Author's Comments:

Hello everyome, to another exciting(?) chapter of Touhou Chronicles!

These release dates are really random... I'm sorry. Honest! I'll try to fix that as soon as I can.

Well then! You probably don't want to read my annoying commentary, so I hope you enjoy the tenth chapter!

Katsu!

[Location: Garden of the Sun]

It crushes my heart to look at you saying goodbye to your flowers, lady Yuuka.

But then again, after all that's happened? I would bet that when we'd come back here, the field would be replaced by a super market or something.

Yuuka "...There. I guess the flowers will be safe, at least for a little while."

Shinki "Are you sure of that? All I saw was you adding some bear traps around the field. ...It's not like that's going to stop arsonists. It never did."

Yuuka "Of course I'm not sure! Do you know how hard it is for me to leave my flowers unguarded? I'm expecting to come back here and... BRRR~! I don't even want to think about it!"

Then why are you leaving?

Isn't that what that Havoc dude told his NPC minion to do?

Well, I guess that one way or another, he accomplished his goal, then.

Yuuka "...Let's go already. I might as well give up on the idea if we stay here any longer."

Shinki "Roger that."

I can hear painful steps of farewell echoing behind my back.

So much drama, it makes me tear up just thinking about it.

Actually, no. It doesn't.

Yuuka "Say, why are you coming with me again?"

Shinki "Hm? It's because I don't believe you can go to the netherworld and stroll there as if you're in a picnic."

Yuuka "So... You are basically going there to confirm if it's true."

Shinki "It isn't. I'm going to confirm that it isn't."

Yuuka "...You are a strange man, you know that?"

Look who's talking, flowers.

An extremely ladylike person with the physical strength of an ancient war machine.

You look this beautiful to attract prey into your killing zone, I bet.

It's convenience.

Shinki "So, I'm not sure where are we supposed to go, so I'll just tag along."

Yuuka "That was the plan from the start, wasn't it?"

…

...So...

Shinki "So where do..."

Yuuka "It's above the clouds."

Pah! I give up.

This isn't real.

Shinki "Of course."

Yuuka "...Are you doubting me?"

Shinki "No, of course not."

Yuuka "You... Have a rotten tone. Fix that."

Shinki "I'm speaking normally, my lady. I am agreeing with you, to the fact that there's the Netherworld just over fucking there."

Yuuka "...I believe it will be better if I'd just show it to you."

You'll be wasting your time, but hey, why not.

[Location: Riverside Pathway]

We've walked for quite a bit now.

But we finally got out of the mountains.

This river seems really small compared to the other by the human village.

Then again, that one's the 'Sanzu river', right?

Shinki "...What a nice place this is."

Yuuka "Oh? So you finally resumed conversation?"

...Don't mind me being silent, then.

Shinki "Where is this place? I heard the Hakurei Shrine is at the edge of Gensokyo..."

Yuuka "The eastern, to be exact. We're actually to the north now, but we're far from the border. We want to follow this river now."

Up the river?

Shinki "But wouldn't we need to go down the river instead?"

Yuuka "Why, do you want to die?"

...Excuse me?

Shinki "What?"

Yuuka "Why would you want to go down the river? If you do it, you'll go to Higan. You'll die. Is that what you want?"

This conversation has gone way beyond the crazy meter now.

Yuuka "Besides, you would need the permission and the help from the ferryman to cross the river downside. So we're going up."

Shinki "...Wouldn't it be faster just to drink your medicine?"

Yuuka "To avoid going downstream? Maybe, but if we want to visit the Netherworld, this is the way to do so."

Oh, of course.

You can't go up the river by normal standards, you can just go down...

When you hit the shores, the ferryman takes you to Higan...

And... And... And I can't believe I'm actually trying to make sense of this.

So going upstream is against the natural order of things, eventually leading you up to the Netherworld?

So what, does this mean life is born from death?

That's...

That's actually pretty deep, now that I think about it.

Yuuka "If you don't hurry it up, I'm going to leave you behind~"

Just... Just let me try to gather my fragmented mind...

...Not really, huh...?

For crying out loud, this really is...

…?

What sound is this?

Shinki "Hey. ...Yuuka, is this slamming sound normal around here?"

Yuuka "Slamming? I hear nothing."

What? Really?

Shinki "But I can clearly listen to it..."

Zooom

Shinki "See? There it goes again."

Yuuka "...I can't hear it. Maybe my punch made your ears walk the wrong way?"

It's not impossible, but no. It's not possible.

At least I know how my body works, and how damaged it is.

Zoooooom

Oh? That was more intense.

Yuuka "Hm? What was that sound?"

Shinki "So you could listen to it, now?"

Yuuka "It was soft, but I heard it. It's coming from upstream."

…

Huh.

I get the feeling something's not really going according to the way it should go.

…

We continue walking upstream.

The sounds are getting closer now, but they are also going on longer intervals.

Yuuka "...Wait, is that...?"

Eh? Where?

Female Voice "HAH!"

ZOOOOOOOOOM

…

A girl with short pinkish red hair with two ponytails tied by two double hair beads, wearing a white dress with a blue vest overtop just hurled a rather peculiar scythe at... Something.

And it came right back into her hands after... Failing to bypass something I obviously can't see.

Komachi "*Pant* *Pant* *Pant* *Pant*... Well, god damn it... It won't budge..."

Yuuka "Are my eyes deceiving me? Slackmeister! I can't believe it, have you just shown effort into doing something?"

Well, we clearly just interrupted her.

Komachi "Ah! ...Yuuka! Talk about a rare sight... *Pant* What kind of volcano erupted in your garden to make you leave it?"

Yuuka "A volcano called questions. I want to pass, could you get out of my way?"

Huh.

I find it interesting that she is resting her back on her scythe.

...Not really, actually.

Komachi "Well, I'd love to, but you see..."

Yuuka "If you don't move I'll make you."

Well, there's tension in the air again.

But still...

I don't understand what she was doing before we got here.

Shinki "Wait, what... What's that up ahead?"

Oh? She finally noticed me?

Komachi "Oooh~? Such a fine young man! Where did you come from? How come you're following Yuuka and you're not dead yet? Are you blessed by the gods or somethin'? Do you want to die, or maybe you're just that kind of pervert?"

...I'm assaulted by a barrage of questions and I'm not sure I can even answer half of them.

Shinki "W-What?"

Komachi "Oh, yeah of course! I'm Onozuka Komachi, nice to meet you!"

…

That's hardly the point.

Shinki "I'm Katsura Shinki, It's..."

Komachi "Shinki? You got a rather difficult name to deal with, don't you? Aren't you the newcomer I've heard about... When was it again? ...Oh yeah! I read it in the newspaper. Are you the one who scrambled everything, then? I was expecting you to be taller."

And I was expecting to have my question answered.

And did she just say newspaper?

...Oh. Aya.

Of course.

Yuuka "...Now that you mentioned it, you were attacking something right over there. What was that?"

Komachi "Ah... Of course, sorry for sidetracking like that. ...But you see, I don't know."

Yuuka "...Oh?"

Komachi "Think I wouldn't be here if a strong enough reason didn't make me?"

Why, you usually wouldn't?

Shinki "So you mean, the 'reason' is that thing you were hitting just now?"

Komachi "Yeah, I guess. Or whatever it is that's behind it."

Yuuka "...So what really happened? Care to explain?"

Is she trying too hard to gather her thoughts?

A-At least that's what that troubled expression tells me.

Komachi "Well... Uuh... For some reason, the souls from Higan can't go to the Netherworld anymore."

Say what?

Shinki "Souls from... Higan..."

Komachi "Hm? That's what I said, isn't it?"

Yuuka "Don't mind him, he's just in extreme denial about the Netherworld's existence."

Komachi "...I ...I see. Well, anyways, Boss isn't really happy with that, so she nicely told me that I should come over here and see what's wrong."

Yuuka "Taking you off from your ferrying duties? Either Higan must be overflowing with souls, or Yama-san is just desperate."

Wait. What?

Komachi "What's the point in bringing souls in if they can't reach anywhere else after that? ...At least that's what she told me, so I came. And... I've been stuck here ever since."

Shinki "...Did Yuuka just call you the ferryman?"

Yuuka "You're... In real denial about this, aren't you? It's starting to anger me."

Komachi "I'm the ferryman, yes. Why? Do you want to cross the river?"

Shinki "I'm going to jump from a cliff now, excuse me."

TUG

Shinki "UGH! Let... Go of my... Collar!"

Yuuka "Face the truth, don't avoid it."

Shinki "If I jump from the cliff I'll die and then I'll end up in need of a ferryman anyway so I'll just end up facing the truth my own way so now let me go god damn you woman!"

Wheeze

Komachi "Yuuka, you're going to choke him to death."

Yuuka "Oh! I'm sorry."

Cough Cough

Does she enjoy making me lose my ability to breathe?

Shinki "...FINE. Let's supposedly say you're the ferryman then. You say... Higan... Is overflowing with souls, and now you're going to the Netherworld see why they're not accepting souls anymore, and then you ended up stuck here because...?"

Komachi "I... I think there's a barrier there. No matter what I do, I can't get past it. I tried going over it, but it didn't work either."

Yuuka "Maybe all that's needed is a bit of motivation?"

…?

Yuuka, what are you going to...

WHAAAAAAMMM

BY THE GODS!

The sound! So god damn loud! Did she really just punch that thing?

What the hell are your arms made of, woman?

I can see even the shinigami plugged her ears because of that!

...Did I really just call her a shinigami?

Shinki "Do you want to learn a new method of killing things by just making loud noises, or it's just my guess?"

Yuuka "...It didn't budge..."

Komachi "I know! I've been trying to bring this barrier down for about five hours now!"

Five hours?

Holy crap, that's dedication...

So she says this wasn't here before...?

…

...Huh.

There really is a solid wall in here.

I feel a familiar sensation running through my fingers as I slip my hand through the wall in front of me.

Oddly enough, I can see what's behind it.

Invisible walls.

...A barrier...

I can see the sky, can't I?

So isn't this the same as Gensokyo's barrier?

Shinki "Say, is it fine to open a hole in this barrier?"

Komachi "...That was the entire point of me being stuck here in the first place-"

Crack

Komachi "...Eh?"

CRASH

Shinki "And it's only going to stay open for a few moments!"

I hop in.

It's not different from where we were. At all.

Komachi "Wait! Wait wait wait! I'm going in!"

Both of you did.

Welcome to the other side of the barrier, ladies!

Komachi "H-How... How did you just do that? I've been trying to breach that for so long, and you just...!"

Shinki "It's my power. I just have to insert my magic into the barrier's to create a conflict, and they just break each other like that."

Yuuka "Huh. So you are actually useful and resourceful? I'm glad I didn't kill you sooner!"

Why, thank you, I feel honored.

Komachi "I-Interesting... So you doing that crazy thing with the Hakurei Border wasn't a lie..."

Shinki "You heard that already? You didn't believe it at first?"

Komachi "Who would believe something Aya has to say?"

Point taken.

Komachi "Plus, everyone saw the slash in the sky, it was almost like you'd look at a broken mirror or something."

Oddly enough, it sounds like something I'd like to see...

Shinki "So where do we go from here? I don't know the path at all, so I'll just follow."

Komachi "Yeah? The Netherworld, you mean? What do you want to do there anyways?"

Yuuka "I want to ask that joker a question. It's that simple."

...

I can see from the look you gave me that you believe I'm here to make sure I'll avoid this place forever, Komachi.

I'm pretty sure I will.

[Location: Netherworld]

...Well, we walked up for a little while already.

We didn't fly, we didn't climb.

There's nothing 'above the clouds' about this place.

I wish I could have played 'are we there yet', but I'm pretty darn sure these two aren't exactly the best ones to play this game with.

But still...

Shinki "Are we there yet?"

Komachi "Quite so, I can see the cherry trees already. The mist isn't even dense, so you'll be able to see the Hakugyokurou soon enough."

I'm not sure I want to see it.

Correction, I'm sure I won't see it.

...Huh.

Shinki "What funny smell is this?"

Komachi "Funny smell?"

Yuuka "Oh, are you feeling strange things again? What smell?"

I'm not sure.

It smells more or less like nectar.

Shinki "It feels an awful lot like honey."

...Oh boy.

They are actually sniffing the air.

Komachi "I think your nose's gone bonkers."

Yuuka "Or maybe our noses just can't smell it? His hearing already proved to be better than mine."

Or maybe my nose's gone bonkers.

...So this is the Netherworld, huh.

Looks an awful lot like your everyday tourism attraction.

The place looks beautiful, granted. There are cherry trees everywhere, and the landscape looks...

Gray.

...Not fitting at all.

I have to give this place the "strange looks award", that's for sure.

Shinki "Is this place always this gray? It looks so dead."

Yuuka "It IS dead. ...But last time I have been here I could see some green, that's true. It looks so ugly."

Komachi "Maybe she decided to change its airs a little bit?"

Yuuka "By locking this place in a barrier? That joker isn't THIS stupid, is she?"

Komachi "...If she is, then lord Enma must rethink his life if he wants to keep Yuyuko as the manager of this place."

...If not, then something really wrong has just taken place, huh?

Strong Wind

Huh.

Well, the fog has been blown away completely, hasn't it?

Now, three things gather my attention the most.

First, it is the extremely and most probably unnecessarily large mansion covering the entire horizon.

Second, I finally noticed the inconceivable numbers of souls floating in the sky, dancing and twisting forming silhouettes similar to animals, then separating back into what they usually are.

And third... That rather odd pillar of pink light erupting from the ground like a geyser.

Komachi "...What in the awesome name of my rowing boat is that?"

Yuuka "Maybe it's a giant pink geyser."

Shinki "Isn't... Hey, there's someone there!"

I can see it!

There's a rather short girl dressed in green, with short snow-white hair and... She doesn't really look well!

Komachi "Isn't that the gardener? Youmu! Youmu, are you alive? Don't tell me I'll have to cross a half-ghost through the river, I don't want to row that thing for god-knows-how-long!"

Aren't you the nice person!

Because that's obviously the first thing you'd ask a person that's in obvious need of medical assistance!

Youmu "I'm... Still alive... I'm not... Going to abandon... Yuyuko-sama... Like this..."

What the hell are you talking about?

Shinki "Never mind that bullshit, is this power geyser your doing? Turn this thing off right now! It'll kill you!"

She's using it as a shield?

It's coming out of the little daggers plunged around her, on the ground.

This is crazy! This geyser isn't a defensive barrier, this is an offensive technique!

Maintaining such a thing on like this is an upkeep you shouldn't pay!

Youmu "Turn it... Off...? And become like them...? I shouldn't... I can't... I won't...!"

Yuuka "...Like them?"

Youmu "T-T-The ghosts... Yuyuko-sama has lo-lost control over them... They went berserk and started to do... Things on... Their own! ...Ah... I don't... Know where... She... Is... I lost Yuyuko-sama... All I could do was create this field around... And..."

Yuuka "The joker has lost control? What do you mean, isn't she the manager of this place?"

Youmu "If I knew... The answer... I would have attempted to... Solve it already...!"

Shinki "By the gods, you're still talking? I told you to come out, and if you won't cooperate then by force it will be!"

Komachi "Eh?"

OK, I cover my entire body in an anti-magic shell and shove my arm in!

GRRIIIIIIIIIIIKKKHH

...Well, this hurts like a son of a bitch.

Shinki "NUUUUHH!"

Pluck

I pulled her out.

And the noise was... Interesting, to say the least.

Komachi "W-What...? How did you do that...?"

Shinki "I am the boogie man when it comes to magic. ...It doesn't change the fact that it hurt. Are you all right?"

Youmu "I... Why did you take me... Out...? I'm going to...!"

God, she doesn't stop whining.

Shinki "If you have time to bitch about your condition, then you have time to make it better!"

Huh.

I always wanted to see an expression like that.

I shouldn't lose the opportunity so I place my hand on her face and start to dump my magic onto her.

...Because I can do that.

If I can absorb magic, I can also share it with others.

Even though it is easier said than done...

Komachi "S-Shinki? What are you doing?"

...I don't know.

As far as my sense of being tells me, I am normalizing this girl's magic by sharing mine...

But why the hell am I doing that again?

Youmu "...Ah... Y-You..."

Maybe something is really ticking me about this place.

We most probably should have as many allies as we can get.

I'm not sure why, but...

Shinki "Hah... OK, I'm done. How do you feel?"

Youmu "I'm... Not tired anymore. How did you...?"

Shinki "Magic! And its wonders. Stop complaining and stand up."

...Ouch. My right arm hurts.

Ooow owowowow... I don't think I'll be able to use it properly for a week...

...Hm.

She has the eyes of a warrior, doesn't she.

Youmu "...Hm. I should thank you for sharing your energy with me. I'm Konpaku Youmu... Yuyuko-sama's gardener."

Gardener, huh.

I guess every warrior needs a hobby.

I mean, look at me! I'm a musician in my spare time.

Shinki "I'm Katsura Shinki. ...It might be a stupid question, but why didn't you want to get out of there?"

Youmu "I'm half-ghost. ...Something told me I wouldn't be safe if I didn't protect me somehow."

Half-ghost.

…

Well, that's a lot more believable than the fact we're in the Netherworld.

Yuuka "Youmu. Care to explain what happened here? Or you really don't know?"

Youmu "I really wish I could. All I know is that Yuyuko-sama vanished, and then suddenly all ghosts started to go mad, attacking each other and even killing the ayakashi that would stray here."

Yuuka "Did the joker simply disappear? That sounds so much like her I am hardly surprised."

Youmu "Don't speak ill of Yuyuko-sama, please. I am sure she is in potential danger, but alone I do not have confidence to invade the Hakugyokurou in the state it is in."

...Well.

Komachi "What about me? You got this elite force of death just hanging in your doorstep, Youmu."

Aah... Aye?

Youmu "I find the 'Elite Force' part dubious, but... If you are willing to aid me, I will most certainly accept..."

Komachi "Well, part of me is actually here because Boss told me to 'see what's wrong'... But helping solve the problem shouldn't be beyond my line of work, now should it?"

You are extremely carefree and simple, aren't you?

Yuuka "Well, you are actually just scared of Yama-san in the end. I am going in as well. My garden still demands a sacrifice for what has happened with it these days."

You know...

I just love how you say things like that with such a peaceful expression in your face.

I'm onto you, lady! You can't fool this vampire!

…?

...They're all looking at me.

What?

...Oh! Do they think I'm not going?

Shinki "The hell, of course I'm in! I don't want to miss the chance of meeting the manager of souls!"

Youmu "So you're coming as well? Can you pull your own weight?"

Hah!

And to think I said the same thing to the ones back at the Hakurei Shrine!

Shinki "Of course."

Well, then!

With a single nod from Komachi and Youmu, we start to run towards the mansion...!

...Except for Yuuka, who seems to enjoy walking a lot.

[Location: Hakugyokurou]

Komachi "HELLO JOHNNY!"

GRRAAACK

You are so subtle it scares the living shit out of me, shinigami!

Youmu "W-Why did you ram the door down, Komachi-san?"

Komachi "...It's a lot faster this way!"

Youmu "You only say that because you're not living here! I'm making you fix this later!"

Well, one thing is totally certain.

This place feels so deserted it makes me wonder if it hasn't been abandoned for longer than it looks.

I'll give it the 'extremely beautiful and impressive' cookie, though.

This has got to be the largest building of Gensokyo I've been to yet.

Although it is a Japanese-style building, this one entrance here is obviously the front gates, as tall as an elephant.

But certainly not as sturdy as one, as Komachi simply slashed the air with her scythe and the door tumbled down after being hit by the Razor Wind.

...Or whatever is it's called the wind slashes that came out of it.

But I digress!

This mansion's hallways are not as tall as the door, so it defeats the purpose of having such a extravagant thing to begin with.

And it's deserted...

…

We're being watched, though.

I'm certain of it.

Shinki "What do we do?"

Komachi "We are being watched. ...I guess. I don't know this mansion that well..."

Youmu "Let us spring their trap."

...What?

I would expect something that crazy coming out of MY mouth, not out of someone else!

Komachi "What do you mean?"

Youmu "If we are being watched, there is a purpose behind that reason. It will save us a tremendous amount of time if we'd simply spring the trap..."

Or we could simply go that garden over there.

Because I see someone.

Shinki "Say, there's someone in the gardens."

Youmu "Ah!"

Komachi "It's true."

Youmu "Yuyuko-sama!"

DASH

Whoa!

...W-Well...

What? Is that woman the one we should be looking for?

[Location: Garden of the Dead – Hakugyokurou]

This is one insanely large garden!

I think ten houses would fit easily in this place, I'm not joking!

Youmu "Yuyuko-sama!"

Youmu didn't waste a single second to dash so fast towards the woman sitting in the middle of the garden that all I could see was a blur.

Yuyuko "Oh? Youmu! Such a peaceful day, isn't it? I was wondering where you were, look at the souls, aren't they beautiful today?"

Youmu "...Ah? Y-Yuyuko-sama! We have to leave this place! It's not..."

She's right.

There is something extremely wrong here.

I don't like this.

Yuyuko "Youmu, what's wrong? You look so pale. Did you eat something bad again?"

...Is this...

Is this lady the manager of the souls?

I must say she doesn't look half as imposing as I pictured.

She looks cute.

Yes. Cute.

I said it.

Komachi "Yuu-san, I think it's not really going to be a good idea to stay in this place anymore. At least until..."

…!

Shinki "Komachi!"

I stretch my hand and pull her down with me as fast as I can!

THOOOOOM

… Jesus!

Where did that come from?

That was going to rip our heads off!

Komachi "W-Whoa! ...I... I thought I was a goner! T-Thanks, Shinki!"

Youmu "Who did that? Show yourself, you coward scum!"

...This...

The air suddenly...

Became heavier?

Male Voice "I see. So you are immune to the control... I assume your physical being, your... Flesh, so to speak... Is keeping you from doing the same as the creatures above."

...Oh.

This is what subtle teleporting must look like.

A man, I guess taller than me, is right next to the manager of souls. ...He's wearing a black kimono, and his hair is red like fire.

He is looking at all of us with flaring eyes that quite honestly are pissing me off.

Red-Haired Man "...[Koutei]."

…?

Was the distance between him and us this big before...?

Youmu "W-Who... Who are you? What are you doing with Yuyuko-sama? Unhand her!"

Red-Haired Man "I'm sorry, but I cannot do that. I need this fair lady for my purpose."

Yuyuko "Kyaa~! Youmu, help me~!"

...I-I don't get it!

What's wrong with this picture?

Shinki "Answer the question, who are you?"

Havoc "...This is a rather pointless question. Names are pretty, but useless. But I believe you need to call me something... ...Call me Havoc, if you wish. That was my name when I was still alive."

Yuuka "Havoc? ...So you are responsible for all that's happened with me today and yesterday, yes?"

...Yuuka finally arrived.

Took you long enough.

Komachi "Still alive? You mean you are dead?"

Havoc "Dead? Death is such an abstract... Look at this place, where the dead linger but can still be killed... Where the dead linger but the living still walk among them. Where the dead linger to find their peace, ere they are shown their time to reincarnate. Such death is not real. It is simply a trial of your soul... Of one's mind."

...What is he talking about?

Havoc "No, my fair lady, I am not physically dead, for I am the same as you. One who is slain by the flesh, but its soul still exists... Keeping me into my former form so I can linger in the world as we know it."

Komachi "...Care to speak in a language I can understand?"

I can translate if you want.

Shinki "He means he died and became a half-ghost."

Komachi "Oh? R-Really?"

Youmu "How did this happen? When you die, you die! You cannot avoid this fate no matter how hard you try!"

Havoc "Allow me to correct all of you, then. ...I used to have many names, but the one I was mostly known as was Dejohn Havoc. My only purpose in my life was to research... To pass my knowledge forward... To enlighten the ones that couldn't find the answers by themselves."

And he starts to flashback...

Havoc "But I was frustrated. My mind started to find limits to its knowledge. I basically knew everything, but my hunger for knowledge drove me to claim more prizes... What if I could find the truth behind the world? Existence? Love? Hatred? Life and Death?"

Yuuka "You claim you have found that?"

Havoc "I'm afraid I have not. That is, until I transformed into a half-ghost, much like the girl in green before my eyes. I am making contact with the very entity... With the very symbolism of death. I am being enlightened... I can control the beings living in here... I can learn again."

The hell?

He can control the ghosts?

Shinki "Are you insane?"

Havoc "Insanity is another subjective word... I merely desire knowledge... Is it such a bad thing to learn with the tools that have been bestowed upon me? By merely looking into the eyes of such a beautiful, wonderful woman... I have seen beyond my sight."

Yuyuko "Kyaa~! Oh, Havoc-san, you are such a smooth talker~!"

Havoc "I merely pointed the facts, my dear lady. ...And now I see..."

Huh?

The fog that was gone is coming back, now.

Or it is just me?

Havoc "The flower youkai. ...The force of nature from the land of dreams... Such grandiose that cannot be described with words alone. I see that my wishes were answered, for you have left your dwelling to meet me in person."

Yuuka "So you say. ...I'm not here to listen to your sweet talk, I'm here to crush your skull in between my fingers."

Wait... This is really odd.

Shinki "Why Yuuka? Why did she have to come here, what good will this do to you?"

Havoc "Of course that is to learn. I am seeing into the realm of death... But life cannot be born from death. So I need one that gives life... One that makes it bloom from the world. There is no stronger symbolism of life than one that can make nature bloom around you."

This guy is dangerous.

Havoc "I need you to further broaden my horizons. Kazami Yuuka, the Flower Master of the Four Seasons."

Yuuka "I'm going to broaden my hand upside your head."

...The ladies are all so tense I can sense their moods.

No one is moving...

Havoc "My desire is not to fight. I merely wish to know, to learn and to progress, but... If combat is necessary to make my point and my goals, valid..."

Shinki "Not wish to fight? You almost beheaded me and Komachi!"

Havoc "...My hand must have slipped, then. Let us not consider that as the first aggressive move towards the other party. Those who never made a mistake, please cast the first stone."

I'm going to destroy this fool, so badly.

Havoc "[Gassho]."

…!

There's something above us!

Youmu "Why, you...!"

I cannot see what Youmu just did...

Because I just rushed forward towards the guy.

DOOOM

I know not what just happened back there.

But I can see this guy is paying attention to me, now!

I'm going to put you to sleep!

Komachi "Ah...!"

Shinki "Take t-"

Havoc "[Jakujo]."

…

BANG

...Gah!

W-What happened...?

Something just...

Crushed me from above!

My vision...

All I can see is a blur-

I can't...

Komachi/Youmu "Shinki!"

My mind shuts down completely.

Havoc "And then the first stone has been cast."