033. Direction of Spirit Speech

Toyokawa Kiyotsugu rushed forward at high speed, almost able to feel the overwhelming pressure bearing down upon him.

"Damn it..."

The veins at his temples throbbed, and sweat beaded on his forehead.

"To think it’s a Spirit of the 'Black Sun' variety."

As a graduate of Cassel College, Toyokawa had naturally taken courses in Spiritology and knew it to be a high-risk Spirit with a sequence number as high as 110. His own mastery of the Spirit 'Instant' was not insignificant, and as an A-grade hybrid, even if his combat skills had rusted slightly over the years, he was still considered elite. Yet, facing this current situation, he could conceive of no viable solution.

"I wonder who on earth awakened a Spirit of this caliber."

"If all else fails, I’ll have to attempt to eliminate them..." Toyokawa muttered to himself.

By now, the Black Sun had expanded to its limit; the very space around it seemed to tremble under the weight of its power. In the distance, drivers stuck in traffic felt their hearts suddenly tighten.

"Is the traffic congestion giving us heart attacks now?"

"Damn it, this lousy road is just infuriating."

They had no inkling of what was truly unfolding.

Just then, at the critical moment, as Nagumo Ametsuki softly uttered two words—

*Whoosh!*

A silent domain descended. A gentle yet irresistible force instantly shrouded the entire area, forcibly smoothing away the rampant, tyrannical aura.

Toyokawa froze in his tracks. The surrounding space felt suppressed by an invisible power, and the previously manic, restless energy vanished in an instant. Toyokawa could hear his own heartbeat, yet he could no longer sense the fluctuations of his own Spirit.

The area had become deathly quiet. It was a stillness that belonged neither to darkness nor to the silence of the grave, but rather felt like standing inside a magnificent cathedral. The moment a saint struck the bell, all noise, fanaticism, and fear were purified, leaving only the purest peace.

The Spirit... had been suppressed!

A familiar name flashed through Toyokawa’s mind: "Forbidden Zone."

During his studies at Cassel College, he had witnessed the Night Watchman’s Spirit, 'Forbidden Zone'—a terrifying ability capable of forcibly suppressing the powers of all hybrids within its range. But the Night Watchman lived in seclusion at Cassel College and rarely set foot in the outside world. When had a 'Forbidden Zone' appeared in Japan?

He stared intensely at the calm, ripple-free space. Everything was shrouded in the domain of the 'Forbidden Zone,' and that rule-like power rendered his A-grade Spirit, 'Instant,' completely useless. For a moment, Toyokawa ceased his approach.

Without his Spirit, he dared not draw any closer.

...

Not far away, Uesugi Etsu also stopped in his tracks the moment he sensed the 'Forbidden Zone.'

"A 'Forbidden Zone' of this level..."

"Nicholas Flamel?"

"Is it the Night Watchman from Cassel College?"

He turned around immediately, disregarding the pressure of the 'Black Sun' awakening. "Damn it, if it really is him, doesn't that mean that bastard Anjou happens to be nearby, too?"

"I really hope this Black Sun explosion blows him to pieces."

Uesugi stopped paying attention to the situation. He decided to close his stall early today and go have a drink with the proprietress of the izakaya. If the Night Watchman was truly in the vicinity, then a mere runaway Spirit from an awakening was of no concern.

...

Nearby, in front of Nagumo Ametsuki, Hatsune still stood, the light in her golden pupils finally dimming. Under the invisible suppression, the fiercely burning flames of the Black Sun began to subside. Finally, the Black Sun slowly shrank, turning into a faint glimmer before vanishing entirely. It was as if a raging fire had suddenly been deprived of oxygen, unable to sustain the urge to burn.

Hatsune’s body swayed slightly. The next second—

*Thud!*

As if all strength had been drained from her, she collapsed heavily. Nagumo Ametsuki was quick to react, stepping forward to catch her. Her forehead was drenched in sweat, and she had fallen into a deep unconsciousness.

"What to do now?"

Nagumo gently lifted her. Misumi Hatsune’s body was unnervingly hot, and with every breath, a faint, ethereal flush stained her cheeks. She was still wearing her rehearsal outfit, her shoulders exposed to the air, pressed against Nagumo without any barrier.

Nagumo sighed. "Let's find somewhere nearby where there’s no one around."

...

At the Nagasaki residence, within the 'Vision' of Nagasaki Sayo, a single red thread had suddenly turned a deep, blood-red and was gradually expanding. As the thread thickened, Sayo felt an inexplicable pressure reaching her throat. It felt as though something were lodged in her windpipe, making it nearly impossible to breathe.

"Hah."

Feeling as if she were suffocating, Sayo abruptly rose from her seat. She flung the window open, gasping for air. Yet, the pressure remained, and the red thread in her 'Vision' had swollen to a critical point; its crimson hue made her heart palpitate with dread. At the same time, two other red threads of varying thickness were approaching the crimson one.

"What is happening?"

Sayo barely managed to steady her nerves. After seeing Nagumo Ametsuki earlier that day, she had vaguely deduced that the red threads might be related to some unknown, special cause. The fact that her 'Vision,' which she had been able to control at will tonight, had suddenly activated, only served to confirm her suspicions.

"How long... is this going to last?" Sayo gritted her teeth.

The sensation of having something stuck in her chest was unbearable, enough to drive her to the brink of collapse. She gripped the window frame and was about to sit on the edge of the bed to rest when, suddenly, the pressure receded like a retreating tide. In the blink of an eye, all sense of oppression vanished.

"Hah—"

Sayo took several deep breaths, finally dispelling the tightness in her chest. In her 'Vision,' the crimson thread slowly faded, shrank, and finally vanished. The moment it disappeared, she realized she could once again control the activation of her 'Vision.'

"Should I... go and ask that transfer student?"

Sayo was conflicted. His red thread was so large... so thick; he must know something.

"But, what would be the best way to ask?"

As she pondered this, she lay back on her bed, drifting into a drowsy sleep without realizing it.

...

"Sigh."

Nagumo Ametsuki had just steadied Misumi Hatsune to keep her from falling. After taking only a few steps, a pale blue interface appeared before him:

【'Forbidden Zone'】
【You have suppressed a runaway hybrid through 'Forbidden Zone'. Free skill points +1】
【Progress toward unlocking 'Sanctuary of the Fallen Gods' (1/6)】
【Current Spirit Fire: 1】
【Available skill points: 5】
【Spirit path unlocked:】
...