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Tokyo Ravens - Volume 13 - Chapter 3.2




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Part 2 
The roof of an old building in Ikebukuro. This place like a dead space of the city center was Harutora's current hideout. The floor was littered with stuff and the room was only filled with dim candlelight. In a corner of the room, Harutora sat cross-legged in front of a simple bed marked with magic sigils. A young girl with triangular fox ears was on the bed. 
Harutora's defensive shikigami, Hishamaru, had returned back to her Kon form on the evening two days before Yasuzumi and the others had been captured. She had been hit by Miyachi's Yamantaka method, run into Takiko’s 'god summoning', and broken out of Phase Four since then. Her originally unstable aura had lost its stability completely in that series of battles. 
Even now, with Harutora constantly regulating her, Hishamaru was already in a dangerous state where she might disappear at any time if left alone. 
"How's the situation outside?" He asked Saotome, who was next to him. 
"It hasn't gotten as chaotic as anticipated." 
"Really. Meaning the people trust the Onmyou Agency and the Exorcist Bureau." 
"......How's the recovery going?" 
"She can move normally tonight. She can use some stealth and magic, but......" 
"She can't fight?" 
"......I don't know." 
In the end, he hadn't found any ways to resolve it and could only take responsive measures. "Anyways, this way we can have Kon go and get in contact with the 'Full Moon' first--" 
"Harutora." Kakugyouki and the Raven's Wing had returned. 
"What happened?" 
"It's not here. It seems like there's activity over at the Full Moon." 
Harutora reached his left arm out to take the Raven's Wing, staring into the depths of the Raven's Wing's golden eyes with his own. 
"......Are there any problems?' 
"It looks like...... Some emergency situation has happened where the Full Moon is." 
If the Full Moon were in a crisis, then Natsume, who was with her, would also be in danger. At such a time, he would only be able to rely on the link between the Raven's Wing and the Full moon and head there with Far Step to help. 
"What's important is recovering the Full Moon, right? I could go too...... or should she go?" 
"No. Senpai's stealth is great, but it would be hard to bring her out even if you got close." 
"Then what do we do? Is waiting all we can do?" 
"Yeah. That's why we shouldn't move for no reason. Just hold the ritual here." 
"Is that possible?" Kakugyouki and Saotome glanced at each other. 
"It's technically a big violation of the rules, but in theory it can be done even if the Full Moon isn't nearby." 
Harutora asserted. Saotome murmured something about being unable to accept it. 
"......Harutora." Kakugyouki asked. 
"It's almost time. Should I speak with Tsuchimikado Natsume? About her body's 'problem'." 
"No...... You can't...... If Natsume knew that, it might have a negative effect on her. I can't take that risk." 
"So--" 
"......And I'm afraid of it." His lowered head gave away his true thoughts. 
He might lose Natsume due to his own mistakes. 
He couldn't help an overwhelming terror from pouring forth when he thought of that. 
Harutora closed his eye and breathed deeply. 
"Come help. It's the final task of the Taizan Fukun Ritual." 


 

Fortunately, the warehouse where Natsume and the others were hiding hadn't been destroyed during Touji's fight. 
"Come to think of it, there isn't any better place where we can hide Hama...... Kyouko-chan, sorry for making you try to perform divination on Kogure again so soon." 
"It's alright." 
The air in the warehouse was even heavier than normal. 
Obviously, that was the fault of Ohtomo, who they had managed to reunite with...... 
Ohtomo recognized the Souma's strength. In other words, Ohtomo judged that they didn't have the strength to contend with them. It was a big shock for all of them. 
And what's more, the traces left from Touji's battle during Ohtomo's visit had forced them all to move. 
"......Hmph, I knew he would just be trouble......" 
Suzuka said with an irritated look. Natsume, Tenma, Kyouko, and Touji who had come close to winning against Gozu, were all wearing downcast expressions right now. 
Just like Ohtomo had said, right now was a time when they needed to use all their strength. Ohtomo trusted his own judgments more than anything else and based his actions on them. 
The 'my students' phrase that Ohtomo had said to Natsume and the others made them feel happy. But, 
"......What is he joking about. We're not students anymore. And we left by our own wills, too. Isn't that the same for Ohtomo-sensei? Why do we have to keep letting Sensei shelter us?" Touji spat angrily. Half was because his opinion differed, and the other half was because he hadn't been viewed as an equal at all. Though his power certainly couldn't compete with Ohtomo's, it was hard for his heart to accept being scorned for this. 
"Honestly. Ohtomo's still a newbie of a teacher. That stupid hot-blooded newbie teacher only teases his students because they’re too cute. You should be magnanimous and forgive him." Amami said with a smile. 
"Anyways, that stupid white-hair [6] 's acting like an adult in front of you guys? Ridiculous. Don't believe what he looks like, he's actually just a boy at heart." 

"Hahaha......" 
Tenma and Suzuka laughed at him. Touji's mood improved quite a bit upon seeing that scene. 
...The situation hadn't improved. 
But those brief words improved their mental states. As expected, Amami was amazing. 
"Ah, Chief Amami. What was with Ohtomo saying that Harutora 'got mad at him'?" [7] 
"To be honest, I don't know either. Maybe there are other reasons." 
"......That means that Harutora's on his own?" 
"That's already certain. The problem is how Harutora ended up on his own...... Anyways, Ohtomo judges that he 'can't team up' with him right now." 
Natsume inadvertently sank into dejection as she listened to their conversation from the side. 
Noticing the atmosphere, Amami waved his fan. "Well, nothing will happen right now by thinking about Harutora. We can't ignore that attack announcement. Anyway, you'll be able to meet him soon, right?" 
...Right. Soon, probably...... 
"......Speaking of which," Touji opened his mouth. "Chief Amami, did Kyouko say anything strange as Ohtomo-sensei was disappearing? Something about running into someone's little sister......" 
At Touji's question, Natsume, Suzuka, and Tenma all recalled it. 
"Ah......" Amami's expression was difficult. "Wakamiya Eri was Ohtomo's former teacher. But she died many years ago, and it was recorded as a suicide...... and that she was a fervent Yakou fanatic. Anyways, there are a lot of unclear things about it." 
Suicide. Yakou fanatic. The combination of those two phrases gave Natsume a bad premonition. 
The 'little sister' Kyouko had run into called herself Wakamiya Rika. She was a reporter for the Monthly Onmyouji, a famous magazine in the magic community. 
"C-Come to think of it, what about asking that person to expose what the Onmyou Agency's doing to the media?" 
Amami immediately rejected the idea that Tenma suddenly thought of. 
"Kyouko said about the same thing. This isn't easy to accept, but we wouldn't be working this hard if a single reporter could successfully expose the Onmyou Agency." 
"What if...... What if you spoke with the media directly? Maybe if it were you, who worked in the Onmyou Agency for many years and who suddenly vanished..." 
"But it's 'Monthly', we won't be able to make it--" 
"No no, the web edition is updated every day, you know?" Suzuka retorted. 
"......Eh?" 
"Also, I'm the Onmyou Agency's poster idol, so I can bring up something. The combination of the 'Child Prodigy' and the former division chief might be convincing." 
"Well, that...... you see, the internet's kind of unreliable...... And even if we announce it on the net......" 
"Daizen-sama!" 
The door to the workroom opened and Suisen came out supporting Kyouko. 
"I read Kogure's star!" 
"Really!?" Natsume instantly brightened. "What about the other two?" 
"Sorry, I still can't understand much...... But Kogure's star was eclipsed...... It might be some bad omen! We have to warn him quickly!" 
"Well done. Thanks, Kyouko." 
"Chief Amami, let's depart." 
"Okay. Kyouko, tell everyone the specific time and place. Natsume and Touji, hurry to the area right away and forcefully come in contact with Miyoshi and Yamashiro. Suzuka, continue watching the area. Tenma, you're on standby this time. After all, you're the only one who can use Hama, and the living spirits have high mobility. 
Then, 
"W-What about me? I'm a living spirit too, and I'm confident in my legs......?" Akino asked. Her tone seemed more like she was pleading than asking. 
"Akino, you're still on standby. I understand your feelings, but right now we need the right people for the job." 
"......Okay......" 
She didn't fight back, but the pair of rabbit ears hanging down clearly showed Akino's dejection. 
Natsume approached Akino and put her hands on her shoulders to console her, and then-- 
...Eh? 
A distortion appeared on Akino's face in Natsume's vision. She instantly lost her sense of balance and she momentarily forgot where and when she was. 
It was only for a moment. Since she was holding on to Akino, no one noticed Natsume's abnormality other than Akino, who was right in front of her. 
"N-Natsume?" 
"......It's nothing, suddenly standing up made me dizzy." 
Come to think of it, she had experienced a similar sensation yesterday. Just like that time, traces of disruption were left in her circulating aura. 
...Why? 
She had gotten good sleep, so why - before she had time to think about it, Touji's "Natsume" pulled her thoughts back. 
Kyouko explained the results of her divination in detail after she came down the stairs. 
"Uh oh. Then, Akino, wait here for our good news." 
After Natsume said that, she returned to Touji and the others. This time it was Tenma approaching her saying "Akino-chan, can you help me with something?". Though Akino agreed, her gaze still stayed on Natsume's figure as she walked into their strategy room. 

Three minutes later, Natsume and Touji left the warehouse. 
 



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