"I see..."
Hearing Ye Xing's noncommittal response, Itomori Town's guardian deity completely abandoned her usual accommodating, abstractly joking tone, becoming uncharacteristically serious and solemn.
[Lord Ye Xing, I don't know how large the falling meteorite is, nor how dangerous it might be specifically. But since it's a disaster capable of destroying all of Itomori Town, even with your power, I'm afraid you'll have to give it your all.]
[Futaba Miyamizu, mother of Mitsuha and Yotsuha, is my divine envoy. This is my problem, and I can resolve it alone.]
[I don't want you to be distracted by worrying about me when disaster strikes, which could lead to tragedy.]
[The safety of Itomori Town is what matters most. You don't need to concern yourself with me - just save this town and its residents.]
Seeing the determined words formed by the red threads of Itomori Town's guardian deity, Ye Xing simply nodded.
"Alright, I understand."
...
One week later, in the afternoon, at Rio Futaba's home in Kyoto City.
"According to astronomers' predictions, the comet will pass over Japan tonight at 7:44 PM. This magnificent sight that occurs only once in centuries - I wonder if everyone has prepared their cameras to capture that beautiful scene?"
"Of course, our television station will provide live coverage throughout. Even if you're in cities with poor viewing positions, as long as you stay by your television, you'll see our reporters' live broadcast footage."
Listening to the news report coming from the television, the members of the Supernatural Society all wore grave expressions, and the atmosphere in the room even felt somewhat oppressive.
"Everyone, I've brought back the snacks!"
Marin Kitagawa and Saki Kawasaki each carried a large bag as they entered the room, smiling, and took off their shoes before sitting on the sofa and watching the television with interest.
"This is wonderful. We have a three-day, two-night school trip tomorrow morning, and tonight we get to see the once-in-a-millennium comet broadcast. We're really fortunate."
Faced with Marin Kitagawa's expectant expression, Kazusa Touma frowned slightly with displeasure, seeming to want to say something but ultimately swallowing her words.
Marin Kitagawa didn't know the truth - that wasn't her fault.
However...
Marin wasn't stupid either, able to sense the inexplicably oppressive atmosphere in the room, and couldn't help asking curiously.
"Has something happened? Why do you all seem to be in such heavy spirits?"
Yui Yuigahama quickly covered up with a smile.
"It's nothing. They were just discussing how it's such a pity that Ye Xing isn't here to watch this once-in-a-millennium comet with us."
"Oh, I see. That is quite unfortunate..."
Though Marin nodded, she still felt somewhat strange, thinking to herself: 'Aren't you, Yui Yuigahama, the most love-struck one? Why are you comforting the more rational ones like Rio Futaba and Mai Sakurajima-senpai?'
This doesn't make sense.
"It's really great that the school agreed to postpone the school trip by one day."
Seeing the oppressive atmosphere in the room, Marin said with a smile.
"Ye Xing will be back tomorrow, right?"
"Yes..."
Mai Sakurajima pressed her lips together, her expression complicated, while the other members in the room shared her heavy mood.
Though Ye Xing hadn't explicitly said it, Rio Futaba had long guessed and had told the others.
That's a meteorite!
A meteorite capable of destroying an entire town!
In a disaster of that scale... could Ye Xing really return completely unharmed?
...
Later that evening, by the lake in Itomori Town's meteorite crater.
Ye Xing sat on the ground, quietly watching the completely calm, undisturbed surface of the lake.
"With less than two hours until the meteorite falls, you should leave now."
Hearing Ye Xing's words, Mitsuha Miyamizu, sitting beside him, shook her head firmly.
"About evacuating the residents... I've already asked Grandma to relay the message to my father. Although Grandma doesn't want to see my father, this is a revelation from the gods to save the residents of Itomori Town. She will definitely arrange everything properly."
"What if I fail to stop the meteorite?"
Mitsuha showed a determined expression.
"I believe in you."
"Really now..."
Ye Xing shook his head with a wry smile.
"Be sensible. Even if I can't prevent the meteorite from falling, I'm completely confident I can survive this disaster. But I might not have the capacity to protect you. So go and help evacuate the residents of Itomori Town. I believe your father would be more willing to listen to your opinion than your grandmother's."
Hearing this, Mitsuha showed hesitation and said uncertainly.
"I..."
"Alright, hurry up and go."
Seeing that Ye Xing had said this much, Mitsuha nodded, turned around and headed into the distance.
After Mitsuha left, the red thread representing Itomori Town's guardian deity appeared, forming a message.
[Lord Ye Xing, thank you for your help with Itomori Town. After tonight... the terms of our original agreement will be considered fulfilled.]
"Yes..."
Ye Xing responded noncommittally, looking up at the gradually darkening sky approaching dusk, murmuring.
"Finally, the time has come."
...
Nearly an hour later, Mitsuha Miyamizu, riding her bicycle, finally arrived at the entrance of the town government office building.
The staff knew she was the daughter of town councillor Toshiki Miyamizu and didn't stop her, letting her pass directly.
Though somewhat breathless from cycling all the way, Mitsuha persisted in running to her father's office door, not even bothering to knock before pushing the office door open.
What met her eyes was Hitoha Miyamizu, wearing a kimono, speaking seriously with her father, Toshiki Miyamizu. Clearly, both were quite emotional.
Seeing Mitsuha suddenly enter, Toshiki Miyamizu was momentarily stunned before frowning slightly.
"Mitsuha, you've come at the right time. Your grandmother suddenly came over just now, saying something about evacuating the entire town? Do you know what serious consequences this would cause? Today, because of the comet's passage, many tourists have come specifically to our Itomori Town. This is an opportunity for the town, a chance to make Itomori Town a tourist destination. Issuing an evacuation announcement at this time, do you know what kind of..."
"Father!"
Mitsuha directly interrupted Toshiki Miyamizu's words, took a deep breath and spoke with a very serious expression.
"What Grandma said is true. Tonight... the comet will split in a way astronomers didn't predict. One of the fragments will land right in our town."
"Split? The comet splitting?"
As a rational adult holding the important position of town councillor, Toshiki Miyamizu naturally wouldn't believe such nonsense. After all, all astronomers had stated that although this comet would pass at a very low altitude over Japan, there was absolutely no risk of it falling.
Now Mitsuha was telling him that the comet would split in a way astronomers hadn't predicted, and that it would fall on Itomori Town?
How could Toshiki Miyamizu possibly believe that?
Just as Mitsuha Miyamizu resolved that no matter how extreme the measures required - even if she had to resort to violence - she would make her father listen to her seriously, the telephone on the desk suddenly rang.
Toshiki Miyamizu walked over to answer it, his mood clearly poor after the argument with his daughter, speaking in a low voice.
"What is it? I'm busy right now."
"Councillor Miyamizu, there's a call for you."
"Tell them to call back later, I'm busy right now."
"Well... you'd better take this one. It's from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department..."
"Hmm?"
The moment he heard 'Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department', Toshiki Miyamizu's expression changed immediately.
"Put it through then."
"Right away."
After a few seconds, a middle-aged man's voice came through the line.
"Is this Councillor Toshiki Miyamizu?"
"Yes, may I ask..."
"I'm Soichiro Yagami, head of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Special Investigation Unit."
Toshiki Miyamizu was startled upon hearing this.
Soichiro Yagami?
"You... are that Kyoto Criminal Affairs Director... Mr Soichiro Yagami?"
"Former Kyoto Criminal Affairs Director, but yes, I'm Soichiro Yagami."
Toshiki Miyamizu was completely stunned.
He might not have heard of ordinary Metropolitan Police Department officials, but Soichiro Yagami was no ordinary one.
During his tenure in Kyoto, he had experienced multiple serious incidents yet managed to avert danger each time, bringing events to satisfactory conclusions. He could even be considered the most renowned figure among all members of the Metropolitan Police Department in Japan.
Why would such an important person specifically call a small town councillor like himself?
"Councillor Miyamizu, time is pressing, so I'll be direct," Soichiro Yagami spoke in a deep voice.
"We suspect a terrorist attack targeting your Itomori Town is imminent. Please immediately evacuate all townspeople to a safe location."
"What? A terrorist attack, but..."
"Councillor Miyamizu." Soichiro Yagami directly interrupted Toshiki Miyamizu's words, his tone firm. "This isn't a negotiation - it's a notification. Our Metropolitan Police Department's investigation progress cannot be arbitrarily disclosed. You only need to fulfil your duty by evacuating Itomori Town's residents to a safe location, preferably outside Itomori Town's boundaries. Is that clear?"
"I... understand."
After hanging up, Toshiki Miyamizu looked at Mitsuha Miyamizu and Hitoha Miyamizu with a complicated expression.
He certainly didn't believe it was a mere coincidence that this grandmother and granddaughter had suddenly visited him today, asking him to evacuate the town's residents, followed by Soichiro Yagami from the Kyoto... no, Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department calling with the same demand.
But that no longer mattered.
Admittedly, there was no direct superior-subordinate relationship between the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and a town councillor like himself from Itomori.
Yet Toshiki Miyamizu obviously wasn't foolish enough to ignore Soichiro Yagami's warning and disregard so many Itomori residents' lives just for whatever economic benefits a comet's passage might bring the town. There was simply no need for that.
Without saying more, Toshiki Miyamizu immediately began contacting the town broadcasting staff by phone, notifying all residents to evacuate in an orderly manner directly beyond Itomori Town's boundaries.
While feeling relieved, Mitsuha Miyamizu also sensed an ominous premonition in her heart.
Why?
Mitsuha had personally heard her father speak Soichiro Yagami's name.
Why would a Metropolitan Police Department official suddenly call at this precise moment?
Undoubtedly, it must have been arranged by Ye Xing - but why?
Since he had already arranged this step, ensuring that her father, as town councillor, would follow instructions to evacuate Itomori's residents, why had he still asked her to come help Grandma persuade Father?
Was it merely to ensure she would evacuate to a safe distance when the meteorite fell, completely unaffected? Or...
Was tonight's disaster not simply about a fragmented meteorite's impact?
...
One hour later, in Itomori Town.
[I've confirmed all residents have been evacuated beyond the safe distance.]
"That's good."
Receiving the report from Itomori's guardian deity and feeling the slightly cool breeze of the late autumn night, Ye Xing merely glanced at the star-studded, beautiful night sky before standing quietly there.
According to the original plot, evacuation to the school playground would actually suffice; leaving Itomori Town entirely was completely unnecessary. But better safe than sorry.
Who could guarantee that the volume of this fragmented comet would be exactly the same as in the original storyline?
Ye Xing had even considered the worst-case possibility - that the comet wouldn't split at all, but would instead fall directly towards Itomori Town.
In that case, it wouldn't be a disaster that could be avoided simply by evacuating to the school grounds.
Moreover...
With all residents cleared from Itomori Town, there would be no one present at the scene.
Although spiritual power and the soul's true form couldn't be observed by ordinary people unless actively manifested, that meteorite was genuine, pure physical matter.
Otherwise, it would become a situation where residents watched a comet falling towards Itomori Town, only for it to strangely stop mid-air or break into countless tiny particles.
Better to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Ye Xing stood up, gazing at the beautiful glow appearing on the horizon, and murmured softly.
"It's beginning."
The red thread of Itomori Town's guardian deity twisted twice in the air, eventually forming a sentence.
[Lord Ye Xing... no, Ye Xing, during this time... thank you. This is the end.]
"Yes, this is the end."
Ye Xing nodded slightly, watching the dozens of rapidly approaching arcs of light from the horizon. He first closed his eyes, and when he opened them again after a few seconds, the gravel around him began floating inexplicably due to the spiritual power fluctuations emanating from his body.
"The time of the comet's fall has come."
...
Meanwhile, in Tokyo, a second-floor window of an apartment.
Watching the dozens of beautiful arcs streaking across the sky, Light Yagami rested his chin on his hand. Though his face still wore a smile, his brown eyes revealed an emotion unprecedented in him: worry.
"You... better not die like this."
...
Elsewhere, in Chiba Prefecture, Haruno Yukinoshita, who had just finished her day's work at Yukinoshita Construction Company, also looked up at the night sky, murmuring to herself.
"Really... It's just a comet. Deal with it like you always do, and... come back quickly."
At this moment, the entire Japan could see the dozens of beautiful comet trails streaking across the night sky. The difference was that while most people were simply admiring the beautiful scenery, those who knew the truth were worrying about someone far away, someone currently in Itomori Town.
...
"It's coming."
Watching as one comet trail in the sky deviated from its course, Ye Xing whispered softly and slowly extended his right hand towards the sky.
"Appear!"
The black ghost hand materialised once more, though this time it wasn't shrunk in size as usual. Instead, it had been deliberately enlarged to its current limit, reaching the size of Sobu High School's playground - like a giant hand belonging to a deity.
Boom!
With a tremendous roar and waves of vibrations spreading through the surrounding air, the off-course comet directly collided with the black ghost hand that had moved to intercept it.
Following Ye Xing's grasping motion, the five fingers of the black ghost hand slowly clenched, firmly gripping the comet within its palm. Dark flames ignited within its grasp.
"First one."
Ye Xing gazed towards the sky, only to discover that several more comet trajectories had veered off course, heading straight for Itomori Town.
"As expected... there's more than one."
Ye Xing no longer had the mental capacity to ponder whether these changes were caused by shifts in the worldline or alterations created by that so-called Izanami God using its abilities.
All he knew was that aside from the meteorite that had been crushed into dust and completely burned away by the pitch-black ghost hand, there were still four meteorites descending toward Itomori Town.
Judging from the scale of disaster caused by a single comet impact in the original storyline...
If all four were to strike, there would be no more Itomori Town to speak of. Even the residents who had already evacuated outside the town might not escape unscathed.
[Ye Xing-kun, I can block one!]
The guardian deity of Itomori Town first formed these words, then suddenly hundreds of red rope knots emerged in mid-air, transforming into crimson threads that wound their way toward one of the meteorites high above.
This was the guardian deity of Itomori Town's full power.
Those red rope knots represented the power transformed from the faith of every successive shrine maiden of the Miyamizu family over the past millennium.
At this moment, the guardian deity of Itomori Town was unleashing this power without reservation.
"One more then..."
While the guardian deity of Itomori Town blocked one meteorite, the pale and pitch-black ghost hands each grasped one. Of course, the inflated volume of these two ghost hands and their struggle against the meteorites were rapidly depleting Ye Xing's spiritual power, even surpassing his battle with the Weather God by several times.
Red blood vessels began to appear in Ye Xing's eyes, and his very body seemed to bear immense pressure, emitting the sound of grinding bones.
"Just one left..."
Onimaru Kunitsuna appeared in Ye Xing's hand. Watching the meteorite drawing ever closer to the ground—close enough that he could clearly see the craters on its surface with his vision—he took a deep breath as black flames manifested on the blade and his body.
"Let's go, Onimaru Kunitsuna."