Chapter 49

Hanebana holds us back. She slowly goes forward herself and swings the strings she has attached to her hand around. They instantly connect to the skeleton and fly right through the holes in his skull. She then pulls on the strings, drawing them closer to herself. In the very next moment, the skull of Kohada Koheiji is directly in front of her. Her eyes glow darkly and she grabs the Yokai, just to throw them on the ground. There, as they lie beneath her, she steps onto the skull. And again. And again. Again and again, until finally the very skull of the Yokai breaks into pieces.

She now looks at the beast in front of us.

“T-that’s…”

Hanebana let Okubo down onto the ground.

“Sorry, Okubo… I can’t carry you anymore… Please, all of you…”

The giant Oni stands up and grabs his club. Then he starts laughing. He can speak no words, though it becomes clear he is mocking those who died. Whether it is the ones on our side or the Yokai which have perished by our hands: He laughs, amused by the very fact that death itself does exist.

“Shuten Doji!” Sherlock stares at the demon. As soon as he loudly announces the name of our enemy, the Lord of Oni starts laughing even louder. Then he raises his club and swings it around above his head, slowly but surely building up momentum.

The legends of Shuten Doji are known far and wide: The most evil of all beings, the demon who makes each and every Yokai appear as nothing more than a child. Amused by the very presence of death, wars and harm, this is one of the only two remaining SS-Rank Yokai.

“N-not even Phanes could defeat him…” Okubo stares at the Harbinger of all Evil with pure fear. She is now sure of it: Her life will end in a few moments. And there is nothing she can do about it.

“That’s a lie! Phanes just could not find him, that is all!” Sherlock argues back. The truth seems to be unknown to everyone.

“I will handle this… Please, run.” Hanebana faces the King of Yokai, courageous.

I myself am shivering as well. I cannot move my body. Neither can any of the other students.

Shuten Doji starts moving. As he takes a step forward, the ground shakes. Hanebana throws her strings at him, aiming to catch his club.

I do not fully understand what happens.

No time passed.

Not a single second. Not a 1/1000th of a second.

But Shuten Doji changed.

He has already swung his club. And his club is already crashing down on Hanebana. As soon as the very next 1/1000th of a second will start and actually happen, she will be crushed underneath his club.

He stopped time.

Shuten Doji stopped time.

As soon as time resumes the club comes crashing down.

However, in the very same moment something is shining.

A bright sparkle.

And as soon as the club hits into the ground and produces yet another earthquake-

Mister Kazuki stands behind Shuten Doji, holding Hanebana in his hands.

“That’s what running practice is for.” His bald head is standing proudly and reflects the light.

Just how did he move that fast?

No one around me answers me. Of course no one does: After all, I didn’t actually ask out loud.

The truth and answer to my question is the following: Being blessed by light and always prioritizing running, the blessing Mister Kazuki has received is none other than moving at the speed of light himself. Thus, he could save Hanebana.

“You found a way in?” Hanebana looks at him as she slowly gets down from him and stands on her own feet yet again. The two look at the demon in front of them. They are quivering as well. Yet, I do understand what they are doing: They are currently buying us time. Time to flee.

“Yeah, once you got out the door was actually open. I went in and searched every room… However, when I couldn’t find you anywhere, I left again. Thus, I arrived here… I just hope Hideo realizes that as well.”

Through being carried around, Hanebana’s strings have been thrown around the room. Luckily, they have met none other than Shuten Doji’s feet. She pulls on them, however the strings just snap. She is shocked.

“So it is true…”

Sherlock does, once more, explain what is going on.

“Each time Shuten Doji kills someone, he gains their powers and gets stronger… That means that he has more than a thousand different powers of blessings! It is said that he started by slaughtering his very own Yokai brethren to get stronger… One of the powers he has must make Hanebana’s strings useless.”

Up until now, I had this hope inside of me. This hope that, perhaps, just maybe, somehow… We might be able to win. That somehow Hanebana would defeat him. That maybe I would beat myself up until I am close to death and can thus strike him down.

But after understanding just what kind of a being Shuten Doji was, I realized that it was futile.

No ant would ever think of defeating an elephant.

I turn around. I am the first one. And then I run.

It is just like back then. It is just like when Aki came to save me from the Ushitora. There is only one difference: Back then, I could turn the tides. Today, that is not the case. If I stay here for any longer, I will die.

By my running and panting, kind of pathetic even, Sherlock snaps out of whatever numbness his body was in up until a moment ago and runs after me.

We leave the room through the front door, however we hear a loud thud. Shuten Doji has just hit the ground.

We arrive at the very top of the tower. We look downwards and realize that we won’t survive falling down there. However, at the very bottom, I see Mister Hideo.

“LEAVE! LEAVE THE TOWER, THEN YOU GET TO THEM!”

Why… did I tell him this?

Would he not simply perish as well if he went there?

Was it maybe because I wanted to fulfill my teacher's wish of him coming there as well? Did I think that, with Mister Hideo, they would stand a chance? Did I perhaps think that through sacrificing Mister Hideo as well, I would live for longer?

Was I truly that selfish?