Chapter 27: Someone Is Dead, So What?
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Everyone looked at everyone else.
The newly arrived professors specializing in myths and legends were especially stunned. After repeatedly confirming that the Metropolitan Police Department was not playing a prank on them, they immediately began racking their brains.
Yet they remained silent, terrified of saying the wrong thing.
Several shrine priests and chief priests were silent as well. When it came to this field, their reserves of knowledge could hardly compare with those of university professors.
As he watched the silent crowd, Professor Tomiyama of Waseda University’s eyes flickered. Gritting his teeth, he finally spoke.
“Creatures such as tengu have been recorded in mythology since ancient times. Among them, the Great Tengu is the most famous. A creature as obviously resembling a Crow Tengu as this one would normally be a subordinate of either a Great Tengu or another tengu.”
He paused briefly. After confirming that Director Hakuba had no intention of interrupting him, he continued.
“Tengu are generally depicted carrying round fans, feather fans, or sacred war hammers. They possess monstrous strength, and sometimes even supernatural abilities. Judging from this tengu’s need to swing his sword and create a wall of wind to block the bullets, ordinary bullets can injure him. It’s simply that handgun rounds cannot penetrate the wind barrier.”
Director Hakuba nodded slightly. “In other words, a sniper rifle can hurt him?”
The more he spoke, the more confident Professor Tomiyama became. He nodded firmly.
“Supernatural abilities also depend on the one wielding them. Shuten-doji’s demonic power and that of a Crow Tengu are certainly not on the same level. Besides, tengu are renowned for their arrogance. You can tell from this one’s attitude ever since it appeared.”
“However, we must be careful in case this Crow Tengu has powerful backing. More tengu, or even a Great Tengu, could appear around us at any moment!”
Who had time to worry about that now?
Director Hakuba made his decision at once.
“All snipers, prepare yourselves. Aim for the Crow Tengu’s limbs. Inspector Asakawa, you are responsible for the heart. Capture it alive if possible. If that proves impossible, kill it immediately!”
At the scene, the two squads under the command of Yuya Asakawa held their breath and took aim at the still-arrogant tengu below.
Yes, that was right. It was Yuya Asakawa once again.
As the only person in the Metropolitan Police Department who had directly faced multiple supernatural incidents—and the highest-ranking survivor among them—how could Director Hakuba possibly let such a fine workhorse go to waste?
Time to get to work!
Holding a Barrett, Yuya Asakawa could not help sighing inwardly. Then he focused his attention and took aim at the target.
All five snipers, himself included, were carrying Barrett rifles.
The Metropolitan Police Department had long since abandoned its old way of thinking. In preparation for supernatural enemies that might appear at any moment, anti-materiel weapons such as the Barrett had become standard sniper rifles for every squad.
Aim. Hold your breath. Then—
“Bang!”
Four thunderous reports rang out almost simultaneously, standing out sharply amid the crackle of countless handguns.
In an instant, the bullets pierced through the azure wind barrier and tore through the limbs of the monstrously arrogant Crow Tengu.
Blood exploded from fist-sized wounds. Both arms were severed at the elbows, the hands still gripping their samurai swords as they fell toward the ground. Great holes were blasted through the thighs just above the knees, exposing stark white bone. The bullets’ heat had cauterized the wounds, but less than a second later, blood was already pouring freely.
“Ahhh!”
The Crow Tengu stood frozen for a moment. When the pain finally reached him, he let out a terrible howl. His wings faltered, and he tumbled toward the ground together with his severed arms.
Director Hakuba was overjoyed.
“Every squad, remain alert in case the target resists! Slowly tighten the perimeter. We must capture it alive!”
…
“This won’t do.”
On a rooftop some distance away, Shiro Mizunashi clicked his tongue as he watched the Crow Tengu plummet.
This Crow Tengu was only a First-Order creature. Its ability was based on the common human belief that tengu could summon violent winds. Obviously, the “violent wind” raised by such a weak monster was pitifully feeble.
The Metropolitan Police Department could certainly use a supernatural specimen, but at present, having two severed arms and a sword would be quite enough. The Crow Tengu could die—but only after saying everything it was supposed to say.
The next second, an outside force poured into the Crow Tengu’s body.
As it fell, the creature shifted its body. Under the astonished gazes of everyone below, it shot into the sky once more.
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“卑鄙的人类！竟然敢偷袭，等伟大的相模坊大人降临你们全都要死！”
The Crow Tengu, which had been half-dead only moments earlier, was suddenly filled with strength. It spread its wings and cursed furiously from the sky before flapping away. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, it flew farther and farther into the distance.
Inside the Metropolitan Police Department, Director Hakuba clutched his chest and shouted repeatedly, “Pursue it!”
The sudden turn of events left him physically ill.
A Crow Tengu that had nearly fallen into their hands!
A supernatural specimen they could study!
Where had all that arrogance gone?
The order had barely been issued when a response came back.
“Report, Director. The target has disappeared.”
They had failed to catch it.
Director Hakuba nearly blacked out. He seized his hair with both hands just to keep himself upright.
It had escaped…
Its limbs had been gravely wounded by Barrett rounds. Although a monster’s constitution meant that a Barrett wound would be far less serious than it would be for an ordinary human, those fist-sized holes were still plainly visible. The target had escaped despite all that.
Tell me—were you all spies sent here by America?
Just then—
“Um… Director.”
Professor Tomiyama’s call brought him back to his senses. He turned toward the professor who had been the first to speak.
Professor Tomiyama’s face was filled with shock and an indescribable emotion.
“Professor Tomiyama, do you have a way to track the Crow Tengu?” Director Hakuba asked expectantly.
But Professor Tomiyama shook his head. His tone was grave.
“If that Crow Tengu was telling the truth when it fled, then the first thing we need to worry about is not a Crow Tengu. Director… Sagamibo.”
At first, Director Hakuba did not understand what he meant. Then, after silently turning the name over several times in his mind, his expression suddenly changed.
Good heavens. Could it really be the Sagamibo he was thinking of?
The legendary Great Tengu.
A particularly extraordinary Great Tengu at that.
Shirahata Sagamibo, the form taken by the Retired Emperor Sutoku after his death.
…
The scene was a complete mess. Half the street had been devastated by the Crow Tengu, leaving it in utter ruin.
Many of the first officers to arrive were covered in injuries. Some had been wounded by blades of wind, others had been struck by flying rubble. A few had even charged too far forward and been sliced in half at the waist by a wind blade. The sight was enough to destroy anyone’s appetite.
Faced with a scene resembling a terrorist attack, quite a few officers lost control of their bowels on the spot.
“Ugh…”
Tsubasa Sato did not look well either, but he could still comfort the younger officers who were vomiting and suffering from diarrhea.
“Why… Why are you all right, senior?”
“Because… if you encountered a gang shootout right after joining the force, you’d end up like this too,” Tsubasa Sato replied mechanically.
Which idiot had claimed that today’s gangsters were all soft? Thanks to that fool, she had been sick for days after joining the force.
At the same time, in a narrow alley, Miku sat crouched on the ground with the samurai sword in her arms, her expression vacant.
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Ugh… That was terrifying… Why had she chosen this road? That thing had been a monster, hadn’t it…?
Her mind was a complete muddle.
“The police are about to arrive. Are you sure you want to keep sitting there?”
The sudden voice startled her so badly that she sprang to her feet.
When she looked closely, she saw a familiar face.
“M-Mizunashi…”
Her voice trembled with nervousness.
Shiro Mizunashi pointed at the Spider Cutter clutched in her arms and kindly reminded her, “It’s rather suspicious to be standing here carrying a sword. Why don’t you go to police headquarters first?”
Miku shook her head. She had already forgotten why she had gone out in the first place.
“Come with me. I know a route that hasn’t been sealed off.”
After saying this, Shiro walked deeper into the alley.
Miku nodded blankly and followed him.
Sure enough, they did not encounter a single police officer along the way. Miku breathed a sigh of relief and repeatedly bowed to Shiro in thanks.
Shiro Mizunashi smiled. “Go home quickly.”
“Mm!”
Miku nodded emphatically and boarded a vehicle home, her mind still a complete muddle.
When she reached the building, the tension in her nerves finally began to ease. Looking at the Spider Cutter in her hands, she gave a heartfelt smile.
“Mizunashi is actually a good person…”
Wait…
The Spider Cutter?
Her smile gradually stiffened. She carefully recalled why she had gone out in the first place.
So she had left home carrying a sword, passed through that “battlefield,” slipped around the police cordon, and returned?
Wasn’t that even more suspicious?!
—————
“You’re welcome.”
After performing another good deed, Shiro Mizunashi was once again in a pleasant mood.
The air was thick with the smell of blood, viscous and unmistakable.
Shiro smiled faintly as he watched the busy police officers in the distance, the bystanders being loaded into police cars, and the ambulances that had arrived long ago but were only now daring to approach and carry away the wounded and dead.
An experimental team was also carefully collecting the severed arms and the samurai swords.
The street now looked exactly like a scene from hell.
The Metropolitan Police Department could originally have avoided losses on such a scale, but their lack of experience, combined with the suddenness of the incident, had led to the devastation before them.
Humming the melody of “Riding on the Back of a Silver Dragon,” Shiro Mizunashi departed leisurely.
People had died. So what?