Monday, October 22nd. Tatsuya went to Mt. Arashi, Sagano again. It was the place where he was attacked by the traditionalists the day before.
Mayumi was sleeping in the hotel due to feeling sick. Needless to say, it’s a hangover. Tatsuya thought that this is the only positive effect of last night's incident.
There were no signs of the police. At the very least, there was no one investigating yesterday's incident. Seems like the detective who hated the 10MC had no willingness to do a decent investigation on yesterday’s review. Or perhaps, another emergency had arose. Either way, it was advantageous for Tatsuya not to pay any concern for being in the eyes of the police.
Tatsuya stood at the gate, he recalled the information that he had gotten yesterday. It was similar to a state of hibernation since he wasn’t hurt yesterday, and there hadn’t been a release of Psion waves to get in his way, the possibility of fainting due to recalling this information had been kept to a minimum, he opened the data of 'where they had come from'. The coordinates of the traditionalists’ groups’ hideout.
It would be unnecessarily conspicuous of him to stand still in the middle of the bamboo forest. Hence, Tatsuya went down the road while collating the map from his memory and the data from the information terminal.
The destination was easily found.
It was a mundanely big house. No, if it was this big, it probably couldn't be categorized as mundane.
At first glance, the rural atmosphere still existed, it was a building similar to those used as meeting places in towns and villages.
Tatsuya secretly scanned the building with Elemental Sight from the outside. It seemed that there hadn’t been any hidden traps inside. Tatsuya went through the gate without hesitation.
Even after he entered the site, he didn't feel any sign of magic. However, it was not something that he could confirm just from scanning the outside.
He put his hand on the sliding door. Of course, it was locked. It was a double key, electronic and physical. Unfortunately for Tatsuya, he couldn't obtain either of them. He didn't have such a handy magic. Therefore, he decided to open the door by magic that he had on his hand. The lock on the door was broken apart.
Tatsuya opened the door without hesitation and proceeded inside, the same way as when he passed through the gate. A wheel shaped weapon flew in soon after. The blade had a circular ring with eight spokes extending radially form the center. It was a Buddhist magic tool called Hourin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmachakra), which seemed to be used as a projectile weapon.
When Tatsuya dodged the Hourin, it stopped in the air before it went out to break through the door in the reverse direction. The Hourin came flying in from another direction, it carried out the same movement. After some observation, there was an extended thin thread of Psion’s to guide the Hourin.
"Yoyo, huh?"
The movement was very similar to a yoyo. The rest was simple. Tatsuya dodged, now, the four Hourin, and broke down the yarn of Psion’s.
The Hourin flew towards the door and broke through to outside.
There was agitation spilling out from the other side of the wall. Tatsuya decomposed the four threads, and closed the distance between him and the magician who was hiding in the optical camouflage in a single jump.
The transparent figure was shimmering, and was gripping a blade-like weapon in both hands. This was a magic tool of the Buddhist sect called Dokumeikine (http://m.intl.taobao.com/list/B6C0B9C9E8C6.html). It was a reformed weapon, the same as the earlier 'Hourin yoyo'.
The Magic Sequence projected off from both ends of Doukumeiki was for lightning magic. It was projected, but had not completely overwritten the Eidos. Disregarding the magic that was about to be activated, Tatsuya used Flash Cast on his palm and slammed it at the opened chest of the shadow.
Due to the virtual waves that made vibrations inside solids, and also by active Aerial Mines. The tissues within the body vibrated violently from the point of contact with Tatsuya's palm. The vibrations spread to the upper body along with the fluids, and the man collapsed. The optical camouflage he used was solved, he had a similar appearance to yesterday's assailants.
Tatsuya ducked his body, while the invisible man approached him from behind——he had clarified that it was optical camouflage instead of transparent body tissues——hastened the steps. Rather than welcoming the opponent's large swing of his feet like Chinese Martial Arts, Tatsuya raised his foot to hook the opponent’s foot.
The invisible man was wavering. His figure was flickering, there was a visual of a man’s back. He used his palm with vibration magic to strike him down. The second assailant laid on the floor.
"Even I know how the transparent spell works. Stop wasting my time and show up."
After Tatsuya's provocation, men within a wide range of ages came out from the shadows. There were 10 of them. Fortunately, there weren’t any women. It wasn’t as if Tatsuya would go easy on woman, but the aftertaste would be quite difficult to forget (remembering a difficult thing after you do it).
"Why, the Marishiten (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marici_%28Buddhism%29) way doesn't work on him…"
It's because your magic is inexperienced, though Tatsuya didn't say this. Their skill level was low, Tatsuya was sure that it was the cause. If Yakumo used the same spell, even Tatsuya would have difficulty to finding his whereabouts.
"Bind and curse him!"
One of the men shouted out the instruction. He didn't appear to be the oldest, but Tatsuya felt the strongest magic came from him. Tatsuya set that man who seemed to be the leader as a target.
Tatsuya stepped forward daringly to the center area. There wasn’t any furniture or obstructions in the room, just like a Kendo dojo. 'So it was not a meeting place, but a dojo', Tatsuya suddenly thought of that out of nowhere.
The 10 magicians surrounded Tatsuya at regular intervals.
A regular decagon. Overlapping a pentagon with a 36° interval, or a staggered five-pointed star.
Tatsuya jumped, while five of the magicians threw a strap each from their hands.
Not towards Tatsuya, but towards each other diagonally.
After they threw the straps, they received another end of the strap from another person.
The five-pointed star made of a strap with five different colors was pitched.
Tatsuya observed it from above.
Most probably, the five-pointed stars was some sort of magic that pinches the target in the middle by multiplying pressure from five different directions.
However, Tatsuya had no plan to just stand in the center until they completed their magic.
The moment the straps were thrown, he flew directly above it.
Before he reached the ceiling, he kicked the air and headed to one of the vertices of the five- pointed star.
It was a move that was hardly used in a match. Yet, that scene caused the other party to be amazed, it was a peculiar war-specific skill.
He created a foothold for his foot, and accelerated through kicking the panel, he punched the magician's face with the total force of his body weight plus the acquired speed.
The magician fell down. The after effect momentum was usually worrisome, but Tatsuya didn't have time to worry about such things.
The five-pointed star formation collapsed. However, this was not the end of their effort.
Tatsuya graced a knee kick at the magician next to him before he landed on the floor.
The magic was only activated when he wanted to make a foothold. It was only possible since he made it with Flash Cast that had a fast activation speed.
The Buddhist sect of traditionalists who had gathered here had by no means weak psyches.
Despite their emphasis on asceticism, they were first-class combatants. However, that was only in decent fights. They couldn't keep up with Tatsuya's acrobatic movements.
By the time they were able to respond to the surprise attack, only five of them remained.
Six eyes gazed upon him, while the other two magicians were behind him. One of the magicians behind him had activated a lightning magic.
Modern Magic couldn’t generate electrical currents directly at the subject.
However, Ancient Magic talent could emit the shock from the magician towards a specific location.
This difference usually didn’t matter so much, as the speed of lightning is 100,000 km/s. It was an impossible attack to dodge even for someone who noticed the lightning was coming.
Just before the lightning was fired, Tatsuya jumped sideways to interrupt the attack.
The magician who casted the lightning had lost sight of Tatsuya. However, it was too late to abort the magic. The lightning struck out from the Doukumeiki Blade and collided with his fellow's attack.
Due to this fact, those magicians were hesitating to use another magic.
The gap that was created, provided a sufficient time for Tatsuya.
By reflecting a force field, he could obtain a speed equal to self-accelerating magic by supporting his frame, Tatsuya knocked out the remaining traditionalists.
This traditionalist magician who served as the base's leader, awoke due to severe pain piercing his body.
He couldn't think well amidst the pain.
However, he couldn't stay unconsciousness due to the pain.
"Are you conscious now? If you understand my words, nod. I'll loosen the pain a little."
The pain lightened, and the man's consciousness steeped in, he shook his head hard.
As promised, the pain would be reduced a little.
His line of sight was hazy due to the severe pain, he regained a little clearer profile.
A young man.
The man had shaded his own face, to hide it.
The leader was trying to join his hands to form a magic.
At that instance, severe pain struck his consciousness.
"Don't do any unnecessary things. You only need to answer my questions."
The leader nodded hard, when the voice told him to obey.
The pain lowered again.
This time, to even allow him to think, yet his hazy sight was still intact.
"Zhou Gongjin was here right? The foreign magician who fled from Chinatown in Yokohama."
The leader didn’t have any reason to lie, he nodded honestly.
"That man was here until Friday, the 12th. Am I right?"
The 12th, 12th… the leader was thinking hard as his head still wasn’t working well. Then, he recalled that Zhou Gongjin was there until Friday, he shook his head vertically over and over.
"Where did Zhou Gongjin go?"
A new wave of pain struck him. Strangely, he could think clearer.
His eyes were still hazy and his limbs couldn't even lift a finger, yet his mouth could speak freely.
"He said he wanted to go to Uji. He said that there was a good hiding place nearby the tomb… I don't know if it was the truth or a lie…. I don't know."
"Your men have been used as a puppets by the Houjutsu users from the continent, did you give your consent to this?"
"I'm not… their teacher… I don't have any… position to instruct them."
"You are the leader right?"
"They were comrades… we're equals… we don't receive any orders from among us…"
"I understand. Good work."
Immediately, the greatest amount of severe pain passed through the leader's mind. His consciousness had broken, falling apart.
Tatsuya sent a mail to Fujibayashi, regarding the place of these unconscious traditionalist magicians. Finally, he asked her to pick up the traditionalists, he wondered if it was an unnecessary note. Even without the note, Fujibayashi would have arranged to collect them.
Tatsuya could weigh the credibility of the information that he elicited from the leader of this base. It was hard to believe the story that there hadn’t existed anything like a chain of command in such a group. He didn't think it was possible to conduct a collective battle in conjunction only to a share a sense of purpose.
However, the information of the hiding place of Zhou Gongjin was consistent with the information Tatsuya obtained from the shaman at Kiyomizu Temple. He decided to believe this fact as both Buddhist monks and the shaman couldn’t have possibly given him the same information just to mislead him, he didn't plan to doubt them that much. There wasn’t a need for a clear division line for conjectures.
Tatsuya decided to report to Hayama that Zhou’s hideout was likely to be around the tomb at Uji, as he needed to go back home today.
After finishing his work, he was greeted with ashamed, diverted eyes at the hotel. She didn’t say 'terrible' or 'it's different from your promise' from her mouth, but she was blushing from her cheeks up to her eyes.
He had an idea of the cause of her embarrassment.
Last night, Tatsuya had received an unreasonable request from a young lady (Mayumi) to strip her from her dress. He stripped her quickly before it became troublesome, and shoved her into her bed with just her underwear. He went out of the room without a seconds glance at her.
Even Tatsuya thought that she had been quite wild last night. However, he also had his share. It was good enough that she wasn't (sexually) assaulted in that situation.——Of course, he didn't say such a thing out loud.
"By-by the way."
Up to here Mayumi who had been quite confident to stand beside him, suddenly entangled her tongue.
"Umm, that, I have something to say to Tatsuya-kun."
Tatsuya thought from his heart, 'I decline' or something along that line, while remaining silent. He could guess the topic while observing Mayumi's attitude.
"I…"
Despite knowing that they were alone in the room, Mayumi looked restlessly to her left and right, as if she was afraid to be heard, she closed the distance between his lips and Tatsuya's face.
"Why… did I sleep with only my underwear?"
Because you said you wanted to strip… But this was not the right way to say it, Tatsuya couldn't find a way to to say this phrase.
"Didn't you do that yourself? No matter how drunk you were, you should have enough discernment as to not remain in your dress while you go to bed right?"
Tatsuya took a step from Mayumi's lips which almost touched him, and answered so innocently.
"I wonder if a drunken human could think that much?”
"Who knows? Since we're talking about Senpai here, you should understand yourself better than me right?"
"Tatsuya-kun, I."
The perimeter of Mayumi's eyes reddened with shame, she faced Tatsuya for the first time since he was back.
"I can't hold my liquor much, but I'm the type who remembers everything."
Tatsuya wanted to flee that place at that very moment. Unfortunately for him, he understood that he couldn't do that in such situation as a man.
"…Though I feel that you didn't have to be that rough."
Certainly, he did shove Mayumi into the bed roughly.
However, could he be blamed because of that? He questioned himself when he recalled. Yet, to say 'you're the one who wanted to strip to your underwear' would be a king-cobra-grade boomerang.
Mayumi was still looking at Tatsuya shyly.
In this very awkward atmosphere, it was a mental labour intense mission to send Mayumi back to the nearest station in order to go home, while Tatsuya waited at the end.
The moment Tatsuya opened the house’s gate, the front door opened.
"Onii-sama, welcome back."
The one who greeted Tatsuya back was Miyuki, as usual.
"I'm home. Sorry for this time."
Miyuki couldn’t hide the color of relief of worry from her face. Logically, it was impossible for Tatsuya to get hurt, but her worries were of a different aspect. Tatsuya said 'sorry' since he understood his 'crime'.
"No. As long as Onii-sama is safe, Miyuki is satisfied enough."
Miyuki shook her head at his apology.
Tatsuya immediately went into the house, and proceeded to the living room after taking off his shoes. His travel bag was taken by Minami, while he was sitting with Miyuki on the sofa.
There was no meaning in resisting. Rather than giving the service, he was probably receiving the service. He let his sister do as she liked quietly.
Miyuki sat beside Tatsuya joyfully while Tatsuya lifted the coffee cup. However, he suddenly put down the cup and the calmness disappeared. She repeatedly shifted her eyes from and to Tatsuya's face.
"It's alright. I have progressed well on the request of Oba-ue. At this stage, it should even satisfy even Oba-ue herself."
Miyuki must have wanted to hear about today's progress. Since he thought of that, Tatsuya gave her a rundown of today's events.
"No, It's because of Onii-sama after all."
However, it seemed like Miyuki had wanted to ask something different. "Say it. What do you want to ask?"
Tatsuya encouraged (mizuwomukeru, literally, directs the water; meaning: to encourage the other party to speak something you are willing to entertain) her to speak, Miyuki seemed to hesitate for a while and finally shook her hesitation and asked her brother.
"Onii-sama, what causes Minoru-kun's weak constitution?"
In response to this unexpected surprise, Tatsuya failed to answer immediately.
"…As I said yesterday. Minoru's magical power is too strong for his body to contain it." Miyuki's face was cloudy, while furrowing her eyebrows anxiously.
"That's his current situation right? Onii-sama, have you seen the cause?"
"Why are you interested in such a thing?"
"Your state from that time wasn’t something Onii-sama would usually have had. I just wondered what had made you do so."
It was Tatsuya's blunder for being speechless. It was the same as confessing that 'there was something'.
"Onii-sama, please. If you have anything that you are worried about, please let Miyuki hear it. I want you to share your worries with me."
Miyuki worked very hard to stare at Tatsuya. He appreciated his sister's effort to lighten his heart from the depth of his heart.
"It's better for you not to know."
However, he was hesitating to tell Miyuki about the secret that he had gotten. ——By the way, Tatsuya didn't feel anything wrong about violating Minoru and the Kudou Family’s privacy.
"Please. I don't want Onii-sama to suffer alone."
However, since Miyuki solicited a haunting teary look, Tatsuya could no longer keep the secret hidden.
"I understand. This is a pretty shocking story, so you have to hear it with strong heart." Miyuki breathed in relief. To see that his sister was calm, Tatsuya proceeded to tell the secret.
"Minoru and Fujibayashi-san are half-siblings."
Miyuki failed to show any reaction for a while.
She must have digested her brother's words when she covered her mouth with both of her hands.
"But! Fujibayashi-san's mother is Minoru-kun's father's real sister."
"Minoru was an experimental body. Probably through artificial insemination. Strictly speaking, it was not incest, but he is still a child born of two real siblings.
Miyuki’s shocked face was intensified. It took her a considerable amount of time to regain her ability to speak. "Then… Minoru-kun's constitution, was the harmful effect of incest?"
Tatsuya shook his head. However, he did not indicate a definite denial.
"I can't make any conclusion. The problem lies in the imbalance of the Psion body, which affects his physical body. It might be from the cause of mis-adjustments throughout the process."
Tatsuya sighed before continuing his words.
"However, it might be due to the close relationship between the genes being undeniable. Even during the research of magic, researchers have refrained themselves from using genes from parent and child or between siblings. There are still a lot of aspects of a Psion body, and also the spirit being affected, to be discovered."
The color had bereted from Miyuki's face.
She received a big shock, as if it were her own doing.
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