Outside the commercial building—
"Makino!"
Seeing that all six Onmyoji behind him had collapsed to the ground, the female Onmyoji's heart tightened in worry. Every second that passed, her fear for their safety twisted deeper.
A serpentine Filth let out a thunderous roar. Taking advantage of the captain's momentary distraction, it lashed out its whip-like body, flinging her more than ten meters across the street.
She tumbled through the air, upside down. Her throat burned as a mouthful of blood gushed out, staining the cracked pavement beneath her.
"All units—retreat!"
Struggling to rise, her voice hoarse and trembling, the captain commanded. Around them, the fog of gray miasma thickened, and the horde of Filth advanced, an endless tide of monstrous forms. Even the twenty or so elite Onmyoji surrounding the civilians couldn't resist for long.
"You can't retreat, Captain! The Gate of Reality still won't open—this miasma… it's abnormal!"
One of the exorcists, panting, shouted as he scanned the surroundings.
Moments ago, he had also tried to unlock the Gate of Reality, but his spiritual power drained unnaturally fast. He had barely managed to cut off the transmission of power; otherwise, he too would have collapsed.
Now, even standing made him dizzy.
Something was deeply wrong with this thick miasma. It wasn't just foul air—it was actively suppressing their abilities. The Gate of Reality wouldn't open under these conditions.
Panic spread quickly.
Even the seasoned Exorcist were only human, with limits to their endurance and power. If a snake-level—or worse, a true serpent-level Filth—emerged from the horde, everyone would be wiped out.
Under the Filth's relentless siege, the Onmyoji were forced to form defensive circles around the civilians.
An outer circle of exorcists, facing outward with talismans and blades ready, and an inner circle of terrified ordinary people huddled together, numbering in the hundreds.
"Umaru, it seems… we can't get out of here."
Kirara whispered, her eyes red at the edges from strain and fear.
"Are we… going to die here?"
She watched helplessly as a six-meter-long snake-like Filth lunged forward, ripping an Onmyoji's arm from shoulder to wrist with a hideous snap. The tortured scream echoed in her ears, making her limbs go numb.
In that moment, she thought of her family—her parents—and a desperate regret gnawed at her.
"I'm sorry, Umaru… it's all my fault! If I hadn't suggested coming to Shibuya...none of this would have happened! It's all my fault…"
Kirara's voice quivered as she muttered, tears forming.
"It's not your fault, Kirara… no, it's going to be okay. We'll get through this."
Umaru tightened her grip on Kirara's hand, even though her own heart pounded like a drum. "Brother always said… be strong when something happens. It'll be fine. It have to be."
Nearby, Shirakawa Shiroha seemed eerily calm. Her expression didn't flicker, though her trembling hands betrayed her anxiety.
Suddenly, Kirara felt a cold, small hand grip her hand. she turned to see Umaru squeezing her hand tightly, forcing a faint, reluctant smile onto her pale face.
"We'll be fine," she said firmly.
Even knowing it was likely only comforting words, Kirara allowed herself a slight smile.
The ordinary civilians around them panicked, screaming to be returned to reality. Some attempted to dash through the gray void toward safety, but the Filth swarmed immediately, forcing them back.
Seeing the tragedies unfolding, most eventually calmed themselves, realizing that fleeing was impossible.
Survival now depended on endurance and luck.
Time dragged, torturous and slow. Within moments, several Onmyoji were severely injured, some even losing limbs to Filth's relentless attacks.
Suddenly—
A sudden tremor surged beneath their feet. Within two seconds, before anyone could react, the cracked earth split violently.
A massive rat-shaped Filth erupted from the ground, tearing through the crowd.
"Ahhh!"
"S-Stay away! N-Noo! Don't come near!"
"Noooo!"
Civilians screamed, scattering in panic, but the creature's gaze locked immediately on Umaru.
Her breath caught. She was frozen in place, her mind racing through memories—the laughter she shared with her brother, nights spent gaming, countless small adventures, even mundane shopping trips.
Every memory flared vividly in an instant.
"So… it's true," she whispered through her clenched teeth. "They say people see their life flash before them before they die… it's true…"
Tears streamed down her pale cheeks.
'Brother…'
Hum—
In that moment, the talisman Umaru had been clutching in her palm ignited with dazzling light. A transparent barrier expanded outward, centering on her.
All the Filth caught within it recoiled violently, swept away by the invisible force. The air shimmered as five-pointed stars formed continuously around her, spinning in a protective lattice.
The Onmyoji who had been struggling froze, eyes wide with astonishment.
"What… what is happening?!"
The talisman's light pulsed with spiritual energy far beyond the capacity of an ordinary Onmyoji. They had witnessed a young civilian, now glowing with power, fend off Filth with a force rivaling seasoned exorcists.
Even the hardened exorcists could barely comprehend what they were seeing.
The small girl—or rather, the mysterious child—Umaru held in her center radiated an aura that hinted at something extraordinary, something that could change the tide of this nightmare.
Filth that had seemed unstoppable moments ago now writhed helplessly before the protective barrier. Even the strongest serpentine monsters recoiled, unable to approach her.
"Who…" one exorcist whispered under his breath, awe lacing his voice.
It was as if the child had become a living talisman herself, a conduit for unimaginable spiritual power.
...
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