Finale 03

"Hatsu-chan~" Geto Summer Oil waved to you cheerfully. You ran towards him.

Geto stood there, waiting for you. He wanted to hug you—Satoru always did this. So this is what it felt like to have someone rushing towards you.

The first time we met, it was also Yuki who took the initiative to look for me. Between me and Yuki, it seems that Yuki takes the initiative. This time too. Is this considered to be looked down upon by Yuki? Just a very simple exorcism mission.

Never mind, just think of it as Hatsu-chan caring about me. Nanami and Haibara's affairs must have put a lot of pressure on her.

It’s been almost a month, and in another half a month... new maggots will emerge from the pit.

How can you use such a dirty metaphor?

It's just very dirty.

Nanami, Haibara... Takashi would have died if he hadn't been there at that time. No, no other magician can save them except Yuki and Satoru.

Even I can't do it.

Even I can't do it.

It's probably the easiest thing for Satoru to do, the burden won't be as heavy as it is for Hatsuchan.

"Your hair is a mess." Hearing Geto's words, you instinctively run your hand through it. It's a sticky mess, a mess. And with that mess on your head, you navigate Japan's transportation system.

It doesn't matter, no one will pay attention to you.

"I made a fool of myself in front of Jay." Your messenger bag was soaked. You really acted impulsively yesterday. You found a mirror and a comb at the bottom. They weren't meant for you. Someone else might need them. You never thought you'd need them yourself one day.

"This bag is much bigger than the previous one."

"As the number of missions increases and our experience grows, our preparations become more and more sufficient."

"And a doll?"

“Kids will love it.”

"Hatsu-chan, you're thinking too much, aren't you?" said Geto Suguru in surprise.

"Some people don't like sweets like Jay. We have to find other ways to coax them."

"It's a burden on you."

"It's okay." You couldn't comb through the hair in one go; it was all tangled up. "I don't need to be fast when exorcising the cursed spirit. Rescuing the trapped humans is my top priority." You pretended to be nonchalant and tried to put the comb and mirror back, but Geto Suguru held your hand.

"I'll help you comb your hair."

"This is not appropriate, Jie. No one will pay attention to me except Jie. I can let them pretend I don't exist." This was originally a solo mission of Geto Suguru, you just feel uneasy.

"Hatsuchan, don't you want to limit your use of the technique? No one will ask you for an autograph here, let alone where we're going."

You sit on a bench. Honestly, both the bench and the house are in a state of disrepair. You keep praying that the bench won't suddenly fall apart.

"Jay's right." And you're here as a sorcerer. You have to be serious.

"Where's Yuki's school uniform?"

"It got wet from the rain. It's still in that family's house." Jay's hair-dressing skills are so superb that it doesn't hurt at all. But you're sure to be questioned by him. You decide to strike first: "Isn't Jay wearing a school uniform too?"

"Mr. Yoga said wearing a school uniform would make you look down on me." Despicable monkey. Stay calm, Geto. "Did the rain get to Hazuchan's hair like this?"

Still can't escape... "I was so tired, I just lay down and slept." You sneezed. Geto Suguru, not noticing, pulled out a small clump of hair.

"Does it hurt?" he asked hurriedly.

"My bad. Go ahead Jay."

"Hatsuchan, you're caught in the rain." You vaguely felt that Jay seemed to have increased his strength. Was he angry?

“I took the medicine right afterward. It’s fine,” you assured.

"I heard from Glass that you were going to save a friend?" Geto Suguru asked this calmly.

"Yeah. I met her on the streets of Shibuya. She was visiting her parents back home when she encountered a cursed spirit." I wonder if Xiaoyu's curse has completely disappeared. A spell is still far from a true reversal technique.

"That's really unfortunate." A phone call made Hatsu-chan rush over, and he braved the heavy rain to exorcise the cursed spirit... Haha.

Is this how a sorcerer is treated like a slave?!

"Um...Jie, my hair shouldn't smell bad, right?" You almost felt ashamed to ask. Overwhelmed by the nightmare, you ran straight to Jie—and Shuiyue didn't even bother to warn you.

So embarrassing.

"How could that be? はつちゃん smells great. Are you using perfume?"

"I don't need it. Shen'er will find it."

Even... Fushiguro.

[The traces humans leave behind aren't just filth, but also smells, footprints...]

"Hatsu-chan, don't you hate Fushiguro at all? It seems you even adopted his son."

"The Japanese believe that when a person dies, his debts are forgiven. Isn't that what Jay thinks too?"

I didn't kill that person.

"In any case, Shin'er is dead. I can't hold him accountable. After Kuroi woke up, her will to live never became strong. There was nothing I could do about it. I don't know if she hates me."

"This matter has nothing to do with はつちゃん." Xia Yujie comforted you.

"Anyway..." You lowered your head, trying hard to hold back the tears. "Miss Midorikawa must hate me to bits." Use a spell to stop yourself from crying. Otherwise, Jay will worry again.

"Midorikawa... is she another astral body?" Satoru and I didn't arrive in time, so how could Hatsu-chan stand against Tengen-sama alone? There was only one outcome waiting for Miss Midorikawa.

"I even boasted about it back then... but let's not dwell on that. Jay's hairstyling skills are amazing."

“I have long hair.”

"Why does Jie have long hair? Even in a family as conservative as Zenyuan, the eldest son can have short hair."

"Isn't Yuki's father also long-haired?"

Now you were really shocked and covered your mouth. Even Wu didn’t know about this, right?

"Where did Jie hear that..."

"Ninety-nine Yuki." Geto Suguru sold it very quickly and efficiently.

You pouted and sulked. "Why is Jiujiu investigating these things?! Are you so free? If you're bored, come back and get to work! If I'm not here, Wu and Jie's burdens will be even heavier."

I'm sorry, Satoru.

Sorry, Jay.

Sorry, Glass.

I...you looked up and stared at Geto Suguru.

"Is there something on my face?"

"No. I'm just comparing."

"contrast?"

"Jay and I have known each other for several years, right? I want to see if Jay has changed since we first met."

"Has anything changed?" Why did Hazuchan suddenly start reminiscing about the past? Although for me, the past was indeed better than the present.

You shook your head. “I just look a little more mature. Have I changed in any way?”

The change of はつちゃん... "はつちゃん is always the same."

Consistent? How can anyone be consistent?

"Jay, do you expect me to stay the same? I can't even remember what I was like at first."

"If I have to say it... Hikaru seems to be getting more and more tired."

"Gate is exhausted too. Satoru...don't look at him like that, he's super tired too. It's just that Satoru can reverse techniques, and he doesn't want to show weakness in front of others, so he pretends to be all-powerful and arrogant."

"Are you pretending?"

"That's just my nature." You and Geto smiled at each other. You glanced at the time: "Isn't the guide coming yet?"

"Indeed, it's long overdue."

"Could something have happened? Didn't the mission summary mention someone missing?" Concerned, you suggest, "This place shouldn't be far from the village. I'll try to find the cursed spirit with the Mirror, and we'll just head over—" You hear a burp, a sound you're all too familiar with. You follow the sound towards the door. A hunched, middle-aged man leans against it, a bottle in hand, staggering towards you.

This alcohol smells terrible.

[Wine… bring me some wine…]

"Excuse me... do you know how to get to xx village?" Xia Yujie took the initiative to stand in front of you.

"Village... Oh, I have something important to tell you. It's you two, right? Come with me... Onmyoji, do you have to bring women with you when you go out... Hiccup~"

Geto Suguru's face was filled with disgust. "You too... it's hard to describe." Even though Japanese society has a clear division of labor between men and women, you haven't encountered such blunt prejudice in a long time.

"Hatsu-chan, let's quickly deal with this mission later." I want to go back to the technical high school with Hatsu-chan. I feel like the whole place has a foul odor since this person came in. With Hatsu-chan here, finding the cursed spirit will be easy. I'm a little glad she came.

"Yeah." You nodded, your mind still mulling over the dream. The dream wasn't clear; you only knew the outcome. Jie had killed the entire village, then defected and became a curse-caster. It was just that Jie had seen people with flawed character. That wasn't the trigger.

What exactly happened? Could it be that someone could have so pissed Jay off...a sorcerer? This was the most likely scenario.

You touched Geto Suguru.

"Hello, what's the matter?"

"The mountain road is bumpy. Can you hold my hand, Jie? I'm afraid I might fall."

"Oh, okay." Geto Suguru stretched out his other hand to catch the mosquito.

"Don't bother with them. I'll let them bite someone else."

Others? This place is as far as the eye can see...Suguru Jie gave a wicked smile: "Is はつちゃん angry?"

"Of course I'm angry about people maliciously speculating about our relationship."

Woman... Geto Xia Yu held your hand tightly and walked ahead without saying a word. I always have a bad feeling... "Hatsu-chan, let's start looking for the cursed spirit now."

"You don't need to tell me, Jay. I'm already looking. If I were a second later, someone might have been killed."

【Gummy, greasy, greasy...】

You tried hard to ignore the man.

There are a lot of inappropriate content!

Come on, mosquito army!

Just don't bite anyone to death.

Hehe… Geto watched as the man in front of him was surrounded by mosquitoes and gradually turned into a black ball. He wondered what the bites had done to him. What had he said to make Hasukhan so angry? Geto pressed his free hand between his eyebrows.

I am also very angry.

Dirty monkey.

Be patient, Geto Suguru.

You tugged at Geto's hand: "Found it."

"Hurr~ We've arrived at the village."

"After the deep mountains and dense forests, I suddenly feel a sense of clarity." You are quite moved. Strongly adjust your mindset.

"Have you ever encountered this kind of situation before?"

"During the mission where Nanami and Haibara were on the verge of death, we were in a village like this. It's a little more prosperous than here, though. You can find it on the map."

"What should we do with this drunkard?" Gatsu pointed at the guide, his face expressionless. You covered your mouth, trying not to laugh too much. Seeing a face so bruised and bitten, how could Gatsu hold back his laughter? The mosquitoes deep in the mountains are venomous. You only realize you've been bitten after you've been bitten. This guy's also been drinking, and his nervous system is even more sluggish.

It must be itchy.

You put a talisman on him. Geto Summer Oil was very unhappy about this: "Hatsuchan!"

"He has been punished."

"You are so kind."

"He just made up a few things in his mind. If it weren't for my technique, I wouldn't actually know it. So that's it."

"はつちゃん......"

"Come with me next, Jay."

はつちゃん......Eh? No more holding hands? That was just...

"Hero is walking too slowly."

"Ah... We're almost within the range of 'Ai Rong Duan'. I'll exorcise this cursed spirit..."

"Give it to me, Hatsuchan. It's not easy to collect cursed spirits outside of Tokyo. Tell me the general direction and I'll go there alone. I'll make it quick. Wait here for me to come back."

I... never mind. There's nothing wrong with Jie's plan. You pointed him in a direction. Xia Youjie kept his word and returned quickly.

"It's been exorcised," said Geto Suguru nonchalantly. Just another piece of junk.

"Exorcism...Did Jie follow my advice? I know Jie became a special-grade player based on his Taijutsu skills, which is impressive. But he also needs to develop his own techniques to the greatest extent possible. Like Satoru."

"Jie won't speak? No matter how many cursed spirits he devours, he'll be killed instantly by me."

"Cursed Spirit..." Geto Suguru stepped forward and shook your hand, "Not even Suzuki can beat Hazuchan's taijutsu."

"That's true. But that's only because I can't do it, Jay. Why not do something you can do?"

Now you understand your destiny and curse.

"My own cursed power and □□ repel each other."

Someone who doesn't belong to this world.

Being excluded is not a given.

"Why not do what you can do?" Xia Yujie repeated your words.

Because I don't want to do it. Who's willing to teach maggots? To teach them the meaning of life?

I myself don’t even know what “meaning” is.

"I understand, はつちゃん."

Jay was not convinced. He was unwilling.

Jay hates cursed spirits.

You know you're forcing someone. You also hate cursed spirits. Abe Haruaki is truly Abe Haruaki. Not everyone possesses such a broad mind.

Treat all things and living beings as one life, all living beings are like me, and I am all living beings.

[The so-called mantra, in short, is bondage. The shortest mantra in the world is "name."]

Who is bound by the "name" of the spell?

It’s better not to meet... It’s better to meet, know each other, and forget each other.

"It's great to meet Jie, Wu, and Nitro."

"Why did Hatsu-chan suddenly say such a thing?" Summer Oil Jie said that he couldn't understand. However, Hatsu-chan always suddenly felt very touched, so he responded: "It is also a great blessing in my life to meet Hatsu-chan."

I?

Well, no, Jay.

Don't take me too seriously.

"Jie, let's go tell the village leaders that the curse has been exorcised, so they don't have to worry anymore."

"Okay, okay. I actually want to go back to the technical high school with Hantschan." Whatever. He could still spend some more time alone with Hantschan. He barely tolerated this place that constantly reeked of stench.

"Does Jay know how to get out of the mountains?"

"Have you not memorized the route? I..."

"Going out of the mountains and going into the mountains are two different paths."

"Did you learn that from the guide?"

"The village chief will probably give Jie some reward... He plans to slaughter Jie when he leaves the mountain."

"I see... If he has the guts, he can come."

"Jie has become more mature and thinner than before. He needs to eat well. He can't just eat cold noodles."

"I will follow your instructions." Geto Suguru raised his hands to show his surrender.

"Jay! Stop teasing me." You laughed heartily, but still managed to speak: "The harder life gets, the more we need to find the sweetness in it. We don't like sweet things... but sugar can make us feel happy. It's the fastest way to bring happiness. Jay and Wu have known each other for so long, haven't they learned this method yet?"

"Maybe I have higher expectations for happiness. I'm not as easily satisfied as Wu."

I'm actually... pretty easy to satisfy.

"Hello, this Christmas..."

"Ah! There are two strangers here!" A man and a woman surrounded Geto Suguru. "Are you Onmyoji-sama?"

"I thought they would dress in a more traditional style," said the slightly fat man.

Geto Suguru rubbed his brows in frustration. What a tactless guy! He was talking to Hasukan.

"It's me. What can I do for you?"

"Please come into the house with us."

You followed Geto Suguru, but were stopped by the man and woman.

"Master Onmyoji, will this woman disturb your spellcasting?"

"She's my companion," Xia Yujie said with a forced smile. "I really want to leave this place. What else is in here? Didn't I exorcise the cursed spirit?"

"Companions? Are there any women among Onmyoji?"

"This...I don't know either."

“Does the village have any records?”

"Shall we check now?"

The two people started arguing.

There were two people inside who were trembling with fear.

Human beings.

Backward places.

A place full of prejudice and ignorance.

So annoying.

It's just that his character is flawed.

Purely good people are rare.

"I'll go in, Jay stay outside."

Who would have thought that the two people who were arguing would immediately stand together and say in unison after hearing what you said: "That won't do. Please let this gentleman in."

"Hello, come in with me."

Why they respect and fear Jay more.

Just because I'm a woman?

Women…it’s been a long time since I’ve been discriminated against just because I’m a woman.

"This..." The two looked at each other and agreed to Geto Suguru's request.

"Come in."

Jay's questioning was just what you expected.

"What's this?"