ghost hunt volume 4.doc

8/21/2019 Ghost Hunt volume 4.doc

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Ghost Hunt:Volume4

Prologue

"Hu..."

I could not help sighing aloud as I opened the newspapers and the glanced at the headlines as I

supported my jaw on my palms.

On the third page of the newspaper, a bold headline announced: "35 tudents uffer !ass

Hysteria"

hat incident occured the day before in a public high school in #hiba. $pparantly, a student

complaint during class that his foot had been bitten by a blac% dog that could not be seen by the

na%ed eye. ubse&uently that caused a large uproar.

"$h..."

I am aniyama !ai, a si'teen year old student. $lthough this is self proclaimed, I am a (eryordinary and proper student )it is true*+ I only ha(e a strange part time job. $nd that strange job

is right here where I am reading the papers "hibuya -sychic esearch".

/ocated in an office building in hibuya, o%yo, "hibuya -sychic esearch" is a company that

in(estigates paranormal incidents. hat is, we in(estigate ghosts and super powers, and othersupernatural phenomenon.

0or%ing at such a place, there are times when I ha(e to wor% at haunted houses. Of course, oneshould e'perience as much as one can in one1s lifetime. /i%e meeting ghosts, and ma%ing friendswith girls with psychic powers, to name a few.

Howe(er, e(en to one as e'perienced as I, the article still caught my interest.

0hile I was rereading the article for the multipleth time, #hia%i sempai interrupted.

"0ha2at1s up, !ai" aising her head from her boo%, #hia%i said, loo%ing at me.

4asai #hia%i is eighteen years old a student in a o%yo irls High chool with psychic powers.

$lthough she is s%illed in bending spoons, she is currently somewhat depressed. o sha%e off her depression, she is currently undergoing training at "hibuya -sychic eserach".

"0hat Happened"

In response to her &uery, I showed her the article of interest.

"/oo% at this. It concerns that yo%uryou High chool again."


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yo%uryou High chool. $ school that has appeared in the news many times in the past wee%.

"hem again 0hat happened this time"

"hey say someone was bitten by a blac% dog and caused a commotion in the classroom."

"6og"

"7h. $lthough the teacher could not see it, students claim to ha(e been bitten and caused a ru%us.8urthermore, amongst those who claim to ha(e been bitten, some ha(e what appears to be

wounds caused by a dog bite or something similar."

"$h... $nd the reason"

"It was e'plained as mass hysteria. 10e belie(e that due to the spate of recent ine'plicableoccurences in the same school, some aggitated students e'perienced mild hysteria, and spread

the hysteria to other students.1 Is what they say."

"9ut, wasn1t someone injured 0hat was that about"

"ne'plained."

"8orget it. his is a common occurence."

0ithin a month, yo%uryou High chool has already been on the news ; times.

"0hat was the first incident"

"!ass absenteesm."

he first incident was: all the girls in a certain class claimed that there were ghosts and refused to

attend school.

he ne't report was about mass poisoning.


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"$bout that, it is said that the teachers seriously too% watch. hey e(en put loc%s on the door.


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#hia%i sempai was shoc%ed.

"Incredible"

I nodded.

"9ecause that, supposed une'plained incident..."

"Or rather, strange occurence..."

"Or more accurately, paranormal phenomenon. his type of things tend not to be discussedopenly in public, and happen without anyone noticing. 6on1t you thin% so"

"=eah. /i%e with the incident at our school in the end it was not publicly announced."

"7h, eh. 9ut for them, the headline was printed so boldly on the papers."

"$nd they are e(en on primetime tele(ision."

"It1s really incredible."

"=eah."

#hia%i sempai loo%ed at us, gi(ing up on arguing with a%a and I, who were nodding in

agreement.

"... is it li%e that."

"It is e'actly li%e that."

till nodding, a%a grabbed my mug.

"#ome on."

"8orget it."

aying that, I finished the water remaining in the mug.

"Howe(er, boss is not interested. uch a huge incident is an opportunity to ma%e us famouso(ernight."

#hia%i sempai and I were shoc%ed by a%a1s words.

"... 0hy is that"

"$h Ha(en1t you heard from boss"


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I ha(e not heard of it nothing whatsoe(er.

"He came yesterday the principal of yo%uryou High chool."

0hat*

"ge, ge..." laughed a%a.

"he fact is, our company is famous within the education community. >ust loo% at it: ha(en1t wesol(ed cases in both !ai1s and my school herefore he came with his re&uest."

Oh... so it was li%e this.

igh... 9ecause I had something up in school yesterday, I too% lea(e from wor%, and regretfully

missed this incident. $t least I wanted to see the principal1s face... although that doesn1t reallymatter.

#hia%i sempai whispered,

"hen what happened 0as he rejected"

"7h. It was an immediate rejection. He said he did not li%e highly publicised incidents."

hat1s such a waste.

#hia%i sempai thought so too.

"It is regretful to do that."

"7'actly. If we sol(e su2uch a large incident, the company would shoot to instant fame. 0ewould get inter(iewed by the media and other stuff."

"9oss, too, would be an instant celebrity."

"=eah. 9oss is really handsome, so he1ll probably get a fanclub."

... as... as if that would happen.


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7(en #hia%i sempai was li%e this.

/et1s not tal% about it any more the person in &uestion is just in the ne't room what would we

do if he o(erheard

he boss of "hibuya -sychic esearch", hibuya 4a?uya, is a surprising se(enteen years of age.0hile he is clearly (ery young, he has a high class office in the prime business district. He is

handsome and talented and such a complete narcissist that e(en 9uddha would run barefoot

away upon meeting him. I call him, in short,


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"I %now. I already %now of your rejection. 6espite that, I still would li%e to as% for your help."

said =asuhara seriously.

">ust as you %now, the situation in school is really serious. 9ut what worries e(eryone the most isthe media1s attention. $t first it was just some wild rumours@ recently the situation has escalated

such that people are getting hurt. If this continues, who %nows what might happen. -lease, helpus."


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Chapter 1 - Don't Play with Spirits, Children

1

0e set off to yo%uryou High chool. his was the second day.

It is 3 hours away from the office by car. $fter passing through 8unabashi and #hiba, with a

(iew of =o%osu%a and its surrounds across the ocean, is the school1s compound.

his time the in(estigators include ohn, the !i%o and !asa%o.

$lthough these members ha(e wor%ed together often in the past, this was the first time we

started a case with the intention of cooperating. he shoc%ing thing is this time,


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!atsuyamasensei loo%ed at us judgmentally "$ll this commotion about spirits there1s nothing

more nonsensical and stupid." and flung out such a line.

hat bastard, who does he thin% he is

!atsuyamasensei glared at us with na%ed contempt while we were too shoc%ed to reply. Hisga?e finally settled on


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...#onmen. 0as that referring to us How dare he call us, wellbeha(ed and honest wor%ers,

conmen*

#ome on ust as I was about to e'press my displeasure, 9ousan started spea%ing in a seldomused, &uiet, e'tremely polite tone.

9ousan, a%igawa Housou, age A5, is a mon% from !t. 4oya. He has a day job as a studiomusician. He manages band acti(ities on one hand, and is a psychic power user on the other. In

other words, he is multitalented.

"If we are tal%ing about the recently popular small scale religious groups, I thin% it is more

accurate to call them


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uccess. 0ell done, 9ousan.

"$s long as people don1t mess up the essential parts in life, that is enough* 0hat the hec%, you

people* I don1t %now if it is the attraction of boring religion, or if there is something strangegoing on in the depths of your minds@ a student li%e you who is clearly s%i(ing, and a man li%e

you who %eeps his hair long and messy will sooner or later wind up on the wrong path*"

hat... 0hat Is he trying to say that we1re wal%ing a path forbidden to man

hat bastard**

"Is it here"


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"


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"6o children ha(e any pri(acy to spea% of"

ure they do*

I could not help getting increasingly angry.


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#rap. 0hen I noticed, =asuhara was already loo%ing at me, shoc%ed.

$h ah, I1m in really deep trouble now.

hen he gurgled with laughter.

"0ell said*"

Huh I1m sa(ed

9ousan let out a sigh of relief.

"It1s not li%e we1re trying to be his friends. 8or me, I was eagerly anticipating when


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he said that forcefully.

"0hat type of spirits appeared in the // classroom"

"It was a child, a little boy."

"Has O%amurasan seen it with your own eyes"

"I1(e seen it."

Her reply was short and crisp. -oor dear, her face was turning green. he definitely hadencountered a really frightening thing.

"It started with the (oices. 0hen I played a tape that I pre(iously recorded, I reali?ed there was

some sound I hadn1t heard before in the bac%ground. I thought it was the (oice of a child."

"#ould you hear what he was saying clearly"

"


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$ll fi(e girls raised their hands in response.


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One of the girls started counting off on her fingers.

"8irst, 1he nopenable afe1. 8ollowing that, 1he 6ismembered Human !odel1. $nd then there

was, 1he !an 0ho >umped1. $ man appeared to jump from the school1s roof, but on closer loo%,there was no one... ne't was..."

"1he Old !an of the 8urnace1, when the lid of the furnace was opened, the face of an old man

appeared inside. 1he e(ersed !irror1."

"Oh, yes. 6oesn1t the mirror in the gym1s toilet often show reflections of objects that are in

re(erse"

"$nd 1he eography oom1 0hen it was cleaned, the fluorescent light fell."

"7h 0hat about 18ootsteps in the #hemistry /ab1 there1s that, right"

"$nd 1he ic%bay1 he second to the last bed would suddenly appear to ha(e been slept in."

7(eryone reported (arious strange incidents, and the meeting room became (ery noisy.

hat is, the so called "e(en nthin%ables", was, in general, more than se(en such tall tales.

6espite that, the sheer (olume of the stories ga(e me a bad feeling. he floor plan 9ousan waswriting on was soon co(ered with blue.


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"ounds of things being dragged on the floor@ and the noises were loud and clear. he teacher

also appeared to hear it and went ne't door to chec%, but said there was no one there.

"here were also strange sounds being heard in the // classroom. $lthough I ha(e ne(er heard itmyself, many others ha(e.

"9esides that, there was that day when my class was in charge of cleaning the geography

classroom: when we were cleaning, the bulb of the fluorescent light dropped down. Or rather, the

fluorescent tube. In any case just one tube fell out. he tube shattered and the shards of glassflew all o(er the place, so there were many people who were injured. $lthough we reported it to

the teacher, he could only tell us to be careful@ the problem was not sol(ed at all."

he loo%ed both angry and frightened.

"$nd besides that there were the fires@ e(eryone says they started last autumn. !ore accurately,

they started since that first year student committed suicide. I1m con(inced all these are lin%ed, but

the school does not ta%e any action."

"o you decided to ta%e matters into your own hands"

"=es. 9ecause if we lea(e things as they are, who %nows how many people would be hurt the

ne't time he teachers are useless. If it were us, we might be able to do something. nli%e whatthe news and t( claims, we are not entirely certain that these incidents are the fault of a%auchi

%un@ but to ta%e no action 0ith no action we would ne(er %now if it was good or bad, so..."

"o it was li%e that."

"6oes $ra%isan %now a%auchi%un"

"


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rule li%e this: "the ma'imum time for a toilet brea% is three minutes", I wondered: did the ma%ers

of the rule ha(e people in mind when they made it

"$nd then I thought, a%auchi%un must ha(e hated the school@ there are some people who saythey ha(e seen the ghost of a%auchi%un. hat1s why I thought the students of the school could

properly console the soul of a%auchi%un. Howe(er the teachers did not allow us to do so.omehow teachers always thin% that a gathering of large group of students means we are up to

no good."

7h eh. If it was !atsuyama, I1d easily belie(e he could say such things.


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"hat is, while many described hearing the dog1s sounds, I ha(e ne(er heard it, and I thought

they were only lies. hen one day during class I suddenly felt pain in my foot. It was a sudden

spi%e of pain. I e'amined my foot after class and found a bite mar%. $s I was wearing long pantsit wasn1t a big deal, there was only a little blood@ there were also puncture holes through the

uniform."


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"$ fo'"

"=es. 8or a period of time, our school... eh"

He loo%ed around him. he A female students sitting on either side of him continued urgently,

"-lease, what was it"

"rying to hide it won1t wor%@ the briefest in(estigation would re(eal all."

he said this, loo%ing straight at


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Oh yes, the newspaper report wrote "we belie(e that students with wea% constitutions were

brought down for some reason". he correspondent had tried his best to rationali?e the incident.

0hether we loo%ed at =asuhara or any of the others, none of them appeared frail.


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=asuhara shoo% his head.

"


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=asuhara paused slightly to thin%.

"I started thin%ing 1there is definitely something wrong here1 first with the mass absenteeism.

Only... yes, I had started feeling something was amiss around the period of the cultural festi(al."

"he details are"

"9ecause the number of weird rumors increased. ince autumn, the student grape(ine has

reported nothing but strange tales. Here and there someone saw a ghost or something@ I heard

these stories, and started feeling uneasy."

=asuhara loo%ed (ery serious.

"$s there was preparation wor% to do for the cultural festi(al, e(eryone would remain in schooluntil late. hat is, e(eryone suddenly became (ery reluctant to stay bac%. he change in the girls1

)beha(ioral+ tendencies was especially acute.


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"It is loc%ed."

"0hen will the ne't fire be"

"he last time was on the CCth, so this time it should be on the A3rd. hat1s A days from now."


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"It is li%e that. $lthough we ha(e carefully searched for the source of the stench, the whole

classroom stin%s."


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On the paper were the 8ifty ounds. his is... 4o%%urisan...

9ousan appeared to thin% so too.

"Isn1t this 4o%%urisan"

he girls went into an uproar. he girl who handed us the paper loo%ed at us, highly dissatisfied.

"$s if. =our supposed 4o%%urisan is summoning a fo', right $t the center there is anillustration of a orii... I1(e heard that 4o%%urisan is (ery dangerous, and shouldn1t be done

casually. 8or this, loo%."

he pointed to the strange symbol in the center of the page. here were words arranged into a

circle with the words "=es" and "


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9ousan loo%ed furious.

"7(en the uninitiated is capable of summoning. ummoning a spirit can be done by anybody, but

to send a spirit bac% needs practice. 6on1t do it anymore."

"9ut... e(eryone says that if it is 0ori%irisama then it isn1t frightening, and it does not matter..."

"hat1s bullshit. It1s because you all do this type of stupid thing that these strange disturbances

occur*"

eeing 9ousan1s face, the girls were immediately dejected.

"eally, here and there is all li%e this. In the class where the blac% dog appeared, there were also

people playing this type of sic% games. hey probably summoned a low le(el wondering spirit.he mass poisoning must ha(e been the fault of something similar."

"9ut* 0ori%irisama is (ery popular throughout the school*"

"oodness... his fellow is really luc%y, the school building has yet to collapse."

he girls lowered their heads.


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instant coffee. I scrubbed the old fashioned western styled enamel tea cup, and appreciated the

retro feel. It must ha(e been used through many generations of student councils.

"How is it"

$fter ser(ing the coffee to e(eryone, =asuhara seated himself. hen he sur(eyed us.

/eaning on the chair1s bac%, 9ousan stared at his pile of notes, sighed a huge sigh before placing

them on the table.

"his thing is huge, god help us."

"Is it (ery serious"

9ousan nodded his head, frustrated.

"$ll the students in the school are doing 4o%%urisan."

His sight fell on the pile of notes.

hose were the results of the in(estigation done with the help of =asuhara and his group. Of all

the students, more than EF ha(e done 4o%%urisan at least once, and since eptember, most of

them ha(e done it e(ery brea% time.

In


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"ighto. I1ll teach you the ways of e'orcism, and you will do it."

"hat..."

=asuhara1s face was troubled. I chided 9ousan, saying,

"hat won1t do, mon%* he principal has as%ed a fa(or of us."

"8or me, I disli%e this school1s principal."

"$h, so you1re being difficult because you were bullied by !atsuyama."

"hut up..."

I ruffled 9ousan1s hair.

"-oor 9ousan. =our pure soul has been hurt."

"7'actly. o be so blatantly treated as a conman@ although that does happen &uite often. It1s really

a difficult job to be a psychic power user."

9ousan pretended to cry.

"If that1s the case, this will do. #ollect all the (arious wondering spirits and ha(e them

concentrate on !atsuyama, that1d be fun."

"Oh, not a bad idea."

7n, the moment !atsuyama is mentioned, 9ousan pays attention.

"I1m really sorry that !atsuyama is that sort of fellow."


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"hat is, with you helping us at our re&uest 6id !atsuyama say anything to you"

"apan of today appears to ha(e populari?ed the occult."

"o it appears. o what"

"0ithin >apan, the schools where 4o%%urisan is popular, how many do you thin% there are"

o it is. "0hy would such strange things only always happen in yo%uryou High chool" is

probably what he is trying to say.

"I understand what you are saying, but don1t you thin% the (olume here is e'ceptional"

Hearing 9ousan1s words,


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"hat..."

I said. I wanted to as% 9ousan some basic &uestions. In these scenarios,


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"0hen there are many people doing that together, under the influence of each person1s sha%ing,

the coin mo(ed. 4o%%urisan and the Ouija 9oard )note: Ouija 9oard used in communicating or

summoning spirits as a di(ining or prophetic board, similar to the >apanese 4o%%uri. sing the/atin letters and numbers, =esJ


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e'ample, I as% Kwhat is the name of 9ousan1s motherB. $nd the answer that appears is K$ya%oB...

9ousan, the answer is"

"It is !asayo."

"6idn1t get it right. 8urthermore, because somewhere in the human mind, we thin% that it1d bemore interesting if it got it right, he would carelessly say it. 1$lthough it didn1t get it right, I do

%now someone called $ya%o. How would it %now that1"

"$h, so that1s how it is..."

"If the answer was 1$yayo1, although it is wrong, but only the 1yo1 was right@ or if it was 1!asa%o1,the 1!asa1 alone would do it. If we are as%ing if it got the right answer, in this situation, by right

neither of them should pass. 9ut humans would incredibly ha(e the feeling that it 1got it right1.

8urthermore, e(en if it was completely wrong, one would thin% 1ah, as e'pected, it was wrong1.

9ecause one would be surprised if it were right, that would lea(e a lasting impression on anyone.

In a real e'periment, when as%ed about A; &uestions, only 3 were answered correctly, and thesewere not e(en strictly accurate answers."

"/istening to what you say, that might be the case..."

I thin% I felt li%e that when I was playing.

9ousan loo%ed suspiciously at


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"7'actly. I personally thin% so too. 9asically the only things that spirits %now more than man

ha(e got to do with 1death1 and 1the world after death1."

7n... o it was li%e this... only with things associated with 1death1@ it1s not something one wouldunderstand without e'periencing it firsthand.

"o, unli%e 9ousan, I thin% 4o%%urisan is only a harmless game."

=asuhara, who had been listening &uietly to us, interrupted.

"9ut, if there was a powerful psychic present 0ouldn1t they really summon a spirit"


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!atsu?a%i $ya%o, A3 years old, is a self proclaimed !i%o. 8or no apparent reason she is always

full of confidence, but up till today, no one has yet to see her powers. here are some who say

she is simply useless.

$ya%o &uestioned me, G0hat in the world is this situation

GIt canBt be helped. 0e are still good, with only A people in a room. he pair of us ha(e L

tatamiBs space.

ohn comes the ne't day itBd be ; people sleeping together.

GHow dare they not e(en ha(e heating $ya%o grumbled on.

Ghat, too, canBt be helped. Or should be forget it and just go home

0hen she heard me say that, $ya%o refused to loo% at me.


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G$h, am I


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G-lease lea(e it to me.


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G9ecause this pre(iously became a topic of discussionM

opic of discussion

Ga%auchi, not long after enrolment he wrote this in the sur(ey of his aspirations. He said he

wished to become a ghost hunter in the future. 9ut that might ha(e been only written as a jo%e.

Ga%auchiM was the male student who died in summerM

G=es. $ccording to what I %now, his was the first death of a student since the founding of this

school. here was a period when e(eryone was discussing that incident.

=asuhara loo%ed pained.

GI canBt help feelingM we shouldnBt %eep &uiet. 0e pass each other in the same school, spendhalf the day in the same space, and might ha(e un%nowingly brushed pass each other in some

corridor. If it was fated, we might ha(e become friends. hatBs what I thin%.

G=eah.

7(en if he was jo%ing, he was still the boy who wanted to become a ghost hunter. If he had met

us, what would he ha(e said

Geally He was a boy who was interested in this sort of things. eeing that I was loo%ing a

little dejected, =asuhara said that encouragingly.

GO%. 0here should we go ne't, #aptain =asuhara lifted the stand up.

GIt is, Kthe ym toreroom with ound of the #atBs !ewingB. =asuhara%un, donBt call me

K#aptainB or whate(er.

G8or that, if you want me to be less formal then I shanBt call you that. he real aniyamasan

should be a li(elier person.

Oh oh, IB(e been seen through.

GIf =asuhara%un does not do so too then I shanBt continue. 9ecause I am younger.

G8or me, I really hate this type of thing. I disli%e the society which differentiates between socialclasses.

G$h, me too.

G0e really ha(e &uite a lot in common, #aptain.


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G=es, little brother. 9efore we get scolded by that super narcissistic big boss, letBs go to the ne't

location.

G/etBs do that.

In the school filled with wild rumors, =asuhara and I wal%ed bris%ly, smiling.

he first night was spent setting up e&uipment.


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He grabbed the railing, and stared unmo(ing at the ground.

G0hat are you doing

I wal%ed to his side and as%ed. He whispered in reply.

GIBm loo%ingM

o my Gloo%ing at what he did not reply. I followed his line of sight and loo%ed. He continuedto stare unmo(ing at the school compound. 8or some time, the two of us, together, stared at the

school compound.

6ar%, blac% windows. 0e could see something white floating within them.

G7e I thought, as my eyes ga?ed at these things. 0hite light. hey easily passed through thewindows and floated around. hey were round, dragging a (ery long tail. hey appeared

weightless@ the white lights loo%ed li%e they were flowing.

>ust as I thought that, white lights also appeared at the le(el beneath that. /oo%ing o(er, they

were also in the ne't le(el. hey were in the ne't window and the window after that too. urningto loo% behind, they were also on the field.

In an instant, the school was filled with spirits. /ea(ing a white tail of light, they flew all o(er

the place. hey were also all around me. It loo%ed li%e it had been hea(ily.

G=ou areM loo%ing at that I as%ed the silent boy who loo%ed.

He nodded. $ slight smile appeared at the corners of his lips.

G$re you not afraid

GIBm (ery happy.

GHappy $bout this type of thing

9ut those are spirits* o be happy about this type of scenery

He glanced bac% at me with a satisfied smile.

G7'tremely happy.

9ut, those areM

uddenly his e'pression was hidden by a dar% shadow. He loo%ed steadily at me, lips parting.hose steady eyes flashed a dar% radiance.


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He was smiling. he corners of his lips rose. It was a sinister smile.

GIBm e'tremely happy. here is no feeling better than this.

0ho are you

0ho e'actly are you

uddenly I was awa%e.

I sat up, my surroundings were still dar%. I could hear $ya%o breathing softly.

I glanced at the watch ne't to my pillow. I had not e(en slept CF minutes.

7e 0hat in the world was that dream

I tried to recall the boyBs face. It was a face I had ne(er seen before. $t the (ery least, it was not a

person I %now.

GHow strangeM

I fluffed my pillow, and lay down once more. his time, my sleep was undisturbed.

!

$lready e'hausted by the pre(ious night, we were rudely awa%ened by someone early in the

morning.

rumbling, I opened the door. Outside the door stood a few girls@ they had heard of the psychicsB

arri(al, and had run to as% for news before classes started.

ItBs not li%e I donBt understand your feelingsM

o I e'plained the situation to them. =esterday was only preparing for the in(estigation@ the

official in(estigation would start today, so any e'orcism would only begin after that.

$fter dismissing the dissatisfied group of girls, once again I snuggled beneath the sheets.

I was nearly asleep, when someone %noc%ed on the door.

It was the 5 groups of students we saw the day before. han%s to them, $ya%o and I were welland truly roused.

he series of unfortunate e(ents did not end there.


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0hen I went to the e&uipment we set up yesterday, to retrie(e the data collected, there was a

large crowd of people gathered around. hey grabbed hold of me and I was interrogated.

9ecause it will get in the way of our in(estigations, could e(ery one please %eep their hands offthe e&uipment they need to be handled with care. here was no job harder than this.

8urthermore, in the crowd all dressed in uniforms, we outsiders were e(en more eyecatching.0hen we wal%ed around to chec% on the e&uipment we would be stopped by curious students.

hey all wanted to %now e(en the smallest de(elopment. $s =asuhara had said, e(eryone in theschool felt unsettled. here were conspicuous empty seats in the classes. he seats belonged to

students who were sic% due to the season, and students who were too afraid to attend school. he

school was completely lifeless. tudents gathered in small groups, and spo%e softly, as though ata funeral.

$nd, we would be fortunate to be stopped by the students. he real misfortune was to be spotted

by !atsuyama. If we were seen by !atsuyama, he would ma%e sarcastic comments. He would

say a lot of words that would more than ma%e my blood (essels burst, and lea(e wearing a selfsatisfied e'pression. Hn. 9astard.

hen that afternoon, !asa%o, who came with >ohn in the third group, dropped the most

dissatisfactory bombshell.

0hen >ohn and !asa%o arri(ed, it was about 3 oBcloc% in the afternoon.

>ohn 9rown, CE years old, is an $ustralia born e'orcist. nfortunately he learnt his >apanese in4ansai, and would inad(ertently become the unfortunate target for teasing. His personality is

(ery good, itBs a small shame )+ that heBs a psychic.

Hara !asa%o, CL years old, is a spirit medium. he has been acti(ely wor%ing as a medium since

her childhood, and is a famous personality who has appeared on tele(ision. $lthough IBd li%e tocomment on other aspects of her, IBll s%ip it now. he is, according to


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Ghat canBt be, !asa%o, that again

!asa%o ignored the mon%Bs words.

GItBs not li%e I canBt see anything. I can feel their presence.

$ppearing worried, the mon% cradled his head in his hands. $ya%o and >ohn shoo% their heads,they were out of ideas. hen


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Ghis is only a special situation. his time itBs not li%e I canBt see or feel them at all*

G=es, yes, the mon% said, contracting his nec%.

!asa%o suddenly slightly creased her brow.

G9ut there is a spirit that I feel particularly strongly hereM

G0hat %ind of spirit is it


46/144


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G/in and I will continue to in(estigate suspicious locations. =asuhara%un, please help us. !ai,

G=es*

In response to my enthusiastic reply,


48/144


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he floor and the walls e(erywhere had turned transparent. >ust li%e the negati(es of photographs

stac%ed together. he only people remaining in this negati(e world were


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he large blac% spirit and the smaller, rounder white spirit circled each other. heir tails became

intertwined. oon, the smaller spirit was engulfed by the larger one. It felt li%e the larger spirit

grew a little larger, and a little blac%er.

GHow disgustingM

G=eah. ItBs a really nasty sight: spirits de(ouring other spirits. hatBs why I saidM this place is

(ery dangerous.

G9utM

G>ust li%e that they growM thenM


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9loc% there were 5. he outh 9loc% had ;. 0hen I was loo%ing at these, the area beside my feet

grew dimmer. he pre(iously (isible scenery beneath gradually grew fainter, color returned to

the ground beneath me. lowly the floor came bac% into sight.

GM M

he floor. 9rown colored plastic tiles. here was flooring e(erywhere.

G!ai*

$h*

I raised my head and saw


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G$re you trying to help us Or are you trying to get in our way

hisM this fellow

9ut for me, the la?y in(estigator who was caught napping, there was no possible reply.

"

>ohn and the mon% returned immediately after ohn also tilted his head. $s he mar%ed the schoolBs floor plan on the white board, he said, G8ornow, although I ha(e said prayers as per HarasanBs instructions, there does not seem to be any

effectM

uddenly an image crossed my mind. >ohn was scattering holy water. he pale white spirits left

that place, and escaped to another location.

G#anBt say for certain, but maybe they escapedM

GHa

Gohn and the mon% loo%ed at each other.

G6o you both thin% itBs impossible

GM a simpler one.

$fter I finished, >ohn said, Gyou should be able to do the (ery basic things, and there is themethod of scattering salt and saying KIn the name of the /ord, I order you, e(il spirits, be gone.B

9ut is !aisan a #hristian

G


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G0hy would you suddenly be li%e this he mon% as%ed, disbelie(ing.

GIs it possible for me to be of a little useM something of that typeM

>ohn and the mon% e'changed a loo% once more.

GIf we let !ai conduct e'orcisms, donBt you feel weBll all be doomed

8QQ%.

>ust as I was about to loudly admonish the mon%, he suddenly said to me, straightforwardly,G0ith the fingers on the inside, stac% them together.

M M

G/i%e this.

he mon% showed me how he interlaced his fingers with the palms facing away and bent the

fingers inwards to form a stac%.

G/i%e this

Ghen, place your inde' fingers and thumbs together (ertically.

It was li%e a position used by ninjas or something. $nd the fingers hurt &uite a bit.

Ghis is the eal of $calanatha. !aintaining the proper position of the seal, say, Knauma%u,

sanmanda, ba?aradan, %anB.

GHa

G


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GO%ay. /i%e this

I tried copying the mon%Bs actions.

Gohn =ou really say a lot of redundant wordsM

GO%. >ohn, letBs head to the ne't place. K


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0hile I (erified the )disappearing+ footsteps of the pair, I tilted my head in thought.

0hy did I say something li%e thatM hat was just a dream. It had no special meaning. It

shouldnBt ha(eM 0hat happened in the -rinting oom was that water would fre&uently dripdown and create puddles e(erywhere. It was only an incident of this le(el@ nothing that could be

considered Gsinister had happened.

9utM

0hen I could not help starting to ponder, the !eeting oomBs door was opened, and =asuhara

appeared.

He was ordered around by


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GIs it $lthough I donBt %now the details, it loo%s li%e it is (ery complicated with this and that.

hatBs despite saying this place really gi(es one a strange feeling.

G#omplicated

G=es. nli%e regular 4o%%uri, it appears to ha(e (arious rules. 8or e'ample, the paper cannot beused more than once.

GHe2 ItBs really strange.

Ghe used paper must be disposed at the shrine or something. $nd there is the chanting of

incantationsM

G0ori%irisama, 0ori%irisamaM li%e this

GItBs not li%e that. How was it doneM IB(e only heard it a few times myself.

KOh20ori%irittenantaraB or something.

G0hat was that, ah, this

I immediately started feeling strange.

G$s e'pected was it (ery strange -erhaps this method of doing it only done in our school.

GI always thought it was weird@ 4o%%uri and what notM where did e(eryone first learn of thismethod

=asuhara tilted his head.

G=ouB(e got a point. -erhaps someone heard it somewhereM It might be interesting to

in(estigate this. K8rom whom did you learn how to play 0ori%irisamaB or something similar.here must ha(e been someone who in(ented it.

G$nd there are people still playing the normal 4o%%uri

Ghere probably arenBt that many. $bout autumn e(eryone was homogeneously playing 0ori%iri

sama. here were people casually calling 0ori%irisama K4o%%urisanB, K#upidsanB etc right

from the start. hat, isnBt there a saying that 4o%%urisan would cause haunting o nobody still

plays that anymore. hen someone said that 0ori%irisama would not cause haunting, and thesteps are (ery complicated. $nd they said that if you followed the rules it would be completely

safe.

Go thatBs why you played

G!y curiosity is (ery strong. I would always want to try it out once.


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GI can understand thatM On hindsight, the (olume is really e'aggerated. 0hy would it be so

popular

GIf we analy?e the reasons for its popularity you wouldnBt ha(e so much trouble. -erhaps itBs li%ethis: maybe itBs because the steps are (ery unusual. /oo%, didnBt you see those papers hat

alone is already a little strange. -eople thin% it is a no(elty.

GIs it

=asuharaBs e'pression turned slightly more serious.

G$lthough there are other e'planations, Ksuppressed students loo%ing to (ent their stressB and thetype, this type of e'planations are not con(incing@ because it would grow into a problem of some

sort.

G=asuhara%unM I canBt help feeling you are (ery %nowledgeable.

G=es. IB(e been called a little old man by others. $s for my nic%name, it is K7chigoyaB.

G7hM 7chigoya

G=es. hey say I ha(e the image of a %indly old man, but they canBt tell what IBm really thin%ingof deep down.

-erhaps itBs li%e thatM deep insideM

GItBs today. =asuhara said suddenly.

G7h

Ghe twelfth day. onight. !ore accurately tomorrow morning. here will be another fire in the/oc%er oom.

He said it li%e it was an ine(itable e(ent.

I suddenly thought of the dream I had.

G-erhapsM not in the /oc%er oom.

G7h =asuhara as%ed suspiciously.

$hM not goodM

I frantically wa(ed my hands.


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GhatM thereBs no profound meaning to itM I just suddenly felt that this time it could occur

somewhere elseM whate(er. /i%e the 9roadcast oomM

here was no deeper meaning, because, it was just a dream. 8irstly, I donBt e(en %now if !asa%oand $ya%o e(er really (isited the /oc%er oom. 8urthermore, the mon% and >ohn had e'orcised

basically all the places where incidents ha(e happened that were reported on the news.

G$re you a person with si'th sense

GhatBs why I say, ahM

his is really troublingM

GIB(e already said this is nothing important. Only in the pre(ious case my hunch was right. ItBsnot li%e being able to detect spirits or anything similarM

ItBs notM I thin% itBs notM maybeM

$

he sun had set, and the surroundings started to turn dar%. he mon% and >ohn returned to the

!eeting oom.

Once the mon% entered the room he let out a whistle.

GOh, !ai, in a world of your own with your boyfriend How mature.

eally. 0hoBs my boyfriend*

G=asuhara%un is also (ery &uic%. =outh is great2:

hat, ahM

Ga%igawasan, thatBs not fair. It was a rare opportunity for us to tal% in depth.

7n*

pon hearing =asuharaBs cle(er retort, >ohnBs head hit the whiteboard. he mon%, too, stared at

=asuhara with a tic on his face.

GI wish you would be more considerate of the feelings of others.

$s though imparting a secret, the mon% placed his hands on =asuharaBs shoulders.

G=oung manM Ha(e a little chat with me.


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G=es.

GI understand your feelings, but you ha(e to consider the situation and the location.

G$h, right. hen, ne't time IBll try my best.

hatM thatM

G=ou ha(e to consider the atmosphere for this sort of thingM

hatM hey, hey

/oo%ing steadily at =asuhara, the mon% said, G6o you li%e !ai

G=es I do.

M M

G$h, but I also li%e hibuyasan. He is (ery beautiful*

ong. >ohnBs head hit the whiteboard once more.

G9ut I li%e a%igawasan e(en more QheartQ

he mon% loo%ed se(erely at =asuhara from the corner of his eyes.

G=oung manM

G=es

G=ou, you are teasing me

GOf course QheartQ

0ith a shout Gai, the mon% released his fist. In order to dodge the mon%Bs blow, =asuhara

escaped behind the table.

G6onBt ma%e fun of adults*

GhatBs because you were thin%ing of ma%ing fun of children.

=eah, yeahM

miling, =asuhara poured coffee for the pair of them.

GHow is the wor% going


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he mon% loo%ed li%e he had been as%ed a &uestion he would rather not answer.

GI donBt feel li%e answering wor% related &uestions.

GItBs not going well

In response to my &uestion, the mon% only shortened his nec%. >ohn made a mar% on theeography oom where the fluorescent light dropped during cleaning. He mar%ed it with a sign

G>. It meant that the location had already been e'orcised by >ohn. 0hile he continued mar%ing

other locations, he answered in place of the mon%.

Ghe (olume is too large.

he floor plan of the school was on the whiteboard. roublesome places were mar%ed withnumbers, and the places that ha(e been e'orcised were mar%ed with red.

$fter a whole day, only one fifth was done.

G0hatBs the situation with !asa%o

his time, can we still not rely on !asa%o

he mon% sighed.

G$lthough she insists that while she canBt see it she can definitely feel it, I donBt %now what isreally going on.

GHey, hasnBt apan, !asa%o is first class 0ould something li%e thishappen to a first class medium

G=eahM

he mon% groaned painfully.

G!asa%o is good at channeling spirits.

G#hanneling spirits

G$h. he summons a spirit and lets it possess her body. hen she can ma%e prophecies, andanswer &uestions. 0hat she does is not too different from 4o%%uri.

G$h, tele(ision programs fre&uently broadcast that.

G$pparently she has got a lot of it right. 9utM he mon% loo%ed pained. G


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Hmm.

GI ha(e ne(er doubted this before, but when


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street. $ psychometrist would be able to see the past and the future of the bag@ what type of

person the bagBs owner was, what he is doing now, what he will do after that.

GIs it li%e that I as%ed, and >ohn nodded.

G=es. 7'actly. -rofessor 6a(is himself is a psychometrist, thatBs why he came up with thattheory.

Ghis -rofessor 6a(is, is he that person with psycho %inesis )-4+

G=es. -rofessor Oli(er 6a(is. He was a researcher in 7nglandBs - ociety of -sychical

esearch. apanese regardless of the nationality of the spirit summoned.

hat is the caseM

Gapan+channeling on tele(ision. $t that time Ita%o summoned !arilyn !onroe. o summon !onroe

alone is hilarious, but that !onroe could e(en spea% >apanese. O(erall, I felt it was (ery strange

and (ery funny.

GIs it

Ghere are such cases, but on the other hand, there are also mediums li%e 7ugene 6a(is,

osemary 9rown and 8rederic hompson.

GHaM

he mon% e'plained to be by the side, G!rs. 9rown composed music with the help of spirits. he

supposedly had no musical training herself, but could ma%e music through summoning a spirit.he spirits that were summoned include 9eetho(en and #hopin and other composers, so some of

her music was e(en orchestral styled. he music was completely in the style of the (arious

composers, and from a musical perspecti(e they appeared to be (ery highly recei(ed.

G$s for hompson it was drawing. He let the spirit of a painter called obert wain ifford possess his body, and allowed it to draw. he drawings were all sceneries, places that ifford

(isited when he was ali(e@ furthermore, they were places he ne(er mentioned a desire to draw to

his friends. !ore incredibly, hompson had neither (isited that location, nor seen a photographof the place. Of course, the art was completely in the style of ifford.

GHeM


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>ohn nodded.

G6espite all these, amongst the mediums there are those who e'cel at answering &uestions and

ma%ing predictions. -rofessor 6a(is also once said, rather than calling users of this type of power KmediumsB, they are more li%ely to be 7-ers. -ersonally, he did not belie(e answers and

prophecies etc were passed on by spirits.

GHmm hmm

Go it was li%e that. he mon% &uietly muttered.

G!asa%o would be considered a medium of the latter type. 0hether it is answering &uestions orma%ing prophecies, she is e'cellent. In other words, rather than calling !asa%o a medium, she is

more li%ely to be a psychometrist. he also said that she finds it easier with spirits that ha(e a

stronger connection.

=asuhara sighed, loo%ing concerned.

GItBs really complicated.

8or no reason I simply could not rela'.

G$s for this, I %nowM 9ut what e'actly is going on 6id it just change such that !asa%o does

not ha(e the ability to see spirits

GIBm not saying she is completely incapable of that. 9ut if we consider K!asa%o can see spiritsB,

it is more li%ely that she has a Kclear (isionB through an object, the schoolM although IBm not too

sure myself.

Hmm2

GhatBs why !asa%o need not necessarily be able to see those spirits. ight now, right here we

might be swamped by spirits !asa%o could not feel.

I seeM

G!ai, do you understand

G$hM IBm getting a headacheM

he mon% sighed.

G!e too. ItBs because of thin%ing about some unimaginable things.

G7'actly.


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Gherefore, !ai, the mon% loo%ed at me.

GHa(e you felt anything yet

!e

9efore I could reply, =asuhara blurted out, G$h, ha(enBt you said it before. he fire would be in9roadcast oom or something li%e that.

>ohn and the mon% turned to face me.

0uM 0ait a little. hat might ha(e been just a simple dream.

G!ai

0ith the mon%Bs urging, I related the incident with difficulty.

GIt was a dream I had when I was napping.

G$nd then

GI sayM

rembling with fear, I described the dream. Of course, I remo(ed the part where ohn was li%e this.

GIt could be just a simple dream.

GhatBs impossible. he e'orcism in the /oc%er oom was really done by Harasan and

!atsu?a%isan.

h

G9uM 9ut, it might be a coincidenceM


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G6id you %now his was researched by #harles art and others: dreams and 7- ha(e a (ery

deep connection.

GHaM

G7specially the initial cycles of 7! sleep. ItBs %nown to e'perience 7- type phenomenonthen.

G=es. $ more accurate way of putting it is d$#, discrete$ltered tate of #onsciousness.

0ait a minute...

Ghis state of the consciousness dissociating is the strongest, when mediums summon, or when

7-ers use their powers of psychometry. >ust as


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7nM maybeM

GIf thatBs the case, aniyamasan will be helping us o(erall.

G=oung man, since when did you start to be !aiBs manager

G8rom now on.

eallyM IBll follow your wishes thenM

$t dus% e(eryone gathered@ the mon% and >ohn e'plained the entirety of the situation.

$lthough I had anticipated it from the start, $ya%o and !asa%o ga(e me cold loo%s.

#ontrastingly


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hrough the monitor,


68/144

=ou ha(e always been carrying such a hea(y responsibility. If it were me, I would ha(e a little

confidence in myself if my predictions were right a hundred times. 9ut just as my confidence

started growing, my predictions suddenly stopped being correct, with $ya%o or someone elsecorrectly predicting it instead, I would be really sha%en.

his time no matter what type of sarcastic comments they ma%e, I will endure it. =eah.

G6onBt thin% too much about it. >ust beha(e as you normally would. If you thin% too much you

would end up not being able to come up with anything.

GO%ayM

I shifted my ga?e. he camera &uietly standing in the middle of the 9roadcast oom caught my

eye.

$lthough the fire was fortunately e'tinguished immediately, the e&uipment set up there was a

pathetic sight.

G-oor thingM

I caressed the camera that was co(ered in white by the fire e'tinguisher.

GHey,


69/144

GhenM shouldnBt it be that at that time I didnBt ha(e to pay compensation

ohn opened his mouth to spea%.

G8orget it. >ust be glad that nothing happened in the end. $lM$lthough itBs li%e this, it is reallyregretful, hibuyasan. It was so rare to witness a fire that started automatically@ although it was

an incredible opportunity to ta%e a (ideo, in this mess the precious tape is alsoM

he situation was already a huge mess, to continue &uarrelling would be of no use. >ohn

probably meant something li%e that. )>ohn, as usual, spea%s unclearly when he gets flustered+

Howe(er, saying that, >ohnBs (ision, my (ision, and e(eryone elseBs (ision were fi'ed on


70/144

I, ordered to collect tapes, stormed out of the !eeting oom.

I was furious and did not plan to follow


71/144

Ghere was also such a person in our school. One who was fascinated by the occult and met a

tragic end.

G=ou are tal%ing aboutM a%auchi%un

He was the first year student who committed suicide. He had written Gghost hunter as his futureaspiration.

G9e careful not to end up li%e him. a%auchi is regretting it in the ne't world.

GhatBs saying, ensei doesnBt thin% a%auchi%unBs death was regrettable

G0hat

G Kuch things happened because he was fascinated by nonsense, he got what he deser(ed.B Isthat what you mean

G0ho said that

It was youM

Ghat was just what I understood from what I heard.

$ll I heard were words delighting in the misfortune of others. #ould such a person still be

considered a teacher

G0hatBs that, youM 0hatBs that insolent attitude about

8QQ%M

GI still ha(e wor% to do, e'cuse me.

I nodded to him once more, turned and wal%ed away from him.

Is there anything that can be said to one such as him

GHey, wait a second.

he furious !atsuyama reached out.

I will hit you if you touch me*

$t that moment, loud noises and the sound of many people screaming came from the classroom

in front of me.

Immediately past the terrace was the $rt oom.


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I ran into that classroom. !atsuyama was right behind me.

G0hat happened*

I jumped in shoc% when the door opened.

$ll the students were standing. here were a few people s&uatting. hards of bro%en glasslittered the classroom shards that were slightly cur(ed and mil%y white.

I loo%ed to the ceiling.

here were 3 rows of ; fluorescent lamps side by side. here was not a single fluorescent tube up

there.

G0hat happened* !atsuyama as%ed the students and the teacher who sat fallen on the teaching platform.

he fluorescent lights had fallen down. $ll the fluorescent lights in the classroom.

I suddenly recalled immediately beneath this $rt oom was the eography oom.

$ll the students e(acuated the $rt oom.

$ (acant classroom. ables arranged hapha?ardly. 9loodstained glass shards scattered all o(er

the floor.

!ost of the students were slightly injured in one way or another. hey recei(ed treatment in their

respecti(e classrooms.

GItBs my fault, whispered >ohn who stared blindly at the classroom.

>ohn had conducted the e'orcism in the eography oom.

Ghis isnBt something you could ha(e done anything about@ we would ne(er ha(e e'pected them

to escape to the classroom abo(e. I tried to console >ohn. He silently shoo% his head.


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74/144

>ust as the mon% agreed to


75/144

0hat was that* 0hat happened*

uddenly the white spirit too% on human form. It was a human figure that let out sad cries as it

was engulfed by the blac% pit.

hat wasM a%auchi%un*

It was a%auchi%un. Hands outstretched, as though grasping at air, he was slowly engulfed by

the willoBthewisp. he dar% flames surrounded him, and he san% slowly into the sea of fire.

top itM

I closed my eyes, bloc%ed my ears.

7(en then I could still see, hear.

-leaseM somebody stop it*

-lease*

$s &uic%ly as it appeared, my (ision suddenly went bac% to normal.

!asa%o and I sat on the ground, green in the face. 7(eryone else obser(ed us blan%ly.

G0hat e'actlyM happened he mon% as%ed urgently.

9efore I could answer !asa%o spo%e.

Ga%auchi%unM has disappeared.

ears rolled down her dollli%e face.

GIt was just as !aisan said. he spirits here are feeding on each other. a%auchi%unM had beende(oured.

!asa%o cried, loo%ing at me. Her trembling hand grasped my arm.

G=ou saw it too, !ai

G7nM

0ith a trembling hand I held !asa%oBs hand.

GIt was really scary.

G=es.


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G0hat happened to a%auchi%un

!asa%o continued weeping and did not reply.

He was eatenM

and he had not been purified. >ust li%e that, to ne(er rest in peace, to be eaten by that monsterM

!

Ghis is an abnormal situation.


77/144

Is this the time to argue o(er this detail


78/144

Oh, did he really in(estigate it


79/144

He sighed, and tilted his head bac%wards.

G$h, you thin% IBm lying.


80/144

he dar%ness of night settled o(er the school. hin%ing carefully about it, a Gschool is not a

place well suited for night. uch a large and (ast emptiness filled with dar%ness, while said to be

dangerous, it ma%es one feel lonely.

I, who remained alone in the !eeting oom, was ordered by ust as I straightened, a chill went down my bac%.6amp, icy cold air caressed my bac%, and left me shi(ering.

I could see a blue glow in the distance. hat was the light of the emergency e'it. 8rom there,

there would be a corridor leading bac% to the


81/144

(ery ne't second. $nd it was brighter than inside@ perhaps it would be a little better if it was

dar%.

I found my unreasonable fear pathetically funny@ I leaned against the closed door half pantingand half laughing at my own uselessness.

In front of me was the entry to the


82/144

I ran down one flight of stairs, and sprinted towards the second floor corridor. #hec%ing the stairs

behind me while I planned on opening the door, I suddenly ran into something that set me into

instant retreat.

It was (ery bright outside the door. here, stood the dar% figure.

It was about as tall as my waist. It had slender arms and slender legs. It was ob(iously the figure

of a child. 9ut, if it was a child, did it ha(e such a large head

I retreated one step at a time. he childBs shadow stood there unmo(ing.

wo steps, three steps bac%wards. hen the figure mo(ed.

One thin arm rose and settled on the door handle.

tumbling, I ran to the right, into the dar% corridor. 9ehind me, I heard the hea(y sound of the

door opening.

ItBs catching upM

It was getting difficult to breathe, my legs felt li%e they were tied up.

0here is e(erybody

Is anybody around

/oo%ing out of the window from the corridor, a pale light lit the corridor from an angle. On both

sides were identical rows of windows. 0indow. 0indow.

I felt li%e I could not ta%e another step forward.

I could not help loo%ing behind. $s I turned my %nee felt li%e it had been shattered.

He was there.

he shadow of the child wal%ed slowly from the door.

I wanted to run. uddenly I saw the emergency light at the (ery end of the other side.

!y heart thumped once loudly.

he green glow of the emergency light. Immediately beneath that there would be somebody

there. 0ho would be there he child, of course,. He would be s&uatting there, hugging his

%nees. he green light glowed brightly, but it felt dar%er than blac%.

I turned my head.


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here tooM was the silhouette of the child.

He was wal%ing slowly towards me. 6eep in my head I could hear the soft sound of a childBs

laughter.

0hat should I do*

#oincidentally I was standing right in front of a classroom door. I leapt towards the door and

rushed into the classroom. $s I entered, I noticed the sign G9iology -reparation oom abo(e

the door.

0ere the curtains drawn, or were there no windows at all I could not tell in the absolutedar%ness.

I shut the door and collapsed on the floor, and searched with trembling hands. On the inside of

the door there was a loc%. It was just a (ery simple latch loc%. 7(en that was better than nothing.

#latter clatter, I loc%ed the door and finally let out a sigh of relief.

It doesnBt matterM

It shouldnBt matter anymoreM

$s my breathing started to slow my stomach started to hurt . $s my heart was beating (ery fast, I

felt my ears ringing. !y throat felt li%e it had be sliced open as I gasped for breath. GIBll wait

here for a while, I thought as I hugged my sha%ing %nees.

0hat should I do IBm trapped in a corner. Is there anyone nearby

Once my breath was calm, I tuned my ears to pic% up any acti(ity outside. I wanted to see if I

could hear anyoneBs (oice, or if I could feel any acti(ity, etc.

uddenly the sound G4a 6ong rang out.

I jumped in shoc%. It was li%e something had hit the door, creating that loud noise.

#latterM 4a 6ong.

It was the sound of something hard being mo(ed, (ery near to where I was, probably right within

this (ery room*

0here was it !y legs were already unable to mo(e. !y arms and legs were li%e they had been

tied in dead %nots@ they didnBt feel li%e a part of my body.

#latterM 4a 6ong.


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It was (ery near. >ust somewhere in this roomM somewhere up thereM just a distance right in

front of me.

I sur(eyed the dar%ness before me. Raguely I could see the outline of the shel(es at the A ends ofthe room. $nd from a shelf, came the noise.

#latter.

he soft sound continued to resonate@ then it became an earsplitting sound of something

shattering.

0hat*

It sounded li%e glass brea%ing. $t the same time a whiff of a saccharine sweet smell wafted o(er.

his isM

I leapt towards the door.

It was the smell of formalin *

0ithout care for what was on the outside, I grabbed the door handle and tried to wrestle it open.

9ehind me came the sound of more glass shattering. mall droplets of li&uid splashed on my

feet.

he smell of formalin got stronger.

G


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7(en those that were li%e willoBthewisps they floated weightlessly, then, attracted to the large

willoBthewisps, they were de(oured.

7(en during my obser(ation, the number of willoBthewisps had (isibly decreased.

a%auchi%un was de(oured in front of my eyes. hat scene rose from my memory.

It was petrifyingM $ disgusting scene.

nwilling to see more of those scenes, I shifted my (ision. I spotted the figures in the second

floor of the 7ast 9loc%.

M I was there: in the second floor classroom, a minute classroom. I saw myself there.

I saw myself lying on the ground and the crowd surrounding me. $ya%o and the !on% and!asa%o, and there was >ohn, /insan and =asuhara, and also,


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!y body was laid down in the ic%bay.


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9ecause the electricity in that classroom was cut@ when I was escaping, frightened, I was chased

by the child@ and in the end I could only escape to that placeM

GItBs not my fault.

0hen I finished, an icecold object was placed on my forehead. $ya%o had placed a damp towelon my forehead.

GHow is it

GItBs (ery comfortableM

G=ou really ga(e me a shoc%. 0hy were you wondering around the school on your own

G9ecause I had to ta%e the tapeM

G


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0uM I donBt e(en want to imagine that. I donBt want to thin% of that.

Geally, what did you learn how to e'orcise spirits for 6id you not try it

G$hM I forgot.

Gtupid.

G=ouBre rightM

0hile the !on% and I were con(ersing,


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GOccasionally.

I patted my forehead.

$ya%oM than% you.

I smiled and shut my eyes.

$ fog had risen. iny droplets of water were flowing. $ mil%y white fog.

Hidden in the mist was the shadow of trees.

0here is this placeM

I loo%ed around me. all trees@ fog that en(eloped e(erything. It was (ery dar%.

HuM I let out my breath. I understood.

IBm getting used to this. his is the semiconsciousness of sleep.

$iM IBll ignore that for the time being. 0here e'actly is this place

I loo%ed around. i(ulets of fog flowed around me. he fog slowly thinned, and soon I could see

a orii in front of me.

It was a shrine.

I passed through the orii. 9eyond the orii was a prayer path made of stone. On the right therewas a small red orii. 9eyond a pair of ceramic fo'es was a small memorial hall.

Is it the Inari hrine

he fog started swirling again. I noticed there was an immense building in front of me.

$h, this is the !ain Hall.

he shrine was dimly lit. tanding in front of the !ain Hall wasM

G


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Ghat place is (ery dangerous.


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0ith a sudden Ga, the (ision cleared, and the ongoing scenario in the -rinting oom emerged

before my eyes. hey had finally arri(ed >ohn and =asuhara at that (ery dangerous place.

GIBm going bac%.

I said that@


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G>ohn and =asuhara%un ha(e gone to the -rinting oom. hat place is (ery dangerous. o

please hurry there to stop the two of them.

G0ait a moment, !ai.

$ya%o said that, and nodded to me in comprehension.

Gnderstood. IBm going then.

$fter her nod, $ya%oBs e'pression was uneasy.

G0ill you be fine on your own =ou %now how to use e'orcism spells

G=esG

G0hat do you %now he 4uji he $calanatha #hant

Ghe one with the $calanatha eal.

Ghen remember this.

$ya%o formed a word eal with one hand.

G/i%e this: remember in )臨+, -yS )兵+, S )闘+, ha )者+, 4ai )皆+, >in )陣+, etsu )列+, Tai)在+, Ten )前+.

$ya%oBs hand mo(ed in a cross. It was li%e mar%ing a grid in mid air. hen she made a final cut

in the (ery center of the grid.

Ghis is the 4uji. Ha(e you remembered it yet

GO%, the first cut is hori?ontal right IB(e got it.

G6o this after the $calanatha #hant.

G=es.

I forced a smile onto my petrified face. $ya%o loo%ed at me, concerned, then ran out of the

ic%bay.

!

9oneless, my body collapsed bac% onto the bed. !y head hurt. I felt a wa(e of di??iness pass. I

wanted to (omit andM

henM


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8ighting the di??iness, I searched the room for any strange atmosphere.

$s I tried to control my breathing, all light in the ic%bay suddenly (anished.

ItBs hereM

G0hat are you doingM $re you playing with me

Indeed, this room isM I turned to loo% at the beds lined up inside the room. /ight from the streetlamps outside permeated the windows. he mattresses glowed white in the dar%.

!y heart raced. he second innermost bedM on the third bed away from me towards the inside

of the roomM someone slept on the bed. It was a human figure cocooned in the blan%ets.

Go you ha(e appeared, monster.

It was really incredible. I was so une'pectedly bold. -erhaps the formalin had spoilt a certain part of my brain.

I sat up slowly.

he fellow inside also sat up slowly.

I could tell the air was changing. he air, the atmosphere@ something li%e that was changing,

distorting.

here was a (ague blac% thing below the white mattress.

It )referring to the figure on the bed, not the blac% shadow beneath+ rose at the same speed as I

did.

I climbed up. It s&uatted on the bed.

I stac%ed my hands together@ this time I would not forget.

G


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I repeated the chant 3 times, and stac%ed my fingers together again. I gathered the word eal.

G臨 in

I cut a hori?ontal line through the air.

G兵 -yoo

I made a (ertical cut.

G闘 oo

$s my hands mo(ed, with a thump the bed started to sha%e. I was thrown down from the bed,

and landed hea(ily on the ground.

#old air crept up my legs. It was stic%y, icecold air. he figure had gotten off its bed. he

mattress co(ering the gigantic shadow fell onto the ground. Its body san% below, dissol(ed intothe dar%ness and disappeared.

0here

I loo%ed around me as I mo(ed to the door without changing posture. )tlJn: she landed on her

bottom, flung off the bed@ now she scrambles for the door, still on her bottom+

0here is it

he thin dar%ness had diffused the room. I could not e(en see the shadow of anything. 0ith my

hands against the wall behind me, I searched for the door. /eaning on the hardness of the door, Istood up slowly. >ust as I was about to open the door, the room roc%ed (iolently once more. I

momentarily lost my balance and fell down.

$t the same time, came a shoc%ing G6ong that strong enough to sha%e my body. !y body was

suddenly suspended in midair. 7(en before I could thin% Gh, my body landed on the collapsed

flooring.

!oaning, I stood up. a%ing note on of my surroundings, I tried my best to &uic%ly reach for thedoor.

I touched a hard object. It felt li%e rough concrete. It did not feel li%e the door.

h*

I in(oluntarily turned my head.

G$hM


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he door was still there. >ust abo(e my head. I turned bac% and loo%ed into the room. 0hat in

the world happened On side of the floor had dropped beneath floor le(el*

Once more I stac%ed my fingers up.

Gnauma%usanmandaba?aradan%an.

I said at high speed.

#lic%. #lic%. oft noises sounded around me. It was li%e there were some small animals mo(ing

agitatedly around on the ground.


I was completely blind. he critters were coming closer to me, their numbers were increasing.


here was a soft slithering sound. It was coming closer to me. It was already (ery near.

I released the seal and gathered the word eal and started the hori?ontal and (ertical stro%es.

Gin )臨+, -yS )兵+, S )闘+, ha )者+, 4ai )皆+, >in )陣+, etsu )列+, Tai )在+, Ten )前+.

I made hori?ontal and (ertical cuts.

I brandished the sword seal at that in(isible thing.

G9e gone*

he room suddenly trembled, and the slithering sound cac%led to a stop. he miasma (anished.


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It was


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I could feel the icecold floor beneath my chee%. 9rushing my forehead, some fragments fell

down.

I opened my eyes. !y surroundings were pitchblac% and I could not see a thing. he weight onmy bac% was (ery warm.


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he mon% said, G0hat do you call a Kno big dealB he ceiling fell in*

Ghe ceilings of this type of buildings are only made up of soft wooden boards. ItBs no big deal.

!ai, are you injured

GIBm fine.

$ya%o turned and stared at


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G0hen they see this floor, they wonBt be able to say anything if they ha(e any sense )of

propriety+ at all.

"

0e wal%ed towards the office. ohn, $ya%o and =asuhara, I was forcibly sho(ed under the co(ers.

/eft without a choice, I fell asleep. 0hen I slept I immediately had a (ery short dream.

It was somebodyBs room.

It was a western styled room of about L tatami. here was a table and a bed, stereo on a stand,

and a boo%case filled with boo%s.

$s though there was something attracting me, my eyes were drawn to the spines of the boo%s.

GOccult, G-sychic, G-rinciples and echni&ues of High /e(el !agic, G$n Introduction to thecience of the !ysterious, Ghe heory of pirit 0orshipM

It was just li%e the boo% shelf in our office. $ whole load of obscure boo%sM

7'actly whose room was it

he room was (ery tidy. /i%e there was no one li(ing there.

I wal%ed closer to the table. On the study des% was a studentBs school bag. $round the bag weresome loose items, li%e a stationery holder and a wallet and a !onthly ail -ass Holder.

I pic%ed up the -ass Holder. I opened it and glanced inside. In it there remained a tic%et that had

already e'pired in October. I glanced at the name.

a%auchi omoa%iM

0hen I wo%e up the ne't day I was already past noon. 0hen I opened my eyes, I saw the uglye'pressions of U people s&uee?ed into the tiny 0or% oom: ohn,

$ya%o, !asa%o and =asuhara. I as%ed them what had happened after the pre(ious nightBs

incident.

he principal had brought a few teachers along to %ic% us out of the school. $fter they saw thefloor of the ic%bay, they did turn green, but despite that, they remained (ery stubborn about not

closing the school. !atsuyama, who had came along, insinuated that we had purposely caused

the floor to collapse.


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8urthermore, they made


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GIf the number of spirits continues to decreaseM that is to say, if they continue to cannibali?e,

what would happen he last remaining spirit would be too strong, and we would be incapable of

ta%ing care of it oursel(es, right

G#annibali?e, and the last remaining spiritM


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G$fter catching a few of these worms they are placed in a bottle which is buried underground.

$fter a few months the bottle is dug out, and because the worms feed on each other only one

remains. 4odo%u is a way of cursing that ma%es use of this worm.

GHow cruelM

G=esM

Ghere are other people who say that the worm is %illed and its spirit is controlled, and yet others

who e'tract poison from the worm itself. he worm would haunt the home of the curse user, and

bring great riches to that home.

G9ut the price for thatM a personBs life has to be regularly offered in sacrifice to feed that worm.

If that is neglected, the worm would eat its owner.

7eM

GIf one is no longer able to maintain the worm, one must ta%e the property, plus interest, brought

by the worm, con(ert it into gold or sil(er items, and discard them by the side of the road. his isthe so called G4a%insan.

GIf someone else co(ets those riches and pic% them up, he would be forced to %eep the worm.

G9elie(ing that he has pic%ed up a bargain and ignorant of the underlying meaning, the person

who unconsciously brings the worm bac% would end up being eaten by the worm.

GIt can also be used as a death curse. $fter enacting the curse, the worm and some gold and sil(er

is gi(en to the hated target. $s the recipient is unaware of the cause, he would neglect to feed theworm and get eaten by it.

Ghat should be the original method. $fter that, this method of cursing was combined with thedemon cat method the curse is on the person that %ills the cat to gain control o(er other spirits

to become the demonic method of %illing the remaining worm, and using its spirit to %ill the

hated target.

G0aitM wait a moment. he worms are placed in a bottle and allowed to cannibali?e on eachotherM is that right IsnBt that e'actly the same as what is happening in the school*

GhatBs why I say this is 4odo%u.

Gyo%uryou High chool is located on an ancient cemetery. /ea(ing modern cemeteries aside for

the time being, ancient cemeteries are sacred places where 4e%%ais are used to pre(ent the spirits

of the dead from lea(ing.


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Gpirits are summoned into such a place but are unable to lea(e. hat is to say, the spirits are

congregated in the school. $nd the spirits feed on each other within the school. It is completely

similar to 4odo%u.

$ chill shot down my bac%. his is such a scary situation.

Ghen, if it continues li%e this what would it become

GOnly the strongest spirit would remain.

G$nd then


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Ghere is, right

he mon% loo%ed e'pectantly at


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/insan shoo% his head e'pressionlessly.

Ghere is no way whatsoe(er. $ curse that has been started cannot be stopped half way.

G8or curses, there are only A choices: to not begin it at all, or, once started, fully completed.

here is definitely no way to stop midway.


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G!ore in(estigation is necessary, but the problem is how to in(estigate, and what we are going to

in(estigate. he mon% grumbled.

GIf we are not able to enter the school, our hands would be tied.

G$s you say.

$ya%o sighed.

GHow should we proceed now

G6onBt just as% others@ use your own brain to thin% a little.

Ghin%ing about it youBre the oneM sorry, $ya%o doesnBt ha(e a brain that can be used.

GHey, what do you mean by that

$re the two of you not clear about our current situation ohn followed on and spo%e.

Ghe spirits fed on each other, and the school has turned into a situation of a %odo%u.

Is this a game of continue the sentence

GIndeed.

he mon% scratched his head.

GI somehow feel thereBs something odd this part about summoning the spirits.


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Ghere shouldnBt be this possibility.


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G6id you say the word was K鬼B*

$fter as%ing me that somewhat interrogatingly, /insan hurriedly let go of my arm.

G0hatBs up Is there anything

he !on%Bs face was filled with shoc%.

G0hat was that paper li%e -lease try your best to recall that in detail.

GI donBt remember it. Oh yes, what about =asuhara%un Ha(enBt you played it before

=asuhara san% deep in thought.

GI also only played it just once beforeM

He said that while he too% out a loose sheet of note paper.

Ghat, there is a circle made up of the word K鬼B. hen in the middle there are A chec%ered patterned pictures)+M

=asuhara drew the picture out as he thought.

he circle made up of the word K鬼B, and inside that were A ;cornered )?ig?ag+di(iding lines.$nd in the middle of that was the shape of a man.

Ghere were some words written inside hereM I donBt &uite %now.

=asuhara showed his picture to us.

G=esM it was really li%e this.

/insan loo%ed li%e he was s&uinting, then he spo%e in his deep (oice.

G#anBt you get hold of this paper

GI thin% I might be able to get something out of catching and intimidating some of the nearby

students. Is there a problem with this

/insan did not answer. =asuhara pic%ed up the paper with the drawing, and (ery neatly started

writing something on it.

G=asuhara%un, was that li%e this

7'actly li%e thisM


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GhatBs right. Here and hereM

=asuhara pointed to the blan% spaces on either side of the human figure.

Ghere are some words written here.

$nd that is

G0ori%irisamaM itBs called that, right

Ghe way of calling it is from an incantation, right

G Kon, oni%ilitei, meiritei, meiwayashimaire, sowa%aBM

G$h, it is this one*

Ghen, after using the paper, it has to be buried somewhere.

G=es. hatBs what is said to be done. 0hat with being only able to use it once. $fter using it one

has to properly ta%e it to the shrine or something.

GhrineM

/insan softly repeated those words, and then he loo%ed straight at =asuhara.

G6o you %now where the shrine is located

G


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I jumped in shoc%.

It was e'actly the same as what I had seen in my dreamM

he wooden orii that was going blac%. he unmo(ing Inari 4ami with flags stuc% on it. he

small main hall with slopping tiled roof. OnlyM the thic% fog was missingM

/insan wal%ed straight up to the Inari 4ami. He wal%ed around the small memorial hall

in(estigating something.

tones were stac%ed into a pedestal, and a small wooden memorial hall was placed on top. 7(en

the donation bo' placed in front of the memorial hall was so small it was pathetic.

/insan said, after wal%ing around and loo%ing at the memorial hall, GIt is not here.

$fter that grumble, this time he wal%ed towards the !ain Hall. /insan studied the floor which

was higher than many other temples, and said, G9rownsan.

He shouted for >ohn.

GIBm sorry, I am unable to crawl in. -lease crawl under this floor and ta%e a loo%.

o pre(ent cats and dogs from going under the floor, it was surrounded by a wire mesh. herewas a small hole in a dar% corner of the front steps. It was a small hole that the nearly CEFcm

/insan could ne(er ha(e crawled into.

>ohn nodded and climbed in. He would definitely get dirt all o(er him, poor dear.

GIs there anything inside

>ohn replied to /insanBs words.

Ghere is a bit of paper.

G>ust a piece will do, please ta%e it out.

>ohn &uic%ly crawled bac% out. He coughed a few times gently, and handed the piece of paper to

/insan.

Ghis is it.

/insan spread out the paper which had been crumpled into a ball, then said, G$s e'pected.

rumbling softly, /insan passed the paper to us. he paper was already soiled. It had thesymbol in the center, and the fifty sounds.


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GMhis is*

GIs this the paper used to play 0ori%irisama

he !on% and I nodded. =asuhara too, firmly said, GhereBs no mista%e about this. hatM this

isM

0hy would it be buried in this type of place

/insanBs profile was e'pressionless.

GIf you wish for madness, bury it the crossing of pathsM

G$i

GIf you wish to %ill, bury it beneath the palace.

0hat*

/insan loo%ed straight ahead.

Ghis is the seal of the curse. If it is buried beneath a shrine, it can become a %illing curse.

M M M M

!y ears started to ring.

0hat was that 4illing curse

0e hurried bac% to school to loo% for


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G7'cuse me, could you please lea(e for a moment

G0hat the, still scheming about something

his fellow* his is clearly not the time for this type of thing*

GI feel that ensei would be better off not listening to our discussion.

G4e2 0hy is that


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Hearing


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Ghe target is !atsuyamaM who is the culprit

$s%ing now is pointlessM 7(eryone wanted to %now this answer.

G0ori%irisama started with a first year student in the $esthetics 6epartment. 8urthermore this is

not a commonly %nown spell. omeone not (ery interested in this type of thingM

0hen he heard


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!atsuyama was clearly gaw%ing.

G0aitM wait a moment* I donBt understand what you are saying*

I could not help shouting out.

G0hat are you tal%ing about Hey*

G!ai.


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Geflect the curse bac% $llow !atsuyama be %illed

I didnBt say it li%e thatM

G7(en youB(e turned stupid. 0ithout discussing whether they %new or not, the students acti(ated

the curse. 7(en if they ne(er recei(e any punishment from the law, they are in fact accessories tomurder. eflect the curse bac% to them. he one who is the cause of all this will regret it for life.

Is this not what is called fair

ItBs not li%e thisM his is much more complicated and ambiguous.

G=asuhara%unM can you understand

=asuhara, who had only played 0ori%irisama only once we would also be reflecting the curseonto him.

GM I understand.

He nodded, with a deathly pale face.

GIf the curse is reflected bac%, what will happen to us

Ghe number of cursers is too big. he strength will be dispersed@ the effecti(eness should also be diminished. heoretically it is li%e this. -lease pray that this will be the case.

M 0ait a moment, this is so cruel.

=asuhara nodded.

G0e were the ones who as%ed you to resol(e this case. If this is the only way.

Ghere is no other way.

Ghen we are counting on you.

$ hint of a smile appeared on =asuharaBs pale face.

It was so simple. oo simple.

G0hat about !atsuyama*

I shouted. !atsuyamaBs body suddenly shrun% a little.

G!atsuyama is the only one who is protected, but the others cannot be protected* Only this

person is in the safe ?one without ha(ing to undergo any punishment* his is too sly*


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G=ouBre really stupid.

Gegardless of who it is, no matter what type of person it is, there is no reason for him to be

%illed.

0hat


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7(eryone was completely ignorant.


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GHow is it Is the in(estigation progressing well ItBs really incredible, there were reporters and

all that gathered in front of the office. 9ut I did as boss told me to and told them there was no

comment.

hat was ignorant a%aBs innocent (oice.

Ga%aM a%a*

$h ah, this is not important at all*

G0hatBs up, !ai

a%aBs (oice turned uneasy.

G0hat about


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$fter finding him, I will stop him.

I donBt mean to abandon !atsuyama.


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$s I was reciting the incantation, suddenly it felt li%e someone else had appeared in the room.

he room was pitchblac%. $t most, I could see only the wea% light shining through the corridor.

0ater dripped from the ceiling. !y shadow (aguely appeared in the room, on the wall facingme.

G


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he droplets falling on my forehead rolled pitter patter towards my eye lids. >ust as the water

was about to enter my eyes, the (ision of my right eye was dyed completely red.

etsu )列+. $cross.

7(en in the dar%, my hand crisscrossing continuously was also (isibly red. $ll of it was, allthese lineli%e things, were all blood* !y entire body was drenched with blood.

Tai )在+. 6own.

he shadow that floated on the wall turned bac% to loo% at me. It bent its body low and stopped

there. Once more a gurgling sound could be heard, and a white object floated up by my feet. Itwas a pale human face. Only the tip of its nose was abo(e the water.

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