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Impossible.
Absolutely impossible.
slammed the table, angrily shooting down Takagi Wataru's wild, jittery claim.
Evil spirits?
Curses?
Could these really be things that existed in the real world, openly acknowledged as fact?
As a police inspector — and not just anywhere, but in Tokyo — Juzo Megure was someone who reported straight to the top.
If anything existed outside the realm of science, there was no way he wouldn't have at least heard some intel about it.
And there's no way the higher-ups would let an ignorant fool hold the position of Tokyo Police Inspector.
Same went for the boy in front of him.
After being interviewed and getting himself cleaned up, Shinichi Kudō was still racking his brain.
Sure, he admitted he'd been creeped out by the atmosphere earlier…
But as a detective who firmly believed everything could be explained by science, Shinichi was convinced Seiichirō's death had to be the result of some unknown but very human method of murder.
And then there was Kawaguchi Wataru.
Shinichi had been to the scene.
Locked away in a sealed cell, Kawaguchi Wataru had died exactly the same way as Seiichirō.
Which was…
…
…
Quite the dramatic opener.
Under the night sky, in an old house in Nakano, Tokyo—
In a place invisible to human eyes, the room was packed wall-to-wall with hideous, twisted spirits.
Seishū Minazuki was raising them like venomous insects in a jar.
He wanted to grow one powerful enough to serve as the final boss of his grand opening act.
What he had now was just a small teaser — a polite little "hello" to the living world.
Head bowed, eyes lowered, he watched the cursed spirits gleefully devour the weaker ones among them.
Still… it wasn't quite enough.
True "spirit-breeding" required brutal, frenzied fighting, not this calm nibbling.
But for now, this was fine.
If he really raised one through blood-soaked combat, Shinichi Kudō's side would be thrown into utter chaos — which was inevitable enough as it was.
After all—
Humans couldn't see them.
Humans couldn't touch them.
On just those two points, the Japanese government was already at a complete disadvantage against curses.
As for Miko Yotsuya…
It'd been days now — surely the fish was about ready to bite the hook.
The next morning, Downtown District.
Again, huh…
Mitsue Takeda eyed the two strange little girls curiously.
Miko Yotsuya and Hana Yurukawa.
Well, really, only Miko was strange. Hana was just tagging along.
They'd been hanging around downtown for several days now.
Actually, "hanging around" wasn't quite right.
Unlike other schoolgirls who came out to play after class, these two seemed to be searching for something.
Always poking their heads into mysterious little shops.
Including Mitsue Takeda's own "spiritual medium" shop.
Of course, Mitsue's claim to be a medium — the "Downtown Holy Mother," "Granny Mitsue" — was just like any other in the business.
It was all… well… a mix of scams and "emotional counseling" to earn a little money.
Yes, Granny Mitsue was a fraud.
But she was a fraud with a conscience.
She knew little girls liked hearing good things, so she'd always say stuff like "Your love life will be happy," "You'll have great fortune," "You'll be surrounded by friends."
Sometimes she'd even act mysterious and spook the customer a little — then conveniently offer a few "exorcism packages."
It was all just part of the routine.
Hunched over with a wrinkled, kindly old face, she gave off the perfect first-impression warmth that kept customers coming.
But as she looked at Miko and Hana walking toward her, Mitsue's smile stayed the same while something in her chest dropped with a cold thud.
Something wasn't right.
Miko Yotsuya looked… exhausted. Like she'd been staying up way too late.
Her forehead was shadowed — in nearly every religious text, that was a sign of misfortune.
Her eyes looked a little empty, like she'd been badly startled by something.
Her brows seemed grayed, a sign her energy and spirit had taken a serious hit.
And she'd been coming to spiritual shops every day after school lately…
"…"
Could it be…?
No…
No way.
Mitsue gave a self-mocking chuckle and let out a heavy, silent sigh.
If anyone knew whether the supernatural was real or not, it was her.
Sure, her "Holy Mother" title was self-proclaimed…
But when she was younger, she had actually studied in temples and religious circles.
If not for her age and dislike of the spotlight, she could have led an entire religious faction in Japan.
She was a respected elder in the community.
But this girl's face… it fit those ancient descriptions of someone haunted by evil spirits way too well.
Like how a nurse could spot the perfect vein for drawing blood — textbook-perfect.
Mitsue shook her head, forcing down a sudden pang of sadness.
"Fraud"… that's what so many people called her now.
And for a truly devout seeker, there was no heavier blow.
She had abandoned her family's traditions.
She had given up worldly pleasures.
When she was young, she'd even failed to give her own family the care they deserved.
And then—
A single phrase — "There's no such thing as the supernatural" — had snuffed out her faith completely.
That's why she stepped down.
That's why the once-famous Downtown Holy Mother was now tucked away in a tiny back-alley shop.
Heh…
There's no such thing as the supernatural?
What a joke.
If that's true, then my life's pursuit is just one big laughable farce?
Then what was my whole…
Sigh…
Catching herself, Mitsue gave a bitter smile.
Old age made her think about the past too much.
She coughed, thumping her back, her figure looking even more bent and frail.
Putting on her best customer-service smile, she waved at the two girls peering around her shop.
"Girls, are you looking for something?"
"Bracelets? Oh, then you're in luck! I just happen to have my shop's treasured piece!"
She quickly pulled out a beautifully decorated little box from behind the counter.
No choice — little girls always fell for this kind of thing.
Pretty didn't always mean powerful, but in their eyes, it was as good as magic.
Miko quickly reached out to put the charm bracelet on.
For days now, she'd had this constant creepy feeling, like she was being watched.
Ever since that weird encounter at the bus stop… she didn't know if she was just being paranoid or if someone really was watching her.
So Hana had brought her here to get some kind of protective charm — even just for peace of mind.
As Miko slipped the bracelet onto her wrist, Mitsue was about to give her a few comforting words when—
CRACK!!
It shattered.
All at once—
Like her heart skipped a beat.
Like her pupils suddenly dilated.
…Shattered?
Her breathing grew heavy.
Her eyes seemed to burn with a hidden fire.
That tiny sliver of "what if"… that belief she'd been chasing for decades…
Mitsue's hand shot out, grabbing Miko's arm.
It shattered.
It really shattered.
"....."