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Tokyo Ravens - Volume 8 - Chapter 2.1




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Chapter 2 - The Waking Darkness 
Part 1 
The elementary and middle school Natsume attended was a traditional school that was on the verge of being shut down. 
She was the only student in her year, and she didn't have a good relationship with her senpais and kouhais either. It was a stifling place. Because the Tsuchimikados were both local celebrities and a family of unknown origins, the other students - and the teachers – avoided getting unnecessarily involved with the child of this family. Natsume was always alone. 
She learned of the rumor that she was Tsuchimikado Yakou's reincarnation in elementary school. That rumor led Natsume to forgo taking the initiative to interact with others. She shouldn't involve other people. She was scared, alone and helpless. 
So, Natsume used her alone time to practice magic, calmly accepting her father's increasingly strict tutelage. That was her fate for being born into the Tsuchimikado family. A solitary life where she couldn't get close to others. 
But that Natsume had an important friend. Natsume was only no longer alone when she was with that boy. No, even if no one were around her, Natsume could just think of that boy to forget her loneliness. 
It might have been because of that boy that she was able to endure the strict training. Natsume had once made a promise with the boy. That promise ensured that Natsume would never be truly alone. 
...Okay. I'll become Natsume's shikigami. 
One person living alone with magic. That was the fate of a Tsuchimikado. 
But she wasn't the only one born to the Tsuchimikado. It was only because she was a Tsuchimikado that she was able to meet that boy, and that was the only reason the boy would stay by her as a shikigami. 
Then, that was enough. She wouldn't object to such a lifestyle. 
Even if all she had was magic, even if there was nothing around her. As long as Harutora was with her, Natsume was satisfied. 


 

This residence seemed to have been constructed in the highland by a county road in order to be hidden in the forest. 
The residence of the Tsuchimikado, the once-great Onmyoudou family. 
Because of its old age, this residence here had already become part of the scenery. It definitely didn't have a gorgeous appearance, nor was it so solemn that it deterred visitors. It was old and venerable. But it gave off a difficult-to-dislike style. 
An altar was set in one of the residence's twenty-odd rooms, the one called the 'Bellflower Room'. 
The Bellflower Room faced one of the many courtyards. The normally completely closed sliding doors and barriers were opened wide that night. 
The night air was mostly-covered in clouds, and the moon showed its face from the gaps in between. The sound of insects came from the moonlight-filled courtyard. 
A man sat alone in the center of the Bellflower Room. 
The Tsuchimikado family head, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi. 
His hair was already tinted white, and it was hard to see his true age from his external appearance. He wore a kimono, as always, and wore metal-framed glasses. His face gave off a knowledgeable impression, but it revealed a bit of darkness. 
The lights weren't on in the room, and the Bellflower Room was even darker than the courtyard. Yasuzumi, who sat on the floor, watched the 'boards' in front of him. It was a thin tool formed by two boards. There was a rectangular board that represented the 'earth' and a round board that represented the 'sky'. This was an ancient magical tool used in divination called the Liu Ren Board [2] . 
Also, there was a tall wooden box large enough to hold a kettle next to Yasuzumi, wrapped up as if it had just been delivered. From the gaps in the packaging, it could be glimpsed that the wooden box appeared to be sealed with Japanese paper. 
Yasuzumi stared motionlessly at the boards in the darkness. Only the noise of insects waxed and waned like a tide in the heavy silence of the night. 
The sound of insects suddenly stopped. 
At the same time, the noise of many footsteps arose. Immediately afterwards, a tense atmosphere swiftly spread. 
"He's there!" 
Several suit-wearing men walked into the courtyard in front of the Bellflower Room. 
Right behind the speaker were dark-blue swallows flying through the air, and the shikigami charms he cast out became a giant green cat. The binding shikigami 'Swallow Whip' and 'Cat Bandage'. These men were Mystical Investigators of the Onmyou Agency. 
But it wasn't just them. 
"...Tsuchimikado family head Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi. We're here to arrest you." 
A young female voice. 
A woman walked up from the encircling Mystical Investigators. She had medium-length hair held up with a barrette [3] , a streamlined nose, clever eyes, and wore a jacket and a tight skirt. But upon careful inspection, her upper clothing was exorcist miasma protection clothing that had been cut short for more ease of movement. 
She was probably in her mid-twenties, and she was clearly younger than the Mystical Investigators behind her. But her resolute posture exhibited the special arrogance and dignity of a front-liner, without a trace of negligence or indulgence. The aura from her body was the most prominent. 
But that was natural. Because she was one of the Twelve Divine generals, a National-First Class Onmyouji. 
Yasuzumi slowly raised his head from the board. 
His gaze passing through his glasses turned towards the courtyard whose image was cut into a square [4] . 
"......Independent Exorcist Yuge Mari......" 
The woman - Yuge - lifted an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. 
"You recognize me? I heard that the Tsuchimikado Family head was a recluse...... We don't want to make things troublesome for no reason either. Sorry to bother you at this time, but I hope that you can behave and come with us. Alright?" 
Yuge persuaded him with respectful words. 
At the same time as that businesslike opening, she stared at Yasuzumi in the darkness with a sharp gaze. The Mystical Investigators behind her had long since taken battle-ready stances. 
But Yasuzumi didn't move a muscle. 
"Could you tell me your reasons?" 
He briefly asked back with a calm voice, beautifully controlling his emotions. 
"Unfortunately, I don't know the circumstances either. However......" 
Yuge looked at the wooden box next to Yasuzumi. 
"......Though I don't know what's inside that, it looks like you know better than me from the fact that you especially prepared it, right?" 
"......" 
Yasuzumi didn't reply to Yuge's question. 
Yuge waited a moment, then nodded as if checking with herself. 
"How about it? If you have a clear conscience, please cooperate with us. Moreover...... To be honest, I myself can't understand our mission this time. If possible, I hope to hear an explanation from you." 
"Independent Officer." 
"What is it? Don't you have the same questions?" 
Yuge leisurely looked back and asked the restless Mystical Investigators. 
"Why would anyone want an Independent Exorcist to leave her original post and lead a team of Mystical Investigators out of Tokyo to arrest a member of a once prominent Onmyoudou house? Though I shouldn't look for faults in this mission, it's hard not to feel suspicious." 
The Mystical Investigators also looked unhappy upon hearing Yuge's indifferent words. Just as Yuge said, they hadn't been told the reasons for arresting Yasuzumi. Although the Mystical Investigators hadn't even been informed of the objective of their mission before arriving at the scene, deliberately exposing their discontent to the target they were trying to arrest violated the traditional methods of the Mystical Investigators. 
Of course, they couldn't force the exorcist Yuge to comply with the Mystical Investigator's operational methods either. 
"......Honestly, that useless guy, what exactly is he planning......" 
She complained quietly in a voice no one could hear. 
But the miscellaneous affairs ended here. She immediately took up a stance, looking at Yasuzumi again. 
"In any case, our requests are as I stated. Your answer?" 
Yasuzumi's reply was curt, with no plans of beating around the bush. 
"I refuse." 
Yuge inadvertently tensed as if feeling annoyed. But at the same time, the Mystical Investigators acted together in concert without Yuge's instructions. It was Yuge who panicked instead of Yasuzumi, but the Mystical Investigators didn't pay her any heed, directing all of the 'Swallow Whips' stopped in the air to rush towards the Bellflower Room. 
But at that moment. 
"Oh my. How bold, to try stepping into the Tsuchimikado house while wearing those shoes." 
Something flashed out and Yuge simultaneously erected a barrier. 
A jagged trail of light left the dark room. The dozen 'Swallow Whips' that flew over were instantly incinerated and became dust that dropped onto the veranda. 
"...Retreat." 
Yuge quickly gave the Mystical Investigators an order. Her indifferent gaze sharpened by several degrees. The Mystical Investigators instantly drew back. Yuge spread the barrier, covering all of the members inside it. 
Immediately afterwards, a charm that came from who knew where flew out from the Bellflower Room as if it had waited for them to finish those actions. 
The charm exploded and released a beam of light. 
Flash. 
Along with the sound of the air being scorched, yellow lightning pummeled Yuge's barrier. The violent impact made Yuge's expression turn serious. 
"......No one is to step out from my barrier. You will die." 
Following Yuge's command, several more charms came flying at them. 
A sequence of flashes. 
Sharp, slender lightning bolts leaped through the air as if to shatter the silence from before. Multiple lines of light became whips to pummel Yuge's barrier. Forked lightning incinerated all the 'Cat Bandages' that were still outside the barrier. 
A deafening roar and a blinding flash. The Mystical Investigators shouted but it was hard to hear them clearly. The lightning strikes seemed to be completely automatic but didn't harm the residence a single bit. It was common knowledge that magic that controlled 'lightning' was extremely difficult, but this practitioner's control was flawless. 
"......" 
Yuge motionlessly maintained the barrier. 
Not long afterwards, the lighting assault abruptly ceased. Though they endured the attack, their five senses were overwhelmed. Yuge tightened her lips, glaring at the Bellflower Room but unable to release the barrier. 
"...Oh my, how incredible. I was trying not to break the barrier, but I didn't think it wouldn't budge an inch. You're quite outstanding." 
The same voice as from before, with a calm tone unsuited to the atmosphere. 
Yasuzumi was still sitting stationary in the center of the Bellflower Room. But at some point, a woman had arrived next to him. She had a hand on her hip and a happy smile. 
The woman wasn't tall and she looked to be about forty years of age, but she seemed vibrant, like the image of an athletic girl after many years. She had a headband on her forehead and wore - unexpectedly - miasma protection clothing. They were quite out-of-date and there was a lightning emblem on the chest that she seemed to have sewn on by herself. 
With an indifferent tone, Yasuzumi said: 
"She's a National First-Class Onmyouji. You've heard of the title 'Binding Princess' before?" 
"Eh? This is the 'Binding Princess'? A barrier user? I see, so it's you. So you were a Divine General." 
The woman nodded in admiration with a 'no wonder' attitude. Yuge didn't relax, staring at the two who seemed to know each other. 
"......Who are you?" 
"Uhuhu. I'm your senpai. Though it's a bit embarrassing...... You've heard of the 'Akihabara Ram', right?" 
"......No." 
"Huh? Really? How strange. Then, what about the 'Exorcist's Heavenly Belle'? Or 'Lady Thunder of the Flash'?" 
"......It's my first time hearing those." 
"I, I see...... Well, there's no helping it. You're still too young. I've been inactive for fifteen years, so it's reasonable that you had no opportunity to hear about me." 
The woman consoled herself, seeming depressed. Immediately afterwards, the eyes of an older Mystical Investigator behind Yuge suddenly widened. 
"I remember! That magic just now - that woman's the 'Human Power Generator'!" 
"Ah." 
"...Eh, huh? Hold on! Why do you only remember that insulting nickname? Who was it? Who did you hear that from?" 
The red-faced woman shouted very angrily. But it was actually only coincidence that Yuge knew this nickname. Her former boss had mentioned that there was once a female team captain of a spiritual disaster purification team who was good at lightning magic. Although she never obtained 'First-Class Onmyou' qualifications, her skills - though her boss at the time had used 'destructive power' to express it - could be ranked among the top five of all exorcists. 
But the current problem wasn't her history. Rather, why was such a powerful former exorcist with Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi? 
Yuge didn't turn back, quietly asking a question of the Mystical Investigator behind her. 
"......Have you gotten in contact with the other team that circled around to the other side of the residence?" 
"No." 
"I see......" 
Ending the conversation, Yuge thought for a moment. Then, she straightened her back and slowly walked forward. 
She walked outside of the barrier she had put up. The Mystical Investigators panicked, quietly gulping as they saw Yuge's aura rapidly converge. 
On the other hand, the woman in the Bellflower Room blinked. 
"Oh my. Are you planning on fighting me head-on? You're a barrier user, right? Is it really alright to walk out of the barrier you barely managed to cast?" 
"......I'm arresting you two in the name of the Onmyou Agency." 
Yuge didn't reply to the woman, making a one-sided proclamation. 
In a calm and businesslike tone, 
"Resistance is useless. Please obediently accept your arrest." 
"Well." 
The woman smirked slightly, helplessness seeming to be written on her face. 
"I've already made it clear beforehand, so I won't hold back anymore." 
The woman became angry, taking out a charm to deter the other party. But Yuge was unfazed, so the woman pouted angrily. 
"You asked for it!" 
The woman shouted and refined her magical energy. However much of her true ability she was using, this magical energy was strong enough to make an active exorcist speechless. "Hah!" With that sound, she threw the charm from her hand into the air. 
In that moment, Yuge said in a split second: 
"...Akada of the east, Shutakou of the west, Satteiro of the south, and Sodamani of the north--" 
She chanted an incantation, and then the woman's charm magic exploded. 
"Order!" 
The woman used a wood-element charm, but it was a wood-element charm of her own original creation. A sudden flash emerged and they were assaulted by a roar. Lightning became a whip that swung straight at Yuge. 
But it was the ground on Yuge's left and right that exploded with a giant roar. The lightning that lingered in her vision had drawn out an arc towards Yuge, but it had suddenly twisted weakly before reaching her and changed its trajectory. As if the lightning had deliberately avoided her. 
Actually, the lighting the woman had released had indeed 'avoided' Yuge. The incantation Yuge had chanted just now was a 'lighting-repelling' magic from Imperial Onmyoudou. Though it wasn't a high-difficulty magic, it wasn't very applicable, so it hadn't been brought to General Onmyoudou. The woman, whose weak point had been seized, gritted her teeth. 
"A youngster like you using such an ancient move - let me tell you, you can't defend against my attack with that level of 'lightning-repelling'!" 
Those words definitely weren't conceding defeat. It had already been fifteen years since she left active duty, but she was still a legendary lightning user. Taking that into consideration, she probably had other methods to combat her special magic. 
But Yuge had the same thoughts. 
"On bishibishi karakara shibari sowaka!" 
The Unmoving Golden Chains magic. Not only could this kind of magic be used to deal with practitioners, exorcists often used it to deal with spiritual disasters as well. Yuge didn't form hand seals for this magic, it was an Unmoving Golden Chains with just a brief incantation. But the magic released scattered in midair like a shotgun, attacking the Bellflower Room like a rain of arrows. 
"Eh?" Next to the surprised woman, the previously motionless Yasuzumi tapped the ground with his fingertip. Suddenly, the emergency barrier set in the Bellflower Room activated and deflected the assaulting magic into the corridor. 
"What was that just now? The magic shattered - n-no, it split?" 
The woman widened her eyes and stared. Yasuzumi also watched Yuge motionlessly through the barrier. 
The barrier Yasuzumi had activated was a seal of ancient Tsuchimikado heritage that used spiritual power to protect the residence's Bellflower Room altar. This magic abided by ancient regulations different from General Onmyoudou, and was several times stronger than barriers set in exorcist training rooms. 
"On bishibishi karakara shibari sowaka!" 
She chanted the same incantation again. The Unmoving Golden Chains she released split again and flew towards the barrier Yasuzumi had put up. 
This time, it wasn't deflected by the barrier. Rather, it passed through. 
"Eh?" 
"......" 
The finely-split magic captured Yasuzumi and the woman in succession. Though this magic wasn't the strongest of Unmoving Golden Chains, it still had the function of its original magic after splitting many times. It was Yuge's original creation. 
But the most frightening element wasn't the splitting step. 
"Wh-Why? Yasuzumi-san, did you release the barrier?" 
"......It seems that she 'saw through' the magic and grasped its structure. The barrier wasn't destroyed, it was rendered ineffective." 
"'Saw through'? ...Just now? It was ineffective right after she saw it? Isn't the barrier here the pride of the Tsuchimikado?" 
The woman was in a great panic. She had trouble moving, as her body was already seized by the Unmoving Golden Chains. 
In a calm tone, Yuge said: 
"Just as you said, I'm a 'barrier-user', a specialist in that field. Now, why don't you come too, 'Human Power Generator'." 
Only when Yuge spoke and walked towards the residence did the woman realize that she had come across a worthy opponent. Even though she knew that her opponent was a Divine General, she had gotten careless because of her age. 
"......There's no helping it." 
She muttered those words and then revealed an expression more serious than before. 
"Yasuzumi-san, I'm breaking through." 
"Please be gentle." 
In the next moment, light surpassing the lighting from before erupted from the woman's entire body. 
An explosion sounded as if the air was boiling. Yuge unconsciously put up a barrier, which repeatedly shook under the shockwave. 
"...Ah." 
She frantically opened her closed eyes and stared ahead. Countless sparks and flashes of electricity burst from the miasma protection clothing on the woman's body like decorations. Electricity came from her body, blasting away the golden chains constricting her. She had never seen this kind of magic before. 
"Yasuzumi-san, the barrier!" 
"It's released." 
The woman's lightning seemed to have simultaneously released the golden chains of Yasuzumi next to her. Yasuzumi tapped the ground with his fingertip again, releasing the Bellflower Room's barrier. The woman reached out her right arm. 
She released lightning with a rumble, and electricity assaulted Yuge in a torrent. Yuga rapidly strengthened her barrier, but the lightning that the woman released far surpassed her charm magic from before, forcing Yuge back along with the barrier that protected her. 

"Ah!" 
Yuge instantly changed the 'nature' of her barrier. From a pure defensive wall, it turned into a magic used to scatter magical energy and weaken its might. 
Just then, 
"Hah! Yah!" 
The woman constantly released electricity. The shocking amount of light was almost blinding. Loud rumbles deafened her ears and the shockwaves made her skin tremble. 
Yuge focused her mind under this violent pressure, 'seeing' the enemy. 
"This is...... a shikigami?" 
"Correct!" 
The woman replied politely. 
A shikigami, probably a defensive shikigami. It wasn't materialized. No, it was a type that could be used without materializing, probably a manmade type. It was an avatar of the practitioner that strengthened several types of magic as per the master's instructions - a special shikigami that acted as an 'extra hand'. 
"Ohoho~ You asked for it, girl!" 
The woman formed a hand seal. A seal of Taishakuten. Taishakuten was also recognized as the God of War Indra in the Hindu religion. Indra was the lord of heaven, and was a god who could manipulate thunder and lightning at will. His weapon was a vajra, which symbolized thunder. 
"Noumaku sanmanda botanan indoraya sowaka!" 
The magical energy steadily swelled along with her mantra, and electricity poured forth with the force of a bursting dam. Intense thunder rumbled and lightning billowed angrily. The woman's magic struck Yuge's barrier head-on, slowly incinerating it. The shockwaves even destroyed the veranda of the residence. 
A lightning storm she had never experienced before. 
But, 
"Don't look down on me!" 
Yuge shouted. At the same time, the barrier protecting Yuge deformed and folded on itself. Also, multiple barriers spread around the one that changed form. It endured the lightning, giving off rainbow-colored light. 
She constructed a complex barrier, taking into calculation their positions, the occasion, and the magic. This wasn't a complete, traditional defensive barrier, and its abnormal form could be assessed as a 'lightning rod' she had put up against her opponent. It continuously absorbed and sealed the lightning that the woman released. "Huh?" The woman's eyes widened. 
Yuge formed a hand seal again and reached towards the night sky. The magical energy that was released into the distance covered the area in moments. The entire courtyard, no, the entire residence was sealed with a barrier. 
"It seems that I've let you get carried away...... But it ends here!" 
Yuge pointed her index and middle fingers, forming a blade seal "Ouch." The woman moaned, and then panicked, noticing that her body could no longer move. 
"Huh? Hey - what's going on? A barrier?" 
The woman lowered her head to look at her own body and was taken aback. 
Prismatic barriers like big glass blocks had locked the woman's body and limbs like shackles. The areas that the barrier covered had all stopped moving. 
She was bound firmly in midair by several tough barriers. Yasuzumi who sat next to her was also trapped in his initial posture, unable to move. 
The woman frantically released lightning, but unlike the Unmoving Golden Chains, Yuge's barriers didn't budge. Moreover, most of the lightning she released was naturally absorbed by the 'lightning rod'. 
Yuge hmphed lightly towards the speechless woman. 
"......It's no use. You can't break that barrier with your strength. The entire residence has been sealed off. As I said before...... 'it ends here'." 
Yuge announced coldly as she fixed the hair that had been blown into a mess. 
She was young but was a Divine General and even an Independent Exorcist. She usually preferred the gentle approach, but her strength was overwhelming. There were few Onmyouji who could oppose an angry Yuge. 
Slowly, Yasuzumi said: 
"......As expected, it's tough to fight a National First-Class Onmyouji head-on." 
"Then you help too! Don't just sit there!" 
The motionless woman was still struggling to resist. 
But, 
"There's no need for me. My shikigami is sufficient for this situation." 
Just as Yasuzumi replied leisurely: 
"My, my. Just like Chizuru says, you should do something too, Yasuzumi." 
That voice came from behind Yuge. Yuge looked back, stunned. Though the Mystical Investigators had stayed inside the barrier, they had all collapsed. 
In their place stood a man wearing samue [5] . The first impression he gave off was of a wrestler, as he was well-built with a sturdy physique. He was very tall but wasn't very intimidating. His hair was tied up with a cloth and he had a thin beard under his chin. 
The man faced Yasuzumi and smiled slightly. 
"The guys who circled around behind are also asleep for now. But, well, Mystical Investigators are really indiscreet recently. I don't know what that old man Amami is doing." 
The man spoke with a calm tone. 
In addition, the man's aura wasn't visibly disrupted. Though Yuge's attention had been focused on the magic battle just now, he had still knocked out an entire team of Mystical Investigators without her noticing, and was remaining calm and composed. Quite impressive. 
"Who--!" 
Are you. Before Yuge asked that, the shackled woman said: 
"Dear!" 
She called out loudly. "D-Dear?" Yuge reflexively looked back at the woman. 
The man raised a hand towards the woman who greeted him. 
"Sorry, sorry, I'm late. ......But, it's really been a long time since you wore that. It really suits you, huh?" 
"Hmph. I wore this during active duty, so I didn’t want to discard it." 
"Really. I'm impressed, dear. How about we send Harutora a photograph this time?" 
"Oh, come on, dear. We have to keep it a secret from that boy, right?" 
The two of them suddenly chatted about their family matters, causing Yuge to give them a disdainful look. 
Yasuzumi coughed lightly, still motionless. 
"Takahiro, fend this woman off first." 
"Nn, right." 
After nodding good-naturedly, the man looked at Yuge again, quickly walking over as if to greet a friend. 
Of course, Yuge wouldn't permit him to get however close he wanted. She immediately formed a blade seal and spread the barrier that had sealed Yasuzumi towards him as well. Prismatic barriers appeared, sealing the man's body and limbs. 
But it was ineffective. 
The man easily passed through the barriers that Yuge had fixed in midair. 
"Ah?" 
How was that possible? Yuge forced down her shock, constantly putting up similar barriers. She used all her power to fill the space between her and the man with barriers. But the man kept effortlessly advancing. The stunned Yuge unconsciously put her hands together again and formed a hand seal, fluidly moving from a dharmacakra seal to a magic binding seal. This was the Unmoving Golden Chains magic. 
But, 
"Too late." 
The man reached out an arm. 
Magical energy shot out from the seal formed by the man's fingers. She couldn't determine what magic it was, but the magic she was trying to weave encountered interference and was disrupted. Yuge swiftly retreated and simultaneously focused, refining magical energy. 
"On bishibishi karakara shibari sowaka!" 
Along with a powerful shout, she cleared away the man's interference and released Unmoving Golden Chains. But the moment the magical ropes caught the man, the man's figure suddenly vanished along with a light lag. 
"What, a shikigami!?" 
It had been a simple shikigami. The shikigami charm that remained fluttered down gently as if mocking her. Where was the practitioner? Before she had the time to 'see' the surroundings: 
"Alright, you can move now." 
A voice came from the Bellflower Room. It seemed that while Yuge was preoccupied, he had freed the woman and Yasuzumi from the barriers fixed in midair. 
"Ah." 
The man had probably been in the room since the beginning. A simple shikigami could break through the barriers fixed in midair by simply dematerializing. The interference towards her magic just now hadn't been to stop the Unmoving Golden Chains, it had been to 'loosen' the already completely-formed barriers. 
"......Who are you?" 
Yuge restrained her urge to yell and questioned the man. After he looked at the woman and Yasuzumi with a 'you still haven't explained' expression, he showed Yuge a fearless smile again. 
"We're something like the 'guardians' of the Tsuchimikado family. I'm Tsuchimikado Takahiro and she's Tsuchimikado Chizuru. You'd understand if I said we were the Tsuchimikado branch family, right?" 
"Branch family......?' 
Yuge had an understanding expression, as if aware of the Tsuchimikado branch family's business. 
She glared at the two with a stern expression. 
"......The former female team captain of a spiritual disaster purification team...... and you...... A former Mystical Investigator?" 
"I don't do that anymore, I'm just a countryside Onmyou doctor." 
The man - Takahiro - shrugged his shoulders, affirming Yuge's question. Yuge's eyes became sharper and sharper. 
Needless to say, Yuge was a first-rate exorcist. Her skills at purifying spiritual disasters were at the top of the nation. 
But as for magic against humans, although she wouldn't lose to a normal Mystical Investigator, it was unfortunately difficult to call her first-rate. Even Yuge knew this herself. It would be fine if they used a strong type of shikigami, but magic against humans was not her specialty. The shortcoming of practitioners who manipulated strong barriers wasn't their own barriers being destroyed, but rather the practitioner themselves being 'misdirected'. If Yuge herself was trapped in the enemy's magic, her barriers would be useless. 
"......" 
Yuge slowly formed a seal. 
She narrowed her eyes and slowed her breathing. The Sanskrit character '?' appeared in her head, swiftly uniting her mind. She let the aura in her body cycle intensely. This was a meditation method of esoteric Buddhism, Ajikan Meditation. She cleansed the aura inside her body, clearing away any effects of the magical interference and any magical traps that might have been placed. 
Then, she formed a fire seal, a wisdom seal, and a disruption seal. [6] 
"On kirikiri unhatta!" 
This was a barrier protection method, one of Acala's magics like Unmoving Golden Chains. In the end, Yuge's best countermeasure was still a barrier, even in a fight against a highly skilled Mystical Investigator. Yuge designated the target as herself, putting up a formidable barrier and completely obstructing anything that could affect her magical energy and spiritual power. 
But, 
"Oh my, you won't be able to catch us by hiding like a tortoise, right?" 
Just like Chizuru said, this barrier would also completely block any magic she released while inside. In other words, Yuge couldn't attack...... 
"......I said before, my barrier completely sealed off this residence. You can't escape either." 
"Is that so, dear?" 
"There should still be room to try, dear. Try using something stronger." 
Hearing what Takahiro said, Chizuru nodded in high spirits. 
She came to the courtyard with Takahiro, forming a seal Yuge had never seen before and chanting an incantation she had never heard before. It was Imperial Onmyoudou magic. Yuge tensed up. 
Chizuru chanted the incantation single-mindedly, and fine electricity flowed through her body - and on the surface of the old miasma protection clothing - again. The magical energy was constantly refined and Chizuru's spiritual pressure rose. 
Then, 
"Thunder, fill the sky for nine days!" 
Thunder roared. 
Chizuru extended her arm, pointing into the sky. Magical energy instantly flew into the sky-- 
Lightning struck as if the god of lightning had slammed down his hammer. 
The impact shook the earth and the blast shattered the sky. Light and darkness inverted and her five senses were momentarily cut off. 
"Hah~ The barrier looks simple, but it's very solid. I couldn't even break it by using my trump card." 
Chizuru, who 'looked' above her head with an open mouth expressed her feelings in a surprised tone of voice. Takahiro next to her seemed to feel deep admiration. 
"But with this, we'll succeed as long as I keep striking the weak spots with your lightning, dear. ...Yasuzumi, looks like your 'preparations' were unnecessary." 
Yuge angrily gritted her teeth upon hearing Takahiro's words. 
But his prediction was correct. Just as Chizuru said, the barrier sealing the residence had been completed in haste, and it was just a simple, insufficiently strong magic. If Takahiro used his skills to keep hitting with Chizuru's lightning magic, it was very likely to break. 
What should she do? Yuge thought with all her power. 
The three of them might escape if this went on. But it was very dangerous for Yuge to release her barrier protection and fight them directly. Takahiro had probably deliberately asked Chizuru to use her trump card to shake Yuge up. Wouldn't she be easily tricked? 
"......" 
Sweat trickled down Yuge's forehead. 
But before Yuge could make a decision, the battle changed again. 
"......No." 
Yasuzumi, whose gaze had returned to the board again at some point, slowly rose. 
"As expected, it's 'far from good'. Kurahashi seems to be serious too." 
"What?" 
Takahiro asked Yasuzumi. 
Then. 
"Oh, you're almost finished. As expected, the Tsuchimikado crowd is too much of a burden for one person alone." 
A new intruder strolled into the courtyard. 
He was a small, middle-aged man who gave off an atmosphere of both unhappiness and kindness. A beard covered his mouth and chin, and his face, tensed like an actor, revealed a faint bitter smile. 
Chizuru was taken aback. 
"Tch, Miyachi!" 
"Hey, hey, Tsuchimikado. Don't use a tone like 'Tch' with your former coworker." 
The director of the Exorcist Bureau Command Room, Miyachi Iwao, whose authority and power were above all of the exorcists. He had given command of the mission to Yuge prior and waited downhill of the residence. 
Apologetically, Yuge said: 
"Director! Sorry, I ended up bothering you......" 
"Ah, no problem, no problem. I thought it would end up this way. You worked hard, Maririn." 
"I am deeply ashamed. ...But please stop calling me Maririn." 
Miyachi replied lightly, but Yuge glared at him angrily. Her stupid boss laughed and looked towards the Bellflower Room. 
"It's been a long time, you three. It's so much like old times that even I'm surprised." 
In response to Miyachi's familiar tone, Yasuzumi was unresponsive, Takahiro tensed up, and Chizuru frowned even more unhappily, hiding behind her husband. "You guys......" Miyachi protested, as if hurt. 
"Even if you're just acting, can we at least share some nostalgia? What's up with those disgusted expressions?" 
"Shut up! Stupid Miyachi, can you not use such fake words of familiarity?" 
"You're the one using hurtful words. Don't say things like Stupid Miyachi." 
"Don't argue with me! Also, why did you only show up now! You're an eyesore, go away! Or just quietly let us go!" 
"That's pretty tough on me. But you're as lively as ever." 
Miyachi's bearded face twisted into a bitter smile. 
But unlike his easy-going attitude, the moment Miyachi appeared, the advantage turned to their side. Ignoring his subordinate Yuge, Yasuzumi, Takahiro and the sharp-tongued Chizuru all focused their attention on Miyachi as if watching the grand finale. 
Actually, Miyachi often appeared in the 'finale' of magic battles. In many situations, he single-handedly changed the tide of battle. 
"......Miyachi." 
Takahiro called out with a tense voice. 
"Are you...... alright with this?" 
That brief question held deep meaning. Miyachi briefly showed a confused look of not knowing how to respond. 
Then, he relaxed his shoulders and sadly shook his head. 
"Well, it's not too bad, right? Someone like me has to listen to the Chief's orders." 
"......'Someone like me', huh. After we haven't seen you for a while, you’ve become very dignified." 
"Really? I'm quite sorry." 
Yasuzumi turned to Takahiro after seeing his reaction, and solemnly spoke. 
"......Takahiro." 
"Ah, I haven't felt this feeling of walking a tightrope in a long time. Well......" 
Takahiro smiled wryly. It was somewhat of a scary smile. Chizuru's expression also tightened after hearing her husband's words. Miyachi stroked his beard with a finger, watching the reactions of the three. 
At the same time, he turned to Yuge and instructed her. 
"Then, Maririn. Can you help me out and strengthen the surrounding barrier as much as possible? I'd feel really sorry for the neighbors if this turned into a wildfire." 


 

Late at night. 
The lights were still on in the executive office of the Onmyou Agency building. The person who sat at the heavy desk was Kurahashi Genji, the Onmyou Agency Chief as well as the Chief of the Exorcist Bureau, the most important person in the modern magic world. The iron-like impression he gave off never faltered. The severity he still gave off in silence highlighted his presence even more than his title. 
Kurahashi was still seriously dealing with his business. 
The ring of a phone call broke the silence. 
"...Sorry for the wait. We have the 'Raven's Wing'." 
Kurahashi nodded heavily upon hearing the report that came over the phone. Then, he hung up the phone, calmly returning to his work without revealing any particular emotion. 



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