Top 30
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Saturday.
A week of training had turned Miko from a total novice into something more.
She could now throw a few decent punches.
Her strength was more than adequate—borderline excessive. All she lacked was the right way to channel it.
Under Teacher Okuma's guidance, Miko could now manage a basic three-hit combo.
The simplest 2-1-2.
She'd also picked up basic footwork and evasion.
At the moment she was practicing under a swinging ball, dodging its rhythmic arcs.
"Left—1-2. Right—1-2."
She ducked, rose, and snapped out straight punches.
"A frightening prodigy."
Okuma watched her, a swell of pride in his chest.
"Compared with her, this one's a genuine beginner…"
He glanced toward the doorway where Hana stood gasping.
"Sorry, Teacher Okuma! I stopped to help a kid find his dog—"
Okuma's face stayed stern.
"Then sacrifice your break to make up for the lost time. Go change."
"Yes, sir!"
Instinctively Miko looked back—and in that instant her body locked.
Thud!
The swinging ball clipped the back of her head, jolting her out of the trance.
"No way…"
"It can't be…"
Behind Hana loomed a spirit so dense it was almost solid, its aura even fouler than the one that had invaded Miko's home.
Miko trembled head to toe.
The terror was back.
Beside Okuma the Benevolent Spirit bristled, stepping between him and the newcomer.
"I won't let you touch Okuma!"
"Uh…"
The Cursed Spirit glanced down at the Benevolent Spirit, utterly uninterested, then scooped up a random little geezer-spirit from the roadside and draped it over Hana.
Hana's fierce life-force scalded the old spirit; it shrieked.
The monstrous spirit stuffed the half-cooked geezer into its mouth and chewed.
Miko stared: the thing was carpeted with heads, every mouth wailing in agony.
Its eyes stretched like a snail's stalks, questing—almost brushing her face.
"I'm off to change!"
"Wait!"
Miko lunged, grabbed Hana's arm, and forced a crooked smile.
"I just realized we haven't hung out in ages—let's skip today!"
"Yeah! Let's grab some cake!"
"Sorry, Teacher Okuma, we're taking the day off."
Without waiting for an answer she hauled Hana outside at a dead run.
"Huh? Is this okay? Well, I am starving…"
"Sorry, Teacher!"
Watching them vanish, Okuma frowned; he'd caught Miko's expression.
"Trouble…?"
He almost followed, but after two steps hesitated.
"If they misunderstood…"
These days even good intentions could get a man arrested for stalking girls.
Meanwhile, Miko dragged Hana into a patisserie. While Hana shopped, she whispered to Akuto.
"Lord Akuto, please save Hana."
Silence.
Miko pressed her palms together.
"Please, Lord Akuto—she's my dearest friend."
Still no reply.
As he'd warned, daylight crises were none of his business.
Hatred flared inside her—not at Akuto, but at herself.
At her own helplessness.
Her best friend was in danger and she could do nothing.
She was supposed to be strong, supposed to protect—yet she couldn't.
Knuckles cracked.
Tears of frustration rolled off the tip of her nose.
Fight the thing?
No. That would only endanger Hana worse; she stood no chance against a spirit of that caliber.
According to the Exorcism Society, it was a solid S-class.
Its terror rivaled the tiger shikigami the Card Society president had summoned in the end.
"What do I do… what do I do…"
Her phone jittered in her trembling hand.
"That temple's super effective—I wished to lose weight and bam, I did."
"Really? Better repay the miracle fast!"
Two girls giggled past.
A spark lit in Miko's mind.
A temple!
Of course—she could try a temple!
It might work!
She seized the still-munching Hana and sprinted toward the nearest shrine her map showed.
Halfway up the mountain, cream is still on Hana's lip.
"Weren't we supposed to go shopping?"
"Ahaha… I suddenly felt like praying!"
Miko answered with a dry laugh, eyes fixed on the spirit stalking Hana.
"You have arrived; navigation ending."
She looked up: a towering torii gate bore the words "Sanko Valley Shrine."
It looked ancient.
"Creepy… like no one's been here in years."
Hana shrank behind her.
"It's just remote. Come on, let's wish together."
Hana's nerves gave way to curiosity:
"Whoa, this place looks awesome!"
"Money! Money! Money!"
She tossed a 500-yen coin; Miko followed.
Clap-clap!
Palms pressed.
"Please…"
Miko's eyes were shut, body still shaking.
"Drive away whatever's clinging to Hana!"
"Save her!"
"I'll do anything—please!"
"You're taking forever, Miko."
Hana glanced over as Miko peeked through her lashes behind them.
Two fox-headed, white-robed, golden figures now flanked the monstrous spirit.
Fox faces, human bodies.
"#%&*…"
One barked something incomprehensible.
The pair clapped palms together—
Bang!
"Aghhh!!!"
The spirit of Hana shrieked as both its arms were blown off.
A shockwave of pressure burst outward.
Miko staggered; Hana swayed.
"Whoa, sudden gust!"
Hana saw nothing, but Miko saw all too well.
"It's… getting worse."
The foxes raised their fists overhead, then slammed them down.
A crushing weight tried to drive the spirit to its knees.
It thrashed between them, wailing so loud that Miko's ears rang.
Thud—thud!
Planting its feet, the spirit howled and slowly straightened.
The foxes strained to pin it.
Then—
Its tongue shot out, skewering both foxes, slicing them in half without a sound.
The bodies hit the ground—not bleeding, but vomiting countless maggots.