Part 4
It was like this again.
An order to conceal the truth. These orders had been strangely numerous recently. She was extremely displeased and was also somewhat uneasy.
"What exactly do they want me to do?"
Independent Exorcist Yuge Mari finally complained, taking advantage of the fact that no one was around.
That order came from the Director - Miyachi. While she had been on duty at the Shinjuku branch, she had suddenly gotten a phone call saying to 'come to the main agency immediately'. She had rushed over thinking there was some emergency, but then she had been told 'wait there'. It had already been an hour since then. Miyachi, the key to this, hadn't showed up at all, and she couldn't even reach him by phone. She had long since passed from anger to boredom.
"Honestly, with the Tsuchimikado family incident the other day, enough is enough. I haven't even returned home since then."
Yuge was inside the Onmyou Agency building, in an office of the Exorcist Bureau. Like its name, it was a room that the Exorcist Bureau employees used when they worked during the day.
Naturally, there was no one in this room when the Onmyou Agency wasn't operating. Yuge, whose personality was basically earnest and who everyone else believed to be a model employee, couldn't help but become flippant. Especially when her colleague Kagami Reiji had been placed in confinement, as the Independent Exorcists were busy even before that. She was honestly very unhappy to be tossed around for orders that she didn't comprehend.
Yuge was currently twenty-four. She kept her mid-length hair up with a barrette, matching her makeup with a tight skirt and a jacket. Other than the fact that her jacket was miasma protection clothing whose length had been modified, she looked at first glance to be no different from a commonplace office lady.
However, though she was female, she was one of the youngest National First-Class Onmyouji to obtain 'First-Class Onmyou' qualifications. She was a capable Onmyouji who could even rank in the top ten in the nation. She was a bit proud of her own ability and took pride in her work. She seriously believed that her fate was to protect people from spiritual disasters.
But because of this, she preferred to avoid factional jousting within the agency. The Tsuchimikado incident a few days ago was clearly involved with 'politics'. Though Yuge very much wanted to keep her distance from such things, it seemed that her boss Miyachi wasn't outside its reach.
"......Though there are things that can't be helped in his position...... At least explain things a bit when you involve your subordinate. That useless boss......"
Her habit of muttering when she got angry was a habit that had started when she was small as well as something that she hid and felt embarrassed about. She would remind herself to be careful when there were people around, but she would do it without thinking when that wasn't the case. Yuge sulked, pouting her cheeks.
Yuge was a capable Onmyouji who could rank among the top ten in the nation. But as Yuge saw it, only Miyachi was special. Though she would die before revealing it now, he had been her role model when she had strived to become a professional. She respected her senpai Kogure and recognized the ability of her kouhai Kagami, but no matter what, Miyachi was the only one who was greatly different. She practically felt that he wasn't human. As one of the Twelve Divine Generals, the 'Binding Princess' couldn't help but reach this conclusion.
In terms of ability, she straightforwardly believed him to be a 'god'.
But why did he have to be 'like that' in terms of personality?
It wasn't right - she couldn't say that much. But it didn't match. If his normal attitude were like Chief Kurahashi's, maybe she would be able to reconcile with it.
"......Come to think of it, at least pick up your phone, honestly......"
Yuge frowned impatiently, staring at the screen of her phone. Incidentally, the number of her boss that had been entered under his full name at first had now become the word 'Beardy'. But having her call history filled with 'Beardy' during a busy time was another source of irritation.
However, the time she had been able to briefly relax ended here.
"......Eh?"
It seemed as if the chair she sat on had suddenly been kicked flying.
A strong feeling of incongruity. Moreover, some kind of wail rang out immediately after she became conscious of that abnormal aura and magical energy.
Her trained body reflexively ran out of the room. She ran into the corridor - and stopped at the nearest window.
Her eyes couldn't help but widen. Chills ran through her whole body because of the scene outside the window.
A rampage of demons and monsters.
"Wha!?"
Shikigami. Simple shikigami. A group of countless simple shikigami. They seemed on the outside to be shikigami who had jumped out of an ink painting, and completely covered the window exterior - the outer wall of the agency building.
Moreover, she remembered these shikigami.
"'D'!?"
The mysterious Onmyouji 'D' who called himself Ashiya Doman and whose true identity was unknown. The shikigami currently surrounding the outside were the shikigami of 'D' who had 'simultaneously' attacked the Onmyou Agency and Onmyou Academy last month.
The Onmyouji 'D' had ended up being reported to be an ara-mitama - a type of spiritual disaster.
But--
"Why? Didn't Kogure-senpai already purify him!?"
Even though she was extremely confused, Yuge ran through the corridor with all her might.
The wails that rang out increased drastically. In the attack last month, 'D' had announced himself beforehand, and the Onmyou Agency had gathered to engage him in full force. But this time it was a surprise attack. They had no preparations. Though the agency building was permanently protected by a barrier, she didn't know how long it would hold for if this went on.
No, because of that--
"That's why he told me to come......!?"
Could it be that Miyachi had anticipated that 'D' would attack? It was unclear. But either way, she ran. Her destination was the entrance to the agency building. During the attack last month, 'D' had appeared at the Onmyou Academy, not the Onmyou Agency. She heard that he had broken in straight through the front back then. Of course, there was no guarantee that he would take the same actions this time, but she could get the whole picture of the attack from the outside.
"Ah, Y-Yuge-san!"
"It's the same as last month--!?"
"Calm down! Please take cover inside the barriers in each room. The Exorcist Bureau should have been contacted, assistance will come to headquarters very quickly!"
The agency members who were unlucky enough to still be in the agency building at this time ran into the corridor to plead for the Divine General's help as if grasping at straws. The people working at the Onmyou Agency weren't all Onmyouji, there were also normal people who hadn't obtained qualifications. There were more of these in the agency building than in the Exorcist Bureau.
But although she felt regretful, she didn't have the leisure to take care of each and every person right now. Because she didn't know how many agency members were left. In a state where they hadn't made any preparations for engagement at all, she who controlled the barrier had an extremely heavy burden.
But.
When Yuge ran panting out to the agency building main entrance, a strong magical energy exploded from behind her back - from somewhere inside the agency building. Then, magical energy shot out like arrows in all directions.
...From inside!? Who was it?
When she stopped in surprise, the magic passed through the walls, ground, and ceiling, even flying to where Yuge was.
She immediately put up a barrier to defend against the strike. But other than the magic that flew straight at her, the others passed by Yuge and flew towards the main entrance.
Not long after she wondered what magic it was, the attack swiftly attached itself to the magic of the barrier and began to attack the barrier.
...It was...... trying to break the barrier!
This was bad - it was already too late by the time she thought that. The loud sound of breaking glass rang out from behind her back. When she turned to look, the main entrance had already been broken and the shikigami outside flooded in like an avalanche.
A simple magic. Actually, the magic that Yuge had blocked with the barrier she had immediately put up hadn't been able to penetrate her barrier magic. But though the permanent barrier that covered the agency building was very strong against external interference, it was very weak to interference from the inside. 'D's target had only been the agency building's barrier.
"Damn!"
Yuge formed a hand seal without regard for the swarming group of shikigami.
Boom. The ground vibrated as if it were shaking. The heavy-duty barrier Yuge put up blocked the shikigamis' onrush. Though the shikigami tried to use their numerical advantage to forcefully break through, the tough barrier of the 'Binding Princess' wouldn't lose to pure strength. After being squashed into the barrier by their companions that flooded in from behind, several shikigami were crushed and disappeared after their bodies flashed with lag.
But even if she blocked the main entrance, the shikigami could invade from other areas. The broken windows. Vents. Before she noticed it, there were presences deep inside the corridor she had just run through. In the first place, Yuge was held up here and could do nothing.
...Then.
Yuge reached for her charm box, sprinkling charms in three directions. Five charms of different kinds in each direction. She breathed sharply, focusing her consciousness and refining magical energy. She released the barrier she had just put up and changed an incantation in a single breath.
"God of the east sea, Amei. God of the west sea, Shukuryou. God of the south sea, Kyojou. God of the north sea, Gukyou. Gods of the four seas, fend off a hundred demons and drive back the fierce disaster. Order!"
The charms she threw in the three directions traced out a pentagram of light in midair. A spiritual disaster-repelling magical wall from Imperial Onmyoudou. She put up three at the same time.
It was originally used as a magic to repel spiritual disasters, not shikigami. But the master of these shikigami was an ara-mitama - a spiritual disaster - and so they moved with the magical energy of a spiritual disaster. It was actually effective. The swarming shikigami wailed and retreated, fleeing back outside the agency building. In that opening, Yuge overwrote the magic of the repelling magical wall.
Even though it was magic of Imperial Onmyoudou, her specialty was in the area of barriers. She moved the pentagram magical walls that were fixed in midair, setting them around herself in three different directions. Then, she ran to the destroyed entrance. The magical walls became shields that protected their master, following her movements.
Outside.
In front of the agency building entrance was a roundabout connected to the road. It was surrounded by large buildings, and behind it towered the Onmyou Agency building. Night had fallen long ago, and the surroundings were illuminated by outside light.
Right after she ran outside, the evil air mixed with magical energy that filled the summer night sky hit her in the face. A huge group of shikigami as far as the eye could see. The shikigami made grating laughs of 'gigigi'.
Like a nightmare.
"Heh."
In the center of the roundabout in front of her stood 'D'. "A child!?" She doubted her eyes, unable to help but exclaim. This ominous and intense aura. It was him. At least, the master controlling this group of shikigami had to be the one with this young, boyish appearance.
"Are you 'D'?"
"Hmph, with that aura, you must be one of the Twelve Divine Generals? ...Indeed."
The boy admitted readily. Yuge took a step, confronting 'D' in front of the Onmyou Agency building.
Thanks to the three repelling magical walls that she commanded, the shikigami kept a distance from Yuge and didn't approach. Only the boyish 'D' stayed in front of Yuge.
However, her legs were shaking.
An ara-mitama. According to General Onmyoudou, a mobile spiritual disaster - a Phase Three.
But the actual difference was visible at a glance. 'This' wasn't anything simple like that. It was completely different. It was something else that could easily dominate her National First-Class Onmyouji self. How exactly had Kogure purified this kind of fearsome thing?
"What's wrong? Will you do something?" The boy smiled impertinently at the petrified Yuge.
The boy dragged a suitcase behind him. Its cover opened by itself, and a group of simple shikigami flew out from inside it, pouring forth in a huge wave.
"Ugh!?"
Though she tried to immediately block them off with her barrier, she was unable to. She was overwhelmed by terror of 'D' and had trouble acting. Because of the repelling magical walls that protected her, the shikigami were unable to approach Yuge. But they went around Yuge and headed for the agency building.
She 'looked' at the situation in the agency building behind her back without moving her gaze from 'D'. There were various holes opened up in the agency building's permanent barrier because of the barrier destruction magic from the inside. But on the other hand, it wasn't completely destroyed. Inside the Onmyou Agency building were countless stairs, rooms, desks, shelves, and drawers that were enchanted with individual barriers. Those had probably happened to block the scattering magic like Yuge's simple barrier just now.
Even so, although it wasn't completely destroyed, the value of the permanent barrier was cut in half when a part of it was destroyed. It wasn't just the entrance. 'D's shikigami had probably invaded through other holes and were rampaging through the agency building.
...This was bad. At this rate......!
As she thought of the faces of the agency members she had left behind her, Yuge was quickly crushed by despair.
Just then.
Her phone rang.
A phone call on the battlefield. Needless to say, she usually would have ignored it. But only this moment was different. Not long after her rationality made a decision, she picked up the phone, instinctively seeking for assistance.
"Ah--, Maririn, are you here?"
An extremely maddening voice that symbolized unfairness and discontent to Yuge came from the other side of the phone. "Yes!" Though she replied this, her voice was already one step away from a sob.
"Strengthen the agency building's barrier. To the max."
She immediately complied.
Her fingers formed a seal almost by themselves. She dropped the phone to the ground without even looking, focusing her consciousness behind her back on the magic of the agency building's permanent barrier. The three repelling magical walls protecting her vanished as she refined her magical energy with all her power.
"Om shurimari mamarimari shushuri sowaka!"
She chanted the mantra of Ucchusma [11] . An astonishing force purified and strengthened the agency building's barrier. Even among the National First-Class Onmyouji, only the barrier specialist 'Binding Princess' could instantly strengthen a permanent barrier to such a level alone.
Then, right after Yuge strengthened the barrier.
An indescribable magical energy, perhaps even enough to overcome the 'D' before her, roared out.
Flame.
...How fast.
Doman's shikigami that had surrounded the outside had been incinerated by magic. Ohtomo couldn't help but click his tongue.
The shikigami that had invaded the agency building were alive, but their numbers were lacking to be an actual distraction. More importantly, the Doman he had expected to take the initiative had been 'suppressed'. Though that was inside his predictions for now, it was the worst scenario. 'Enma' Miyachi had gone to the frontlines.
"......The enemies aren't simple."
Ohtomo had already infiltrated the interior of the Onmyou Agency. His plans were for Doman to make a feint and for Ohtomo to find a way to save Harutora. But the Onmyou Agency had responded quickly to that strategy. It looked like the opponents had also expected someone to 'take back Harutora' tonight.
But things were still even. Though his trump card Doman had been suppressed, he had successfully suppressed the opponent's trump card Miyachi. Then all he needed to do was move and complete his goal in this rigid situation.
The screams of agency members resounded through the interior of the agency building. It seemed that there were still people who hadn't taken refuge, but there weren't many people left behind in the first place. They were in a panic and didn't have enough people. The chaos would eventually subside, so he had to be fast.
...Where is he?
Ohtomo cast stealth magic on himself, searching for clues of Harutora's location.
Doman's simple shikigami that had been dispatched into the agency building had additional functions that searched for Harutora's aura. Thump, thump. His fake leg made noise as he walked through the corridor, and he slowly went deeper into the agency building while gathering information like cotton absorbing water. Even if he didn't do this, the Onmyou Agency was a labyrinth. An incomprehensible maze that had been constructed without reason, and with many barriers of varying sizes. He sharpened all his nerves, swiftly passing through.
To be honest, he couldn't deny that he was anxious.
But even so, it was clearly Ohtomo's mistake for only noticing that 'that presence', cloaked with just a simple stealth magic, when it was right in front of him.
"I never ever imagined this moment."
He instantly put up a barrier, deflecting the first attack. But what flew at him were two simple shikigami mimicking knives. After the first attack was deflected, the other knife followed right behind it. Fast. He retreated, dragging his fake leg. Then, he slashed with his cane, and by the time he managed to dodge the next attack of the first one, the presence had already vanished. Though he didn't let him past, the distance had been shortened.
He clicked his tongue again. Honestly, this kouhai always made him restless.
The practitioner's figure appeared. Before that, Ohtomo jabbed his cane on the floor with a 'thunk'. Right afterwards, a curse in the form of a shark head showed its teeth and lunged out from under the running practitioner's feet, but--
"???!"
He dodged while chanting Kundali Vidyaraja's seed syllable mantra, crushing the curse.
He landed in the corridor, across from Ohtomo.
He wasn't in the mood for frivolous words.
"Get out of the way!"
He spat coldly, but unfortunately, it just made the opponent happy.
"Hey, hey, how cold, 'Senpai'."
A bloodthirsty, fierce smile emerged on Kagami's face along with his incredibly happy tone. He made the many rings on his fingers jingle as if showing off.
"I even came out at midnight for this. I'm letting the Director deal with that old man. You should at least be my opponent."
The group of shikigami attacked before Touji, Kyouko, and Suzuka slipped into the agency building.
When the three of them circled around to the back in order to sneak in through the side door, shikigami suddenly swarmed forth. Moreover, they had seen these shikigami before. They couldn't possibly forget. They were the same as the ones that had attacked the Onmyou Academy last month - the group of shikigami that Doman controlled.
After the shikigami completely covered the agency building - that was also the same as the attack last month - the agency building's barrier was broken from the inside. The shikigami mercilessly invaded the agency building interior. It made them wonder whether it was too cruel, but--
Not long afterwards, they were suddenly incinerated.
After the shikigami attacked, the three of them kept their distance from the agency building and hid in a panic. Even so, things probably wouldn't have been so simple if Suzuka hadn't reflexively put up a barrier. An abnormal heat and impact like a raging storm. It was like a scene from a Hollywood war film.
Magic. Someone had used magic to wipe out Doman's shikigami.
But could that truly be called 'magic'? It was greatly different from the 'magic' that they knew. It was practically a natural disaster.
"......It looks like the agency we're breaking into isn't like usual......"
Touji straightforwardly expressed his feelings with an expression that could only smile now. Kyouko was dumbstruck as she stared at the continuing magical battle.
Suzuka, sweating coldly, said:
"What do we do? We didn't plan for Ashiya Doman to show up at all...... And the Onmyou Agency seems to be prepared. It seems like the inside of the agency building might become a battlefield......"
"A battlefield, huh...... Well, that's not too convenient."
Touji stayed resolute as he answered Suzuka's question.
"Like this, all we can do is take advantage of the chaos and charge in. While the Onmyou Agency's attention is on Doman, let's hurry up and bring that idiot Harutora back."
A battle plan that didn't resemble one at all. He had long since been prepared to face whatever happened, and maybe being inflexible might work here.
There seemed to be quite an amount of Doman's shikigami still left inside the agency building. They were 'enemies', but also the 'enemy of their enemy'.
"We can't choose our circumstances either. So let's just make complete use of them."
"Hah, how unappealing...... But, it might be as you say. Let's get this over with."
Suzuka seemed to have made her decision, and Touji nodded vigorously.
"Alright, let's go."
"Wait."
It was Kyouko who called for them to stop. Touji turned to look, but Kyouko stared at the agency building instead of him.
She seemed unsettled - but with an expression as if something had captivated her. "Kyouko?" Touji asked doubtfully.
"What is it? What's wrong?"
"............"
Kyouko didn't respond. She bit her lip, with an expression as if something had driven her into a corner.
Then--
"...! It's started!"
Suzuka cried out shrilly and Touji also instantly noticed. Across from them in the direction of the agency building main entrance, astounding magical energies were beginning to rise.
One side had to be Doman. And just like before, there was fire. This time it didn't pour over to this side of the agency building, but it roared powerfully, creating turbulence. Even with the agency building between them, the wind it whipped up still blew Touji and the others' hair into messes.
"......Thank god we went around to the back......"
The shooting flame highlighted the edge of the agency building. It was as if there was a giant monster running wild on the other side of the structure - actually, that might actually be quite 'accurate'. It easily trumped the magical battle between Doman and Ohtomo on a sense of scale.
"Damn. The Exorcist Bureau headquarters will send people quickly for this kind of commotion. Let's hurry--"
"Wait."
It was Kyouko who stopped them again. Suzuka's expression became astonished because of her firm tone, and Touji lost his momentum again.
Kyouko was still looking in the direction of the agency building. She had the same expression they had seen just now - no, she conveyed an even more conscientious atmosphere.
Touji was perplexed.
"What is it? What's with you since a while ago?"
But when Kyouko was asked this, she suddenly became downhearted. "I don't understand." She replied.
"Even I don't get it. But......"
"Kyouko. ......I understand. You wait here. Leave the rest to me and Suzuka--"
"No! That's not it. Although I'm scared - although my legs have been shaking since before, that's not it! Please, wait......"
She stubbornly said.
Touji questioned Suzuka with his gaze, looking troubled. But naturally, even Suzuka was confused about Kyouko's attitude. Moreover, unfortunately, the fact that Kyouko herself was the most confused was conveyed to Touji and Suzuka.
On the other hand, Kyouko ended up squeezing her eyes shut.
She desperately focused her mind. But who know what she wanted to do. She feared that even she herself didn't know. The impatient Touji prepared to say something again, but Suzuka wordlessly stopped him.
"Suzuka."
"............"
Confusion was written on Suzuka's face. If she were asked why she had stopped him, she would have to answer that it was her instincts.
However, those were also the instincts of a National First-Class Onmyouji, the 'Child Prodigy'. Suzuka silently stared at Kyouko, and though Touji was dumbfounded, he ended up forcing himself to be patient at this final moment.
They had been united this far. He could only stay composed. Things would only become bad if he lost his calm at an impasse.
Then - Kyouko slowly opened her eyes, her face still troubled.
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