Tokyo Ravens - Volume 10 - Chapter 4.2

Part 2 
"Oh my......" 
Miyoshi raised his head and murmured in surprise as he sat on a wicker chair reading a book in the lounge of his living quarters. 
"It seems like it ended up turning into a magic battle." 
A storm's coming, Miyoshi said to himself in a muttering tone. Yuge was meditating next to him, or perhaps it could be said that she had been asked to wait at his side for the whole time. 
Her eyes widened with an "eh" and she turned her face towards Miyoshi. 
"Yamashiro?" 
"Yeah. It looks like he was unable to request assistance with gentle means. Well, that was anticipated." 
Miyoshi showed a look of seeing far in the distance. Then, Yuge asked seriously. 
"Is the opponent really Tsuchimikado Natsume?" 
"Though I can't say for sure, it's ninety percent certain." 
The forbidden magic that Tsuchimikado Harutora used was the 'soul' magic that was especially taboo among forbidden magic - the Taizan Fukun Ritual. 
And the person he had used the Taizan Fukun Ritual to resurrect was a girl also from the Tsuchimikado family - Tsuchimikado Natsume. 
Because of the Onmyou Agency higher-ups - or to be direct, Chief Kurahashi's influence - that matter was still strictly controlled information even one year afterwards. That said, the tables had already turned. The Kurahashi family had originally been a branch family of the Tsuchimikado family. He had probably decided that it wasn't such a good thing for the main family's secrets to be exposed. 
In any case, Tsuchimikado Natsume was a key individual if they wanted to contact Tsuchimikado Harutora, that was for sure. 
"Should we go over too?" 
"If Yamashiro-shi's there, it's already enough." 
"But." 
"First, even if we hurry over now, it'll just make chaos." 
"I see." 
"Also, if you go, who's going to protect me." 
"......Haahh." 
Yuge was more or less used to Miyoshi's always-calm tone when he spoke. Actually, Yamashiro was a National First-Class Onmyouji Mystical Investigator, a professional at magic against humans. As a Special Senser, Miyoshi didn't matter as much. The Mystical Investigator Yamashiro and the exorcist Yuge, who was used to spiritual disasters as opponents. Obviously, the former was more competent in this type of magic battle. 
Never mind Tsuchimikado Harutora with his two powerful shikigami for now. There was no reason that he would be unable to capture Tsuchimikado Natsume with just her as his opponent. 
"Also, we also have our own visitors." 
"Eh?" 
The moment Yuge replied this, she also noticed the movements nearby. She immediately put up a barrier inside the room. 
But, 
"Yuge-shi, the barrier only needs to cover you and me. They won't be able to come in if you seal even the room." 
"......Is that alright?" 
"The people there won't take any actions to provoke the Onmyou Agency." 
Come to think of it, the visitors were from the reformist faction. Yuge adjusted the range of the barrier and limited it around her and Miyoshi. 
Afterwards, people of the monastery entered the quarters and rushed into the lounge with pattering feet. 
Yuge slowly stood up from her chair. 
There were eight in total. 
Though they were dressed in various colors, they all carried powerful aura. Perhaps they were all ajari. It was Rian who entered first, his eyes glinting in his pale face. As they had anticipated, he led the primary members of the Seishuku Temple reformist faction. 
Rian spoke to the sitting Miyoshi. 
"Excuse me, Miyoshi-san. Could I ask where Mystical Investigator Yamashiro is?" 
"He just left." 
"Where did he go?" 
"He should be by the edge of the monastery right now. He has some business to attend to." 
"Damn, at this kind of time!" 
The silent Yuge rapidly stepped forward towards the cursing Rian. Just that movement made the ajari tense up. 
"Could I ask what your business is? Don't you think it's a bit absurd to barge in with so many people in these circumstances?" 
"If that's what we're talking about, your declaration earlier was far more absurd. To think you would accept Tsuchimikado Harutora whom the Onmyou Agency designated as wanted. What exactly are you intending by doing such a thing?" 
"I don't remember saying anything about acceptance. In light of your situation, the three of us said that we would acquiesce to your methods. But if the dark temple truly accepts him, the Onmyou Agency won't dare to look down on Seishuku Temple any longer. You can probably imagine what kind of countermeasures the Onmyou Agency will take." 
"......Yuge-shi, you don't need to bring up your own speculation." 
"Yes, my apologies." 
Yuge admitted her fault quite readily. That said, anyone could see that they were just acting. The latter half of her declaration had been a suggestion as well as a warning. Those words were better said from the position of an individual. Yuge herself had considered various means of dealing with Seishuku Temple. 
But Rian turned back to look at his comrades behind him after hearing Yuge's words, not even seeming to let Miyoshi's exhortation of "Did you hear clearly?" enter his ears. 
"As expected, the Onmyou Agency won't ignore the problem of Tsuchimikado Harutora. Seishuku Temple's fate will be chosen today. We can't let Jougen do what he wants even for the future of Seishuku Temple." 
The ajari roared loudly as if to reply to Rian's rousing words. 
Yuge put on an expression of incomprehension, but Miyoshi silently sat there watching Rian. 
"Priest Rian, could I ask what you plan to do?" 
"Miyoshi-san. ...No, 'Divine Eye' Miyoshi Tougo. Also, 'Binding Princess' Yuge Mari. Please lend us your strength. We will resist Jougen's tyranny and help you arrest Tsuchimikado Harutora." 
"Oh my, that's quite troublesome." 
Miyoshi replied straightforwardly, putting on a troubled appearance. 
"I think we said in the courtyard that we would cooperate with your actions." 
"I realize your true feelings from hearing Yuge-san's words from before. You originally said you would follow the monastery's policies, so you should try to listen to our opinions as well, right? The monastery isn't all composed of stubborn ajari like Jougen. All of the ajari standing here agreed to your proposal." 
"How unfortunate. The three of us only recognize Priest Jougen as the representative of Seishuku Temple. Though we're talking with you right now, you might not realize that in the end, we need to focus our negotiations on Priest Jougen." 
Miyoshi's tone couldn't be called polite no matter what. That said, his tone wouldn't change towards Jougen either. He didn't particularly intend on belittling Priest Rian. Though he thought this, the face that Rian looked at Miyoshi with was pale and filled with humiliation and anger. 
But right afterwards, Priest Rian swallowed his anger and turned it into a gloomy smile. 
"I see, perhaps the current circumstances are indeed like that. Jougen is the actual monarch of Seishuku Temple. But that will change in the future." 
Rian took out an envelope from inside his clothing as he said this. Yuge reflexively infused the barrier with spiritual power to strengthen it. However, Rian was unmoved, taking out a sheet of paper that seemed like stationery from the envelope and then passing the stationery to Miyoshi with a flickering gaze. 
"You'll be able to understand just by looking at this message that I've already made contact with Chief Kurahashi Genji of the Onmyou Agency. He's already answered me, saying that I will be in charge of the temple after Seishuku Temple merges with the Onmyou Agency." 
Rian spoke overbearingly, a confident look of from-behind victory on his face. 
Yuge inadvertently looked at Miyoshi's face. Miyoshi breathed helplessly out of his nostrils, and finally stood up from his chair. 
He silently took the stationery and spread it open, looking at the contents and then raising an eyebrow. After Yuge glanced slightly at the contents, her face became hard out of shock. 
"Officer. This is." 
"I can say that it probably wasn't direct from the source. It was through some sort of intermediary." Miyoshi responded to Yuge's suspicion. 
"What?" Then, Rian asked with a cloudy expression. 
"What are you trying to say? Are you saying that we can't trust the veracity of this message?" 
"That's right, just like you say. You can't trust it." 
"What nonsense! Properly look at the end of the message, it has the Chief's own signature." 
"That... Alright, why don't you let your comrades standing behind you confirm the latter portion." 
Saying this, Miyoshi spread the message he had taken in front of them. 
After Rian glanced briefly at the message, his lips twisted as if mocking Miyoshi's farce. But the expression of the ajari behind him changed drastically when they saw the contents. 
"W-What! Hey, Rian. What's going on?" 
"What exactly do you want to do? Don't joke around during this kind of time. Where's the real message?" 
"W-What?" 
The pale-faced ajari restlessly questioned Rian. Rian frowned, putting on a surprised expression of incomprehension. 
His gaze returned to the contents of the message. 
"Is there something strange about this message? It came directly from the Onmyou Agency chief." 
After she looked at him double-checking the contents of the message with a serious face, the bespectacled woman who had stood next to Rian yesterday spoke in a slightly shaking voice. 
"Rian, can't you 'see' it?" 
"...He probably can't. [41] As expected, this message was just a pure catalyst. The illusion magic was only cast on Priest Rian himself." 
Miyoshi asserted this and then folded the piece of paper - or rather, the 'magical pattern covered by marks of ink' - back to its original state, giving it to the bespectacled woman. She accepted the message and then immediately opened it up among her companions, checking it again. Then came the angry shouts and moans of the ajari. Rian finally understood the situation after witnessing his comrades' reactions. 
"Illusion magic? How? T-That Mystical Investigator Yamashiro definitely told me that letter came from Chief Kurahashi yesterday." 
"Yeah. Then as expected, it was Yamashiro-shi's mischief. I see, you secretly met with him." 
Miyoshi spoke while taking on an indifferent demeanor. Perhaps he already understood the entire situation to a significant degree. Yuge suppressed her inner displeasure. Though it had been part of his mission, she couldn't get used to those kinds of tricky 'politics' regardless. 

"Mischief?" Rian muttered as if he had lost his soul from across him. 
"T-Then what about the negotiations we had before?" 
"You mean the ones before the three of us came here? Well, although Yamashiro-shi's a Mystical Investigator, it was probably a pure concoction that the commander of the Mystical Investigators Chief Kurahashi was contacting you in the first place. Perhaps it was even an 'informal' agreement." 
"T-Then what about the treatment we were guaranteed before!?" 
"Alright, what we said about Onmyou Agency's conditions yesterday are true - at least at this point. As for your individual treatment, I haven't received any information from the Onmyou Agency." 
Rian froze motionlessly upon being informed this in Miyoshi's cold, businesslike tone. Some ajari shook in anger, some sighed, some froze out of surprise at the outcome, and some were speechless. 
The ajari were all outstanding practitioners. Yuge didn't dare be careless. But they didn't seem prone to an outburst at all. 
It was fortunate that they could get over this peacefully. But on the other hand, she also understood that they couldn't oppose that Jougen no matter how many people of this level they gathered. Though she didn't know what devilish ideas Yamashiro had. They were probably involved in his plot. 
The moment she sank into thought. 
"...Yuge-shi." 
Yuge's hands formed Ucchusma's seal faster than Miyoshi's notification. 
"On shurishuri mamarimari shushuri sowaka." 
With no regard for the panicked stances of the ajari, she chanted a mantra and strengthened the barrier in a flash. 
Then, at the same time, 
"Are you satisfied, Rian?" 
A voice sounded. The ajari looked around. Apparently, the lounge of the quarters were connected to the hall at the entrance by a sliding door. Right now, this sliding door and the door to the entrance were opened and a robed monk wearing a kasaya stood outside. He was Jougen. 
The ajari immediately seethed with killing intent, but turned back as if they had been chased into a corner rather than taking stances to 'oppose' him like Rian spoke of. Jougen was equanimous towards the young ajaris' killing intent. 
"......Jougen." Rian's face twisted as he called out. 
But Jougen warned him calmly. 
"Please be aware. The Onmyou Agency is a nest of demons where many crafty practitioners are gathered. They're not opponents that you fledgling novices can compare to." 
"S-So what. It's better than having the Onmyou Agency as an enemy. Your methods will end up leading Seishuku Temple to ruin." 
"It's as you say. That is why I need Tsuchimikado Harutora-dono." 
"W-What?" 
Rian and the ajari were all stunned. Even Yuge doubted her own ears, and Miyoshi showed a surprised look as the barrier protected him. 
But Jougen formed a binding seal in place of a reply, his wide sleeves slowly swaying. 
"Noumaku sanmanda bazaradan sendamakaroshada sowataya untarata kanman..." 
He chanted Acala's... salvation magic. Magical energy instantly burst out from his body with no warning. The refined magical energy swelled up in a flash. The heat wave it brought with it pressed back on the room. At that point, the ajari hadn't completed their magics in time. 
"Huh!? This guy." 
Jougen, who was chanting the mantra, wasn't rushed, nor did he have any intention of speeding up. 
"Order." 
The ajari approaching the entrance released magic in unison since they were being taken lightly. But the attack was ineffective. 
The magical energy dispersed around Jougen as he used his magic itself formed a tough barrier that blocked the attacks. 
Jougen, his eyes half-closed, watched the ajari like that, calmly switching hand seals. 
From a sword seal to a blade seal. A Dharmacakra seal. A divine salvation seal. Following that order, he slowly chanted a mantra. 
"...On kiriun kyakuun..." 
Spiritual binding, or the so-called Unmoving Golden Chains magic. The Unmoving Golden Chains commonly used in General Onmyoudou had taken in the features of the Shugendo system of magic and increased its usability. But what Jougen used was a Vajrayana prayer. 
Rian and the others, who realized that their attacks were ineffective, continued to form seals with pale faces. They put up barriers to resist the magic. 
Then, the Unmoving Golden Chains bound them and the barrier together and tightened around them. 
"Urgh!?" 
They were immobilized like that, still in their postures of making various seals and completely unable to move. It was as if the air had solidified. Whether their limbs, or their skin, organs or bones, their entire bodies were all bound mercilessly and tightly. The only thing that endured Jougen's power was the Ucchusma barrier that Yuge put up. 
"Jougen, you--" Rian gritted his teeth and said. 
But not even now did Jougen change his expression. He just switched to another seal without pausing, as if carrying out some sequence as part of repetition training. He repeated a magic of Acala again. 
"Noumaku sanmanda bazaradan sendamakaroshada sowataya untarata kanman." 
The prayer was complete. In the end, even the consciousness of the young ajari was bound and they fell one by one. Though Rian desperately struggled against Jougen until the very end, the victor had undoubtedly been decided when his movements had been sealed. After crying out hatefully, he fell onto the ground like his other comrades. 
A clean sweep. As ajari, their powers were no less than professional Onmyouji. But Jougen had easily toppled them single-handedly with an overwhelming strength. Miyoshi could definitely judge that Jougen was extremely strong. 
"..." 
Yuge's expression tensed. But Jougen released his seal after rendering all of the ajari unconscious, lowering his hands. 
Jougen spoke in a cold, indifferent tone: 
"??????????????????????." [42] 
"H-How do you plan on treating these people?" 
"It won't be much. They'll continue to train, as they're all people who haven't completed their training. Also, even without these people, the 'strength' of this monastery won't change." 
With half-closed eyes, Jougen arrogantly eyed the ajari collapsed on the floor. That expression felt more emotionless than stern. A chill ran through Yuge's back. 
"Quite a wonderful technique." Miyoshi said straightforwardly. 
"Nothing but a lowly trick." 
"You're too modest. Just the fact that they became ajari is enough to prove that they're quite capable. Especially that Priest Rian, isn't he quite powerful? But they're useless in the eyes of Priest Jougen. Truly quite remarkable." 
"This monk is undeserving of your praise." 
"Still speaking politely--" 
"This monk's power is unremarkable. Sir, you should know of the true monster who left this mountain." 
Yuge was taken aback by Jougen's words. She understood who the monster he spoke of was. 
"This monk has a question. May I ask you to enlighten me, sir?" 
"Feel free, Priest." 
"Why is the envoy assigned to Seishuku Temple not 'Enma' Miyachi?" 
"If you really want to know," Miyoshi concealed his own expression, and then continued to speak boldly. 
"Quite unexpectedly, we were worried that he would feel 'homesick'." 
"O-Officer." 
Yuge warned Miyoshi in a voice close to a groan. Even so, Miyoshi still looked at Jougen undauntedly, waiting for his response. 
Jougen smiled bitterly for a moment. 
"It would be joyous if he truly had those feelings." 
That sentence was the reply that Jougen made to Miyoshi's provocative-seeming statement. Then, Miyoshi continued speaking with a sharp voice. 
"Could you clarify for me what you meant by what you said before?" 
"What was that?" 
"Please don't feign ignorance. What exactly does the sentence 'that is why I need Tsuchimikado Harutora' mean? Is it true that you suddenly received notice that he was coming to the mountain?" 
"I shall be honest with you, it was indeed this monk who 'invited' him. But I did not think that you would meet with 'him' by chance." 
Yuge was stunned by Jougen's speaking in a clear tone. This was something that they couldn't ignore after hearing no matter what. 
"So Seishuku Temple plans on joining hands with Tsuchimikado Harutora." 
"......" 
Jougen didn't reply directly to Yuge's question. Miyoshi and Jougen's emotionless, artificial gazes crossed in midair. 
Just then, thunder sounded in the distance. 
Miyoshi and Jougen averted their gazes at the same time, turning in the direction of the thunder. 
"Thunder? ......No." 
Jougen murmured quietly to himself, as if focusing his attention on clearly listening. On the other hand, Miyoshi gazed into space with a serious look. 
Yuge felt confused at the reactions of the two, but she immediately understood what was strange. The thunder didn't stop. 
The thunder continued, but almost never broke off. It was indeed cloudy right now, but they weren't thunderclouds. This kind of sudden, continuous thunder was quite strange. 
But Yuge had once encountered a 'similar' situation to this. 
"......Magic?" 
After Yuge murmured that word, she thought of the magic battle that was going on right this moment. The magic battle between Yamashiro and Tsuchimikado Natsume. Right, that situation from before had involved a 'Tsuchimikado' as well. 
"O-Officer, could it be that Tsuchimikado Natsume--!" 
"......" 
Miyoshi didn't respond, pulling his concentration from the faraway thunder back to Jougen who stood in the entrance of the quarters. 
Jougen was the same, leisurely yet carefully watching the situation play out. 
Then-- 
'That voice' resounded in unison inside the minds of the three of them.