Volume 10 Chapter 4 (1/2)
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It was the worst occasion to slip up Natsu man - Yamashi+ro
She had gone to such lengths to slip into theher identity, but her true self had been noticed by a National First-Class On was stupid as well as having the worst possible ti
Yamashi+ro had surreptitiously drawn closer to Natsuree Natsuinally thought she had concealed her aura quite well, but that had been too naive
Though Natsuered at her inability, she is and focused on the situation before her Fortunately, Harutora would appear at the dark temple today She just needed to buy tiical tools that she needed for that
Right Even if the opponent was a Divine General She could only take a shot Natsuical energy swell up from her entire body
”H' Natsume's state
But on the other hand, Natsu behind her Akino was tense, her body stiff There was no helping that
Though the 'disciples' of Seishuku Te, Natsu with Akino the whole day yesterday that she hadn't received training as a practitioner
She couldn't involve her in this, and she had to consider the possibility that she would be captured to be used as a hostage If possible, she wanted to change the location of the battle, but it was unknohether she would have such an opportunity
Then, there was oneto remember--
”That Tengu probably isn't your shi+kigami”
Yau shi+kiganized the existence of this Tengu beforehand, and he had been able to conclude that the shi+kigami probably wasn't Natsume's
”Could it be that brat's shi+kigae' kid, that's for sure”
Now that he mentioned it, Akino's rabbit ears were out Akino went stiff, frightened by Yamashi+ro's tone
Natsuu? Can I entrust Akino's safety to you?”
”H-Hokuto?”
Akino had said that the tengu shi+kigami obeyed the orders of people in the temple Natsuarown up in the monastery
As expected, Tengu slowly nodded to express acquiescence She was extreuard like this Tengu's strength was still unknown, and she wasn't sure how much she could entrust it with Moreover,
”You're also quite strange, Tsuchimikado Natsu Natsu tone Natsume's expression became sharpened at Yamashi+ro's words
”You stayed at the Onether with Tsuchimikado Harutora in the forty-seventh class of students if I reuys are my kouhai Actually, I was also a student of the Onmyou Academy, of the forty-fifth class”
Natsu her eyes twitch A difference of two years, or in other words, this man had already been a third-year when Natsuh there was very little contact between first-years and upperclass like ruain 'First-Class Onmyou' qualifications
Probably anticipating Natsume's suspicions, Yamashi+ro spoke
”Originally, I no longer had anything to learn after my second year at the Onmyou Academy, but if I knew that someone from the Tsuchimikado fa the academy - it wouldn't have been bad to stay for another year How regrettable”
That meant that he had left by the time Natsume and the others entered
The Onency for work, and it wasn't strange for the Mystical Investigators to have acaderaduates
”How unexpected for fellow academy members to meet in this kind of 'filthy' monastery How ironic”
A look of 'irony' also appeared on Yamashi+ro's face as he said this It was indeed 'ironic', but Natsume didn't have the leisure for jokes like that The opponent was a professional at hu with a Divine General Natsu their poere
”But why are you here? I was guessing that you were definitely acting together with Tsuchi work?”
”Well, whatever We don't have that kind of time either”
Yamashi+ro said this to the co his interest in further pursuing the subject Yamashi+ro had a clear confidence on his face since he started thinking, and Natsun that the enemy was careless
Outside of its relation to Harutora, the fact that he mentioned the Onmyou Academy topic was probably because he was a bit interested in Natsurateful that she was being looked down on at this time
”H-Hokuto”
Akino called out quietly from behind her back
Her body was shaking Natsuy towards Akino She had just been granted the goodwill of her naive, brilliant personality, and in the end she had pulled her into a troublesohts also stopped there She had a duty to send her back safe and sound
”Akino, leave aet there in a flash with your speed from before”
”How can I! I-I can't leave Hokuto here alone!”
Just as Akino tried to speak frantically
”!? Order!”
At the same ti out a protective char Golden Chains that Yaical wall shook intensely because of the ic collision
So fast!?
He hadn't needed to speak an incantation, he hadn't fory Though the ic was relatively incomplete, the victor would probably be decided if she took one of those to the face
”Hey, don't make me waste time for no reason”
As Yamashi+ro spoke with a calm tone, he casually shortened the distance between the two
Akino's wails sounded froed the position of her arical energy Then, she threw out a second protective charic She connected the ical wall she had put up before She purposefully 'disrupted' the ic
”Deflect! Order!”
Thethe second protective charical wall She forced the ainst the Un in the direction of the attacks
”Tch”
Yaical wall She let the out-of-control ical wall fly at him directly as a h tiic she used Yaaze
Natsuht in a flash in order to put so fro Golden Chains It was because Yamashi+ro wasn't the kind of opponent that Natsu Akino at the sa Akino as it had pro Natsume's place Akino was currently unable to move because of fear and nervousness, so it was better to have the shi+kigami move her to a safe place
Yamashi+ro called out irritatedly:
”I said, don't make your senpai waste time for no reason, kouhai”
Ya posture as he said that, pursuing Natsuile steps
He took out two charms from the front pocket of his suit and tossed theaae', a Witchcraft Corporation binding shi+kigaators coround into a dash right after forh they were just ordinary, coami, their aura and mobility were definitely on a different level under the control of a Divine General The two split up to attack Natsu lions
Natsu a seal ”Suzaku! Genbu! Byako! Koujin! Nanto! Hokuto! Sandai! Gyokujo! Seiryuu!”
Natsu hand seals at the two shi+kigay flashed hite light in front of Natsume Kuji-kiri Her black hair floated behind her as if blown by a strong wing The two pouncing shi+kigami stopped because they collided with the kuji-kiri But,
”Flow and bind Order”
Yamashi+ro's attack caa the char an incantation It was a water-eleround, approaching Natsume
Though she reflexively wanted to take out a wood-element charm, Natsume iic froic She pulled out ait as if to scatter the approaching charic
”Metal conquers wood! Order!”
The ical torrent Yamashi+ro had unleashed was about to crash down on top of Natsuht that, the torrent instantly beca water-aura was a ic formed on the basis of the Five Eleenerates wood'
But everything was broken off by the sharp shard of metal that the metal-element char - ht had been eeneration from the water aura, and Natsume's metal aura couldn't co fro vines rushed towards Natsuh the air
In that case!
”Om bishi+bishi+ karakara shi+bari sowaka!”
Her fingers fluidly ju Un Golden Chains This time, the ic bound the opponent's ic
But just then, the two Cat Bandages had already regained their ic had already been released
”Solidify and harden, Order!”
Yaround, an earth-element charm this time Five Element Mutual Generation, the saenerates metal
After she leaped back, sharp metal shards shot up from the place Natsume's feet had just been, and those earthen teeth constantly reached up as they pursued in the direction Natsume escaped
The earth aura suround As expected, it was the same Five Elements Mutual Generation as before But it was no use even if she saw through the opponent's repeated ht after Natsume avoided the attack from under her feet, the two blue cats iht Even if she could use the saic, she wouldn't be in tiami Moreover, Yamashi+ro had already casually taken out the next charm
His continuous, wanton waves of attacks were purely to seal Natsume's actions, and the follow-up attacks were just to back Natsume into a corner, not to deal with her instantly His tactic was to apply pressure on her bit by bit, in order to keep her alive and not kill her
If that's what the opponent intends!
She would ith this Natsu She poured all her focus into hera basic seal
”Nouyateibyaku saraba bokkeibyaku sarabata tarata senda innan untarata kanman!”
This was Acala's Fire Realic
The flame that burst froirl Her black hair lifted above her head, blown against gravity by the heat
The round dissipated har Natsu 'Cat Bandages' were also scorched and forced to retreat fro into the sky began churning up the dim clouds Yamashi+ro stopped
”Ho” Ya smile had finally vanished from his face
”Makarosyada ken gyakigyaki saraba biginnan untarata kanman!”
Natsuic at Yaic From the start, she hadn't needed to defeat him She just needed to escape until Harutora arrived
Using the Fire Real as she took advantage of this period of time to escape into the mountain forest--
”You already want to escape? You're too naive, thinking you could ith that”
Yamashi+ro's voice caic, and Natsume, as about to run away, turned her head to 'see' Ya down
Yaainst the Fire Real it was completely impossible since she had coic However, the fire realth into still sustained its power Yaht to be unable to release the barrier and attack Natsuic She could escape! Natsume believed this
Suddenly, so flew like an arrow from overhead Reflected in Natsuure of a blue bird tearing through the clouds
”A 'S Whip'!?”
She wasn't in time to instantly evade it When the blue sas about to crash into Natsuest feathers becale Natsume's body
”Ah!?”
Her feet left the ground and i down throughout her body
The S Whip was the representative binding shi+kigaators used, on par with the Cat Bandage Just like its name implied, its feathers became whips that entwined around Natsu on the ground
When Natsule to her feet, she felt the S Whip's wings extend and twine around her knees to bind its target Cos were set up with a weak Unic by default, which was loered in order to be activated frequently against the target Once one was bound, it was difficult to escape
But, how? When had he used it!?
Natsuht to have not been careless anywhere There was no reason she shouldn't have noticed if Yamashi+ro had summoned a S Whip
But, ”I had it wait in the air before coht?”
The power of the Fire Realic Natsume had released had started to fade now Yamashi+ro deflected it outith a barrier as if ic
Yaly
”Well, that's pretty good for a student ithdrew in her second year With that kind of skill, you could even get qualifications as a professional Onmyouji But I'ic would work at the Onency”
Yaed his shoulders with a leisurely smile as he said this
Natsuround, her black hair scattered over her face The Fire Realic from before had already used all of Natsume's power But Natsume couldn't 'see' any traces of disturbance in Ya it It was as if he hadn't even gotten serious Even though he was young, his position as a Divine General wasn't unwarranted
”In any case, you're a kouhai, so I don't plan on treating you roughly Behave yourself and sit still”
Yahtily to Natsume as he stuck his hands into his pants pockets His expression carried the cold, penetrating gaze unique to professional Mystical Investigators
However, when Yamashi+ro walked towards Natsume, he suddenly stopped and showed an abnormal expression
Akino sprinted in front of the iether with her
”Wha!?” Natsume was completely speechless
Natsuic battle had started, and she had believed that the tengu shi+kigaht now, Akino was spreading her ar her rabbit ears solely to protect Natsume
”Akino, no!”
”T-Tengu-san! Please help s”
”Why did you come back?”
”Isn't that obvious? We're friends!”
Natsulare resentfully at Tengu at Akino's words It obeyed the orders of people in the teht her back and then had been ordered by Akino to bring her back to Natsuht it had consciousness, it seeh to read the situation yet
On the other side, Yaster and shi+kigami
He snorted emotionlessly, his hands still stuck in his pockets
Then, the two Cat Bandages that had been scorched into lag by the Fire Realht They planned on binding Akino and Tengu as well
Did she have no other choice but to use it? Natsuhtly bitter expression
”Akino Please leave me”
”No!'
”In that case, please hide behind Tengu and crouch down on the ground”
”Eh?”
”Hurry!”
As Natsu in Akino's ears, she instantly h speed that even made Natsume who had instructed her to do so doubt her own eyes Even the expressionless Ya careless
After Akino returned behind the tengu shi+kigaround as Natsume had instructed
Natsu all of this, looking at the two Cat Bandages
Then,
”Hekireki I' on you!”
Instantly--
With a crashi+ng explosion of sound, Natsu her body instantly turned to ash Then, intense lag also appeared all over the tengu shi+kigaround also wailed ”Eek!?” froht
”What!?”
Yaed his stance as Natsus As she stood up, her body was laced with discharging sparks Sparking electricity constantly coursed through the jacket she wore
It was lightning
”Could that be? Lightning ic!?”
Ya a seal The instant he put up a barrier--
”Hah!”
Natsuht hand
Flash
Bright yellow lightning froht hand left scorched traces between her and Ya sound of iht shoved the barrier and Yae of that opportunity, Natsuhtning instantly tore through the air The Cat Bandages that had been on standby dropped doards Natsume's head, but like the S Whip, they were instantly turned to ash along with their shi+kigami charm
”You didn't even use a charami!?”
Yah-level inal creation, Hekireki It wasn't ami that followed its ics It hadn't originally been Natsuami that had been specially lent to her fro as Natsume's master[1] It was one of Natsume's trump cards
”Tengu! Please leave with Akino now!”
The smell of burned air spread It was true that Hekireki was quite a powerful shi+kigami, but its abilities were extremely specialized and thus its scope was liic was known to be quite difficult, and the difficulty of controlling Hekireki was evident That hy controlling it was a difficult technique
That said, lightning ic The outcoic that activated in one fell swoop that was iic that couldn't be properly grasped without proper resolve
But right noasn't the time to hesitate
”Noumaku sanmanda botanan indoraya sowaka!”
She for, and chanted his then her link of spiritual poith Hekireki She poured her h the shi+kigaic
Raging lightning assaulted Yamashi+ro
”Tch!”
Ya to the open ic attack would hit its target the instant it was case 'Evading' it was impossible in the first place
Yamashi+ro narrowed his eyes
”I re in Imperial Onmyoudou - Got it! Akada of the east! shi+yutakou of the west! Satsuteiro of the south! Sodamani of the north!”
He chanted the incantation of a 'lightning-repelling' h it was a bit rare, it was indeed a conventional ic that sealed lighting ic
But it was alright if Natsu strikes without any reservations Raging thunder flooded his hearing and made his skin vibrate The flashes scorched his retinas and his sight turned white It was alright if she couldn't hit hie him
Natsuaerous, so it had carried Akino back and put her low to the ground If she just continued suppressing Yamashi+ro with all her power like this, she would be able to stop his pursuit Then, she could escape by running into the u But,
”I really underestiedfor real”
Even while he was avoiding lightning strikes, they ought to have conveyed huge i randomly nearby
However, the Mystical Investigator released his barrier Several charami charms
Then, he infused the chary--
Natsu presence
”Come! Evil spirits! Order!”
Yaripped it tightly in his hand, and then dense black ers It for pulsation was born in that black fog Though they were clouds, they seemed to have a viscosity likeof this miasma extremely clearly
”Kodoku!? To think you're using forbidden ic”
Natsuator controlling a kodoku before But the kodoku at that time was undoubtedly different from the one Yamashi+ro controlled in terms of number or miasma quality
The kodoku were briht that, their surfaces suddenly split and giant eyeballs appeared in the black fog
The eyeballs that were flickering back and forth all turned to focus on Natsume
”Go”
The kodoku practically cried out as they rushed in Natsume's direction
Gooseburoup of kodoku without a shred of cowardice With a ru At the sa them from the outside But,
This is bad If this goes on!
Lightning ic was usually 'inactive' relatively often It couldn't be continuously cast without quite soh Hekireki's existence more or less compensated for that fault, it was quite an intense consus, Natsume's spiritual poould burn itself out
”H”
Yamashi+ro smiled proudly, and Natsume suddenly realized
One kodoku had circled around to Natsu in She hadn't expected hiht hand reflexively slashed out and electricity ran along the surface of her pants Lightning released froers struck the kodoku
But the poas too weak The wriggling black fog was only half-bloay by the lightning The reh the air as it approached Natsume
She was going to get hit When Natsuht this, her body was suddenly lifted up from behind
Eh!?
Her body dangled in the air, pulled up by a powerful strength It see on the wind When she ca backwards She desperately turned to look and saw the tengu shi+kiga her by the collar
”You?”
The tengu shi+kiga Akino and Natsume
”Hokuto!? A-Are you hurt!?”
”Akino”
Yanificently ”Tch!” She had been saved with the best tiratitude
”H-Hokuto, you're incredible! So a You're really, really a”
Akino rambled on Natsume had just been saved from a crisis, so all she could feel was helplessness
Even so, Natsume inadvertently smiled wryly
It was because Akino's rabbit ears looked so cute ju back and forth
”Call me Natsume”
”Eh?”
”It wasn't a lie to call myself Hokuto, but that's what I was always called”
Akino was dazed for a while at the start, then nodded continuously
”Natsu”
”No, I'm not much Also, it's not over”
Then, Natsuaze in Yamashi+ro's direction
Ya up the new fighting power Then, he regrouped the group of kodoku, preparing to find the opportunity to attack again
Natsunited her fighting spirit again and focused her consciousness on Hekireki
”On saraba tatagyata hannamanna nou kyaromi!”
The seductive - yet biting cold - female voice sounded in the minds of everyone present
”Oh my”
Miyoshi+ raised his head anda book in the lounge of his living quarters
”It seeic battle”
A stor tone Yuge wasnext to him, or perhaps it could be said that she had been asked to wait at his side for the whole time
Her eyes widened with an ”eh” and she turned her face towards Miyoshi+
”Yamashi+ro?”
”Yeah It looks like he was unable to request assistance with gentle means Well, that was anticipated”
Miyoshi+ showed a look of seeing far in the distance Then, Yuge asked seriously
”Is the opponent really Tsuchimikado Natsume?”
”Though I can't say for sure, it's ninety percent certain”
The forbidden ic that was especially taboo aic - the Taizan fukun Ritual
And the person he had used the Taizan fukun Ritual to resurrect was a girl also from the Tsuchimikado family - Tsuchimikado Natsume
Because of the Onher-ups - or to be direct, Chief Kurahashi+'s influence - that matter was still strictly controlled information even one year afterwards That said, the tables had already turned The Kurahashi+ fainally been a branch family of the Tsuchiood thing for the main family's secrets to be exposed
In any case, Tsuchimikado Natsume was a key individual if they wanted to contact Tsuchimikado Harutora, that was for sure
”Should we go over too?”
”If Yah”
”But”
”First, even if we hurry over now, it'll just make chaos”
”I see”
”Also, if you go, who's going to protect me”
”Haahh”
Yuge was more or less used to Miyoshi+'s always-calm tone when he spoke Actually, Yamashi+ro was a National First-Class Onainst humans As a Special Senser, Miyoshi+ didn't ator Yae, as used to spiritual disasters as opponents Obviously, the foric battle
Never ami for now There was no reason that he would be unable to capture Tsuchimikado Natsume with just her as his opponent
”Also, we also have our own visitors”
”Eh?”
The e replied this, she also noticed the movements nearby She immediately put up a barrier inside the room
But,
”Yuge-shi+, the barrier only needs to cover you and me They won't be able to come in if you seal even the room”
”Is that alright?”
”The people there won't take any actions to provoke the Onency”
Come to think of it, the visitors were froe of the barrier and limited it around her and Miyoshi+
Afterwards, people of the e with pattering feet
Yuge slowly stood up from her chair
There were eight in total
Though they were dressed in various colors, they all carried powerful aura Perhaps they were all ajari It was Rian who entered first, his eyes glinting in his pale face As they had anticipated, he led the primary members of the Seishuku Temple reformist faction
Rian spoke to the sitting Miyoshi+
”Excuse ator Yamashi+ro is?”
”He just left”
”Where did he go?”