Tokyo Ravens - Volume 7 - Chapter 3.2

Part 2 
Perhaps because of Amami's persistence, the Mystical Investigators actually found about eighty or ninety percent of the 'suspected Twin-Horned Syndicate members' that they had been eyeing. 
Their reactions could be separated into three types. Most of them surrendered on the spot. A few of them resisted, and some of them even attacked with magic, but they were suppressed by Mystical Investigators before harming the surroundings. 
The Mystical Investigators viewed the final type most seriously. The people who had instantly noticed the movements of the Mystical Investigators and who began moving themselves. 
They didn't put up useless resistance, but rather they used the Twin-Horned Syndicate's network to trade information. They moved rapidly and carefully. Of course, they were probably also uneasy because they had never predicted that they would be exposed in one fell swoop. But they had long since prepared a precautionary system of command for these rattling times. Though their abilities were very weak, they were actually effective. 
First, they left their workplaces while avoiding eyes and ears. Among them, there were also some who fled from fright, and ended up getting themselves caught in the Mystical Investigators' net instead. In comparison, the people who gained information from their network would pass through the fine net that the Mystical Investigators had spread around them, which was concentrated at the Exorcist Bureau Shinjuku branch - around the top of their command system, Makihara Yoshitaka. After grouping around him, they started to try confronting the Mystical Investigators' strategy for exposing them. 
However, the 'net' they had gotten through was actually one that the Mystical Investigators had purposefully put up. They pretended to ignore them but simultaneously watched over their network. 
Then, when the Twin-Horned Syndicate members lying low in the Onmyou Agency were baited into gathering at one place. 
The second phase sweeping operation led by the Mystical Investigators formally began. 

 

The moment the Mystical Investigators appeared en masse in the Shinjuku branch, the exorcist Makihara Yoshitaka realized that he had failed completely. 
He had been completely toyed with. His side had been played with in the Mystical Investigators' palm. 
At the time, he had snuck into an outbuilding of the Shinjuku branch. They should be able to occupy this place and fight while holding their ground, several of his comrades proclaimed loudly. But Makihara took the initiative to oppose them. In this kind of place, how could they stand and fight with their numbers and strength? They would just end up easily suppressed. Most importantly, that would mean there would be no hope for the future. The so-called stand and fight strategy was one taken on the premise of reinforcements or that the situation of the battle would change. A small group holding their ground in front of overwhelming numbers was simply suicide. 
Then, a comrade who was red-faced from an upsurge of emotion shouted loudly and hoarsely. 
"The North Star King will inevitably awaken if we wait! Then he will descend to save us! Right now is our opportunity to rise against the Onmyou Agency that hold our lord in contempt!" 
More than half of them voiced approval. Makihara was speechless - no, he was in despair. 
The Twin-Honed Syndicate was a secret society formed by Yakou fanatics. The North Star King was the name they used to refer to Yakou. This was an honorific for Yakou, whose name was written with the characters for 'night' and 'light' and likened to the North Star which was a metaphor for Onmyoudou. This way of referring to Yakou was a beacon as well as a symbol of trust to the Twin-Horned Syndicate. When the name 'North Star King' left their mouth, they would feel an intense togetherness as if they were gathered by Yakou's side. 
However, that didn't actually mean that there were genuine ties between the Twin-Horned Syndicate members. In particular, after the Lingering Spirit Division that could be called their base had been shut down, they had only been able to communicate with the most limited means in order to avoid the eyes and ears of the Mystical Investigators. Things like a sense of unity as a group or a matured 'atmosphere' had never been established. 
Makihara was an enthusiastic admirer of Yakou. As he was also a lower-level Onmyouji, he respected Yakou's feats and was fascinated with Yakou's ability. He trusted that Tsuchimikado Yakou was the only great man in the history of magic who could be put side by side with Abe no Seimei. Because of this, he held intense indignation at the Onmyou Agency and their blind actions of labeling Tsuchimikado Yakou with the notorious world view of the culprit who brought about spiritual disasters. He had become a member of the Twin-Horned Syndicate because of these thoughts. 
Moreover, he was intensely dissatisfied with the overall magic community. Other than exorcists purifying spiritual disasters, modern Onmyouji received no attention from the world. Even the exorcists were becoming increasingly low-staffed, and the on-site manpower situation was worsening. The entire magic community had become secluded and withered. 
But, Onmyoudou - the 'Modern Onmyoudou' that had been developed according to the achievements that Yakou had left behind - had originally been more esoteric and more diverse. It was applicable in vast areas, and was even far more effective than the current system with regard to purifying spiritual disasters. The future of Onmyoudou shouldn't stagnate and decline in this kind of place. Right now was the time for the magic community to look back at the feats Yakou had left behind and study Yakou's ability. 
The Twin-Horned Syndicate's beliefs definitely weren't wrong. 
But...... 
But right now, the comrades before Makihara were calling for a 'holy war'. Where exactly was the estrangement between him and them? 
Only now did Makihara scrutinize their faces again. 
Perhaps an outsider would imagine that Yakou fanatics were just a group of nostalgic old people. But actually, this wasn't the case. Most of the organization members were young. Makihara himself was only thirty-five, and the others were almost all twenty-some-year-old Onmyouji. 
Most Onmyouji, especially the current young Onmyouji, were already immersed in the world of magic by the time they learned about things - when they uncovered their spirit-seeing ability. All the outstanding people were like this. They didn't understand the outside community and didn't understand the 'world'. Because of this lack of understanding, they packaged everything together and came to unified conclusions. 
Makihara had once felt incongruous from his current kindred. During the second spiritual disaster terrorist attack, Makihara had believed that there was no alternative other than sound the world's alarm. With those bitter thoughts, he had watched everyone's decisiveness. That spiritual disaster terrorist attack, which was viewed as an uplifting of the Twin-Horned Syndicate by his young comrades, had been accompanied by cheers warmly welcomed. On the surface, they acted out surprise and anger and even took up respectful attitudes in front of Makihara. But Makihara had noticed his young comrades laughing happily inside many times. 
Onmyouji was a profession that the world didn't pay attention to. Even if there were people who would thank them for acting to purify spiritual disasters, they were also asked to take responsibility for damage produced, they suffered criticism, and they were sometimes subject to unreasonable accusations. This was the same for each profession, and perhaps could be called a natural thing...... But there were many people among the young Onmyouji who didn't understand this. 
Like the young people shouting loudly in front of him right now. 
Perhaps their devotion towards Yakou was just a kind of expression of their 'hopes to be recognized'. 
For the great existence of Tsuchimikado Yakou to be recognized. For the kind of strength that was the Onmyoudou he had established to be recognized. And then, for them, the Onmyouji who had used this strength, to be recognized. 
In order to fight for themselves and open the eyes of the incompetent world that ignored them. 
Then-- 
Makihara unintentionally put on a bitter smile. 
It seemed that he was the same in terms of urgently trying to find a way. They all had various histories and should hold their own ideas. Wasn't he currently someone who was packaging everything he didn't understand together and thinking about them in unison? First off, he had to focus right now to deal with a real problem. Even if he felt estranged, it was he who had led these young people to this kind of place. 
"......I understand. It seems like no one has thoughts of surrender. But, we should still choose to escape instead of holding our ground. Unfortunately, resisting as an organization is already meaningless now. We should split in all directions and then lurk, waiting for an opportunity." 
"How can we! You plan on splitting our fighting power!?" 
"You just want us to run!? We'll shame the North Star King!" 
Makihara endured the opposition that flocked in front of him. 
"If you're considering your reputation to the North Star King, right now we should protect ourselves in order to become the King's assistance and act. We should beware of that arrogance. Even if the King has already demonstrated a part of his power, he hasn't awakened to his mission. Right now, we will fail without accomplishing anything if we stay here. What is the humiliation of fleeing to those who truly hope to become the King's subjects? Right now we have to hide and wait for the King's awakening." 
He could only feel bitter as this time-honored rhetoric left his mouth. When had he started enthusiastically arranging this kind of speech for his comrades? When had these people of his started becoming this kind of group? 
He recalled that perhaps the Twin-Horned Syndicate's days had been numbered since this spring, when Mutobe Chihiro, who had been their main leader, fell. No, the Twin-Horned Syndicate had gone astray when the Lingering Spirit Division had been crushed. 
Right now wasn't the time to regret. Makihara clearly realized, based on his deep understanding of that point, that he should have stopped them from launching a terrorist attack even if it meant betraying the 'Professor's views. 
"......Exorcist Makihara! Even if you want us to escape, we've already been surrounded. We won't be able to get away if we split up and act separately!" 
One of his comrades reported. Makihara nodded in recognition of his opinion. 
"That's true, if we only flee. ......But don't worry. We'll release several spiritual disasters in the Shinjuku branch afterwards. Then, we'll take advantage of the chaos to escape." 
Makihara's declaration evoked a commotion among them. 
"We're going to do it by manipulating the aura flow, like the 'Repurification'? But that needs a lot of preparation--" 
"There's no problem. Actually, there's a magical tool that simplifies that procedure. That Mutobe-san left behind that magical tool after considering his sacrifice. ......It seems to be a magical tool that Domahoshi created." 
When Makihara mentioned Domahoshi, the name of Ashiya Doman, a flicker of hope lit up on his comrades' faces. No one here had seen Doman directly. But, the fact that he had aided the Twin-Horned Syndicate once or twice had spread to his comrades many times already. 
"Unfortunately, that magical tool wasn't entrusted to me, so it's not here." 
"What!? Wh-Why?" 
"Because he wasn't a Twin-Horned Syndicate member." 
That sentence made his comrades' eyes widen. Makihara nodded again and continued to speak calmly. 
"Because of that, the Mystical Investigators haven't been watching him, so the magical tool was able to be entrusted to him. But he and I have similar ambitions. I will go ask him to activate the magical tool right now. It still needs some time to create spiritual disasters. Until then, please follow the plan and pretend to be standing your ground and resisting. However, it's just a feint after all. In the end, we want to catch the Mystical Investigators unprepared and then lie dormant to wait for our opportunity. Understood?" 
After Makihara decided their plan, he immediately gave orders to his comrades. At this time, the Mystical Investigators had already started charging the outbuilding. 
In moments, a magical battle had already begun. Magical energy exploded downstairs, making the outbuilding shake slightly. Makihara continued commanding from behind while using his phone to contact a certain individual. 
The other person seemed to have already anticipated this situation. 
"It's already prepared. Though I say this, I can't understand this procedure. I can't guarantee whether it will activate successfully, and even if it does, I can't guarantee that you won't be pulled into the spiritual disaster." 
"I've already prepared myself for that. Also......" 
"......?" 
"If it's within the range of the branch, at least it won't cause any civilian casualties. After all...... There are a large number of excellent exorcists gathered here." 

"......" 
Whether out of mockery of Makihara's words or because of something else he felt, the other end of the phone hung up abruptly after going silent for a period of time. 
He was as lacking in emotion and as dour as usual. But thinking back now, perhaps it was because he was that kind of man that Mutobe had entrusted the magical tool to him. Even if he wasn't well-known, the three of them had once been coworkers in the Onmyou Agency. Even in this kind of crisis, he yearned for their first entrance into the agency, when everyone had enthusiastically talked about their futures. 
But Makihara's request could very well fail. Right after he requested it, the defensive line that had been put up according to Makihara's orders - their barricade - had already been broken by the Mystical Investigators. 
"......No good!?" 
The gap in power really was too large. The opponent was a group of specialists in anti-personnel magic. Knowing that there was no chance in victory, resisting to buy time was a useless attempt. 
Makihara hoarsely commanded his comrades to flee. 
He lit one of the smoke bombs he had brought and smoke quickly covered their scattering. Of course, the entrances and exits to the outbuilding had probably already fallen under their control. With no retreat path, all they could do was run blindly in circles through the outbuilding. It was like they were playing a game of tag. 
Pointless death throes. But if only a spiritual disaster were produced and chaos ensued, there was the possibility that a small number of them could escape. So no matter what kind of crisis they were forced into, they had to struggle as much as they could. 
Screams, roars, and some chanted incantations resounded through the outbuilding. Gunfire was almost mixed amidst them. It was like a battlefield. A man-on-man battlefield that Makihara had never experienced. Makihara cast stealth magic again and again, sprinting through the hallway. 
Just then, the phone in his pocket suddenly started vibrating. It was a call. For an instant, he thought it was a call from 'him', but the caller ID was an unknown number. Makihara took out his phone, suddenly thinking of something. 
"...I'm the contact." 
An electronically-altered voice came through. The moment this voice sounded, Makihara couldn't help but shout out roughly. 
"Where did you go before! You didn't leave any sign at all beforehand!?" 
The person on the other end of the phone, nicknamed the 'contact', was an important member of the Twin-Horned Syndicate's network. 
After the spiritual disaster terrorist attack two years ago, the Twin-Horned Syndicate had split into two groups overall. One was Makihara's side, the Yakou supporters within the Onmyou Agency. The other was led by Mutobe, the previous Lingering Spirit Division members who had escaped from the Mystical Investigators' arrests. The former was hidden in plain sight, hiding their positions on the surface, while the latter mixed with civilians and other Yakou fanatics, lurking in the magic community. The one responsible for communicating between these two groups was the individual nicknamed the 'contact'. 
Moreover, the 'contact' didn't just stick to simple communication work. He also used his individual information channels to assist the Twin-Horned Syndicate. Though Mutobe had once explained that he was a 'person related to the previous Lingering Spirit Division', Makihara himself hadn't directly met him before. 
"If this goes on, we'll be eliminated. It's fine if you start now, but tell us about the movements of the Mystical Investigators!" 
The 'contact's identity was unclear. But considering the quality and accuracy of the information he had disclosed thus far, he was definitely a higher-up who thoroughly understood the Onmyou Agency, as well as a person with a mysterious connection with the Mystical Investigators. They had to begin the risky escape plan now. They couldn't have too much information. 
But compared to Makihara's desperate tone, the 'contact's tone sounded quite indifferent. 
"First report on the situation over there." 
"Didn't I say!? We're about to be eliminated! We're trying to escape the scene right now, but honestly there's no hope." 
"You plan on escaping? Breaking through the Mystical Investigators' net?" 
"Right! We have to use this opportunity. Domahoshi's magical tool that Mutobe left behind!" 
That moment, the voice from the phone became sharp and asked back: 
"Domahoshi? Really. Mutobe-san left it behind?" 
"Haven't you heard? It's a magical tool that can bring about spiritual disasters. Using that, we'll cause a spiritual disaster in the branch and then take advantage of the chaos to escape! It should start soon!" 
"......In other words, it's impossible to stop it now." 
"Right! The Mystical Investigators shouldn't know about this magical tool's existence. Even if one or two people can escape because of it--" 
"Great." 
That voice hadn't been electronically modified. Moreover, it hadn't come from his phone either. 
Makihara had run to the end of the corridor. A figure walked across from him. He lifted his stealth - simultaneously came a roaring sound along with an intense shock that pierced through Makihara's chest. 
He had already collapsed onto the ground before he knew it. Since the shock had paralyzed his entire body, he was unable to move - right as he figured that out, his body began to spasm and he started coughing accompanied by severe pain. 
The taste of blood. He spat red bubbles from his mouth. He could see blood gushing from his chest. A pool of blood widened underneath his collapsed body. 
The figure walked towards him, the phone he had been talking through still grasped in his left hand. His right hand grasped a pistol, its black muzzle still pointed towards Makihara. 
"......I didn't know that Mutobe-san left behind that kind of plan. The command of the Mystical Investigators would indeed crumble if they encountered a spiritual disaster attack now. With your ability, you might be able to break the surrounding net. As expected, it was right to come here myself." 
"......" 
Makihara's head was no longer working right. He could only look up at the person with trembling eyes. 
It was a young man. Never mind malice, the face that surveyed him didn't even have a speck of animosity. In addition, his peaceful look was the look of a saint or priest paying tribute to the dead. 
"Sorry, Makihara-san." 
The youth spoke to Makihara with seemingly sincere apologies. 
"Your reverence towards Yakou was different from others. It was extremely sincere, deeply resonating with my own views. But it would be very inconvenient if I let you, who didn't understand the 'truth', continue to escape. Of course, it would be even more of a headache if you fell into the hands of the Mystical Investigators. Even if it pains me, the 'current' Twin-Horned Syndicate has already completed its mission. Please - leave the rest to me." 
Then, the youth slowly chanted an incantation. 
The pain slowly vanished from Makihara's body. In comparison, all of his senses were replaced by whiteness. 
Makihara, who still didn't understand his situation, silently closed his eyes. 
Perhaps it was a mistake, but his expression as he died was serene. 
The youth offered a brief moment of silence. Then, he put away his pistol, quickly dialing another number. 
"...It's me. It's done over here. But there's still a problem. A spiritual disaster will happen in the branch soon...... Right. It looks like a mechanism Ashiya Doman prepared still remained...... Right. I fear that the scene will break out into chaos. But it shouldn't cause any external casualties." 
The youth concisely reported on the incident with an extremely calm tone. 
Finally, 
"Anyway, the Twin-Horned Syndicate inside the Agency is now eliminated. So, Kagami also...... right. I can't stand that man being near his side." 
Just as he bitterly stated that. 
"......Could you let me listen to that phone call, Hirata?" 
The youth - Hirata - reflexively hung up the phone, pulling out the gun again and pointing it at the origin of the voice. 
Amami stood there. 
He continued watching Hirata with an impossible-to-read face. 
The boss and subordinate calmly confronted each other next to the corpse of Makihara fallen in the corridor. 
Hirata smiled bitterly with a somewhat troubled expression. 
"You really still saw through it. Since when?" 
Snap. The fan in Amami's hands made noise as it closed. 
"Sorry, Hirata." 
Amami stared at his subordinate with narrowed eyes, slowly declaring. 
"I'll be the only one asking the questions starting now."