Next chapter~
Thanks to Crimson for edits!
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Her eyes are cold,
Her hands are gripping strongly into her own cellphone as she stares into her contacts—
Toujou Nozomi.
While her call was recorded over a hundred times in Nozomi's phone…which was probably accidentally left somewhere else to be unheard by the owner.
"Nozomi…. take my calls…will you…." she mumbled before she attempts to call a couple more times with her phone.
It has already been her third spare battery and second power bank from ever since her first call.
"Onee-san…." Her little sister— a blonde just like her, was peeking from behind the door of Eli's the room.
"I'm busy…Alisa!"
"S…Sorry…." the girl replied sadly.
"Stupid….stupid…. why are you not picking up my call…how could I know about where you might be right now…?!" the older blonde said with anger and jealousy.
"Did you do this intentionally…? Is it because I can't give you a better time?"
The younger blonde shook her head, putting all of her courage into her lips…
"Onee-san! It's just for one day! How could you think that way about her?!"
The older blonde was surprised as she heard it—knowing that it came from her younger sister, made her feel really angry but…she does have a point, how can she respond to that?
"You've been her friend for a year, right? So you need to give her your trust…even if it is just for a little bit. Be patient and see for yourself—see if she abandons you for real! I mean...perhaps it's just a misunderstanding, or you're just thinking too much like always! Beside, it's not like you have to be the first everywhere for everything! If she's having more fun by being with the others, why are you trying to force her to hang out just with you? Are you truly her friend?" the younger blonde continued with a high voice.
"You…." Eli frowned,
"Ah…." the younger blonde realized that she may have been a little rude.
"Sorry…" she continued.
Eli still frowning at her,
"I said too much…" the younger blonde finished her apology. The older blonde looks away and sighs,
"I'll just go to her apartment…." She said as she quickly prepares herself.
Alisa remains silent as she stares into her sister who acted so strange, but then again she always acts strange when it comes to Nozomi. It shouldn't be any news to her, though, for some reason, she could feel that her sister is a little too much right now.
The sky is still dark as there is no light lit around the very street,
Only for that one specific room and now with Nozomi, the Snow girl, Hanako inside…
"Uhm… yeah…I told Maki-nee-chan to go ahead, then I tried to search for a way in but since it was too difficult, I can't even enter the yard and the parking lot! So I called you…."
"I see… the seal is indeed fresh and strangely strong enough to hold one demon…" Nozomi said.
"For what reason though?" The Snow Girl ask,
"I wouldn't know… I've never been in this place before…" Nozomi said.
"E-Eh? But it's like the most popular kindergarten in the area! I often pay a visit here!" Hanako said.
"I didn't attend this school, I was somewhere—away from this country…" Nozomi replied.
"Oh…how is it…in another country?"
"Nothing special other than that their environment looks so much more different than this country…but if you're talking about the spiritual level—well…that's a whole different case. In every country, they always have their sacred places…I used to be in an abandoned cathedral, you know…it was so strange because the souls were acting different…"
"How different?" Hanako asked.
"How do I put it…the western souls tend to make an appearance but rarely make social contact with those who see them, though some that do are just furious or lonely…the south eastern, they tends to haunt things, but never clear about what they truly intend to do….there's also some Scandinavian souls—I swear I heard them yelling all day and act so happy…or some are just grumpy and starts bashing randomly….but seriously, they're just different…"
"I see… maybe we should try go out sometime, Yuki-nee-chan!"
"Ok! Let's just look at that place called airport and follow someone later!"
"Ok!"
"Hnn…I guess that's the best thing about being dead…" Nozomi said.
"Yup! Hehe! The bad thing is when they somehow have some priest on the plane… I used to try that but he attempted to exorcise me right when I got in there…"
"Uh…You have a pretty good luck then…" Nozomi said.
"Speaking of which, you two! We need to go deeper somehow, instead of staying in this room!" Hanako said.
"Eh…alright, but what are we going to do inside? I feel like they can do it…" Nozomi said.
"Yeah… I think they're all fine so far…" the snow girl said.
"Sheesh! Can you at least check?!"
"Hmm..well..I think I can just try calling them…" Nozomi tried to look for her phone in her pocket.
But….
"Eh…?" she raises her eyebrow, and then tried to remember where she put her phone…
"Crap, I left my phone in my bag!" Nozomi said.
"Uhm…so…that means?"
"We should just look for them, alright!" Nozomi said eagerly before she ran into the hallway.
Meanwhile,
"Umi-chaaann!" Kotori shouted as she keeps walking around the school's kitchen,
"Oi…Umi-senpai…" Maki shouted as well while looking around each classroom near the kitchen.
"Umi-chaaaaaaann!" Honoka shouted too as she looks around the yard near the kitchen
None of them were getting an answer….
"Weird… she should've been around…" Honoka said.
"I wonder if she might've gone there…" Kotori said.
"There…?" Honoka tilts her head.
"Do you remember the parking lot?" Kotori asked.
"Oh…right…that place, Umi often played with the rabbit there!"
"But…why is she there?" Maki asked.
"Uh…maybe…just for the sake of being nostalgic?" Kotori replied.
"Maybe…." Honoka said.
"Let's just head there then… we should just need to go a few meters from the yard, right?" Kotori said.
"Alright…"
As they're about to leave through the yard, Nozomi, The Snow Girl and Hanako goes into the kitchen…
"Ah…what a finding!" Nozomi said.
The trio turns around and comes face-to-face with each other.
"Nozomi-senpai!" they said together.
"I forgot to bring my cellphone, so I guess now I have to stick around with you all…"
"Ehehe…you came at a good time!" Kotori said.
"Really? But looks like you're fine already…am I too late for the party?" Nozomi smiled,
"Nope, we're going to find Umi-chan now… then we can go home…" Honoka said.
"Go home? Then about our previous mission…?" Nozomi tried to confirm.
"I actually already texted you the whole story, but…since you left your phone…I guess I will have to tell you again…." Maki said with a sigh.
Toujou's apartment, night time;
Eli stood in front of the door of the room, knowing thats where her friend lives. She was about to knock on the door—just like how every guest should.
Though something came up to her mind…she could hear herself talking… to herself…or perhaps she could also say that a lesson was being taught as she remains in silence…
But who taught her? She wondered.
She is very sure that no one has been speaking for her—it was all herself.. her voice…her mind…her heart…
Either way, there's one part of her that says—she could just enter the very place. Ignore the fact that she was supposed to knock the door politely.
She placed her fingers on the metallic wooden door, then for some reason, she thought, she could just sink it in like it has never existed before...
Is it truly possible?
She thought.
Maybe…
She speaks to herself before she actually sank her hand in.
Has she mastered something else tonight?
She thought that it was scary of her to be able to learn such a thing without anyone guiding her. It's like the knowledge itself flows inside her—putting aside all logical thought she always had.
She goes through the door—finding herself inside and no doubt about being where she is supposed to be when she goes through the very door. Then she tried to check on the door itself and see if it was locked—well, it is indeed locked tightly.
She smiled to herself, satisfied to accomplish something impossible. Can she even talk about this with anyone? Even to Nozomi?
Can she truly be trusted or perhaps it's not about the trust that she should worry about?
She decided to think about it later and now start looking for someone she wants to meet with. Perhaps also confront as to why she didn't pick up her calls...
Eli moves through the rooms—and not through the door just to make sure she can do that over and over. She tried to keep looking but she couldn't find her anywhere in any of the rooms until she decided to look for her cellphone by calling her once again.
She could hear the cellphone from inside her school bag, and then finding her usual coat left behind as well. But when she tried to look for the mission-bag, she couldn't find it hanging in the usual place. She also sees that Nozomi brought the sketchbook that they made together.
Did she bring that to do the mission with the others?
There's something gripping so painfully inside her heart. Perhaps she could say that it feels so unfair that she wasn't invited for tonight's adventure. Maybe part of it was her fault for telling her that they're supposed to be busy doing something else…
In her mind, she knows that she didn't lie about they're "supposed to be busy schedule" with something else, they have a big responsibility on their shoulders and Nozomi decided to forget—or at least, put all the burden to her. She believes that Nozomi promised to help her after school, but she didn't return to do her work and forced her to do everything on her own.
It's really troublesome, but…now she asks herself. She likes to get things done—or be with someone who could get things done… why did she fall in love with someone who is too lazy to get things done? Will she have to do some scolding tomorrow? Will she take it seriously?
Will their friendship disappear just because of that?
She knows well that Nozomi could just say that she never has any passion in becoming part of the student council and it was her that dragged her into it…
But to remember the whole history, it was Nozomi first who brought her into it and the principal was no different as she was also the first one to bring on the idea. She can blame her—she can demand for responsibility…
Yet...for some reason, she just wants to put everything aside and think of what making her angry at this very moment. Is it truly because she was being forgotten? Or she could've just called it as an intentional betrayal?
It's been a year for them to be best friends with each other, until the others came into their life? Or perhaps she could just say that it's going to be just another year for their friendship to last? Is it a sign that Nozomi is probably tired of her?
She knows that a lot of people will never like someone like her for real. She can only be appreciated for her looks—and she always thinks her beauty as a curse.
You're thinking too much.
A sentence that she remember to be often spoken by her best friend—or an ex-best-friend-to-be…
Is she truly thinking too much?
Or is it just her way to make her less suspicious about her?
Can she really think of her as a best friend?
All that anxiety is making her feel so uncomfortable. Maybe she should just look at Nozomi's phone and see if her calls actually came through —or maybe if there's a clue about what Nozomi is up to.
When she checked, she could see about 180 missed calls from herself—which she embarrassedly deleted the notification. Then she also could see a text message from Maki. She decided to open it—planning to mark it as unread later and send her another text message to make her think that no one has touched her phone.
When she reads the text—she raises her eyebrow as well, starting to understand what they're currently up to right now.
Without her knowing, she was also being watched by the creature that has never been seen by anyone but some—the woman in black dress who has been watching her over and over. Carrying the prayer beads on her hand, then with a beautiful yet mischievous smile, she followed Eli who has done everything she wanted to do and leave the place in ease with her newly discovered ability.
The Kindergarten parking lot,
It might not be a big place since it's usually used for the teacher's to park their vehicles, but it's big enough for one beast to stand, a living teenage girl and a soul of a boy to face each other.
The beast is wounded in his back—with a spiritual arrow stuck on his back, one that was shot by the teenage girl as she faced him bravely, knowing nothing about what he spoke toward the little boy who acted scared behind her.
"Please, Umi-nee-san! Our future is in your hands!" he begged.
Umi frowns deeper as she looks into the wounded beast—who seemed to be not fighting back against her as she aims her arrow at him.
She feels wrong doing this. The beast is wounded—yet he didn't fight her back. What kind of warrior tries to gain a victory from those who don't fight back…
The only thing she could think of—if she let that spiritual arrow off, the beast will either die or dodge her arrow and take the chance to attack her…
But from three attempts, the beast has only tried to fight back on the first shot and none other...
"Umi-chaan!" said a voice that sounded like a chirping bird,
"Kotori…?" Umi lets her arrow down as she noticed that a few people are coming to where she is standing,
Unexpectedly, the beast jumped and bit the small boy behind her—causing Umi to panic and step back a couple feet, gathering enough range to shoot quick arrows towards him—giving the beast more wound on his soul.
"No! Umi-chan! Stop!" Kotori quickly ran and held her back.
"But…Kotori…." She pauses as she looks into the begging eyes of the ash brunette.
"This is a misunderstanding! He isn't evil at all! He is the guardian of this place!" Honoka said as she approaches Umi.
"…but…the kids…." Umi turns her gaze to the boy who is bitten.
Nozomi, Maki, the Snow Girl, and Hanako stood in line. Nozomi prepared herself for a battle.
"Show yourself, tricky demon! I'm ready to fight you!" she said.
By the time Nozomi said that, the boy grab ones of the arrows on the kyuubi's back and pulls it out just to stab it back again on his head—causing the beast to dissolve into fading powder of lights.
Umi was so surprised by the act, but now she realizes that she has been tricked to do the evil deed.
"No! Kai-san!" Maki shouted.
The Kyuubi is no more—and the small boy…gets up in ease as he shows the most mischievous smile towards them.
"That was honestly fun…" he said.
"But at least now you took down one trouble for me…Sonoda Umi…" the boy said.
"Y…you…!" Umi quickly aimed her spiritual arrow at him—a quick shot that was dodged easily.
"Hah—now you're using the skill I taught you to fight me? What an ungrateful human…"
Umi bit her lips,
Nozomi took a notice to that,
"Don't be discouraged, Umi-chan, if your heart tells you to fight your own teacher—do it. They have no right to control your feelings…"
"Have anyone taught you to become an imbecile like her?" the boy said as she points to Nozomi,
Umi still remains quiet.
"Your job was just to get rid of that beast—and you've done it. So now you can go home in peace… why do you have to waste your time for everything that's going to happen now?"
"Hey—Umi-senpai. Listen up, You have all the right to attack him, because you know what? He killed those kids who are now some straying souls…"
Umi's eyes lit up with anger as the words processed in her head, and then her eyes turn to the demon boy,
"Hnn…that's true, but are you really going to use what I taught you to fight me?" The boy said,
Umi gloomed again,
"Then, why don't you just teach me how you can make spiritual weapons while I will teach you how to use spiritual elemental powers?" Nozomi asked. Umi quickly turns her eyes to Nozomi, who seemed to be very interested in the idea.
The demon frowned as he heard it,
"As witty as you are—Toujou Nozomi! Maybe everyone was right about you being the biggest threat to our kind!"
"Wow, you know me? That's a surprise…."
A moment after, the boy started to burn himself in dark fire—slowly turning into an ogre-like creature with a bow and arrow as his weapon and light armored body and arms...
"Watch out!" The Snow girl shouted before she casted a spiritual ice barrier to protect everyone from the black fire blast that came out from the demon. It followed with a powerful wind that started to mess up everything around the place.
Umi and Nozomi quickly tried to reach other as the rest tried their best to endure the wind—The Snow girl kept renewing the barrier every second.
"No one is going to learn anything else today!" The Ogre said with his loud voice as he takes an arrow, aiming it at Nozomi.
"Just ignore him, tell me how do you use spiritual weapons!" Nozomi said,
A huge arrow was nearly going to land right on top of Nozomi—yet she swiftly grabs Umi's hands and spins themselves like a dancing couple,
"W-why are we doing this?!" Umi asked in her protest.
"Ericchi and I always do this when we need to talk with each other while dodging attacks…"
"W-what?! Eli-senpai will be mad if she knows!"
"Don't worry, she isn't looking right now…just teach me already"
"We..well..uh..are you…sure?"
"You want to fight him right? It will only be a fair trade if you teach me and I'll teach you…"
"Alright…so…."
Umi started to explain nervously. Her face blushes from Nozomi moving their body swiftly, dodging all the ogre's attack.
"T...that's…how they always did things?" Maki asked in surprise.
"Yeah, I'm so jealous…" The Snow Girl said as she keeps herself busy with the barrier as the dark flames keep trying to reach them.
"M-Me too!" Kotori pouts.
"Not to be offensive…but for some reason, when I imagine Nozomi-senpai and Eli-senpai doing something like that, they look really gay…" Maki said.
"Uh…you mean, they look like a real couple?" Kotori asked.
"Yeah…" Maki said.
"What about now though?" Honoka asked,
"They look so-so! I could've been the one who in there!" Kotori said.
"F-Forget about the looks! Can you all move?! I can't do this forever!" The snow girl complained.
"O-Of course!" the other said.
"Make a far distance and try to look for an open space so you can dodge those arrows…"
"Wait…open space?" Maki ask.
"Yes! Those arrows can't touch physical things, but it could touch a soul—in other words, if you are touched by it, your soul may be destroyed while your body will remain untouched…" Hanako explained.
"Skip the explanation! Just do it!" The Snow girl shouted before the rest of them started to run creating a distance between them and the arrows—which is completely ignored by the ogre, but it at least makes the Snow Girl able to stop spending her power and fly to where Umi and Nozomi is.
"How is it, you two?" The Snow Girl ask,
"It's pretty simple, kind of almost alike with my usual power…" Nozomi said.
"Yes… I think I can do this instantly…" Umi said.
"Great…now, to beat this guy, you need to somehow make distraction, split up and don't fall!" The snow girl said.
"Got it…."
"You're being useful as usual, Yuki-chan!" Nozomi said before she spins away—releasing herself from Umi…
"I know, Nozomi-chan!" The snow girl said with a giggle,
"Haaat!" Umi already started casting an element out of herself— freezing ice bolts into the demon, which is parried by his armored muscular arm.
"This should be my turn…hm…what weapon could I use…? Hmm…" Nozomi remains quiet for a moment until an idea flashes her mind,
"Oh—right! This should be good!" she continued as she spawns cards in her hands.
"Spiritual cards!"
"W-what? What is the use of that?! Nozomi-chan?" The snow girl asks desperately,
"Will be used like this!" she started to throw them at the demon—and when it hits him, the cards start to explode into some lesser spiritual fires. At the last card thrown, a huge spiritual fire exploded on him.
"Ooh—it works…" Nozomi said.
"W-wow…how did you….?" the snow girl look at her in awe,
"Hehe—with a little creativity of course…Plus, I'm much cooler with cards than arrows, right?"
"Hhnn...surely nice to be you—I wonder how your funny little head actually works…"
"It's complicated, but I'll tell you the hint later…"
"Hehe—sure thing…!" the snow girl said.
Then a big hammer suddenly knocked down close to them—Nozomi and the Snow girl quickly dodged,
"You imbecile souls! I'll show you who's the real me!" the ogre said loudly.
Then a few icy arrows flies at him.
"…and I'll show you who's your true enemy!" Umi glared at the demon.
"Woo…that's brave…Umi-chan…" Nozomi said teasingly.
"F-Focus, Senpai!"
Meanwhile,
"Is….is this far enough?" Honoka asked.
"I'm pretty sure we're safe for now…looks like he changed his weapon to a hammer…" Hanako said.
"I wonder if they're fine…I'm really worried!" Kotori said.
"hey…do you all hear something?" Maki asked.
"Hear what?" they asked Maki,
"Children…I hear them crying…" Maki replied.
"W-Where…?" they asked,
Maki turns her sight around, and then sighs,
"I'll just follow the sound, you all follow me, ok? But be quiet…."
"…O…ok!" Honoka replied with a loud whisper.
They slowly move to a small building—which appears to be a security post that has never been used. They can tell from all the dust on top of it.
But now that they're much closer, they could hear a few children talking with each other,
"I can't believe Kazuo is actually a demon that I've seen before! This is so scary! He might eat us all!" said a boy between his cry.
"Hanayo-nee-chan! Where are you?" said a girl in her cry.
"She is now nowhere to be found, could she be stuck somewhere else around here?" said the other boy.
"I saw her fading in the sky before, then a seal seemed to surround this place, it's like someone has planned to trap us all here with the demon…we can't even enter the school building to ask for help from the beast who said to be trying to help us before…"
"Can that beast be trusted? Kazuo said, he is mean and will try to eat us!"
"That beast warned me about Kazuo before, and he was right! Besides, he never tried to chase us before, he only chased after Kazuo!"
"It makes me regret to not trust him…"
"Me too…I wish we trusted him before…."
The kids sobbed, until they started to cry again. By then, Hanako approached them gently,
"Stop crying… my friends are trying to defeat the demon right now!" she said.
The kids look at her, there's a hint of hope lights up in their eyes, but soon turns sad again,
"But that demon is immortal, there's no way for someone could kill him, because his temple is buried deep under this school. We all have defiled the beast's temple and replaced it with his…we were told that it was to prevent the demon from being angry with us…"
"Then, we all just need to defile his temple, right?"
"Oh—that's right, maybe that will work!" a boy said as he stopped his crying immediately.
"Wait! Hanayo-nee-chan told us to wait here!" the crying girl said,
"But we've been waiting for her now! She didn't show up!"
"Again—she might be stuck somewhere!" The boy said.
"What kind of stuck may that be?" The girl asks.
"I don't know! But I've seen it before, a boy that was taught about how to split his consciousness, he is still treated like a wandering soul and if the seal is on, he will never be able to go anywhere but stay inside…which caused him stay for too long until his body died… and turned him into a real ghost!"
"That's bad! Hanayo-nee-chan still has so many things to do with her life!" the girl said innocently.
"We have to find her first!"
"No! We have to defile the temple first to weaken him!"
"No!"
Then the kids started to argue.
"Now-now, everyone!" Hanako shouted,
The kids look at her,
"We will just split the team… maybe we all can just defile the temple while my friends look for Hanayo-nee-chan!" Hanako said.
"Ok! Then we should go ahead!" the kids said before all of them flies down to the earth.
"W-wait! " Hanako said before she catches up with them.
"O-Oi! Wait! We don't know how Hanayo looks like!" Maki said.
"Don't worry, Maki-chan! I've see her before!" Honoka said.
"yep, I think I saw her too!" Kotori said.
"E…erh….alright…so…how does this person look?" Maki asked.
"She has short brown hair and pink eyes, that's all that I know!" Kotori said.
"Yeah! She is a little chubby on her cheeks too! Very adorable one!" Honoka said.
Maki sighs,
"Then how are we supposed to—…" she pauses as she could hear something in the far distance. It sounded like someone was shouting to ask for help.
"What's wrong, Maki-chan?" Honoka asked,
"Uh…I heard someone shouting for help…"
"Then…might that be Hanayo-chan?!" Kotori asked.
"Maybe…. I'll just follow the voice."
At the other side of the surface,
Umi and Nozomi were still working hard to fight the demon from both sides, along with the snow girl's help, they were able to exhaust him, but he clearly isn't very easy to kill—or at least, it feels like something is still holding his life.
"Die and be my food, human!" the demon said as he swings his hammer again—which was also dodged again by the two fighters.
"He just won't die…" Umi said.
Nozomi frowned as she held her cards,
"I wonder if I can just seal him…" she mumbled to herself which was heard by the snow girl,
"It won't work, he is holding onto his life with an artifact, it should be somewhere around here!" The snow girl said.
"Now, you made me think that perhaps we should retreat for now…" Nozomi said.
"We can't…I saw something else surrounding this area!" The snow girl said.
"Hahaha… you noticed it, what a sharp eyed soul! Perhaps if I eat you, I'll have those eyes?!" the demon said with his loud voice.
"I am a legendary soul, you're just a mere Archer demon… our rank clearly makes you impossible to have me…" the snow girl said.
"Really?!" the demon shouted happily before he blasts his dark fire—the snow girl quickly sets up a barrier for everyone, but at the same time she was closing her eyes to prevent the light from blind her, a giant hand swings to her—grabbing her body at ease.
"Unhand her, you filthy Ogre!" Nozomi throws all the cards in her hands quickly,
But between the dust created from the wind, another hand comes up and grabs Nozomi as well. She didn't have the chance to dodge as everything was too fast for her focus to grasp.
"Senpai!" Umi panicked,
"Ha—Ha—Ha! Now you're in my hand too, Toujou Nozomi. I'll be getting a lot of bounty from killing you!"
"Bounty?!" Nozomi exclaimed,
The snow girl was also surprised as she hears it.
The ogre smiles and immediately tries to put Nozomi into his big mouth—though Umi immediately summoned a spiritual katana—a very long one,
"You're—…." She pulled out her katana,
"Not—….!" She put all power into her trusty blade,
"Going to have her!" she shouted as she roughly swings her katana, creating a powerful cold wind that slashes the ogre's body in half.
The ogre stopped his act—then looks down to his waist,
"Hah— now you used my teaching to attack me after all!" the ogre said,
"My pride is nothing compared to her life… she is my friend and I will not allow you to eat her!" Umi said,
Nozomi is still in his hand, but he loosens his grip slightly when he focuses on fixing his waist—which recovered in almost an instant. With just in a matter of time, she pulls her hands out and throws some cards towards him, exploding them near his eyes before she jumps off his hand that releases her to grab his own eyes.
"M-My eyes!" he said.
Nozomi landed on the roof of a nearby building, and then jumps down to the ground.
"I see now why you're still a common archer demon, you're lacking the focus of your own powers…" Nozomi said.
The snow girl was also able to release herself, the moment the ogre tried to pick up his hammer that he kept on his back, Umi already jumped up into the air—with the long katana in her hand, storming down mercilessly along with the icy winds.
"Hnmh…. Don't you realize that I'll never—…" the ogre pauses as another slash is made. Then he began to realize that he was starting to dissolve to dark dust…
"W-what happen?! How could I….?!" he tried to stop himself from dissolving.
"No! I cannot die! My temple?! Who defiled it?!" he shouted in denial.
He tried to grip onto the ground, but he couldn't even touch it.
Nozomi, Umi and the Snow girl could see the demon starting to sink into a small ogre that didn't even look intimidating enough to be called as a demon.
"Eh…wow….so...he was actually a small demon?" Umi said.
"Looks like he gained some nice upgrade from doing all the mischief…." The Snow Girl said.
"Is it possible for one little demon to turn that big? I never expected that…" Nozomi commented.
"With effort, of course… that's why you shouldn't slack off in your training…" the Snow Girl said.
"I'm not slacking, I'm just taking my time…" Nozomi replied.
The snow girl sighed,
"Anyway, what should we do to the demon now?" Umi asked as she could see the demon turning into a kid-sized creature. He looks puny as well.
The three girls remain quiet as they keep looking at how the demon started to get his consciousness back.
"Hmm…maybe we can play with him for a bit?" Nozomi smiled mischievously.
"P-play…!?"
Meanwhile, in the underground;
"I think we've done it! Hanako-chan you're awesome!" said a girl
"Really? Thanks!" Hanako said cheerfully.
"We finished within a second or two, I think we should start our agency of defiling temples!" said a boy.
"We should play some more before returning to the surface…!"
"Ok! Let's play around for a bit!" Hanako said happily.
In a further area…
"Someone, please helppp!" Shouted a girl with short hair—who was heard by Maki in a much closer distance and immediately, Maki ran up to her.
"W-whoa, Maki-chan! Wait for us!" Honoka said as she runs to catch up with her, followed by Kotori.
Maki already arrived to a small temple, a very small one and it looks like it will only fit one person.
"I'm out of breath! I'm going be out of breath! Someone please get me out of here!" shouted the short haired girl again from the inside of the small temple,
"Wait!" Maki said as she quickly looks around—she could only see a few dead branches, some average sized rocks and some worthless looking grass on the muddy soil.
"S-someone is out there?!" the voice sounds surprised,
"Yeah… hang in there, ok? I'll take you out…" Maki said as she quickly picks up the average sized rock, and hits it on the small temple very roughly—breaking the corner of the wall, creating a fist sized hole.
"B-Becareful! I'm still inside!" said the panicked girl.
"I know…" Maki said as she drops the rock and uses her hand to break open the temple from the fist sized hole, the wooden walls seemed to be very weakly built and she is able to break it off with just a little effort.
Kotori and Honoka seemed to be very amazed as they see how Maki breaks open the temple to release a soul of a girl with short hair…
Maki couldn't see anything, but Honoka and Kotori could…
"W-wah…Maki-chan…. she is free now!" Kotori said.
"Huh? Really? I can't see…." Maki said.
"I'm right here…but either way! Thank you so much! I need to return as soon as possible because I may pass my eight hours of leaving my main consciousness if I don't go now…so…bye!" the soul said before she floats away.
"Sh…she is gone…" Honoka said.
"Yeah…" Kotori said.
"I still see nothing…but…eh…I guess I heard her anyway…" Maki said.
"Maki-chan, you saved someone! That's awesome!" Honoka said.
"I..it's not like you didn't! You saved a soul too before…" Maki replied while blushing.
"Hehe..yup! I guess Christoper must have been really happy when he walked to his door…" Kotori said.
"Yeah! Hehehe…" Honoka scratches her head shyly.
"I wonder how she ended up here though…." Kotori said.
"I don't know either…." Honoka replied.
"I wonder if I can meet her later…" Maki said.
"Oh…Maki-chan, are you interested in her?" Honoka asked.
"H-Huh?! What? Interested…? No way! Why would I get interested in someone I have never seen before?!"
"Uhnm…Honoka-chan, I guess her interest should be that senpai…"
"Senpai…?" Honoka tilts her head,
"Yeah..that small and angry senpai…" Kotori said.
"W-what?! No way I'm interested on Niko-senpai! She just keeps getting in my way!"
"Ok?" Kotori replied with full of doubt,
"B-believe me, will you?!"
"How did you know her name? We don't know her name…" Honoka replied.
"W-what?!" Maki frowned deeply.
"Yeah…I never knew her name either…I just saw them arguing at the festival…"
"S-Shut up!"
Back to the small demon,
Nozomi binds the demon to a spiritual post with her spiritual sealing papers, Umi is right in front of him, with spiritual bow and arrow in her hands and a tie covering her eyes.
"P-please! Spare my life! I will not bother the kindergarteners again!" the little demon begged.
"Shush….you're no one to talk…" Nozomi said.
"I'm not sure if it's a good thing to do this…" the Snow Girl said,
"We're going to decide with this…" Nozomi replied to the snow girl with a playful smile,
"Listen, demon… you've made me kill a guardian beast…I'm not going to forgive you for that!" Umi said.
"I-I'm sorry! Really! I'm really sorry!" the demon started to cry.
"Now-now, if you somehow survive this shot, you will be spared and free—in one condition!" Nozomi said.
"What condition?" the demon asked,
"I want you to replace the beast—which means, you're not going to kill kids again, but you will guard them!"
"I can do that, for sure!" the demon replied.
"But that still only if you somehow survive…" Nozomi said.
"Oh no!" The demon cried again.
"My aiming is perfect most of the time, even if I'm blindfolded…so don't get your hopes up…" Umi said with her tough voice.
The demon cringed,
"Now…you can do it, Umi-chan…." Nozomi said as she makes distance.
"May the lucky God speak through!" The snow girl prayed.
"Alright… I'll do it…." Umi said before she let out a sigh to relieve herself, she positioned her arrow in the middle of the bow and pulls it back the string….
So this is where luck speaks, huh?
Nozomi thought.
For some reason, Umi-chan really reminds me of a specific someone when she is serious like this…
But I suppose she isn't really my type…
Weird…
I thought I could've fallen in love with her too…
With those powerful eyes and voice...
And those sturdy feminine muscles…
Maybe they were right about Ericchi being attractive because of who she is…
A nine tailed fox that's always ready to lure its victim…
But again, why did my heart beating so fast when I start thinking about her…I believe it's not simply because of an attraction… I'm always attracted to girls but she is truly different to me!
She watched Umi squint her eyes to gain her focus.
Look at those merciless eyes….
It's like her looks could kill….
She thought again as she saw the arrow being pulled a little further, then adjusted slightly…
Merciless….
She speaks to herself.
We are….merciless…..
She speaks again…
But we shouldn't be merciless..
We promised that we will learn together….
Learning about how to socialize with others through communicating with each other…
Understanding…
And….
Giving chances for each other….
Nozomi could see the arrow is going to be launched soon.
No… I can't kill this demon…I want to give him a mercy!
I have to stop being merciless starting from doing this to others!
She said to herself before she quickly moves as Umi releases her arrow. Nozomi turns his head down in an instant—allowing his close to be stabbed head to dodge the arrow that almost hit his forehead.
The snow girl was surprised to witness it and the demon also realized that he was given mercy.
When Umi was going to unfold her blindfold, Nozomi quickly makes distance—back to where she stood before or at least a little further from the demon itself.
"Ah….you missed, Umi-chan… that's too bad…" Nozomi said.
"Y…you're right…then I guess you're given mercy…" Umi said.
The demon looks into Umi in awe—then turns his grateful eyes to Nozomi…
"Promise is a promise, got it?" The snow girl said to the demon as she watches Nozomi approach the demon and releases him from the binds.
"I—I will swear! I will guard the kids! Thank you so much! Then maybe, I will also look for another beast to guard them from a bigger threat!" the little demon said happily.
Somehow, it moved Nozomi as she sees how grateful the demon is when given pardon…
Perhaps, it isn't a bad thing to give such thing to someone who've wronged her and realizes their mistake… fortunately, she could feel their happiness as well…
The demon quickly runs away with eager steps, he might have gone off to look for a guardian beast now…or…just to look for some place to set up his plan.
"Now…that he seems happy, I guess I'm glad you missed…" the snow girl said to Umi.
"His God still loves him…" Umi said.
"Yep… God still loves everyone…" Nozomi added.
"Umi-chaaan! Nozomi-chaaan!" Honoka shouted from a distance before she runs to approach them, followed by Maki and Kotori.
"Are you all done?" Maki asked as she goes closer to them,
"Maki-chan just did something great! She saved a soul of the girl we saw before!" Honoka said.
"H-hey! My question first!" Maki protested for being interrupted,
"How?" Nozomi ignored the red haired girl,
"Long story! But basically, we found her in a small temple close to this place…" Kotori said.
"Ahh…that must've been a temple built by that little demon to capture a soul…it won't work for a guardian beast, but will work for a mere soul…" the snow girl said.
"I wonder why he built that there…" Honoka asked,
"Where did you find that anyway…?" Nozomi asked,
"It's a little further from the school, behind some trees and bushes—I have to say the place is pretty well hidden…" Maki said.
"Hmm… maybe he built that to capture souls of the kids he killed?" Umi asked.
"We wouldn't know…but let's just think that this case is over…" Nozomi said.
"Wait…what about the kids?" Kotori asked.
"Just leave that to Hanako-chan… I believe she will understand the best for them…" The snow girl said.
"Oh…ok then!"
Midnight is almost over,
The sky is still dark and everyone has returned to each of their own homes except for Nozomi who's still on the way to returning to her own apartment.
When she was much closer to her door, she could feel someone walking behind her—causing her to quickly turn around.
At first, she was tense and has prepared herself to fight, but when she looks back, there seems to be no one there. Knowing that it might just be her feelings—or perhaps it could be a sign of danger, she hurried into her apartment.
After she set her feet to the room, she made sure that there's nothing strange in her home. She checked every corner—then continued to her room to find her cellphone placed on top of her bed.
Did she place it there before? She couldn't really remember doing so…but it's on top of her bed and the door was locked. There couldn't possibly be anyone entering her place…unless it's a spiritual being…
Now that she mentions that possibility, she quickly checks on her seal—which was still strongly attached to her wall and it looks as old as she thought it should be.
Perhaps it's just a warning for her to renew it?
Either way, she decided to head to her school bag to pick up some sealing paper from one of the sockets. When she was doing so, her phone suddenly turned on to show a notification.
She opened it and found that the text from Maki was still there unread, there was also a text from Honoka but she ignored it as she saw a text from Eli. which said:
Had fun?
The text ended there.
She wondered if it's the one thing that makes her feel uncomfortable. Just from the sentence itself, she feels like Eli is unhappy about her going away without her.
But what can she say?
She swears Eli said that she was busy… and Nozomi went without her….
Though there's this feeling that she gets when she remembers her…
She should've helped her with student council work in the afternoon before…
But she didn't return to school to do it…instead, she was busy with training and chatting with the others. If she apologizes now… will she be upset instead?
Nozomi shook her head, and decided to just answer what was asked,
I wish you were there to enjoy with us…
She wrote.
Expecting it to be replied tomorrow, Nozomi places down her phone as she lays herself on the bed—still with what she wore when she left.
Though within a second, her phone shows another notification.
Hnnmm… is that Ericchi…?
She thought as she opens the text...
It's really from Eli,
She hasn't sleep at this hour? I wonder what she is doing…
I hope it's not the student council work…
She said in her mind as she started to look at her text.
It says,
…and I wish you came up and help me out… you promised.
The text ended there.
With that, she quickly writes her response.
She knows well that an apology will not satisfy the blonde, another promise will make things worse, and playing a joke out of it will surely cause her to get in trouble…
What should I do?
She wondered.
Maybe…changing the topic is the best way….
She nodded to herself before she writes,
Should we go on a date tomorrow?
She sent the text and waited for a moment.
Eli replied in almost an instant,
Why are you changing the topic…and you're not even my girlfriend…
Nozomi chuckled,
Well, that's just going to strengthen my point, we SHOULD go on a date.
She replied as she keeps staring at her phone screen.
For a moment there, Nozomi thought she was going to text back again, but instead of a text, a call came in through her phone…
Nozomi accepted the call in a blink of an eye then sets her voice to the gentlest one possible…
"Good evening, Ericchi…." she greeted first.
"We're not going to a date…" Eli replied immediately.
"You're calling me just to tell me that?"
"I just want to make sure that you get it… I'm serious about that." Eli replied again.
"Then, what if I change it like, Ericchi, do you want to go on a date with me tomorrow…?"
"I told you, we're not going on a date tomorrow… we have—"
"There's only yes or no, Ericchi… if you want to hang out with me, we should go on a date tomorrow…" Nozomi replied again.
"Is that your way to tell me that you only want to hang out with me if we're going on a date tomorrow?"
"Maybe—but I didn't think it that far… I have no plans tomorrow, but surely, those kids will ask me to go for some hunting…like today…"
"You're blackmailing me…" Eli said.
"What do you mean blackmailing? It's not like our friendship is over just because we don't hang out for a day or two… we don't have to stick together every minute, right?"
"…you're saying that you're going to hang out with them if we are not going to a date…"
"Hnmm…I didn't even mean it that way…but Ericchi, are you jealous?" Nozomi asked.
There was a moment of pause before the blonde replied with a hint of doubt in her voice.
"No…."
"Are you sure you're not jealous?"
"I'm sure… I just want to tell you that we have work tomorrow, be a little more responsible, will you?" Eli replied.
"I know, I really will do everything you ask tomorrow, president…"
"So we don't have to go on a date…right?" Eli replied.
"What are you saying, we're on a date to work tomorrow…"
"I don't understand you…"
"Don't sweat over the details… just remember that I will certainly work tomorrow…" Nozomi replied with a chuckle in her voice.
"You promised…"
And the phone hangs up.
Nozomi sighs heavily as she puts her phone down again.
What are you trying achieve, Ericchi… it's so complicated….
She said to herself.
I feel like you wanted to be close, but I also feel like you're making a distance as well…
Are you trying to tell me…
Stay close to me but don't be so close?
Or like…
I want to be closer with you but I don't want you to get closer to me…?
Or maybe it's more like…
Be closer to me… but don't be too close…
Then how far is the distance we should make?
Meanwhile,
In the kindergarten,
The little demon was working hard to build a new temple near the kindergarten while some kids appeared from the ground. Hanako led the group to the surface saying,
"Alright, that's it for tonight! If you want to play again, we should do it next time around this hour too!"
"Can we just pay a visit to you, Hanako-chan?" the girl asked,
"Hmm..sure! But you have to pass through the light…"
"Pass through…the light…?" the kids wondered.
"Hehe, just give up everything you own in this world, tell yourself that you're going to move on… once you do that, you will see a door to the light…"
"What's behind the door?" A boy asked.
"Everything that will make you happy! But again… if you want it, you have to forget everything you have in this world!"
"Ah…I see…" the kids nodded.
"Then, we should just say that…to him…" a girl said.
"Yeah! Let's say that…"
"Good luck, everyone!" Hanako said before she waves goodbye to the kids and leaves.
The kids hurried themselves towards the demon . It's pretty clear about what he is trying to do since his temple looked like a temple for a guardian beast instead of anything else.
"Hey! Little Archer demon!" said a kid as he runs into the little demon—who then feels agitated and quickly hides behind his unfinished building.
"Don't worry…. We're not here to avenge our own death. We've heard everything from Hanako-chan…" said a boy to him.
"Yeah… she told us, you were just lonely and wanted us to be your friend…but you know what? We can't…. but we appreciate it…!"
The demon is a little flustered, he knows well that his intention of collecting them is not to make friends with them. Why did they tell them that he wanted to make friends with him? Either way though, it seems like it turned out to be a good result…
"We're going to move on from this place now…into the light… so basically, we forgive you! So don't be a problem for others okay? Else, the scary big boobs girl and friends will pawn your ass again!" a girl said.
"Scary…big boobs girl?" the demon tilts his head.
"Yeah, that one with the purple hair! Hanako-chan told us she is super scary especially when she is mad!"
"Oh….Toujou Nozomi…." he said.
"Yes! Whatever her name is! But now, we're going to go out of this world…bye-bye!" a boy said before a door to the light actually opened close to them.
The little devil knows that they will somehow disappear soon—to a said peaceful world behind the door of light.
But when the kids were close to the door, a very tall woman with black dress appears near them…
The little demon realizes her existence.
"H-Hurry up! Run!" the little demon shouted.
The kids raise their head to see the woman in black dress instead—astonished by the height of hers and all the long fingers she possess.
Knowing the kids are currently oblivious to the situation, the little demon quickly runs to push the kids away to the door. One by one got in, but the tall woman started to move her hand quickly—attempting to grab the remaining kids and the little demon.
"No! Don't do anything to them! I promised to protect them!" the little demon shouted before he raises up a tall wall to protect the kids that quickly attempted to enter the door.
It was fortunate for the kids that they all managed to get into the door of light, that slowly closes again right after…but….the little demon is now in the grasp of the tall creature.
The woman remain silent as she looks into the demon with her intimidating eyes,
"I swear to you! One day, Toujou Nozomi will reach you—and she will teach you a lesson about whatever you've done to our kind! She may not be as powerful, but I believe in her!" the demon said loudly.
The tall creature still remains silent before she distortes her face into a huge mouth with massive sharp teeth…
"…and there will also be a day where you will beg for mercy—and get what you deserve!" the demon said again before he was swallowed whole by the black dressed creature.
see you next chapter!