [06] that were on standby to advance and restrain the opponent. The [01] on the ground and [05] that was prepared for incoming attacks were switched of their positions and moved backwards, assisting the two machines that crashed.
"Has the data arrived?"
"Not yet… It's here! The front left leg of [02] is damaged, the armour was broken, part of its internal pneumatic system is destroyed, it should have stop operating right now. The left front leg and the left back leg of [04] is slow in response, hmm… the are no problems otherwise. Both machines can still continue to move!"
After the chief engineer finished his report, Shigeoka quickly turn his consciousness to [Karura], the eyes under the hat shone with passion.
-- How fascinating…!
Shigeoka was impressed, despite knowing he shouldn't be feeling this way.
To be able to perform such mechanical flexibility despite the large body size, especially when the [Armoured Juggernauts] seem to be moving independently. As a technique user—the owner of mechanical-type shikigami, there were many things to learn from the movements of the [Armoured Juggernauts]. Shigeoka was absorbing these knowledges, while at the same time reorganising the [FAR] units. The [Armoured Juggernauts] returned to their original formation as well.
It wasn't long before they arrive at West Shinjuku, there is a interchange there, Shigeoka decided to launch an attack at the sharp corner, controlling [05] and [06] to rush forward in full speed. The [Armoured Juggernauts] sensed this and extended their legs in an attempt to hinder their opponent's movements, but, Shigeoka dodged the attacks and went through them by the side, going around to the front position.
These two units, along with [07] and [08] that was on standby, blocked the road, all four units were moving in reverse, facing towards the [Armoured Juggernauts].
With four units at the front and four units at the back, they launched a pincer attack according to the turn of the road. Shigeoka took the movement speed into consideration while calculating his timing.
"— Deploy capturing net."
"We have not tested this component yet!"
"It doesn't matter."
The four units at the front lured the [Armoured Juggernauts] on to the intended path, they were guiding towards the corner while spreading to the side, the four units behind were spreading to the side as well, exerting pressure to make three [Armoured Juggernaut] units into the corner.
However, just as they were to arrive, the frontmost [Armoured Juggernaut]—unbelievably—continued speeding straight, destroyed the outer wall of the expressway with its large body.
It jumped on to the ground from the highway.
"What!"
Shigeoka was helplessly speechless, the large body of the [Armoured Juggernaut] was thrown mid-air, the action it took which seemingly ignored the laws of gravity looked as if CG was used to create this ultrrealistic view. It was a road directly below, the metal pieces fell, "Don", the ground produced a huge noise as the metal pieces hit the ground.
The impact the machine experienced was surely immense, however, the [Armour Juggernaut] behaved as if it's nothing, it shook its body slightly and resumed running on the road. Its stunningly good durability reminded people the fact that [Armoured Juggernauts] was designed for [military use].
After the first machine, the second and third [Armoured Juggernaut] quickly followed and jumped off the capitol expressway. These extremely heavy metal Tsuchigumos shattered the asphalt road they stepped on, "Don", "Don", and landed on the road. Shigeoka speechlessly witnessed this scene which looked unreal through [Karura].
However—
-- Wait a minute, just now that was!
The moment when the second [Armoured Juggernaut] unit that was positioned in the middle hit the ground, a figure could be seen on top of its body. The figure only appeared briefly before disappearing, the opponent has turned invisible.
There was someone on top of the [Armoured Juggernaut], it is reasonable to say it was Tsuchimikado Harutora, at least it's confirmed that this person was the technique user commanding three units of [Armoured Juggernaut]. -- You shall not escape.
"The target had jumped of the expressway onto the regular road! They are travelling from Koshu Street towards the direction of Shinjuku Station. Relay this message to all units, request for an emergency traffic closure, we shall make our way there too!"
Shigeoka shouted, while he reorganised the [FAR] data in his mind.
-- No problem.
After making this judgement, the [FAR] units made chase from the highway as well. All eight units consecutively landed, the voltage on the legs were increased to maximum, allowing all four legs to absorb its own impact. The alarm in the chief engineer's computer sounded.
"Shi, Shigeoksan! What are you doing!"
"Ignore the detailed data for now, could you help me readjust, only report major damage to me."
The [Armour Juggernauts] continued towards Shinjuku Station. There were more cars and people on regular roads, those witnessed the metal Tsuchigumos frantically screamed and ran, the surroundings quickly turned into a state of panic.
Shigeoka controlled the [FARs] to move at high speeds.
-- Damn it, their reactions slowed down.
Jumping down from the highway seemed to have caused a rather huge burden on the machines, even though all [FAR] units were operational, but their reaction slowed, the reaction of [02] was especially slow due to taking an attack from the enemy. That said, the abilities of the technique user could be used to overcome the suboptimal condition of the machines, the true value of the shikigami can only be decided with the master considered into the overall performance, [FAR] is no exception. In fact, [FAR] was still better in terms of speed, the distance between the two closed up quickly, closing into the [Armoured Juggernauts]. The front most units were [07] and [08]. After realising the enemy was closing in, the [Armoured Juggernauts] continued forward while allowing the armoured warriors to turn around, entering into battle mode.
"Shoot the capture net!"
The launchers that was on the outside of [07] and [08] took aim at the mechanical bodies, shot a bullet that was as large as a golf ball tube at the same time towards the last [Armoured Juggernaut]. The bullet spread open towards the front in mid-air, shooting out the net that was installed inside.
This net bullet was something he had requested the Fujiwara Industries engineers to rush it out for him. The [Armoured Juggernaut] doesn't seem to expect a projectile type attack, it was shocked while immediately dodge the first bullet. However, perhaps due to the loss of balance, it did not had time to dodge the second bullet, it hit the leg.
The net that was on the leg caught on another leg, greatly obstructed the [Armoured Juggernaut] movement. The other six legs hurriedly paced, trying to regain its balance, it was during this time that [06] which was approaching in the opposite direction shot the third bullet.
It was bullseye this time, four legs were caught at once, the [Armoured Juggernaut] fell on to the ground with a loud noise. The remaining five units seized this moment and immediately attacked another unit— the [Armoured Juggernaut] that remained in the center all this while, the one which seemed to have the figure of a technique user on it.
Only one bullet was installed on each [FAR], there remains five more shots. Shinjuku Station is within sight, in order to ensure the target is hit, it was necessary to close in to the enemy as much as possible. Out of the sudden, a man in black appeared on the top of the targeted [Armoured Juggernaut]. That person dispelled invisibility, observing the nearest [FAR].
-- Is that him?
Shigeoka let [Karura] in mid-air dived at high speed.
Yet, before Shigeoka could identify his opponent, the man in black swiftly swing his right arm to the side. Shigeoka thought that the opponent was going to use magic, it wasn't the case, it was a signal. The front [Armoured Juggernauts] cleanly moved its eight legs and rotated its entire body to the back.
The sides of that particular [Armoured Juggernaut] shifted up and down slightly, Shigeoka froze in fear.
The next second, the mechanical cannons of the [Armoured Juggernaut] sprayed fire.
A loud explosion was produced, the cannon bullets rained down on the [FAR] as if a heavy storm, easily destroying the shield that was hastily installed for defence. Shigeoka quickly made the [FAR] retreat, but the [02] with its armour destroyed, did not escape in time. The cannon bullets penetrated the armour and hit the main body. The cannon kept on shooting, quickly enough, [02] was severely damaged and fell on the asphalt road.
-- Damn it!
"F, [FAR02] has stopped operating! What happened?"
"The target fired automatic cannon."
"Automatic cannon? - That, that was mentioned in the reports, right? But, to openly fire in the avenue!"
The report states that during the disturbance at the dark temple, the [Armoured Juggernauts] had used automatic cannons, however, like the chief engineer had mentioned, it was unthinkable that opponent would fire the cannon in an open street. This was an error in judgement by Shigeoka, he let the [FAR] distanced themselves. The figured waved his arm once again, the cannon attacks stopped. Looking at the situation, it seems like the cannons was only installed on that particular [Armoured Juggernaut], but it was threatening enough even with just that one unit.
Two [Armoured Juggernauts] and seven [FARs] faced off while moving, and Shinjuku Station finally came into view. In the midst of screaming from the surroundings, both parties had entered the bridge passing the front of the North entrance.
At this moment, "I saw it!" the subordinate that was driving the transportation vehicle screamed, Shigeoka stood up from his seat, opening the window then leaned his body out to take a look.
The view that was seen using [Karura] which was flying appeared before him quickly using the same viewpoint. A total of nine large mechanical-type shikigamis crossed the bridge while facing each other, the transportation vehicle that was maintaining a certain distance behind quickly followed.
Continue forward would be the tunnel at Shinjuku National Garden, if he could trap the enemy in the tunnel—
--- No, it wouldn't be possible to use the speed of [FAR] on the narrow road, moreover, if the enemy used the cannons to destroy the tunnel, it would be difficult to continue chasing.
Attack at the front of the tunnel. Shigeoka aimed at the battlefield, reorganised the [FAR] formation. The frontmost units were those which had used the net bullets, [06], [07] and [08], following behind were [01], [03], [04] and [05] running in parallel.
After making up his mind, they immediately close up the gap between the enemy and themselves.
The man in black signalled to open fire once again, the explosive sound made its way to the transportation vehicle, directly shook Shigeoka's eardrums.
His first time experiencing such boldness caused him to tremble helplessly, the armour of the three units at the front was shattered as if ice shattering into pieces after being hit by a hammer, however, Shigeoka wasn't fearful at all, continued to control the [FARs] to move forward.
"Shi, Shigeoksan!"
"I'm sorry! I'm letting those three units to act as our shield, I couldn't think of any other way."
The chief engineer went pale, he continued to make the [FARs] forcefully close in on the [Armoured Juggernauts].
In the midst of the smoke from the cannons and the sound of destruction, cannon fires and sparks split, the cannon bullets that hit the ground shaved off the asphalt surface of the road. The armour of [07] finally reached its limits and was destroyed, the legs of [06] were shattered and it fell.
-- Now's the time!
[01] and [03] right behind increased their horsepower to the maximum before jumping over, they readjusted the aim on to the [Armoured Juggernaut] in mid-air which was outside of their opponent's range. However, the [Armoured Juggernaut] did react to such an up down movement. The cannons followed the two [FAR] units and aimed upwards. A barrage of fiery red tail of cannon bullets pierced through [01]. "Damn it." Shigeoka cursed, and made the half destroyed [08] directly crash forward.
The unstable condition that appeared on the [Armoured Juggernaut] body caused by the crash of [08] lost control, the cannons stopped firing as a result as well. At this moment, [03] fired the net bullet, the net opened and caught both the metal Tsuchigumo and [08] which crashed into it.
The Tsuchigumo in the net struggled with all its might, it forcefully raised its legs and plunged it into [08] from above. [08] which was inside the same net stopped operating after receiving this attack, at this moment, [04], which was furthest behind rushed out and fired a second bullet, a net covering over a net, causing the [Armour Juggernaut] to be unable to cope and collapse on the ground, it let out a loud noise before falling and slid to the side before crashing into a pole.
Those [Armoured Juggernauts] in front forsake their companion and continued forward, [04] and [05] grouped up with [03] that was on the ground before giving chase.
"[01], [07], [08] has stopped functioning! [06] is unable to move!"
"I know that!"
The transportation vehicle Shigeoka and the rest were on was avoiding the [FARs] that were destroyed and the [Armoured Juggernaut] that was struggling in the net, while passing through the bridge. Now the situation has become that of one against three, there is only one net bullet left which is on [05].
"Let's subdue our opponent here right now! Launch a fierce attack!"
We have the advantage in terms of speed, moreover the opponent is transporting a person. Shigeoka made the remaining three [FARs] advance in full speed, forming a half encirclement on the last [Armour Juggernaut] from the back and both sides. The road in front disappears into the ground, that was the Shinjuku National Garden Tunnel, he hopes to subdue the opponent before reaching there.
"Go!"
He unconsciously shouted the order, the three [FAR] units attacked the [Armoured Juggernaut] from three different directions. The man in black was defending against all three directions, the [Armoured Juggernaut] was running while in battle mode.
It was at this moment, a bright light appeared in the tunnel, tearing away the darkness.
It's thunder.
The sound of sparks and burns in the air could be heard, the thunder attack that came out hit the mechanical body of [03]. [03] movements were forced to stop instantly, the coordination of the three [FARs] became poor, Shigeoka immediately stopped attacking. It seems like it was this moment being waited for, headlights appeared in the deep tunnel and a large vehicle rushed out.
Shigeoka was speechless.
"This was from that time…!"
A Hummer appeared before him, it belongs to that group of people who, in the past, had destroyed his shikigami team and finally managed to escape.
After the Hummer rush out of the tunnel, its wheels were skidding as the vehicle rotate at high speed, just as the direction change was near 180 degrees, the [Armoured Juggernaut] rushed in from the side.
The [Armour Juggernaut] entered the tunnel, Hummer produced a loud engine noise, rushed back into the tunnel that is rushed out from. Shigeoka grit his teeth, he then let the three [FAR] units rush into the tunnel.
☆From the information received from the shikigami Shizuka sent out earlier, they had a general understanding of the situation on the ground.
The man in black that was controlling the [Armoured Juggernauts], unknown mechanical-type shikigamis attacking the [Armoured Juggernauts]. The moment after [looking] at the scene in front of the tunnel, Natsume unfastened her seatbelt immediately, stood up from the co-driver seat, and used the thunder spell.
The loud noise of the thunder reverberated through the tunnel, the fellow passengers screamed. A few seconds later, Hummer left the tunnel and rushed onto the ground.
The cover of Hummer fully opened, the view became wider instantly. The overwhelming feeling of heaviness of the metal Tsuchigumo was right in front of them, there were three more units at the back that looks like Tsuchigumo— mechanical-type shikigami that were twice smaller in size, one of them had stopped moving due to Natsume's thunder attack. After seeing Hummer rushed out, Tsuchigumo's reaction seems to imply what else appeared at this time, but it did not slow down at all, rushed into the tunnel.
"Tenma!"
"Hama! Turn around!"
Hummer with a large body, applied emergency brakes immediately, skidding on the road with a tilt, crossing with the Tsuchigumo. Natsume's vision flew towards the man in black on top of the Tsuchigumo. "--!" Just as she widened her eyes, Hummer had already turned around.
Then, the three mechanical-type shikigamis that was chasing the Tsuchigumo approached closer, Hummer once again revved its loud engine, using its strong turn to propel the car forward, rushing into the tunnel that it came out from, chasing after the Tsuchigumo.
"That isn't Harutora!" Natsume shouted. "What?" Touji bellowed from behind. Other than Tenma who was seated in the driver's seat and Natsume who was seated in the co-driver's seat, there's Touji, Kyouko and Shizuka, a total of five passengers in the vehicle.
Natsume turned towards the back seat.
"The aura is different! The figure is different as well."
"Who else could that be?"
"Let's discuss this later on, that thing is coming!"
Shizuka stared behind and shouted, she stood up, tossing out large number of talismans behind Hummer. The talismans form into an origami shikigami that was created by Shizuka, blocking the entrance of the tunnel, the mechanical-type shikigamis which entered the tunnel chasing the Tsuchigumo rushed forward.
The army of shikigamis restricted the movements of the mechanical-types, however, the mechanical-types did not slow down because of that. They either pushed away or destroyed the shikigamis, closing towards them.
"Damn it, we are unlucky to come across those mechanical-types— and what the hell is that! It's basically a robot!"
"Is that [Colonel]?"
"That's probably him! Really, since when did he got his hands on such troublesome things?"
Shizuka replied Kyouko in a reproaching manner, Hummer was now right behind Tsuchigumo.
Running with such a large body, the entire tunnel shook. Natsume stood up from the co-driver's seat, her long hair tied with a ribbon whipped in the wind.
She placed her hand on the top of the windscreen, observed the back of the Tsuchigumo with focus in the dark tunnel.
Then, "— First seal, release!" Once Hokuto's seal was released, "I'm sorry, I will go over for a moment." After finishing her words to her surprised partners, she jumped off with a surge of dragon aura.
She first jumped onto the engine cover of Hummer, then she made a huge leap forward, onto the Tsuchigumo.
Due to the unstable landing surface, she let her knee touched the ground. Voices of discontent from her comrades could be heard from behind, but she simply couldn't ignore it.
She raised her head while kneeling, the man in black felt her presence, turned towards her. To prevent falling, the other party had used a rope to tie himself to the machine. That person placed his hand on the shoulder of the warrior, letting out a small gasp of surprise as he turned around.
The tone of that person was rather casual, it makes people wonder if he understands the current situation.
"It's been awhile, Tsuchimikado Natsume. I don't think you remember me, right?"
That person began to exchange greetings with Natsume, however, that person had guessed wrong, Natsume remembered that doll-like face, she had heard from her friends about her [real identity] as well.
"Saotome Ryou--!"
"Yes… To think you would remember me. The last time we met was at… umm… ah ah, we haven't met since that time in Ueno, when your tutor was hospitalised. You have such an amazing memory."
Saotome spoke with admiration, but this wasn't the time for a casual talk.
"Where is Harutora? He isn't here?"
Saotome has a rather important connection with Harutora's awakening, her comrades had often discussed the two of them disappeared at the same time, the possibility of her working with Harutora is very high. Looking at her commanding Harutora's [Armoured Juggernauts], what Natsume and the rest presumed was indeed right.
However, Saotome's reaction was not something Natsume expects. Compared to Natsume's words, her determined expression touched Saotome more. "I'm sorry." Saotome spoke in sincerity that was seldom.
"I am the bait, even though I do have a place that I need to go."
"Kanda Myoujin, right?"
"Yes."
"That means Harutora is there as well?"
"Should be. We had been moving separately for some time, I, too, do not know where he is right now."
Upon hearing Saotome's explanation, Natsume's expression turned grim.
Why is it that we always brush past each other? However, I shouldn't be defeated because of this. Harutora will appear in Kanda Myoujin, attaining this information should be considered as a gain.
"I shall go over first! Later on, we will—"
"Wait a minute."
"Eh?"
"You cannot go over."
"What?"
Hearing such an overbearingly direct declaration, Natsume cannot but suspected her own ears for a moment.
"Why?"
"I cannot say, it's just that something bad will happen if you go."
Saotome spoke calmly, her tone was kept as calm as possible, with her feelings fully excluded. On the other hand, Natsume couldn't control her anger surged by reflex, she scolded with the words from her heart.
"Why? You do not have any rights to tell me such things."
Saotome took the scolding silently, "… That's true." She spoke softly.
"I cannot stop you."
Saotome looked straight back at Natsume's glare, and spoke with a gentle smile.
"Harutora would probably know about this as well. How would fate move, how it would relate, no one knows, no matter Harutora or me, or even Tsuchimikado Yakou."
Natsume couldn't understand a word Saotome was saying, she only knew one thing, Saotome wasn't speaking with malice, she was truly worried when she told her [not to go]. But, why? Why, even the reason behind she wouldn't tell her, things had already developed to this point, all the things were so pressing.
Feelings of anger, insecurity and the unknown premonition crossed paths, swirling in her heart. Natsume couldn't say anything, yet she couldn't look away from her, just looking back into Saotome's eyes.
Then, Tsuchigumo exited the tunnel, Hummer followed closely behind. All of the sudden, Shizuka yelled at Natsume from the passenger seat…
"Natsume-chan, in front of you!"
She jumped and looked over, there was a figure mid-air in front of her. Tsuchigumo quickly evaded the figure that was leaping towards them, the figure that Tsuchigumo had evaded destroyed the asphalt road upon landing, turned his head towards Tsuchigumo.
"— That's not him, was it really a bait?"
That was a young man, Natsume remembered his looks, in fact, he was one of the opponents they had faced a few days ago, Takiko's guardian.
"Kumomaru?"
"Tsuchimikado Natsume? Looks like I won't return empty-handed."
Kumomaru immediately rush towards Tsuchigumo, alongside with Hummer. "Tsk." Touji pulled off his hairband, removing the first level seal that was placed on his body, Shizuka's movements were fluid, Kyouko hastily took out talismans.
At this moment, the [Colonel's] three mechanical-type shikigamis breach through Shizuka's shikigamis, rushed out of the tunnel. Even though he was feeling suspicious about the unknown challenger, but he still rushed over for the sake of restraining the Tsuchigumo.
At the exit of Yotsuya Yonchome, the Hummer of Natsume's party, Saotome's [Armoured Juggernaut], Kumomaru and three units of mechanical-type shikigamis, these various forces observed each other, trying to make out who is ally and who is foe.
In that brief moment of encounter, countless ideas were exchanged.
The first one to move was— "Whatever, it's not something that should be left alone anyway." Kumomaru launched an attack on Natsume. He kicked off the ground and jumped towards the running Tsuchigumo. Natsume increased the power of the thunder spell, yellow electricity surrounds her body. Touji, who had released the first seal, grabbed the support as he prepare to jump out of Hummer.
However, it was at this moment—
"I won't allow you!"
A barrier attacked towards them. Kumomaru got slammed by the spell barrier, deviated from his jumping path. "Uh!" He clenched his teeth, readjusted his stance.
A motorcycle rush in from the side, the motorcycle carried a man and a woman rushing into the fierce battle.
That was Yuge Mari and Yamashiro Hayato.
What was surprising was that Natsume recognised the motorcycle that the two were on, that was Kogure's. "It was actually you guys!" Kumomaru widened his eyes in anger. Hummer and [Armour Juggernaut] ignored Kumomaru who was being slowed down and rushed to the exit, following behind was Yamashiro's motorcycle, and following them closely was the three mechanical-type shikigami units.
After the mechanical-types confirmed Yuge and Yamashiro's identity, their movements slowed down.
Yuge's group rode the motorcycle to the side of Hummer, "We are here to help!" Yuge, who was seated at the back, lean her body out and shouted.
"You guys are too slow!"
"Dairenji Shizuka! And the living spirit, you too— you guys are really working together with Chief Amami! Was the Shikigami just now Souma's?"
"You guys took action without understanding what was going on? Yes, that was Souma's, let me remind you, that is a very difficult guy."
As if validating Touji's words, a loud noise of destruction came from the back. Looking over, one of the three mechanical-type units was destroyed, Yuge, who looked over, was speechless.
To ordinary shikigamis without physical body, mechanical-type shikigamis are troublesome. The opponent had destroyed the mechanical-type shikigami effortlessly, this was something unusual. Yamashiro who was holding on the grips ascertained through the rear mirror, "Uh!" He gasped.
"What a powerful aura… Is that the shikigami that fought with Kogure-san!"
"It seems like he was the only one that came over here. How? Should we battle him?" Just as Touji was getting determined, "No." Natsume landed on the frame of Hummer after jumping from Tsuchigumo.
Yuge and Yamashiro looked at her body surrounded by dragon aura in silence, especially Yamashiro who had fought Natsume before was even more suspicious if he was wrong, as he admired Natsume as her hair whipped with the wind. "We are now heading towards Kanda Myoujin!-- Independent Office Yuge, and… Mystical Investigator Yamashiro, the [Armoured Juggernaut] is on our side, that mechanical-type shikigami shouldn't lift its hands against you two. Can we leave this to you?"
Facing the older [Twelve Divine Generals], Natsume displayed a tone without explanation, Tenma and Kyouko were shocked, Shizuka was snickering with pride, Touji grinned as well.
Soon after—
"On, Gozu, Daiba, Seigan, Zuiki, Enmei, Sowaka!"
Kumomaru recited the True Words, placed both his hands on the ground. An explosive amount of Yin energy was injected into the ground, as if the asphalt road underwent very high temperatures, it began to bubble and melt.
Miasma began to spread, as if a continuous dynamic spiritual disaster created with simple technique. That was a level three spiritual disaster [Chimera Type], Kumomaru had showed this power during the fight against Kogure as well. However, it seems like the ley lines have been affected by the altar, the number was higher than last time, moreover, it was developing into level four spiritual disaster soon.
A frightening scene.
Yet, this was something that straight away sparked the fighting spirit of the [Twelve Divine Generals], especially Independent Officer Yuge, Shigeoka as well.
In the hearts of the exorcists that are loyal to the Exorcist Bureau, it was so deeply engrained that their [mission] was to exorcise spiritual disasters, any one who creates spiritual disasters were, without a doubt, [enemies].
The remaining two mechanical-type shikigamis stopped the chase, changing their course towards battling the spiritual disaster. Yuge's eyes turned sharp upon seeing the situation.
"— Understood." Just as she replied, a [Chimertype] pounced over the mechanical-type shikigami, attacking the Hummer from above. Yuge strike with a sword seal without even chanting the spell, the spiritual disaster was caught in mid-air immediately before falling on to the ground.
Yamashiro pulled the brakes and turned the motorcycle around.
"Go!"
Yuge shouted while the motorcycle rushed into the massive amount of spiritual disaster.
Saotome looked towards Natsume and nodded as well, making the Tsuchigumo take aim at the [Chimertypes] too.
"—Tenma!"
"Alright!"
Hummer sped up, Natsume closed her lips tightly, feeling the increase in speed.
Even though she was warned not to go over, but she really cannot accept the instructions this time.
Natsume's group back faced the battlefield, continued rushing to the other battlefield.
In the sky of the city, there was a three-legged crow flying.
[Looking] over, magic lines and ley lines flooded the entire city, the altar of [Tensou Chifu Ritual] had formed into a massively complicated yet vivid pattern, it looked as if a mandala was created using magic.
The god's territory had expanded, merging the hidden world and real world into one, a magical stage to call down [god]. At this moment in terms of aura, it could be said that Tokyo had seemingly became a different world.
In a certain meaning, this was something rather yearning. The spirit of magic, a large experimental ground that was pushed close to the unknown realm, it makes people yearning yet painful, however, now it's not the time to be immersed in such sentiments.
The golden bird flew carefully for a long time in the sky, the altar had caused nearby spiritual phase to mutate, this had, of course, affected the magic. Moreover, there were other spells flowing in, some areas continually had distorted auras became stabilised. He tried to grasp the changes nearby as much as possible-- as well as how the [battle] developed.
However, this job was nearly done.
A faint glow of tangerine on the far west, the sky was dyed in the colour of night. The moon made its appearance, the bright and clear moon looked over the scene below its lonely self.
Ochanomizu.
It looked as if the golden bird tore the moonlight apart with its wings, turning in an acute angle. Then, it glided directly towards a certain target.
It flew pass Hijiri Bridge at an angle, passing over the skies of Kandagawa, towards the center of the altar— closing in to Kanda Myoujin. The Torri that leads to the road towards the shrine appeared in their view. The golden bird spread its wings suddenly, extending its three legs, slowing down in mid-air.
It turned its body with ease, landing in front of the Torri— in a simple style, the gable and hip structured tile rooftop. That was the Great Hall of Yushima Seidou, statues of Kigintou, dragon head with a fish body figure were worshiped on the both sides of the roof. The Kiriyuushi Divine Beasts were worshiped in the form of Komainu Statues at the four corners.
The golden bird landed on the roof with the divine beast, transforming into a black clothed Onmyouji in the next second. There was only Hongo Dori Road in between his position and the Torii of Kanda Myoujin, there were no obstructions in between. Another thing would be due to the effects of the barrier, there wasn't any people and cars on the road, there was only a car that looked like its been abandoned at the side of the Torri.
However, right below the cold and silent Torri, stands a small man in a priest robe.
The man gazed towards the Onmyouji on the rooftop of the Great Hall, taking a step forward.
"It's been a while, Tsuchimikado Harutorkun. ...Although you might not remember me at all. After all, you were in quite some trouble at the time."
"...Independent Officer Miyachi. Well, regrettably, I don't remember you. But I know of you. I've heard of your 'Fire Demon' moniker many times."
The two of them were talking about the incident during the summer two years ago when Natsume lost her life. At that time, Harutora had been captured by the Exorcist Bureau and sent to the Mystical Investigators. Miyachi had been present at the time.
The student who had lost his childhood friend and been possessed by his out-of-control shikigami, and the most powerful of the Exorcist Bureau Twelve Divine Generals who was in charge of exorcising spiritual disasters. Back then, who would have thought that these two would have faced each other like this?
...This is quite incredible indeed......
Harutora harrowed his lone eye as he stood in front of Miyachi.
'I'm confident in my spiritual power', Harutora thought as he steadied himself. After all, even during his sealed time as a student, his strong spiritual power had been the only thing everyone else had recognized. Now that he had obtained the spirit-seeing ability and recovered his past memories, he was familiar with releasing and manipulating spiritual power. He wasn't a bit beneath other Onmyouji in terms of simple brute strength.
But Harutora wasn't so conceited to think he could beat the man in front of him.
A short middle-aged man, shorter than Harutora, with thick and disorderly hair and a beard that covered his face. He wore a long robe and looked listless.
But inside that short body was a tremendous spiritual power surpassing what an Onmyouji should have. Harutora was stunned by that immeasurably deep spiritual power.
Fire Demon Miyachi, accepted and feared by famous Onmyouji as the strongest of the era.
But what Harutora wanted to know the most wasn't his true power.
"...Independent Officer Miyachi, I wanted to ask you a long time ago."
"Hm, what."
"Why you joined Kurahashi."
Harutora stared at Miyachi with a sharp gaze as he spoke.
"You have no relations with the Souma or the Kurahashi families. Nor do they have a hold of any weakness of yours, and it doesn't feel like you're being tricked. Also, it doesn't seem like you really admire them. You're a stoic, calm person. I think you're more capable of looking objectively at what you're doing than the Souma or the Kurahashi."
"...Thanks, it's quite humbling to be told that by you."
"So... why?"
Harutora bluntly asked the obfuscating Miyachi.
"With that kind of strength, you could openly oppose both the Souma and the Kurahashi. As an exorcist, as the leader of the exorcists, you obtained your ideal job. Most exorcists are working hard while looking up to you. Almost all your subordinates rely on you, and aren't you admired by everyone? So why, why did you betray everyone!?"
Though his tone was very flat, Harutora continued pursuing the question. In this kind of situation, he wouldn't allow any dodging the question or changing the topic. Miyachi scratched his head silently as he thought of how to reply.
Then, he replied: "In the past...... My power went out of control."
Harutora furrowed his brows in surprise.
"No, to be honest, I don't know how to answer. I wanted to die but couldn't, and I probably went crazy. Back then, the Chief saved me...... but in the end what I'm saying is just an excuse. Right now, I probably feel like nothing matters. Although I'm not completely dead, I'm no different from dead. I'm just going with the flow."
Miyachi said in a frank, sincere tone.
An evocative expression appeared on his clearly-outlined, gloomy face. It made him seem like an experienced actor burdened by many ghosts of the past rather than a noble knight. All that he showed was a learned sorrow, and on top of that, an immeasurable emotionlessness. Maybe this was a kind of enlightenment.
But,
"In that case..."
Harutora's tone grew stronger.
"Then you're an incredible bastard...... But I symphathize with you. There's nothing good about having great power."
Harutora slowly swept his right hand to the side at the end, as if talking to himself.
Defensive shikigami materialized to his left and right, leaving Harutora in the middle. Hishamaru, who stood on the roof wearing a military outfit, and Kakugyouki, who stood one-legged on the roof with his left sleeve flapping in the wind. The beautiful fox spirit and the one-armed ogre let out strange lights from their eyes as they looked at Miyachi and said,
"The Fire Demon Miyachi - not a bad opponent."
"...Well, let me witness your strength."
Miyachi exhaled quietly. The beads in his hand clacked.
They had always been members of opposite factions. There was nothing left to say, so this was all they could do.
Harutora looked at the shrine road and at Zuishin-mon[1] built on the slopes of Kanda Shrine. A dull darkness covered the entrance to the gate, and he couldn't see anything at all inside. It was because a barrier covered the altar's surroundings.
He couldn't see at all.
Since he couldn't see, he would have to charge straight in, and therefore he needed to eliminate any obstacles.
"Hishamaru! Kakugyouki!"
Receiving their master's order, the two defensive shikigami gracefully leaped.
Hishamaru jumped into the air, and Kakugyouki jumped to the road, separating into two in order to deal with Miyachi.
"Nomaku Saraba Dadakyanaibyaku Saraba Bonkeibyaku Sarabada Darada Seida Makaroshada Ken Gyakigyaki Saraba Biginnan Undarada Kanman--"
He recited Vajrapani's[2] most fundamental great dharani[3], Acala's Fire Realm Magic.
Fire Realm was General Onmyoudou.
It was one of General Onmyoudou's representative offensive magics most commonly used when exorcising mobile spiritual disasters.
But the level of Miyachi's magic was completely different.
Gigantic magical energy poured forth from Miyachi's body, raging into a magical flame with him at its center. The flame instantly covered the road, scorching the buildings and turning the nearby area into a sea of flame.
The last time he saw this flame was that summer night[4]. The flame had completely covered the Onmyou Agency building in order to fight back against Ashiya Doman. He had only glimpsed it through a window at the time, and now that he was seeing the flame of the Fire Demon before his eyes, there were no words to describe it other than 'shocking'.
"Tch!"
Kakugyouki guarded his face with his right arm and stopped as the flame engulfed him. 'Lag', which happened when shikigami suffered powerful attacks, made his body unstable and his hair stand on end as if he were a television image receiving interference. Hishamaru, who was flying up in the air, was also cried out and moved her tail in response to the wave of heat pouring forth from below.
A blinding light and deafening noise, along with a suppressing heat. Harutora immediately put up a barrier, and though he was a good distance away, he knew that an ordinary barrier wouldn't be able to handle this. The flame produced by the Fire Realm Magic of General Onmyoudou burned spirits better than ordinary flame and had minimal power against physical objects, but it was already starting to melt the asphalt on the ground. The surrounding buildings started burning one by one and the creeping flame produced more and more heat.
In front of the torii that flashed blue and white amidst the flame, Miyachi chanted the incantation with his eyes half-open.
"......I see, you're coming out and fighting at the vanguard."
A practitioner with this much power couldn't be placed in the middle of an altar where a complex ritual was being carried out. This powerful flame would burn away the altar's ritual as well. In addition, even the area outside of the shrine road was currently in Miyachi's 'area of consciousness'. He could burn everything before him to a crisp at will.
...This wasn't a realm that could be entered through training, it was like something divine - a god-given ability.
In the past, he had known someone similar to this man. Someone who overflowed with individual 'ability' - practically a fountainhead of spiritual power linked directly to the world itself. Practitioners like this were very few. The head of Seishuku Temple before had been such a person, and to be fair he had in the past been a similar kind of practitioner.
But Miyachi was an exceptional example even among this group of practitioners.
...His He himself was something like a fountainhead of power. It hadn't happened by Miyachi's own will. But one day, he had suddenly felt a fountain of strength pour forth inside his body.
A strength that allowed him to burn everything before him to a crisp if he had the mind to. No, more than that - it might just burn everything to a crisp if he weren't careful and didn't have the power to control it.
Miyachi had once let this strength go out of control.
He once again felt the weight of those words.
But,
"......I can't just sit here and let you burn."
He had also experienced pain going out of control. And it had been an extraordinary pain that others had never experienced. To make up for it, he couldn't let someone else make the same mistake. He wouldn't let someone else distort the truth of the world - especially not for their own biased views.
Stopping this was the responsibility he bore for his sin--
...No.
Harutora shook his head.
...No, that wasn't it. Tsuchimikado Harutora!
Harutora swiftly abandoned that righteous, obscuring view.
He knew that he had to stop the Souma. He knew that he had to defeat the Kurahashi. He knew that he couldn't let the Tensouchi Ritual be performed in the modern era, and had no plans at all of asking forgiveness for dragging the others into this.
But in his heart, there was a simpler, purer reason why he definitely couldn't back down.
...Natsume......
If the ritual completed and the god descended, Tokyo's spiritual face would be changed. Natsume definitely wouldn't be able to handle it in her current state. So he had to stop it.
In order to save Natsume, he had to communicate with ancestral spirits. And he needed the 'Full Moon' in order to communicate with ancestral spirits, so he needed to take Akino back.
Natsume and the others had taken actions necessary to defeat the Souma and Kurahashi. But they hadn't bared their fangs. The reason to fight inside his heart was central to his thinking and couldn't be touched. This, too, was an opinionated bias. But it was the truth to him. That truth could be gathered up into a single sentence.
Natsume, I'll become your shikigami.
He had once promised this.
Protecting the master was a shikigami's duty.
That was why he called himself Harutora, and not Tsuchimikado Yakou.
I can't lose.
"Hishamaru, circle around behind him! Kakugyouki, push back!"
After giving his order, Harutora swiftly raised his own magical energy.
The nearby buildings ignited one after another. Hishamaru used the burning roofs as stepping stones and began to move. On the other hand, Kakugyouki couldn't help but smile wryly at his master's ruthless order.
"Talking to me like that again...... That hasn't changed after your reincarnation, huh."
Kakugyouki complained, but he leaped into the sea of flame and released his demonic aura.
This time, it was Miyachi's turn to stare.
The one-armed oni bared his fangs. Thick demonic aura exploded out.
The demonic aura was burned by the flame and purified immediately after it was released. Instantly. But for that instant, just a single instant, it extended slightly. The demonic aura began spreading outside of where the flame burned, centered on the oni.
The eyes that were often narrowed snapped open. His short golden hair grew and lengthened, becmoing messy as it fluttered in the flame. His huge, two-meter body swelled and swelled again, as if power were flooding into his body.
As he stood in the sea of flame, the oni who had lived for a thousand years showed his true nature. Kakugyouki took a heavy step on the melted asphalt.
"Graah!"
Baring his fangs, the oni bellowed ominously. He took a heavy second step towards the Onmyouji in the center of the flame.
Then, he swung a fist.
Miyachi reflexively re-formed his hand seal. Flame gathered in front of him - but that flame was instantly scattered by the tsunami of demonic aura being released by the fist.
A fierce, head-on battle between the god-given flame and the ancient demonic aura. Rough shockwaves spread to the surroundings, splitting open and collapsing the burning buildings around them.
The roaring swirl of magical energy blew around the surrounding aura. At the same time, part of the Tensouchi Ritual altar collapsed.
"Incredible!"
Miyachi said. He wore a rare childish expression.
"That's my line."
Kakugyouki said.
"I've been drifting through this world for a thousand years now, but haven't met someone of this level. I ought to use everything I have to deal with you."
He took a third step.
The fist that went out again whipped up a gale of misama. Miyachi's flame burned even more exuberantly, flapping in the gale and spreading waves of heat. Kakugyouki slowly closed the distance amidst the wild flame and misama. But Miyachi didn't take a single step back. The closer the oni got, the denser the space was and the heavier the oni's next step became. He couldn't believe that a human was responsible for this kind of magical output.
On the other hand, Harutora still hadn't moved. He was still refining his magical energy, trusting in his defensive familiars. He could only use this kind of 'special move' once against an expert like Miyachi. The plan to wait for 'that moment' to come had already begun, and time passed at a snail's pace.
Then, finally, Kakugyouki stopped.
The compressed flame attacked the oni, burning his skin.
But,
"Hifimiyoimune, kotomochirorane, shikiruyuitoha, sobatamakumeka!"
A clear voice recited the words of the Hikime ritual. When Miyachi looked back to see behind him, Hishamaru had already circled behind him and was in an archery stance, readying foxfire.
Release.
Miyachi released of his hand seal and swung the prayer beads in his hands. The beads, entwined with Miyachi's magical energy, just barely deflected the foxfire.
But in the moment that Miyachi's focus was shifted, Kakugyouki purhsed through the flame. With a fanged grin, he leaped out at Miyachi, who controlled his flame to knock the oni back down.
Things quickly became chaotic.
"Daniyada udakadaibana enkeienkei sowaka!"
Hishamaru chanted Varuna's mantra and magical energy formed a stream of water that attacked Miyachi's flame. Steam swelled up explosively, producing a thunderous roar.
Hishamaru's magical energy couldn't compare to the monstrous Miyachi and Kakugyouki. But it could help while the two of them were locked in a stalemate. In fact, you could even say that Hishamaru's actions decided the flow of this battle.
The two defensive shikigami constantly attacked Miyachi from in front of him and behind him. But Miyachi didn't fall, as they were unable to land a deciding strike without an overwhelming advantage. On the other hand, Miyachi fought hard with his clothes disarray and clacking prayer beads, as if playing with the two defensive shikigami. The manipulated flame became knights that protected their master, trying to burn the cunning fox spirit and the vicious oni as they danced with radiant swords.
If he wanted to, he could turn this area into a firey hell. Part of the altar would also burn up like paper as the area of the inferno spread.
Harutora sharpened his mind. The defensive shikigami were fighting against Miyachi's power. He knew that Takiko couldn't move. Yashamaru was focusing on undoing the curse. Also, Kumomaru was heading to the location of the Armored Juggernaut, as he had determined while observing from the sky.
The key to the battle was time. The trap Harutora had laid, and the curse that Yashamaru would undo at some point. With that, he had no time to sit still.
Ultimately, what was the best course of action?
"Hishamaru!"
Harutora shouted. Hishamaru's ears immediately stood up. She turned in midair by swinging her tail, and right after she landed, a huge lions attacked her.
A white lion with a beautiful mane. And also, a black lion and a man wearing sokutai came through Zuishin-mon from inside the closed-off darkness of Kanda Shrine.
Kurahashi Genji.
"Chief!?"
"Miyachi, suppress the oni! ...Hakuma! Kuroun!"
The black lion next to him leaped off the ground down to the shrine road as soon as he commanded, joining the white lion to attack Hishamaru. Hishamaru spun her body, stepping off of the wall of a burning building to leap into the air to flee. But the two lions leaped into the air after her.
"You!"
Hishamaru glared at the lions. Hakuma and Kuroun were defensive shikigami passed down along the Kurahashi Onmyoudou family.
Loyal shikigami that protected the head of the family from outside enemies. They had fought with Hishamaru before while they had served Tsuchimikado Yakou.
They were extremely reliable allies, but they were tough opponents.
"Hishamaru."
"I'm alright!"
Hishamaru replied to her master as she leaped through the air. Blue foxfire guided by her tail traced out arcs that singed the noses of the approaching lions.
But the lions were uncowed. Hishamaru swung her tail as she controlled her spiritual power, jumping to higher ground.
Kakugyouki clicked his tongue. He stared at the two lions in the air and clenched a fist.
But,
"Oh my, I'm being ignored."
Miyachi's flame shot forth from in front of him. "Ugh." Kakugyouki's giant body was blown away.
The flame instantly burned away the miasma floating in the air.
Then, seeing the opportunity, Kurahashi refined his spiritual power.
"Now, let's get rid of them!"
"Understood."
Kurahashi sucked in a breath even before hearing Miyiachi's response. "Tagamagaharaama tsunorito no futonorito wo machi kakamunondemu. Exorcise and cleanse all things!"
He chanted the highest-level exorcism spell and clapped his hands together. A blinding aura burst forth, and at the same time, Miyachi manipulated the raging flame and drew it back.
Kurahashi's magic passed through the shrine road, purifying all of the chaotic aura, miasma, foxfire, and flame at once.
It didn't crush everything using force, but rather saw through the balance of the five elements and used the requisite aura to supplement the necessary areas, stilling and regulating everything.
Hishamaru was stunned by that excellent technique as she evaded the lions. Harutora was also taken aback. There were extremely few Onmyouji who could perform this kind of feat. This kind of technique could only be grasped by constantly practicing to perfectly regulate the balance of the five Onmyou elements over an extremely long time.
The moment the battlefield was purified, Kurahashi started a chant. He was repairing the Tenchuu Chifu Ritual altar, which had been damaged in the magic battle. At the same time, Yashamaru was also cleansing the altar's contamination. They couldn't just sit still and watch holes open up.
Right, they couldn't ignore this. They couldn't possibly have ignored this.
He had been waiting for this opportunity.
As the altar was returned to normal, magical energy flowed through it and into the spirit flow.
Inside that flowing spirit flow was a trap Harutora had laid - imprisoning magic. He rapidly drew it out and modified the preset settings of the spell as he strode into the battlefield.
His target was Miyachi.
While the defensive shikigami had been fighting, Harutora had sprinkled the magical tool hidden by his feet - a rock wrapped in bamboo leaves - with salt.
"By the green of these bamboo leaves, by the withering of these bamboo leaves, let green die! And by the drought of this salt, wither! And by the weight of these rocks, sink!"
The secret art that Ohtomo had used against Ashiya Doman before, the 'Eight-way Bamboo Cage Curse'.
Harutora's magic guided the magical energy lines and spirit flow of the repaired altar to become a prison that caged Miyachi. Miyachi was shut in the cage along with the flame aorund him, and inside were powerful curses - various curses that Harutora brought through the spirit flow using his magic.
The interior of the cage instantly became a crucible of curses and flame.
"What!?"
Shocked, Miyachi turned his flame into a shield. The Fire Demon's flame constantly burned the mass of curses that had been gathered from all of Tokyo.
Miyachi couldn't move in that narrow space, and burning the curses alone exhausted him.
"Miyachi!"
Kurahashi shouted, clenching his fists.
But Kurahashi couldn't do anything.
Even Kurahashi with his full power couldn't destroy the cage formed by the magical energy lines and spirit flow.
With the spiritual power lines and spirit flow cut, the Tenchuu Chifu Ritual altar also stopped its work. His plans had ground to a halt.
There was only one thing left that he could do - to remove the rock beneath Harutora's feet from the spell. Of course, Harutora wouldn't let him do that.
...Good!
Harutora had realized before the battle that the Fire Demon, called the strongest of the Twelve Divine Generals, would be a hindrance.
He wouldn't possibly have not come with countermeasures for the Onmyouji who had faced Ashiya Doman alone.
This was the countermeasure that Harutora had prepared to remove the Fire Demon from the board.
Kakugyouki!
"Yeah."
The moment Harutora shouted, Kakugyouki returned to the battlefield from where he had been blown away to.
Ignoring the trapped Miyachi, he walked to the sloped shrine road.
Simply coming close to this demonic aura made Kurahashi feel incredibly pressured.
Kurahashi kept his guard up, his expression grim, but the initiative was already Harutora's. Until he thought of something he could do, he could only combat Kakugyouki's demonic aura.
Harutora couldn't give Kurahashi an opportunity.
"Hishamaru!"
"Yes!"
Hishamaru gracefully dropped from the air and leaped over the shrine road. Kakugyouki blasted Hakuma and Kuroun form behind with demonic aura, temporarily stopping them and preventing them from pursuing Hishamaru.
...Now...
Kumomaru wasn't here right now. Yashamaru couldn't move because of the altar, and Takiko was defenseless inside the altar. As long as Hishamaru broke through Kurahashi, Harutora's victory was essentially guaranteed.
...They could do it!
At least Harutora thought.
A slash that could cut through everything passed by Hishamaru and cut the shrine road into two.
Hishamaru screamed, blown away by the slash's spiritual pressure. Kurahashi was almost sent flying as well. The sleeves of his sokutai flapped in the raging wind.
"...What!?"
Harutora yelled.
This fearsome sword skill was no worse than Kogure's. But this wasn't Kogure. A Divine General carrying a large sword appeared on the battlefield with an ominous grin.
"Kagami!"
Harutora growled.
Kagami stared at Harutora.
"...Yo."
An insufferably arrogant smile appeared on his face.
Hastily regaining her footing, Hishamaru appeared in front of Zuishin-mon, staring at Kagami in disbelief.
...Was this... truly Kagami?
One of the Twelve Divine Generals. Independence Exorcist, the 'Ogre Eater' Kagami Reiji. Someone who had been involved with all of Harutora, Hishamaru, and Kakugyouki.
In particular, to Hishamaru he was the sworn enemy who had wonded her master's left eye.
But the man before them was completely different from the Kagami of the past. His outer appearance hadn't changed. But internally - the natura of the aura inside his body had changed dramatically. The chaotica aura frothing inside his body didn't seem like somehting a human ought to have. It was like boiling magma.
To be honest, it was strange that he was still alive.
It felt like he was forcefully suppressing it. Perhaps it was even less stable than Hishamaru's condition.
Even so, he was still able to use such a powerful strength - it was a strength that felt comparable to Miyachi's.
His limiter had been removed!?
That's what it felt like.
"Hishamaru!"
Kakugyouki shouted. Hishamaru came to her senses and instantly jumped in front of her comrade. Kagami didn't pursue.
He was panting, as if he had no stamina. His condition looked extremely poor.
But Hishamaru had goosebumps from confronting him. The current Kagami had some abnormal condition and gave off an extremely dangerous feeling.
On the other hand,
"Kagami... You..."
Kurahashi was also shocked into silence by Kagami's transformation. Kagamist panted as he swept a scornful gaze over Kurahashi.
"Not bad, Chief. It was better than I would have thought. Those guys who've been fooled until now will definitely be surprised."
"......The seal's been broken, but that appearance..."
Kagami cackled at the dumbstruck Kurahashi.
"I honestly thought I was gonna die. I couldn't even use Far Step, so I ended up arriving late to the party......"
Kagami turned his body as he spoke, looking at the guarded Hishamaru and Kakugyouki in the middle of the shrine road. In addition to Hishamaru and Kakugyouki, he stared at Harutora in the distance of Yushima Seidou.
Kagami laughed madly.
"Right, I'm me, I do what I want."
Saying that, he looked back at Kurahashi.
Kurahashi had already called his two defensive shikigami back to him. The giant lions were as tall as Kurahashi's shoulders. Just by standing there, they evoked instinctive fear - but Kagami was the side with more pressure.
But Kagami very quickly turned to Harutora and swung a katana.
"......Well, this is rare, so you're first."
Thick aura floated around Kagami. His body leaning slightly forward, Kagami bared his teeth and stared at Hishamaru and the others. "Bastard!" Hishamaru's fur rose.
But,
"Alright."
Kakugyouki walked forward without hesitation.
He released his full-power demonic aura without holding back a single bit. His every step crushed the ground of the shrine road and the vast magical energy whipped up a roaring wind. Hishamaru unconsciously guarded herself against the shockwaves.
"Hah!"
Kagami snickered, stabbing Higekiri between his feet and roaring.
Spiritual power shot forth.
It was practically unbelievable. Truly, it was a strength comparable to Miyachi's. Kagami refined his magical energy and poured it into Higekiri. Higekiri gave off a silver light and formed a huge blade, slashing open the poring demonic aura.
Kakugyouki's waterfall of demonic aura was completely cleansed. Hishamaru was shocked into silence. Kakugyouki clicked his tongue.
"Our compatability's still this bad, huh. That's what happens when something gets your spiritual affinity."
Kakugyouki bared his teeth, lightly swinging his arm.
...I see, that guy's sword......
Kagami's sword Higekiri was from the Heian era, the blade used by the samurai Watanabe no Tsuna. The name Higekiri came from the legend that he had used it to fight an oni. The legend said that Higekiri had cut off that oni's left arm.
That oni's name was Ibaraki-doji. That was one of the names Kakugyouki had used in the past.
"Sorry about before, but it'll be a long time before things get better."
Kagami laughed as he readied Higekiri.
"But this guy's in excellent condition right now. Well, it kind of feels like he's out of control. Why don't you have a bout with me."
Kagami raised Higekiri as he said that. Kakugyouki grunted.
"Kakugyouki!?"
Kagami refined his powerful magical energy, poured it into the blade, and threw it out.
When Kakugyouki's demonic aura swelled up, the thrown Higekiri danced in midair and a young man holding Higekiri's hilt materialized.
This man with messy wavy hair and wearing a joyful, arrogant expression was Higekiri's vessel Shaver, Kagami's shikigami.
"Yaaaah!"
Shaver swung down Higekiri while emitting a strange cry. Kakugyouki dodged an instant before he was cut, but the explosive sword pressure produced lag all over his body. Hishamaru hastily guarded herself as the sword pressure pushed her back.
"Remember this!"
Shaver bellowed. His flashing eyes were filled with killing intent and locked on to his target Kakugyouki without moving away.
"You even messed around with me before! Die! I'll kill you, Ibaraki-doji!"
He charged forward, laughing wildly and hunched over so far that he was almost crawling on four limbs. He swung his large katana rapidly. Kakugyouki's giant body leaped up agilely. He avoided the swift blade while suppressing Shaver using demonic aura and looking for an opportunity to strike.
Slashes continuously split the night sky as the blade's magical energy and the oni's demonic aura raged.
The demonic aura became a whiel that exploded out with a roundhouse kick. Sharp lag spread over Shaver's body, but the shikigami joyfully stabbed out with his sword, to impatient to wait to recover from the lag. Kakugyouki clicked his tongue once again and deflected the sword using the armor on his arm. With the differences in stature, the battle between Kakugyouki and Shaver felt like the fight between a bull and a matador.
The fight was evenly matched, but Kakugyouki, who was known for his power, was avoiding a head-on clash. The bad affinity seemed to be true.
...Not good!
Hishamaru formed a hand seal, planning to cover him.
But,
"Hishamaru!"
Just as Harutora called out from behind her, Kagami's Fire Realm magic attacked. Fire Realm magic without speaking an incantation and essentially without any preparation. But this Fire Realm magic contained magical energy approaching Miiyachi's. Hishamaru's expression changed as she just barely jumped up. She realized her mistake only after jumping.
"You and I still aren't done yet. Let me get back at you for before."
Kagami controlled the fire, making it pounce on Hishamaru in midair. This was a vary 'haphazard' magic, controlled without a hand seal or a mantra and seemingly about to collapse at any moment. But because it was haphazard, it was swift and could react nimbly. Unable to avoid it, Hishamaru instantly put up a barrier in midair. The flame engulfed both the fox spirit and the barrier, burning fiercely.
Assaulted by waves of heat, lag spread over Hishamaru's body. In the first place, her aura was in an unstable state. Though she felt concerned and anxious, she couldn't break through this Fire Realm magic.
"Water conquers fire, order!"
The several water-element charms that flew over weakened the power of the Fire Realm before the barrier was burned away. It was Harutora.
The magic stream of water was instantly boiled into steam. Hishamaru escaped the Fire Realm through the steam as it scattered everywhere, descending to a building that still hadn't collapsed.
Though she immediately prepared for another attack, it didn't come. Kagami panted as he stared at Harutora on the other side of the shrine road.
The spiritual power he had gained from releasing the seal was Kagami's original strength. But It was extremely unstable. Though it was very powerful, the instability of this power made it feel as if it could misfire.
His control of the power wasn't quite perfect - or rather, this aura had been quite strange since the beginning. Kagami currently bore a wound that practically destroyed his spiritual body. He wasn't in any state to fight in a battle of magic.
But,
...He's doing this much with that body...!?
Kagami was doing his best to use his spiritual power and fight in this magic battle with his spiritual body in a near-death state.
He was able to do this thanks to force of will.
But what they had to be most alert of was his obsession. His powerful obsession with victory - with defeating the enemy.
Kagami's obsession was his pillar of strength, supporting his aura and fighting spirit.
Kagami inhaled deeply, forcefully stabilizing the aura inside his body.
"What's wrong, fox!? Come at me!"
Forming a hand seal again, he unleashed Fire Realm magic targeting Hishamaru on the roof. Hishamaru jumped carefully to avoid the attack, moving to the shring road while kicking off the outer walls of the burning buildings.
Next to her was the close-quarters fight between Kakugyouki and Shaver. Kakugyouki had already fought against Miiyachi, so he was quite tired. Harutora couldn't move because he was sealing Miyachi. Kurahashi continued commanding Hakuma and Kuroun as he surveyed the situation. In this situation, he would attack Harutora to save Miyachi whenever the opportunity arrived.
In other words, Hishamaru had to attack Kagami in order to break through the current situation. She and Kagami were both in conditions far from perfect. Kagami was in this battlefield thanks to his dedication to victory, the pillar supporting his will to fight.
But just like Kagami, Hishamaru had no plans to back down.
...For my master.
Hishamaru readied her body, her waist-length hair drifting in midair as if unaffected by gravity.
Aura filled her body, serenely covering her as she glared at Kagami. Her seductive beauty slipped away as her eyes became round. She looked like a wild fox that was about to attack.
Unintimidated, Kagami smiled and licked his lips in anticipation, hitting his palm with his fist. Noticing Hishamaru's determination, Harutora shouted "Hishamaru, stop!". But Hishamaru consciously drove her master's voice out of her mind.
It was already very clear that time was precious. Needless to say, Hishamaru herself also knew that she needed to deal with the enemy at any cost to her own body.
"......Come."
Kagami said. Hishamaru's body was dotted by seductively beautiful blue foxfire.
But Hishamaru, who was completely absorbed by the battle before her, didn't notice that the ears on her head moved.
Though there were two shikigami fighting nearby. Each and every one of the nearby buildings were all burning and emitting black smoke. Harutora behind her was reciting the 'Eight-way Bamboo Cage Curse', and Miyachi's flame was still fiercely burning inside it.
But that sound reached Hishamaru's ears when she had even cast away her master's voice.
The sound of an engine and exhaust from a highway in the distance.
Then, she heard it.
"...Harutorkun!"
When he heard that voice, an explosion of various emotions poured forth from Harutora's heart. Shock, happiness, yearning, love, all very powerful. They became a driving force that made Harutora waver.
But the strongest emotion that assaulted him was fear.
He had prepared to clean up the scene before 'she' arrived, and in the worst case, if he couldn't make it in time, he would immediately retreat. Just like in Ogikubo. He definitely couldn't meet her. But right now that was impossible. Kagami was already in a battle state, and Kakugyouki was in no condition to guard their rear. He was unable do anything about 'her'.
Most importantly, the Tenchuu Chifu Ritual was being held nearby. The Tenchuu Chifu Ritual that was the highest among the Tenzan Fukun Rituals. The ritual was already affecting the spiritual nature of the surroundings. It was also slowly beginning to affect the nearby souls.
He recalled the summer day two years ago.
When that long night ended, the dawn on the academy building rooftop had been greeted by a silently-held evocation.
Since then, Harutora had wandered the ocean of magic in order to undo the knot he had encountered back then. In order to think of a way to resurrect that knot into its former state. In order to make that thread whole and unbroken.
But...
She saw him.
That moment, Natsume shouted Harutora's name.
How long had it been since the altar had appeared in the city? Hama rushed along the asphalt road. Natsume stood up in the passenger's seat, pointing and gazing at the scene in front of her.
She had no idea at all what the exact situation was, but Harutora and the others had attacked Kanda Shrine from the south, and people had come to stop him. Then, Hama had driven along the right side of Hongo Road, heading to a visible part of Yushima Seidou, a shingled rooftop deep within the trees.
And on that shingled rooftop, she saw a figure.
A black-clothed figure.
"First seal, release!"
Natsume released her seal and draconic aura wove around her body.
Then,
"Second seal, release!"
"Shikigami, arise! Order!"
"Hakuou! Kokfuu!"
Touji, who had released his second-phase seal and become a living spirit, jumped up from backseat onto the open roof. At the same time, Suzuka also got onto a flying shikigami in order to move into position and Kyouko summoned her Type-G2 Yaksha defensive shikigami to Hama's right and left.
"Eh!? Is that the thing Ohtomo-sensei used against Doman!?"
"The 'Fire Demon's the one being sealed! And where's that Bakator-"
"The others are all on the shrine road! In that case, Natsume, you go to Harutora. Suzuka and I will go to the shrine road! Tenma and Kyouko, stay in the car!"
"That depends on the situation!"
"I agree with Tenma!"
"Then keep Hakuou and Kokfuu behind to defend! Hama, you be careful too, don't crash!"
They shouted loudly as they ran to their own battlefields. Their hearts beat as adrenaline filled their bodies. Now that they were here, they felt a high of tension and nervousness that made them feel like throwing up. But there was no time to pay attention to those things as Hama reached the front of the shrine roead.
The screeching sound of brakes rose up.
Natsume and Touji jumped down from the car and Suzuka flew into the sky on a shikigami. Defensive shikigami Hakuou and Kokfuu guarded Hama on the left and right, readying their katana and spear.
They all glanced at each other momentarily.
Touji headed to the shrine road, surveying the battlefield as if he were at war. His gaze moved up and to the side. "Kagami!?" Touji's eyes widened. Kagami also noticed him and smiled.
"Oh, Touji! You're so slow, living spirit."
He shouted in disdain. Touji didn't say anything to the transfigured Kagami.
Suzuka also had no words to say from the sky. In front of her eyes was a magic battle in process, but what an incredible, high-level battle! She understood things to a certain extent from gazing down at the shrine road. The ingenious magic sealing off Miyachi, and the power of the demonic aura being given off by the one-armed oni. Even so, what stole her attention the most was still the transformation of Kagami and Shaver. From a spiritual standpoint, he was a completely different person from before. "Could it be..." Suzuka unconsciously muttered to herself. "The seal..."
Kyouko also jumped out of the backseat when Hama came to a complete stop. The shrine road burning with flame before her shocked her into silence, and after Touji's words got her to notice Kagami and the person behind him, nervousness and fear caused her body to stiffen. The sokutai-wearing man commanded two lions that she recognized. "Otou-sama!" she cried. "Kyouko?" Kurahashi uttered with a grim expression.
Tenma didn't look at the battlefield, but at Natsume's back. Then, he looked at his cherished friend Harutora and smiled naturally. But after noticing the complex expression on Harutora's face, his smile slowly disappeared. "Harutorkun?" His question was mixed with anxiety.
And as for Natsume--
Natsume stood on the shrine road, looking at the Hall of Worship of Yushima Seidou. From the roof of the Hall of Worship, Harutora looked down at the road and Natsume.
Finally.
Finally, she had met him.
She had originally had many other emotions, but the moment she met Harutora's eyes, only that simple thought remained in Natsume's heart.
Harutora wore the Raven's Coat and an eyepatch on his left eye.
He seemed a little bit taller, and his hair was longer than before.
He had changed, but he hadn't changed. It was still Harutora in front of her. The childhood friend she had always been searching for.
It was great.
She thought.
But Harutora was shouting something. She couldn't hear too clearly. He seemed to be trying desperately to tell her something, but for some reason it didn't enter her ears.
Then - she felt that gaze. A gazt pointed straight at her from behind her back.
Natsume slowly turned her head. Harutora was shouting something - as if trying to stop her - but it didn't stop Natsume from turning her head.
Then......
The owner of that gaze was behind her back, turning her body as if to look back at her.
Several gazes momentarily crossed.
In the end.
Natsume's and Hishamaru's gazes slowly overlapped.
Right-- 'She' inexplicably thought--
Her soul began to resonate.
The first person to notice something strange was Tenma, who was looking at her and Harutora from outside the battlefield.
He watched in the direction of Kanda Shrine and saw the way Harutora shouted "No!" and tried to convey his point so desperately and Natsume turn around abnormally slowly.
And then, the way she froze motionlessly.
He had a bad premonition and felt uneasy, as if his insides had turned to ice.
Harutora suddenly sprinted down from the roof, shouting. It was already very clear that something had gone wrong.
Tenma burst open the driver's seat door.
But,
"Wait."
Kyouko's voice stopped him before he jumped out of Hama.
He turned around for a moment and was so astonished that he almost stopped breathing.
Kyouko stood in the backseat, staring at Kanda Shrine. But he recognized this unusual expression of hers. Kyouko was currently divining. A condition of Kyouko's divining was that she had to understand the aura of the subject. And right now, there were probably a few additional stars twinkling ominously.
Also, stars were connected to each other, as Suisen had said before. The connections between stars were complex and chaotic right now in this battlefield. The stars flashed brightly, radiating together with other stars to draw out constellations. Kyouko observed these constellations.
Then,
"Please, go stop......"
Saying that, Kyouko pointed up the shrine road towards Kanda Shrine.
Stop. But stop what? Tenma opened the door, watching Kyouko.
But Kyouko didn't say anything more than what she did. If she meant stop the Tenchuu Chifu Ritual, that didn't even need to be said. But Kyouko had called out to Tenma in particular and asked him to stop something. While pointing to Kanda Shrine. In that case, what did she truly mean?
What exactly was Kyouko saying by stopping Tenma when he was planning to go join up with Natsume and Harutora?
Tenma ground his teeth. He couldn't make a decision, but he couldn't ignore it.
In that case,
"Suzukchan! I will leave Natsume-chan to you!"
Kurahashi noticed the abnormality happening to his daughter from far away. It was similar to what occasionally happened to Takiko, a magnificent change in aura accompanied by a rapt, blank expression. This was the same kind of abnormality that happened to his mother Kurahashi Miyo and Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi.
"Kyouko, you--"
There was no mistaking it, this was divination. His daughter was truly divining.
Kurahashi himself was surprised at the emotions that suddenly overflowed in him. An extremely rare - an extremely precious and hard-to-obtain ability had bloomed in his own daughter. As her figure was reflected in his eyes, joy, loneliness, and pride all whirled inside him at the same time, filling him with deep emotion. But he witnessed and was moved as if she were 'a youngster' rather than 'his own child'. Kurahashi had stopped feeling emotions that a father normally ought to feel since a long time ago.
He wasn't the least bit qualified to feel those emotions.
But the pride he felt at this time was doubtlessly genuine.
Kurahashi's bloodline had truly been passed down there. She was a new holder of the Kurahashi blood, unlike him and his father.
Keep practicing, he softly said in his heart.
Then, Kurahashi resolutely cut his feelings of attachment with an iron will and turned his gaze to Harutora.
Perhaps Harutora was a more powerful and outstanding Onmyouji than he was right now.
But Kurahashi also had something Harutora didn't. It wasn't a problem of who was more powerful or who was superior, it was just that they were acting in different positions. As Kurahashi turned his gaze back form his daughter, Harutora ran towards Natsume.
Kurahashi wouldn't let up this opportunity. He leaped out with adept movements.
Heat and wind raged above the battlefield alongside thunderous noise. Suzuka rode on her shikigami's back, flying as she tried to observe the situation below her. The transformed Kagami and his shikigami Shaver were in the center of the battlefield right now. They were with Kurahashi, probably. In that case, how should Suzuka and the others fight against them?
As she was desperately thinking, she suddenly heard someone calling her name.
It was Tenma's voice. Then, Natsume's name also reached her ears. The voice carried urgency, making Suzuka turn her head immediately.
Natsume was suddenly about to collapse where she stood on the road. This reaction made Suzuka think of the attack[5] that had happened yesterday. Some kind of problem had happened with the magic that kept Natsume alive. She felt her body become cold. If the magic cast on Natsume crumbled, it meant her immediate destruction. If her soul was released one more time, then there would be no way to get it back again.
Just then, a dark shadow flitted by and grabbed the collapsing Natsume in his arms.
"Bakatora!"
She sighed in relief, freed from a moment of extreme tension. Then, her heart warmed up, realizing from how he rushed over to Natsume that Harutora's attitude hadn't changed.
That warmth wasn't just pure joy. It was more complex and multifaceted, with a yearning that made her heartbeat speed up alongside painful worry. Emotions that she couldn't control. Right now wasn't the time to be driven around by these emotions. Right now, she already knew her naivety, selfishness, and mental immaturity. But she couldn't allow herself to stay that way. Suzuka wanted to grow along with her comrades and become strong together.
"...Ah!"
She noticed it due to trying to maintain an objective grasp of the entire battlefield. Actually, Suzuka was the only one who spotted it.
A small presence surreptitiously moving through the battlefield. A shikigami - a WA1 Swallow Whip. The blue swallow binding-type shikigami passed through the battlefield roiling with eddies of aura and demonic aura without making a sound. It glided over to a low altitude above the shrine road, heading straight for the place Natsume and Harutora were.
I can't let you succeed.
"Order!"
Almost unconsciously, Suzuka threw out a fire-element charm of her own creation. A fireball became an arrow of light that shot at the blue swallow making a beeline for Natsume. But the WA1 Swallow Whip changed its flight path before it hit. In front of Suzuka's surprised gaze, it flapped its wings and rose with the wind. It flew past Natsume and Harutora's heads, heading towards the Hall of Worship rooftop where Harutora had just been.
Over there was the rock that was still wrapped in bamboo leaves.
Ah! As Suzuka let out a gasp, the WA1 Swallow Whip flew into the roof, breaking the surrounding shingles together with the curse implement.
Touji, Suzuka, and Natsume had all arrived. Finally, the players were present. Kagami joyfully smiled and showed his teeth. Spiritual power circulated through his body alongside his continuously-beating pulse. The unstable flow made Kagami even more excited. He felt as if he were forcefully reining in a wild bronco. More relevantly, considering this ever-changing battle and this intense battlefield, perhaps his current condition was only fitting.
But he couldn't understand Hishamaru.
At the first, he had suspected some kind of trap. He hadn't thought that Hishamaru would have flown over this way, only to suddenly freeze, turn, and fly back as if ignoring him. Kagami had noticed when Hama arrived as well, as his gaze had unconsciously moved to track the shikigami.
And now, Hishamaru had stopped looking at Kagami and was turned away, without reacting at all. As if she were completely unguarded. As he thought that, intense lag appeared all over the shikigami's body.
And this lag wasn't minor. The more Kagami watched, the more he wondered, his eyes narrowing. This lag was to the same extent as when she had released her seal - when the little girl shikigami had turned back into Hishamaru...... No, maybe it was even more powerful than back then. It 'looked' to him to be more severe.
Then,
"Damn!"
Kakugyouki noticed Hishamaru's abnormality and prepared to move to her. But Shaver wouldn't permit that. He bellowed angrily, feeling as if he were being looked down at, and slashed at him. And the blade grazed him. Kakugyouki's movement lacked finesse. Naturally, Hishamaru's abnormality was the most important.
What to do.[6]
The moment Kagami wondered, a huge magical energy came from the shrine road, along with a violent heatwave as if to herald the end of the world.
Flame.
The flame that had been contained spread like hellfire pouring from the underground. The magic sealing Miyachi had been undone. Regaining its freedon, the flame left Miyachi's control and destroyed everything around it as if to vent its anger. Harutora put up a strong barrier for him and Natsume. Kyouko immediately strengthened Hama's barrier, and Suzuka above their heads also flew to a higher altitude to retreat. "Third seal, release!" Touji instantly released the final seal, crossing his arms and readying himself. The sea of flame spreading in all directions engulfed everything and poured over the shrine road.
Kurahashi put up a barrier behind him. Kagami also couldn't ignore this firepower. He made a hand seal and put up a barrier. Even at this time, Hishamaru still had no reaction.
How unfortunate. It was very clear that even Hishamaru would be easily eliminated if Miyachi's out-of-control flame swallowed her at this state.
But,
Kakugyouki's giant body slipped between the motionless Hishamaru and the approaching flame in the nick of time.
Then, the flame immediately buried the shrine road, covering Kagami and the others, even scorching the surface of Zuishin-mon.
The hastily-assembled barrier mad a noise telling him that it would shatter soon. What insane firepower. But Miyachi seemed to have finally taken back control. The magical flame that had buried the surroundings suddenly vanished, and the flame scattered.
What a fierce, dazzling battlefield.
But at that moment, it was the single-minded Shaver who was in control of any agitation or excitement.
Kakugyouki had used his body to protect Hishamaru, and Shaver needed only to pursue him. He finally had an opportunity. From behind Kakugyouki, under the cover of fire--
The blade of Higekiri pierced through his left side.
"Got you!"
Shaver squealed joyfully like a child.
Demonic aura poured from the wound along with a thick flow of blood. Lag appeared over his giant body and his valiant form wavered. This one was no graze.
It was almost a deadly wound. Though Hishamaru could be seen collapsing on the shrine road in front of Kakugyouki, now it was Kakugyouki's condition that was more severe. The oni turned unsteady on his feet, going down on one knee. He couldn't stop close his wound, and the demonic aura that leaked from him every time lag coursed through him began to dissipate.
Kagami smiled at the legendary oni's suffering figure.
But,
"......Not yet."
The defensive familiar put on the reckless, blooc-chilling smile of a demon god.
A spiritual blade that countered oni had certainly pierced into Kakugyouki.
Even so, Kakugyouki couldn't back down here.
Higekiri's blade thrust further into Kakugyouki's body, accompanied by crackling, electricity-like lag.
Kakugyouki shortened the distance between him and the surprised Shaver.
Finally, after the blade was completely thrust into him, Kakugyouki twisted his body.
He unyieldingly bared his fangs while enduring the piercing pain of the blade in his body, throwing a fist into Shaver's face. Kagami broke out in goosebumps. The demonic aura that had filled that momentary impact was clearly an even higher output than Miyachi.
Shaver was knocked flying, crashing into a still-burning wall that collapsed along with the outside of the building. "Ugh!?" Kagami ground his teeth. Since his spiritual power was unstable, he had just given Shaver magical energy and let him do as he pleased with it. Getting careless and taking that blow from close range had put the shikigami into a state unsuited to fight. Never let up, and finish the enemy in a single blow. That strike had proved the might of the ancient power Kakugyouki.
But the cost was great.
The horns on Kakugyouki's forehead disappeared, and his body returned to its original size. He wasn't leaving his battle form, he was no longer able to maintain it. His face pale as he suffered through lag, and his messy hair stuck to his face. The shirt he wore had become a ruined rag, and the demonic aura that had flowed like a waterfall accumulated densely at his feet.
"Honestly."
Kakugyouki looked at Kagami and smiled proudly.
"If it isn't the brat who needs attention...... So? What's going on, kid? Are you up next?"
Kagami's body shivered with excitement.
"......Ha. Great. How fascinating, Kakugyouki......!"
It had to be this way. Otherwise, it wouldn't be worth sacrificing myself to remove the seal.
Kagami refined his magical energy. He formed a hand seal, converting all of the spiritual power flowing forth into magical energy. His head swayed weakly, as if his blood was being sucked away. But he didn't care at all. Happiness. Joy. Kagami was filled with a rousing fighting spirit in front of the one-armed oni whose intense lag made him seem like a spectre.
He started off with a jab.
"On bishibishi karakara shibari sowaka!"
He didn't mess around with little tricks, he just threw out Unmoving Golden Chains head-on with all his power.
But before Kakugyouki took a stance, an oni ran into the shrine road and deflected Kagami's Golden Chains. Kagami's eyes widened.
A young samurai clad in flames of demonic aura.
An oni - no, a living spirit.
"Sorry Kagami, I'm switching in."
Touji breathed demonic aura from his fanged mouth and stared at Kagami with ferocious intent.
☆He had been immersed in the flame of the Fire Demon, with its legendary might.
But he had gotten through it.
Perhaps the altar set up for the Tenchuu Chifu Ritual was affecting him.
In the past, he had seen their enemy Kumomaru increase the power of a spiritual disaster. Perhaps a similar effect was now happening to Touji's body. This intensely growing strength scared even him.
Armitama, the dependents[7] of Taira no Masakado.
The oni's strength inhabiting Touji's body was ineffective against the Masakado dependents. But strength was ultimately strength. He still had ways to support his comrades.
Sweeping away the remnants of flame wreathing his body, Touji looked at the Fire Demon who had escaped his sealing away.
Miyachi still seemed short of breath. His hands were on his bent knees, and he panted while greedily sucking in air. That said, it was impressive that he had lived through the 'Eight-Way Bamboo Cage Curse' that had even made Doman get serious.
Anyways, the battle was changing one incident after another. Natsume's anomaly and Miyachi's return. Since it had come down to it, all he could do was support Harutora. He knew that it wasn't reasonable, but he had to attack Miyachi. At least before he recovered completely. But how? When his third seal was released, the oni's destructuve impulses were extremely strong, and it was difficult for him to react calmly and objectively. So all he could do was leave it up to instinct and go after a single target without looking back.
But,
"Touji!"
Harutora called out.
When was it that Harutora had started calling him by his first name[8]? How nostalgic. But that cornered voice forced Touji to cast aside his sentimental feelings. He came to his senses and met Harutora's one-eyed gaze. Harutora looked straight over and spoke.
"Help Hishamaru! I'm counting on you--"
His legs that were readied to sprint out, stopped.
Immediately afterwards, a huge sound came from behind him.
Kakugyouki had sent Shaver flying. But Kakugyouki had also suffered a great wound - a wound that made it difficult for him to even stay materialized. And behind Kakugyouki was the collapsed Hishamaru that he had been protecting. Along with the next enemy - Kagami. Harutora and Kakugyouki were both prepared to protect Hishamaru.
Though Hishamaru and Kakugyouki were shikigami that Harutora commanded, Touji had no interaction with them. In contrast, he ought to prioritize his cornered friends Natsume and Harutora.
But,
"...If you're counting on me, I guess I have no choice..."
He would just trust Harutora here. Touji hopped down to the ground, running over to the shrine road like a shot arrow. He appeared in front of Kakugyouki wreathed in flames of demonic aura.
Then, he used that momentum to block with one hand the Unmoving Golden Chains that Kagami had unleashed.
He faced the wide-eyed Kagami and said,
"Sorry Kagami, I'm switching in."
"Touji! You!!"
Kagami flew into a rage again.
Touji had fought Kagami for a long time in training battles. He ought to be reasonably familiar with how much power Kagami had, but the person who stood before him right now was almost a different person. He could surmise a guess as to the reason. His spiritual form was clearly odd. Perhaps the seal regulating his spiritual power had been undone.
"Are you dissatisfied? Kagami-sensei."
"Well, this is fine! I'll give you a final lesson!"
Kagami rapidly formed a seal. A basic seal. Fire Realm Magic.
But it was a feint.
"Down!"
First-class spirit language. Touji had suffered this during their training, but the magical energy was far stronger than back then. But this restraining power was blown away by Touji's bellow. The roar of a living spirit created demonic aura and disrupted the spirit language spell. Kagami's expression changed quickly. He also noticed that Touji was no longer the same as the Touji of the past.
"You!!!"
Saying that, Kagami jumped back, keeping his distance. In contrast, Touji pursued him. He wouldn't let Kagami escape. A long-distance magic battle was very unfavorable for him, so he had to make it a close-quarters fight. However, Kagami noticed that intent. He jumped ant chanted, unleashing the Fire Realm magic he had just prepared.
Touji saw the flame approaching from the front. He wanted to break straight through, but he couldn't. Behind him was Kakugyouki and Hishamaru. If Touji didn't prootect them, the two of them would be incinerated by the flame. So he took a defensive stance, like when he had been immersed in Miyachi's flame and made it through. But this time, the flame didn't stop coming.
Being hit all over by the flame's might was quite tough even for a living spirit whose strength had increased. He gritted his teeth. He desperately stopped the spiritual pressure from pushing him back.
"We're fine, go on."
A low voice came from behind him. He looked back, meeting the gaze of Kakugyouki who was retreating with Hishamaru on his shoulder. Kakugyouki was still so calm even after taking such a wound. Touji laughed at himself. What reliable shikigami for such a flighty master.
Touji shoved aside the brunt of the Fire Realm magic that he had been enduring, approaching Kagami as if drilling through the flame. But by then, Kagami's next attack was already coming. His fingertip slashed through the air time after time. A grid of kuji-kiri. The living spirit's momentum stopped as he was assaulted by a powerful attack. Next, Kagami threw out a wood-element and fire-element charm. They instantly reinforced each other - wood births fire, fire births earth - to reinforce an earth-element charm. A powerful weight burdened his shoulders. Touji barely managed to maintain his stance, almost falling over unsteadily.
But Kagami's continuous attack weren't over. Next were five charms. The five charms he threw out along with his magical energy arranged themselves into a pentagram pattern above Touji's head.
Then, Kagami chanted an incantation.
"God of the east sea, Amei. God of the west sea, Shukuryou. God of the south sea, Kyojou. God of the north sea, Gukyou. Gods of the four seas, fend off a hundred demons and drive back the fierce disaster. Order!"
The spiritual-disaster-repelling barrier of Imperial Onmyoudou. Touji knew it was bad news, but the earth-element charm was restricting his movement. He tried to push it off, but Kagami's magic was too fast. This was supposed to be a magic barrier to keep away spiritual disasters. But Kagami made it press down on Touji the living spirit from above. This he could no longer bear. Touji's knees buckled and he went down on a hand and a knee.
"Rgh!"
The barrier solidified teh air. But the power of a spiritual disaster couldn't combat this spell. And Touji's strength stemmed from a mobile spiritual disaster. He was completely disabled.
"Hah! What's wrong, Touji. You're gonna end up lying on the ground again?"
As expected, he was very strong.
His spiritual power was clearly unstable, but Kagami was one of the strongest. The same went for his tactics. They seemed haphazard, but they were actually calculated. As expected of a Divine General. Truly a high-level opponent. But Touji wouldn't be kicked away so easily...
A single instant. A blinding aura flowed into his body.
His strength hurtled upwards. Touji used that instant and instinctively unleashed the powerful strength into the ground that supported him.
Demonic aura crushed the asphalt road and roiled into the ground, forming underground pockets. Then, he escaped to the side, away from the magical barrier enveloping him. He threw his body out, tumbling over the ruined road and escaping from Kagami's magic. His wounds had already recovered before he noticed it. His body became light. Strength poured forth again.
The reason for this sudden change was nearby. Kagami and Touji both noticed the same thing.
They noticed that Touji wasn't the reason. They turned to look at Kanda Shrine.
"It's starting again......!"
The spirit flow that connected the heavens to the earth was radiating and pulsing. The interrupted Tenchuu Chifu Ritual was beginning again. "Tch." Time was short. Touji clicked his tongut, then headed immediately for Zuishin-mon.
Then - he noticed that Kurahashi's figure had vanished.
The work Yashamaru had done could be classified into three parts.
Preparing an undoing magic to the the malicious magic that had infiltrated the altar, putting that magic into the altar, and circulating it to purify the altar.
Though Yashamaru couldn't leave his work, he was still free to 'watch' what happened outside from within. Harutora had set a trap to seal Miyachi in a barrier. The biggest hindrance to the altar purification was his appropriation of the magic comprising the altar.
But......
Finally, that obstruction had been cleared away. Because Kurahashi had freed Miyachi.
"In that case...!"
Yashamaru hastened the circulation of the magical energy lines and spiritual power, swiftly cleansing the altar.
Time seemed to still around Takiko as a faint layer of light appeared again. It seemed almost as if the spirit flow connecting the heavens to the earth was cut, but a strong light began to shine again. Yashamaru started to flow his own power in as well. Connecting to the divine domain himself made his body shiver.
The paused Tenchuu Chifu Ritual had finally started back up again.
The spirit flow to the stone platform sped up and became more divine. Takiko, in her black miko clothing, gave off a warm white light that made it hard to look straight at her.
THen, the sleeves of that miko gently floated into the air as if being blown by a warm wind.
Takiko's light-covered body gently floated upwards. She moved up into the center, her fingertips losing contact with the stone platform. The events of Ogikubo transpired again. But this time, they weren't stopped halfway through. It went on until the end. Stunned, Yashamaru could do nothing but watch the scene before him.
Because of that, he couldn't immediately understand exactly what was happening to his body.
Before he realized it, Yashamaru was thrown from the front of the stone platform out to the side. His vision spun and shook up and down. "Wh-" He let out a voice that he usually didn't make. It - it had been so sudden that he hadn't noticed.
His body reacted before his mind as he turned in midair and landed on the edge of the territory. "Eh!?" A small wail leaked out from nearby. It was the 'Full Moon' girl whose existence he had nearly forgotten about. But Yashamaru's gaze was only watching the place he had just been.
On the side of the stone platform appeared two oni.
A thick, large-headed man whose proportions didn't at all match and a large woman who was practically half-nude. It seemed to have been the large woman who had sent him flying, as she seemed to be proudly clapping her hands. The ox-head and horse-face oni.
Ancient shikigami that served Doman.
And also,
"Ha." An aged voice.
The roof of the Hall of Worship. On the edge shingled roof, dangling his legs, was a boy who seemed to be an elementary schooler no matter how he looked. He wore an old black suit and a bowtie, and the sunglasses that stared at him were red as blood.
"...Priest Doman."
He said in a daze.
"That's right."
Doman replied with a smile.
"I see, this is your area of expertise. If I say so myself...... this is quite an unfortunate meeting. Sir, might I get you to reconsider?"
Now, Yashamaru finally began to recognize the desperate situation.
He had been too focused on Harutora and the others...... and had rushed to purify the altar. At some point, he had forgotten the existence of an interloper.
A dry voice sounded within the territory. Quiet footsteps resounded in Yashamaru's ears like thunder.
Releasing his stealth magic, 'Shadow' already stood in front of the stone platform. Right in front of Takiko whose sleeves were spread like wings. He ignored his shikigami's taunting, and didn't spare a glance for the hindrance Yashamaru now that he had been pushed aside. He was an industry professional. He knew that nonsense and taunts could cause the smallest of openings. No matter how much he believed that it was his victory, no matter what grudges he held, completing his job was first and foremost.
There wasn't even any tension on his face.
With his face emotionless and cold, his coat rustled to expose an arm.
Takiko was covered in a spirit flow descending from the sky that protected her spiritually and magically. It was a firm defense, and even the Fire Demon's flame couldn't easily destroy it.
So 'Shadow' held a black piece of metal in his hand.
Forty-five caliber. An old-model Colt Government.
Yashamaru's eyes widened.
With as much significance as one might attribute to flicking the ash from a cigarette, 'Shadow' emotionlessly moved his finger to the trigger.
After the ritual was interrupted, Akino had been tied up and dropped in the corner of the territory's barrier. The thin veil of darkness covering Zuishin-mon obstructed vision from outside the territor. So Akino had know way of knowing what kind of battle was unfolding outside.
But she understood that it was Harutora or Natsume and the others who were fighting right now. Everyone was desperately trying to stop the ritual being carried out in front of her.
And it wasn't just Harutora and Natsume who wanted to stop the ritual.
The familiar white-haired man who suddenly appeared was the old teacher of Natsume and the others. Ohtomo Jin.
The man who had once visited Akino and the others in the warehouse that had been their hiding place.
But the Ohtomo Jin who appeared inside the territory was a completely different person from back then. There wasn't a shred of the down-to-earth attitude and easy familiarity he had showed in front of Natsume and the others in the warehouse. He gave off a dry, cold, and terrifying impression. His atmosphere was ruthless, merciless, and almost inhuman.
Gozu and Mezu stood next to each other, staring rudely at Yashamaru.
Ashiya Doman looked down seemingly joyfully from the roof of the Hall of Worship.
With the three shikigami awaiting his command, Ohtomo drew a pistol on Takiko in front of the altar. Ohtomo's attitude was very calm. Unable to understand the situation in front of her and swallowed up by the ominous atmosphere, Akino shrank back.
An astounding shriek rose up.
It was Yashamaru. The Yase Doji defensive familiar summoned up an unusual power and broke off to protect his cornered master. His boldness took Gozu and Mezu by surprise. But Doman was unaffected.
"Sorry."
With that word, he snapped, and for some reason, Yashamaru stopped, moving as if to fend something off. Akino quickly realized the reason. It was an illusion. She had seen a similar scene at Seishuku Temple.
But she had never heard of an illusion that affected shikigami.
On the other hand, Ohtomo barely paid attention to the conversation that happened next to him. It felt like he was doing a boring job on a boring street. But there was a barely perceptible, tiny sense of fatigue. The fatigue was from the many things burdening him down, but he calmly continued forward while bearing that fatigue.
Ohtomo calmly put his finger on the trigger--
But.
"Ohtomo-sensei!"
The moment that voice rang out, Ohtomo's actions froze.
Surprisingly, it was Tenma who came through Zuishin-mon with his presence hidden. Tenma looked straight at Ohtomo. He shouted, seeming to be full of clarity after understanding something.
"I finally get it. Kyouko was talking about you, Ohtomo-sensei. That's why I'm here. Please stop, Ohtomo-sensei! You have to!"
Tenma shouted desperately. Something made Tenma slow down. Ohtomo's face was the same as always, with no expression at all. But he gave off a different impression from before.
A moment of stillness immediately followed.
Then something happened right afterwards. Akino could only watch things happen in shock.
Tenma was sent flying from behind and cried out in surprise. Ohtomo reflexively looked towards Tenma.
Two large lions flew over. A white lion and a black lion. Gozu and Mezu reacted immediately, blocking the lions as they leaped.
Ohtomo noticed something and hastily pointed his gun back at Takiko. Kurahashi, releasing his stealth, grabbed the gun.
Ohtomo stared and let go of the cane in his hand. And like that, the two of them began righting. Doman could do nothing to the two as they tussled, so he stood on the roof and stretched as he watched their battle.
It was an incantation-less, seal-less, close-quarters battle of magic of the highest level. They used the fastest, simplest magics. Magical energy shot out like high-speed sword strikes clashing together.
"Kurahashi!"
Yashamaru, who still couldn't use magic, called out.
Akino never would have thought that Yashamaru would use such a grieving voice.
"I'm counting on you!"
After that, with a bang, a dry gunshot resounded inside the territory.
After the pistol fired, it was knocked from Ohtomo and Kurahashi's tussling hands onto the stone platform with a clatter. Ohtomo picked the gun up without regard for his own safety. He tumbled across the stone platform and pointed the gun at Takiko the moment he stood back up.
Kurahashi blocked his aiming path.
The front of Kurahashi's robe was stained red. Seeing the slowly-spreading crimson, Kurahashi spread his arms to protect Takiko.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
He groaned.
"......You......"
Ohtomo cocked the trigger.
Bang - the bullet didn't hit. It was blocked by a barrier of light and vanished.
"What..."
Ohtomo was taken aback.
The stone platform was surrounded by light.
The spirit flow connecting the heavens to the earth had vanished. Instead, a light descended from the sky, moving to the stone platform.
It was a radiant, divine light that felt as if it had mass. A light that didn't exist in this world. A light formed from aura that could only be 'seen' with spirit sight.
Seeing the light that surrounded his body, Kurahashi quietly let out an "............Ohhh......", and turned around, swaying and clutching his wound.
"You have done well."
Takiko smiled.
But was she truly Takiko? Akino wasn't sure anymore.
The pain and tension on Kurahashi's face vanished. He closed his eyes, seeming very satisfied, and fell to his knees and collapsed on the stone platform.
Takiko silently looked at the fallen Kurahashi, still smiling. Like a god forgiving a sinner.
Then, Takiko looked up to the sky and laughed to herself.
"What an excellent night for a banquet."
What happened that night were recorded in the history of magic for a long time.