Chapter 2:

Ambushed in the Park

Empty Wand , Full Tricks

The crowd slowly dispersed. Coins clinked in the little hat.

Most people left. But one man stayed.

He dropped a coin in, but didn’t leave. Then he stepped closer.

Eyes sharp, studying the street performer.

“You’re quite something,” the spectator said.

“I’m Enshin Yosuke. And you are…?”

The young magician bowed slightly.

One hand pressed over his heart, the other raised gracefully.

A polite, charming smile on his face.

“Thank you, sir. My name is Rei Genma.”

The exorcist nodded, a slight smile forming. He observed the young illusionist closely.

“You know, I’m a magician too. And I have to say… some of your tricks really look like real magic. Especially that flying rabbit. How did you do it?”

Rei’s eyes lit up, excitement bubbling.

“Oh! A fellow performer!” He grinned wide. “But … You should know a good magician never reveals his tricks, right ?”

Enshin chuckled softly.

“Oh… too bad. I wanted to invite you to a magic tournament. The biggest one in Japan. It gathers the best young magicians in the country.”

The young boy’s jaw dropped.

“Really? The biggest… here? Me?”

He bounced on his heels, disbelief and excitement mixed.

“But… how do I know you’re really a magician? Not… some conman?”

Enshin smirked. He pulled a small, ordinary-looking lighter from his coat.

The flame flickered, hidden for a moment beneath his hand.

Then he revealed it.

The flame stretched and twisted. It took shape.

A woman appeared, made entirely of fire. Her hair flowed like molten gold.

Her arms moved gracefully, painting invisible patterns.She twirled and swayed… as if dancing to a melody only she could hear.

The fire glimmered and flickered, yet somehow… she felt alive.

Rei’s eyes and mouth widened.

“Okay… wow. That’s… incredible,” he thought, almost breathless.

“Is… is that proof enough?” The man ask, a teasing smile curling at the corners of his mouth

The street performer swallowed, nodding quickly.

“Yes… sir. I… I’m sorry. I’ve never heard of this kind of tournament, so I doubted you. But now… I believe you.”

Enshin’s eyes softened.

“No problem. Can we talk somewhere quieter? Like the park nearby?”

Rei nodded eagerly.

“Sure!”

The young magician quickly packed up his gear.

While the night slowly fell, they walked toward the park, side by side.

“So,” Enshin began, stepping carefully over a low branch, “your performance… really impressive. How old are you?”

“Sixteen,” the young boy replied.

The exorcist lips curved into a small smile, pleased.

“That’s perfect.”

Rei blinked, confused.

“Perfect? For what?”

“The tournament,” Enshin said, eyes gleaming. “It only allows candidates from sixteen to nineteen.”

The young magician’s chest tightened with excitement.

The man held up a hand, a faint smile on his lips. “Slow down. Before I can offer you a spot… I need to be sure you truly belong here.”

Rei’s excitement dimmed slightly, replaced by a mixture of nerves and determination.

“Okay… what do you want me to do?” he asked, trying to steady his voice.

Enshin’s lips curved into a faint, teasing smile.

“Answer honestly to my questions, and show me you’re capable… then I can offer you a spot. If not… maybe another time, after you’ve honed your abilities further.”

Rei nodded firmly.

“Sure. Shoot. I promise to answer honestly.”

The exorcist studied the young magician carefully, eyes narrowing as he weighed the boy’s words.

“Where did you find that yokai? And how did you tame it?”

If this boy truly has the skill to control a yokai… then I’ve found the perfect tenth candidate.

Rei’s eyes widened, a mix of awe and nervousness. “The yokai? Oh… you mean the flying rabbit? I…”

Before the young boy could finish, a chill ran down the exorcist’s spine.

Enshin turned.

Three crimson knives flew toward him.

He caught them mid-flight, blades locked effortlessly between his fingers.

Rei’s jaw dropped.

“Wow… nice catch,” he murmured, impressed, thinking it was just another insane trick , unaware of the real danger.

Enshin sighed.

“…Can’t I have one calm day for once?”

The knives melted in his grasp.

They turned into a thick, red liquid, dripping between his fingers like blood. Then they moved.

Crawling. Sliding. Alive.

Rei frowned, following the strange liquid with his eyes.

"Wow… what kind of trick is that? How does he control it?"

The liquid slithered away across the ground, retreating into the shadows.

The exorcist walked a step ahead, his hand brushing the lighter inside his coat.

“Kid,” he said calmly, lighting a cigarette. “Stay close. And don’t make any sudden moves.”

Rei tensed, looking around the darkened park. “Why? What’s happening?”

Enshin glanced back at him.

A wide smile. Almost reassuring.

“No matter what happens,” he said softly, “I’ll protect you.”

The young boy tensed, a knot forming in his chest.

“Protect me? From what? I don’t get it! First the knives, now this… what’s going on?”

From the shadows, two figures stepped forward.

Two figures stepped out of the shadows, both wearing flowing capes and oni masks.

One’s mask was red, the other black.

The red-masked figure held two knives, spinning them casually between his fingers. The black-masked one gripped a pair of Tekkō-kagi , iron claws worn on his hands , one in each hand, muscles tensed, ready to pounce.

A chill crawled up Rei’s spine.

As he watched the shapes approach, one thought crossed his mind.

Definitely not your everyday magicians… they looked like villains straight out of a manga.

The red mask clapped slowly, eyes fixed on Enshin, utterly unbothered.

“Well done,” he said. “No wonder they call you the best mage in Tokyo.”

Rei’s eyes widened.

He turned to the man beside him, starstruck. “Wait … him? The best magician?! Seriously?”

The man in question looked more like a broke street performer than a legendary mage.

Enshin shrugged, exhaling smoke. “You know me. But I don’t know you.”

The red-masked man chuckled.

“Me? I’m not important.”

His head tilted toward the young magician.

“But the kid next to you…”

The exorcist stepped forward instantly.

“Him?” he cut in. “Just a street performer. He has nothing to do with this.”

Rei stiffened.

“What?! Okay, maybe I’m not on your level yet, but I’m still a magician!”

The exorcist facepalmed.

“That’s not… ah, forget it. Just… stay quiet, okay?”

Rei obeyed, clenching his fists. He didn’t say a word, but the look on his face made it clear he wasn’t happy about it.

The red-masked man laughed.

“What a cute disciple.”

His gaze swept over Rei from head to toe, slow and calculating.

“So this is your tenth candidate?”

A pause.

“…Doesn’t look particularly impressive.”

Beside him, the black‑masked man shifted impatiently, claws flexing.

His posture was low, tense, like a beast ready to pounce.

“Stop stalling and let me kill him already,” the assassin growled. “I’m getting bored.”

“Not yet,” the leader replied calmly, without even turning his head. “You rush too much.”

The claw attacker clicked his tongue, claws scraping softly against the ground.

Enshin felt it.

The shift. The killing intent.

He exhaled sharply.

The smoke from his cigarette thickened, spreading unnaturally, rolling across the ground like a living fog.

As the smoke swallowed them whole, he grabbed Rei’s arm.

“Run.”

While the fog scattered as they ran, a figure suddenly appeared right in front of them.

Rei barely had time to gasp.

The assassin lunged forward.

Three black claws shot toward him, aimed straight for his throat.

A flash of light exploded between them.

CLANG—

A blade of fire intercepted the strike.

“Tch—” the creature hissed as flames burst against his mask,

the sudden light forcing him back.

Enshin stood in front of Rei, one arm extended.

In his hand his lighter. The flame had stretched, sharpened, solidified.

A sword of fire.

“Sorry to drag you into this,” Enshin said without looking back.

“Run. Hide somewhere safe. I promise I’ll end this quickly.”

Rei froze for half a second.

Then he clenched his teeth.

“…Okay. Don’t die, old man!”

The boy turned and sprinted, diving into the bushes as another presence warped the air.

“Think you can escape me?!” the assassin snarled, trying to follow.

But the exorcist was faster.

Enshin spun around, his lighter snapping open as his blade of fire flared to life. He slashed forward.

The attack stopped the creature in its tracks.

A ring of fire erupted around the demon, encircling it in a blazing prison. Heat warped the air, flames roaring high as the creature was forced to halt mid-step.

That’s when Enshin saw it. Stitched into the demon’s cloak, a familiar symbol.

A rising crescent moon, a four-pointed star above it, and three dots trailing down like drops of blood.

The Sekgetsu.

A group of demons and half-yokai. Enemies of the exorcists.
Notorious for their cruelty.

The exorcist’s stomach tightened.

“Why attack now? What do you want?”

The one behind, the apparent leader, chuckled.

“You know us. We love crashing parties.”

He spread his arms slightly.

“And we heard exorcists were organizing a big one.”

A pause.

“Shame we weren’t invited.”