What a Fine Thing!
“──Stars.”
The mage called upon the source of her power. Betelgeuse, the alpha star of the Orion constellation drifting through the cosmos. The star that governs all beneath the heavens. No stars shone in the severed spirit vein's sky, isolated from reality—only a blood-red full moon cast its light—but it didn't matter.
“Stars.”
The mage's stars weren't in the sky; they were already etched into her soul.
“Grant me your power.”
Eris Betelgeuse, the star mage, summoned the stars within her soul.
──Domain Expansion. Fire magic. Fire Tornado.
Silent incantation, no chants needed. The storm of ferocious flames, infused with stellar energy and amplified, erupted from the ground. The calamity of fire, flecked with golden light, swirled into a vortex in an instant, incinerating the school building where new yokai were poking their heads out.
Roarrr!
The storm showed no mercy, engulfing concrete structures and monstrous flesh alike in indiscriminate blaze.
──Kieeeek!
Watching the yokai scream in agony, Eris gathered her stellar mana once more. She inscribed the stars' blessing upon her forehead. Vast mana converged in the air, soon forming a single star.
“──Domain Expansion.”
Transcendent magic. Falling Star.
At Eris Betelgeuse's command, a star plummeted from the pitch-black sky. Not a pretty twinkling light, but the incarnation of destruction to annihilate all monsters. The golden star crashed into the earth.
Kabooooom!
The wave of oncoming yokai vanished in an instant.
“Haha, this is too easy—no practice at all!”
Slash!
With every step, every flick of his wrist, sword light flared, and yokai heads and limbs scattered.
──Hmm?Slash!
The yokai died with blank stares, unaware of what had severed them, offering their necks freely. Normally, he'd toy with them leisurely, but today there was no time for games.
Boom!
He kicked off the ground, soaring into the air. If that wasn't enough, he stepped on nothingness itself, flying higher than skyscrapers. Such a spectacular display would surely draw envy and stares, but Shadow Art. He cloaked himself in pitch-black darkness, shadows draped like a garment. Just as yokai before midnight hid in the gloom, so too did he conceal his form. The rippling shadows masked his frantic movements from prying eyes, erasing his existence from ordinary perception.
It was a pity the media couldn't capture his exploits, but stars were meant to be elusive—he revealed himself selectively.
Slash! Slash!
In the blink of an eye, he beheaded yokai and melted back into the shadows. Unlike the shadows veiling him, azure flames of mana trailed in his wake. The sword in his hand eradicated yokai, while waves of fire reduced stray spirits to ash.
After slaying dozens, incinerating them like a rakshasa in endless slaughter—
“Hmm, that should do it.”
With a refreshed mood, he wiped the blood from his cheek and sheathed his sword. The blood on his hand turned to ash and scattered; the mountain of corpses before him dissolved into gray mist.
Thirty minutes since Hyakki Yagyo began. Thousands of yokai slain by his blade, tens of thousands of stray spirits burned. He'd cleared the entire Minato Ward around Karakura High School, his declared domain.
“Nice and tidy!”
A few stray spirits might lurk in hiding, but all yokai in the sector were exterminated. Faster than planned. Hanging out with Kenichi lately had honed his body control, it seemed.
“What a fine thing!”
Once today's business wrapped smoothly, he'd play with Kenichi, he resolved, turning his gaze. His sector done on schedule, now to aid the others. Lazy friends who couldn't handle mere thousands of yokai in time—diligent him would have to help.
──Observation Art.
Instantly forming the ritual, he spread his mana wide, grasping Tokyo's broad situation.
Skip Shinagawa where Shihei Estate is for now.
The Shihei had many close allies, but he'd entrusted them properly. The clan was formidable itself, and above all, current head Shihei Rin was no pushover. She'd sensed this Hyakki Yagyo first after him—she'd handle it.
For similar reasons, pass on Nerima's Kenju Estate, one of Tokyo's three great clans. They might even excel at yokai hunting. Japan's top warrior clan, reaching the pinnacle of exorcism with bare fists—they'd manage.
“Shihei's got the south, Kenju Clan the northwest.”
Left was northeast: Chiyoda, Chuo, Koto, Bunkyo, Arakawa, Taito, Sumida, Adachi, Katsushika, Edogawa wards. About ten sectors.
“Alright, let's go.”
…This is more manageable than I thought.
It was a sudden thought as Kitagawa Kenichi sliced through a charging yokai's neck.
How many had he cut down? He couldn't count precisely, but his nose was numb to the stench of blood.
Past yokai dissolved to ash, but tonight—special day or severed spirit vein?—corpses lingered.
My arms feel heavy.
His shirt soaked with blood, weighing him down. Unpleasant, his sword-grip hand trembled fiercely.
Still, Kenichi gripped tighter. Temptation to quit and flee remained, but it was doable.
──Kabooooom!
Two providing fire support, no less. Cento cast spells precisely where needed; Eris dominated one flank with overwhelming force. Stationed in the open sports field, no surprise attacks came. These geniuses, reaching mastery, overwhelmed with raw talent and power.
Just do my part.
Hold yokai while Cento prepped spells from the rear. No variables. Grab yokai leaping from the school building; dash to slice necks of sudden spawns nearby.
Yeah, stay focused.
Facing another relentless monster wave, Kenichi forced his grip firm.
Then, a crimson-black hand burst from the ground, snaring his ankle.
“...What?!”
Startled, Kenichi swung—but the hand unleashed immense strength, toppling his balance.
Damn!
Too late to sever the wrist; the main body erupted from the earth.
──Groooaaar…!
A yokai of dozens of crimson-black hands for torso, arms, legs. Born of what grudge? Unfathomable.
Crouched like a ball, it slammed captured Kenichi into the ground.
Kabooooom!
…Cough!
Pinned to the dirt, Kenichi's mind reeled, but he clung desperately, swinging his submerged sword.
Slash!
──Groooaaar!
He severed the ankle-grabbing hand. Kenichi sprang up, retreating.
Bam!
The red-hand yokai lunged with others, but dizziness overwhelmed more. Rubbing his swelling face, Kenichi exhaled.
“You okay?”
“...Yeah, still good.”
He answered with a bitter smile. Whining now was pointless, but everyone knew it was a lie. Even aloof Sawamura Cento, who rarely spoke, looked worried.
…Am I looking shaky?
Definitely—the impact's aftershock left body and mind on knockdown's edge. He wanted to collapse, sleep blanketless. But doing so meant no waking up.
“...We'll win for sure.”
Return alive, no doubt. Chanting a spell, Kenichi glared fiercely at the monster.
The yokai writhed its crimson-black hands approaching, then flung dozens wide to engulf him.
“──I'll kill you for sure.”
Roar!
He ignited his heart's mana. The small surge dispersed rapidly, fueling his body and swing.
Grrrrrind…!
Gripping the hilt crushingly, Kenichi swung.
──Ichimaru Style, Slash Strike.
Like the strike he'd once witnessed. Faint mana smoke shimmered on the blade; it cleaved the yokai.
Slash!
One breath severed incoming wrists; next, the torso. Blood spraying, Kenichi never released the swing.
──Cleaved.
Crunch!
Several times his size, yet he bisected the massive body.
──Groooaaar…
Kabooooom!
The red-hand yokai toppled askew with a roar, kicking up dust in the wind. Kenichi stood dazed, staring at his hands.
As if realizing something.