Chapter 36: Kyoto's Number One Exorcist, Has Arrived
As Miko's voice fell, the black mist in front of her instantly transformed into a humanoid shape.
A slender woman with long black hair, wearing a kimono and wooden clogs (geta), stood in front of Hachishaku. Although beautiful, her face was expressionless like a doll's.
The woman's eyes were covered by a strip of dark linen cloth, making her look extremely eerie.
Even stranger was that on the backs of her hands, hidden within the wide sleeves of her kimono, a pair of eyeballs with only whites—no pupils or focus—opened up.
This was the manifestation of Yotsuya Miko's soul. Like Hachishaku, it was based on a Yokai (demon) from folklore: Hyakume (Hundred Eyes).
"This is... my power..."
Miko murmured to herself, taking a deep breath. She looked at Hachishaku standing before her. Fear was gone from her golden eyes, replaced by firm determination.
"Go, Hyakume!"
As another aspect of Miko's inner self and the avatar of her soul, although Hyakume was modeled after a legendary demon, she was fundamentally one with Miko and naturally obeyed her commands.
The eyeballs on the backs of Hyakume's hands rolled slightly, fixing their gaze on Hachishaku.
Black pupils suddenly formed in the originally white eyeballs, locking onto Hachishaku with a terrifying stare that would make anyone shudder.
"I see you."
Hyakume's voice was ethereal, carrying a deep, lingering resentment.
But her actions were even faster than her words.
In the blink of an eye, Hyakume's hands grasped Hachishaku's arms. The sharp nails on her fingers pierced deeply into Hachishaku's flesh.
There was no blood.
Evil spirits do not bleed.
Only the black mist emanating from the wounds and Hachishaku's slightly twisted face proved that Hyakume had indeed inflicted damage.
"Die! Die! Die!"
Hachishaku's long hair scattered wildly like an evil ghost crawling out of hell, and she let out a piercing shriek.
The yellowing paper scraps piled on the ground instantly gathered together, wrapping around Hyakume.
Hyakume, naturally, did not sit idly by.
Although her figure was much smaller than Hachishaku's, her strength seemed no less formidable. She forcefully dragged Hachishaku into the stairwell at the end of the corridor.
Bang.
Hearing the heavy thud of the fire door closing, Miko finally snapped back to reality.
A wave of exhaustion and dizziness suddenly washed over her body.
"Huff... huff..."
Miko sat down, leaning her back against the door of Yui's apartment. She massaged her temples with one hand, clearly struggling.
"Is this the cost of soul manifestation... This feeling is really unpleasant."
When she first summoned Hyakume, Miko thought she finally had the ability to fight those "things," feeling a sense of relief and exhilaration at turning the tables.
However, manifesting the soul to fight evil spirits naturally came with a price.
Of course, not something as severe as lifespan or body parts, but stamina and mental energy.
Only about a minute had passed since Hyakume appeared, yet Miko felt exhausted to the bone.
It felt like she hadn't slept for three days and nights, and then was forced to solve complex math problems.
Her brain and body were numb.
This made Miko realize even more that as an exorcist fighting evil spirits, Yoru was a powerhouse far superior to herself.
In the unfinished building, Yoru had maintained that white giant hand for nearly three minutes.
And after landing, he showed no signs of fatigue.
Such stamina could only be described as monstrous.
"Miko-chan? Miko-chan? Are you okay?"
When Miko saw the cold floor enlarging in her vision, she realized something.
She was leaning against Yui's apartment door.
And Yui's apartment door opened outwards.
Thud.
"Eh!?"
When Yui pushed open the door holding Sablé, she saw Miko lying on the cold floor in a standard prostrate position (dogeza-like, but flat).
Yui looked bewildered. She hesitated for a few seconds before asking tentatively.
"Miko-chan, did you... drink too much?"
Yui had seen plenty of drunks lying by the roadside, whether from business entertainment or drowning their sorrows.
Aside from drinking too much, she really couldn't think of a reason why Miko would be lying on the cold corridor floor in the middle of the night.
"Yui... Yui, go back inside, quickly."
Facing Miko's strained words, Yui froze for a moment, then smiled sweetly.
"Miko-chan, this is the first time you've called me by my first name. I'm so happy."
Miko was so anxious she almost passed out. If she hadn't exhausted all her stamina and couldn't move a finger, she would have stood up and punched Yui twice.
What time is it? Why are you talking about this nonsense?
But immediately after, Yui's next sentence made Miko's pupils shrink in shock.
"What is all this stuff?"
Yui squatted down, picked up a piece of yellowing paper scrap from the ground, and asked in confusion.
"Is this... spirit money (paper money for the dead)?"
"You... you can see it?"
"Of course. It's all over the ground."
Yui looked around, puzzled, and muttered to herself.
"I don't know where Mom went either; she's not in her room. And what is all this stuff on the floor? It looks kinda creepy."
Miko felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave.
What on earth is going on?
Why can Yui see the paper scraps scattered on the ground?
Wait a minute.
Is this really still the apartment building where Yui lives?
Miko's brain was overloaded by these sudden changes.
Just then.
The door to the stairwell was shoved open heavily.
Bang!
At the same time the sound rang out, Miko sensed it.
Her soul manifestation, Hyakume...
Had been torn to shreds by Hachishaku.
"Wh-Wh-What is that..."
Seeing Hachishaku in her white dress, bending down to slowly walk out of the stairwell door, even the dense Yui realized something was wrong.
"Yui, run..."
Miko stopped halfway through her sentence.
Run?
Where to?
There was nowhere to run.
"Woof, woof, woof!"
Sablé broke free from Yui's arms, landed on the ground, and barked fiercely at the approaching Hachishaku, baring his teeth in an attempt to scare her off.
But Hachishaku didn't stop. Her bare, snow-white feet stepped on the yellowing paper scraps, making a soft rustling sound.
Stand up. I have to stand up.
Miko thought this in her heart, but clearly, her stamina was completely overdrawn. Let alone summoning Hyakume again, even with all her might, she could barely manage to sit up.
Just as Hachishaku was less than five meters away from the two girls and Miko was feeling despair, a sudden change occurred in the corridor.
Whoosh.
Black flames suddenly ignited on the yellowing paper scraps in front of Hachishaku.
She slowly retracted her raised right foot. The pair of eyes hidden within her seaweed-like cascading black hair looked behind Miko and Yui.
Hearing that familiar voice laced with a frivolous smile from behind, Miko's despairing heart instantly settled.
"Kyoto's Number One Exorcist, has arrived."