As the Seirei Exorcist group took their assigned roles, Makoto Katsuragi positioned himself inside the main Seirei Exorcist building, his gaze fixed on the monitoring screens. His task was to serve as an early warning system, but the screens remained stubbornly blank. The real battle, he knew, was unfolding somewhere outside.
In the hospital's health center, his sister, Airi, stirred. A sudden, violent tremor shook the building, followed by the muffled roar of an explosion. A sharp pain shot through her recovering body as she sat up in bed, a knot of worry tightening in her stomach. Pushing herself to her feet, she stumbled out of her room to investigate the commotion, only to be met by a sight that stole her breath: a small legion of mind-controlled Seirei, their eyes glowing an eerie red, had cornered her in the hallway.
Meanwhile, Yana and Miwafe moved with practiced urgency, guiding frightened patients to safety through the hospital's chaotic corridors. Miwafe, her focus split between her duty and her growing dread, desperately scanned the faces of the fleeing patients, searching for a flash of Airi's familiar face.
Outside the hospital entrance, Rin and Takumi Enatsu stood their ground, a final bastion against the advancing horde. The Seirei, their movements jerky and unnatural, marched relentlessly toward them.
"Rin, create a sand wall! We need to hold them off!" Takumi Enatsu commanded, his voice sharp and steady.
Rin nodded, his expression one of intense concentration. Focusing his Standz, he drew sand from the surrounding earth, the grains swirling and coalescing into a towering, translucent wall that temporarily blocked the Seirei's path. From a distance, a figure emerged from the shadows—Ryota, his face twisted into a grin of pure malice.
"Don't hold back, my puppets," he laughed, the sound echoing through the air. "Use the Standz I gave you to their full potential!"
At his command, a few of the mind-controlled Seirei focused their energy. One's arm morphed into a jagged stone hammer, another's a razor-sharp blade. They struck the sand wall, and with a sickening crunch, the barrier shattered, its grains scattering uselessly across the ground. Rin stared in disbelief at the crumbling wall.
Without hesitation, Takumi Enatsu charged forward, his Standz materializing in a flash of dark energy. Two black, sinuous strings shot from his palms, wrapping around several of the incoming Seirei. A brilliant blue surge of electricity coursed through the strings, immobilizing the creatures and slowing their advance.
"Now, Rin!" Takumi Enatsu shouted over the din. "Recite the Exorcist quote!"
Rin quickly performed the necessary hand signs, his lips moving in an ancient, powerful chant. One by one, the affected Seirei began to fade, their corrupted forms dissolving into nothingness.
Ryota smirked, watching from afar. "Not bad... but let's see if you can keep that up," he mocked, waving a hand to unleash another, larger wave of Seirei.
Overwhelmed but undeterred, Takumi Enatsu and Rin continued their desperate defense. "Why are you doing this?!" Takumi Enatsu growled, glaring at Ryota. "What's your endgame?!"
Ignoring the question, Ryota simply grinned, pulling out a small device that displayed a live feed of a hidden area beneath the hospital. "My precious Eliza is being held below this very building," he sneered.
He then ordered one of the Seirei, who bore a Standz capable of drilling, to burrow into the ground. The creature complied, and a perfect, circular hole appeared on the floor as it descended. Takumi Enatsu attempted to intervene but was held back by the sheer number of Seirei.
"How many Seirei have you mind-controlled, you bastard?!" Takumi Enatsu roared, gritting his teeth as Ryota disappeared into the newly created hole, heading directly for the Seirei Exorcist building below.
Makoto's Stand
In the monitoring room, Makoto turned in shock as a new figure appeared on his screen. The sinister, victorious grin on Ryota's face sent a shiver down his spine.
"Bring this place down!" Ryota commanded his minions, who swarmed the room.
Makoto wasted no time, charging at the Seirei. He dodged and weaved, but their sheer numbers made his efforts futile. Each one he knocked down was replaced by two more.
"What do I do?" he thought, a sense of desperation creeping in. "If I try to exorcise them, they just keep coming..." His gaze shifted to Ryota, the one true threat. A bold idea struck him.
"If I can't stop them, I'll go after the one controlling them," he decided, a fierce resolve hardening his features.
Using the Seirei as a trampoline, he leapt from one to another, a human projectile aimed directly at Ryota. But before he could land a hit, a Seirei intercepted him, its Standz-powered blow knocking him back with bruising force.
Ryota laughed, a cruel, high-pitched sound. "Did you really think you could stop me? You're as weak as they come—a Standzless fool. I'm disappointed that the Seirei Exorcists even accepted someone like you. They should've tossed you out just like I did!"
Makoto clenched his fists, ignoring the pain in his ribs. "Makoto Katsuragi... can you shut up already with the 'Standzless' nonsense? You think I care? Oh, and thanks for reminding me—I owe you a beating for that stunt you pulled back then!"
He charged again, only to be knocked down once more. Frustrated but undeterred, he thought to himself, "Can I even exorcise them? Doesn't it take someone with Standz to do that? Well, there's only one way to find out."
As a Seirei rushed him, Makoto grabbed it in a headlock, a tight, unyielding grip. He then recited the Exorcist quote, the ancient words feeling strange on his tongue. To his surprise, the Seirei shimmered and vanished.
"What do you know? It actually worked," Makoto said, a small smirk forming on his face. He repeated the process, and one after another, all 47 Seireis in the room were exorcised.
Ryota's smile vanished, replaced by a look of pure shock. "This shouldn't be happening! You're Standzless!"
Makoto took the opportunity to land a powerful punch, his fist connecting squarely with Ryota's face. "Makoto Katsuragi or not, I don't care—as long as I can beat your ass!"
Ryota stumbled back, wiping blood from his nose. Just then, Takumi Enatsu and Rin descended through the hole created by the drilling Seirei, announcing that they had dealt with the remaining Seirei outside.
Ryota smirked, a flicker of defiance returning to his eyes. "I underestimated you all," he admitted.
Takumi Enatsu approached him, his face a mask of anger. "It's over. You're coming with us. We'll hand you over to the authorities."
Ryota laughed. "Fools. Do you really think I'd rely only on my minions? I haven't even used my Standz yet."
Takumi Enatsu hesitated, checking the pressure of Ryota's Standz. His eyes widened—it was higher than expected. Ryota stood tall, a dark, sinister aura surrounding him. As Rin and Makoto prepared for his next move, a hidden Seirei emerged from the shadows and ambushed them. Taking advantage of the distraction, Ryota escaped.
The Aftermath
Meanwhile, Yana and Miwafe continued their frantic search for Airi. They finally spotted her, trapped and surrounded by the remaining Seirei.
"Airi!" they shouted in unison.
Airi turned toward them, visibly relieved. However, before they could reach her, the Seirei received a retreat order from Ryota.
"Take a hostage with you in case they try to follow!" Ryota's voice commanded through their minds.
The Seirei grabbed Airi, who struggled fiercely, even managing to fend them off momentarily. But her weakened state left her unable to continue. The Seirei seized her and leapt out of the hospital, vanishing before Yana and Miwafe could stop them. Miwafe tried to shoot them down with her ice abilities but realized they were already out of range.
After the retreat, the staff began cleaning up the mess. Makoto approached Miwafe, a desperate look in his eyes.
"Is Airi safe?" he asked.
Miwafe looked down, unable to meet his gaze. "They got to her before we could..."
Makoto's heart sank, a cold dread washing over him. He turned to Takumi Enatsu. "We can't waste time. Let's go after them now!"
Takumi Enatsu shook his head. "We need approval from The Seven. That's the difference between us and regular cops."
Makoto stared at him in disbelief. "Are you serious right now?! I'm not waiting for orders—I'm going after her!"
Takumi Enatsu tried to reason with him, but Makoto ignored him and turned to leave. Before he could take another step, Miwafe punched him in the face, tears brimming in her eyes.
"Stop it! You said your sister was strong, right? I've seen it myself. I know she can handle herself. But I promised you she'd be safe, and I failed. I'm sorry. Just give us time. Please... believe in your sister!"
Yana placed a comforting hand on Miwafe's shoulder as she began to cry. Makoto stood up silently, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. "Fine," he muttered. "But if anything happens to Airi..." His gaze darkened, sending shivers through everyone present.
After he left, Yana turned to Takumi Enatsu. "Contact The Seven."
Takumi Enatsu sighed. "Only the leader of the Seirei Exorcist group can do that. We have to wait for the boss to return."
In the meantime, he added grimly, "We'll question Eliza."