Chapter 188: The Strongest Exorcism Weapon, Professional Exorcist Yotsuya Miko
Hearing the voice coming from above its head, Onmoraki felt as if its soul had frozen at this moment.
It didn't hesitate at all, not even having the courage to look up. Its figure flashed, fleeing towards the distance.
Seen a ghost.
Truly seen a ghost today.
Onmoraki completely couldn't understand how a mere human could bring such fear to it.
Obviously, evil spirits should be the ones with the upper hand, able to slaughter humans to their heart's content and enjoy the opponent's fear and panic before death.
Why had it fallen into such a state?
Onmoraki fled, emitting ear-piercing cries from its mouth.
A few seconds later, from all directions of the parking lot, hundreds of evil spirits with various terrifying faces and appearances, all emitting black Qi, surged in.
"Block that human!"
Onmoraki had absolutely no thought of fighting Yoru.
Just a little bit more.
As long as it killed all these humans in the hotel, the accumulated death resentment would be enough to raise its power another... no, several levels!
When that time came, calling its companions to kill this exorcist together would be the best plan.
"Quite a lot came."
Looking at the hundreds of terrifying evil spirits surrounding him from all directions, Yoru couldn't help revealing a smile.
"Although exquisite cuisine is good, an occasional unlimited buffet is also a segment not to be missed."
Yoru swung the showerhead in his hand twice. Facing the hundreds of evil spirits with terrifying appearances, he said softly.
"Then, let's begin."
As his voice fell, a few bolder evil spirits had already pounced forward with bared fangs and brandished claws.
"You... can see!"
"F**k off."
Yoru swung the showerhead in his left hand like a meteor hammer from the side, hitting the temple of an evil spirit right in the middle. His right hand clenched into a fist, directly piercing through the opponent's wide-open mouth straight out the back of its head.
Immediately after, he opened his mouth slightly, and that evil spirit's body turned into a mass of black Qi, surging into his stomach.
"Taste is okay."
Seeing their evil spirit companion actually devoured into the stomach of this human before them, the originally eager evil spirits with bared fangs and brandished claws couldn't help retreating a bit, showing terrified looks.
"What?"
Yoru looked at these surrounding evil spirits and chuckled.
"If you guys don't come over, I'm going over."
Onmoraki, who had originally fled to the entrance of the parking lot, seeing its group of subordinates actually hesitating before that human, was so anxious it jumped up and down, shouting loudly.
"Kill him!"
Although the strength of this group of evil spirits was stronger than ordinary ghosts and Yokai, they obviously weren't existences possessing high intelligence.
Obedience to the command of their superior Onmoraki, coupled with the instinctive desire to slaughter humans, overshadowed their fear of this human in front of them at this moment.
"Kill you!"
Hundreds of evil spirits swarmed up. Even though Yoru swung the showerhead, facing evil spirits pouncing from all directions and angles, he ultimately couldn't achieve absolute defense.
Sharp teeth pierced his body.
The hands of hundreds of evil spirits tore at his limbs.
The cruelty of this scene was like a sinner falling into hell being tortured by imps.
Under the heavy encirclement of the evil spirits, Onmoraki could no longer see the opponent's body.
Only a pair of eyes remained.
Even reaching this stage, there was still no trace of fear or panic in that human's eyes.
Just staring straight, locked dead onto Onmoraki's body.
That indifferent gaze without pity, without any emotion, made Onmoraki, an evil spirit itself, feel an inexplicable fear in its heart.
When humans faced evil spirits but didn't show any fear, which didn't conform to normal logic....
The one who should feel fear became the evil spirit that usually held the upper hand.
Bang.
Just then, a soft sound rang out.
Onmoraki felt something warm and round seem to hit its face.
It looked down at the ground and found it was a bloodshot scarlet eyeball.
Bang...
Just then, another muffled sound.
From the encirclement of hundreds of evil spirits, a few pieces of debris emitting black Qi bounced out.
"Could it be..."
Onmoraki's face changed.
Bang, pop, bang...
The first two sounds seemed to just blow a certain abnormal horn.
Next, were sounds like popcorn, dense, even merging into a continuous noise.
Onmoraki raised its head and saw the encirclement formed by hundreds of evil spirits melting like spring snow at a speed visible to the naked eye...
No, the word "melting" was simply too gentle.
A more accurate description should be...
Bursting.
Starting from the evil spirits right in the middle of the circle, their bodies swelled bizarrely, then burst open like balloons blown to their limits, scattering debris with black aura all over the ground.
In the scene of evil spirits bursting open one by one and debris flying all over the sky, Yoru, covered in wounds, slowly lifted his left foot and took a step forward as bright red blood dripped on the ground.
Immediately after, another step.
From beginning to end, Yoru's eyes were always locked onto Onmoraki's face.
Just like this, step by step, with the remains of evil spirits emitting black Qi hanging on him, he walked slowly towards the opponent.
The wounds on his body were healing at an astonishing speed visible to the naked eye, leaving only a dark red river of blood gathering behind him and the evil spirit remains scattered all over the ground, proving a battle had indeed just taken place.
"No, no..."
Onmoraki retreated backward, deep fear already appearing on its twisted and ferocious face.
That was hundreds of evil spirits...
Actually unable to delay the opponent for even a moment?
"I said, I see you."
Yoru walked in front of Onmoraki, slowly reached out his right hand, reaching towards the opponent's face.
"I am the strongest exorcist, and also the strongest exorcism weapon."
"No... no..."
Onmoraki opened its mouth wide, spitting out that secluded blue flame from its mouth, vainly attempting to block the palm Yoru reached towards it.
But what caught its eye was a completely pitch-black ghost hand with pale sharp nails.
....
Meanwhile, Hiratsuka Shizuka, located on the top floor of the hotel, was constantly pacing back and forth, her face full of worry.
Onimaru Kunitsuna, transformed into human form, silently followed behind her.
"Why isn't he back yet..."
Hiratsuka Shizuka turned around to look at Onimaru Kunitsuna, pursed her lips, and frowned tightly.
"Could something have happened?"
"Please rest assured..."
Just as Onimaru Kunitsuna was halfway through speaking, she suddenly flickered and disappeared from Hiratsuka Shizuka's vision.
"Eh? This is?"
Seeing this woman wearing black mourning clothes disappear, Hiratsuka Shizuka first froze for a moment, then seemed to remember something, murmuring to herself.
"Is this... resolved?"
Five minutes later, in the hotel's underground parking lot.
"Master."
Onimaru Kunitsuna wearing black mourning clothes walked to Yoru's side, speaking softly and gently.
"You've worked hard."
"Sigh, what's hard about this."
Yoru took out a piece of tissue from his bosom with his right hand, wiped the corners of his mouth, and replied with a smile.
"I ate very satisfyingly."
"This concubine always believed that you would definitely achieve victory."
Onimaru Kunitsuna smiled and said, preparing to transform back into a blade.
This state of transforming into human form was actually not her own ability as a sword.
Even if Onimaru Kunitsuna was a heirloom famous sword of Sakura Prefecture, one of the so-called Five Swords Under Heaven, it was essentially just a spiritual item, and naturally couldn't do such a thing.
Her ability to transform into a human was actually relying on Yoru's power.
Soul Manifestation is an idealistic ability.
Not knowing why, in Yoru's concept, famous swords of this level like Onimaru Kunitsuna should be able to turn into humans.
So, Onimaru Kunitsuna could rely on his power to transform into human form.
Just as she wanted to transform back into a blade and return to her master's waist, her peripheral vision caught sight of something that instantly made her eyes radiate chilling killing intent.
"Master, since this concubine has returned, please hand this over to this concubine."
"Oh, this, take it."
Yoru didn't mind, just handing the showerhead in his hand to Onimaru Kunitsuna.
After the latter took it, looking at this round metal object, the killing intent in her eyes was undisguised. She clasped her fair and tender palms together, and accompanied by a teeth-setting sound, squeezed this showerhead into debris.
Immediately after, Onimaru Kunitsuna tucked her long black hair behind her ear, gracefully bowed to Yoru, restored that gentle Yamato Nadeshiko appearance, covered her lips, and chuckled lightly.
"Thank you for your understanding."
Immediately after, Onimaru Kunitsuna transformed back into her main body and returned to Yoru's waist.
"Really, taking a showerhead as an opponent, truly a famous sword with a twisted personality."
Yoru chuckled, shook his head, and slowly walked towards the exit of the underground parking lot.
....
When Hiratsuka Shizuka, on the top floor, came down to the first-floor lobby with the other guests, she found a very strange thing.
The surroundings...
Left no traces.
Just like normal, there was no blood in the lobby, no tragically dead human corpses, no terrifying evil spirits, and no smell of blood in the air.
Even the originally collapsed elevator had been restored to its original state.
As if everything in those dozens of minutes just now had never happened.
"Were those all... hallucinations?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka frowned slightly, glanced at the other equally puzzled guests, thinking no matter what happened, everything just now was absolutely not a hallucination.
Although other places hadn't changed, there wasn't a single staff member in the hotel lobby.
Undoubtedly, those innocent people killed by the evil spirits were absolutely no hallucinations.
The Otherworld is constructed based on the real world as a prototype, a world formed by the negative impressions and emotions in humans' hearts.
This means that the scenes in the Otherworld take reality as a reference, not the other way around.
At this time, the hotel in the Otherworld might still have that bloody and cruel appearance.
But when the impressions of the people in the real world towards this hotel gradually change back to normal, it will overwrite the hotel in the Otherworld, just like overwriting a computer file.
It's equivalent to refreshing.
And the traces left in the Otherworld naturally cannot be found in the real world.
....
Meanwhile, Shibuya Commercial Pedestrian Street.
Miko, Mai, and Rio, who were keeping surveillance, heard a sudden roar carrying endless resentment echoing in the sky full of heavy rain.
"It's here."
Miko stood up, resting her right hand on the hilt of Mikazuki Munechika at her waist, a solemn look showing in her golden eyes.
"Get ready, don't let the opponent escape."
"Mmhmm, understood."
Rio and Mai nodded slightly. Without needing communication, the three had great tacit understanding.
At this time, they didn't use their Soul Manifestation abilities, but maintained their ordinary state.
On one hand, it was to save power, recharge, and prepare to welcome the battle.
On the other hand, Yoru once said a sentence.
"When the battle between an evil spirit and an exorcist begins is decided by the exorcist."
Without unleashing the Soul Manifestation ability, a spirit medium's aura is no different from an ordinary human's.
And in a real-world city, almost every place has a large amount of residual human auras.
Under the cover of these auras, an evil spirit wanting to judge whether there are humans in the nearby area is tantamount to finding a needle in a haystack, completely impossible to achieve.
Of course, if it were in the Otherworld, that would be another story.
After all, there are no living people in the Otherworld. Any human entering would arouse the vigilance of evil spirits.
And the plan formulated by Rio was precisely based on this point.
The time difference before the evil spirit manipulating this incident pulled this area into the Otherworld and sensed the presence of the three was their biggest advantage.
Although there was no observation from Hyakume, as professional exorcists, their equipment was still complete.
Rio held binoculars, while Mai and Miko were on her left and right, holding umbrellas for her.
Without needing a special reminder, the pale ghost hand had already shrunk itself to the size of a human palm and hid in some unknown corner.
Amidst the pouring rain, Rio stared tightly at that "Door" on the street, blinking only after a long interval, afraid of missing any suspicious traces.
Bzz... Bzz...
The streetlights on both sides of the street suddenly flickered a few times.
After sparking dazzling sparks, the lights disappeared.
A bare-chested evil spirit, emaciated like dry bones, wearing tattered gray pants, appeared from nowhere and slowly walked from the other end of the street towards the direction of the "Door".
"That should be the target."
Rio could tell at a glance that the opponent was absolutely not human.
One of the reasons was that in this pouring rain, it was absolutely impossible for a normal person not to hold an umbrella and still walk so leisurely.
Of course, the more important reason was that although the opponent wasn't twisted in figure like ordinary evil spirits, the skin on the entire upper body was painted black.
"This is... Kurobozu (Black Monk)."
Facing this evil spirit, not knowing whether it came from the Otherworld formed by people's negative impressions or originally belonged to the real world, but having high fame and ranking among the Hyakki Yagyō, the expressions of the three girls Rio, Mai, and Miko all became solemn.
"Wait a little longer..."
Rio held the binoculars, observing Kurobozu walking step by step towards the "Door" and also gradually approaching the hiding place of the three. She suppressed the tension in her chest and tried hard to maintain a calm mood.
1, 2, 3, 4...
Not knowing why, although Kurobozu's movements seemed slow, its advancing speed was very fast.
In just four seconds, it walked a distance of nearly twenty meters.
Seeing the opponent was less than ten meters away from their position, Rio said softly.
"Now."
"Tear the disguise, Hone-Onna."
As Rio called out the Soul True Name, Hone-Onna instantly appeared behind her.
A cage like white bones rose from the position where Kurobozu was standing.
"Hmm?"
Kurobozu, whose movements were originally sluggish like a dying old man, reacted extremely quickly, squatting down slightly. Its dry and emaciated legs instantly swelled into an extremely terrifying muscular appearance, preparing to flash and flee.
"Break the constraints, Ame-no-Uzume!"
The battle had begun, and Mai had no need to hide anymore. Almost at the same time as Rio, she called out her Soul True Name.
Ame-no-Uzume wearing a light pink sheer dress appeared, holding a light pink paper umbrella in her hand. With a gentle shake, a gust of cherry blossom petals formed by spiritual power surrounded Kurobozu's body.
Under Ame-no-Uzume's Charm ability, Kurobozu was briefly stunned, but regained clarity in less than a breath's time.
But this was enough.
The white bone cage created by Hone-Onna had already trapped Kurobozu inside. Sharp bone spurs instantly extended from each pale bone, piercing towards this evil spirit's body like the famous Western torture device, the Iron Maiden.
"Miko!"
"Mmhmm, I know."
Miko opened her eyes. Strange colors flashed in her golden eyes, and a pattern of an eye appeared on her fair wrist.
She leaped, jumping directly from the five-meter-high floor, landing lightly on the ground. Immediately after, without any hesitation, she directly drew Mikazuki Munechika from her waist.
The pale gold blade reflected a brilliant light in the rain.
"Slash."
Miko's figure flashed, appearing in front of the white bone cage. There was no emotion in her golden eyes, just holding the hilt of Mikazuki Munechika with both hands and slashing it towards Kurobozu's body.
At this moment, the rainwater seemed to be parted by this slash.
The muffled sound of bone spurs sinking into flesh and blood contrasted with the gorgeous pale gold blade light.
Kurobozu stood in place, its face becoming ferocious and twisted.
Just as it wanted to unleash the other "Door" inside its body, retract the "Door" on the street back into its body, and return to the power of its peak period, its vision slowly split into two.
Next second, this powerful evil spirit fused with two "Doors" realized.
What was split into two wasn't its vision.
But its own body.
What rang in its ears was the sound of the blade tip piercing through its head, and the soft words spoken by Miko.
"A professional exorcist never forgets to finish off the enemy."