As day piled on day, he felt the vigilance around him intensify.

What had happened yesterday seemed to be having an effect. It was to be expected that the executive office now regarded Takaya as someone who required special surveillance. Patrollers’ suspicious and guarded gazes pierced him from the moment he passed the school gates.

(I wonder how they’ll respond?)

It looked as if they were taking the bait. As he’d expected, they were watching him quite closely: proof that he’d managed to shake Mikuriya.

(Who’s the aggressor here...?)

As far as Takaya could determine, there were three kanshoushakanshousha (換生者)

Those who possess others by driving out the soul from a body and making it theirs.

Unlike normal spirits, kanshousha cannot exchange bodies at will; they can only switch to another host body when their current body dies. Because kanshousha become the owners of their bodies, choubuku does not work on them. It is, however, still possible to exorcise kanshousha when they are in spirit-form (i.e. between possessions). at the school: student council president Mikuriya Juri and vice president Ozaki, and leader of the ‘recalcitrant element’, Nezu Kouichi.

All the students following Nezu were possessed by unidentified spirits—possessor spirits with noticeably greater power than the miscellaneous ghosts floating around the school.

(Subordinates of an onshouonshou (怨将)

Lit.: "vengeful general": the spirits of the warlords of the Sengoku period, who continue their battles even in modern-age Japan....)

In which case they were spirits of this land. And further: under the command of the onshou who ruled Kumamoto. This city was under martial law, and possessor spirits were being ruthlessly hunted down; no foreign spirit could possibly remain.

(Nezu is their leader...)

He was quite powerful; even if he was not the lord himself, he must be in the upper echelons. His identity remained undetermined, but Ryuuzouji was a distinct possibility. Or else another background Oda onshou...

(Oda, then...?)

Takaya planted both his elbows on his desk and sighed, glaring at Nezu’s back where he was seated right next to the window. He was concentrating on the class as if nothing had happened. But he seemed to feel Takaya’s gaze on his back.

(If he is an onshou, who the hell is he?)

And then there were ‘Mikuriya and Ozaki’.

Just because they were kanshousha didn’t automatically mean they were in the «Yami-SengokuYami Sengoku (闇戦国)

Lit.: "Dark Sengoku", the civil war still being fought by the spirits of the warlords of the Sengoku period in modern-day Japan.». There existed those with the power to perform kanshoukanshou (換生)

To possess another's body, driving out their soul, so as to be reborn with memories intact. Only Naoe of all the kanshousha has the power to perform kanshou on another soul. who were not from the SengokuSengoku (戦国)

The "warring states" period, lasting from 1467 to 1615, in which the warlords of Japan battled each other for the rule of the country. Period.

(I need more information...)

He hadn’t the faintest clue who those two really were.

He hadn’t grasped their aim or incentive for changing the student council like this, but it probably had something to do with the outbreak of the spiritual magnetism in this school.

He might as well assume they were related.

And then there were the miscellaneous spirits drawn to school by that force. Mikuriya was using them to establish the student council’s control. Or—no, not the spirits themselves, but that which was pulling them in. If there was a magnet at Old Castle High SchoolOld Castle High School (古城高校)

Old Castle (Kojou) High School is a fictional school set at the site of the castle which was torn down to make way for Katou Kiyomasa's Kumamoto Castle (also named Kumamoto but using different characters—隈本城 instead of 熊本城). It's likely where real-life Kumamoto Prefectural Daiichi (First) High School stands.

It was originally built as a Western school by foreigners during the Meiji Period (Daiichi was built in 1903 as an all-girls school but later become co-ed). The current school was built around 20 years ago (1970s) and is composed of two three-story buildings to north and south connected by a series of hallways with air-conditioned rooms. It also has a sports oval, a prefabricated club storehouse, and a gym under construction. Kumamoto Castle Park is quite close. pulling spirits in, then each student could also said to be carrying a tiny magnet. That was what it felt like. He couldn’t say what it was, but its presence or absence was having some kind of subconscious effect on the students. It was like they were being brainwashed.

(But for what?)

Could Mikuriya and Ozaki have been the ones to throw the spiritual magnetic field out of kilter in the first place?

(Just to change the student council?)

There must be something more. If they only wanted to rule, they didn’t have to do it from Old Castle High School.

Conversely, if it had to be from this school, why?

(This was Sassa NarimasaSassa Narimasa (佐々成政) Feb. 2, 1536 - July 7, 1588

Also known as: Kuranosuke—nickname (内蔵助)
Titles: Mutsu no Kami, Ecchuu no Kami, Chamberlain

A daimyo of the Sengoku, born in Owari. His father was Sassa Morimasa. His two older brothers, Sassa Masatsugu and Sassa Magosuke, died in battle, so Narimasa became head of the clan and master of Hira Castle in 1560. He distinguished himself in the loyal service of Oda Nobunaga and fought in many of Nobunaga's battles. His name was first on a list for the Kurohoro-gumi, an elite group of Nobunaga's bodyguards.

In 1580, he backed Jinbou Nagazumi against both the Uesugi Clan and the Ikkou-ikki in Ecchuu, and was given half the province. The following year, he was named governor (Kami) of the entire province when Jinbou Nagazumi lost his standing. He made Toyama Castle his main castle and performed extensive repairs and renovations on it.

After Nobunaga's death in 1582, Narimasa continued to engage in fierce battles with Uesugi Kagekatsu. He took the side of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobukatsu against Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but later surrendered to him in 1585 when Hideyoshi laid siege to Toyama Castle with 10,000 troops. He lost Ecchuu, but was given a fief in Higo in 1587 for merits in the suppression of Kyuushuu, along with instructions on refraining from hasty reforms. Ignoring those instructions because of illness or perhaps misunderstanding, Narimasa immediately set out on Hideyoshi's nationwide land survey, resulting in rebellion of the province. He was charged with misgovernment and committed ritual suicide.

He wrote the following as his death-poem: "The shell of my begging bowl in which I have placed the evil delusions of these recent days now breaks" (この頃の　厄妄想を　入れ置きし　鉄鉢袋　今破るなり).

Narimasa is said to have brutally killed his concubine, Sayuri, along with her family for a rumor of infidelity. The legend goes that Sayuri cursed him before she died, and the curse was responsible for his death at the hand of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

In Mirage of Blaze: He is kanshousha who has entered the «Yami-Sengoku» as one of the Oda's commanders, described as a tanned, fearless-looking young man, a "mountain cat in human skin." He and Mori Ranmaru don't appear to be on the best of terms. He later seeks his death at Sayuri's hands in remorse for the way he brutally tortured and killed her in their previous lives.’s original castle.)

Did it have something to do with that?

...He didn’t know.

(You...) Takaya narrowed his eyes as he looked at Nezu. (You have all the answers, don’t you, Nezu Kouichi?)

At that moment—

Something white came flying from the front of the classroom like an arrow and hit Takaya straight in the forehead.

“Ow...!”

He lifted his head, a hand pressed against his forehead, to see Chiaki Shuuhei on the podium with chalk in hand, grinning toothily at him. That was what had hit him: Chiaki had thrown a piece of chalk at him.

“What the hell, knucklehead!”

“You’re daydreaming again, Ougi. You’d better pay attention, or you’re not gonna pass this class.” On the podium, Chiaki cocked his head with theatrical triumphant. He dangled another piece of chalk between his fingers and said, “You only just transferred here, so you don’t know how far the class has progressed. That means you should be putting in more effort than your classmates.”

“...So, so this is how it’s gonna be?” Takaya groaned in mortification. Now he understood why Chiaki had been putting so much practice into his darts game. This had been his endgame all along. Takaya was disgusted, but Chiaki looked absolutely delighted.

“If you don’t want another piece of chalk tossed at you, here, come up to the front and solve question 5 on page 175 in your workbook.”

“God...damn it...!”

He was obviously using his position for nefarious ulterior purposes. But since Takaya was a student, he had no choice but to obey. With quivering shoulders he looked at his workbook and saw that it was the most difficult problem on the page. To put it plainly, he had no idea how to solve it.

“What’s wrong, Ougi?” Chiaki smirked maliciously. “Well? Come on up.”

The entire class looked at Takaya with pity and doubt. Takaya’s fists shook violently.

(I’ll remember this...you...coward!)

“Shining serpent...?” Takaya’s eyes widened as Chiaki related what he had heard about Nakajima. “What’s that supposed to be?”

Chiaki had summoned Takaya to the math teachers’ office. Chiaki had gone out drinking again last night and had returned late, so they hadn’t had much time to talk.

He had evicted the other teachers with some reason or another and told him the tale.

“I haven’t figured it out yet. But it seems to have a deep connection to Nakajima-senseihonorifics

A brief list of honorifics used in address:

san (さん) - the most common honorific, usually used to address someone outside one's immediate circle with respect
kun (君) - usually used towards boys and men of junior status or equal age and status
chan (ちゃん) - a diminutive used mainly towards children, and intimate friends, especially women; also used as an endearment for girls
sama (様) - the formal form of "san", showing a high level of respect
senpai (先輩) - used to refer to someone with a more senior status, such as a freshman towards a senior
sensei (先生) - often translated as "teacher", but can actually be used to show respect for anyone with superior knowledge in a field, including doctors and writers
dono/tono (殿) - an antiquated term which roughly translates to "lord", used to show great respect for the addressee, who can be of equal or higher status than the speaker
uji/shi (氏) - in ancient times, carried the meaning "of the ~ clan" or "of the ~ surname"; now used in formal speech and writing to refer to someone unfamiliar to the speaker.
hime (姫) - used to denote a princess or lady of higher/noble birth
’s death. It worries me that in the last six months, this school has had two other teacher deaths.”

“That...” Takaya sat down in a nearby seat, “worries me as well. Has your investigation turned up anything?”

“Working on it. I’m getting some information from the other teachers. I wasn’t just treating them at the bar.”

“That’s why you went out drinking last night?”

“I wasn’t just getting drunk late into the night. Show me a little appreciation, at least.” Chiaki opened his pocketbook and read out his results. “The dead are Akiyama-sensei of the English department and Ikeda-sensei of the Earth Sciences department. Plus Nakajima-sensei of the Math department. They were all up there in years, and the causes of death were heart failure and strokes, etc. In any case, all three died suddenly. There’s another point I’m concerned about. I heard this from a colleague in the English department. Akiyama-sensei, who died first, was acting strangely the night before his death. According to his family, he became deathly afraid of ‘snakes’. When he saw a cord or rope, he would panic and cry out, ‘Snake! Snake! Kill it!’”

“...‘Snake’ again, huh?” Takaya grimaced. “Maybe he saw the ‘shining serpent’ too, then?”

“I probed a little more into the three of them. They evidently had more points in common.”

“Points in common?”

“One was that they were critical of the student council’s Mikuriya system. And there was another.” Chiaki pushed up his glasses. “They opposed the renovation of the gym.”

“Gym...?”

“Yeah. You can regard it as the source of the magnetism.”

Takaya gave Chiaki a sidelong glance. “You’re saying they were murdered because they opposed the renovation?”

“I heard a strange rumor. Construction work on the gym was suddenly brought up only six months ago. That was right around the time the Mikuriya executive office was formed. Meanwhile, there was some kind of shuffle inside the prefectural office, and the gym renovation was decided on with unbelievable speed. The three teachers protested to the prefecture that a renovation was not yet needed. They also fiercely criticized the Mikuriya system—they were perhaps the only people of conscience in the school.”

“...And all of them died suddenly.”

“They were probably disappeared because they were seen as nuisances.”

“By Mikuriya Juri?”

Chiaki only looked at Takaya. Takaya leaned back in his chair and wrapped both arms around his stomach.

"Each of the students seems to have something like a tiny magnet pulling spirits toward them. I’m almost sure they have some kind of urge implanted in their subconscious—that’s why they’re so submissive towards Mikuriya. You could call it brainwashing.

I don’t know if the teachers who died had it, but most of the current staff are also under Mikuriya’s influence. They’re as easy to manipulate by suggestion as children. I’m guessing Mikuriya’s brainwashing were not effective against those three."

“It looks like Mikuriya is in contact with the prefectural office and building contractors.” Takaya looked up sharply. “I saw her take them to the work site yesterday. There were two kanshousha among them.”

“Kanshousha?”

“Yeah, I’m sure of it. Plus Mikuriya has made the gym strictly off-limits to the entire student body and staff. She was very on edge. Our usually noh-masked princess totally freaked out; she raked me over the coals.”

“...”

“There must be something in that gym.”

“The source of the magnetism?”

“The magnet itself.”

Takaya’s lips pressed into a thin line as he looked at the gym. “The ‘shining serpent’ is probably some kind of death-curse.”

“I heard those contractors and prefecture employees are coming again today. We probably need to check up on them together with the gym.”

“Yeah. I’ll do some investigating, too. This school is already too entangled with the onshou.”

“What?” Chiaki’s eyes widened.

“Nezu Kouichi in my class. He didn’t divulge his name, but he knows who I really am, and he told me to get out of Kumamoto. He’s antagonistic towards Mikuriya. He’s probably Ryuuzouji or another of Oda’s generals.”

“Hum...him? He’s pretty full of himself when it comes to his class work. No wonder I thought his expression looked so revolting. This is getting interesting.”

“You should be careful, too. He has the power of contact mind-reading.”

“Contact mind-reading...?” Chiaki frowned at the uncommon reference. “You mean he’s one of those people who can read your thoughts through physical touch...”

“Yeah. I’m sure of it.”

“I wouldn’t have expected someone of such high ability here.”

“And yet. I barely stopped him from probing all the way into me. He’s quite strong. He got a lot of information in just an instant. So you’d better stay alert.”

“I’m not you. I don’t blunder.”

“You have a come-back for everything.” Takaya stood. “I gotta get back. Can’t have the executive office getting suspicious.”

“You don’t think Mikuriya et. al. have already figured out that I’m a kanshousha?”

“Maybe. But keep a low profile. We’re still student and teacher for now,” Takaya said nonchalantly, looking out the window—when suddenly his eyes grew wide at something he had spotted.

“? ...What’s wrong?”

“Over there. Those men getting out of the car.”

Chiaki followed his gaze.

“Right...it’s them. The building contractors.”

“What?”

“Look over there. That guy in the gray business suit getting out of the white car and the senior citizen getting out of the second car— they’re the kanshousha from yesterday. They’re colluding with Mikuriya.”

“...” Takaya looked at the men with wide eyes, holding his breath. He couldn’t believe his eyes. But there was nothing wrong with his vision. From this distance there was no mistaking him.

“? ...What’s wrong?” Chiaki asked, puzzled at Takaya’s deer-in-the-headlights look.

Takaya was agitated. His mouth was stiff. It couldn’t be...Takaya thought, straining his eyes.

“Oi, Kagetora?”

“That man...”

“What?”

“That man, the one in the black cashmere coat.” Takaya muttered the name, his face full of disbelief: “That’s...Kaizaki.”

“What did you say?”

“It’s Kaizaki... Kaizaki Makoto...”

It startled Chiaki. “Kaizaki?! No way! The Satomi dude?! The dude from Keibu Real EstateKeibu Real Estate (京武不動産)

The real estate arm of Keibu Group. Its CEO is Tatsumi Yoshitsugu, and its employees include Kaizaki Makoto and Yashiro., Satomi YoshitakaSatomi Yoshitaka (里見義堯) 1507 - June 19, 1574

Satomi Yoshitaka was the son of Satomi Sanetaka and became head of the Satomi Clan by killing the then-head, his cousin Satomi Yoshitoyo (son of his father's older brother Satomi Yoshimichi) in 1534. The traditional version of the story goes that Yoshitoyo killed Yoshitaka's father, who was in communication with the Houjou, and Yoshitaka killed him in revenge. In recent years, however, historians have theorized that Yoshitaka and Sanetaka, father and son, allied themselves with the Satomi Clan's bitter enemy, the Houjou Clan, in order to take over the clan. They then changed the records to hide the fact that they betrayed the Houjou Clan after their plan succeeded.

As clan head, Yoshitaka fought numerous battles with Houjou Ujitsuna and Houjou Ujiyasu. He pushed into Shimousa and Kazusa, making his stronghold Kuruji Castle in Kazusa, and brought about the golden age of the clan. He battled the Houjou to the last and died at Kuruji Castle at the age of 68.’s great-great-many-times-great grandson?!”

“... Why would he...?!” Takaya paled and began to tremble. “Why would he be here...?!”

Chiaki elbowed Takaya out of the way and leaned toward the window. Right, he‘d looked familiar because his picture had been among the profiles of Keibu Real Estate employees Fuuma Kotarou had gathered. He’d heard about Kaizaki from Ayako. It had taken her and the others only about ten days after the ’Rite of Passage to Hell’ to march into E Island, but by that time Kaizaki had already disappeared. His whereabouts alone was unaccounted for.

(Why is Satomi’s descendant here...?!)

“! ...Kagetora!”

Takaya had dashed out of the room without a word. His body had moved quicker than thought.

Takaya hurtled himself down the stairs and ran for the entrance. Kaizaki and the others had entered through the visitors’ entrance. Takaya stopped dead in his tracks in front of the gangway bridge as he came face-to-face with the suits coming down the corridor.

The others regarded the panting student quizzically. Takaya bit his lip as his eyes sought out one among them. ...He hadn’t been mistaken.

(Kaizaki...)

He said nothing, but he cried out the name in his heart. The tall man in the black cashmere coat fixed his black eyes on Takaya.

Kaizaki, too, stood still.

Takaya glared at Kaizaki, clenching his fists hard to stop their trembling. Though he looked as if he wanted to say something, he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.

Kaizaki stared straight at Takaya before narrowing his eyes.

“...”

The suits brushed past Takaya. Kaizaki lowered his eyes for an instant, and all the expression left his face. He deliberately looked away from Takaya and walked on.

“Kai...! ...!”

What stopped Takaya’s breath was Kaizaki’s hand touching Takaya’s as he passed, his face completely deadpan. Not just touched: he’d slid something into Takaya’s hand.

(What...?!)

The movement had been so natural that no one had spotted it. But he had pressed a business card into Takaya’s hand: Kaizaki’s own business card. He looked at its back in surprise. There, written with a ballpoint pen, were the words:

’Kumamoto Castle Unopened Gate [Akazu-no-Mon]. 2:00 p.m."

“!” Takaya lifted his head. Kaizaki was already past the stairs.

He was surprised yet again as he re-read the words. The handwriting was very similar to that of the message card which had told Kotarou and the others where to find Takaya when he’d been confined during the E Island case.

It was also very similar...to Naoe’s handwriting.

“...”

Chiaki caught up to him as he stood frozen in place, looking after Kaizaki.

“Kagetora...”

Takaya glared harshly into midair, his hand gripping Kaizaki’s business card tightly.

“Whaaat? You went home with Ougi yesterday?” Tetsuya’s face soured as he listened to Akemi telling him about what had happened yesterday. “Yeah, greaaat. The groupie girl finally wants to get together with a flesh-and-blood boy?”

“Stop that. We only walked together because we were going the same way and it was raining. Agh, you brought cigarettes again—” Akemi said, snatching the cigarette box out of Tetsuya’s hand. “What’ll you do if the members of the patrol committee find you with this!”

“Shut up and stop nagging. You’re such a busybody. You can just stay a groupie forever.”

Tetsuya bared his teeth as he leaned against the corridor. Akemi huffed, “You’re such a bother to Ougi-kun! Don’t ever assault him again like you did yesterday! I’ll never forgive you otherwise! I’m not an elementary schoolgirl anymore. I’m not someone who’s going to cry because you bullied me!”

“Humph. As I thought,” Tetsuya pressed his face closer maliciously. “You have a crush on Ougi.”

“!” Her face flamed. “It...it’s none of your business!”

“Bull’s-eye.”

Akemi blushed so easily that she couldn’t hide anything from anyone. Her irritation was a confession in itself.

“This is what happens as soon as you’ve got a guy who’s even a bit good-looking. You girls, man.”

“He...he’s at least a way better person than you! He’s way more mature and kinder and stronger than he looks! If you pick a fight with him you’ll lose for sure!”

“What did you say?!”

The moment he raised his voice, a party of patrol committee members coming down the hall glared at them. Akemi hurriedly shut Tetsuya up.

“E...everything’s fine,” she smiled ingratiatingly as the party walked off. Tetsuya narrowed his eyes as he was released.

“Who’d lose to a guy like him? You’ve gotta be kidding me!”

“Geez...”

He burned with quite the keen sense of rivalry. That Takaya seemed entirely indifferent to him pissed him off even more. Tetsuya railed alone. Akemi sighed.

“You haven’t made any progress from elementary school. You must’ve given Hokage-chan a hard time, too.”

Tetsuya’s reaction seemed nervous.

“Speaking of which, Ougi-kun said something about Hokage-chan yesterday.”

“What?”

“He knew about her. Someone must’ve told him.”

“He knows?” Tetsuya suddenly looked grim. “What do you mean? What does he know?”

“Only that Hokage-chan’s disappeared.”

“Why would he ask about that?!”

“H-how would I know!”

(Why is Ougi asking about Hokage...?)

Tetsuya’s wariness surged.

He hadn’t told anyone about his younger sister. She went to another school, and other than students who had gone to junior high with him, most of them didn’t even know that Tetsuya had a twin sister.

Yet the rumors had spread, it seemed.

(That asshole...) Tetsuya’s hostility grew as he felt his family affairs being suddenly and rudely intruded upon. (This isn’t over—!)

“Te-chan...” a worried Akemi said hastily, “has Hokage-chan really gone missing like everybody’s saying? Is she okay? You know what really happened to her, right?”

“...” Tetsuya glared ahead of him fiercely. “I don’t know! What my head house does is no business of mine.”

“Head house?”

“Look, Inaba. If Hokage’s pulled a vanishing act, it’s no concern of mine. If the eyesore is finally gone, all I feel is relief. I don’t care about Hokage at all. And you shouldn’t stick your nose into it anymore, either.”

“You’re horrible, Te-chan!”

“Why don’t you go chase your transfer student ass?” Tetsuya snapped, and disappeared down the hall.

Akemi wanted to say something to stop him but couldn’t, and deflated despondently.

Someone had been observing Akemi and Tetsuya’s exchange from a corner of the hall: Nezu Kouichi and his followers.

“That boy—something’s happened to him, as we thought.”

“Mmm,” Nezu nodded emphatically. “The only person in this school not implanted with an egg. I didn’t think it was only due to his constitution...” After a moment of thought, Nezu turned to the other students. “What of Ougi Takaya?”

“He’s been probing into various matters. Mikuriya’s vigilance has increased.”

“He doesn’t intend to withdraw, I take it.”

The student nodded. Nezu tched.

“So he is going to disregard my warning. We have some awkward customers poking their noses into our business.”

“Should we drive him off?”

“It appears we have no other choice. It won’t do to have him throwing everything into chaos. All of you, proceed with caution.”

All the students answered ‘Aye’ with serious faces.

Nezu stared fixedly ahead with a stern gaze.

Takaya feigned illness to get out of his afternoon classes.

Kumamoto Castle, Unopened Gate. 2 p.m.

Takaya headed for Kumamoto Castle Park as instructed.

It wasn’t far from the school to the castle: about ten minutes’ walk. The Unopened Gate was located within the castle site. Takaya bought a ticket at the Hohoate Gate near the front entrance and went in.

As might be expected of Kumamoto City’s premier must-see landmark, tourists filled the place even on a weekday. Now on the other side of that fine wall, Takaya looked at the magnificent keep towering over all.

Kumamoto Castle was known as one of Japan’s most three famous castles. HigoHigo-no-kuni (肥後国)

A province of ancient Japan which is Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyuushuu today. It bordered the provinces of Chikugo, Bungo, Hyuuga, Osumi, and Satsuma, and was held by the lords of those provinces during the Sengoku Period until Toyotomi Hideyoshi invaded Higo. He gave the province to Sassa Narimasa, then Katou Kiyomasa, then the Hosokawa Clan. commander Katou Kiyomasa had built it in seven years. The grand structures of the big tower and little tower were at the center, and surrounding them were a fine turret and enclosure that had probably formed part of the keep of the small castle. Special attention should be paid to the beauty of the stone wall built in the ‘Kiyomasa Style’. Its stones were fitted in such a way as to describe an elegant, clean curve while still serving well against enemy action.

Its dimensions and impact surpassed that of Matsumoto CastleMatsumoto Castle (松本城)

Also known as: 深志城 (Fukashi-jou), 鴉城 (Karasu-jou)

A castle in Matsumoto which was built by the Ogasawara Clan during the Sengoku Period (then called Fukashi-jou). It was captured by Takeda Shingen in 1550 and recaptured by Ogasawara Sadayoshi in 1582, who changed the castle's name to Matsumoto Castle. Later it came under the rule of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Hideyoshi appointed Ishikawa Kazumasa the new lord of Matsumoto Castle, and he and his son, Ishikawa Yasunaga, maintained the castle and town. Yasunaga greatly expanded the castle probably around the years 1593-1594, adding the three towers tenshu (danjon tower), inui-kotenshu (small tower in the northwest), and watari-yagura (connecting scaffold), as well as the goten (residence), taikomon (drum gate), kuromon (black gate), yagura (scaffold), hori (trench), honmaru (the main wing), ninomaru (the second wing), and sannomaru (the third wing).

Matsumoto Castle is one of the best-preserved castles in Japan and is one of the designated national treasures. It is also called "Crow Castle (Karasu-jou)" for its black walls. by an order of magnitude, such that Matsumoto Castle seemed rather pitiful by comparison. Kiyomasa’s original Kumamoto Castle had been destroyed in the 10th year of Meiji (1877) during the Satsuma Rebellion, and the current structures had been rebuilt in the 35th year of Shouwa (1960).

Passing by a group listening to a guide’s exposition, Takaya followed a map toward the Unopened Gate. It had been built in the castle’s unlucky northeastern direction, and was behind the castle tower. Apparently the tourists hadn’t made it this far: it was deserted.

He descended the gentle hill road. A figure was already standing in front of the gate, apparently alone.

Kaizaki Makoto.

“...”

Takaya braced himself. He was tense; this was the first time he would be speaking to Kaizaki since that night.

Many thoughts had passed through his head since then, and continuously.

But now that Kaizaki was standing in front of him, he didn’t know what to say.

Kaizaki turned, sensing his presence. Not a single one of his movements was wasted. Takaya shivered without reason as he looked at the black cashmere covering that supple, graceful body— the same one which had covered his, once upon a time. The shiver was not because he was afraid of Kaizaki, but because Kaizaki thrilled Takaya’s senses, and it bewildered him.

“You came after all,” Kaizaki abruptly said. “I’m happy to be able to see you again, Ougi Takaya.”

“You...!” Takaya stiffened his spine and glared at Kaizaki as he would an enemy. He feared being overwhelmed by emotion. “Why are you here, Kaizaki?”

“...”

“Why are you in Kumamoto? Why did you come to that school? What are you up to this time? What is Satomi’s relic scheming?”

“Scheming sounds so disreputable,” Kaizaki smiled. “I’m only in Kumamoto for work. The construction company contracted to renovate Old Castle High School is a Keibu affiliate. It has conducted many projects in cooperation with my company.”

“...And? Are you planning to establish a resort in Aso this time?”

“...”

Takaya asked guardedly, “Satomi is connected to Oda. Are you attempting to ingratiate yourself with Mikuriya’s associates as Oda’s spy?”

“I’ve severed my bond to Satomi. I don’t know anything about Oda. I’m just an ordinary citizen now.”

“What a transparent lie.”

“Satomi no longer exists in this world—is that not so?” Kaizaki quietly rejoined. “You people were the ones who severed my bond to Satomi when you destroyed them. I was threatened and coerced, forced to go along with Satomi Yoshitaka’s plot. I can breathe freely now. I finally have my freedom, and I thank you.”

“Could it be...were you the one who betrayed Satomi?”

“...”

“Was is you who told them where I was being held, Kaizaki?”

Kaizaki narrowed eyes like black quartz. He inclined his head slightly. “...So you figured it out.”

“You...”

“I believed you would be able to crush Satomi’s plot. Your command of the battlefield at ‘E Island’ was magnificent. It was due to your people’s labors that Satomi was destroyed and I was released.”

“And now you’re working as Oda’s minion?” Kaizaki was silent. Takaya snarled and glared at him, and pressed hard, “Don’t give me your feeble excuses. Otherwise you wouldn’t be here. What is your objective?”

“And why are you here, Ougi Takaya?” he parried, stopping Takaya in his tracks. “I’m the one with a right to be surprised. I never imagined I would meet you here. Is your school not in MatsumotoMatsumoto City (松本市)

The largest city in Nagano Prefecture, Matsumoto is surrounded by mountains and is acclaimed for its beautiful views.?”

“Enough of this playacting.” Takaya’s glare intensified as if to say, You can’t deceive me. “Those men from earlier were kanshousha with a connection to Mikuriya. How much do you know about them? What are they scheming?”

“...Takaya-san.”

Takaya’s entire body shivered.

He hadn’t heard those words for such a long time. To have it suddenly said to him now—he felt as if his heart might stop. “Wh...!”

“This is the first time we’ve met since that night.”

“...What...?”

Kaizaki suddenly smiled at the unsettled Takaya. “I remember you as you were that night.” Feeling as if they had just stepped into the heart of the matter, Takaya stiffened. Kaizaki’s gaze dropped slightly as he slowly approached Takaya. “That night you were, yes. So brittle. As if you would crumble away at a touch. You trembled like a child beneath my chest.”

“I...have...no idea what....”

“You do know.”

Kaizaki slowly followed as Takaya retreated. Takaya’s back hit the wall, and Kaizaki placed his left hand next to Takaya’s face as if to say, I won’t let you run away. Takaya’s eyes opened wide, and he gulped.

“You remember.” Kaizaki’s other hand reached for the nape of Takaya’s neck.

His leather-clad fingers touched skin. Takaya shivered and tilted his head to the sky. Kaizaki looked down on him and smiled.

“There. You haven’t forgotten.”

“What...are you...”

“Yes, I left a mark here. And here—”

“...!”

He was getting goosebumps from the cold feel of leather. Taking advantage of Takaya’s motionlessness, Kaizaki’s hand drifted disquietingly down to Takaya’s clothes. He undid a button of Takaya’s uniform.

“Here as well.”

“You...!”

“And here.”

The solid hand thrust into the seam of his collar. Takaya went rigid as he struggled to hold back the sound trying to leave his throat. A gloved finger moved across his skin as if to ascertain each of the bruises those lips had left on him that night.

“Here... And yes, here as well.”

Takaya clenched his teeth. His body twitched and jolted as each mark was traced in turn. Kaizaki, watching his desperate effort to hold himself back, whispered into his ear so close that Takaya could feel his breath, “There. I knew you remembered.”

“Mn...guh...!” As if to drown out the sound that had slipped out of him despite himself, Takaya violently shook his head. “Why...?!” he spat, “Why did you do it?!”

“...‘Why’?”

“You’ve got it wrong! I don’t starve. I’m not sad about anything. I’m not so weak as to need your sympathy! I don’t want comfort from you. If you think you understand me just from those few words, you’re deluded at best! You have no right to touch me again if you’re the type of person who’d sleep with someone out of pity!”

“But you accepted me.”

“...!”

“Your heart called out to me. That’s why you didn’t deny me. You allowed me to touch you.”

“That’s a rapist’s excuse.”

“Do you think I did what I did to comfort you? Because I pity you?”

Takaya fell silent.

Kaizaki expression was seriousness itself.

“True... Perhaps those sentiments were there. I did want to comfort you. There are those who claim that to feel compassion or the desire to comfort someone is evidence of condescension, ...but does there exist a human being alive who could stand by and do nothing for one whose failing heart had brought them to the point of death?”

“Kaizaki...”

“If you think it was comfort or pity, then scorn it as you will. It doesn’t matter. In any case, I will make no excuses for what I did.”

“Then what was it...” Takaya demanded desperately, “if it wasn’t comfort, what was it? Or did it not matter to you whom you were with? You just wanted to sleep with someone...?!”

“You are devious.”

A sharp pain ran across his heart, and Takaya’s eyes widened.

“You are devious. You demand an answer from me despite already knowing everything. You already know.”

“Ah—...”

“The answer is inside you.”

Takaya shook his head.

Kaizaki insisted intently, “Remember.”

“...” Takaya bit his lip. He glared so hard that if he let up, the tears would start running down his face.

(Kaizaki...)

Takaya closed his eyes as if in resignation.

The man had spoken true.

He was lying to himself. He was deceiving himself. He could remember everything that had happened that night.

Takaya knew also that it hadn’t been anything so simple as comfort.

There had been just a little tenderness at the beginning. And then it had been like being assailed by a tempest.

He had trembled at the violence of it—violence to such a degree that he had prickled with the sense of physical peril. He’d heard the man cry out his name as painful kisses had been pressed into his back. Fingers had probed deeply into him, ardently loving; nails had dug into his skin until the very moment he’d relinquished consciousness.

If it had been purely comfort, the memory of it would not have been etched so deeply in his body. He knew it hadn’t been. If it had been something given simply for the sake of giving, it would not have held so much power.

(You wanted it...) Takaya said soundlessly. (You wanted me, Kaizaki.)

Takaya looked straight up at the other man.

Kaizaki gazed intently back at Takaya.

Then he finally let his lids fall, quietly hiding the force of his focus, and calmly moved his face closer to Takaya’s.

Takaya tilted his head and closed his eyes.

Their lips met gently.

They spoke mouth to mouth so that there would be no space for words to escape. Then their lips pressed harder together to eliminate any gap through which those words could spill forth.

Takaya craned his head up for more. He craved the feelings being transmitted to him. Kaizaki opened his eyes in surprise. Like a famished chick, Takaya desperately, frantically took him in, and then suffused himself: his blood, his flesh, his bones. Thoroughly, everywhere.

(I need more...) he seemed to be saying, and Kaizaki deepened the kiss in response. A completely unforeseen intensity sprang up between them.

“...”

They quietly parted from the long kiss as if to quell the overflowing intensity by bottling it away in their chests.

Kaizaki’s black eyes were fixed on Takaya.

“You won’t ask me...who I am?”

“I won’t ask,” Takaya answered, staring up at Kaizaki. A strong determination glittered in those eyes. “I won’t demand answers. Who you are. I’ll come to the answer myself.”

“... Not even what I meant when I said ‘he’s a counterfeit’?”

Takaya was silent for a moment. “The answer is inside me, isn’t it?”

“Takaya-san.”

“Who you are. What you mean by ‘counterfeit’. What is real. How you know. ...If the answers to all my doubts are inside my heart, then I don’t want someone else’s help seizing them. What you call a nightmare smacks of an escape to me, but even if by some chance it’s true, I want to wake myself up by my own power.”

“...”

“I’ll try and believe you just a little.”

“...You’re not afraid of believing?”

“I don’t care if I’m wrong—...”

Oh yes...this was it, Kaizaki thought, gritting his teeth.

This shard of strength. It was not at all grand, but even brittle as he had become and stripped of all his armor, this tiny strength never vanished. —Kaizaki felt nostalgic. Though it seemed mere defiance, this shard of courage was beautiful and dear to him. Kagetora in this form charmed and captivated him profoundly, he recalled.

The change in Takaya was slight. It probably couldn’t even be called a step forward. But he had at least lifted his eyes. He had turned to face him.

“...”

Kaizaki reached for Takaya’s shoulders and clasped him wordlessly to his chest.

Takaya’s eyes widened.

“Kai...”

He wrapped both arms around him and held on for a long moment.

He murmured into Takaya’s ear, “You are your own greatest ally.”

“...”

“To break free of this maze in which you find yourself, listen to your inner voice. You must not force yourself to deny the feeling of ‘wrongness’. When you feel it, accept the self that feels it.”

“...”

“You have the power of sight.”

Takaya was motionless, his eyes wide.

“If you wish it, I will rally to your call.”

(Huh...?!)

Surprised, Takaya pushed Kaizaki away.

Kaizaki looked quite serious.

“What did you say?”

“I will exert myself for your sake. Nothing I do will be to your disadvantage. I will take responsibility for everything. In return, will you not withdraw from Kumamoto completely?”

“What...?”

“I will undertake this mission in your place. So please pull out from Kumamoto...no, from KyuushuuKyuushuu (九州)

Also known as: Kyuukoku (九国: “nine states”), Chinzei (鎮西: “west of the pacified area”), Tsukushi-shima (筑紫島: “island of Tsukushi”), Saikaidou (西海道: “West Sea Route”).

Lit.: "Nine Provinces", the third-largest and most southerly and westerly island of Japan. Its name comes from the former provinces of Japan situated on the island: Chikuzen, Chikugo, Hizen, Higo, Buzen, Bungo, Hyuuga, Osumi, and Satsuma. It is now comprised of the prefectures of Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Ooita, Saga, and Okinawa. entirely. If you can, stop fighting.”

“!” Takaya came back to himself and went on the defensive. His expression became guarded, and his eyes sharpened. “What are you trying to do...? Did you really think I could do something like that?”

“...”

“You wanted to use me, is that it?! Was all of this just to make the Uesugi pull back...?!”

“This is no trick,” Kaizaki immediately declared. “You still won’t trust me?”

“...” Takaya’s eyes narrowed with a look of pain, and he forcefully turned his face away. “They’re two different things. There’s no way I can accept you as my ally.”

Kaizaki looked down. He’d known very well what Takaya’s response would be. “Then this is the starting point for our negotiations.”

“...”

“Very well. I must now return to my rendezvous with the others.”

“With Mikuriya?”

“With the prefecture employees and prefectural assembly member Umehara, whom I was with earlier. You’ve already noticed there are kanshousha among them, I believe,” Kaizaki stated straightforwardly. “As you have probably guessed, they are under an onshou’s command. Their true names are Kai SouunKai Souun (甲斐親直) 1508? 1515? - 1583-08-22

Also known as: Kai Chikanao (甲斐 親直)

Son of Kai Chikanobu and chief retainer of Aso Koretoyo, chief priest of Higo Province's Aso Shrine and head of the Aso Clan. His excellent military strategies and diplomatic maneuvering helped the Aso Clan retain its territories after one ally, the Ootomo Clan, suffered a catastrophic defeat to the Shimazu Clan in the Battle of Mimi-kawa and another, the Sagara Clan surrendered to Shimazu and was ordered to attack its former ally.

He died of illness in 1583 at the age of 75 (some said he was poisoned by his granddaughter, daughter of his heir Kai Chikahide). Souun's loyalty to the Aso Clan was such that he mercilessly purged any who tried to betray his family or disobey his family's policies, including killing his second and third sons and exiling his fourth for approaching Itou Yoshisuke of Hyuuga. In response Chikahide tried to assassinate his father, but his attempt was exposed. He only escaped death thanks to the pleas of Souun's vassals and because he was heir. Chikahide's wife's father had also been killed by Souun for disloyalty, and she was so terrified that she allegedly ordered her daughter to poison Souun. and Takahashi Jouun; they are comrades of Tachibana Dousetsu.”

“Takahashi Jouun and Kai Souun...!”

Kaizaki nodded and added, “You know who they are, of course.”

“Are you serious?! You mean Mikuriya and Ozaki are actually Ootomo...! Sourin’s...!” Takaya was saying, when suddenly Kaizaki whirled around. Takaya cut himself off.

“Looks like we’ve been spied on.”

“Wh...!”

At that moment—

A black silhouette sprang up from the shadow of the wall and sprinted toward the hill. Kaizaki reacted quickly. He snapped around on his heels and took off after it.

His quarry suddenly tripped and fell flat on his face before Kaizaki could reach him: a result of Kaizaki’s telekinesis.

Kaizaki soon caught up and looked down at him intimidatingly. There was nowhere for him to run. He was terrified. “Eek...!”

Takaya quickly caught up to them. Their tail was a boy wearing Old Castle High School’s uniform. Takaya knew his face.

“He’s...a member of the executive office.”

“They’re monitoring you. He’s even compromising his schoolwork to do it; well done.” Kaizaki knelt next to the executive office member, who was flat on his back with fear. “You’re here by Mikuriya Juri’s command, yes?”

“Eek...ah... I...I...”

“No help for it. You’ll have to forget everything you’ve seen.”

As he spoke, Kaizaki’s large hand grabbed hold of the boy’s temples and pushed his head to the ground. The boy struggled wildly, but after a moment his hands froze and flopped to the ground. It was done.

Kaizaki drew back as the boy slowly rose with a befuddled expression on his face. Kaizaki’s hypnotic suggestion had erased his memory.

Mikuriya’s spy staggered down the hill without another glance at Takaya and Kaizaki. Following him with his eyes, Takaya asked Kaizaki, “Did you erase his memory because you didn’t want Mikuriya to know where I was?”

“...No one finds it pleasant to have their assignations exposed.” Takaya flushed. Kaizaki ignored him. “Mikuriya and her people appear to be searching for something at Old Castle High School.”

“Searching for something?”

“Yes. And it appears to be buried in the ground beneath that gym.”

“The gym? So they started the renovation to get to whatever it is? Is that why Mikuriya changed the executive office, too?”

“I don’t know. She seems to have other plans for the student council, however.” Kaizaki rose and quietly brushed off the hem of his coat. “They’re calling the object in question the ‘serpent head’.”

“‘Serpent head’...?”

“Yes. I do not yet know any concrete details. It is certain, however, that it is something they need for victory in the «Yami-Sengoku».”

“... Why are you telling me this?”

Kaizaki turned to Takaya, a faint smile curving his lips. “Let’s see. Perhaps I very much wish to work with you.”

“Kaizaki...”

“I am staying at Hotel New Otani in front of Kumamoto Station. I doubt your business will take you there, but I am telling you just in case.” Takaya pursed his lips as he gazed steadily at Kaizaki. Kaizaki silently looked back at Takaya for a moment before adding quietly in low voice, “We shall meet again, Kagetora-dono.”

Then he slowly turned his back. There with the wind blowing against him Takaya watched as Kaizaki descended the hill. At the end of the stone wall Kaizaki turned as if he’d suddenly recalled something.

“...There’s one more thing I wanted to tell you.”

“?”

“The Oda commander who succeeded Sassa Narimasa has been resurrected here in Kumamoto.”

“Sassa Narimasa’s successor? Who’s that?”

Kaizaki quietly tucked his gloved hands into his pockets. “Commander of Higo Kumamoto, a man who counted himself among Toyotomi HideyoshiToyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣秀吉) 1536 - 1598

Also called: Hiyoshimaru (日吉丸), Kinoshita Tokichiro (木下藤吉郎), Hashiba Hideyoshi (羽柴秀吉)
Titles: Kanpaku, Taikou, Chikuzen no Kami

Historically: The second of the "Three Unifiers"; he was born a peasant but rose quickly through the ranks of Oda Nobunaga's vassals to the position of one of Nobunaga's most distinguished generals. After Nobunaga's death, he took over the work of unifying the nation through military strength and brought an end to the Sengoku period.’s Seven Spears: Katou Kiyomasa.”

“! ...Katou Kiyomasa?!”

Kaizaki nodded and added, “A formidable opponent. Be careful.”

With those words Kaizaki walked down the gentle slope toward Sudoguchi Gate without turning again.

Takaya was frozen in place, wide-eyed at the renown of the name he’d been given. But a moment later he firmly gritted his teeth and focused his mind.

(Katou Kiyomasa...)

He turned around. The magnificent Kumamoto Castle, like the figure of his opponent, blocked his way.

He tightened his fists.