Tokyo Ravens - Volume 14 - Chapter 4.5

Part 5 
After the ritual was interrupted, Akino had been tied up and dropped in the corner of the territory's barrier. The thin veil of darkness covering Zuishin-mon obstructed vision from outside the territor. So Akino had know way of knowing what kind of battle was unfolding outside. 
But she understood that it was Harutora or Natsume and the others who were fighting right now. Everyone was desperately trying to stop the ritual being carried out in front of her. 
And it wasn't just Harutora and Natsume who wanted to stop the ritual. 
The familiar white-haired man who suddenly appeared was the old teacher of Natsume and the others. Ohtomo Jin. 
The man who had once visited Akino and the others in the warehouse that had been their hiding place. 
But the Ohtomo Jin who appeared inside the territory was a completely different person from back then. There wasn't a shred of the down-to-earth attitude and easy familiarity he had showed in front of Natsume and the others in the warehouse. He gave off a dry, cold, and terrifying impression. His atmosphere was ruthless, merciless, and almost inhuman. 
Gozu and Mezu stood next to each other, staring rudely at Yashamaru. 
Ashiya Doman looked down seemingly joyfully from the roof of the Hall of Worship. 
With the three shikigami awaiting his command, Ohtomo drew a pistol on Takiko in front of the altar. Ohtomo's attitude was very calm. Unable to understand the situation in front of her and swallowed up by the ominous atmosphere, Akino shrank back. 
An astounding shriek rose up. 
It was Yashamaru. The Yase Doji defensive familiar summoned up an unusual power and broke off to protect his cornered master. His boldness took Gozu and Mezu by surprise. But Doman was unaffected. 
"Sorry." 
With that word, he snapped, and for some reason, Yashamaru stopped, moving as if to fend something off. Akino quickly realized the reason. It was an illusion. She had seen a similar scene at Seishuku Temple. 
But she had never heard of an illusion that affected shikigami. 
On the other hand, Ohtomo barely paid attention to the conversation that happened next to him. It felt like he was doing a boring job on a boring street. But there was a barely perceptible, tiny sense of fatigue. The fatigue was from the many things burdening him down, but he calmly continued forward while bearing that fatigue. 
Ohtomo calmly put his finger on the trigger-- 
But. 
"Ohtomo-sensei!" 
The moment that voice rang out, Ohtomo's actions froze. 
Surprisingly, it was Tenma who came through Zuishin-mon with his presence hidden. Tenma looked straight at Ohtomo. He shouted, seeming to be full of clarity after understanding something. 
"I finally get it. Kyouko was talking about you, Ohtomo-sensei. That's why I'm here. Please stop, Ohtomo-sensei! You have to!" 
Tenma shouted desperately. Something made Tenma slow down. Ohtomo's face was the same as always, with no expression at all. But he gave off a different impression from before. 
A moment of stillness immediately followed. 
Then something happened right afterwards. Akino could only watch things happen in shock. 
Tenma was sent flying from behind and cried out in surprise. Ohtomo reflexively looked towards Tenma. 
Two large lions flew over. A white lion and a black lion. Gozu and Mezu reacted immediately, blocking the lions as they leaped. 
Ohtomo noticed something and hastily pointed his gun back at Takiko. Kurahashi, releasing his stealth, grabbed the gun. 

Ohtomo stared and let go of the cane in his hand. And like that, the two of them began righting. Doman could do nothing to the two as they tussled, so he stood on the roof and stretched as he watched their battle. 
It was an incantation-less, seal-less, close-quarters battle of magic of the highest level. They used the fastest, simplest magics. Magical energy shot out like high-speed sword strikes clashing together. 
"Kurahashi!" 
Yashamaru, who still couldn't use magic, called out. 
Akino never would have thought that Yashamaru would use such a grieving voice. 
"I'm counting on you!" 
After that, with a bang, a dry gunshot resounded inside the territory. 
After the pistol fired, it was knocked from Ohtomo and Kurahashi's tussling hands onto the stone platform with a clatter. Ohtomo picked the gun up without regard for his own safety. He tumbled across the stone platform and pointed the gun at Takiko the moment he stood back up. 
Kurahashi blocked his aiming path. 
The front of Kurahashi's robe was stained red. Seeing the slowly-spreading crimson, Kurahashi spread his arms to protect Takiko. 
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. 
He groaned. 
"......You......" 

   

Ohtomo cocked the trigger. 
Bang - the bullet didn't hit. It was blocked by a barrier of light and vanished. 
"What..." 
Ohtomo was taken aback. 
The stone platform was surrounded by light. 
The spirit flow connecting the heavens to the earth had vanished. Instead, a light descended from the sky, moving to the stone platform. 
It was a radiant, divine light that felt as if it had mass. A light that didn't exist in this world. A light formed from aura that could only be 'seen' with spirit sight. 
Seeing the light that surrounded his body, Kurahashi quietly let out an "............Ohhh......", and turned around, swaying and clutching his wound. 
"You have done well." 
Takiko smiled. 
But was she truly Takiko? Akino wasn't sure anymore. 
The pain and tension on Kurahashi's face vanished. He closed his eyes, seeming very satisfied, and fell to his knees and collapsed on the stone platform. 
Takiko silently looked at the fallen Kurahashi, still smiling. Like a god forgiving a sinner. 
Then, Takiko looked up to the sky and laughed to herself. 
"What an excellent night for a banquet." 
What happened that night were recorded in the history of magic for a long time.