The Beast Attacks

Ginrei and Kenzō Kagurayama were holding their last public meeting of the day. This time, they hosted a crowd of supporters at the entrance of the Inari Woods, where the recreational park would soon be created. The crowd comprised both yōkai and humans.

The hosts, aside from Ginrei and Kenzō, included other members of the NYHPA, the non-governmental organisation that protected yōkai habitats. Kenzō was also accompanied by some crab samurai yōkai, who were Dragon God Dairyū’s subordinates and guarded the entire Kagurayama Clan. Ginrei, on his part, had brought the foxes of the Kagenashi Clan, including the 600-year-old black nine-tailed female fox, Kurone, and the 300-year-old golden five-tailed male fox, Hikari, who wielded Light Magic alongside the usual crimson foxfire.

The police of the Paranormal Department had surrounded the area, overseeing the event so that it would go smoothly. Chief Akechi Shinemori, his son, Jin, and the special forces were on the scene. Inuko Takeda, as a half-dog-yōkai and, therefore, an optimal guard, was also there. Kazuya Hattori had accompanied her, for he had some free time and preferred to spend it with his girlfriend and his friends. Moreover, his Absolute Sight Magic could come in handy, he believed. Despite having many supporters, Ginrei and Kenzō might also have many opponents, who hated the Kagenashi Clan for their past crimes and were against peaceful coexistence.

Some grudge-holders may wish to disrupt this meeting. Kazuya thought, looking around the area. He was leaning against his grey Honda Civic. He eyed the tall skyscrapers beyond the highway that ran past the edge of the Inari Woods. The pupils in his green eyes were dilated, meaning that the zoom-in ability of his Absolute Sight Magic was activated. One can never be too careful.

Kenzō began addressing the crowd from the podium, speaking into the microphone. Ginrei was watching him with crossed arms, waiting for his turn. Kazuya and Inuko stood nearby. Inuko was wagging her big, fluffy white tail.

“Isn’t it nice to finally have peace with these foxes?” she asked. “Big Sis Kasane must be so happy, too!”

“Yeah… except they deserved to be jailed.” Kazuya frowned, looking into his phone for a second. Kasane had messaged him, curious about the meeting. She had to be absent, running her flower shop. So, Kazuya was sending a reply, describing the event. “I don’t mind Ginrei being free since Uncle Dairyū says he keeps the bakegitsune in check. But some of his foxes needed to answer for their heinous crimes.”

“Yeah, I agree.” Inuko sighed, drooping her white ears. “Maybe, in time, it will be arranged?” She shrugged. “Dairyū no Kami-sama and Ginrei could work it out.”

“I envy your optimism, Inuko!” Kazuya chuckled and rubbed her head, making her blush and wag her tail.

Kenzō finished his speech and gave the podium to Ginrei. The nine-tailed fox, looking like a youthful human, gripped the edges of the podium with his claws and addressed the crowd through the microphone. He repeated his usual words that he was glad to cooperate and establish peace between his foxes and humans.

Kazuya sent his message to Kasane and put the phone back into his pocket. He scanned the area again, zooming his vision on the buildings beyond the highway. A certain flickering light caught his attention, too dim and distant for a normal human to notice. He increased his zoomed vision towards that place, on the top of the nearest skyscraper.

Colour drained from his face. A man stood on the roof, with a sniping gun in his hands, and was aiming at the gathering. Kazuya’s keen eyesight discerned the podium as the target. He dashed towards it, making Inuko yelp in fright beside him.

“W-What’s wrong, Kazu?” she asked, pricking up her ears.

But Kazuya didn’t respond. He kept running towards the podium, where Ginrei was delivering his speech. The astonished crowd of people stared at Kazuya as he ran out on the stage.

“Ginrei, move!” Kazuya shouted.

Ginrei turned to him in dismay. Kazuya jumped at him and pushed him to the side. But he wasn’t fast enough. A bullet landed in Ginrei’s left shoulder, above his heart. He screeched in pain as blood gushed from his wound, marking a red spot on his suit. But something else emerged with the blood, too – seething orange bubbles, like some poisonous liquid. Ginrei and Kazuya fell together, and Kazuya heard his agonised squeaks.

The people screamed and ran about. Chief Shinemori and his police officers jumped in to calm the crowd. The Kagenashi foxes snarled and looked around, searching for the shooter. Kenzō ordered his crab samurai yōkai to take the other NYHPA members to safety and ran to Kazuya and the injured Ginrei.

“Kazu!” Inuko ran up to them, too. “A-Are you alright?”

“Ginrei’s hurt!” Kazuya cried. He got off Ginrei to let him breathe, but stayed crouching by his side. “The shot came from the roof of that building.” He pointed to the nearest skyscraper.

“I’ll tell Jin and the Special Forces!” Inuko ran off again.

“Kazuya! Ginrei!” Kenzō arrived at their side. He crouched down and examined Ginrei’s bullet wound. The pupils in his rainbow eyes narrowed to slits when he saw the seething liquid emerging with the blood. “No way… It’s the Flame Scorpion venom!”

“What?” Kazuya jerked up, his heart throbbing. “Are you sure?”

“Positive!” Kenzō held his hands above Ginrei’s wound and began channelling his water energy into it. “Dad taught me what it looked like when he educated me on yokai properties. I’ll try to neutralise it… Ugh, why does everything happen when Dad’s in the God Realm?”

“The Flame Scorpion must’ve known about his departure to the God Realm today!” Kazuya frowned. “But why did she target Ginrei?” He put his hand on his chin.

“And she chose to work with humans, no less!” Kenzō furrowed his brow.

He extracted the bullet from Ginrei’s wound with his claws. Ginrei flinched, but bore the pain. Kenzō held the bullet up with the tips of his claws, and Kazuya eyed it with his zoomed-in vision.

“Some fingerprints are still there,” he said.

He opened a plastic container for Kenzō, who carefully stuffed the bullet inside. Kazuya put the container into his pocket.

“I’ll have it examined in the lab when we’re through with the problem at hand,” he said, glancing at the injured Ginrei.

“I’m back!” Inuko ran up to them. “Jin has gone to the skyscraper with the Special Forces,” she said. “He deployed the Wind Mages and the tengu to get there in advance.”

“Good,” Kazuya said. “We’ll need all the evidence we can get.”

“K… Kasane…” Ginrei muttered, heavily breathing. Kenzō was still injecting his divine water into his wound. He coughed. “My barrier… must’ve broken.”

“Don’t talk too much!” Kenzō urged. “It’ll only hasten the circulation of venom in your body.”

“C… Call Kasane!” Ginrei said louder, a snarl mixed in his voice. “My barrier… She’s in… trouble.”

Kazuya widened his eyes, realising what Ginrei meant. He maintained a protective barrier over Kasane at all times, to the detriment of his stamina. But now that he was gravely injured and poisoned by the Flame Scorpion’s potent venom, that barrier would’ve vanished. He needed to recuperate and touch Kasane again to recast it. Therefore, Kasane was in danger.

That old hag… Beads of sweat streamed down Kazuya’s brow. That’s why she targeted Ginrei!

He whipped out his phone and called Kasane at once. He put the phone to his ear and waited anxiously, with his heart banging.

Come on… Answer! He begged in his mind, clenching his fist so hard that his knuckles turned white.

He was fortunate – the call got through.

“Kazu?” Kasane’s soft voice echoed in his ear. “What is it?”

“Big Sis, get out of there!” Kazuya sputtered. “Y-You’re in danger! We_”

“What? Oh, wait, I’ve got a customer!” Kasane said. “Hold on, okay?”

“No, wait!” Kazuya cried.

But it was no use – Kasane was already talking to her client.

“Hello, Ms Kegawa!” Her gentle tone sounded from the phone. “How can I help you?”

Ms Kegawa? Kazuya blinked in surprise. She never liked flowers! What is she_

His thoughts broke off. He heard Kasane’s terrified, desperate scream from the phone. Then silence.

“Kasane!” he cried in fright. “Kasane, answer me!”

But the call dropped. Kazuya went pale. His hand hung down, still gripping the phone. He stared at the ground, frozen.

A horrible realisation dawned on him. Uncle Dairyū’s supposition that the Flame Scorpion might be a half-spider, her attack on the Takahata family in his and Grandma Rin’s neighbourhood, Ms Kegawa’s amber necklace with the scorpion embedded in it, and most of all, her dodgy answers to his questions this morning… All of it made sense.

Kazuya shuddered at the thought. He remembered the past five years he and his grandmother, Rin, spent in their elderly neighbour’s friendly company. He felt his skin crawl and broke into a cold sweat.

The vicious Flame Scorpion that killed his parents ten years ago, ate her female victims’ hearts, burnt buildings in her wake, and hunted his big sister, Kasane, was none other than his grandmother’s best friend, Matsuri Kegawa.