Volume 5 Chapter 12 Midnight Run？ IV： Blaming The New Moon
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
At night, on the town’s street, the sound of high heels hit the asphalt.
The woman’s legs moved faster than expected.
But she could not escape Kazuramichi Naoshi. He was called “swift as the wind and fierce as lightning.”
”Nao-nii, aren’t you going to catch her?”
Suzuri asked with a confused look.
Naoshi did not try to get closer to the woman leaving bit by bit.
”Hmm,” he said, “if she was with others, I thought she would lead us.”
”Are you going to let her go?”
”If she mixes with normal people, what do you think will happen?”
”Well, that is probably a story.”
Naoshi gave a bad smile when Ako asked.
Under the streetlights, the woman’s figure suddenly disappeared between buildings.
”Whoa.”
Naoshi quickly sped up and trapped her.
In the dark alley between buildings, where night covered everything, the woman lowered her mask and looked back at them.
He could not see her face clearly.
But she jumped fast toward the alley’s exit.
Her fast movement showed she was scared.
However, her superhuman speed made everyone more suspicious and confident at the same time.
Suzuri shouted in surprise at the strange power coming from her.
”Youkai energy (youki)──!?”
It was a little different in strength but clearly spirit energy (reiki), the power of ayakashi.
The woman used it, appeared on the street, then quickly turned right and disappeared.
”Oni or snake, something appeared.”
”I will check with the district commander if any oni are active.”
Ako answered quickly, and everyone nodded.
”Leave it to me, step-brother.”
With the blood of the Snow Woman flowing inside her, and the presence of oni summoned by exorcists, not all beings on this side of the human world were enemies.
Some, like the Gyōbu Tanuki (刑部狸, ‘Magistrate Tanuki’) clan in Shikoku, lived quietly with humans.
Old stories said some lived calmly with their chosen partners, connected by personal bonds.
Also, Kanto had a strong barrier, and strict exorcists watched over the land.
It was unlikely that someone who showed up before Naoshi would reveal their true nature on purpose, but──
(if she ran, then chase was the only choice.)
A moment later, Naoshi and the others left the alley and looked right.
The woman was gone.
”Not there? Which way──”
Suzuri called out as Naoshi turned.
On the left side of the street, the woman climbed an outside stair railing of a building.
She climbed fast, making sharp steps.
”Suzuri-chan, if she falls this way, please take care of her. Ako-chan, watch the other side and ask questions.”
”Got it.”
”Be careful.”
Neither asked what to do next.
Satisfied, Naoshi jumped onto the stairs, using his height to hold the outside and climb up.
”Hello, young lady, can we have a quick chat?”
After the chase, Naoshi spoke to the woman standing in the middle of the rooftop.
With tall buildings behind her, she seemed to have given up and turned around.
She was out of breath for a moment.
Her face, lit by the building lights, looked more delicate than expected.
She looked about 20, the kind who could be an underground idol or a maid café promoter.
”At this hour, doing ‘talk’ here seems shady but kind of nice.”
But her voice, full of sarcasm, was strong.
She looked at Naoshi with a searching gaze.
”You are the one who ran here, right?”
Naoshi answered naturally, with a hint of fun.
In the last six months, he liked strong-willed women more.
”You say that after hitting me with spirit energy?”
”It is a work thing, so don’t take it wrong, young lady.”
”Hmph──so, what do you want?”
That was the question Naoshi wanted to ask.
Before he could, the woman spoke again.
”I didn’t know you had friends, but you came here for a reason, right?”
”No, I want to know that.”
She clicked her tongue, clearly annoyed.
Her irritation did not look fake.
”What is it? You confuse me with someone else?”
”A tall man in kimono with a fox-like face speaking Kansai dialect.”
”Huh?”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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