-539- [ Chimera ]

"Director!"

"Grandmother!"

Natsume and Kyouko were both moved at once.

Kurahashi Miyo was unable to sustain her Shikigami, even her Shikigami had reverted to talisman form.

"Could.. could it be that Grandmother is in danger?"

Kyouko panicked.

Seeing this, though Natsume was also worried, she knew what needed to be done urgently.

"At... at least.., let's leave this place and take this thing with us!"

Natsume quickly said to Kyouko.

Although they didn't know what had happened to Kurahashi Miyo, the priority was to fulfill Kurahashi Miyo's instructions, take the dangerous item in their hands out of the Onmyou Academy, and then figure out how to come back and rescue her.

"With Akikan here and the two independent exorcists, the Director will be fine."

Natsume suppressed her inner turmoil and struggled to speak calmly to Kyouko.

Could this be the influence Rozen had on Natsume?

Otherwise, given Natsume's shy personality, even if she was stubborn and obstinate, she would have a hard time hiding her emotions at this moment and making a calm judgment.

Rozen's influence on Natsume at the moment was quite significant.

Therefore, Kyouko, too, was influenced by Natsume and finally managed to calm down.

The two girls who had always been at odds were at this critical moment, they simultaneously forgot their grievances and entered a state of cooperation.

However, Natsume and Kyouko were unaware that on the rooftop of a building some distance away from the Onmyou Academy, revered by Ohtomo Jin, who had dealings with legendary-level Orge Kings, an elderly man had said something not long ago.

"In fact, my 'Shikigami' happens to be in the Onmyou Academy."

The old man had once said these words.

So...

"You'd better not take that thing with you."

A very flat and lacking enthusiasm voice suddenly sounded in the ears of Natsume and Kyouko.

"Just let it gain its freedom and return to its original master."

With these words, the voice sounded behind Natsume and Kyouko."

"What...!?"

"Who...!?"

Natsume and Kyouko were both shocked, wanting to turn around, but it was already too late for them to react.

"Sleep..."

The voice, lacking enthusiasm, began to carry jutsuryoku and chanted a short incantation, instantly corroding Natsume and Kyouko's consciousness.

"Ugh..."

"Ah..."

Natsume and Kyouko felt an irresistible drowsiness surging in their minds.

"Hypnotic... jujutsu..."

"How... could..."

Natsume and Kyouko's bodies shook, and after expressing regretful words to each other, their eyes, unable to conceal exhaustion, slowly closed.

"Thud..."

"Thud..."

In the sounds of the two falling to the ground, Natsume and Kyouko lost consciousness.

A petite figure slowly approached from behind the fallen Natsume and Kyouko.

She was wearing the female uniform of the Onmyou Academy.

"Don't worry, I'll send you out of the Onmyou Academy, and I won't let you be in danger."

The petite girl in the Onmyou Academy uniform spoke expressionlessly, her tone devoid of any emotion, like a machine, quite indifferent.

Then, the girl squatted down and picked up the box.

Looking at the box in her arms, the girl's voice began to carry a hint of emotion.

"I made you wait for a long time."

Saying this, the girl made a declaration.

"Now, I'll release you."

The girl then tore off the seal on the box and opened it, taking out what was inside.

It was a birdcage.

A brass birdcage.

There was nothing in the birdcage.

No.

It's not that there was nothing, it's just like it merged with the darkness, making it impossible to see.

Looking closely, there was a sleeping crow in the birdcage.

Moreover, it was a three-legged crow.

If there were a third party present to witness this scene, they would surely be astonished, right?

Because a three-legged crow in the Onmyoudou holds significant symbolism.

"Yatagarasu..."

The girl slowly spoke its alias.

Yatagarasu, also known as the Three-Legged Crow, is a symbol of the sun in Onmyoudou, the messenger of the sun goddess Amaterasu.

Kurahashi Miyo stated that it's a cursed tool.

But in reality, more accurately, it should be said that it's a shikigami that can transform into a cursed tool, to be used by its master.

Its name is...

'—Raven's Wing.'

As the girl liberated its true name, she also unsealed its bindings.

"Go, find your true master."

The girl released her grip on the birdcage, letting it descend slowly.

The next moment...

*Clang!*

The entire birdcage suddenly erupted in light and disappeared into thin air.

Inside, the three-legged crow known as Raven's Wing opened its eyes suddenly. One of its pairs of eyes was a dazzling golden color, and it had three jewels.

The shikigami named Raven's Wing spread its wings and soared into the air. Brilliant golden light scattered with its movements, resembling sparks emanating from the depths of the sun, exceptionally dazzling.

Representing the messenger of the sun, it circled in the air, leaving trails of light powder, then flew out.

The girl silently watched this scene and turned her gaze towards Natsume and Kyouko lying on the ground.

"...If I had to move them, I really wish at least they were two loli."

Saying these inexplicable words, the girl then squatted down and picked up Natsume and Kyouko.

As for the Onmyou Academy, it was destined to face a great chaos.

...

Onmyou Academy, underground curse training ground.

Following the tracking spell he left on Nue, Rozen ultimately arrived here.

By the time Rozen arrived, chaos had already erupted.

"Hurry!"

"Faster!"

"Quick, get to the spectator stands!"

Instructors urgently urged the students, causing the students to sway with pale or iron-gray faces as they left the training ground and entered the stands.

"Activate the barrier!"

"Activate the barrier!"

"Deploy!"

"Deploy now!"

On the spectator stands, some instructors seemed to have been waiting for the students to arrive. They confirmed the safe arrival of the students and quickly activated the barriers on the stands.

The terrifying miasma was blocked by the barrier but still roared like a gust of wind, creating ripples.

"Barrier! Activate!"

Kurahashi Miyo was also among them, forming seals with her hands, her face stern, leading the instructors to activate the barrier together.

In the training ground, besides the rampant Phase 2 spiritual disasters, there was also the mastermind behind these spiritual disasters.

"Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo————!"

A loud roar exploded like a sound wave, causing the atmosphere to tremble.

The evolved Phase 4 Nue roared mightily, allowing the terrifying miasma to expand from its center.

Seeing the Nue roaring in the center of the training ground, Rozen couldn't help but be astonished.

"It has changed so much...!?"

It could be seen that compared to before, the Nue's appearance had changed dramatically. Not only did its size increase several times, reaching a height of at least ten meters or more, it also grew wings on its back. Its head turned into two—one resembling an ape and one resembling a leopard. Its neck elongated, and claws grew on its hands and feet. Its tail wriggled like tentacles, making it impossible to immediately discern how many tails it had.

Its current appearance was more like a two-headed dragon than a vajra.

"So that's why it's called Chimera type?"

Rozen thought so.

Facing this Chimera, two independent exorcists were fighting.

They were Kogure Zenjirou and Kagami Reiji.