The final bell had rung only a few minutes ago.
In the Service Club, Hachiman Hikigaya sat behind the table, with a cup of iced coffee to his right and a small notebook open in front of him.
Several cards were spread across the table.
They were not the same ones he had used to study during the previous days. This time, he had carefully arranged them in a formation he had prepared after practicing on his own.
To increase the chances of success, he had been imbuing them with his own spirituality.
He still wasn't completely sure whether it would work.
But sooner or later, he had to find out.
Several days had already passed since the last time he had performed a divination.
As for the flyers Hiratsuka-sensei had handed out, apparently they had only mentioned the Service Club.
Nothing had been said about divination.
The first students who had come to the club had asked for help with their studies or romantic problems.
Romantic problems that, obviously, I had no experience with.
After that, I had been able to spend the days peacefully reviewing my books.
But I had never lowered my guard.
Maybe I hadn't progressed that much as a diviner, but I had made considerable progress studying ritual magic.
And the results I had obtained the previous night were quite good.
Tonight, I was going to try creating a spiritual barrier around my house.
For Komachi and me.
A little protection system could never hurt.
—Hikigaya.
The voice coming from the entrance made me raise my head.
A student was standing by the door.
He wasn't from my class. Judging by his uniform and the badge on his chest, Hachiman estimated that he was probably from another class in the same year.
He narrowed his eyes.
The boy looked familiar.
—Murata? Do you need help with something again?
—Ah... no... it's not like that.
Murata raised both hands in denial.
—You know I'm not experienced with those love-related things. We didn't solve anything the first time you came.
—No, no. This time I wanted to ask you about something different.
—Different?
—I heard you can do divination here.
Hachiman remained silent for a few seconds.
So the rumor had already started spreading.
Hiratsuka-sensei...
I don't know exactly what you said. I didn't think you would mention it, but apparently the birds are already singing.
—I can give it a try.
—Give it a try?
—I'm not a professional fortune-teller.
—But you can do it, right?
Hachiman sighed.
—That depends on what you mean by "can do it."
The student finally stepped inside and closed the door.
—I want to ask you something.
—Then sit down.
The boy took a seat across from him.
Hachiman pulled out a blank sheet of paper.
—First, I need to know what you want to ask about.
—It's about... someone.
—That doesn't narrow down the possibilities very much.
The student gave a small, nervous laugh.
—A girl.
—Much more specific.
—There's a girl in my class that I like.
Hachiman stared at him.
Seriously... this again?
—Don't look at me like that, Hikigaya-kun. I just want to know if she has any feelings for me.
He spoke nervously while rubbing his hands together.
—I want to get it out of my head once and for all. I don't care if it doesn't work. It's just an attempt at divination, right?
This time, he spoke firmly, showing a surprisingly serious determination.
Hachiman sighed, brought his fingers to the bridge of his nose, and shook his head slightly.
Since this was what I had chosen to do, I needed to gain experience and improve my Sequence.
—But you know... I don't think something like that can really be confirmed with cards.
—Then what can they tell me?
Hachiman looked at the cards.
—A tendency. Possibilities. Things you can't directly observe. But don't expect an absolute answer.
The boy nodded.
—Okay.
Hachiman extended his hand.
—Give me her name.
The student told him.
—Nogata-san.
Hachiman wrote the name on the paper.
Then he picked up one of the cards.
He slowly turned it between his fingers.
His expression changed slightly.
Ever since drinking the potion, there were things he could perceive differently now.
It wasn't simply knowledge.
It was as if certain pieces had finally found their place inside his mind.
But that didn't mean he automatically knew how to use them.
He had to study.
Practice.
Make mistakes.
And try again.
Hachiman closed his eyes.
He breathed slowly.
He remembered the steps he had studied.
Prepare the mind.
Establish the question.
Concentrate.
Let the spirituality respond.
His finger brushed against the first card.
A cold sensation slowly traveled up his arm.
Hachiman opened his eyes.
"...Interesting."
—What's wrong?
—Nothing.
He placed the first card face-up.
Then he took a second.
And then a third.
The student watched in silence.
Hachiman frowned slightly.
The images on the cards seemed to take on a strange depth.
They weren't merely drawings.
For a moment, he had the sensation that he was looking at something behind them.
A possibility.
A thread.
A scene that had not happened yet.
He blinked.
The sensation disappeared.
Hachiman looked at the three cards.
—There is interest.
The boy leaned forward.
—Really?
—Don't get excited yet.
—But you just said...
—I said there is interest. I didn't say she's in love with you.
—Oh.
Hachiman pointed at the second card.
—There's some distance here. She seems to be holding herself back.
—That... makes sense.
—Why?
—Because whenever we talk, it feels like she wants to say something, but then she changes the subject.
Hachiman remained silent for a few seconds.
The third card caught his attention.
An uncomfortable sensation ran down his back.
It wasn't negative.
But it wasn't pleasant either.
There was an image associated with it.
A conversation.
A decision.
A moment when something would have to be said.
—If you want to know what to do...
Hachiman placed a fourth card on the table.
—Don't wait too long.
The student looked at him.
—What do you mean?
—If you keep waiting for the perfect moment to appear, it probably won't.
—Then I should confess.
—I didn't say that.
—But...
—Talk to her.
Hachiman leaned back in his chair.
—Get to know her better. Find out what she thinks.
He paused.
—And stop trying to turn every conversation into a sign that she likes you.
The student lowered his gaze.
—I guess I do that a lot.
—Most people do.
Hachiman looked at the cards one last time.
—The cards can't live your life for you.
The student smiled slightly.
—You're pretty different from what I expected.
—What did you expect?
—Someone with an unfriendly and mysterious air.
Hachiman looked at him with an expressionless face.
—I can start speaking in riddles if you want.
—No, that's fine.
Hachiman began gathering the cards.
—Five hundred yen.
The student froze.
—You charge money?
—No.
—Then?
—I was joking.
"..."
Hachiman put the cards away.
—Although, considering how much time I've spent studying this, maybe I should start charging.
—I think I'll come back another day.
—Don't.
—Why?
—Because if the rumor keeps spreading, I'll end up doing love consultations all the time. Then it'll look like I'm some kind of master with a lot of experience.
The student started laughing.
—Thanks, Hikigaya.
—No problem.
When he reached the door, he stopped.
—Hey.
Hachiman raised his head.
—Yeah?
—Do you really think I have a chance with her?
Hachiman looked at the cards he had just put away.
Then he looked at the student.
—The cards didn't say no.
The boy smiled.
—That's enough for me.
He opened the door.
—See you.
—Yeah.
The door closed.
Silence returned to the Service Club.
Hachiman remained seated for several seconds.
Then he took the cards out again.
He felt his spirituality activate on its own.
A refreshing and soothing sensation passed through his body.
This feeling...
Did it mean that I had done the divination correctly?
Could helping someone also contribute to improving my digestion?
Hachiman didn't have a definite answer.
But if that was the case, he couldn't exactly consider it a bad thing.
He played with the cards for a moment while looking through the window at the sports clubs practicing in the courtyard.
Then he took out his pendulum.
He held it over the small rod and let the diamond-shaped weight hang freely.
He closed his eyes.
"I will succeed in the ritual."
There was a brief silence.
His spirituality activated.
The pendulum slowly began to swing clockwise.
A positive answer.
Hachiman frowned.
He wasn't completely convinced.
He continued asking questions.
"Will there be danger involved?"
The pendulum moved again.
"Will it be completed without any problems?"
Another answer.
"Will I be able to drive all the entities away?"
When he asked the final question, the pendulum began swinging from side to side.
The clockwise movement was dominant, but it occasionally made small movements in the opposite direction.
An uncertain answer.
Hachiman sighed.
He had already prepared several materials in specific and strategic locations throughout his house.
How funny.
A fifteen-year-old kid, without parental supervision, preparing a suspicious ritual in his own house while his little sister was there.
Ironic.
Hachiman closed his eyes.
He let his spirituality flow like a river in complete calm.
Two taps.
The vision of colors appeared before his eyes.
And, just as I had suspected...
Those things were increasing at school as well.
I could see one right there, inside the Service Club, although it was much more harmless than the others.
He approached the window.
Through his Spirit Vision, he could distinguish different shapes.
They varied in size.
Some were small.
Others were deformed.
Those things had increased over the past few days.
And not just here.
Nor in any particular places.
Everywhere.
It was as if there were a ghost world superimposed over the normal world.
A place where wandering spirits and strange beings that normal human eyes could not perceive roamed freely.
Hachiman watched in silence.
There wasn't much time left.
He had everything prepared.
All that remained was to get home.
....
Service Club
After Murata, several more students came to ask for help finding lost belongings.
Such a helpful Service Club.
Not exactly the image Hiratsuka-sensei had in mind when she created this place, I suppose.
In one of those cases, I decided to help using divination with a stick.
I repeated the words in my mind and, guided by my spirituality, let the stick fall.
The direction it pointed toward would be the direction we needed to go.
They looked at me a little strangely afterward.
Understandable.
From their perspective, it probably looked like I was playing some kind of children's game.
Even so, they followed my recommendation.
And, to my surprise, we actually found the missing item.
It was in a fairly difficult-to-find area.
After that, the news began to spread.
Some students learned that I practiced divination, and both boys and girls showed some interest.
It wasn't anything excessive, but little by little, I was starting to get used to it.
Although, considering that they were all teenagers like me, I could already imagine what kind of things they would eventually want to ask about.
Or, rather, I could make a pretty good guess.
I sighed.
Youth.
There were things I still hadn't experienced personally that, for some reason, would probably end up becoming part of my work as a fortune-teller.
And surely, after what happened today, interest in divination was going to increase.
Well...
I suppose I would have to prepare myself for that.
.....
11:30 p.m.
After making sure my sister was asleep, I put my plan into motion.
My spirituality pulsed with unusual intensity.
I could feel those presences.
Ghosts... or whatever they were.
I had placed candles at different points throughout the house and drawn marks with water and salt to establish a better connection between them.
First, the knife.
I needed to purify it with my own spirituality.
I took a deep breath.
«I sanctify you, silver blade.
I cleanse and purify you, so that you may serve me in this ritual.
In the name of my own spirituality,
you are hereby sanctified.»
At that moment, I felt a gaze.
Distant.
Far away.
Indifferent.
As if something, from an impossible place beyond my reach, were watching me.
Sweat began to run down my forehead, but I continued with the purification.
Then...
A small whistle.
I knew it had worked.
The knife glowed with a transparent and vibrant light.
Good.
With that finished, I looked at the points I had prepared and headed toward the door.
I breathed slowly and steadily.
Once I was standing in front of the entrance, I stopped.
It was time.
I had prepared this incantation after a long period of study and practice.
«He who walks between the world and mystery,
he who beholds that which remains hidden,
Hikigaya Hachiman, the Seer.»
A three-line identification.
A description of my current self.
Hikigaya Hachiman.
Seer.
Sequence 9.
Then I began the incantation to raise the barrier.
«I pray to my own spirituality.
I pray to my own power.
Let my spirituality answer my call.»
The atmosphere reacted immediately.
I felt a strong rejection.
But my danger sense remained silent.
There was no immediate threat.
That was enough.
I tightened my grip on the knife.
I extended my arm and made a horizontal movement through the air, as if I were spreading a sheet or drawing an invisible curtain.
My spirituality began to spread.
Between the boundaries of my house and the outside, I was building a wall.
A barrier made from the power of my own spirituality.
I closed my eyes.
I emptied my mind.
And repeated the process.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
At different points throughout the house.
The suffocating sensation inside my head intensified.
The voices became clearer.
My body weakened.
But I didn't stop.
I couldn't.
I continued until I connected all the points.
And then...
Screams!
Horrifying screams echoed throughout the house.
I opened my eyes and activated my Spirit Vision.
I saw them.
Several figures were gathered around the house.
Some tried to approach.
But the moment they touched the barrier...
Their bodies began to burn.
They quickly retreated, emitting sounds that sent a shiver down my spine.
It worked.
The barrier had worked.
Finally, when I finished, my entire body was trembling and covered in sweat.
I let myself collapse onto the floor and leaned my back against the wall in the living room, beside the television.
Breathe.
Breathe.
I needed to catch my breath.
As I looked around the house, a sense of relief slowly spread through my mind.
For the time being, we would be safe.
As long as I maintained my connection to the barrier, it shouldn't break easily.
I looked at my hands.
I really did it.
«Hahaha... who would've thought? Me, Hikigaya Hachiman, scaring off paranormal entities.»
Even my voice sounded exhausted.
I should probably go to my room.
I could already feel my consciousness weakening.
With all the effort I could muster, I managed to stand.
I turned off the lights and headed toward my room with heavy steps.
Once inside, I closed the door and collapsed onto my bed.
My consciousness began to grow hazy.
And just before I drifted into sleep, I thought:
This is only the beginning.
I would not remain powerless while danger continued to be present in my life.