Tokyo Ravens Volume 9 Chapter 4

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A twist of fate rapidly approached. No, it was unclear whether it would arrive or not. But at the time she didn't have the strength to see it beforehand.

The pressing state of the world. Omens of war. The Onmyou Bureau had been reestablished by the military and he had been given command as the Onmyou Head. Also, he had the tall task of reviving the magic that was gradually declining.

Could he do it? She answered yes without any hesitation when her master asked her this.

How many people other than Yakou-sama would be able to complete a feat of this difficulty?

His ability was genuine. His fervor towards magic and his lofty ambition had no equal. She herself had become a first-rate pract.i.tioner because his ability had allowed her to bloom, so she understood.

He was a genius.

Such an extraordinary genius couldn't be granted wide-ranging powers without a purpose. It was now - with this difficult duty - that he had to complete his mission.

"Can you lend me your strength?"

She practically felt regretful at her master for asking her this. Why did he still have to confirm that obvious answer now? She scolded him and he laughed and apologized. Maybe she had only been born into this world to a.s.sist him to complete his mission with all her strength. She believed so.

At that time, a beautiful harmony developed in the world, everything matched perfectly, and formed a huge flow - forming fate. At least she thought so.

She didn't have any doubts at all.

Pure and innocent, completely clueless about the omens of the upcoming tragedy.

Of the many people who visited the Onmyou Agency to take back Harutora, it was actually Tenma who succeeded in infiltrating the agency building first.

But it wasn't something on the level of 'breaking in'. He entered properly through the side door that the agency members used.

"Sorry to bother this late at night. My mom insisted that we should at least give him a change of clothes."

He gave the name of an actual department and agency member, raising the paper bag in his hand with an extremely apologetic cordial smile.

The name of the agency member he was borrowing was Fujiwara Kenichi. He was the nephew of the teacher Fujiwara. He belonged to the General Affairs Department of the Onmyou Agency, and though he lived in the city, he had been sleeping at the office recently. He had heard this from Fujiwara a few days ago. Also, he had also heard that he had another nephew, a highschooler named Koji who wore gla.s.ses. His heart beat painfully behind his smiling face, but the person in charge didn't check with Fujiwara Kenichi after glancing at Tenma's face, smiling, saying "Thanks for your work", and letting him through the door instead.

Zero casualties, zero damage, zero magical energy expended, and it only took a brief forty-five minutes. The only thing hurt was Tenma's conscience. This was a peaceful and cunning infiltration, and even if the powerful Mystical Investigator Ohtomo saw it, he would have nothing to say and no issue to point out with the infiltration - but to be honest, Tenma was the only one among their group of companions who could perform this stunt.

Tenma didn't conceal his nervousness after entering the agency building - after all, there was no need- and first checked the map on the wall.

To an outsider, the Onmyou Agency building was a complex structure that seemed mazelike. This intricate and complex was an unignorable, troublesome factor for an invader.

But it was meaningless to Tenma.

"Um, excuse me. I'm sorry to disturb you during work, but could you tell me where the research and development room is?"

He politely questioned an agency member that he saw, receiving an enthusiastic reply, and then thanked him politely again. As a result, Tenma almost didn't get lost at all and easily got close to his destination.

Incidentally, Tenma was the first infiltrator since the Onmyou Agency was constructed to reach the depths of the agency building without using magic. Moreover, in this time, Tenma had not attracted the enemy's eyes at all. Then if you viewed Tenma's current actions as second-cla.s.s magic, you could call its effectiveness superior to Ohtomo's and Doman's first-cla.s.s magic in being able to avoid the enemy's eyes while slipping deep inside.

What was truly important in a real battle were the results, not the process. What's more, the smaller the effort required and the less conspicuous it was, the better. In any case, Tenma's second-cla.s.s magic was - in terms of results - an ability like infiltrating the enemy's ranks themselves.

... 'Listen, Momoe Tenma.'

Saotome's words reawakened in his mind. Tenma carefully moved through the corridor.

... 'The Onmyou Agency's eyes aren't aimed at you right now. The opponents don't have you in their eyes at all. You have no quantifiable value to the Onmyou Agency.'

Though that was mean, it was the pure truth. Unlike Touji, Kyouko, and Suzuka, he was just an ordinary Onmyou Academy student. He wasn't good with practical skills, and he wasn't strong in actual battle either. He didn't have any particular strengths.

But.

... 'But, the Onmyou Agency is an 'enemy' to you. Then to you, these current circ.u.mstances are as if you used an extremely powerful stealth magic against the Onmyou Agency. It holds the same meaning and the same value.'

The so-called Onmyou Agency higher-ups, the professional world whose dazzling talents pushed against each other, the elites who climbed higher 'up'. It was very difficult for those people to notice an unimpressive ordinary person like him. Right, it was 'very difficult'.

Then, that became Tenma's advantage.

... 'Even a wall that looks solid at first glance will crumble if you remove the key stones. Even a pebble fallen along the road can become a 'weapon' depending on the situation. Listen up, pebble. ......No, Momoe Tenma. I'm going to aim at the target and throw you out. Smash the key portion of the Onmyou Agency perfectly for me.'

If you fail, I'll make it so that you won't be able to get married. He had been fiercely threatened in that mysterious manner. Though he still hadn't gotten over that fear, Tenma had gotten all the way here. He could no longer turn back.

"......It's here."

The third research and development branch.

It would be a lie to say he wasn't disappointed. But no, even Tenma understood this.

One could say that he had effortlessly infiltrated through wit and planning alone - but there were also other ways to see it. For example, that he had no power to resist if the enemies noticed him. He couldn't escape either. Though the opponents weren't watching him, on the other hand, he would be instantly defeated if he was noticed. In that sense, he was crossing a fearsomely 'dangerous bridge'. In other words, he was taking a huge risk and reaping the corresponding reward.

...What a gamble.

He even felt stunned. But he had gambled thus far to be of some use to his friends, and he didn't plan on doing anything but raising the stakes until the end. He understood and decided this himself.

...Moreover, the real work starts now......

Tenma looked ahead again.

At the end of the corridor was a vast room with a high ceiling. There were several desks arranged in the depths and it was cut off by a gla.s.s part.i.tion. His target was the sealed storage room that was on the other side of that part.i.tion.

He had learned from Saotome that there were other security systems on the other side of that gla.s.s part.i.tion. But he had obtained a pa.s.s to get through there from her as well.

The problem were the people. The interior of the vast room had great visibility, and even at this time there were a few people still continuing to work at the desks.

Even if he were challenged in that room, he might be able to muddle his way through. But if he were noticed just once, it would be almost impossible to sneak past that wall again. Also, if he were noticed while trying to enter, then even putting on a harmless smile and using the name Fujiwara Kenichi would be ineffective. After all, it was a security system that was supposed to keep outsiders from entering.

...The entrance...... there. It was so visible. He wondered whether the people around would notice if he opened that door.

He entered the corridor in front of the room. Tenma hid behind a potted plant placed there and desperately racked his brain. The method he thought of was to cause a slight commotion in another place, draw the attention of the people in the room over there, and then take that opportunity to sneak deep inside.

...Like if he pulled the fire alarm......

Since it was inside the Onmyou Agency building, that kind of cla.s.sical method felt more useful than recklessly relying on magic. Okay. Tenma decided to turn back and look for a fire alarm.

But.

"...H-Huh?"

Suddenly, the bureau members in the room left their seats and started to get noisy. Moreover, they were coming this way.

...E-Eh!?

Had he been noticed? Tenma doubled back in a panic, hiding in the men's bathroom on the way. He rushed into a stall and locked it. His painfully-thumping heart felt like it was going to burst.

But.

......They're not coming? I wasn't noticed?

The sound of footsteps running through the corridor soon grew distant. He gingerly peeped into the corridor outside but didn't see anyone. Puzzled, he came back into the corridor and headed to the room again.

There was no one in the room. Tenma's eyes widened.

"......What's going on?"

Though he didn't know the reason, this was an opportunity. Tenma came to his senses, taking out an identification card from his pocket. It was the pa.s.s through the security system that Saotome Suzu had given him. There was no stairwell behind the gla.s.s part.i.tion. Rather, several rooms were separated from each other. The Research and Development Department third branch was a department that invented magical tools, and each of those rooms were all research labs. Before Saotome transferred into the Imperial Household Agency Lingering Spirit Division, she had belonged to the Research and Development Department. That was why she was familiar with the security system.

Clutching the identification card, Tenma prepared to rush into the room from the corridor.

But--

Suddenly, he felt a gaze and stopped in surprise.

He spun around like a spring. But there was no one behind him. The empty corridor extended outwards.

......What was that?

No one was there, but he was being watched. Tenma took a stance in the empty corridor, cautiously looking around.

Just then, something moved in the corner of his vision. The corridor wall. Near the ceiling. Tenma reflexively chased it with his eyes.

It was a spider.

"......A spider?"

A spider about as large as his thumbnail. Though the Onmyou Agency looked like it had the newest equipment, it seemed that it was still a structure with some old areas. Of course, there would be things like spiders. Could the gaze he felt just now have come from the spider? How could that be. His nerves were too much on edge.

But.

...Huh?

The spider silently stared at Tenma, preparing to climb away from the wall as if viewing him as harmless. He didn't know whether it was his mistake, but the spider's movements seemed mysteriously human. But Tenma couldn't keep his mind off it when he saw this spider.

An old, nostalgic, memory not suited for the moment.

It was a complete coincidence that he was able to recall it.

"......'Trick Spider'?"

The instant he couldn't help but murmur, the spider's movements completely stopped. Then, it slowly changed direction, looking back at Tenma. As if it were surprised at its name being called and unconsciously watching the opponent's actions again. No, maybe it wasn't 'as if', that might truly be the case.

This spider was a s.h.i.+kigami.

Moreover.

"......Why is my mom's test product in this kind of place?"

Upon careful inspection, the spider was blue. It was a trait of the manmade s.h.i.+kigami created by the Witchcraft Corporation, the popular magical tool manufacturer that Tenma's deceased parents had created.

Moreover, if he scrutinized more carefully, that spider's blue color was a richer, deeper blue than the color of the manmade s.h.i.+kigami that the Witchcraft Corporation created.

This was the color of original s.h.i.+kigami test products of his mother, the Witchcraft Corporation's chief designer. This 'Trick Spider' was also one of those test products, but it hadn't ended up becoming commercialized. Hence, there were very few people who knew of the codename 'Trick Spider'. The spider had stopped for that reason as well.

"......A 'Trick Spider'......Come to think of it, a long time ago......"

Thinking of that codename became the trigger, and old memories faintly awoke.

Even among all the test products that his mother created, the 'Trick Spider' was a s.h.i.+kigami with one of the richest colors. Basically, it was a detection-type s.h.i.+kigami that moved according to the pract.i.tioner's chant and which shared vision with the pract.i.tioner. It only possessed the same movement speed and strength as an actual spider, and it could shoot out approximately thirty meters of spider silk, silk strong enough to support ten times its weight. But the spider silk of living spiders was known to be five times stronger than steel of the same thickness, so considering that, its performance was quite low.

But because of its shape and stealth, and because it used almost no magical energy, it would theoretically be able to materialize semi-permanently as long as it stopped moving and absorbed the surrounding aura for a while. Also, it would essentially require no magical energy to use afterwards as long as it was set up at the start. The s.h.i.+kigami could send images at any time, and the control of the magical energy system could be established by the s.h.i.+kigami. Though its activity was limited to a range of five hundred meters from the pract.i.tioner, in the extreme, even ordinary people would be able to use it as long as it was set up by a professional first.

Actually, Tenma had once asked his mother to let him use the Trick Spider as a child. Hence, he particularly had recollections of it among the large number of his mother's s.h.i.+kigami.

When it had been first developed as a test product, the Trick Spider was able to enter narrow s.p.a.ces that the humans couldn't, and even normal people would control it with Onmyouji supervision. Judging by these two, there would be a definite demand for using the detection s.h.i.+kigami to collect information during disasters and the like. But it ended up being shelved and never commercialized because its magic was overly c.u.mbersome and complex, and ma.s.s production was extremely difficult. There were only two, even among her mother's test products.

...I, I see! There's only two. There were only two Trick Spider s.h.i.+kigami. Why is it......!?

Having once played with it, the young Tenma had felt quite disappointed when they decided to stop creating it, but his mother, the inventor, was pretty indifferent. It was extremely nostalgic - and a memory that would be a mistake to get nostalgic over now. But Tenma desperately dug through his memories, trying to recall it.

...Right, back then, I asked mom......

The two test product Trick Spiders. Tenma had made a fuss that he wanted one if they weren't being used anymore. But he hadn't been able to get one. He still remembered his mother's words at the time. Sorry, Tenma - his mother had apologized to him.

There was someone who also felt that the Trick Spider was interesting and who wanted to privately acquire it. That person was a customer who had recently become a leader of part of their customer base and whom they had had many dealings with. As thanks, they had given test products to him - she said.

Wouldn't he just peep indiscriminately if they gave it to that kind of person? Her conscience hurt.

His mother joked happily, smiling wryly while showing a definite trust for that person. That's right. His mother had definitely said that.

The most popular product that had established the Witchcraft Corporation's position was the 'WA Swallow Whip' that was known as a binding s.h.i.+kigami.

It was the Onmyou Agency Mystical Investigation Department that was responsible for almost all of its purchases. The Mystical Investigators.

"Could it be?"

Tenma walked close to the wall that the spider was on. The Trick Spider still stayed motionless, continuing to stare at Tenma.

"Could it be that you're--"

Suddenly, as he was preparing to ask, the magical energy of something rushed towards him from far away. Eh? The moment he thought this, he was surrounded by a raucous breaking sound, and the extremely frightened Tenma's heart almost stopped.

It came from the room. He looked over there and couldn't help but doubt his eyes.

The room's windows along the outer wall had been shattered and demons and monsters had poured in from outside. s.h.i.+kigami - like various monsters painted with ink. Moreover, weren't those As.h.i.+ya Doman's s.h.i.+kigami that had attacked the Onmyou Academy last month?

"W-W-Why!?"

The spider jumped onto the shoulder of the extremely panicked Tenma. He came to his senses because of this, hastily rus.h.i.+ng behind the potted plant and crouching down.

The s.h.i.+kigami that invaded the room caused havoc in the vast room as they so desired. Then they moved deeper into the agency building through the corridor connecting the rooms. Fortunately, the corridor Tenma hid in was the farthest from the room's windows, but it was only a matter of time before they came by.

...Wh-Why? What happened?

The members had left the room in a panic because they had noticed Doman's s.h.i.+kigami approaching from outside the window. But why did Doman come? Tenma's mind was blank from incomprehension.

"...Ouch!"

Pain flared from his wrist.

Looking carefully, the spider had moved from Tenma's shoulder to his wrist at some time. Then, it jumped onto the ground and scuttled towards the depths of the corridor. Following that, it looked back at Tenma.

It was telling him to hurry.

Indeed, things wouldn't be simple if Doman's s.h.i.+kigami noticed him. Though Doman's s.h.i.+kigami seemed like they had been made lackadaisically, Tenma knew how much power each one actually hid after fighting them personally with his companions last month.

"O-Okay--"

Tenma quietly rose while inadvertently replying to the spider. Then, when he observed the situation in the room again, he noticed something.

"...Huh? The gla.s.s part.i.tion wasn't destroyed?"

There was a gla.s.s part.i.tion separating an inner portion of the room. It looked like such a fragile thing, but the s.h.i.+kigami weren't able to break through. No, although they approached and tried to destroy it, they experienced lag the moment they touched it.

...I see, it's the security system!

It looked like it had been enchanted with a barrier in addition to being outfitted with electronic security devices.

But it was breaking down.

The s.h.i.+kigamis' a.s.sault was overcoming the strength of the barrier. It would be destroyed sooner or later. The room on the other side would also be invaded.

Tenma stopped moving.

The spider was in a rush, making a tapping noise with its legs as if trying to say something. Even so, Tenma didn't move, staring intently at the room and the gla.s.s part.i.tion within.

If this went on, the s.h.i.+kigami would invade and advance sooner or later. In that case, the goal Tenma had come here for would go down the drain.

Tenma closed his eyes behind his gla.s.ses. But his hesitation was brief. When Tenma opened his eyes again, his eyes already held the light of determination.

Perhaps noticing the atmosphere, the spider that had prepared to head through the corridor first returned to Tenma's side. It climbed up the wall, jumping onto Tenma's shoulder again. He glanced at it. The spider kept staring at Tenma.

The Trick Spider couldn't speak, nor was it a s.h.i.+kigami that could use telepathy. But...... maybe because it was a s.h.i.+kigami his mother had made, he felt like the master's exhortation of 'don't get any strange ideas' was conveyed from the spider.

Tenma smiled bitterly.

Could this s.h.i.+kigami's master believe that Tenma had 'shrewdly' infiltrated the Onmyou Agency alone? How rude. Normally, he wouldn't take this kind of unplanned action. As for 'strange ideas', he hadn't been thinking normally for a while now.

He straightened his spine, narrowing his eyes.

He focused his mind, refining his aura into magical energy.

"...Om marici sowaka..."

He crossed the fingers of his hands together. First was a Vajrapani mudra[1]. He quietly chanted an incantation, blessing himself from his heart to his forehead, left shoulder, right shoulder, and top of the head. In the time he did this, Doman's s.h.i.+kigami continued pouring in from outside like an endless torrent.

The spider probably read his mind and stopped all its movements as if to keep from distracting Tenma. Tenma continued his magic, repeating the incantation seven times.

"...Om abiteamaris sowaka... Om abiteamaris sowaka..."[2]

Finally, a group of s.h.i.+kigami noticed the corridor on this side and approached in a frenzy. Crack. An ill-boding sound came from the gla.s.s part.i.tion in the interior of the room, and lag flashed across its surface. The barrier would be broken soon. Tenma turned his hand seal into a stealth seal. He infused his magic with magical energy.

Stealth magic.

It was a first-cla.s.s magic that he had learned from Ohtomo before. When Tenma had been worried about his own abilities. In the end, Tenma had never been able to use it successfully, and he hadn't been able to get over his worries.

But he still clearly remembered Ohtomo's words from back then. Magic is deep and vast, and there are many directions you can take. No matter what kind of ability you have, it can become a weapon. Ohtomo had spoken those words using Tenma's parents as an example.

Actually, though he was dull and unimpressive, that was why he had been able to get all the way here. Even his honest, well-meaning, low-key character could still be used as a 'weapon' and become magic.

He wasn't good at stealth magic. He recognized that he wasn't good. But that was probably wrong. Incorrect. Despite judging himself as 'mediocre', he believed that he was 'suited' for stealth magic. It matched him well.

An innocuous smile. A cautious att.i.tude lacking self-confidence. These were all things that Tenma evaluated himself poorly for, but they were also honestly expressed on the outside. Tenma's self-evaluation had to be very low when he was among his skilled friends.

He didn't fool himself or forcefully overwrite those evaluations of himself.

He was at the bottom of his friends. That was evident to others. He admitted that. He admitted it and this changed the way he was 'viewed'.

For example, when he faced others, most people were uninterested, and some had a good impression but usually didn't think much of him. They looked down on him. They became careless - and left openings.

He would slip into those 'openings'. Even if he still didn't have self-confidence. Even if he was nervous.

It was said that the trick to stealth magic was to erase one's self-consciousness.

He had once believed that meant to think of nothing at all. He had believed it meant standing in nothingness.

That was wrong.

Erasing the self-consciousness meant abandoning oneself. It was to see one's 'true face' completely objectively and to simply accept it.

Tenma's mind was transparent. Thoroughly transparent - and at the same time it was being sharpened.

Of course, first-cla.s.s magic wasn't so shallow that it could be completed with thoughts alone.

But Tenma, Harutora, Touji, Kyouko, Suzuka, and Natsume had continuously trained together. Regardless of how disparate their talents were, he definitely wouldn't lose to them in terms of time spent self-training.

"...Om abiteamaris sowaka..."

Doman's s.h.i.+kigami swarmed around.

They constantly pa.s.sed around next to Tenma, surging towards the corridor.

The spider on his shoulder shook slightly. But Tenma stopped paying attention to the spider's reaction. After he stood up straight from the shadow of the potted plant, he swiftly strode towards the room.

His eyes were still half-closed. His strides were like those of a priest walking before a go-s.h.i.+ntai[3].

The room was swirling with s.h.i.+kigami. A s.h.i.+kigami leapt and landed near him. A thrown chair landed with a crash behind him. Tenma's hair swayed irritatingly because of the movements of the s.h.i.+kigami leaping back and forth.

'Gigigigi'. Laughter resounded back and forth. It was full of an ominous magical energy.

In the middle of all of this, Tenma took one step forward after another, completely unconcerned.

The spider sitting on Tenma's shoulder seemed to be holding its breath. But Tenma didn't let his gaze waver a bit, walking as if he were in a dream, and continued forward.

Then--

With a boom, a bright light poured in from outside the window. Fire. An unimaginably ferocious flame licked at the agency building, incinerating the s.h.i.+kigami. Though the flames didn't reach the insides of the room, the s.h.i.+kigami inside the room scurried in fright because of the heat that came through the broken windows.

The spider seemed stunned when it saw that.

On the other hand, Tenma stepped forward with completely the same movements as before, not retreating.

The flames vanished abruptly and the s.h.i.+kigami started scattering noisily. Tenma indifferently continued walking by himself through the intense chaos--

He reached the entrance of the gla.s.s part.i.tion deep in the room.

The card reader for the identification card he had obtained from Saotome was next to the door. With a click, the lock was released.

He slipped in and closed the door. "......Hah." Then, he finally took a breath.

Well done. Tenma glanced at the spider on his shoulder, feeling as if he had heard such a voice. He smiled and replied "could've been worse", then immediately rushed into the depths of the corridor.

Fortunately, thanks to the s.h.i.+kigamis' attack, he didn't see any agency members in the rooms past the part.i.tion. Tenma's goal was Research Lab One which was among these. Deep inside it was the sealed storage area.

"Here!"

He noticed Research Lab One. Using the identification card from before again, he entered inside.

Then--

"...Uwah!"

The Raven's Wing was right in front of him when he entered. It was placed on a wide platform in the center of the room. In the old birdcage that Takiko had held before. There was a raven inside it. Upon close inspection, one would notice that it had three legs. There was no mistake. It was the Raven's Wing.

Originally, the Raven's Wing was a magical tool that had been designated as a prohibited object. It had probably been moved back into this sealed storage room after being taken back, but it seemed like it was still in the same form as before.

Tenma's goal was the Raven's Wing.

"......I-It's good that it hasn't been sealed yet. But there's a barrier on this platform, right? How do I undo it......"

Unlike the security system outside, this barrier belonged to the type that sealed things inside. Then it should be constructed to be simple to undo from the outside. Tenma looked around the platform and the interior of the research lab.

Then, the spider on his shoulder jumped off as if it was finally its turn to take the stage. It rapidly crawled to the side of the platform. There was a metal cover there. After Tenma carefully took the cover off, a magical pattern carved into the floor appeared.

He couldn't tell what the magic was. But he read the spider's intent. In this kind of situation, breaking a tool or two wasn't really - well, he would apologize, recompense, and beg for mercy later.

"Shatter! Order!"

He threw out a metal-element charm that he had brought. The charm formed sharp magical blades, slas.h.i.+ng open the floor like an axe.

The barrier on the platform was released. "Got it!" Tenma finally cheered loudly.

He reached his hand towards the birdcage to pull it closer. To be honest, the Raven's Wing was very scary. Harutora had lost control because of it and Natsume had lost her life. Moreover, it had supposedly been the attack of the Raven's Wing while possessing Harutora that had killed Natsume. It was a symbol of misfortune to Tenma.

But Saotome said that the Raven's Wing was necessary for Harutora. He trusted her and her words. That was why he had come here.

Tenma's expression tensed up as he opened the casing of the birdcage. At the same time, the Raven's Wing suddenly opened its eyes. It stared at Tenma with golden eyes.

"......Go to Harutora-kun."

He didn't know whether the Raven's Wing knew human language, but Tenma looked back emotionally into the Raven's Wing's eyes.

"Ah, there's also something I want you to tell Harutora-kun. Here's a note, give it to Harutora-kun--"

Suddenly.

With a flap, the Raven's Wing in the birdcage shook its folded wings.

Then, it rapidly and gracefully left the casing that Tenma had opened - the door of the birdcage. Tenma inadvertently stepped back, losing his balance and falling on his bottom.

Paying no heed to the narrow room, the three-legged raven flapped above his head. Every time it flapped its black wings, golden particles of light were scattered around it. It hadn't been that way the first time he saw it. However, he couldn't help but feel that it was beautiful when he saw it now.

The legendary bird, the yatagarasu.

The yatagarasu looked up at the ceiling - upstairs. It sensed it. It was being called for. In front of its gaze was Harutora. "Go!" Tenma shouted.

"Go, help Harutora-kun! ...Ah, no, first this! Bring this note too......!"

He took out the note from his pocket in a panic, raising it towards the yatagarasu that flew above his head. The yatagarasu reacted, gliding down--

It flew by almost grazing his head, securely grabbing the collar of Tenma's T-s.h.i.+rt with its three legs.

"......Eh?"

The spider quickly got onto Tenma's shoulder. The yatagarasu curved its wings dramatically.

Then, it beat them in a flash.

The Raven's Wing flew up. It flew away from the research lab, accelerating like a bullet and speeding through the corridor.

"Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......!?"

As he was held in its talons, Tenma's scream dragged out for a very, very long time.

Summon the Raven's Wing.

Harutora automatically complied with that instruction.

"Come! Raven's Wing!"

He called loudly.

Immediately afterwards.

"Yashamaru!"

"Yes, yes."

Kurahas.h.i.+ commanded sharply and Yashamaru stepped forward.

"You're quite noisy, so I'll have you be quiet for a bit."

Kon readied her blade. Pale blue flame - foxfire - burst forth to attack Yashamaru. Yashamaru stepped to the side on his toes, dodging the foxfire while closing the distance like magic. Moreover, his figure vanished. Stealth.

"Kon, I'm counting on you!"

Harutora called out and retreated. Kon's figure also vanished to chase Yashamaru, but in moments--

"Aah!"

She was hurled onto the floor, screaming as she materialized with lag.

During this time, Harutora formed a hand seal. He put up a simple barrier around him in order to impede Yashamaru's approach. "Oh my." Then, instead of approaching sneakily like before, Yashamaru reappeared touching the barrier.

But.

"Harutora-kun, if you're only at this level, I think the Taizan f.u.kun Ritual might be too heavy of a burden for you, you know?"

His white-gloved finger casually extended towards the barrier - and pierced it. Then, he easily tore open the barrier as if he were opening curtains.

"Scoundrel!"

Even as Kon, who had risen again, approached from behind his back while gripping her blade, Yashamaru didn't turn around.

"Sit."

First-cla.s.s spirit language. Kon was immediately dragged down by an enormous weight, collapsing with a thud. Harutora growled and quickly re-formed a hand seal. He moved from a Dharmacakra seal to a magic binding seal. His fluid movements were thanks to repeated exercise and the battles he had experienced, but it was overly unreliable to the current Harutora. Still, when he didn't have any charms, the magic that Harutora could instantly use with his bare hands was quite limited.

"Om bis.h.i.+bis.h.i.+ karakara s.h.i.+bari sowaka!"

At least he could aim the magic towards Yashamaru's face from this distance as a surprise. As a result, Yashamaru made the stupid sound "Gwah!?" and leaned backwards.

But--

"How mean, you'll break my monocle, you know?"

As if sweeping away a cobweb covering his head, Yashamaru wordlessly ripped off the Unmoving Golden Chains and used his finger to adjust the position of his monocle. No good, he couldn't compete at all.

On the other hand, Kurahas.h.i.+, who had left Harutora to Yashamaru, wordlessly formed a blade seal with his fingers and made a cut in midair.

The spider hanging from the top of the doorway by a thread flashed with a lag and vanished. Then, the fan the spider grabbed slowly swayed--

But didn't fall.

Kurahas.h.i.+'s eyes twitched.

The fan that had lost its support silently swayed and slowly descended like a cherry blossom petal. Moreover, the movement itself carried magical energy and brought a magical pattern forth in midair.

That magical pattern bloomed out with a snap.

A prismatic fog immediately spread out to pervade the surroundings while flowing in a swirl. Magic fog. And this was - an illusion. Harutora hastily retreated, surprised. Though Yashamaru raised an eyebrow, his expression was covered by the clouds in the blink of an eye and he became obscured.

"That fan was a mechanical s.h.i.+kigami."

He could hear Kurahas.h.i.+'s voice, but he was no longer sure where it came from. The fog even altered the propagation of the sound into vague, unclear echoes. But the fog that covered everything around him instantly parted to the left and right to make a path in front of Harutora. It led to the door to outside.

...Could he do it!?

"Kon!"

Harutora shouted. Kon noticed and then dematerialized, escaping from the first-cla.s.s spirit language's binding.

He would take this opportunity to escape. Right as he thought of preparing to charge out with all his might:

"...Namu Great Bodhisattva Hachiman."

Clap. The sound of palms being brought together. At the same time, a powerful magical energy burst forth and opened up the fog in the room.

"What!?"

The fog was forced outward and cleared from the center of the executive office. Keeping his white-gloved hands together, Yashamaru glanced at the fan that was still floating quietly in the air.

"......Illusion magic is fundamentally a magic only usable on humans. Unfortunately, it seems that you didn't know about my existence."

He laughed and reached out his right hand towards the fan. After swiftly and forcefully clenching his hand, the fan floating in the air dropped to the ground with a crack.

...No good?

Yashamaru slowly looked back at Harutora. An empty, cold smile came to his lips like always.

But, Yashamaru's cold smile abruptly ended in the next instant. His expression became surprise. What was reflected in his monocle was Harutora - and what was behind his back. The thing floating outside the gla.s.s window from which the fog had been pushed away.

"Found you!"

Of course, that voice didn't reach the inside of the room. What reached them was movement. Harutora turned around. Outside the window of the executive room was a samurai brandis.h.i.+ng a fist and riding a white horse in midair.

"Touji!?"

Harutora shouted. At the same time, the fist of the oni baring his fangs smashed into the window.

With a disorderly cras.h.i.+ng sound, the gla.s.s shattered and the shards dropped to the ground. Because of the difference in air pressure, the air was sucked out and the fog that had just been pushed away swirled through the room again.

Yukikaze, carrying Touji, forcefully charged into the room through the broken window. The broken gla.s.s crackled again. Yukikaze neighed, its horseshoes crus.h.i.+ng the fragments on the ground. The wind swept by and its long tail fluttered.

"Harutora!"

Yukikaze charged into the executive office, straight at Harutora. Touji extended out an arm while on horseback, and Harutora raised his hand to try to grab that arm.

Needless to say, Kurahas.h.i.+ and Yashamaru wouldn't permit this. Kurahas.h.i.+ and Yashamaru had already finished preparing magic to obstruct the two.

But they missed the book that had been thrown in after Touji and Yukikaze - a scripture.

"Now!"

After Yukikaze's figure vanished into the highest floor of the agency building, Kyouko shouted as she looked up staring into the night sky, and Suzuka, at the ready, released her magic.

"Full power release! Rampage!"

The scripture exploded because of the command that came from far below outside the window. The pages inside shot out like gunfire and scattered, filling the vast executive office with paper s.h.i.+kigami. Suzuka's original s.h.i.+kigami.

Kurahas.h.i.+ and Yashamaru were taken by surprise.

Then, Touji grabbed Harutora's hand.

"Harutora!"

When Touji in his the samurai-state pa.s.sed by, he easily lifted Harutora up with one hand. Harutora used the force of the tug to leap upwards, and though his body buckled, he jumped up behind Touji. At that time, Yukikaze was already pa.s.sing through the executive office.

With the s.p.a.ce in the rear filled with prismatic fog and buried in paper s.h.i.+kigami, Yukikaze pa.s.sed through the doorway out the executive office. It was like an explosion escape scene.

An astounding aura spouted from Kurahas.h.i.+'s body.

But he very quickly controlled it and changed it to magical energy while forming a basic seal.

"......Namah sarva tatha gatebhyah sarva......!"

Acala's Fire Realm magic. Flame swept through the executive office, the fog instantly evaporated, and Suzuka's s.h.i.+kigami were burned to ashes in droves.

On the other hand, Yashamaru stood there indifferently as his hair was blown around in the center of the scorching Fire Realm magic.

He cast his gaze out of the window, probably at the master of the s.h.i.+kigami below. Then, he turned his head in a bad mood, glaring at the doorway that Harutora and the others had left from - and the destroyed fan fallen at its base.

Needless to say, there was a barrier around the executive room as well. Moreover, though the permanent barrier covering the agency building had been opened, it should have been repaired by Independent Exorcist Yuge. If he used all the strength in his body, he should be able to physically break the gla.s.s - though his hand might be injured if he wasn't careful. But the white horse s.h.i.+kigami was another matter. As long as the permanent barrier was operational, the s.h.i.+kigami couldn't possibly be able to break in from the outside.

Then--

"......The illusionary fog. It looks like the barrier was opened up behind our backs. Though its primary purpose was probably to let the Raven's Wing in......"

Tch. Yashamaru lightly clicked his tongue.

Then, he put his hand on his waist in displeasure and faced Kurahas.h.i.+ who had finished chanting the Fire Realm magic.

"What's going on?"

"I also want to know. However, it's reality. We can only accept it."

"......Miyachi-kun?"

"......No, it's my fault for failing to check."

Kurahas.h.i.+ replied calmly and thoroughly. His att.i.tude was astonis.h.i.+ngly strict, even towards himself. Yashamaru glared at his ally with an intense, angry look for a while, but in the end he deliberately shook his head and let out an empty sigh.

"Hah. ......Well, whatever. Should I go chase?"

"No. There would be no choice if it were the three Tsuchimikados, but it's not that kind of situation right now. Don't forget your position. It would be troublesome for me if you acted recklessly."

"What, are you sure you're not just mad from being dumped by the relatives a generation above and below you?"

Yashamaru quipped at him, which was rare. It hadn't been his intention to see things fail right as they were about to fall into his hands.

But Kurahas.h.i.+ paid no attention, handing out instructions.

"Never mind them for now. The spiritual disaster purification team arrived just now, so we'll leave it to them. You - go guard Tsuchimikado Natsume's body."

"Ahh......"

The slightly unhappy Yashamaru also said "I see" and lit up with approval when he heard this. Being unmoved by unpredictable situations and quickly responding with suitable force was a strength that Yashamaru rated Kurahas.h.i.+ highly for.

"Understood. Then, what about you?"

After Yashamaru asked, Kurahas.h.i.+ shot a gaze at the fan.

He spoke briefly and quietly.

"......I'll go check."

The roundabout in front of the Onmyou Agency building main entrance had a h.e.l.lish appearance.

The hordes of s.h.i.+kigami that were being spewed forth one after another mixed and interwove, a wind blacker and denser than the night shook the trees and coiled into a turbid serpent. The aura flow that cut open the surface of the pavement spewed forth, reaching high above their heads like lava from a volcano, and then descended.

Charms danced in midair, floating with numbers as great as cherry blossoms. Each one was infused with an abnormal magical energy. Then, their magic activated one after another. General Onmyoudou, Imperial Onmyoudou, and other magics slowly scattered haphazardly like an overturned toy box.

However.

A huge fire incinerated it all.

A multifaceted magic. An ancient technique with a myriad of capabilities.

The burning flames didn't let anything approach.

"...Noumaku sarabatatagyateibyaku sarababokkeibyaku sarabatatarata sendamakaroshada kengyakigyaki..."

Miyachi chanted Vajrapani's most fundamental mantra. It was the Vajrayana subjugation magic, Fire Realm. He single-mindedly continued chanting the Fire Realm magic without using any other tricks.

To the exorcists, the Fire Realm magic was the standard purification magic against spiritual disasters. Most of the current exorcists had a firm grasp of the Fire Realm magic.

But if they were here, most exorcists would realize that they were ignorant and would feel ashamed at their pride. That was the extent of the disparity between the Fire Realm magic Miyachi controlled and the Fire Realm magic of the rest of the world.

It was like an immense, divine being.

Sometimes it was a flaming dragon, sometimes it was eight huge serpents, sometimes it was a majestic tiger, and sometimes it was a giant as tall as a building. Every time, it felt like it wasn't of this world. It was like Acala's incarnations were coming down in droves to incinerate the enemy. A normal Onmyouji would absolutely feel the meaning of fear against these 'flames'.

Burning every demon, turning three thousand worlds into ashes. Acala's Fire Realm magic.

There were very few people born who possessed enough ability to bring forth its true might. One person with the spiritual ability might be born every ten years, and after long years of harsh training would finally be 'able to use' the original Fire Realm magic. Though General Onmyoudou's Fire Realm magic was a ready-to-use magic that had been made easier to activate, its profoundness hadn't changed.

If someone with true power used it, they would be able to use 'fire' to incinerate s.h.i.+kigami, curses, and forbidden magic of every type.

That was the Fire Realm magic.

"......My, oh my."

An outpouring of discontent came from Doman in an extremely surprised tone.

"What an astonis.h.i.+ng spiritual power. That power might be comparable to Kobo-Dais.h.i.+[4]."

A faint wry smile flitted over Miyachi's mouth.

Even if he tried to interrupt the incantation, Miyachi's 'magic' was unfazed. That wasn't the extent of his training. His magic became part his body, his flesh, blood, and bone.

"You flatter me, Priest. In the end, I am but a lowly 'magic artisan."

In the period of time this conversation took place, the curses that Doman secretly released continuously a.s.saulted Miyachi. But they burned and vaporized once they touched him. That bearded youngster's kasaya-wearing figure now seemed to have merged with the flame.

Miyachi wore golden fire and directed huge flames.

On the battlefield, Miyachi seemed like a monk possessed by Acala. Though he was human, the overwhelming aura that suppressed his surroundings didn't fall a step behind the ara-mitama Doman.

But Miyachi had no room for complacency.

"Also, Priest. It seems that this evening you haven't brought the two defensive s.h.i.+kigami that you let us meet last month. It looks like my subordinate's blade wasn't worthless."

After the slightly sour accusation, Doman complained happily.

"Hmph, indeed. That divine blade user should be locked up for leaving his post."

"Oh, you understand quite well."

"Hoho, don't look down on this old man, I quite enjoy watching liveliness. I always have a grasp on the pract.i.tioners that interest me."

"......Excuse me, but you're quite an irritating old man......"

"Hohoho, this old man is one of the so-called 'madmen'."

Even Miyachi made a bitter expression at Doman casually saying this about himself.

But Miyachi's accusations. .h.i.t home. The three defensive s.h.i.+kigami Doman had commanded when he had attacked the Onmyou Agency hadn't shown up this time. It wasn't that he was reluctant to bring them all out, he was still unfamiliar with his new body. There was no problem with using them, but their strength fluctuated quite a bit and he didn't feel that they were stable enough to withstand a battle.

"Well, it feels a bit lacking in elegance to have those guys join a compet.i.tion with you. ......So what's next? Everything has been Fire Realm magic. It's indeed a wonderful, skilled technique...... but you should have something else, right? Other things?"

"Not at all. All I have to show you is this Fire Realm magic, Priest."

"Ho. Why do all the exorcists these days seem quite lacking in artistry. 'That guy' is much more interesting in comparison."

"Truly, truly. It seems that you've taken quite a liking to 'Shadow'."

"He's not bad. That youngster Ohtomo Jin is quite commendable. However, you're inferior in comparison. This old man still can't tell you his address."

"That's regrettable."

Miyachi replied with a smile.

The nickname 'Enma' Miyachi of the Twelve Divine Generals was quite realistic seeing as his att.i.tude was able to be so graceful before As.h.i.+ya Doman. But Miyachi was able to remain calm because his goal wasn't to 'purify' Doman.

Miyachi's mission was just to 'suppress' him. To hold Doman back. Of course, that wasn't any normal mission, but it was an 'easy' position compared to Ohtomo at the Onmyou Academy who had fully engaged Doman. He wasn't completely hard-pressed.

But the situation instantly changed, unrelated to Miyachi's successful battle.

Suddenly, Miyachi's and Doman's expressions simultaneously changed. The former frowned while the latter grinned.

A new aura had emanated from within the agency building.

This was - the Raven's Wing.

"Hoho, how surprising. It wasn't this old man, nor was it Ohtomo, could it be Yakou's reincarnation? It looks like there are various parties trying to wriggle into the Onmyou Agency. Good, good. Now they're truly the halls of 'magic'."

Without replying to Doman's frivolous words, Miyachi seriously tried to clearly see the change in the situation.

The Raven's Wing's release couldn't have been the will of Kurahas.h.i.+ and the others. Something unexpected had happened. No new instructions had come from Kurahas.h.i.+, so had his mission not changed? Was he in a state to give him instructions? Slight hesitation disrupted Miyachi's magic.

In an instant.

"...Hoh."

A curse that sneakily approached was incinerated by the spreading Fire Realm magic. Kukuku. Doman let out a dogged laugh.

"You're unexpectedly weak to attacks from behind. It's because you're always fighting against mere spiritual disasters."

"......I'm quite ashamed."

He instantly turned his attention back to Doman before him with a bitter smile.

"I won't let you go, you know?"

The boy housing Doman said.

"I won't forgive such impertinence."

That was natural. He absolutely wasn't a simple opponent that would allow him to move freely. He had known since the beginning that he would be consumed the instant he became negligent against this kind of opponent.

Miyachi wordlessly thumbed the rosary in his hands.

"Noumaku sanmanda bazaradan kan!"

Kagami chanted a curse of Acala, which became a serpent of fire to attack Ohtomo. The two knife shaped simple s.h.i.+kigami he had released beforehand leaped through the air slas.h.i.+ng left and right.

Ohtomo's expression was ice-cold as he faced this. He was neither panicked nor rushed, calmly tossing down three charms.

His hands formed a blade seal.

"...Noumaku samanda bazaradan sendamakaroshada sowataya untarata kanman..."

He chanted a protection magic also belonging to Acala. While he offset Kagami's curse, the charms he dropped became two magnets, attracting the approaching knives.

...As expected.

Ohtomo was unfazed by Kagami's waves of attacks. But that was natural. He was still relaxed. It would be very disappointing if he lost his calm at this level.

Starting now, he would show him.

"Om bis.h.i.+bis.h.i.+ karakara s.h.i.+bari sowaka!"

Unmoving Golden Chains. Ohtomo essentially paid no attention. He jumped aside just like with the simple s.h.i.+kigami from before, believing it to be the same kind of move. Indeed, to a pract.i.tioner of Ohtomo's caliber, Unmoving Golden Chains couldn't possibly be effective from the front.

However, that was the goal. The Unmoving Golden Chains was a magic that bound the enemy with a net of magical energy. Kagami's 'net' formed a 'cage'.

Becoming the 'Eight-Way Bamboo Cage Curse'.

Then, he took out a stone wrapped in bamboo leaves along with salt. Kagami joyously watched the widening eyes behind Ohtomo's gla.s.ses.

He placed the stone on the floor and sprinkled the salt.

"By the green of these bamboo leaves, by the withering of these bamboo leaves, let green die! And by the drought of this salt, wither! And by the weight of these rocks, sink!"

Ohtomo's secret art that he had heard from Tsuchimikado Harutora before. The 'Eight-Way Bamboo Cage Curse' curse that had once made As.h.i.+ya Doman exclaim.

...How's that!

He had searched for information during his confinement and Kagami had adapted the method into his own.

But Ohtomo's 'counter' was very concise.

"...Order."

He quickly tossed out a simple s.h.i.+kigami charm. The commercially available s.h.i.+kigami charm activated without any additional magics. What was summoned was a flat, humanoid and expressionless doll that was prepared by default. But Ohtomo turned the Unmoving Golden Chains that Kagami had turned into a cage towards the s.h.i.+kigami charm.

"Ah!"

The Unmoving Golden Chains magic binding was baited by the simple s.h.i.+kigami, and Kagami's curse raged within that magic binding. Needless to say, the simple s.h.i.+kigami instantly vanished without a trace - but that was all. Ohtomo's 'Eight-Way Bamboo Cage Curse' curse was a curse that would seal the opponent in a barren cage. As long as the Unmoving Golden Chains cage was shut, the effects wouldn't spread outside. Simple.

"Kagami-kun."

Ohtomo spoke coldly.

"I don't have time to join you in these boring games."

It went without saying that when he used curses as a pract.i.tioner, he also prepared means to 'counter' the curse. Though the probability that the 'Eight-Way Bamboo Cage Curse' worked against Ohtomo was very low...... being countered this easily made him greatly ashamed.

...Ah, whatever.

That just now had just been a small surprise. The fun activity before things started for real.

Though Ohtomo didn't seem to like it......

"Don't be in a rush, Senpai. Things just started - Order!"

He tossed around his original s.h.i.+kigami charms and they formed wild skeletal beasts one by one and charged ferociously towards Ohtomo. But Ohtomo's expression never changed. He lowered his stance slightly, pointing at him with the tip of his cane while infusing energy into the tip and weaving a magical pattern in midair.

"Fall into confusion."

Adding first-cla.s.s spirit language to the magical pattern that he wove, he rapidly spun the tip of his cane. The skeletal beasts pouring towards Ohtomo stopped where they were, then started devouring each other.

Their unmistakable fangs cut open bone as coa.r.s.e teeth crushed bones. But by then, Kagami had already begun the next magic.

Anyway, he would attack, attack fiercely, and attack until the end. Shady words and deeds were Ohtomo's area of expertise. The 'Ogre Eater' wasn't arrogant enough to believe he could win in such a compet.i.tion.

He focused his mind, refining magical energy in a flash and forming a seal.

A sun seal.

"Namasamanda bodanan karon bigiranahan so us.h.i.+nisha sowaka!"

The Usnisa Vijaya mantra, viewed as one of the most powerful of all the mantras. It was the Usnisa Vijaya method of Imperial Onmyoudou. Kagami wove an intense mantra that became a raging wave that approached Ohtomo.

In response, Ohtomo stamped his fake leg and cane with a 'clack clack clack', putting up a barrier that he had never seen before.

At the same time, he twisted his thumb and index fingers and then flicked them out, snapping three times.

"Saratie saratie sowaka - om marici sowaka--"

Ohtomo, wrapped in the barrier, avoided Kagami's Usnisa Vijaya mantra that came cras.h.i.+ng down at the last second. Then, he slashed out with the Marici Divine Whip. A subjugating whip of magic struck Kagami.

...Ugh!?

The seed syllable mantra that he managed to chant in the nick of time became a s.h.i.+eld of defensive magical energy against the whip. But even though the s.h.i.+eld defended against Ohtomo's whip, the impact went through. Smash. A paralyzing shockwave thrashed his entire body's aura - his spiritual body. Kagami gritted his teeth and endured it.

...d.a.m.n!

He couldn't face him.

His magic was manifold and effective. His technique was sharp. His clever tactics brought them all together.

Strong. As expected, he had to admit that Ohtomo had the advantage when it came to magical battles against humans. This painful sensation that he seldom experienced was undoubtedly the feeling of facing someone 'first-rate'.

But that was why his heart surged. There was a value in pa.s.sionately, greedily learning without care for a thing.

"Noumaku saraba tatagyateibyaku saraba--!"

Kagami formed a basic seal, changing his attack to the Fire Realm magic.

Even in Imperial Onmyoudou, there were only a handful of great techniques like the Usnisa Vijaya Mantra. But Ohtomo overcame it. The magic Kagami formed had openings - proof that his proficiency with the magic was still shallow. With someone of Ohtomo's level as his opponent, it was meaningless how difficult the magic was if the opponent didn't wield it well enough.

On the other hand, probably the only thing he had that could win against Ohtomo was a powerful magical energy. Even powerful strength had artistry to it. He would blast him directly all his power. Though gorgeous big techniques and sneak attacks were undoubtedly Kagami's weapons, he understood his true value deep inside. If he challenged a strong opponent, he ought to fight with his most outstanding talents.

But if using the abilities he was proud of was a form of strategy, then keeping the opponent from using those proud abilities was also a form of strategy.

"Fool."

Ohtomo smiled coldly.

Right afterwards, the trap Ohtomo placed activated. Actually, he had set it four steps ahead. Of the charms he had casually dropped, the extra charm that hadn't become a magnet leaped out.

A curse charm.

Someone with a weak spiritual resistance would have fainted upon just seeing it, and they might even suffer spiritual enc.u.mbrance depending on the circ.u.mstances. If he were forced to describe its appearance, then it was a giant head with wildly scattering hair and no eye sockets. The vicious, ominous s.h.i.+kigami let out a high-pitched cackle, spreading apart rows of black teeth.

It bit down at him.

The hair rose all over his body. For a moment he was unable to suppress his terror. The only reason his Fire Realm incantation went uninterrupted was because of the strenuous, h.e.l.lish training that he had endured while spitting blood.

His practiced Fire Realm magic interwove with Ohtomo's curse and ignited into flame. Though it was incinerated by the fire, the s.h.i.+kigami's cackle didn't stop. It was undoubtedly a terrible, fantastic scene from a nightmare.

"Kagami-kun."

Ohtomo spoke again.

An extremely frigid gaze surfaced from behind his gla.s.ses, and he smiled lightly.

"Out of the way."

He inadvertently swallowed.

Intense anger poured forth as his stance almost collapsed. Anger at himself and from his loathing of Ohtomo. He wanted to break everything he saw to pieces. A destructive impulse that even he couldn't control.

If only.

If only he could release the seal on his forehead......

Kagami with his teeth clenched and the devilish Ohtomo. In the s.p.a.ce between the two flew intense sparks of willpower and pride more so than magical energy.

But the circ.u.mstances of their intense battle suddenly changed.

Because the two of them both noticed in unison.

"Wha!? That--"

"The Raven's Wing!?"

Kagami looked at Ohtomo in astonishment. But Ohtomo's expression didn't change a bit because of that aura.

Kurahas.h.i.+ had explained the gist of the situation to Kagami after ordering him to move out. Ohtomo's target was his student Tsuchimikado Harutora. Ohtomo's goal was to take back the 'new candidate' of Yakou's reincarnation. And apparently they had learned from the Raven's Wing that Harutora was Yakou's reincarnation.

That Raven's Wing was currently beating its wings with impunity inside the Onmyou Agency. What did that mean? He didn't think that Kurahas.h.i.+ would have allowed this 'unexpected event' so easily. Was this a part of his plans? But what meaning was there in releasing the Raven's Wing now?

Before Kagami reached a conclusion, resolve emerged on Ohtomo's face. Kagami couldn't help but click his tongue when he saw the fighting spirit vanish from Ohtomo's body.

"b.a.s.t.a.r.d! I'm not letting you go!"

He definitely wouldn't allow an arrogant action like abandoning the fight with him altogether. Even if Ohtomo tried to escape, he would grab the opportunity to achieve victory.

However.

"Oh my, sorry, Kagami-kun. As an apology, I'll release the curse from last time."

Ohtomo grinned with a leisurely look that had lost its sharpness from before.

He naturally remembered the 'curse from last time' that Ohtomo spoke of. The 'Hinamatsuri Repurification'. The spat from right after the 'Type-Chimera' produced by the spiritual disaster terrorist attack had been purified by Harutora and the others.

...He was still bluffing like that!

Kagami had spent quite a bit of time figuring out that the curse Ohtomo laid was a complete lie. He made his conclusion. He ignored Ohtomo's words, focusing more magical energy into a basic seal that he formed.

But.

"Spell release - प्रज्वलोष्णीष[5]."

Right as he chanted the key incantation of Prajvalosnisa[6], Ohtomo's magic, that had been dormant since spring, activated.

The blazing light method of Tiantai Buddhism[7]. A light that was believed to be capable of instantly blinding evil spirits painted the entire corridor where the two of them stood in dazzling white light. It wasn't limited to pure vision, as the magical flash also scorched the pract.i.tioner's spirit-seeing ability. Even so, Kagami would probably have been able to immediately put up some level of defense with his reactions. But this time, Ohtomo's magic had exploded on Kagami 'directly'.

But it wasn't Kagami himself who was cursed.

It was the lenses of his sungla.s.ses.

Kagami howled loudly, tearing off his sungla.s.ses and covering his eyes. He had closed his eyes beforehand - but even so, the light that pierced through his eyelids still left an intense halo of light in his eyes. Ohtomo frowned and opened his narrowed eyes.

"Hahaha. It's your fault for acting cool by wearing sungla.s.ses indoors. Was that a good lesson? Goodbye."

The students might even feel sympathy for Kagami if they heard this. Ohtomo's presence grew distant without saying anything more hateful than that. Though he tried to pursue him, his eyes were blinded, and even his spirit-seeing 'sight' had been damaged. Ohtomo hadn't used the magic to deal with Kagami, he had used the magic to escape. Moreover, it hadn't been a magic object that he placed, it had just been a triggering mark. Also, because it had been camouflaged, he wouldn't have noticed first unless Ohtomo had let him know.

He grit his teeth and listened, but he could no longer hea