'A rift! What is it doing here when the night is still so young? This isn't right!'
The red siren for danger blared in his mind as Kirin couldn't help but frown, processing the matter hard.
There was something wrong here and he just couldn't put a finger on what it exactly was. The rising of Yin hadn't reached the threshold yet. It shouldn't be enough to cause a rift, so what was exactly happening on the other side at the moment?
Suddenly, something seemed to have clicked in his mind.
He stiffly turned his head to look deep into the swirling hole where a small opening had just been torn.
There, he saw a huge single eye red like that of dirtied blood staring against his, slowly curving into a crescent slit that swirled with both joy and ridicule once it recognized the terror within his eyes.
A Tier-5 Tenma.
Kirin couldn't help but shudder.
He had only 30 seconds left before a Tier-5 Tenma made its presence known to the human world.
…
– Thump, Thump, Thump!
'What to do? What to do?'
The incessant hammers against his ribcage screamed of desperate emergency, pounding and pounding so hard that Kirin found it hard to think straight.
Through his perception, he had long been informed that there's no capable exorcists available nearby to deal with the Tenma and help seal the gradually enlarging rift.
It wasn't surprising though as, who in their right mind would've thought that out of millions of other better places, a supposedly intelligent high-tiered demon would choose to show up just a few metres away from a heavily-armed fortress?
In the supernatural circle, every base and living compartment of any supernatural force were referred to as a Fortress.
The prowess of each fortress varies and although the Blue Star Dormitory didn't have much fame when compared to the other supernatural bureaus and agencies, it had only one base which meant that their power of defense was concentrated on only one point.
For a demon to spawn this close, what else could be the reason other than simply seeking a quick end?
That was what one would think in normal times however, Kirin of this moment had thought otherwise.
Putting aside himself, the current Blue Star Dormitory was practically empty. Even an idiot knew that without a proper wielder, even the most powerful weapon in the world would be nothing but metal scraps.
Kirin clenched his two fists, frustration twisting his eyebrows into a knot as beads of sweat slid down his stiff face.
He had burnt a talisman and flared the signal for the other dorm members to quickly return. But, he himself knew that by the time they arrived, it would all be too late for the Tenma would have long roamed the neighbourhood clean.
Kirin was fully aware that if the Tenma was to persist, he alone could never stop the high-level demon from going on a rampage wherever it wanted.
That was why, at this moment, all he could do was to bet.
He could only bet that the Tenma had torn the rift here not for anything else but exactly the Blue Star Dormitory.
Whatever the Tenma wants, it could only get it by tearing the Dormitory apart and no matter at what cost, even if it meant losing that one thing the Tenma was here for, he would have to fight his best to stall the time and keep the Demon busy with his struggle.
For the least, he had to hold on until his backup arrived on the scene.
But, could he do it?
His incessantly churning thoughts came into a sudden halt.
After all, what he would be facing wasn't just any ordinary demon. It was the highest tier a demon could ever be – an all-powerful Tenma who once cost his life to seal and render immobile.
Kirin felt every inch of his body trembling in dread, as if reminiscing once more what it felt like when the scythe of death hovered just a few inches above his neck.
His adam apple moved to swallow the terror, the despair.
Forcefully confronting such an opponent levels above his league, he would most probably end up dying once more and this time, there would no longer be a second chance. He would be dead for sure, kissing a heartfelt goodbye to the world he never truly experienced.
But there's another option. He could run. He could abandon everything and live a safer, longer life in another place. The people here may die, but what had that got to do with him–
– Slap!
Kirin was struck awake by the heat burning against his cheek. He tilted his head downward and stared at his own reddened palm, chiding himself through gritted teeth.
'Calm down, Kirin! This isn't the Astral Realm! The Tenma would at least have their power halved once they leave their own territory and set foot into the other!'
The realization gave him a glimmer of hope, returning back half his confidence.
Even if it was mostly an exaggeration, he allowed himself to cling onto this false hope.
He needed the strength to fight. Winning might be a wishful thinking but at the very least, he couldn't lose before the battle even started.
Not when there were hundreds of lives put at stake. And definitely not when he could've done something but didn't just because of his own fear and selfishness. He would never allow himself to be that pathetic!
Kirin forced himself to think of a plan to counterattack.
'First, I need to retreat into the dormitory and set up the defense mechanism…'
As his eyes darted across his surroundings in full alert, the gears of his mind worked so fast that his head could practically give off steam at any moment.
Kirin was recalling the numbers of mechanisms he could operate behind the walls, arranging his layers of strategy one step at a time when he suddenly caught sight of something so disastrous that his face seemed to have been drained of all colours.
That Idiot Wannabe, Ishida Shion.
'What the hell is he doing behind that tall ancient tree by the roadside across here? Counting fuckin mushrooms? And most importantly, how can my perception miss such a big guy like him?'
Something within him seemed to have snapped as Kirin stomped towards the poorly hiding idiot's direction with a steaming face.
8 seconds left out of the original 30 seconds.
At this time, a series of loud sharp screeches tore through the swirling hole as the smaller fries clawed their way into the living realm.
Kirin's blood churned wild. Without any time left to think, he rushed to pull the surprised Shion behind him and headed towards the charm-sealed dorm, exchanging not a word nor a single glance in between.
"W-What are you doing? I swear I wasn't peeking! Or… or stalking you or something!"
Shion screamed as if he had just been wrongfully manhandled. But it all fell upon deaf ears as Kirin's grip tightened, his eyes deadlocked onto one target – the dormitory's front entrance.
5 seconds.
Their hurried feets shuffled in unexpected synergy, the cold air of the night piercing through their pores like ice blades as the two fought against the resistance of the wind without any intentions of lowering their momentum.
2 seconds.
It was exactly at this moment when they were just a few feets away from the dorm's entrance that a dark claw reached out towards the two.
A Tier-2 Inrei.
Kirin clicked his tongue. Without any pause, he pulled the sliding door open and shoved Shion inside, preparing to bear the brunt himself when suddenly, another burst of negative energy slammed towards his behind, slapping the incoming attack away.
Kirin's completely spread out perception was quick to pick up what the newly-arrived intruder exactly was.
A Tier-5 Reioh, and one that reeked of such intense bloodlust at that.
– Slam!
Kirin stepped into the dormitory and slammed the sliding door shut, not even bothering to sneak a glance at whatever's lurking behind him.
As long as they were inside, as long as the walls protecting them didn't break, they would all be safe and sound.
"Huff…huff…"
With his back against the rumbling door, Kirin's chest intensely rose and fell, the rush of adrenaline powering his explosive movements all this time hadn't yet to cease.
It was only when he was faced with this familiar enclosed space did peace return to him though not much and only for a short moment.
Kirin heaved out a relieved sigh. He had just straightened his back to turn on the lights and properly enter the room with his shoes removed, when he was suddenly faced with the curious eyes of a certain oblivious someone.
Ah, he almost forgot.
"It's late and I just thought that the both of us haven't had anything after detention. I guess, it won't be a hassle for you to stay for supper before you leave."
Kirin randomly thought of a reason to explain himself, before walking past Shion and beckoning for him to follow behind. After what he had said to the guy prior this, it was truly one absurd reason to spout out but, whatever.
Whatever dire things happening in the circle should stay within the circle. Telling half the truth wouldn't make the cut and with the emergency waiting for him to deal with, Kirin simply didn't want to waste any more time to entertain the guy. And yet,
"Staying for supper?"
He heard the guy questioning him from behind.
"Am I not overstepping your boundaries by doing this?"
'You sure are good at holding grudges, aren't you?' The ends of Kirin's lips couldn't help but twitch.
Still, not wanting to stretch the matter for too long, Kirin pretended to not hear him and continued to stride forward with his footsteps. The guy could act all haughty as he liked and he wouldn't even bat an eyelid.
After all, there's something much more important that he needed to do.
The Blue Star Dormitory.
Kirin spread his perception once more, locking the entirety of his focus and energy onto that one huge dark entity gradually emerging out of the pitch-black darkness.
From this moment onwards, he would be the only one left to defend this place till the last drop of his life.