"This was not what I had in mind..", Seijurou lamented in his thoughts as he continued to shake off the angry mob. "We were supposed to protect these innocents.. not hurt them."
The supposed audience and now under a massive illusion spell continued their relentless assault on Seijurou and Satsuki, thinking that the two students were the cultists. Although unarmed, the sheer number of attackers almost looked like they overwhelmed the young battle partners. Fortunately for the teenage soldiers, their HPs remained unblemished. However, blocking and avoiding hits still drained stamina although gradually.
"Hayama-sensei! We can't get through!..", yelled Seijurou in desperation while more of the attackers charged at him and his partner. "If you can carry on with the plan.. that'd be great!"
Hayama shot a few rounds of tranquilizer rounds at the crowd with his buccaneer guns before being forced to draw out his scimitars. "That'd definitely be good, Erida-san.. if I could move through myself!"
Hayama though, calm and reserved as ever, shot another glance towards the two. The thought of them fighting efficiently together made him smile. "They're in perfect sync.. you two have come a long way.."
"Looks like Hayama-sensei isn't going anywhere..", said Satsuki while dealing another blunt slash towards the very furious looking swarm of 3K fanatics. "Yanagi-kaichou! What about Yoshiki-taichou? What's her situation?"
"She's on the move towards the gates. Good thing she figured it all out quickly..", replied Shinsuke through thought projection. "Hopefully, no one detects her."
"What do you mean by I figured it out quickly, Yanagi?!..", exclaimed Yoshiki in her mind while carefully avoiding the crowd's attention with her stealthy quirk. "Of course I know exactly what's going on! Who do you think I am, boy?!"
Shinsuke chuckled awkwardly with a drop of sweat. "I meant no disrespect, taichou.. but do your best in carrying the plan out."
Earlier that evening, when Hayama and Satsuki broke out of the spell, they planned out their first course of action. It was to find a way to dispel the magic engulfing the thousands in attendance. However simple as it may sound with just plucking out the tickets from somewhere in their clothes, it seemed like a gargantuan hurdle for four soldiers.
"It might cause a panic, sensei..", Satsuki pointed out. "How do we do this?"
"We can only hope for the citizens' cooperation..", answered Hayama with a sigh. "We take them out one by one.. and then, ask for their help as well."
"That's going to be too tedious and will take a lot of time..", Yoshiki rebutted as she shook her head. "The clock's ticking, Hayama.. any suggestions, Yanagi? What's the situation on the other side?"
"Yoshiki-taichou is right. We don't have time on our side..", projected Yanagi through their thoughts. "But the other team has found the source of the spell and is currently on it in finding a way to dispel the illusion."
"Then what can we do in the mean time, Kaichou?..", asked Satsuki with a little desperation in her tone. "We can't just stand here and let everyone be harmed by the spell.. not to mention our classmates too.."
Shinsuke let out a long sigh. "Do you have anything in mind, Erida-kun?"
"Eh? Me?..", Seijurou pointed to himself in confusion.
"Yes you! Who else could it be?..", answered Yoshiki impatiently. "Time to put that brain into use.. if the rumors about you is true, Erida Seijurou."
After a moment of slight surprise, Seijurou realized that the higher ups were already out of ideas on how to tackle on the current circumstances, and it was him they were suddenly relying on. Known for his over the top academic marks in school and his quick thinking during the Minami incident, even a military general and a "Hero Heir" would logically turn to him if a situation requiring some degree of intel arose.
"Let's see.. Kinjou, you said something about our classmates, right?..", asked Seijurou as an idea popped out of his mind.
"Yes.. I'm thinking they're in trouble too..", answered Satsuki gloomily. "What about them?"
A smug look began to take shape in Seijurou's expression as he recalled the events of their preliminary duel at the start of summer. "You're the real genius here, Kinjou."
"Eh? What're you talking about?..", asked Satsuki obliviously as she referred to herself.
"I see what you did there, Erida-kun..", said Shinsuke the moment he read what Seijurou was thinking about. "That might work."
Hayama smirked at the idea as well. "Good thinking, Erida-san.. the only thing left is to make those two work together."
Satsuki pouted as she felt being left out. "Hey, Erida-kun.. can you tell me what's going on?"
An explosive bright light above the concert grounds brought Satsuki back to the present. Not only that, it acted as a flash bomb to neutralize all incoming assailants as well by blinding them momentarily. Subsequently, something very familiar rained all over the area.
"Ninja weaponry! Looks like Yoshiki-taichou made it in time..", commented Satsuki with a small hint of relief. However, she began to hesitate and took a defensive stance. "It's about to hit us too, Erida-kun.. be on your guard."
But Seijurou did not heed his partner's words and just smiled in awe instead. "There's no need, Kinjou.. we're not supposed to kill innocents, right? I'm sure those two understand that very well."
Right before the newly sharpened projectiles hit the ground, small smoke screens popped out of each. It was as if thousands of smoky popcorns engulfed the open grounds, making it look like an enormous cooking pot. And when the smoke cleared, thousands of ninjas revealed themselves and began to herd the restless crowd.
Hidden quietly behind the gates, Eimi sneered in irritation while she watched her sister's massive ninjutsu unfold. "Tsk.. once a show off, always a show off."
"It wouldn't have been possible without your jutsu, Eimi..", said Shizune as she smiled at her sister and while staggering in exhaustion. "Besides, the sheer number of kunai and shuriken you summoned nearly depleted my magic points and stamina just for me to make phantoms of myself.. your jutsu's become strong."
Eimi looked away and blushed at her sister's praise. "Of course it's impressive, onee-chan! I told you it's a bad idea to alter your ward spell for connecting to my summons."
"It can't be helped.. these are trying times, and I am ready to give my life up for the good of this land..", said Shizune in between her exasperated breaths. Then, a shroud of worry began to crowd her thoughts. "One more thing.. my phantom clones can only take a single hit each before exploding into smoke and back to its original ward form. And since I can barely move.. can you handle the rest, Eimi?"
Eimi growled at his sister and began searching Saiki for the ward infused ticket. "Quit your poetic babbling, onee-chan.. and you don't have to order me around. I'm already on it."
"Thank you, Eimi.."
The thousand clone army of Shizune somehow managed to neutralize the mind controlled spectators. Satsuki, Seijurou and Hayama were finally given a little breather because of that. But as Shizune said, it only takes a single point of damage to dispel one copy. There might have been a great number of "Shizunes", however they were still greatly outnumbered by the thousands of fanatics in attendance. One by one, the clones disappeared into nothing but the original weaponry that they were before the spell.
"Not good.. with each phantom dispelled, a perfectly innocent bystander gets armed..", Hayama pointed out as he knocked the lights off of one member of the audience with the hilt of his scimitar. "What now, Erida-san?"
Seijurou blocked another devastating blow from one of the spectators. "We wait, sensei.."
"What? Is there anything we could do to make this any faster?..", asked Satsuki a little impatiently as she knocked out unconscious the one her partner just blocked. "It's not that I don't trust them.. but we're clearly losing Takenori-chan's copies.."
"It's not like we can tell them to do this quickly.. this is already one massive technique for them to handle..", replied Seijurou while he bashed another mob to oblivion. "We're already asking too much from their group, you know.. believe it'll work, Kinjou."
Just when a glimmer of hopelessness started to settle on everyone's minds, the earth below them began to rumble. Giant but blunt spikes of rock emerged from the ground, effectively blocking the paths of furious bystanders charging towards the three.
"Yoshiki-taichou, Hayama-sensei, Kinjou-chan, Erida-san! Can you hear me?..", said Saiki through Shinsuke's thought projection, catching everybody's attention.
"We do..", responded Hayama immediately. "I assume this is your doing?"
"Hai, sensei! Please proceed to the gates at once..", answered Saiki restlessly. "Shizune-chan and Eimi-chan will herd the crowd towards the center with their jutsu.. I'll trap them all with mine."
"On it!..", said Satsuki as she and her partner pushed through the remnants of the mind controlled group to the south west. She flashed Seijurou with her usual smile. "I must say it was another great plan, Erida-kun."
"It still doesn't solve the illusion spell problem..", said Seijurou as he flung another attacker away with his shield. "Taking the tickets out of their pockets is a little too late now.. they may end up killing each other if we dispel the wards one by one."
"Don't worry Erida-kun.. you did your part awesomely already..", Satsuki said with a comforting smile while they both dashed towards the south gate. "Let the 'Seven' do theirs from this point."
It was still in the middle of the skirmish against the black mages of the "Shinigami Cult" when "FSG's Seven" noticed an enormous dome forming in the middle of Shizuoka. It was so massive that every combatant had to pause for a double take to witness the spectacle. Even Mariya, who was tackling the battle head on like a berserker, had to halt to get a good view of what was happening before them.
"Is this the cult's doing, Yanagi-kaichou?..", asked Mariya while unconsciously blocking offensive spells with her barrier.
"No, it was the first years..", answered Shinsuke through projection.
"I didn't know they were already capable of that..", said Shouya while playing his lute behind the shrubbery. "Seems like there's quite a party over there."
"Oh.. I infused Bakudou-kun with magic points through my thought projection wards, so he could make a bigger version of his earth spell..", replied Shinsuke.
"You really are quite a show off, Yanagi..", commented Natsuo while slashing one of the enemies with his two handed great sword. "Anyway.. are you finally doing your thing any time soon?"
"Just waiting for the signal, Natsuo..", answered Yanagi before shifting his thoughts toward Aya. "Aya-neechan, are we ready?"
After flinging a cultist with her "Blood Whip" towards the sky, Aya impaled a charmed kunai through the soil at one of the corners of the ruined mansion. "Just a little more, kaichou.. I'm putting the last of the 'Chain Lightning' wards in place."
"Please do hurry..", said Rika while she watched her summons take on the cultists. She then shifted her attention to Shouya, who was still playing music beside her. "Why are you still chilling out there in a time like this?"
While having his eyes closed, Shouya smirked and drowned himself in his song. "You are deeply mistaken, Rika ojou-sama.. I am currently one in thought with the little creatures under that decrepit old homestead they call a base."
Gouro shot multiple "Banishing Arrows" towards some enemy Youkai as he squinted impatiently. "So, have you found the source of the 'enthrallment spell' already, Shouya? I'm running out of ammo."
"But of course.. it's under a trapdoor north of the mansion's kitchen..", said Shouya cheerily. "Just waiting for the finale courtesy of Shinsuke-sama."
"You think much of me, Shouya..", said Yanagi with an awkward chuckle. Suddenly, something from Hayama's resort lodging caught the attention of his thought projection. "Toho-kun, what is it?"
"Yanagi-senpai! Connect me to Kinjou-chan's group at once!..", exclaimed Kazuma in a panicked manner. "It's urgent!"
As Hayama's central group and the western ninja group stared at the gargantuan structure in front of them, one could tell that they were shell shocked in awe. The enormous dome was taller than the stage itself, and it successfully trapped all the supposed spectators inside. It was arguably the largest object Saiki had ever made with his earth spell.
"Overdid it.. yup, I definitely did..", said Saiki in disbelief. "Yanagi-senpai's magic pool is boundless."
"Great work..", praised Hayama to his students as he faced them. His young underlings nodded with smiles as he turned to walk towards the southern direction, which is where the hill of the mansion is. "I'll be off to rendezvous with the 'Seven' and apprehend the criminals.. Kinjou-san, as for you being one of 'em.. take charge and wait for further orders from Yoshiki-taichou. She's at backstage handlin' the situation with her girls."
"Hai, sensei!..", answered Satsuki with a salute.
Just when their teacher disappeared from their view, the students' attention were suddenly caught by approaching footsteps. Satsuki immediately ordered the group to stand guard while Shoutou disappeared with his invisibility jutsu. As the shadows dispersed to reveal who the suspects were, to their relief, it was the southern group, Jax and his thugs.
"Guys, do you hear me?..", Kazuma's voice boomed in everyone's thoughts all of a sudden. "We have a slight problem.."
Satsuki frowned in frustration as the thought of having another obstacle came into mind after just having to deal with one. "What is it this time, Toho-kun?"
"You see.. after everyone was enthralled, we were given the order to remote summon your gear once you guys asked..", said Kazuma while Jax, Keigo and Gin approached with devious smirks on their faces. "Thinking that the ranger, north and south groups were conscious since they said there were cultists present in the concert grounds.. we sort of gave them their weapons."
"What's wrong with that? It's protocol isn't it?..", asked Shizune in confusion.
Seijurou and Satsuki understood it as evident with their wide eyed and worried gazes towards the three berserkers. They both slowly shifted to a defensive stance, making everyone realize they were once again in a dire situation. The four ninjas followed suit as they saw the two prepare for battle.
"What do we have here? Cultists?..", Jax announced while he grabbed his huge ebony battle axe from his back, hinting his thugs to draw their weapons as well. "It's been a while since I had a real fight.. one involving death."
"Kinjou, this is going to be a lot harder than what we did earlier..", whispered Seijurou to his partner as he raised his shield. "Your boyfriend's been deprived of killing for far too long."
"I know.. so prepare yourself for a death match..", said Satsuki with a whole new level of seriousness in her expression. "And Erida-kun.. he's not boyfriend."
"Eh?..", Seijurou reacted confused. It was the first time Satsuki made one serious denial of her relationship with Jax. He thought the timing could have been more perfect.
"But he's my friend too.. so don't kill them even if it means they're desperate in killing you..", added Satsuki bringing Seijurou back to his senses. "Snap out of it, and get ready."
A lot of other unnecessary thoughts swirled inside Seijurou's mind, but he forced himself to focus at the task at hand. "Right.. let's do this."
As soon as Jax and his subordinates charged to attack, Kazuma chuckled awkwardly and added something in their thoughts that was a little too late. "So yeah.. when you see them.. prepare to engage.."
Monogatari Concepts:
The Shinigami Cult – an organization of devout followers of the god Hygyros' Jihonian soul reaper incarnation, the Shinigami. Once they were viewed as a peaceful group of worshippers who act as servants mediating the souls of the dead towards their final destinations. Over time, their power and wealth grew to such heights that they almost became a respected religious order. However, once the higher ups gained the ability to commune with the dead through powerful conjuration magic, they became feared instead of being recognized. They were not evil naturally but simply misunderstood. Purists eventually hunted them down and put to death. This unfortunate event will forever be known as the "Medieval Witch Hunt" since witches were linked to them during the middle ages in the Edo period.
Although witches were eventually left out in this incident during modern times, the resurgence of this cult was highly speculated as an act of revenge towards the government and therefore treated as rebellion. They were also the reason why "Necromancy", the school of magic responsible for bringing life to the deceased, was banned in the country of Jihon.
Character Description:
Takenori Eimi – the younger of the Takenori twins. Although not precisely the less capable of the two, she views herself as weaker than her sister, Shizune. He desire to be recognized more than Shizune is her primary motivation to be a formidable kunoichi. Even though her twin does not really admonish her but care for her greatly, she constantly puts on a front that she hates her. It's simply due to the fact she envies Shizune of everything from simple possessions to ninjutsu.
With her constant bickering with her sister aside, Eimi is a person with good values deeply rooted in her. Her ambition to be one of the Shogun's Oniwabanshu someday tells of her need to protect the nation's good interests. Considered already as a brilliant ninja for her age, she makes use of her abilities as means to support her allies as shown in the preliminaries and this chapter. With that said, she's a great team player.
To be honest, I purposely only created this character as a means of having worthy opponents for our protagonist in the preliminaries. But her dynamics with her twin started to interest me up to a point where I'm slowly expounding on their complicated relationship. I'll definitely put more effort on this in the near future.
Eimi tries desperately to be different from her twin with regards to appearance, which is quite a feat in itself if they're identical twins. She cuts her hair short and dresses like a rock star in casual clothes, a stark difference from Shizune's trendy fashion taste. Even in school uniforms, she folds her sleeves and wears mid thigh high socks just to give her classmates an idea of who's who (well, the hairstyles sort of gave it away already). However, there really is nothing Eimi can do with facial features and body type. She stands at 161cm and weighs in at 46kg (exactly the same as her twin's). Her most favorite things are her electric guitar and secretly her sister, Shizune (I find this really sweet, actually).