Tokyo Exorcism Diary

When the club activities ended, the sky was already bathed in an enchanting blend of crimson and violet hues.

The slanted light of the setting sun cast long shadows, intertwining the figures of students heading home.

“See you next week~”

“Goodbye——”

All around the school, the cheerful farewells of friends filled the air. At the school gate, Shimizu Yuu and Suzuki Sawami also parted ways.

Walking alone down a path soaked in the sunset’s warm glow, Shimizu Yuu was in a great mood. It was Friday, meaning no school tomorrow, and her homework load was light. She could spend the evening lost in her book… As she indulged in this pleasant thought, a familiar figure appeared in the distance.

The person carried a bamboo sword slung over their shoulder.

Hoshino Gen? Why is he carrying the kendo club’s bamboo sword?

Uncertain, Shimizu Yuu quickened her steps. The distance between them closed rapidly, but just as she was about to catch up, the figure turned abruptly into a small side path.

A gentle evening breeze rustled her school uniform skirt. Shimizu Yuu blinked her large, pretty eyes and, almost without thinking, followed him onto the side path.

This path felt unfamiliar. Though it was close to her home, she realized she had never taken it before. Dense woods lined both sides of the road—a rare sight only in a less urbanized area like the eastern district. In places like Shinjuku or Shibuya, such expanses of greenery were pure fantasy.

Lost in her wandering thoughts, she soon found herself at the path’s end.

Shimizu Yuu stood amidst the shade of the trees, staring blankly at a small, dilapidated dojo. It was much smaller than the one at school.

The sunset filtered through the trees, scattering dappled patches of red light, but the sight brought no warmth to the crumbling dojo. A chilly April breeze swept past, and Shimizu Yuu shivered involuntarily.

Her eyes darted around the area and quickly landed on Hoshino Gen, standing in front of the dojo with his bamboo sword.

From somewhere, he pulled out a yellow talisman-like paper, pinched it between his index and middle fingers, and pressed it to the bamboo sword. With a light stroke, the talisman disintegrated into ash, and the bamboo sword erupted in crackling sparks of electricity.

“Excuse me~” Hoshino Gen said cheerfully, almost casually, as if walking into his own home. Then he stepped through the dojo’s doorway.

Shimizu Yuu’s jaw dropped, nearly dislocating, as she took in the scene. Her round eyes widened, and her brain went blank.

What was that? Superpowers? Onmyōdō?

Wait a minute—wasn’t this world supposed to operate on scientific principles? Could it be that the supernatural phenomena from novels really existed?!

Damn it! How is it fair that someone who looks this good also wields inexplicable, mysterious powers? What kind of overpowered protagonist are you supposed to be? This trope isn’t even popular in light novels anymore!

Caught between the trees, Shimizu Yuu stood there in a chaotic whirl of thoughts.

Another icy gust of wind jolted her back to reality. No, no, it must have been an illusion! There’s no way something like superpowers actually exists—it’s too absurd!

Not everyone can immediately accept their worldview shattering. Shimizu Yuu rubbed her eyes hard and stepped toward the dojo. Unless she witnessed it again with her own eyes, she refused to believe it!

Quickening her pace, she reached the dojo’s doorframe—its panels were missing—and peered inside.

This time, her jaw didn’t drop, but her eyeballs nearly popped out of their sockets.

Inside the dimly lit dojo, two figures clashed relentlessly. The heavy thuds of their strikes interwove with the crackle of lightning.

One wielded a bamboo sword brimming with electric light, while the other swung a blood-red blade shrouded in black mist.

One was dressed neatly in a Western-style school uniform, complete with a tie, while the other wore tattered clothes, looking like a wandering swordsman from a Taiga(Historical) drama.

Every clash between them seemed to distort time and space.

The ferocity of their battle was breathtaking. The two fighters moved like precise combat machines, every strike countered with a perfectly angled blow.

Their speed was so blistering that it felt like an intense symphony being played in the confined space.

Compared to this genuine life-or-death duel, Shimizu Yuu suddenly felt that her previous kendo competitions were no better than child’s play.

Just then, a red talisman shot from Hoshino Gen’s left hand, transforming into a blazing fireball that lit up the dojo. The flames revealed the face of the swordsman—a swirling void of black chaos with no discernible features.

Shimizu Yuu stumbled back in fright, her body frozen stiff. That single step felt like it drained all her strength.

Her pupils quivered as she watched this incomprehensible battle, teeth chattering uncontrollably. Was she scared? Thrilled? Or simply chilled to the bone? The only thing she knew for sure was that her mind was racing with excitement!

She forced her eyes wide open, unwilling to miss even a single frame of this scene.

The fireball was sliced apart by the crimson blade, but the heterochromatic boy darted through the scattering flames, closing the distance to the swordsman in an instant.

White arcs of electricity flashed wildly, carving a searing white crescent through the air that crashed into the swordsman’s torso with devastating force.

Sizzle sizzle sizzle— the sound wasn’t that of an electric shock but resembled cold water splashing into a pot of hot oil. A violent reaction erupted as dense black mist billowed from the point of contact between the bamboo sword and the swordsman.

A piercing, guttural scream reverberated through the small dojo, its horrifying tone grating on the ears like nails raking across a chalkboard. Shimizu Yuu clasped her hands over her ears in agony, the unbearable sound sending shivers down her spine.

Yet, even in the face of this unholy cacophony, Hoshino Gen appeared entirely unaffected. The only clue to his altered state was the unsettling crimson light now glowing ominously from his cerulean left eye.

The cursed blade struck, slashing toward Hoshino Gen’s neck. He dodged with a swift retreat, so fast the crimson glow of his left eye seemed to trace a faint red line through the air. But with the bamboo sword no longer in contact with its target, the tide shifted almost instantly.

The swordsman sheathed his eerie, blood-red blade. In the blink of an eye, his figure blurred and closed the distance between them. One hand gripped the hilt, the other steadying the scabbard. His posture dipped as he prepared to strike.

The hiss of steel slicing through air echoed.

Draw Slash!

The terrifying arc of his blade whipped up a howling gale, its deadly momentum aimed directly at Hoshino Gen’s chest.

Swish!

Something snapped.

Shimizu Yuu clamped a hand over her mouth, stifling a scream that threatened to burst forth.

In that split second, Hoshino Gen twisted his body backward, narrowly avoiding the fatal strike with a posture that resembled a limbo bridge. But his bamboo sword was not so fortunate. The bamboo sword was sheared clean in half, the remnants crackling weakly with dim lightning before going completely dark.

Hoshino Gen rolled across the floor, creating distance between himself and the swordsman. Rising to his feet, he examined the splintered remains of his bamboo sword with a resigned look in his eye—equal parts disappointment and inevitability.

The swordsman stood poised, his cursed blade now pointed toward the ground, taking a step closer to his opponent.

Hoshino Gen dropped the broken bamboo sword without hesitation.

And then… he turned and ran.

As he dashed past the dojo entrance, he grabbed Shimizu Yuu’s wrist, dragging her along with him in a mad sprint down the shadowy forest path. When they burst onto the familiar paved road of their school route, Hoshino Gen flung a talisman behind them.

A brilliant flash of light followed.

When Shimizu Yuu glanced back, the narrow path they’d emerged from was gone, as if the entire encounter had been nothing but an illusion.

Hoshino Gen exhaled heavily, his chest rising and falling as he turned his gaze to the girl now doubled over, clutching her knees and gasping for breath.

The trees rustled softly in the evening breeze, their gentle whispers underscoring the eerie calm. Shimizu Yuu’s rapid breathing was the only sound breaking the tranquil evening, imbuing the moment with an oddly youthful intimacy.

Finally, she straightened, her expression a tangled mess of emotions as she stared at Hoshino Gen.

He met her gaze with a gentle, almost mischievous smile, his left eye’s crimson glow slowly dimming.

Shimizu Yuu’s pink lips parted hesitantly, her voice trembling as she forced the words out.

“Just… who are you?”