Volume 6 Chapter 9 The March 25th Metropolitan Incident ①
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Living things sometimes gather into herds and build nests.
That is just the way of the natural world—a truth as common as the fact that life exists at all.
But among them, the ‘nests’ of humans grew much too large.
They were big, they lasted for a long time, and they were built without any self-control.
Humans cut down mountains, changed the flow of rivers, and filled in valleys and seas.
From the start, it has been the work of humans to reshape their world.
Even if it was meant to be that way, in the last hundred years or so, people have changed too much, and they did it too fast.
As a result, it wasn’t just the things ‘on that side’ that were affected.
Many of those living ‘on this side,’ who were meant to share the world with humans, were chased from their homes and vanished.
So, this was a natural result. You could say it was an unavoidable reaction.
A pushback from the world equal to the pressure humans put on it.
The world swinging back against the realm of man.
The greed of foreign nations and the jealousy of the old capital happened to align at the same time. They joined with non-human things that wanted to take back their land and return, driving a giant wedge into the peace of the human world.
With natural disasters hitting over and over and the smell of war in the air, the hearts of people were shaken, and finally, the night comes.
The true night that people should be afraid of, after the short illusion of peace is gone.
—That is how it was supposed to go.
If he hadn’t been there on that day.
On that day, something definitely happened.
The end of March.
Just as the long days set, a bright, full moon rises into the cloudy eastern sky.
The night of March 25th, in the sixth year of Reiwa, started just like that.
They say that in a large area along the Tokyo Bay coast, a strange glowing light was seen at sea.
They say a V-22 was seen taking off at night from the Ichigaya district of the Self-Defense Forces.
They say that at Kasumigaura, many animals acted weird and a giant, mysterious shadow was spotted.
They say the power station accidents across the country, which were later called false alarms, were actually bomb attacks.
They say, they say, they say—
Plane fans, space lovers, radio nerds, train otakus, occult fans, and conspiracy theorists… all kinds of people used their phones to share the night they saw with the world, talking freely about whatever came to mind.
You can’t act like it didn’t happen, but because there were so many words, they hid the existence of the things that were not talked about.
The real crisis that was right there.
Few people knew the truth, and even fewer knew the whole story.
Even so, a night is coming that people will talk about for a long time.
In history, it is the Metropolitan Simultaneous Disaster Incident—the night with the secret name, the Three-Twenty-Five Metropolitan Incident¹.
* * *
Ichigaya, Shinjuku, Tokyo.
In a room inside the Ministry of Defense building, Kazuramichi Naoshi sat with his head in his hand, looking blankly at a large TV screen.
The screen was split into several parts like a news broadcast during a disaster. The biggest part showed the empty commander’s seat at the Bureau of Onmyo² headquarters in Kasumigaseki.
On the right and bottom were live feeds from the four main points of the Metropolitan Great Barrier, along with cameras from across the city that changed every few minutes.
”It’s quite peaceful, isn’t it?” Suzuri said.
”Sure is,” Naoshi replied.
(Though who knows how long that’ll last, na.)
It was 18:00. The night had just started, but Naoshi’s sixth sense told him for sure that something was coming.
In the room with him were Suzuri, Touma Yukinojo—who was meditating—and Kazuramichi Ako, who was using a tablet to learn something from a Ministry staff member.
Kusurugawa Haruno, Yukinojo’s cousin, wasn’t there.
She was part of the battle force waiting in Omiya, Saitama.
The reason Suzuri and Ako, who were also second-class exorcists³, were here was because of their work zones, not because of their power.
Actually, this room was only set up so Yukinojo could use a military plane, and Naoshi was just tagging along because of his friend’s pull.
”You should try to relax a little more, Suzuri-san,” Yukinojo said.
To show her, Yukinojo poured some green tea from a bottle into a cup and took a drink.
If he wasn’t wearing his formal wafuku with his sword on the table, he would have looked like a normal student his age.
”Yes. I’ll do that,” Suzuri replied.
Suzuri nodded and took a drink of water too.
”Since there’s four of us, why don’t we play some mahjong? yan?” Naoshi asked.
”That’s way too much relaxing…!” Suzuri replied.
”It’s a good way to test our luck, yan? Yuki-kun, you know the rules, right?” Naoshi asked.
”Well, I get invited sometimes, so I know the basics,” Yukinojo replied.
”Old people sure love that game, na,” Naoshi said.
Yukinojo gave a small, tired smile.
”What about you, Suzuri-chan? Ever played?” Naoshi asked.
”I know you win if you get seven pairs of the same tile,” Suzuri replied.
”That’s enough, ssu. I’ll take all your money in a flash. Ako-chan, you?” Naoshi asked.
”Sorry. I’m busy with this right now,” Ako replied.
”Three-man mahjong it is then, ssu. They’ll bring the tiles if we ask. I always imagine the big military bosses playing it anyway,” Naoshi said.
”Isn’t that just a guess?” Suzuri asked.
”I think I kind of get what he means, though—” Yukinojo said.
As Yukinojo spoke, the boys looked at the screen.
”Guess we can’t do that now, na,” Naoshi said.
”It was just a joke anyway, right?” Yukinojo asked.
”Hm—”
Suzuri looked where they were looking. The camera feed stopped changing and showed one big picture.
”—It’s Narita Airport,” Ako said.
Like she said, the screen showed the colored lights of the runway in the dark, with city lights far away and planes parked in front.
”No way, at the airport…!?” Suzuri shouted.
In the dark sky under the full moon, you could see a swarm of shadows moving.
”A group of Lesser Youkai⁴ is flying over the runway,” Ako reported.
”They’re starting a big fight right away, ssu?” Naoshi frowned.
”No, it happens sometimes. Usually, right about—” Yukinojo said.
Just then, the video shook.
Like a sudden wind blew it away, the darkness in the sky cleared up.
”Oh,” Naoshi said.
”The airport always has guards, but on a day like today, the Temple and Shrine Federation is even more nervous than usual,” Yukinojo said.
”Especially since there was just a fight there, na. No one wants an accident with spirits,” Naoshi added.
”Hm?”
Suzuri didn’t seem to understand the history like Naoshi did. She looked confused.
”The main point is a monk’s temple, so is Tama-chan—”
”She was sent to Kasumigaura. It’s a good thing for us,” Yukinojo replied.
”She’s really fired up, na. Is there a camera there?” Naoshi asked.
”There isn’t one,” Ako replied.
”She’s definitely going to complain, na. Ako-chan, any news?” Naoshi asked.
Ako finished talking to the staff and sat between Yukinojo and Naoshi.
She put her earphone back in and spoke.
”I hear things are moving at Kasumigaura. Other places are just like we thought; there’s more spirit activity than usual everywhere,” Ako reported.
”More than usual, just like we thought… I don’t know if that’s good or bad,” Suzuri said, crossing her arms.
”It’s better than worrying if they will show up or not,” Yukinojo replied.
”I’d still rather they didn’t show up at all, though, na,” Naoshi said.
It might sound strange to others, but that’s how Naoshi really felt.
But he also knew that wouldn’t happen.
”—It’s starting in Ome. Lots of spirits detected. No Great Youkai⁵ yet,” Ako said.
”So the main person in the west is that vice-sister, na?” Naoshi asked.
Dushan Cecil was an exorcist from a Christian background who used the Sacraments⁶ of the Church.
She had a strong impact on Naoshi because of how intense she was, even though she looked gentle when she fought that British witch.
”Yes, and the cathedral’s team is out too. It’s probably the strongest defense in Kanto,” Ako said.
”Still, Christian nuns guarding a sacred mountain, na? That place is old; won’t they fight?” Naoshi asked.
”That’s probably why they are there. With so many National Treasures in the storehouse, you can’t be too safe,” Ako replied.
”Hmph. I’d like to make certain people from Kyoto drink some bitter tea, na,” Naoshi grumbled.
Just then, the screen changed.
It showed a group in nun outfits walking down to the temple path.
—
Summary:
The ‘Three-Twenty-Five Metropolitan Incident’ begins as spiritual activity surges across Tokyo. Naoshi, Suzuri, Yukinojo, and Ako monitor the crisis from a Ministry of Defense room, witnessing a swarm of Lesser Youkai at Narita Airport. The group discusses the deployment of elite units, including Christian exorcists at a sacred mountain, as the city braces for a night of unprecedented supernatural conflict.
—
Character Insight:
Naoshi’s fake Kansai accent (using yan and na) acts as a coping mechanism to keep the atmosphere light, even as his sixth sense warns of disaster. Yukinojo’s calm, student-like exterior hides a deep level of authority and influence within the military-spiritual complex. Suzuri serves as the ‘rookie’ perspective, highlighting how historic this event is for those not yet jaded by the world of exorcism.
—
Behind the Scene:
The mention of ‘drinking dirt from under fingernails’ is a colorful Japanese idiom (tsume no aka wo senjite nomu) which means to try and learn from someone far superior, used sarcastically here by Naoshi to mock the pride of Kyoto residents.
—
T/L:
Notes:
• Touma Yukinojo – The head of the Touma family, a prominent exorcist clan from Kanto. At just 21 years old, he is regarded as the strongest exorcist in Japan, known for his exceptional swordsmanship and mastery over fire. He is also referred to by the title ‘Ice Blade’, which scatters spirits, and is noted for possessing the ‘Divine Eye’, a unique ability that further enhances his prowess. Yukinojo is described as a handsome young man with the blood of a snow woman.
• Kusurugawa Haruno – Female. A sharp-tongued individual with a strong presence. She has a slender build and often wears elegant attire. She is an acquaintance of Naoshi and has a teasing relationship with him.
• Haruno – A cheerful, talented exorcist close to Yukinojo, related to Naoshi; confident, proactive, and supportive of her friends. Touma Yukinojo’s cousin. A second-class exorcist and daughter of the Kusurugawa family, one of the influential figures in Kanto.
• Dushan – Dushan Cecil. She is a rare Christian relic user in Japan and a strong fighter, second only to Yukinojo in the Kanto region. An exorcist with French roots and affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. Her relationship with the British witch is adversarial, as their backgrounds and beliefs clash.
• Cecil – Dushan Cecil. She is a rare Christian relic user in Japan and a strong fighter, second only to Yukinojo in the Kanto region. An exorcist with French roots and affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. Her relationship with the British witch is adversarial, as their backgrounds and beliefs clash.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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