Tokyo Ravens - Volume 11 - Chapter 2.1

Chapter 2 - Future and Everyday 
Part 1 
"Natsume-kun was resurrected...... That's what Suzu-san said, right? And that Harutora-kun was fine?" 
"Yes. ......Though she added the phrase 'for now'......" 
Tenma nodded and replied to Kurahashi Miyo's confirmation. 
The phone call from Saotome Suzu that had reached Tenma's phone from earlier had been cut off after an extremely short dialogue. He was in a state of knowing almost no details at all. 
He would use the Taizan Fukun Ritual to resurrect Natsume. Tenma and the others had sent Harutora off with that kind of determination. They had let him go. Hence, they weren't sure about what had happened to him afterwards. They weren't sure whether Natsume had 'truly' resurrected either. They weren't even sure 'what kind of state' Harutora was currently in. 
The time had already flown by to six in the morning. 
Currently, Tenma and the others were in a Kurahashi family villa in Mejiro - a small, seaside residence. Other than Principal Kurahashi and Tenma, the people present were Ato Touji, Kurahashi Kyouko, Dairenji Suzuka, and the figure of Amami Daizen lying with his back on the sofa. 
The night that had jarred the Onmyou Agency and even the magic community had finally given way to the dawn. However, things weren't over. Or rather, this was only the beginning. The people gathered here right now vaguely anticipated this. 
The tumultuous night had ended. 
But maybe the magic community would give way to an even longer night now. 
"......I understand. In any case, there won't be any results even if we think about Harutora-kun and Natsume-kun's situations like this. Rather, we should consider our own matters right now. Think about the future." 
The atmosphere in the room sharply tensed up due to the principal's words. 
Tenma had told the principal about what the students had done last night and what they had witnessed. Also, it seemed that she had heard all the details from the once-imprisoned Amami. The situation was deeply pressing. After all, the people present had opposed the leadership of the Onmyou Agency. 
They had opposed the Onmyou Agency Chief, Kurahashi Genji. 
"Excuse me...... Principal? Is Chief Kurahashi truly, um......" 
Tenma stammered a question to the principal. 
Kurahashi Genji was an important person at the apex of the modern magic community. Not only was he the Onmyou Agency Chief, the Mystical Investigator Chief, and the Exorcist Bureau Chief, he was also a National First-Class Onmyouji holding 'First-Class Onmyou' certifications. He was the leader of the Twelve Divine Generals and had been named the 'current most influential' Onmyouji. 
But that wasn't all. He was the current head of the famous Kurahashi Onmyoudou family...... Also known as the principal's son as well as Kyouko's father. He was the relative of two of the people here right now. 
But the principal silently acquiesced to Tenma's question. Though she had prepared her heart, Kyouko's face distorted slightly at her grandmother's grim expression. 
"......Amami-kun." 
The principal moved her gaze to Amami on the sofa. 
Amami was the former Chief of the Mystical Investigators. But he had mysteriously disappeared after the Twin-Horned Syndicate sweeping operation - or so it was said. But in truth, he had been locked underground in the Onmyou Agency building until he had escaped last night. It seemed that his treatment had been like torture, and he was extremely weak. Though the principal had urgently treated him, he still couldn't move with his own strength, nor could he speak since his throat was burned. His magical energy was in a perfectly cut-off state especially to block him from using first-class magic. 
Even so, his sharp, thorough gaze was still vigorous. 
Amami maintained his posture of lying on the sofa as he endured the principal's gaze, lightly moving his chin to express agreement. 
At the same time, a spider quietly crawled up his shoulder. A pale blue spider about the size of a thumb. It was a 'Trick Spider', Amami's shikigami. 
This shikigami was a test product of Tenma's dead mother and possessed two important strengths. One was that it was able to materialize on its own by absorbing the surrounding aura. The other was that it could be controlled without using magical energy as long as its magic settings were completed beforehand. 
It was originally a shikigami that had been formulated to be used by ordinary people who couldn't manipulate magic. Hence, Amami could also use it after his magical energy was completely sealed. Last night, Amami had controlled this shikigami and led the captured Harutora and Tenma, who had snuck into the agency building. Though one of the two Trick Spiders had been destroyed, the other one that had followed Tenma had safely escaped with him. 
Then, from the Trick Spider on Amami's shoulder-- 
"Unfortunately, the Chief's guilty." 
Came Amami's voice. 
Tenma's eyes widened with a "Huh?". Though the Trick Spider could share vision and hearing with the practitioner, it didn't have the function of making sound. In fact, it had been silent for the whole time it led Tenma around. 
"It's my magic." Then, the principal explained in place of Amami. 
"Because we had to ask about the situation no matter what. Though it's just a temporary overwrite, I managed to add to the shikigami charm's magic--" 
"You can leave that for later, Miyo-chan." 

Amami's voice sounded from the Trick Spider on his shoulder again. The gazes of the group focused on Amami. 
"As for your doubt from before, it's unfortunate, but that's how it is. I heard it directly from the man himself, so it can't be wrong. Kurahashi Genji - that guy is the culprit who manipulated the Twin-Horned Syndicate from the shadows until now and led to two spiritual disasters from behind the curtain. The Souma faction have joined hands with him." 
Tenma and the other students groaned at Amami's cutting assertion. 
"......What's his goal? Is it Yakou's resurrection?" 
It was Touji who asked this. 
His expression was calm, but his eyes were as cold as ice. After a pause, Amami replied, "Not necessarily." 
"The fact that he stole the Raven's Coat can be explained away as for Yakou's resurrection. But we can't clearly say that's the man's goal yet. Maybe that's just the individual expectation of the Souma girl. Actually, those guys abandoned the Twin-Horned Syndicate of gathered Yakou fanatics after using them as a stepping stone to spread the jurisdiction of the Onmyou Agency." 
"But." Amami carefully continued. 
"The Tsuchimikado branch family boy - No, it's more accurate to say the main family boy. In any case, judging by what the boy called Harutora said, that man's goal seems to be to 'continue Yakou's legacy'. ......That said, I know nothing about what the crucial 'legacy' includes. I expect that it's taboo. The Chief's true intent is unclear right now." 
Then, Amami showed Touji a rebellious smile. 
"I told you before, right? I said that every adult in this world is an old fox. But Kurahashi Genji is the worst of them. It's not easy to completely see through him." 
Touji wordlessly nodded at Amami's words. Though Touji had firm self-confidence, he definitely wasn't a fool. He objectively recognized that the enemy was far cleverer than himself. 
"......Is 'that man' an accomplice?" 
This question came from Suzuka. 
Suzuka's expression was stiff. It wasn't just the principal and Kyouko who had 'relatives' involved. The 'man' Suzuka spoke of referred to her - once-dead - father, Dairenji Shidou. The Divine General who had been called the 'Professor' was the mastermind behind the 'Great Hinamatsuri Purification' spiritual disaster terrorist attack. He was a person who had been viewed as the leader of the Twin-Horned Syndicate in the past. 
Touji replied to her instead of Amami. 
"Yeah, that's for sure. Though I haven't said so yet, that guy was there when I broke into the executive office. In the end, that guy awakened as Yashamaru, Souma Takiko's shikigami. Since Souma Takiko is allied with the Chief, he's naturally on the same side." 
Suzuka lowered her head and tightly bit her lip after Touji announced that. 
Though Suzuka was a National First-Class Onmyouji, she had obtained 'First-Class Onmyou' qualifications at a young age because her father had strengthened her spiritual power through magical experiments. Suzuka held strong animosity towards her father for toying with her and her brother. 
"......Come to think of it now, the Chief and Dairenji were coworkers in the agency. Maybe their relationship started before Dairenji was reborn. Maybe much...... earlier......" 
Suddenly, the Trick Spiders' words became unsettled and suddenly cut off. "Amami-kun!?" The principal's face paled and hastily ran forward with Kyouko by her side. 
Amami closed his eyes in extreme exhaustion on the sofa. But after Kyouko supported his body, he slowly opened his eyelids. 
A weak, bitter smile emerged on his mouth, and he said: 
"......Sorry, my consciousness left me for a moment......" 
"P-Please don't be so reckless. You have to settle down as much as possible right now--" 
Though using the Trick Spider didn't require the use of magical energy, in the end the wounds and fatigue accumulated on the old man's body were extraordinary. Even if he had received the principal's magic treatment, that didn't change the fact that Amami's condition was extremely bad. 
But Amami smiled and spoke to the worried Kyouko: 
"......Don't be reckless? That's wrong, Kyouko-chan." 
In contrast to his frail image, he showed a powerful smile. 
"Let me take the opportunity to say that you can't give voice to such 'naive judgments' in the future. Those kinds of worries are the things an 'adult' says to shelter a 'child'. ......All you others listen carefully too, not just Kyouko." 
Amami's gaze caught Touji, Suzuka, and Tenma. The feeble and barely-conscious old man's gaze scorched and solidified the children like flowing magma. 
"Listen up. You all have to allow me to be as reckless as possible for as long as I'm still living. That's a necessary situational judgment stipulated by a 'standalone Onmyouji'. ......Of course......" 
Amami's expression suddenly eased. 
But the children shook even more instead after hearing his next words. 
"That's if...... you truly plan on opposing the Onmyou Agency." 
Touji, Suzuka, Tenma, and Kyouko all went speechless. The blood drained out of the faces of one, and one flushed red in a flash. One clenched his fists tightly, and one gritted his teeth. 
But none of them averted their gazes. No matter what choice they made, there was no choice of fleeing. 
"They'll be getting into this villa soon too. There's not much time. Just like Miyo-chan said at the start, let's think about the future."