"Didn't expect that the moment he returned, he would go straight back to the Onmyo Academy."
Standing at the forefront of the convoy and the main force, Miyachi Iwao gazed at the academy before him, narrowing his eyes beneath his bangs.
Upon closer look, Miyachi Iwao was now dressed in a monk's robes, holding prayer beads in his hand.
This was proof that he was preparing to go all out.
Seeing that even the strongest contemporary Onmyoji was taking things so seriously, everyone present instinctively tensed their expressions.
"Onmyo Academy..."
Kogure Zenjirou tightened the sacred sword hanging at his waist, his expression complicated.
"I really didn't expect that I would return to the Onmyo Academy in this manner."
Yamashiro Hayato sneered.
"If the Onmyo Academy is allowing Tsuchimikado Akikan to enter its grounds, does that mean they intend to harbor him?"
Yuge Mari's expression turned extremely severe.
If that were the case, this would become a serious problem.
After all, harboring a jujutsu criminal was no trivial matter.
And if the one doing the harboring was the Onmyo Academy, this could potentially escalate into an event that would shake the entire jujutsu community.
Of course, it was too early to jump to conclusions.
"Tsuchimikado Akikan's abilities are formidable. If he wanted to infiltrate the Onmyo Academy unnoticed, I doubt the academy's barriers and security systems could stop him. Besides, the Headmaster of the academy is the Onmyo Agency Director's mother—this is not a judgment we can make lightly. If it turns out to be a false accusation, we'll be the ones in serious trouble."
Miyachi Iwao corrected Yuge Mari's statement.
"But why would Tsuchimikado Akikan come to the Onmyo Academy?"
Yamashiro Hayato furrowed his brows and raised the question.
"Regardless of the reason, it has nothing to do with our mission."
Kogure Zenjirou stated coldly.
"Well, that's true."
Miyachi Iwao stroked the stubble on his chin, then turned to Miyoshi Tougo and asked,
"Special Investigator Miyoshi, are you certain the target is here?"
"Yes, right here."
Miyoshi Tougo gazed at the academy, his expression darker than it had been back at the Onmyo Agency. In fact, there was even a hint of fear.
"The target is on the rooftop. Because of the barrier he has set up, none of you can 'see' him, but I can."
Not only could he "see" the target, but now that they were closer, Miyoshi Tougo could clearly feel the terrifying aura emanating from him. His expression grew grimmer by the second.
And so...
"Let me be clear—I'm not going up there with you guys. I don't want to die."
Miyoshi Tougo stated with utmost seriousness.
Such an outright display of cowardice was almost unbelievable coming from one of the Twelve Divine Generals.
But Miyachi Iwao nodded without hesitation.
"Special Investigator Miyoshi is an irreplaceable asset to the Onmyo Agency. His abilities are invaluable, but his combat strength is not particularly high. To be safe, it's best for him to retreat."
This was not an excuse; it was simply the truth.
Miyoshi Tougo had never been regarded as a combat asset.
The Onmyo Agency had plenty of powerful national first-class onmyoji, but individuals like Miyoshi Tougo, who possessed the rare gift of powerful Spirit Sight, were extremely scarce—even worldwide. As a result, he was almost never deployed to the front lines, and when he was, he was always the top priority for protection.
He was well aware of this himself, so he promptly stepped back without hesitation, leaving without a second thought.
"Chief."
"Chief."
"Chief Miyachi."
Kogure Zenjirou, Yuge Mari, and Yamashiro Hayato all turned their gazes to Miyachi Iwao.
"Mariri, surround the Onmyo Academy with a barrier. Go all out—reinforce it to the highest level."
Miyachi Iwao issued his order.
"Understood, Chief. But please don't call me Mariri."
Yuge Mari responded in a battle-ready stance, while still making a minor protest.
"Once the barrier is deployed and reinforced, everyone follows me inside."
"Target: The Onmyo Academy rooftop."
Miyachi Iwao's voice echoed across the scene.
"Yes, sir!"
The entire force responded in unison.
Kogure Zenjirou and Yamashiro Hayato held their breath.
"Let's see for myself just how powerful someone that even Sensei holds in such high regard really is."
Yamashiro Hayato made up his mind—he would arrest Rozen.
For him, who was desperate to make a name for himself and prove his worth—to no longer be seen as a mere newcomer—this was a golden opportunity.
Kogure Zenjirou, on the other hand, kept staring at the academy.
"Tsuchimikado Akikan..."
He slowly tightened his grip around the sacred sword at his waist, steeling his resolve.
"Zzzt!"
At that moment, a massive barrier rose up, enveloping the entire Onmyo Academy.
The Onmyo Agency's forces immediately surged into the academy.
At the same time, the academy students received evacuation orders, heading to the underground training hall for shelter.
The confrontation was imminent.
But the outcome had already been decided.
---
Onmyo Academy – Rooftop
A vast expanse of concrete stretched out across the rooftop, seemingly empty, with only the howling wind sweeping through the space.
Wide, flat, and boundless.
That was the Onmyo Academy rooftop.
With no taller buildings in the vicinity, the view here was breathtaking. The wind was fierce, and the sky above felt so close that it seemed like one could reach it with a full-force throw.
And yet, in this place, there was a shrine.
A shrine with four torii gates, each positioned at the four cardinal directions.
The northern torii was black.
The eastern torii was blue.
The southern torii was red.
The western torii was white.
If anyone from the Tsuchimikado clan saw this shrine, they would be utterly shocked.
Because this was the shrine from the sacred mountain behind the Tsuchimikado family's ancestral grounds, the one used for performing the "Taizan Fukun Ritual."
And now, that very shrine had appeared atop the Onmyo Academy's rooftop.
"...What an incredible web of fate."
Standing at the shrine, a young man looked up at the sky. His black coat fluttered wildly in the wind.
"Bang!"
At that moment, the rooftop doors were thrown open.
A large number of Magic Crimes Investigation Department officers and Exorcism Bureau operatives rushed in, instantly forming a formation.
Miyachi Iwao and his group charged in as well.
And then, the moment they saw him—
There he was, standing on the shrine.
"Yo, you're finally here."
The young man turned around lazily, glancing at them with a mocking smile.
And at that instant, all the onmyoji from the Onmyo Agency froze in place, unable to move.
One by one, their eyes widened, their mouths fell open, and their faces paled in shock.
Even the national first-class onmyoji among them were no exception.
"This...!?"
Yuge Mari's face changed dramatically.
"You...!"
Yamashiro Hayato's pupils shrank sharply.
"Impossible..."
Kogure Zenjirou simply couldn't believe his eyes.
Even Miyachi Iwao, whose eyes were usually hidden beneath his bangs, suddenly snapped them wide open. A cold sweat ran down his forehead.
In that instant, no one was left unaffected by what they had just "seen."
Even Miyachi Iwao himself.
"You... Are you really Tsuchimikado Akikan?"
Miyachi Iwao couldn't help but ask.
Because that was the only way to put their current feelings into words.