Episode 4: Hero Club Survives
On a building not far from the park where the Hero Club made their stand, a figure in white cloak with a red and black dress underneath and a half skull mask and hood hiding her identity sat while watching the fight through a magic circle. She watched silently from the beginning of the fight where the Hero Club at first was winning against the low-class oni but started getting pushed back when the middle-class and high-class came.
Being a youkai, Kunou was the only one who could harm the higher-class opponents but she's still too young and inexperienced to fight a high-class opponent yet while the normal humans could do nothing other than dodge and bait the other oni.
Still, they perform admirably well, those humans. The fact that they could survive so long is already impressive in itself without a weapon or the strength to fight back. They are exceptional and would've been strong fighters if given the chance, but it's over. Kunou alone cannot fight off such forces and she watch as Takashima Yuuna was about to block a club strike from an oni.
The eyes beneath the mask widened in surprise when she saw Issei who was supposed to be several meters away appear and punch the blunt weapon away with his bare hands. That should be impossible. He shouldn't be able to cover such a distance in such a short amount of time. Well, there are techniques that allows a human to do that but Issei, while he appears to be trained in martial arts, shouldn't be capable of using any such techniques as those techniques are all supernatural level.
'Wait, his hand is not destroyed?'
The girl then noticed that while Issei's hand is bloodied and very likely broken, it is still intact. That shouldn't be possible. His hand should be obliterated after punching a club swung by an oni. Then she saw Issei made his counterattack. He managed to punch an oni that sent it reeling backward. No ordinary human should be able to do that unless they have mastered techniques that could increase their strength, unless…
Then something appeared on his left arm; a red gauntlet with a green jewel on top. The gauntlet has scaly appearance, like the scales of a dragon, and his fingers became clawed. There's no need for her to think too much to know what have just happened.
"Sacred Gear, and that appearance, Sekiryuutei?"
She mumbled. This is a surprise, and a good one. While she needed some confirmation to be sure if it's the Sekiryuutei or not, Issei is no doubt a sacred gear user. She continued watching to see the arrival of the rest of the Hero Club. The first to arrive is Tsuchimikado Harutora.
"Tsuchimikado Harutora of the Tsuchimikado family. He lacks training but those spells, he has power. While he is not a threat now, he will be if he could master Onmyoujutsu like his ancestor, Tsuchimikado Yakou."
The next to arrive is Nogi Wakaba who saved Koori Chikage with a single swing of her sword.
"Nogi Wakaba of the Nogi family. While not as gifted in raw magical power as her two childhood friends, her power level is still high when compared to other Onmyouji. She's not as good with spells and rarely employs them but her swordsmanship is prodigious. She's a samurai rather than a spellcaster."
And last is Uesato Hinata who unleashed a rain of light arrows from the top of a dragon shikigami's head.
"Uesato Hinata of the Uesato family, one of the most talented Miko in japan. Of the three childhood friends, she is the strongest in terms of magical ability and that bow she wields, it radiates divine energy. It can only be one of the original Azusayumi. Outside the Five Families blessed by the Guardian Beasts, the Tsuchimikado, Nogi, and Uesato are some of the most powerful families in Japan."
"Hee, you knew quite a lot about us."
The girl in white cloak tensed when she heard a voice from behind her. She dispelled the magic circle she has been using to observe the Hero Club and turn around. Behind her now stood a female with shoulder-length dark brown hair and dark green eyes. She's dressed in a bright yellow and white outfit and a hairclip with long ribbons. The masked girl knew who this is.
"Miko of Susano'o, Shiratori Utano."
Without any warning, something shot out from Utano's hand. It is a long and flexible object radiating divine power, a whip. The masked girl jump out of the way and landed behind Utano. The Miko of Susanoo spun and slashed her whip at the girl. The masked girl clicked her tongue and took out her own weapon. A black and gold scythe batted away Utano's whip.
"A scythe? Are you a reaper or a sacred gear user? No, you feel human so a sacred gear user. Are you the one that allowed the oni to infiltrate the barrier?!"
Utano demanded. There was no response from the hooded girl. Utano attacked once again but the girl leapt back and over the edge of the building. Utano gave chase but when she looked down, the masked girl in white had disappeared. Utano retract her whip back into its handle. The masked girl had escaped.
"The only lead we have and she escaped."
Utano sighs and turn around. She walked to the other side of the building, facing the direction where the Hero Club is. By now they have ended the battle with the group of oni. There doesn't seem to be any need for her to intervene. Those kids are capable after all. Utano's thought then went to the girl that had just escaped her grasp.
"That girl, who is she?"
The miko wondered. That girl had avoided their detection and it was pure luck that Utano even found her. How she managed to elude them is a mystery, one they needed to solve to deal with this security problem.
"So finally even Tokyo is involved. I suppose we should prepare for the worst."
Utano was about to leave when she felt something happening to the Tokyo daikekkai. She felt the kekkai weakening in one several points. They have lost about a third of the daikekkai's power.
"The wardstones of Toshima, Kita, Arakawa, Itabashi, Suginame, Adachi, and… no way, Minato wards have been destroyed?!"
Utanohead whipped towards the direction where the wardstone in Minato ward is located. She saw a group of youkai making their retreat in the cover of night. Her eyes widened, not believeing that a group that consists of powerful high-class and ultimate-class oni could escape her detection. Her eyes met with one of the oni's, one she recognized, and the oni also recognized her. Stopping in the air while his forces made their retreat, Ibaraki Douji addressed the miko.
"Shiratori Utano, it's an honor to finally meet you! I would like nothing more than to fight you but unfortunately we're on a tight schedule. But don't worry. We will meet again and when we do, your head is mine!"
Ibaraki Douji declared. Utano glared at the legendary oni as he disappeared into a black portal. Once the oni have all left, Utano sighs once again. They have a very big problem.
-With the Hero club-
There is a reason why Yasaka allowed her daughter to leave the safety of Kyoto and her watchful eyes, even if it is to Tokyo which is protected by a daikekkai. With the situation in Japan as it is and many rogue youkai around, she normally wouldn't let her daughter out of her sight. But she did.
The first reason is easily because it is Tokyo. Like with Kyoto and Izumo, Tokyo which is the capital of Japan is protected by a daikekkai, an enormous barrier that prevented it from being invaded by youkai and spirits. Tokyo is the city of humans and for a youkai to enter it, they must go through official channels or born inside the kekkai itself. Otherwise not even one of the great monsters of Japan could penetrate its defense.
The second reason is because Shiratori Utano is there. Izumo, Tokyo and Kyoto each house a miko of one of the Shinto Trinity of Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susano'o and out of the three current miko of the Shinto Trinity, Shiratori Utano is the strongest and that said a lot considering that Yasaka herself is the Miko of Amaterasu.
And last is of course because Kunou will not be alone in Tokyo. She has guards. Of course, she would refuse if her mother were to assign guards from among the youkai in Kyoto. But her guards are not youkai. They are humans, and not just any humans either.
"Follow me! We shall eliminate the remaining oni!"
Nogi Wakaba shouted as she charged towards the oni with sword in hand. Her ancestral sword, Ikutachi, is ready to drink the blood of her enemies. Behind her showing no sign of moving from their spot are Harutora who is shaking his head at his childhood friend's enthusiasm and Hinata who is amused. The miko then turn to the blonde onmyouji.
"Tora-kun, you go help Wakaba-chan while I tend to the others."
"…should I? I don't think she even need our help."
Harutora said while pointing at Wakaba who had quickly dispatched one of the high-class oni with ease. Wakaba simply dodge around the oni's attacks with her smaller size and superior agility and speed that are at near inhuman level and leapt to the air as she swung Ikutachi to behead the oni. The blessed sword did not meet any resistance as even the thick skin of an oni is not strong enough to withstand a cut from a sword blessed by the gods themselves.
Another oni try to blindside her like with Kunou earlier but Wakaba did not pay it any heed even when she noticed. It is because before the oni could reach Wakaba, the youkai was struck by a powerful thunder attack courtesy of Harutora. While the thunder spell did not finish it and merely stopped the oni, Harutora follow up with an ice spell that finished it off.
"Frigid Heaven."
The oni was encased in a tomb of ice and shatter into a million pieces. Wakaba gave Harutora a knowing smile. She could always count on him to watch her back. The swordswoman then proceed to dispatch the last oni. The large oni raised its weapon high but a well placed thunder spell blew it away from its hand. Without its weapon, Wakaba beheaded the oni easily with her sword and the last oni fell.
With their enemies eliminated, Wakaba sheathes her sword and rejoin Harutora.
The childhood friends are just that good. The three of them are the best of their age group capable of facing high-class opponents with relative ease. Nogi Wakaba especially, the strongest of the three, is one of the most promising warrior of her age that she is rumored to be a candidate to become a Great Miko of the Shinto Trinity should anything happen to the current three Miko. With those three around to keep her daughter safe, Yasaka felt that Kunou will be protected well enough to let her go to Tokyo.
"Amazing."
Takashima Yuuna spoke in awe at Wakaba's performance. Strangely enough, it was Hinata who look proud.
"Of course. Isn't serious Wakaba-chan cool, Takashima-san!? When she gets like that, Wakaba-chan is simply unstoppable!"
Hinata excitedly spoke. Yuuna could only smile wryly as this is not unusual for Hinata to praise Wakaba so much like a fan praising her idol. Hinata though receive a light chop to her head for her action courtesy of Harutora.
"Stop fantasizing and tend to the others."
"Hai hai, Tora-kun is so mean."
Hinata mumbled as she went to check on her friends' injury starting with Kunou who is already being tended to. Kunou suffered only minor injuries from being blindsided by one of the high-class oni and some accumulated damages from close calls during the battle. Luckily, the group that attacked them are not particularly strong. Even the high-class oni are of the lower tier of their class meaning they are not particularly special.
Which is strange when Harutora think about it. While Kunou is not at a level that can kill high-class opponents with ease like him and his childhood friends, she is also an important target being the princess of Kyoto. The enemy should've spared stronger personnel. The high-class oni they fought also seem to act like amateurs. Something is going on. It is as if Kunou is not their main target despite her importance and capturing her is just a bonus, not the main objective.
Harutora shook his head. He could think about it later. For now he should worry about his friends. He saw Issei currently staring at his left arm in wonder. His arm is covered by a red gauntlet with green jewel and black clawed hand, a sacred gear. And not just any sacred gear if his suspicion is correct. He approached Issei who is currently sitting on the ground beside Yuuna.
"Yo, Hyoudou, how are you feeling?"
"Tsuchimikado. Thanks for the safe. If you guys didn't come we would've been done for."
"Haha, I'm not about to let my friends die. Speaking of which, you seem to be fine even after finding out that the supernatural is real."
Harutora waved it off as nothing. After all, they are friends.
"So, I guess now you know about us and the supernatural world. Sorry for keeping you guys in the dark but that's just how it is."
Issei nodded. He could understand what he's saying. He had read enough stories, played enough games, and watched enough movies to know that there are reasons the supernatural world should be hidden from normal people. Though if it were not for the danger they had been in, Issei would've laughed at the situation which is very much like what he saw in fictions. Yuuna too also understand and forgave them for keeping the supernatural world a secret.
"We understand, Tsuchimikado-kun. And thank you for helping us."
As usual, Takashima Yuuna is very forgiving. She gave Harutora a thankful bow which Harutora felt he did not deserve for arriving late. If they had arrived sooner, nobody would've been injured.
"Speaking of which, Tsuchimikado, do you know anything about this?"
Issei asked while raising his left hand, still covered in the red gauntlet.
"…that, Hyoudou, will be discussed later."
Issei nodded, knowing that this is not exactly the best place to talk. Harutora then helped Issei up and brought him to Hinata to be healed. There will be explanations later. For now, it's time to rest and let their wounds heal.
"I wonder why Chikage doesn't want to come with us?"
Issei wondered as he and Yuuna walk side by side, following the youkai princess and childhood friends from behind. They are currently being led to where Harutora lives. Apparently, out of the four of them, only Harutora's family actually has a residence in Tokyo and all of them live together there as a result.
After being patched up by Hinata, the Hero club decided to talk things in Harutora's place. But one member decided to not come. Out of the seven members of the Hero club, Chikage is the only one absent.
"Gun-chan must be tired and scared after what she went through. I wonder if she's alright?"
Yuuna said, worried about Chikage.
"If you want, we can check up on her later after we're finished."
"Um, yes, I would like that."
Issei smiled. As always, Yuuna worries about other people more than she worry about herself.
"We're here."
Harutora said. Issei and Yuuna ended their conversation… and their jaws fell open when they saw the structure in front of them. It is a large gate with walls to either side. Issei and Yuuna had passed through this place before. Inside is a large Japanese style mansion. with a large garden. They didn't know that this mansion actually belongs to Harutora's family.
"Welcome to the Tsuchimikado family's Tokyo estate."
Harutora said as he spread his arm, welcoming the two members of the Hero club who had never came to his house. Their flabbergasted look really amuse him but thankfully for Yuun and Issei, they are here for business so neither Harutora nor Hinata took a picture of their surprsised expression.
"Let's go."