Chapter 18: Test Before Job

The following week of training was spent on making Sure I could make basic Onmyodo seals in a timely and efficient manner.

"You are nowhere near the level of a basic Onmyoji, but for now it will do," Those are the words the God of Archery said when we finished our training for the week.

Anti-Evil Spirit Talismans to exorcise Spirits and Demons, Emergency Healing Talismans to stop bleeding and rejuvenate the body, and a simple Personal-Barrier Talisman to act as a sort of Armor, taking a hit for me.

"You now know how to make these three basic Onmyodo Talismans, That will have to suffice you for your mission tomorrow," The Red-Armored Samurai God said as he stared at the small pile of Talismans we created during the week.

"Go home and rest, I will collect you early tomorrow to bring you over to The Shin-Corp HQ in Nara, where your mission briefing and introduction to your teammate for the foreseeable future will take place," I stood up, sword in hand, and got ready to head back home.

"Just one more thing," Hachiman spoke up and brought me to a pause.

"Yes, Sensei?" I asked him, already fearing whatever he had to say to me.

"Let's see if you remember your training from last week..." The God of War silently stood up from the grassy ground of Kuoh Park and stomped his foot on the dirt.

I quickly ran a distance away from him, grabbing three of each talisman and putting them on my body.

Healing Talisman in my pockets for emergency use and the Barrier Talisman on my arms and neck to protect them.

The Anti-Evil Spirit Talisman was a bit different to use. In order for them to take effect, they need to make contact with the spirit. I wrapped one Talisman around my right hand as a sort of improvised knuckle and the other two I placed on the sides of my Jade Katana.

They won't really be useful if Hachiman doesn't turn his training Statues into evil spirits, but it's better to be prepared.

I held my blade with two hands as I watched the statue rise out of the ground like a pillar.

It wasn't Jade nor was it Terracotta.

It was larger than the previous statues, Almost thrice my height. Made of smooth white Marble, Limbs as wide as tree branches and a torso as wide as a log. In its marble hands, it wielded a Large Mace with a long shaft and a heavy head.

It was mostly unarmored, Only wearing a pair of Fur Pants and Buts made of solid white stone.

The Head of the statue, however, was monstrous.

Resembling a mixture between a Gorilla and a Bull, A Flat face with a pair of large bovine horns. Marble hair covers most of the head, causing it to resemble what I might Imagine a Yeti to look like.

Are Yeti real? Question for later.

Taking a deep breath, I spread my legs apart and held my sword firmly. Ready to jump into action the moment the Marble Statue takes its first step.

................

Hachiman watched patiently as Motohama Ken stood at the ready, an approving look under his Mask as he watched the boy ready his Talismans. A small frown crossed his face as he watched the healing talismans in the boy's pocket, but he ignored them for the moment.

The God of War and Archery  clapped his hands together, A red glow appeared in the eyes of the statue, and he cried "BEGIN!"

The Statue roared to life, Arms of Solid Marble effortlessly lifting the large pole-mace in its arms before slamming the large weapon on the ground, a cloud of dirt and dust covering the statue like a smokescreen.

Motohama took that opportunity to jump backward, creating distance between him and the large, hidden statue.

"Staying out of its range, a sound strategy for a hidden opponent." Hachiman noted to himself, "However the boy's reach is minimal compared to the Statue, With its longer arms and larger weapon, He won't be able to simply beat it by running away," The God stomped his foot on the grass and a wooden pole rose below his feet, giving him a better view of the fight below him.

As soon as Hachiman was above them, The Statue burst out of the cloud of dirt, Mace swinging horizontally at Motohama's Torso.

Form steady and eyes focused, Motohama ducked below the attack before responding with an upward slash from his blade, cutting a thin line into the Marble Yeti's abdomen before leaping back to safety behind him.

Hachiman frowned at that maneuver, "You were close and had the advantage, His weapon was away from you and overextended, you should have pushed the attack," But he kept his thought silent for the moment.

The Statue roared a soundless cry as it lifted its heavy mace up in the air, Struggling to hold it above its head.

Motohama quickly ran to the Yeti's side, slashing at it below the armpits as the large mace smashed back down into the ground where Motohama previously stood.

Seeing the weapon stuck in the ground as the Yeti attempted to pull it back out, Motohama quickly rushed in, His Green blade glowing with light as his Sacred Gear activated, coating the edge of the blade with a sharp layer of Light Magic, allowing the Human to cut into the Marble Statue as if he was shearing wool.

The Yeti cried emptily in pain, its lack of vocal cords causing its chest to vibrate like a speaker, catching the Jade Sword inside of it and forcing Motohama to let go of his weapon.

Eyes widening behind his glasses, Motohama quickly jumped back and away from the enraged Statue, stopping once he felt his leg touch the table he used for his lessons.

Hachiman's eyes widened fractionally as he watched an Idea form in Motohama's mind, watching the boy grab handfuls of Personal Barrier Talismans and place them all around his body, looking like a cursed Mummy with how much paper was on him.

And he smiled as he saw the boy wrap his legs and arms with Anti-Evil Spirit Talismans, Grabbing another handful in his left hand before rushing back into the fight, looking like a Japanese Mummy Teenager with how many Paper Talismans covered him.

Struggling to move, the Yeti grabbed the sword still stuck in its side and tore it out, shattering the Jade blade in the process, and throwing the remaining Hilt at the Human Boy.

Motohama, seeing the hilt fly at him, didn't dodge.

Under his Mempo Mask, Hachiman's smile widened with pride as he watched the hilt connect with a Barrier Talisman on his head, watching the Talisman shatter into White particles of magic as the hilt bounced off the armored Onmyodo Seal.

Crumbling the Talismans in his hand into a paper ball, Motohama threw the ball of Anti-Evil Spirit Talismans at the Marble Statue, which widened its blank red eyes as the ball of paper unfurled in the air, creating a screen of Onmyodo Seals.

And as the paper touched its Marble Skin, It Screamed in soundless Agony. Its body starts to crumble from the Exorcism paper banishing the magic out of its body.

Its feet crumbled to dust first, Causing the Yeti to fall onto its knees, Holding itself up by using its mace as a staff.

Next, Its knees started crumbling, Its Arms turning to dust and letting go of the disintegrating Pole-mace.

And as its body was falling closer to the ground without the support of its feet and arms, A Fist, Covered with Talismans, smashed into its face.

And The Living Statue was no more.

-------------------------

Breathing heavily, I couldn't erase the smile on my face at seeing my plan work.

"Good job," Hachiman said as he dropped down from a nearby wooden pole, it sinking back into the ground as the god's feet touched the earth.

"Thanks-" I started saying but the God of War and Archery cut me off.

"You lost your sword, You didn't take an advantage once you were inside the Statue's guard, You wasted all of the Talismans on you, and you made yourself look like a fool," The God said, A wave of his arm and all the Onmyodo Seals around my body flew off and rested back onto a neat pile, leaving me to sheepishly look at my improvised paper suit of armor.

"But I still won," I pointed out, trying to find one good thing out of this exchange.

"That I cannot retort, You indeed beat the Statue and kept your life," The God sounded as if he wanted to sigh at me, and I took that as my teacher starting to like me.

He hasn't beat me up in weeks!

"This will be the end of our session," The God said with an almost disappointed tone of voice as he stomped on the ground, fixing the damage the fight caused in the process, and levitated all the Talismans into three neat piles that floated beside him.

"Once again, Tomorrow will begin your first Shin-Corp mission, Be ready when I arrive to pick you up for I will not be waiting." And with another armored boot stomping on the ground, the God disappeared, taking the Paper Talismans and the Broken Sword with him.

I watched quietly as the unnaturally purple sky of whatever magic kept us hidden was replaced with the dark blue of the evening sky.

"Ah, man..." I said tiredly as I rubbed my head, "I really liked that sword..."

With nothing better to do, I started walking home.

Not noticing the Paper Crane that sat on the Tree Branch next to where I sat.