#21: New Days

True Magano, Layer: 1988.

"Ren!" Shout Yuzuru loudly, while she exorcises The surrounding Impurities.

"Got it!" Ren steps back toward the nearby high ground. Based on what he saw, there are still 50-70 impurities left.

"By means of the great weapon, Indestructible primordial wakeful awareness, May the void life-force of samsara and nirvana both be severed, at once!"

Several enchanted seals with lotus symbol appear directly in front of the impurities. The impurities, who noticed, try to get rid of it, but the seals won't budge and automatically dodge their attack, persistently lock on to them.

In front of Ren, a bigger seal appear.

"Honoikazuchi!"

Ren launches a blast of blue energy from his fist toward the seal. When it hit the enchanted seal, the energy simultaneously transferred to the other seals.

The transferred blast of the powerful energy is piercing and killing multiple impurities at once, greatly reducing the impurities number.

Many star marks appear in the place of the former Impurities.

The exorcists, who saw this, are amazed and cheering his name. But Ren had wryly smile hearing the cheers, it's because there are still many Impurities.

"Don't be happy yet! There's still more of them" shout Yuzuru to warn her comrades.

Based on the report they received, there's a strange movement on depth 1988, and they've been send to do a recon mission.

Later, they've found out what causing the strange movement. Inside the crater on layer 1988 there's laying tens of Impurity eggs.

Unfortunately for them, the moment they've found it, all the eggs started to hatch.

The hatched Impurities had the body resembling that of gorilla with red stone like substance for its skin, tail like crocodile, and head resembling decayed dog head.

The appearance of the impurities resembling that of Nue (Chimera). But in Nue case, the head is a monkey, body that of a raccoon, limbs like a tiger, and tail like a snake.

Etched on their stomach, a Kujikiri (#) can be seen.

"Giaaaaaa!!!!"

"Wrrryaaaaa!!!!"

The hatched Impurities who saw them, instinctively screams, Ren and the other covered their ears, the twisted screams not only loud, but also disturbing like the scream of a tortoise when mating mixed with a screeching sound of a violin chord and the screams of mentally ill patients.

The screams not only warns it kinds, but also other Impurities in the vicinity.

In an instant, the mission risk rank soar from C to A.

Surrounded from all side, they prepare to fight instead rather than running away.

At first, they manage to hold on and exorcise many impurities, but because of their overwhelming numbers, the exorcists become more exhausted.

Unlike the impurities who reach 100 or more, the exorcists only consist of 7 peoples.

Moreover, the impurities they faced not only consist of Deigan (mud eyes), but also Hannya (Prajna/Wisdom). And each of the other impurities beside the hatched one had different abilities.

It is it fortunate that there is no Jya or Shinjya nearby, or the probability they get decimated will skyrocket.

But like a jinx, the hatched impurities merge together, becoming much bigger and stronger than before becoming a Jya.

The exorcists felt a cold chill, in front of Ren stood another big impurities.

Fortune turned into Jinx, Jinx become misfortune, and misfortune attract despair, and despair lead us to destruction.

Jya rank impurities has joined the festival called exorcism.

That, and there are still many impurities surrounding them.

"Ren!" Shout Yuzuru.

Ren who understood Yuzuru intention reply, "I know! I'll leave the bigger one to you!!", Yuzuru nod at his reply.

Ren launch Honoikazuchi again and again, while Yuzuru dealt with the bigger one.

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.

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"Ha... Ha... we- we did it" say Ren drenched in sweats.

Nobody knows how many minutes had passed. But at last, the exorcists had won.

But, their winning come with prices. Not only one of them died, but there are 2 peoples who seriously injured.

After the mission, they come back to the reality, but before they're reporting the result of their mission, all the exorcists required to do a check-up or medical examination.

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.

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Later, on their way home from Taigetsuro, Yuzuru is talking with Ren about his participation in the upcoming Basara Subjugation.

"I told you that the two of us, Seigen and I will end The Jugon Monoimi curse".

"And to do that, I need to show my worthiness for Seigen and Four eyes to acknowledge my participation"

Yuzuru sigh, "It's Seigen-Sama and Tsuchimikado-Sama" insist Yuzuru.

"Right..."

"Enough about me, why don't you want to participate? With your strength, I'm sure you can join", say Ren.

Yuzuru shakes her head, "I... I'm still lacking. Even if I join, I would become a burden to Seigen-sama"

"Is that so? I think someone strong as you would give Seigen a peace of mind"

"It's Seigen-SAMA" say Yuzuru, emphasis the sama part for Ren to respectfully address Seigen.

"Thank you for the compliment but as I said, I'm still lacking", reply Yuzuru.

"I see..."

Ren and Yuzuru then talk about other thing.

...

After the event with Shigen Amawaka, Seigen decided to abolished Ritsu and change The Amawaka ways of doing thing.

From a house that specialty to execute human that can be a threat to Tsuchimikado Island, especially people who contacted The Jugon Monoimi curse.

To proactively joining in the endeavor to uncover Magano and any strange phenomena inside it through reconnaissance.

Though, the peoples of Tsuchimikado Island still skeptical and bad-mouthing the peoples of Amawaka.

Moreover, The Jugon Monoimi curse still hasn't disappeared and to end things once for all, Seigen and The Exorcist Association Headquarter decided to launch a mission to search, and later subjugate Chikura, The Basara who cause it.

But for this mission, only a handful of peoples would be chosen to participate, and Ren determine to join this mission.

Few days ago before today's mission, Seigen place.

"What do you mean, I can't participate?!" Shout Ren.

"I told you before, your current strength is lacking" say Seigen, a bit tired.

"Then why don't you train me?!" Ask Ren insistently.

Seigen shakes his head, "It's impossible. Even if I train you, at least it'll need 3-5 or more years for you to eligible to participate"

"Is it because I'm too young?"

"No. What we value in Tsuchimikado Island is ability, even if someone is still 3 years old as long he/she had strong ability we can let him/her join"

"Then!"

"But you're too weak (if I had to say average at best), forget about joining Basara subjugation mission which difficulty is the highest. Even a normal C-B rank is difficult for you" say Seigen, Ren clenched his hand.

"Moreover, you're still considered as an outsider. You still haven't passed the requirements from the association to go to the island and hasn't joined any house yet"

"Kuhn" Ren grit his teeth, what Seigen say is right.

Ren's permit to joined and go to The Tsuchimikado Island was rejected. He also comes here with Yukari without an official permit.

It's a miracle they still alive and didn't get execute for their transgression. If it's not because of Seigen, they would have died in the hand of Shigen or other exorcist.

"Please Seigen! I beg you! Let me join!" Say Ren as he kneels.

But Seigen won't waver or pitying him, "Sorry, you can't"

"Please!" Shout Ren while kneeling.

"No!" Reject Seigen.

"Then what can I do for you to let me join?!"

"I'm busy, I can't deal with you any longer now" say Seigen as he goes, leaving Ren.

"Wait!" Shout Ren, as he grab Seigen's arm. "Is- is there any other way for me to join? ...please" beg Ren, as he state into Seigen's eyes seriously determined.

Seigen sigh and scratches his head, then he shoves off Ren's grabbing hand. "Fine. If you can beat me, I let you join" say Seigen, as he's gesturing Ren to follow him.

Ren let out a smile, his body trembling with excitement, and so he followed Seigen to the open training field.

"Nice timing, Yuzuru come here"

"Yes, Seigen-sama"

Just then they met Yuzuru on the training field, and ask her to be witness and referee, he also explains it to Yuzuru what is this about, "Understand, Seigen-sama" say Yuzuru while bowing her head.

Yuzuru then glare seriously (furiously) at Ren. Ren who notice her gaze, avert his eyes.

A chill runs through his spine, as Yuzuru still staring at him.

Seigen who see the two of them let out a sigh, then say, "Alright, like I said if you can beat me I let you join the mission"

"Heh. Let's go!" Reply Ren excited.

Yuzuru start the count-down, 3... 2... 1, Start!"

Ren quickly pull a talisman, "Gouken-fu, Kuroboshi (Strong Fist Talisman, Black Star)!".

Ren equip black gauntlets with white lining and white short metallic claws.

Not over yet, he pulled another talisman, "Kongou-fu, Gaihō Gōra (Iron Body Talisman, Armor Tent Karmic Robe)"

An enchanted marking appears on Ren's torso. Gaihō Gōra is an enchanted gear with function to boosting one's defense.

Don't think of it as a special spell or enchantment, Gaihō Gōra is an ordinary enchantment.

"Hah?!" Ren surprised seeing Seigen's action.

Seigen, he didn't equip Byakuren Kohou, the enchanted weapon of The Shikigami Byakko.

He equips his usual enchanted weapon Kokuren Shūko, but only on one hand. He also didn't equip any enchanted gear like Gaihō Gōra, Hiten Shunkyaku, Tekkai Ragan, etc.

Seigen only don a black gauntlet on his hand, without any protection or any boosting effect enchantments.

Ren's eye twitch seeing this, "Hey... I know you're going EASY on me, but isn't this too disrespectful?", say Ren a bit irritated.

He fought against Seigen before and won, but that time Seigen is going easy on him.

Right now, the same event is repeated, but worse.

"This is enough" say Seigen casually as he shows his gauntlet to Ren.

"He...." sneer Ren, "Then I guess, I just had to make you Serious!" Shout Ren as he dashes toward Seigen.

But.

Seigen appear faster before Ren can run, "Fast!?"

Seigen swing his hand, multiple lines appear before Ren like cat's cradle.

KATZE!

Ren's Kuroboshi shattered like a destroyed vase, its fragments fall to the ground.

His Gaihō Gōra disappear, multiple cut wounds etched on his body and blood sprout from the wounds.

Ren fall to his knee.

"Winner, Seigen-sama" announce Yuzuru.

Again, Ren was defeated.