Volume 8 Chapter 2 (1/2)
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The elementary and middle school Natsue of being shut down
She was the only student in her year, and she didn't have a good relationshi+p with her senpais and kouhais either It was a stifling place Because the Tsuchimikados were both local celebrities and a fains, 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 ele the initiative to interact with others She shouldn't involve other people She was scared, alone and helpless
So, Natsu her father's increasingly strict tutelage That was her fate for being born into the Tsuchiet close to others
But that Natsuer alone when she ith that boy No, even if no one were around her, Natsuet her loneliness
It ht 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 becoami
One person living alone with ic 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 shi+kigami
Then, that was enough She wouldn't object to such a lifestyle
Even if all she had wasas Harutora ith her, Natsume was satisfied
◎
This residence seehland by a county road in order to be hidden in the forest
The residence of the Tsuchireat Onmyoudou family
Because of its old age, this residence here had already becoeous 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 thedoors and barriers were opened wide that night
The night air was mostly-covered in clouds, and the aps in between The sound of insects caht-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 kiave 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 forular board that represented the 'earth' and a round board that represented the 'sky' This was an ancient ical tool used in divination called the Liu Ren Board[1]
Also, there was a tall wooden box large enough to hold a kettle next to Yasuzuaps 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 ss flying through the air, and the shi+kiga shi+kigae' These ency
But it wasn't just them
”Tsuchimikado family head Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi We're here to arrest you”
A young female voice
A woators She had th hair held up with a barrette[2], a streaht skirt But upon careful inspection, her upper clothing was exorcistthat had been cut short for more ease of movement
She was probably in her er 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 ie was cut into a square[3]
”Independent Exorcist Yuge Mari”
The woe - lifted an eyebrow, somewhat surprised
”You recognize me? I heard that the Tsuchimikado Fas troublesome for no reason either Sorry to bother you at this tiht?”
Yuge persuaded him with respectful words
At the sa, she stared at Yasuzuators 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 cal his emotions
”Unfortunately, I don't know the circumstances either However”
Yuge looked at the wooden box next to Yasuzumi
”Though I don't knohat's inside that, it looks like you know better than ht?”
Yasuzue's question
Yuge waited awith 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 teaators out of Tokyo to arrest a h 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 Yasuzuators hadn't even been infor at the scene, deliberately exposing their discontent to the target they were trying to arrest violated the traditional ators
Of course, they couldn't force the exorcist Yuge to coator'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 iain
”In any case, our requests are as I stated Your answer?”
Yasuzu around the bush
”I refuse”
Yuge inadvertently tensed as if feeling annoyed But at the saether in concert without Yuge's instructions It was Yuge who panicked instead of Yasuzuators didn't pay her any heed, directing all of the 'S Whips' stopped in the air to rush towards the Bellflower Room
But at that moment
”Ohinto the Tsuchi those shoes”
Soe simultaneously erected a barrier
A jagged trail of light left the dark room The dozen 'S 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 knehere flew out from the Bellflower Room as if it had waited for them to finish those actions
The charht
Flash
Along with the sound of the air being scorched, yellow lightning pue's expression turn serious
”No one is to step out from my barrier You will die”
Following Yuge's co at them
A sequence of flashes
Sharp, slender lightning bolts leaped through the air as if to shatter the silence froe'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 the strikes seemed to be cole bit It was co' 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 overwhel at the Bellflower Room but unable to release the barrier
”Ohnot 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
Yasuzu 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 woe, but she seeirl after many years She had a headband on her forehead and wore - unexpectedly -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 On Princess' before?”
”Eh? This is the 'Binding Princess'? A barrier user? I see, so it's you So you were a Divine General”
The woe didn't relax, staring at the tho seemed to know each other
”Who are you?”
”Uhuhu I' You've heard of the 'Akihabara Raht?”
”No”
”Huh? Really? How strange Then, what about the 'Exorcist's Heavenly Belle'? Or 'Lady Thunder of the Flash'?”
”It'sthose”
”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 wo depressed Iator behind Yuge suddenly widened
”I reic just now - that woman's the 'Human Power Generator'!”
”Ah”
”Eh, huh? Hold on! Why do you only re nickname? Who was it? Who did you hear that from?”
The red-faced worily But it was actually only coincidence that Yuge knew this nickname Her former boss had mentioned that there was once a female teaood at lightning h she never obtained 'First-Class Onh her boss at the time had used 'destructive power' to express it - could be ranked a the top five of all exorcists
But the current problem wasn't her history Rather, as 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 htened her back and sloalked 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
”Ohht to walk out of the barrier you barely ed to cast?”
”I'ency”
Yuge didn't reply to the wo a one-sided proclamation
In a calm and businesslike tone,
”Resistance is useless Please obediently accept your arrest”
”Well”
The wo to be written on her face
”I've already made it clear beforehand, so I won't hold back anymore”
The wo out a chare was unfazed, so the worily
”You asked for it!”
The woy However y 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 e 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 woic exploded
”Order!”
The woman used a wood-eleinal creation A sudden flash e becae
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 woe The incantation Yuge had chanted just noas a 'lighting-repelling' h-difficulty ht to General Onritted her teeth
”A youngster like you using such an ancient ainst '!”
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 ic
But Yuge had the sahts
”On bishi+bishi+ karakara shi+bari sowaka!”
The Unic be used to deal with practitioners, exorcists often used it to deal with spiritual disasters as well Yuge didn't for Golden Chains with just a brief incantation But thethe Bellflower Room like a rain of arrows
”Eh?” Next to the surprised woround with his fingertip Suddenly, the eency barrier set in the Bellflower Rooic into the corridor
”What was that just now? The ic shattered - n-no, it split?”
The woe h the barrier
The barrier Yasuzue that used spiritual power to protect the residence's Bellflower Rooulations different froer than barriers set in exorcist training rooms
”On bishi+bishi+ karakara shi+bari sowaka!”
She chanted the sa Golden Chains she released split again and fleards the barrier Yasuzumi had put up
This time, it wasn't deflected by the barrier Rather, it passed through
”Eh?”
The finely-split h thisGolden Chains, it still had the function of its original inal creation
But thestep
”Wh-Why? Yasuzumi-san, did you release the barrier?”
”It seerasped 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 wo, as her body was already seized by the Un Golden Chains
In a cale said:
”Just as you said, I'm a 'barrier-user', a specialist in that field Nohy don't you come too, 'Human Power Generator'”
Only when Yuge spoke and walked towards the residence did the woman realize that she had coh 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
”Yasuzuh”
”Please be gentle”
In the nextfrom 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 fro on the woman's body like decorations Electricity ca her She had never seen this kind of ic before
”Yasuzumi-san, the barrier!”
”It's released”
The woolden chains of Yasuzuertip again, releasing the Bellflower Rooht arm
She released lightning with a rua rapidly strengthened her barrier, but the lightning that the woic fro with the barrier that protected her
”Ah!”
Yuge instantly changed the 'nature' of her barrier Froic used to scatter ht
Just then,
”Hah! Yah!”
The wo a Loud rumbles deafened her ears and the shockwaves made her skin tremble
Yuge focused her ' the enemy
”This is a shi+kigami?”
”Correct!”
The woman replied politely
A shi+kigaami It wasn't materialized No, it was a type that could be used without , probably a manthened several types of ami 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 couldat will His weapon was a vajra, which symbolized thunder
”Noumaku sanmanda botanan indoraya sowaka!”
Thewith her mantra, and electricity poured forth with the force of a bursting darily The wo 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 sae deformed and folded on itself Also, ed forht
She constructed a co into calculation their positions, the occasion, and the ic This wasn't a complete, traditional defensive barrier, and its abnor 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 forht sky The y that was released into the distance covered the area in moments The entire courtyard, no, the entire residence was sealed with a barrier
”It seeet carried away But it ends here!”
Yuge pointed her index anda blade seal ”Ouch” The wo 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
Prislass blocks had locked the woman's body and limbs like shackles The areas that the barrier covered had all stopped
She was bound firh barriers Yasuzumi who sat next to her was also trapped in his initial posture, unable to move
The wo Golden Chains, Yuge's barriers didn't budge Moreover,she released was naturally absorbed by the 'lightning rod'
Yuge hhtly 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 overwhele
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!”
Theto resist
But,
”There's no need for ami is sufficient for this situation”
Just as Yasuzumi replied leisurely:
”My,too, Yasuzumi”
That voice cah the Mystical Investigators had stayed inside the barrier, they had all collapsed
In their place stood a ave off was of a wrestler, as he ell-built with a sturdy physique He was very tall but wasn't very inti His hair was tied up with a cloth and he had a thin beard under his chin
The htly
”The guys who circled around behind are also asleep for now But, well, Mystical Investigators are really indiscreet recently I don't knohat that old ”
The man spoke with a calm tone
In addition, the e's attention had been focused on the ic battle just now, he had still knocked out an entire tea, and was re 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 reeted him
”Sorry, sorry, I' time since you wore that It really suits you, huh?”
”H active duty, so I didn't want to discard it”
”Really I'raph this time?”
”Oh, coht?”
The two of thee to give them a disdainful look
Yasuzuhtly, still motionless
”Takahiro, fend this woman off first”
”Nn, right”
After nodding good-naturedly, the reet a friend
Of course, Yuge wouldn't peret however close he wanted She immediately formed a blade seal and spread the barrier that had sealed Yasuzu the man's body and limbs
But it was ineffective
The e had fixed in midair
”Ah?”
Hoas that possible? Yuge forced down her shock, constantly putting up similar barriers She used all her power to fill the space between her and theThe stunned Yuge unconsciously put her hands together again and for fro seal This was the Unic
But,
”Too late”
The man reached out an arm
Magical energy shot out froers She couldn't deter to weave encountered interference and was disrupted Yuge swiftly retreated and siy
”On bishi+bishi+ karakara shi+bari sowaka!”
Along with a powerful shout, she cleared away theGolden Chains But the ure suddenly vanished along with a light lag
”What, a shi+kigami!?”
It had been a sia her Where was the practitioner? Before she had the tis:
”Alright, you can move now”
A voice cae was preoccupied, he had freed the woman and Yasuzumi from the barriers fixed in midair
”Ah”
TheA sih the barriers fixed inThe interference towards herGolden 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 sain
”We're souardians' of the Tsuchimikado family I'm Tsuchimikado Takahiro and she's Tsuchimikado Chizuru You'd understand if I said ere the Tsuchiht?”
”Branch family?'
Yuge had an understanding expression, as if aware of the Tsuchimikado branch family's business
She glared at the tith a stern expression
”The former female team captain of a spiritual disaster purification teaator?”
”I don't do that anymore, I'm just a countryside Onmyou doctor”
The e'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 h she wouldn't lose to a norator, 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 shi+kigaainst hu of practitioners whodestroyed, but rather the practitioner thee herself was trapped in the eneic, her barriers would be useless
Yuge slowly formed a seal
She narrowed her eyes and slowed her breathing The Sanskrit character 'अ' 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 ht have been placed
Then, she formed a fire seal, a wisdom seal, and a disruption seal[5]
”On kirikiri unhatta!”
This was a barrier protectionGolden Chains In the end, Yuge's best counterhly skilled Mystical Investigator Yuge designated the target as herself, putting up a for that could affect her y and spiritual power
But,
”Ohlike a tortoise, right?”