"It is tonight!" Kurahashi Seiji declared decisively. "Tonight during the Hour of the Tiger is the mont when Yin and Yang intersect, and it is also the eve before the outbreak of the Hundred Demon Night Parade!"
"Tell everyone in this city to lock their doors and windows tightly tonight, keep their houses sealed, and do not go outside! After tonight and tomorrow day, the Hundred Demon Night Parade will arrive!"
Hearing this, Shiratori Hayato quickly responded, "Of course, we will follow your instructions properly, but can your ritual be broadcast live? It is not that I doubt you, but if we cannot broadcast it live, many people simply refuse to listen to us! Especially those from the Cults..."
This was also a deeply troubleso situation for Shiratori Hayato. Naturally, he believed in Kurahashi Seiji, because the young man's calm and composed deanor while conversing with the Zashiki-warashi could not be faked.
Over the following days, there had been quite a few incidents involving Ghosts and Monsters, and the young man had always arrived ahead of ti to offer advice on how to handle them.
Those who listened to his advice survived, while those who ignored it basically all ended up dead!
Such an overwhelming track record made Shiratori Hayato feel a special kind of admiration for him. However, his personal admiration was useless if the rest of the people in this city refused to believe him!
He was only a Police officer, not the Mayor. Even if the Mayor of Kyoto City were standing here, not many people would believe him either. The Credibility of the Japanese Governnt was already in the negatives among the general public!
After all, promised disaster relief efforts could drag on for three years, and promised political signals were little better than passing wind. Who would dare to trust them?
Consequently, the Credibility of all Governnt institutions was abysmal. Many people would rather place their trust in the Gangs than believe in these high-sounding Governnt agencies.
In fact, this was one of the most crucial reasons why the Kyoto region managed to stabilize. To a large extent, they were essentially autonomous, which allowed them to secure the situation so rapidly.
But this stability also ca with inevitable compromises. For instance, those "energetic groups" that supposedly maintained social order, such as the Gangs and the Cults, were precisely what created a troubleso situation!
When Shiratori Hayato went to speak with them about the Hundred Demon Night Parade, they agreed to cooperate, but they demanded to see the Onmyoji for themselves.
Hearing Shiratori Hayato's explanation, Kurahashi Seiji nodded slowly. "Of course, I would not believe it either if I were in their shoes. If broadcasting it live can save more lives, I agree to it!"
As the person chosen by Bai Yang, Kurahashi Seiji was naturally righteous and harbored a strong sense of Mission. Upon hearing this condition, he agreed without hesitation.
Shiratori Hayato departed with boundless gratitude, leaving the young Onmyoji behind. Gathering his sword, umbrella, bell, and fan, Kurahashi Seiji bid farewell to Abe no Seii and set off.
Abe no Seii cast an appreciative glance at his descendant, feeling certain that he had chosen the right person. Yet, a trace of worry filled his eyes as he looked at the Shrine that Kurahashi Seiji carried away. "Yuzamozen... the great yokai of the Central Plains, the nine-tailed fox of Qingqiu, what exactly is your ultimate purpose..."
The great Onmyoji looked at the Ghosts and Monsters gathering in the city and gave a slight nod. "The Taishan Fujun Sacrifice Ritual will allow those true Heroic Spirits to return... They should be able to protect this area. Even though the consequences will be severe, it is already the best possible solution..."
"As for this country... Heh, just like the nation of the past, it can hardly be considered a real country. At least the Daimyo back then actually paid up!"
The great Onmyoji had already foreseen the fate of this Realm, yet he had not the slightest intention to change it.
For Abe no Seii, managing to save the people and preserve certain lineages was already an excellent outco. As for the Interests of those Nobles and the Kazoku, or even the Governnt, what did they have to do with him?
...
Northwest of Kyoto, in Arashiyama, deep within the bamboo forest.
Here, Kurahashi Seiji and Shiratori Hayato stood together. Surrounding them were various highly expensive ritual offerings, along with a few dia personnel who had volunteered to co and film.
There were not many people left at the Kyoto Television Station, but a few individuals still mustered the courage to stay behind. They had been recruited by Shiratori Hayato to beco the recorders of this Sacrifice Ritual.
In addition, there were several individuals from Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples who claid to be quite knowledgeable about rituals and ceremonies. They were present to assist, waiting for Kurahashi Seiji's arrival.
Everyone was highly tense. Without official intervention, all the events unfolding here stemd entirely from their own spontaneous actions. In other words, they were gambling!
This was not so supposedly earth-shattering gamble, but it was far grander than one!
After all, anyone with true capability had long since vanished from Kyoto, a city plagued by crises of Ghosts and Monsters and frequent Supernatural Events. They had already fled this city, and even this country!
They had traveled to Kolkata, the Vatican, or Reykjavik—cities with the confird presence of Transcendent Beings and sufficient stability.
Only those who could not leave or lacked the ans to do so remained, struggling to survive in the city.
After all, in this true capitalist society, when the need to flee arose, not everyone had the ability to do so. It was just like famines in ancient tis: a 10% reduction in food supply did not an grain prices would only rise by 10%. Instead, it ant grain prices would skyrocket until the poorest 10% of the population could no longer afford it at all.
And that was exactly the current situation. The transportation capacity to leave Kyoto City was severely limited. Flight and boat tickets had inflated to a point where ordinary citizens could never afford them. As for the highways? Unfortunately, they were in a state of perpetual gridlock with absolutely no possibility of clearing up!
Under such circumstances, these people who could not leave ca to this mountain to help. What they were gambling with was their very lives!
They wagered their lives on Kurahashi Seiji's abilities. How could this not be considered a profound form of trust?
Although it might have been a choice born of desperation, Kurahashi Seiji still accepted their sentint.
Dressed in the formal robes of Onmyodo and wearing wooden geta sandals, he utilized ancient etiquette and hand seals as he slowly stepped forward from the crowd.
By this ti, the sky had completely darkened, and the Ritual prepared by Shiratori Hayato was already fully set up.
"This Ritual is known as the Taishan Fujun Sacrifice: Soul-Pacifying Rite. Its effect is to weaken the impending power of the Hundred Demon Night Parade. It will also shelter the entirety of Kyoto City, granting it robust resistance against the crisis of the Hundred Demon Night Parade!" Kurahashi Seiji stated slowly. "Please set your minds at ease, everyone. Until I fall in battle, no Yokai and Ghosts will be able to reach this place!"
As he spoke, he opened his hands and carefully placed the Shrine he was holding onto the ground. Only then did he slowly walk forward, ascending the Altar constructed from bluestone!
It had to be said that Shiratori Hayato was truly an exceptionally capable Police officer. In just a few days, he had managed to keep the city organized while also convincing people to trust his words and construct the grounds for the Sacrifice Ritual right here.
Kurahashi Seiji slowly closed his eyes, adjusting his condition as he patiently waited for the true mont to arrive!
However, the surroundings were not entirely peaceful. On the contrary, many people felt their hearts pounding with anxiety as they watched Kurahashi Seiji resting with his eyes closed.
"This Onmyoji is so young. Can he really do this?"
"He should be able to, right? In the entire city of Kyoto, he is the only one who has actively confronted those Monsters! All the other masters went into hiding a long ti ago!"
"I suspect this man has genuine skills! Haven't you noticed? So many bamboo leaves are falling all around us, yet not a single one has touched him!"
The mont these words were spoken, everyone's gaze shifted toward him. It was true. Although the young man looked rather ordinary, the wind was howling around him, yet he remained entirely free of fallen leaves. He truly exuded the aura of an otherworldly master!
Right at this mont, a peculiar laugh echoed from the bamboo forest: "Hehehe! To think that there are still so many people gathered here..."
Just the sound of this voice caused a chilling frost to sweep over many people in the vicinity. Their bodies stiffened uncontrollably!
They stared in Fear at the pitch-black bamboo forest, completely at a loss for what to do.
"To think soone actually set up an Altar here and wants to perform a Sacrifice Ritual? It seems Lord Nurarihyon was right!" she spoke again. It sounded like a woman, but her voice held none of a woman's delicate charm. Instead, only a terrifying wave of Fear washed over them!
"Humans, cease your pointless struggles. Without the presence of an Onmyoji, without the protection of Buddhism, this city has long since beco an Object in the Bag for us!"
At that exact mont, Kurahashi Seiji snapped his eyes open, grabbed his Soul Bell, and gave it a forceful shake: "Ring!"
The crisp chi of the bell rang through the bamboo forest, injecting a tone of sheer disbelief into the previously arrogant woman's voice. "Impossible... This... Where did this Onmyoji co from? Shouldn't all of you have died out completely? This is impossible!"
"Ring!" Kurahashi Seiji shook the Soul Bell once more, instantly shifting the voice in the forest from utter disbelief into an agonizing shriek. "Ah! Human Onmyoji, I will return!"
The voice gradually faded into the distance, leaving the surrounding crowd with a newfound sense of reverence when they looked at Kurahashi Seiji.
In that instant, all their doubts and suspicions thoroughly dissipated.
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