100 – 100. Resignation.
Clang—
Upon opening the crimson door, a giant creature came into view.
A Haeta, also known as Xiezhi, a divine beast resembling a lion with horns on its forehead.
The monster’s height easily surpassed that of a human standing behind the door, and it was clad in blue armor covering its entire body.
Its mouth, rumored to devour all kinds of spirits, was massive, and its teeth were sharp.
As it was a monster considered an enemy of sorcerers, Gaju Hashimoto Shigekuni, who had always appeared solemn, immediately stepped back as the shrine’s door opened.
Hence, there was only one to face the yokai.
Seeing an ancient monster that seemed right out of a literary textbook right in front of him, his heart pounded fiercely.
Kitagawa Kenichi firmly held his sword, Murasame, and aimed it at the creature before them.
Infusing it with a sharp and intense edge.
Whoosh! A flame of powerful magic rose above the blade, not yielding to the monster’s armor.
Grrr—.
Sensing the killing intent, the lion-like yokai bared its sharp fangs and eyed the human before it menacingly.
Haeta was a formidable yokai, to the extent that the term ‘dare’ could be applied to most exorcists.
…Perhaps it was even more daunting than the giant encountered in Shibuya for others.
But when Kenichi faced the yokai, for some reason, he found it more manageable.
It can be done.
Isn’t that reason enough to draw your sword?
“Unfurl.”
Even nullifying the opponent’s spirit-eating ability would be reversed to nothing.
That’s all there is to it,
With a fierce smile, Kitagawa Kenichi swung his sword.
***
…Swish.
How many battles had unfolded?
As the blue flames of the Yokai flickered in the air, the shattered stone walls of the broken shrine crumbled.
The hero somehow felt the ground beneath his feet also crumbling into rocky debris.
Although it seemed like only a short time had passed, the interior of the shrine was now in disarray.
“…Haaah.”
With a deep exhale, a blue aura of magic enveloped him.
It wasn’t the usual magic, but it seemed tinged with the flames of Hatay, flickering fiercely.
Among the scattered bodies of the Yokai, the hero, Kenichi, rose from the ground with a groan.
By then, the wind that blew carried the dead Yokai’s bodies, turning them into black ashes that scattered.
Kenichi stood motionless in the shrine, gazing at the ashes in the air, muttering to himself.
“Really easy.”
Although he had been momentarily tense in this fight after a long time, he found no injuries on his face or body, just a bit of dust.
Even after experiencing a battle, his body was filled with energy.
Looking down at his palm, Kenichi blinked his eyes and tilted his head.
‘Maybe I’m strong?’
A sudden thought crossed his mind.
Clasping his fists a few times, Kenichi chuckled and turned his gaze to the figure standing outside the shrine.
The master of Hashimoto, Shigekuni.
Once a man who dominated the era, a pinnacle of sorcery, now looked somewhat weary.
It was probably due to him witnessing the entire process of the battle after entering the shrine.
‘He must be surprised by how strong I am.’
Kenichi’s self-esteem unavoidably swelled, and his nose and shoulders jutted out like Mount Fuji.
With a smirk at the corner of his mouth, Shigekuni regained his composure and applauded him with clasped hands.
“…Truly the best exorcist of Tokyo!”
“Mm.”
“From the energy I felt since our first encounter, I thought you were just an ordinary exorcist, but… I never imagined you would achieve this level!”
“Huhuhuhu.”
Yes, praise me more.
Praise the fighting prowess of this body.
“Indeed, worthy of praise from Kenju and Shihei. The ultimate Yokai slayer!”
“Mm-huhuhu.”
“Byakuyacha, Ichimaru Shiki…!”
“…Huhu-mm?”
The hero of the reversal, Kenichi Kitagawa, furrowed his brow at the name that reached his ears.
No, that’s not it.
Due to the fight with Hatay, he momentarily forgot that his identity had not been revealed yet.
Kenichi promptly corrected himself.
“Kenichi.”
“…Yes?”
“Hello, I’m Kenichi Kitagawa.”
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Do I have the courage?
Can I sacrifice everything but my soul to kill the monster?
I came here today to find out.
This is solely a matter of the heart.
Everything else has been prepared long ago.
He knew from a long time ago that the guy was a monster, able to briefly undo the seal placed by the world.
Since the change of seasons, he had always been attentive to the state of the seal, and he also sensed that the guy had arrived here first.
The sword to cut the god’s neck was ready.
His own abilities had long surpassed human levels, with countless martial arts techniques at his disposal, as well as means to counter the guy’s power.
And there were comrades to join him.
Not reaching the level of gods, but special individuals who, if they gave their all, could at least hold the guy back a bit.
If they fought together, there were comrades who would surely save only his life.
He had many cards to play.
Right next to him, she was there.
─We can come together like this next year, right?
Thanks to her, he realized.
“It’s too much.”
It was fortunate that he knew it now.
Perhaps because he wasn’t the main character, he couldn’t be ruthless. His will wasn’t sharp enough to kill everything.
Turning his gaze away from Deus Machina, he looked at the woman next to him.
“…You.”
Was it some kind of intuition?
Sawamura Sento looked at me with a dismayed expression as soon as she saw the monster in front of her.
A versatile and powerful sorceress.
The most useful, and the longest-living piece that would burn before anyone else.
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Even though it hadn’t been a year since they spent time together, she held a significant place in his life.
She was beautiful and intelligent.
She was even quick-witted.
Sento, who confirmed Deus Machina with trembling eyes, chewed her lips and unfolded her martial arts.
Whether the training had paid off or not, the alignment of soul and magic was achieved in an instant, and light rose in the air.
“…I want to come too-!”
“No.”
However, the fading of that brilliant starlight was not because of the monster.
Startled by the sudden grip on her wrist, Sento looked at me blankly.
There was me, smiling as usual.
A fool who lacked the courage to kill everything accomplished here.
“It’s still too much for you.”
There was a sinister swordsman who now had one reason to apologize to her right in front of him.
“Why?”
Eyes demanding an answer.
However, the smiling man lowered his head quietly.
The bewildered woman with a look of despair weakly let her arms that I released hang limp.
I grasped the sword.
“Open.”
At that moment, the bamboo forest split apart.