Leaden clouds pressed down from the sky.
A woman lingered in the rain, surveying the hazy ruins at the site of the Northeast University Hospital
cave-in.
She looked odd.
Up close, she gave off a bizarre aura.
It was noticeable at once: the woman watchfully brought her left fist up to her mouth and touched it with her tongue, as if she were a demon tasting human blood. This was the mudra of Dakiniten.
“Naamaku sanmanda bodanan kiriku kaku sowaka—...”
The air shifted ominously around her. A moment later, a pale phosphorus light surrounded her.
“Naamaku sanmanda bodanan kiriku kaku sowaka. Naamaku sanmanda...”
The light took on the shape of beasts. —Koko, the fox spirits of Dakini, began to dance in midair.
“On dakini sahaharakyatei sowaka”.
The koko swirled around the ‘person with the bizarre aura’. At their center was a small wooden doll—the koppashin.
“Attack! You foxes!”
The koko instantly growled with teeth bared and struck at the koppashin. However—
Gyyyaaaan!
The foxes were swept away and fell writhing to the ground. The woman, Mogami Yoshiyasu, stared intently at the koppashin, which seemed to quiver—then the flickering image of a wrathful, ruthless god appeared in the air above it.
“’Tis—!”
The image of a grotesque body with bristling hair, white skin, three eyes and six arms, entwined by a snake. That snarling, fearsome visage belonged to a wrathful Buddhist demon-god.
“Whose deed was this...!” Yoshiyasu groaned to herself, clicking her tongue. “Thought they that this manner of conjuration would stop us...?!”
She joined her hands in a ritual gesture once more to rouse the koko.
“On dakini sahaharakyatei sowaka”.
The koko, pregnant with murderous intent, surrounded Shoumen Kongou. The fierce god’s three eyes glinted.
“On dakini sahaharakyatei sowaka! —Expel him, you foxes!” she roared. The koko attacked the wrathful god. Shoumen Kongou swung his six arms threateningly and crushed one after another of the foxes who came at him with teeth bared, or cut them apart with his sword, or smashed them to the ground. A fierce battle began.
“On dakini sahaharakyatei sowaka!”
Yoshiyasu sent forth more and more of the fox spirits. Countless numbers assailed Shoumen Kongou without pause. But the god warded them off right and left with his six arms. The fearsome, raging god roared thunderously at the madly-dancing foxes baring their slavering teeth at their unreachable prey and filling the air around him with their wriggling evil aura.
Crunch.
Shoumen Kongou’s teeth pulverized pale white fire.
(Thou...whose work is this...!)
Yoshiyasu clenched her teeth. She was going around in circles in a contest with someone of equal power. Both of their spiritual powers were manifestly “demon” powers.
“On kiri kaku un sowaka—...!”
Yoshiyasu concentrated all her power. The number of koko doubled and began to overwhelm Shoumen Kongou. Rather than decreasing as they were smashed apart, the swarm of koko swelled to the hundreds, the thousands.
“On kiri kaku un sowaka, on kiri kaku un sowaka—!”
The koko nipped at Shoumen Kongou. Though he shook them off, the overwhelming concentration of the skulk of foxes showed no signs of decreasing. The rampaging Shoumen Kongou howled in pain. Yoshiyasu’s power was truly on another level.
“Destroy him! You foxes!”
At Yoshiyasu’s shout the foxes sank their fangs into the demon-god’s body. Shoumen Kongou gave a horrible howl as they tore out his three eyes.
Gwaaaaaaah—!
It only stopped when the foxes ripped his heart apart. The image of Shoumen Kongou wavered.
(Yes...!)
Crack.
A fissure appeared in the wooden figure, and it split in half with a howl.
Shoumen Kongou had been annihilated.
The koko floated into the air, glowing with phosphorous light. A smile of triumph appeared on Yoshiyasu’s thin cheeks.
“How dare they belittle us, to think that such power could defeat us? What impertinence.”
Another presence moved behind her.
“Aren’t you the one who’s belittling us?”
“!”
She spun sharply. Across the rubble—
How long had they been there? A man and a woman loitered in the rain.
“Hmph, so I see. As I anticipated, an opponent with some nerve.”
“! ...Who are you?” Yoshiyasu went instantly on guard.
Chiaki Shuuhei—Yasuda Nagahide stared at Yoshiyasu coolly.
“Rather cowardly of you to possess a woman, isn’t it, Lordling? If you glare at me like that, it might move me to show you some mercy,” Chiaki said, taking no heed of Yoshiyasu’s hostile anger. “Is it to borrow your vessel’s «power»? Your tastes really turn me off.”
“Oh, and what’s wrong with it?” Kadowaki Ayako—Kakizaki Haruie—cut him off. “Us women don’t need to go easy on each other.”
“... Stop that, you’re scaring me.”
“What? People of the same sex don’t need to hold back, right?” Ayako turned to Yoshiyasu, deadly serious. “I’m going to give it all I’ve got today, so be prepared.”
“Thou...” Yoshiyasu gritted out. “Thou art—Uesugi’s Yasha-shuu.”
“Hmm. I’m honored to be recognized,” Chiaki smirked. “We’re here to exterminate the foxes released in Sendai along with their master by Lord Kagetora’s command. It’ll serve as revenge for the priest and his wife, too.”
“Revenge...?! Thou can’t...thou can’t mean that Kagetora is still alive...!”
“He asked us to give you his regards—” a violent “energy” sprung up from Chiaki’s body. “—and apologies for not killing you himself!”
“!”
Chiaki shot a «nenpa» at Yoshiyasu, who ducked and erected a «wall». “Thou...!” Yoshiyasu yelled as she braced against the gust of the blast.
She formed Dakiniten’s mudra.
“On dakini sahaharakyatei sowaka!”
The koko revived. What raging auras!
“Tear them apart, you foxes!”
“Haruie, now!”
“OK!”
Ayako shot out her will in all directions. The koko screamed and veered.
“Thou...!”
Yoshiyasu struck at Ayako with «nenpa». But it broke apart on Chiaki’s «wall» just before it could reach her.
“Thou impudent...!”
Dakini mantra! The koko multiplied right before their eyes and charged without giving them time for breath.
“Ugh!”
One grazed against Chiaki’s face and sent his glasses flying.
“Bastard!”
“Nagahide! There’re too many of them! We can’t take them all at once with «kouhou-choubuku»!” Ayako yelled as she struck back against the onslaught.
“«Ressa-choubuku», then!”
They formed the ritual gesture simultaneously.
“Ari nari tonari anaro nabi kunabi!”
The koko attacked from behind en-mass.
“ (bai)!”
Shuyrp!
The whirlwind released by their incantation swallowed the koko up with a scattering of flames. But they were only exorcising the spirit foxes at random, and until Yoshiyasu’s power was exhausted...!
“Thou...!”
Yoshiyasu was determined to win. She continued to call the koko unyieldingly. Chiaki and Ayako performed the next exorcism and the next in exquisite harmony without pausing for breath.
“ (bai)!”
“ (bai)!”
Fatigue lined Yoshiyasu’s face. The number of koko appearing gradually decreased. But Yoshiyasu continued the attack even as her breath came in gasps and the sweat stood out in round droplets on her face.
“On kiri kaku un sowaka, on kiri kaku un sowaka—...”
“What’s wrong, Lordling?” Chiaki provoked Yoshiyasu fearlessly. “Are you done already?”
“Wretched...!”
Yoshiyasu’s «nenpa» surged towards them! Ayako blocked it with a «wall» as Chiaki shouted, “ (bai)!”
“Guh!” Yoshiyasu moaned as she froze in place. Chiaki had placed a «gebaku» on her. Ayako finished off the koko still attacking them and cried, “Now, Nagahide!”
“Noumakusamanda bodanan baishiramandaya sowaka!”
Chiaki proclaimed loudly, “Namu Tobatsu Bishamonten! For this demon subjugation, lend me thy power!”
Yoshiyasu struggled wildly, but she could not break out of Chiaki’s «gebaku». An intense light gathered into Chiaki’s fist.
But as he was on the verge of proclaiming the words of judgment—
At that critical point—
An awesome shock crashed into Chiaki and Ayako!
“Uwaagh!”
They flew through the air and hit the ground rolling. The «gebaku» on Yoshiyasu shattered.
“Wh...at...!”
A white shadow flickered into Chiaki’s field of vision as he lifted himself off the ground with a moan. The shadow gazed at Chiaki and Ayako with a cool smile.
“I am your opponent.”
“!”
Both Chiaki and Ayako gasped in surprise.
“Kousaka...!”
The beautiful young man smiled charmingly. —Kousaka Danjou Nosuke Masanobu stood there, clad in energy shimmering like a heat haze around him.
“Let me be alone,” Takaya had said, and Yuzuru could do nothing but leave the room.
He’d thought that Takaya might be depressed, but that wasn’t the case. Takaya had made the recovery of Kagetora’s «power» his top priority, and was even now attempting to restore that «power» using the meditation technique taught to him by Kokuryou. Considerable concentration was required to seriously attempt it.
—He would be distracted if anyone were there.
Though he had not said as much, Yuzuru understood. He had quietly obeyed and left the room, but could not bring himself to leave Takaya behind and go off somewhere on his own.
Yuzuru sat down in front of the door with his arms around his knees.
(Uesugi Kagetora—...)
They’d said that that was Takaya’s true name. Yuzuru had heard everything from Chiaki.
He couldn’t accept everything just like that. Anyone else would probably have laughed off something so foolish. But Yuzuru had actually seen their «power» with his own eyes. And when he thought back over their baffling actions, he could fit more and more of what Chiaki had said into the picture.
(Why...)
Yuzuru thought of his best friend, alone in the room behind him.
(Why did it have to be Takaya?)
Yuzuru had—not yet been told what Kousaka had said about him. Though he wasn’t sure why Chiaki had made him swear to help them, he was thankful that he could be with his friend.
An amnesiac Uesugi Kagetora. Even if that were Takaya’s true self—
(I’m your friend, Takaya.) Yuzuru closed his eyes almost in prayer. (It’s okay for me to be with you, right?)
Sensing a step on the carpet, Yuzuru raised his head in surprise. Next to the elevator. Standing there was a tall man in a black suit who had evidently just alighted, a man whose face he knew. Yuzuru shouted instinctively, “Naoe-san!”
“Yuzuru-san... Why are you here...?”
Yuzuru dashed over and clung to the astonished Naoe.
“I’m so glad you’re safe! Everyone was so worried—”
“Did Chiaki Shuuhei bring you here?”
“Yeah. We arrived in Sendai last night. But—”
Naoe looked towards the room.
“I’ve heard about Kokuryou-san. So Takaya-san is all right? Is he here?”
“Yeah. But...”
Looking at Yuzuru’s forlorn downcast eyes, Naoe asked calmly, “... Yuzuru-san, can you tell me in detail about the current situation in Sendai?”
“Yeah,” Yuzuru nodded, and told Naoe as much as he knew about the particulars of the situation.
After listening to the story—
Naoe scowled and tsked lightly. “Looks like I’m way behind. I didn’t realize that the power of the ‘kinrin no hou’ has already manifested to such an extent—”
“Chiaki and Ayako-san are at the site right now. They said that they were going to exorcise the curse-caster...”
“I see. ...That aside, Yuzuru-san. Are you all right? We’re within the hypnotic barrier here.”
“Well, actually,” Yuzuru said, and rolled up the left sleeve of his parka to reveal the «talisman bracelet» Naoe had given him as protection against Shingen around his wrist. “Chiaki gave me this. He said that as long as I don’t take it off, I won’t be affected by Mogami’s curse. Thanks to this, I haven’t felt either spiritually or physically ill.”
This bracelet seemed to resonate well with Yuzuru. He could pretty much put his mind at rest if Nagahide had given it to him.
(The problem is Kagetora-sama...)
Naoe looked at the door again. Next to him, Yuzuru said, “Takaya is meditating. He’s seriously attempting to regain his powers.”
Naoe started. “He’s...using meditation?”
Apprehension shot through Naoe at Yuzuru’s nod. Meditation implied pulling in the deepest parts of oneself. Drawing near one’s true self.
Unclenching one sweaty fist, Naoe turned the knob, opened the door, and soundlessly entered the room.
Takaya sat in lotus position at the center of the traditional ten-tatami Japanese-style room.
He was no longer aware of presences or faint sounds. He had already entered into deep meditation. One could see to what extent he had focused his entire self inward by the rippleless tension surrounding him.
But his meditation was by no means tranquil. Two hours had already passed since he started. But the deep levels of his consciousness violently rejected the penetration of ‘Takaya’. This was the wall of suggestion Kagetora had built around himself. The wall was so strong that it would not allow ‘Takaya’ to take even a single step towards ‘Kagetora’. But it could not drive Takaya away so easily this time. Takaya had commenced a savage battle against himself within himself.
If he did not break down that wall, he would not be able to draw near Kagetora. He would not be able to obtain that «power».
Takaya knew this instinctively. That was why he had staked the whole of his soul on the breaking of that wall.
Naoe could not move.
(... Kagetora-sama.)
Anguish was faintly visible on Takaya’s face. There was no mistaking it for anything but pain. He was fighting against himself. The unyielding wall that Kagetora, strongest of the Yasha-shuu, had built to seal himself away could not be an easy thing to break. But Takaya had no choice.
Naoe trembled as fear immediately assailed him. Takaya was on the verge of remembering. He was about to turn into ‘Kagetora’ once more. Takaya would recapture the memories of the tragic past. He was about to break through the wall.
“You alone I shall never forgive—”
The blood drained out of Naoe’s face.
“I shall never forgive for all of eter—...!”
“Kagetora-sama!” he shouted, shaking off those memories.
Yuzuru started.
He dashed over mindlessly, clutched at Takaya and shook his shoulders violently.
“Kagetora-sama! Please stop! Please stop this, Kagetora-sama!”
“Naoe-san! What’s wrong, Naoe-san!”
“Kagetora-sama! Kagetora-sama!”
Takaya finally opened his eyes to Naoe standing in front of him, shouting wildly and shaking him. He looked slightly dazedly at him and said vaguely, “... Naoe.”
“Kagetora-sama...”
Naoe was somewhat relieved. Takaya’s eyes opened wide.
“Naoe. Is it...you?”
“Kagetora-sama.”
“Why, Naoe! Tell me! Why did Kagetora seal his memories! What is that wall!” Takaya shouted, clutching hard at Naoe’s clothes. “I couldn’t tear it down...I couldn’t break it no matter what I did! I couldn’t get in any further! Why. Why couldn’t I do it! Why are the memories sealed so tightly?!”
“Kagetora-sama...”
“What did you do to Kagetora?!”
“!”
Takaya’s words pierced Naoe’s heart and left him speechless.
Takaya’s direct gaze begged him for an answer.
In that moment, Naoe recognized the depth of his own sins. Takaya, the Kagetora who could be happy because of the loss of all his memories, now had to take up those painful memories once more. And perhaps this time, even more than before...
Whose fault was it?
Kagetora’s pain.
Just who had caused it!
“Nao...!”
He pulled Takaya towards him wordlessly.
Held him tightly without answering.
He could do nothing else.
“Kousaka, you bastard. Why...!” Chiaki groaned.
Kousaka gazed at him coldly. “Well now, Yasuda-dono, Kakizaki-dono. How unexpected it is to meet you here.”
“What is the meaning of this, Kousaka Danjou?”
“Now, really. What meaning is there to be had? I unexpectedly happened upon a scuffle between foxes and Yasha. I simply couldn’t let it pass.”
Chiaki and Ayako shot Kousaka a chilling glare.
“But I really cannot stomach allowing this elegant fox-summoner to be your opponent. Hear me well, Uesugi’s Yasha-shuu. I, and no other, will be the one to bring you down. I must be the one to end your lives...!”
“!”
Wind swirled at their feet. With a howl, a violent gale attacked Chiaki and Ayako. Something sharp as knifes grazed against their bodies.
“...!”
Sharp pain burned across their limbs. Countless cuts appeared on arms raised in protection.
—A razor whirlwind!
“...You bastard! That’s tasteless as hell!”
“Nagahide! Over here!”
Turning, he saw palely flaming koko about to surround the two of them. Yoshiyasu continued to chant her mantra demonically.
“Is she a monster? That asshole!”
“It’s coming!”
The air around them roared ominously, and the koko attacked a third time. In a flash Kousaka shouted, “Here I come!”
Ayako promptly formed a mudra and sketched a «goshinha» around Chiaki. The knives of empty air slashed apart the net of will. Chiaki tsked.
“That won’t defend against them!”
Chiaki directed his will. A large mass of concrete behind Kousaka, perhaps a ton or more, shivered and broke apart with a bang. The pieces hurtled towards Kousaka.
“!”
Kousaka turned to protect himself with a «wall», shouting, “You...!”
The razor whirlwind that he summoned struck against the chunks of concrete Chiaki had pulled from the ruins and broke them apart one after another. Kousaka gathered «nenpa» into the palm of his hand.
“Perish, Yasha-shuu!”
“Back at you!”
Chiaki did likewise. They attacked simultaneously!
There was a terrible crash as their powers collided in a gigantic explosion.
“Ugh!”
“Nagahide!”
Ayako shielded the nettled Chiaki. But the koko drew near her from behind. Chiaki formed the ritual gesture.
“ (bai)!”
The foxes scattered. Kousaka followed up immediately with an attack from the razor whirlwind. Ayako ducked and struck at Kousaka with her «nenpa».
“On kiri kaku un sowaka, on kiri kaku un sowaka—...”
The koko seethed out of the night endlessly. Yoshiyasu’s power was stronger than they had anticipated.
“ (bai)!”
Chiaki performed a steady stream of exorcisms, but it had become a contest of stamina. «Choubuku» consumed too much physical strength. If they didn’t destroy the spell-caster, they were at a disadvantage.
“Think I’m gonna let you do that?!”
Even when he bound Yoshiyasu with a «gebaku», the koko still attacked fiercely, and he had no opportunity to gather his power. Ayako had her hands full with Kousaka.
“What are you doing, siding with Mogami!”
Furiously counter-attacking, Kousaka retorted, “Side with them? Hah. I simply want to defeat you.”
“You depraved...!”
An explosion rocked the space between them. Their «powers» were on even keel going flat-out. No, Kousaka appeared to have the edge. He battled animatedly with a faint smile on his face.
However—
Kousaka’s concentration suddenly went astray as if something had distracted him for a second. Ayako did not let that tiny opportunity go by.
“Take that!”
“!”
Kousaka took the «nenpa» in the teeth and went flying. He had just barely caught it with a «wall», but it had not protected him from the shock. He glared with all his might at Ayako as she prepared to throw the finishing blow. A plasmatic light flashed.
“Kyaaah!”
In the moment Ayako flinched, shielding her face, Kousaka made his preparations.
“Hmm, so you’ve finally realized.”
“? About what!”
“Reinforcements have arrived. You can exterminate the foxes to your heart’s content later.”
“Eh?—”
“Tell Kagetora that the fox-summoner is the game you’re after. If you want to take the enemy, destroy the summoner.”
“Wh...! Kousaka!”
They suddenly heard the sound of a great number of people behind them. At the same time, the foxes screamed shrilly.
Yoshiyasu and Chiaki turned. Armored warriors ran towards them with swords swinging, cutting down one after another of the foxes. Yoshiyasu exclaimed in terror and astonishment, “What...!”
At the head of the group, a man around thirty shouted, “Onryou of Mogami! Thou shalt not escape this day!”
“! ...The Date?!”
The leader of the advancing warriors was Katakura Kojuurou Kagetsuna, vassal of the Date Clan.
(Thou wretches, at a time like this...!)
Yoshiyasu clicked her tongue in disgust and drove the failing foxes forward.
“On kiri kaku un sowaka, on kiri kaku un sowaka—...”
Kousaka, her vital support, was nowhere to be seen. He had apparently judged it to be a hard fight and already taken off. Yoshiyasu had no strength left with which to deal with the reinforcements of skeletal warriors.
For a moment Chiaki had been uncertain about which side the warriors would join, but made his determination as they plowed into the foxes. “I dunno what this is about, but this is the end!”
“Thou...do not presume too much!” she cried, and no sooner said than a sharp light flashed from all the koko at the same time.
“!”
The spirit foxes released all of their energy in one intense burst. The light enveloped everything nearby, and Chiaki involuntarily covered his eyes.
“Ugh...!”
«You wretches, I will remember this! You cursed Date!»
What might have been Yoshiyasu’s voice echoed back to them, and the light immediately disappeared. The darkness returned once more.
“...?”
When he finally half-opened his eyes, he saw the crumpled form of the woman who had been Yoshiyasu until moments earlier on the ground. Yoshiyasu had apparently abandoned his spiritual vessel and escaped. All the koko had already disappeared.
“Feh! So we missed our opportunity?” he spat regretfully, and turned to the warriors rushing up to him. Kojuurou walked towards him.
“Art thou well?”
“Your assistance was unexpected. Are you an onshou of the Date?”
“I am Katakura Kagetsuna, a vassal of the Date Clan. ’Tis plain that thou art Uesugi’s Yasha-shuu.”
“Huh, looks like we’re pretty famous,” Chiaki responded, finally smiling. “I’m Yasuda Nagahide. This is Kakizaki Haruie. For now, let me just say thanks. ...We were too short-sighted. We never thought that Kousaka would be with the Mogami.”
“Kousaka? What! Kousaka Danjou?”
Chiaki tilted his head questioningly when he saw Kojuurou’s face change color. “You know him?”
Kojuurou was so astonished that for a moment he was speechless. Ayako’s head lifted as she recalled Takaya mentioning that Date had been in contact with Kousaka.
“What did Kousaka say to Date? What is Takeda scheming?”
Kojuurou said stiffly but calmly, "On that matter doth my master Masamune wish to devise a meeting. May I ask of you to convey this message to your master, Lord Uesugi Kagetora?
“Eh...?”