He more or less figured out what was going on. It wasn't that someone had come to ask about the curse on Hozuki Eiko but rather that something troublesome had happened.
"What's wrong?"
"About Sister Eiko's curse—Big Bro, have you rested enough?"
"More or less."
In reality, Hikaru had already forgotten about Hozuki Eiko's curse. After all, compared to the situation in Kouh City, Hozuki Eiko's problem seemed relatively easy to handle.
"Then, could you come over for a bit, Big Bro? I have something I'd like to tell you."
Although Hozuki Yayoi's tone was even, it still carried a note of respect, because right now Hikaru was the only person she was sure could lift the curse.
"All right. Use that Sitri family flier to summon me," Hikaru said, nodding slightly.
Even though it was rather late, he understood it—given Hozuki Yayoi's profession—and besides, he had already thought of what kind of payment to ask for.
Before long, the badge bearing the Sitri family crest grew warm, and a red magic circle appeared in front of Hikaru. He stepped inside, and the scenery before his eyes changed in a flash. Then he saw Hozuki Yayoi, who looked excited, and Hozuki Eiko, who looked nervous.
"Hey there!"
The petite, dark-themed "gothic lolita" waved at Hikaru.
"From the looks of it, you're not just asking me here to lift a curse, are you?" Hikaru said with a small laugh.
If it were just about lifting the curse, they would at least have chosen the Hozuki home as the place to do it. But now, Hikaru looked around. The night was dark and the wind was strong, rustling through the trees with a moaning sound.
"Actually, while I was catching spirits, I suddenly thought of you, Big Bro. Do you believe me?" Hozuki Yayoi asked.
"Then let's take care of the spirits first," Hikaru replied, noncommittal.
The Dark Gathering's overall combat power wasn't that high; it mainly banked on horror and the bizarre. The three of them headed into the forest.
The darkness grew heavier; without a flashlight, it would have been nearly impossible for a normal person to walk. But Hozuki Yayoi—small in stature, but gutsy—was completely unafraid. Leading the way, she introduced the origin of the spirit she was going to capture.
The night was still, and the forest was cold. Hozuki Eiko, an ordinary person, was already terrified at being dragged into a place with malevolent spirits so late at night. Before, when it was just the two sisters, she stuck close to Hozuki Yayoi; now she felt much safer near Hikaru.
Noticing this, Hozuki Yayoi turned back and spoke:
"There are quite a few legends about this place.
"It's said that the spirits of dozens of defeated warriors, along with women and children, roam here.
"You may hear footsteps that aren't your own, and they'll get louder and follow you all the way home.
"You can feel many eyes watching you near the waterfall and its surroundings.
"You might hear the striking of a monk's staff on the ground.
"There's a very strong, frightening presence above the waterfall.
"And sometimes late at night, you might bump into an old woman."
Just as she finished speaking, Hozuki Yayoi suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Because right in front of the three of them stood an elderly figure, hunched over and leaning on a monk's staff—or rather, a malevolent spirit.
Seeing this, Hikaru realized which part of the story this was: Hozuki Yayoi had come to capture a new "Pokémon"—no, a new evil spirit called "Self-Slitted Maiden of a Thousand Souls." Which meant he could confirm a certain matter he had in mind.
The old woman slowly turned around. Her face was lined and wrinkled, her cloudy eyes falling on the three newcomers, filled with hunger. It had been a long time since any living people stepped into these woods, and now there were three at once—enough for her to feast on.
She reached out toward Hozuki Yayoi, who was closest. If she touched a living human, that person would instantly lose consciousness, leaving them at her mercy.
But in that moment, a shockingly powerful suction force struck. The old woman's dramatic expression became one of panic.
"No! What is this?!"
She turned to run, but the very next second, she was sucked away by the tremendous force. Meanwhile, all the lurking evil spirits in the darkness let out blood curdling cries; without exception, they too were drawn into the banner Hikaru held—Soul Banner. Black mist swirled on the flag, thicker than before.
But the suction was still not done. Hikaru poured more mana into the banner, extending its range to cover the entire mountain. Even the spirit on top of the waterfall, the one Hozuki Yayoi had deemed an S-rank threat known as Self-Slitted Maiden of a Thousand Souls, was unsteady under the banner's pull. Dense black mist and blood trickled from its head, but its resistance was futile. After a single second of struggle, it was sucked into the Soul Banner as well.
When Hikaru finally stowed the banner, the entire forest fell silent. Even the moonlight sneaking through the gaps in the trees seemed brighter.
"Wow!" Hozuki Yayoi exclaimed. After the initial shock, her eyes were filled with curiosity as she stared at the small black flag in Hikaru's hand.
Hozuki Eiko, on the other hand, was holding down her skirt as she stood up—she'd nearly flashed everyone in the commotion. Even now, she still hadn't fully grasped what had just happened.
"This is the banner that Kishimojin gave you back then, right, Big Bro?" Hozuki Yayoi asked.
"It's called the Soul Banner."
~~~
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