Chapter 48: The Hero's Arrival
"What!?"
Soichiro Yagami's face changed drastically upon hearing this.
"Haven't we already surrounded all entrances? Could it be that he came out from the kindergarten building? Is he one of the kidnappers!?"
Hearing this question, the police officer looked complicated, shook his head, and replied carefully.
"Report to Commander... th-that person appeared directly on the open ground inside the school gate."
"Appeared directly?"
Soichiro Yagami froze for a moment, frowning seriously.
"Let me confirm again. What do you mean by 'appeared directly'? Be clear."
"It... it means literally what I said. Like a ghost, he just appeared there."
"How is that possible!?"
A look of disbelief appeared on Soichiro Yagami's face. Ignoring everything else, he immediately walked towards the kindergarten gate inside the cordon.
As the commander-in-chief on the scene, what he should consider now wasn't how the other party bypassed the heavy encirclement and suddenly appeared inside the kindergarten.
But whether the sudden appearance of the other party would be mistaken by the kidnappers as a signal for a police attack.
The kidnappers' emotions were already unstable. If they were provoked by this...
Thinking of this, Soichiro Yagami's face became so heavy it looked like water would drip from it.
When he arrived at the gate, someone immediately came forward to report.
"Commander Yagami, this is the photo of that person just now."
Soichiro Yagami took the camera and glanced at it, finally understanding why his subordinate used the term "unidentified person" in the report.
The person in the photo was about 1.8 meters tall, wearing a black full-face mask revealing only a pair of eyes.
Black hair, roughly shoulder-length, tied casually with a thin string.
From the hairstyle, it was impossible to tell if it was male or female.
The attire was also a set of black coat, black shoes, and black pants.
Judging from the shoulder width and the height of around 1.8 meters, it might be a male, but a 100% judgment couldn't be made.
Even the hands were wearing gloves.
From head to toe, not even a patch of skin was exposed. There were absolutely no clues to deduce the identity.
"This guy's getup... he's a pro."
Soichiro Yagami looked at the photo in the camera and said through gritted teeth.
Even someone as experienced as him, who had handled many major cases, couldn't obtain any useful information from such an outfit.
The only distinguishing features were the ubiquitous black hair and black eyes.
"Where is he? Where is this guy now!?"
"Report to Commander, he entered the kindergarten teaching building!"
"What!?"
Hearing this, Soichiro Yagami's heart skipped a beat instantly.
He went in?
It's fine if that guy provokes the kidnappers and seeks his own death.
But is he planning to drag all the hostages in the Kyoto Municipal Kindergarten to the grave with him!?
Meanwhile, inside the clubroom at Sobu High.
"Breaking news, breaking news! According to reports from the front, an unidentified mysterious person bypassed the police encirclement and broke into the Kyoto Municipal Kindergarten building. The situation is currently unclear!"
Hearing these words from the phone, Yui and Miko understood in their hearts that the unidentified mysterious person was Yoru, who had traveled between the two worlds through the "Door."
Both their palms were sweating from nervousness.
It was true that Yoru was a professional exorcist who could strike fear even into the legendary Hachishaku-sama.
But facing armed thugs was completely different from facing evil spirits.
What era is this? Still playing traditional exorcism?
Why not try this 'Kyoto Exorcism Simulator'? Not only do you face various terrifying urban legend spirits, but you can also personally participate in kidnapping cases and gunfights, bringing you an unparalleled thrilling experience.
Although Miko and Yui were anxious, they knew they couldn't help with anything right now and could only worry helplessly.
Even the reporters who were originally gathered at the gate for live broadcasting were driven away by the police at this time.
Obviously.
Yoru's sudden appearance disrupted the police's original deployment.
Soichiro Yagami, as the on-site commander-in-chief, had already issued the final order.
Once gunfire was heard from inside the building, a full-scale assault would be launched immediately.
What he was considering now was no longer how to rescue all the hostages, but rather not missing the opportunity to attack, preventing a situation where hostages were killed or injured and the kidnappers escaped.
If that happened.
His position as the Chief of the Criminal Investigation Bureau would be over.
.....
Meanwhile, inside the teaching building of the Kyoto Municipal Kindergarten.
"What a disgusting aura."
To ordinary people, the corridor inside the teaching building was clean and tidy, the floor even reflecting light.
But for Yoru, who possessed the "Sight," what reflected in his eyes was a completely different scene.
On the smooth marble floor, there was a layer of thick, viscous slime that was slightly wriggling, as if possessing life.
From inside the walls on both sides of the corridor, dense, tiny tentacles were even extending out.
This scene could only be described as nauseating.
"As expected, not an ordinary evil spirit."
Yoru observed the scene in the corridor and had already made a judgment.
To cause such eerie changes to the environment, the evil spirit was at least on the level of Hachishaku.
Most importantly.
When Hachishaku changed the environment, it was within the Otherworld dominated by evil spirit power.
To cause such changes in the physical world of Kyoto and control the minds of more than twenty humans simultaneously...
The evil spirit in this incident was not simple.
Yoru's hair didn't originally reach his shoulders.
As for why it was tied with a thin string?
Of course, it was to confuse the police so they couldn't obtain useful identity characteristics. (Note: Implying it's a wig or extensions).
Just then, a shout came from behind Yoru.
"Who are you!?"
Accompanied by the sound of a gun bolt being pulled.
Yoru turned around and saw a man with a ferocious expression and a wary look holding a pistol, his finger on the trigger, the dark muzzle aimed at him.
"I am a negotiator sent by the Metropolitan Police Department."
Yoru said while raising his hands and smiling.
"See? I'm unarmed."
"Negotiator?"
The man looked at Yoru's strange attire, clearly looking skeptical.
Immediately after, his facial features twisted slightly, revealing a hideous smile.
"We have no demands. Since you're already in here, just die here."
"That's perfect."
To the man's surprise, Yoru smiled nonchalantly.
"Nothing to discuss? That's great."
"You can do it now, Hachishaku."
Following Yoru's voice, the man saw an elongated human shadow appear in front of him.
Bang/Crunch!
Hachishaku's two palms pressed against his temples and crushed the man's head like popping a balloon.
Watching the headless corpse slowly fall to the ground, Yoru yawned lazily and muttered to himself with a chuckle.
"Killing all of you is the most convenient, time-saving, and my favorite choice."