Just 1 more review and you'll unlock an extra chapter! Who's gonna push us over the line?(￣▽￣)ノ
...
After instructing the three fallen angels to head over, Takumi quickly located the two girls waiting by the entrance of the apartment complex.
Even under the blazing midday sun, both girls subconsciously tightened their sleeves.
"Why… why did it suddenly get so cold?" Momo Ayase glanced up at the bright sky, confusion flickering across her face.
The closer they got to Hitagi Senjougahara's mother's home, the lower the temperature seemed to drop.
Hitagi looked equally lost. She couldn't understand what was happening.
"That's because cursed spirits are gathering here," Takumi's voice came from behind them as he approached. "The chill of their cursed energy is lowering the ambient temperature."
The moment their eyes met, all three of them felt as if a jolt of electricity coursed through their hearts.
Noticing their puzzled looks, Takumi introduced himself with a calm smile. "Nice to meet you both. I'm the exorcist, Takumi. You must be the ones who called for me?"
"You're the exorcist!?" Momo blinked, disbelief written all over her face.
The young man standing before her looked far too handsome—tall, sharp-featured, his posture confident but casual.
He didn't even carry any tools or charms that one might expect of an exorcist. If anything, he looked like a high school heartthrob out for a walk.
Still, those defined muscles peeking from under his shirt… looked pretty firm.
Hehehe… I kinda want to touch them.
Momo Ayase, who had a thing for tough-looking men, felt her heart skip a beat—
and maybe something like love at first sight.
"Momo." Her best friend nudged her sharply in the ribs.
"Ah—uh… sorry." Startled awake, Momo hurriedly wiped the corner of her mouth—thankfully no drool—and laughed awkwardly, stepping aside.
Hitagi Senjougahara, however, wasn't convinced.
Her grandmother had dabbled in spiritualism before, and even she used to carry tools around. Takumi showing up empty-handed… was he planning to exorcise things with his bare hands?
Still, since they hadn't truly expected him to perform an exorcism anyway—just to act as a deterrent—Hitagi didn't say anything.
"Mr. Takumi," she began sincerely, "I'm the one who requested your help. My mother has been involved in a cult for years. A few days ago, she called my father home, and… he hasn't been seen since. I suspect something supernatural might be involved, so I wanted you to take a look."
She kept her tone truthful enough, though she'd hidden her real motive.
Takumi turned toward the direction of her mother's home, his expression hardening.
"There's definitely a problem," he said. "That cursed energy is intense. Let's move—now."
"...?" Hitagi blinked. She had only been half-serious—but why did he sound like he'd actually found something?
Momo leaned closer and whispered, "Exorcists and mediums always act mysterious like this. My grandma used to do the same to sound legit."
That explanation made sense, and Hitagi immediately relaxed, following after Takumi.
But as they whispered, Takumi quietly added, "Stay close. I'm serious—it's dangerous."
At the same time, he cast a glance toward Momo.
For a split second, she thought she saw a faint emerald gleam flash in his eyes.
[Name: Momo Ayase]
[Level: None]
[Traits: Esper (Purple), Blessed by Fortune (Blue)…]
[Esper (Purple): Born with immense psychic potential, though it has yet to awaken.]
Through the [Jade Eyes], her entire profile was laid bare before him.
Hitagi's was far less impressive—mostly green-tier traits, with [Blessed by Fortune] (Blue) being the highest.
"That must be why they found me," he murmured, withdrawing his gaze.
Before them stood the front door of Unit 189.
Frigid air seeped through the gaps in the frame, curling into visible mist.
The area felt like a walk-in freezer—each breath left a pale cloud.
"D-Don't tell me… there's actually a ghost inside?" Despite trying to sound tough, Momo instinctively inched closer to Takumi.
Strangely enough, the air around him felt warmer.
Beside her, Hitagi's face had turned pale. If this was really supernatural… what about her parents?
Before either could speak, Takumi reached forward and gently pushed open the door.
Darkness flooded out like an open maw, swallowing light whole.
And then—
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The sound of hammering echoed from within.
A crimson glow flared to life, spreading like a rising tide.
The small apartment warped and expanded, transforming into a blood-red cathedral.
"Praise be to our Lord—grant us His glory!"
"Praise be to our Lord—grant us His glory!"
The chanting voices overlapped in a terrifying rhythm, blending with the hammering in an eerie symphony of madness.
Momo and Hitagi stood frozen, their minds struggling to process what they were seeing.
A group of hooded cultists knelt in the center of the church, all muttering the same prayer. At the altar stood a woman with a crazed smile—swinging a hammer down again and again. A force pulled the three forward until they could see clearly what she was pounding.
"Mom!"
"D-Dad!?"
Hitagi's screams tore through the silence, her emotions breaking free.
The deranged woman was her mother. Her face was twisted, her beauty lost beneath the madness. And beneath her hammer… was her father.
His mangled body had been beaten into a bloody paste, forming a grotesque ritual circle across the floor.
When Hitagi's voice reached her, the woman froze—then turned, her eyes glowing a demonic red.
"You came, my daughter! I knew you'd come back!"
"As soon as we perform your purification ritual, everything will be perfect!"
"You'll become stronger, more beautiful, more blessed—just like me!"
"Come now, come to me!"
Her voice shrieked through the room like an amplifier, warped with hysteria.
The sight—and those words—made Hitagi's mind collapse.
She had always been frail as a child, nearly dying from illness in fifth grade. It was during that time her mother had fallen into the hands of a money-grubbing cult.
Since then, everything had spiraled.
When Hitagi entered middle school, she worked relentlessly to become strong—physically, mentally, academically. She wanted to prove that she could live healthily without the cult's false promises.
But the harder she worked, the more her mother insisted that it was all the "blessing" of their faith.
Whenever she fell ill or scored lower on a test, her mother accused her of being "unfaithful."
It became an endless cycle. Eventually, Hitagi moved out, hoping distance would bring her mother back to her senses.
She never imagined that her mother's madness would go this far.
...
For every 5 five-star reviews → +1 extra chapter.For every 200 Power Stones → +1 extra chapter.
Read 50+ chapters ahead on Patreon! [patreon.com/METARLN]
Use code FREE2ALL for 30% OFF!