It was past one in the morning when an unexpected visitor rang Narita Yuzuru’s doorbell.
Yuzuru startled awake from the doze he’d fallen into while studying for a test.
The repeated chime of the doorbell reverberated through the silent room.
(Who could it be at this hour?)
The noise was in danger of becoming a nuisance to his neighbors. The doorbell was joined by a loud pounding at the front door—this was serious, then. No matter how soundproof the condos around here were, they weren’t proof against this. A surprised Yuzuru picked up the interphone.
“Narita, it’s me! Hurry up and open the door!”
The voice on the other end was a bolt out of the blue. Yuzuru said, “Chiaki? Is that you, Chiaki?! What’s going on? Why are you here at this hour?!”
“Just open the door already! It’s Kagetora, he’s—” Yuzuru was running for the entranceway without waiting to hear the rest. As soon as he opened the door and saw the two figures, he unthinkingly cried out, “Takaya!”
Chiaki Shuuhei was carrying Ougi Takaya across his shoulders.
Sporting conspicuous injuries, bloodstained and weak from blood loss, he looked like he’d gotten into a fight, but that was obviously not what had happened. His clothes looked as if they’d been torn to pieces by a sharp knife and hung from his body like old rags. His face looked as if it had been clawed.
Hanging limply from Chiaki’s shoulders, Takaya barely managed to raise his eyes to Yuzuru. “...Yuzu...ru?”
“You idiot! What the hell were you doing to get hurt like this?!”
“Calm down, Narita. It looks worse than it is. Do you have something he can change into? He can’t go back to our hotel looking like this.”
Dragging Takaya along, Chiaki barged straight in without so much as a by-your-leave.
“Over here.” Yuzuru opened the bedroom door and led them inside. Chiaki dropped Takaya onto the bed.
“Idiot... Now the sheets will get blood on them...” Takaya said and tried to stand, but Chiaki immediately pushed him right back down.
“Whatever, stay still. Narita! Bring a moist towel! And Makiron gauze bandages! Or whatever you have for first aid!”
Yuzuru bustled about following Chiaki’s instructions. Chiaki briskly peeled Takaya’s jacket off of him, stripped off the blood-stained shirt, and deftly wiped the filth from his head and neck with a towel. His wounds were many, but happily all were shallow.
Returning with a change of clothes, Yuzuru peered worriedly at Takaya. “Are you going to be all right?”
“Sorry, Yuzuru. I know you’re studying for university exams right now. I’m being...a bother...”
“I don’t care about that! What the hell were you doing?”
“Same as always. Fighting monsters,” Chiaki answered as he wiped blood from a wound with gauze. “You’ve got nobody to blame but yourself, Kagetora. You got careless fighting that pipsqueak, and now look at you.”
“Owww...!” Takaya pulled a face as antiseptic stung his wounds. “Can’t you be a little more gentle? ...Ow! You clumsy asshole!”
“You sowed; now you’re reaping, you blockhead.”
It’s all right, Yuzuru thought, listening to their bickering. The wounds weren’t as deep as they had first appeared, and didn’t seem to be serious. He could breathe a sigh of relief for the time being.
“I’ll go make some hot coffee. I’ll wash the shirt; you can put it with the laundry. Make yourselves at home, rest for a bit,” he said, and left the bedroom.
Narita Yuzuru was currently renting a condo in Tokyo’s Shinagawa Ward
.
He had graduated from junior high last year without incident and had been accepted into his first-choice dental university. He’d left Matsumoto and was now living alone in Tokyo; he’d been in this condo for almost ten months. School-wise, he was right in the middle of end-of-the-year examinations.
Takaya sighed deeply as he watched Yuzuru walk out of the room and lay his head down on the pillow.
“Why did you bring me here?”
“Had no choice, did I? If you’d tried going back to the hotel covered in gore and dripping with blood, the front desk would’ve stopped you and called the police. This was the closet place. Change, idiot.”
“...We didn’t have to bother Yuzuru. If he has to repeat a year, it’ll be your fault.”
“He’s not like some people.” As Chiaki dexterously rolled up the remaining bandage, he looked around the room. “Look at this high-roller, living in an expensive condo while some people are so busy flying all over the place they don’t even have time to go home. Aah, shit. I guess only a kid with wealthy dentists for parents can afford to live alone.”
The condo was a spacious one-bedroom apartment with a living room, dining room, and kitchen—rather big for one person. It was located five minutes from the station on the seventh floor of a ten-story building that was also quite close to Yuzuru’s university. He‘d heard it was his father’s alma mater. Matsumoto had its own dental university, but Yuzuru had decided he wanted to ’live alone away from my parents’ and had chosen a university in Tokyo. His parents had decided ‘this is life experience’ and allowed it.
Takaya sighed quietly and murmured, “It’s been almost a year since Yuzuru came to Tokyo.”
“Yeah. Time flies, don’t it? We’ve been running all around the country while Mr. College Student has been comfortably ensconced at school.”
“But at least he’s in Tokyo, which means we’ll have lots of opportunities to meet up.” Takaya exhaled and looked up at the ceiling, then laid the back of his hand across his eyes. “...What happened to the small fry who ran? Did you go after them?”
“Don’t worry, I caught ’em all and dealt with ’em. Looks like they were Nagano Narimori’s attendants. Must’ve followed their master to the grave when Narimori committed seppuku. Fools who did foolish things. Following someone into death accomplishes nothing.”
“...Dealing with Nagano is fine, but it’s only making Takeda happy,” Takaya sighed again.
Nagano Narimori, whom he had «exorcised» earlier in the night, had been lord of Kouzuke Province’s Minowa Castle. Son of the famous commander Nagano Narimasa, he’d been invaded by Shingen after his father’s death and had in his mortification committed seppuku.
The Nagano Clan had been Takeda Shingen’s ‘biggest thorn in the Joushuu side’ for many years. Narimori had become an onryou and entered the «Yami-Sengoku» at around the same time as Shingen, but had been driven out of his castle during Takeda’s Joushuu invasion. Thereafter, he had joined forces with Awa’s Satomi Clan in order to recover it and had conducted a furious guerrilla resistance against Takeda based out of a part of the Bousou Peninsula.
The Kantou, with the exception of Chiba Prefecture, was now pretty much entirely under Takeda’s sphere of influence. Their might had rapidly spread in the two years since the Houjou’s destruction in Nikkou. Like a rolling tsunami, Takeda had invaded and snatched away the entirety of Houjou’s former territory before any of the other commanders had had time to react. One could say the entire Kantou was now monochromatically Takeda. It was for precisely that reason that the tenacious resistance from Satomi and Nagano had been such a headache for them.
“Well, not that we had any other choice. We couldn’t let them continue to drag more ordinary people into the crossfire.”
“...True.”
Takaya closed his eyes as if pained by his injuries. He covered his cheek wound from Narimori with the back of his hand. There’d already been twenty casualties from among the city’s residents. His hand had been forced.
“Thank the «Nokizaru» for me: ‘Well done, your efforts are appreciated.’”
“Yeah, I’ll tell ’em.” Finished with the bandages, Chiaki leaned forward emphatically. “...More importantly, Kagetora, let’s talk about you.”
“...?”
“You didn’t get these injuries because you were careless with Narimori, did you? And the scene after your fight. If you were taking on just him, things shouldn’t have gotten that extreme.” Chiaki had seen right through him. “You lost control again, didn’t you?”
Takaya averted his gaze in uncomfortable silence. It was a topic he didn’t want to touch. After studying him frankly, Chiaki repeated, “Stop hiding. Anyone would know after a look at that disaster area.”
“Narimori resisted.”
“Sure. But your power would’ve easily pinned Narimori down. Even if you couldn’t blast apart the warehouse walls or strip the asphalt, you could’ve done that. ...I could’ve.”
“...”
“Your «power» got away from you. Tell me I’m wrong.”
“It wasn’t that serious.” Takaya returned Chiaki’s glare sharply. “I just missed my aim.”
“You missed your aim and killed the vessel?”
At a loss for words, Takaya glared with pain at Chiaki.
Chiaki ignored him, coolly folded his arms and leaned back in his chair. “You should continue with your therapy.”
“I don’t need it anymore.”
“I’m saying it because you do. You killed a vessel we were trying to help.”
“I didn’t kill him!” Takaya retorted frantically. “I might have injured him, but I didn’t kill him!”
“You don’t know for certain. I called an ambulance, but he was in critical condition. It’s even odds whether or not they can save him. At least if you’d kept a proper hold on your «power», you shouldn’t have injured the vessel that badly. Am I wrong?”
Takaya didn’t refute him. He only glared painfully at him.
“Keep up the therapy until you have your «power» 100% under control like you used to. It’s not for you. I don’t want to deal with blowback because of your «power» problems. So you’ll continue therapy to make sure your «power» doesn’t get away from you again. In order for it to be effective, you have to undergo compulsion suggestion once a day. Okay?”
Though frustrated, Takaya eventually gave a resigned, reluctant nod.
“All right, good.”
“—I want some water...” Prone on the bed, Takaya brushed his fringe up tiredly. “Cold is fine. Can you bring me some?”
“What a self-centered general you are,” Chiaki said, and stood. “I’ll bring you some. Get a little sleep.”
“Naoe...” Takaya murmured, and Chiaki’s eyes jumped to him. “Get in touch with Naoe and ask him to pick me up. I need to let Yuzuru get back to his studying. I’ll go back to the hotel tonight.”
“...Yeah, I’ll contact him,” Chiaki answered in a low voice, and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Within the pitch-black room, an exhausted Takaya closed his eyes.
“He asked me to bring him water,” Chiaki told Yuzuru, who was making coffee in the living room.
“He wants water?”
“Yeah. You take it to him. He’ll be calmer with you.”
“Is he all right?”
“His wounds will be.” Chiaki unceremoniously flopped down on the sofa and sighed as the tension left his body. He looked as if a weight had been taken off his shoulders.
Noticing the music from the component stereo, he thought, ‘Huh.’ “That song that was just on, I’ve been hearing it a lot lately.”
“Yeah, it’s the theme song from a movie. The album was just released yesterday. It’s really good.”
“Not a bad tune...” he replied like a critic, leaning his head back. “You live by yourself; you don’t need a sofa like this, asshole. You don’t even have a part-time job, you spoiled brat.”
“I will when spring break comes around. I’m looking now,” Yuzuru replied, pouring hot coffee into a mug. “Apart from anything else, stop scaring me like this. Coming at this hour in that condition, you almost gave me a heart attack.”
“You’re gonna be a doctor, I thought you could use the practice.”
“A dentist.” He walked to Chiaki and offered him the mug. “I don’t know who Takaya was going up against, but you shouldn’t let him be so reckless. Those injuries!”
“I’m sick and tired of hearing those words.”
“Probably because I’ve been nagging you for three years.” Yuzuru went into the kitchen and filled a cup with cold water. “And I’ll keep nagging you. So long as Takaya keeps doing this stuff. Even if I annoy you.”
“You’re like a sister-in-law.”
“I can’t help it. It’s not like I can do anything else.”
“You don’t want to try and make him stop?”
“If I could’ve made him stop, he’d already have stopped. Three years ago.”
“...Yeah.” Sipping the coffee, Chiaki’s brows lowered dismally. “This coffee’s awful.”
Yuzuru dropped two, three ice cubes into the cup and disappeared into the bedroom.
“Takaya, I brought you some water.”
There was no answer but soft steady breaths—Takaya had fallen asleep. He must’ve been very tired, for he gave no sign of waking up even when Yuzuru called to him several times.
Yuzuru gave up and put the cup down beside him. He sat, peering with difficulty at Takaya’s sleeping profile in the light from the door.
(He must be exhausted...)
He’d seen Takaya only a week ago. Takaya didn’t talk about what he was up to now, but he would see Yuzuru whenever he came to Tokyo. Even after leaving Matsumoto they still met three times a month. He’d visited Yuzuru here at home several times.
It seemed like Takaya almost never went back to Matsumoto anymore. He hadn’t gotten his diploma. He’d barely shown up at school since the field trip. Yet he remained in steady contact with Yuzuru and came to visit whenever he could find the time.
(But he probably only comes to see me,) Yuzuru smiled a little wryly, (because I have this thing.)
Reminded, he touched the bindi-like object buried in his forehead with a finger. Takaya had barely discussed with Yuzuru what he had done on Itsuku Island, but Chiaki had privately filled in the blanks for him. He‘d been under Oda Nobunaga’s control. This bindi was something called Nobunaga’s ’Seed of the Demon King’, and as long as it was inside him he would be Nobunaga’s puppet. Removal was impossible; all they’d been able to do was freeze it.
The first time he’d heard about it, he’d naturally been shocked speechless. His memories from when he’d been under Nobunaga’s control were as hazy as events from a dream. His own resistance was like something remembered from a nightmare.
Knowing it had all happened in reality terrified Yuzuru.
No matter how much he flailed, there was nothing he could do. If he didn’t want to be any more trouble to Takaya and the others, he had to rely on them for help.
(I feel so pathetic...)
He’d shed many tears of vexation at his own helplessness.
But on the other hand, thanks to this ‘Seed of the Demon King’, the thread of his friendship with Takaya remained unbroken despite the circumstances. When he thought of that, he couldn’t absolutely say that not having it would be a good thing.
At least he knew what was going on with Takaya and could check to make sure he was safe.
(How ironic...)
How pathetic that he couldn’t even retain his childhood friend without this thing. At least this Takaya, who seemed like a being from another world, still acted the same with Yuzuru—and yes, it was a relief. But at other times his speech and bearing...made him seem like someone on a another level, someone out of Yuzuru’s reach. He was a leader of men, and had the awareness and discretion thereof. It was impossible to imagine this Takaya and the Takaya of old, prickly and on edge, who gave no quarter to anyone and bared his teeth at everything around him in order to hide his own insecurities, as the same person. He had changed so much it made Yuzuru sad.
Yuzuru felt uneasy seeing him like this, but with Yuzuru alone he still spoke and behaved like the old Takaya. Or perhaps it was for his own sake, to reassure himself, that Takaya made the pretense...
Yuzuru was a little sick of the distrustful person he had become. But sadly he‘d turned into one of those ’subtle people’ who suspected that even ‘natural behavior’ was ‘artifice’.
(...Poor Takaya. I’m sorry I’m thinking like this.)
Yuzuru sighed, feeling guilty as he gazed at Takaya’s defenseless sleeping face.
Since their high school days, Takaya had always seemed more adult than their classmates, yet his face had still been young (Yuzuru had thought as he’d looked through their photographs from that time). Maybe it was his expression.
Yuzuru still saw some of his high school classmates sometimes, the ones who like him had come to Tokyo for university. Recently they‘d been getting together less, maybe because they’d all gotten used to university life, but Takaya always came up every time they did. What was he doing? Had he dropped out? Yuzuru didn’t say much, since he couldn’t tell the truth, only: ’He’s doing well.’ A lot of people were curious, though.
(But the one most deserving of pity is Miya-chan, Takaya...)
Miya was now a high school student. Takaya had stopped using hypnotic suggestion to deceive his father and sister. He’d only told them, “I’m working in Tokyo” and hadn’t even left an address. They’d quarreled for a while, and he’d started avoiding Matsumoto out of guilt.
Not that there was anything else he could do. That kind of life did not make for smooth sailing. But his life was only diverging further and further from the rest of society. How long could he continue on?
(...What are you going to do with your life?) There was no future in Takaya’s current way of life. It was so ephemeral, Yuzuru couldn’t bear to watch. (Have you given up on everyone?)
Sadness fell over Yuzuru’s expression. These past two years, he had passed his college entrance exam, gone on to university, and moved to Tokyo. Life was moving at breakneck speed. Yet Takaya had spent all that time on onshou extermination. Two years had passed, but Takaya’s life had stood still. You can’t go on like this, he’d told Takaya time and again, but the words had gone in one ear and out the other.
(I just want you to be okay.)
That was what he told himself now.
There was nothing else he could do.
Yuzuru stood. But as he was about the leave the room—
“Yuzuru...” Yuzuru turned. Takaya was awake. “You brought me water?”
“Yeah. You were asleep. I didn’t want to wake you.” Yuzuru came back and handed Takaya the cup from the table.
Takaya sat up and took it. “Thanks.”
“Are you hungry? I can make something light...”
“Nah, I’m fine with water.” Cradling the cold cup in both hands, Takaya peered into the next room. “...I’ve heard that song somewhere...”
“Yeah, it’s by ‘SEEVA’. It’s pretty popular right now, it was used as a movie theme song.”
“Oh, that one...”
The male vocals were impressive. Even Takaya, who was now entirely out of touch with popular culture, could remember hearing this popular rock ballad somewhere. It had a strikingly soulful chorus.
“I like it...” Takaya mumbled, closing his eyes.
“I’ll dub it for you if you like. I have too many tapes. Oh yeah! I got tickets to the concert.”
“Concert?”
“Yeah. They’re doing a north-south tour. Next week Sunday at Yokohama Arena. I got two tickets in case you wanted to come. What do you think?”
“Sunday...?” Takaya looked into the distance and then nodded. “I’ll try.”
“Great! A friend insisted on giving them to me. You gotta go with me.”
Takaya laughed. Cradling the cold cup with his palms, he murmured slowly, “Your house is so warm.”
“...Takaya.”
“I feel calmest when I’m here. ...It’s like coming home. I love this place. I can relax here, it’s so peaceful.”
He had calmed, and a sweetness had entered his expression. Yet Yuzuru distrusted even that look of peace. Was he only saying it to make Yuzuru feel better?
His chest ached.
“I was thinking I’d make a trip back to Matsumoto once I’m finished with my exams,” Yuzuru said, straightening the hem of the blanket. “Why don’t you come with me? Miya-chan must be worried about you.”
Takaya’s expression clouded, and there was a little silence. Yuzuru didn’t try to force the issue. He patted Takaya’s shoulder. “Sleep here tonight, make yourself at home. You can even stay for a couple of days, until you’re rested.”
“...Thanks. But I’m gonna get out of your hair.”
“Why? You want to go back at this hour?”
“Naoe’s coming to get me.” Yuzuru’s face stiffened in surprise. Takaya’s lips curved into a small smile. “I asked Chiaki to call him earlier. I’ll go back to the hotel tonight. You need to study; I shouldn’t have bothered you.”
“...It’s fine.” Yuzuru’s lips pressed together sadly. “You can leave the cup there. I’ll bring a pot in case you want more. If you need anything, let me know.”
Takaya nodded, smiling. “Thanks.”
Yuzuru nodded in response and left the room. The door closed, leaving Takaya alone in the quiet room.
Yuzuru leaned back against the door and took a deep breath. Chiaki saw him and stood.
“Chiaki...”
Chiaki patted Yuzuru’s shoulder in sympathy.
“I’m gonna borrow your shower, I’m dirty and disgusting. I’ll grab a towel.”
He disappeared into the bathroom.
The two new arrivals showed up an hour later. Chiaki opened the door for him; Kadowaki Ayako elbowed him out of the way and barged in. “Kagetora!...Is Kagetora all right?!”
“Hey, it’s the middle of the night! Quiet down!”
“Over here? Is he in the bedroom? Kagetora! Kage...!”
As Ayako was about to enter the bedroom, the door opened and Takaya appeared. He’d heard them, it seemed. Takaya’s eyes were open and alert; the limp exhaustion from earlier was completely gone. He was already changed and ready to leave.
“Sorry I had to ask you to come pick me up.”
“Kagetora, how are your wounds? You sure you don’t need to go see a doctor?”
“I’m fine, just scratches. Sorry I worried you,” Takaya said, and noticed the black-suited figure waiting behind Kadowaki Ayako.
For some reason a harshness entered Takaya’s eyes, and he glared at the man.
“I’m here to take you back, Kagetora-sama.”
“...” Takaya glared, face forbidding and angry. “Why didn’t you come immediately, Naoe?”
The man he’d named Naoe studied Takaya with a cool clear gaze. “I apologize. The car is waiting downstairs. Shall we go?”
After glaring at him for a moment in silence, Takaya abruptly turned away to put on his shoes without responding. As he tied the strings, he said to Yuzuru, “Sorry for the bother, Yuzuru.”
“I told you it’s fine. You’re really going?”
“Yeah. I’ll come again once things’ve calmed down a bit.” He stood and turned to Yuzuru. “Good luck with the studying.”
He jerked his chin at the man in the suit: let’s go, and went out the door. The tall figure gave Yuzuru a slight bow, his long hair swaying across his broad back, and followed. Yuzuru was still not used to calling him ‘Naoe’.
Watching the scene play out with a complicated expression on his face, Chiaki breathed a flamboyant sigh. “Nothing we can do. We’re off too, I guess. See ya, Narita.”
“Oh, wait a minute! Where’re you staying? Give me the address so I can send your clothes over.”
“I’ll come pick ’em up.”
“You idiot, Yuzuru-kun wants to know where Kagetora’s staying! You’re so clueless,” Ayako mocked Chiaki, then answered Yuzuru: “We’re going to move again tomorrow. I’ll contact you once we decide on the hotel. Don’t worry so much, we’ll look after Kagetora.”
“Ayako-san...”
“It’s all right, trust me. See you!” Ayako hurried Chiaki out of Yuzuru’s apartment.
Now alone, Yuzuru stood rooted to the spot for a moment, watching them disappear out the door.
(Takaya...)
Downstairs, Kotarou’s car had already vanished. Takaya had gone on ahead. Left with no other choice, Ayako climbed into the passenger’s seat of Chiaki’s Leopard.
“Looks like the barrier is working,” Ayako commented, turning to the condo. “I met up with the «Nokizaru» guarding Yuzuru-kun earlier. Nobody’s tried to make a move on him so far. The condo barrier’s functioning properly, so we’re okay for the time being.”
“So long as the ‘Seed of the Demon King’ stays frozen.” Chiaki slid the key into the ignition and started the engine. “Naturally, even Nobunaga can’t thaw a freezing ray cast by Lord Kenshin himself. Still, I wonder how long it can last.”
“You really saw that? That it was Lord Kenshin and not Kagetora who cast the freezing ray at Itsuku Island Shrine? Are you sure?”
“Not really. Maybe I only dreamed it.” He flicked the switch next to the steering wheel with a finger, and a beam of light illuminated the empty street. “Nobunaga himself hasn’t made any big moves since Itsuku Island. I wonder what that bastard’s up to. It scares me that he’s been quiet for so long.”
“Yeah, it’s creepy. So much hoopla, and then nothing. It doesn’t feel right.”
“We don’t even know where he is right now. Just what in hell is the Demon King thinking?” he growled, and stepped on the accelerator. The car headed onto the late-night street.
Two years had passed since the events on Itsuku Island.
The «Yami-Sengoku» had continued to intensify. Every day there was another onshou-on-onshou confrontation somewhere, and there had already been many cases of mass destruction. The Yasha-shuu were constantly on the move. No matter how many «exorcisms» they performed, new onshou just kept getting resurrected; it was a vicious cycle. The intensity of violence was such that they too had dropped all inhibitions. They’d been brazenly blazing away even when buildings were demolished and civilians caught in the crossfire.
Territorial maps looked much different, a hodgepodge of their former selves. Takeda, the Ikkou Sect, and other major forces were rapidly gathering power while smaller players were being made to choose between subordination and annihilation, and many were flocking to the strong. In the midst of this, the news of Nobunaga’s resurrection had sent shockwaves throughout the country. From the 10,000-foot view, the «Yami-Sengoku» was in the process of converging into two great powers: the Oda and the anti-Oda.
“With things as they are, Kagetora hasn’t had any time to relax at all,” Ayako muttered, leaning her head against the seat. “He spends his time piecing together intelligence from «Nokizaru» and Ladies in White all over the country, and analyzing the situation, and issuing instructions. It’s awful and amazing, how he manages to make sense of so much information and make perfect assessments and decisions. If he weren’t our general, the Uesugi would’ve collapsed a long time ago.”
“Is that so?”
“That is so. Just look into the «Nokizaru»’s eyes, how full of trust and esteem they are. And what about the other day? Chou Tsugutsura, who became an onshou because of his hatred for Uesugi and in the end decided to serve Kagetora? And there’s Ukita Hideie. He pledged his allegiance to Uesugi thanks to Kagetora. Even the commanders, the perceptive ones, they can tell our Kagetora’s true strength.”
“You’ve been a true believer since the old days.”
“Yeah, I’m a true believer. I respect and honor him. Something wrong with that?”
“Not really.”
Chiaki stuck a cigarette in his mouth and turned right at the intersection.
Takaya’s accomplishments of the past two years were eye-popping.
As Uesugi’s command tower and the forward tip of their vanguard, his power had been on splendid display. The poise that refused to pander to anyone and the tenacious will that refused to yield touched the hearts of those around him, such that sometimes even those commanders who should be his enemies gave him their loyalty. Takaya had not «exorcised» these onshou, perhaps intending to make use of their military potential. In the old days Kenshin had done the same, forgiving his enemies and making them his allies.
Uesugi’s position, of course, had not changed: they were still akin to a private police force. Yet on closer inspection, one might perceive that their influence had mushroomed, and was now on par with Oda, Takeda, the Ikkou Sect, et. al.
“...He has done pretty well.”
“?”
“I’ll give him this much. We haven’t found hide nor hair of Papa Irobe no matter how hard we’ve looked. The man known as Naoe is an outsider, so he can’t use «choubukuryoku». The Yasha-shuu should be the heart of the Uesugi, but our fighting strength is sans two people; that the Uesugi as a whole can still function normally is all down to him. Not only that, but we’re getting stronger. He leads alone, he even covers whenever we’re short. It’s rather annoying. As if that weren’t enough, he’s even turning our enemies to our side. He’s honestly too much.”
“...”
“Even though Naoe’s no longer in this world.”
Ayako grew somber at Chiaki’s bitter words. “We promised not to talk about it.”
“It’s been almost two years since his death, huh...?”
Chiaki and Ayako had been searching for Naoe on the million-to-one chance he’d survived. They’d performed an on-site spirit sensing. They’d called to him. But there had been no response to indicate his soul’s continued existence. Even if he hadn’t been able to perform kanshou, perhaps his spirit still lingered, they’d thought, and had canvassed nearly the entire country via the «Nokizaru» and Ladies in White.
There had been no answer.
He’d been purified, they’d been forced to conclude.
Takaya had felt none of their despondency.
“That asshole.” Chiaki accelerated violently as he puffed on a cigarette. “Even looking at him gets on my nerves.”
“Nagahide, about that...”
“He understands nothing. He’s blinded himself. I’ve never seen such a grotesque escape from reality. I don’t accept it. I can’t forgive him for it.”
“Nagahide.”
“Deluding himself into thinking that Kotarou’s Naoe...!” Chiaki groaned, provoked beyond endurance. He glared at the center line. “Asshole...”
Ayako uncomfortably shut her mouth. Several orange lights flickered at the harbor. It was past two in the morning, and the coast was freezing cold.