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."
Three minutes later, Natsume and Touji left the warehouse.
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