The city pulsed with life as morning commuters filled the streets of Tokyo.
Trains roared past on elevated tracks, their windows flashing with the reflections of neon signs and office buildings. A river of pedestrians flooded the crosswalks, weaving past each other with a practiced ease, their faces barely lifting from their smartphones. Cars honked, bicycles zipped between narrow lanes, and the distant chime of a station announcement echoed through the crisp morning air.
Morning rush, it's not an uncommon thing that happens in Tokyo—a daily occurrence, too mundane for locals to even notice.
But for Ruri, who was visiting a big city like Tokyo for the first time, it was both amazing and overwhelming. The towering skyscrapers that touched the sky, the massive LED screens playing endless advertisements, and the sheer number of people moving in perfect sync—it was nothing like the quiet, rural life she knew back in Nagano.
She clung tightly to her mother’s hand, her wide eyes sparkling as she took in the bustling streets, the busy shops, and the business workers briskly marching to their destinations.
By the time they reached Tokyo Station, her father adjusted his tie and suit before giving them a brief nod.
“I have a meeting to catch. You two enjoy yourselves.”
Ruri ran and hugged his legs. “See you later dad.” She waved as he walked away, disappearing into the fast-moving crowd.
Long after he was out of sight, Ruri kept staring in the direction he left, swallowed by the relentless rhythm of the city.
Her mother gently squeezed her hand. “Shall we get going too?”
Ruri nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! Let’s go!”
As The two of them began strolling through the streets, taking in the sights. They passed many different things, such as luxury stores, tiny cafés with the scent of fresh pastries drifting through the air, and clusters of students chatting excitedly outside arcades and fast-food restaurants.
Her mother pointed out famous landmarks, but Ruri barely listened—her attention was fixed on the towering electronic billboards and the sea of unfamiliar faces rushing past.
And before she even realized it—she was alone.
She had been swept away by the crowd, separated from her mother in the waves of people.
A tight knot of panic formed in her chest. She turned in circles, scanning the crowd for her mother, but everyone looked the same—busy, moving, uninterested. The voices around her blurred into an indistinct hum, her small hands tightening around the straps of her bag.
She wanted to call out, but her throat felt tight.
What if no one helped her?
Just as tears welled up in her eyes, a voice called out to her—light and cheerful.
“Oh! That’s a really cute bag you have there.”
Ruri flinched, looking at a high school girl crouching to her level, dressed in an oversized hoodie and a pleated skirt. She has short black hair, layered with a slight inward curl at the ends. It reaches just above her shoulders, with soft bangs framing her face. As she tilted her head, smiling in a way that felt oddly reassuring.
Ruri hugged her bag tightly and took a step back. Unsure whether to respond to this stranger.
The girl chuckled, “So you like Doraemon huh, big sister also has cute things you know…”
She casually pulled out a keychain dangling from her own backpack. “See? I like cute things too.”
Ruri’s eyes widened. “...Pikachu?”
“Yup! You like Pokémon?”
After a brief hesitation, Ruri gave a small nod. The girl smiled. “This place is a bit crowded. Want to go somewhere quieter? I’ll help you look for your mom.”
Ruri hesitated for a moment but nodded, her small hand grasping the girl’s sleeve—afraid of getting lost again.
They walked to a nearby bench, where the girl patted the spot next to her. “Come sit. Your mom is probably looking for you, so let’s wait here.”
Feeling a little less scared, Ruri climbed up onto the bench, her feet dangling above the pavement.
“Wait here,” the girl said before stepping away.
Ruri panicked, thinking she was about to be left alone again. She jumped up, ready to follow.
“I’m not going anywhere, just wait a bit.”
“Here you go.”
Ruri hesitated before taking it. “Thank you… Big sis.”
She shyly licked the ice cream, and soon, the two were chatting happily about their favorite characters and games—the fear of being lost momentarily forgotten.
A few minutes later, a panting figure appeared in the distance.
When Ruri spotted her mother, she jumped off the bench and ran toward her, shouting, “Mom!”
Her mother, out of breath from searching, immediately pulled her into a tight embrace before turning to the high school girl.
“Thank you so much for helping her.”
The girl waved it off. “No biggie. A lot of people get lost during Tokyo’s morning rush hour.”
“Thank you, Big Sis! Um… What’s your name?” Ruri asked.
The girl smiled. “Hoseki Yukari.”
“Nice to meet you, Big sister Yukari! I’m Usui Ruri. T.. Thank you for saving me!”
After saying their goodbyes, Ruri and her mother disappeared into the crowd, leaving Yukari standing alone.
She sighed. “Haah… What a cute kid. I wish I had a little sister too. Or maybe I’d be a good little sister?” She grinned at the thought, drowned in her own fantasy before suddenly snapping to reality.
“Oh no! I’m almost late!”
Turning on her heel, she rushed off—though before leaving, she cast one last glance in the direction Ruri had gone, her expression unreadable.
----------------------------------------
Inside a quiet cafe in Tokyo, Hikari sat alone, waiting.
Before long, the cafe door slid open with a soft melodic chime, revealing the same short girl before. Yukari stood at the entrance, a playful smirk on her lips.
“Sorry, I got caught up with something. Did you wait long?”
“No, I just arrived not long ago. It's fine.”
Yukari fixes her hair before taking a seat across from Hikari, “Once again… nice to meet you. I’m Hoseki Yukari,”
Hikari nodded, "I’m Kanzaki Hikari from Nagano. Nice to meet you too.”
Before they could continue, the waiter arrived with menus. After placing their orders, Yukari leaned forward.
“So… Ms. Kanzaki—”
“Just Hikari is fine, we’re of similar age.” Hikari smiled while Yukari couldn't help but get flustered, meeting someone formally for the first time.
“Ah, right. Hikari…” Yukari trailed off, fidgeting slightly. “So, uh… Yesterday, some old guy in white robes told me I had a chance to get a scholarship? For some schools?”
Hikari raised an eyebrow. “Old guy in white robes?”
“Yeah. Honestly, I thought it sounded shady, so I took my time thinking it over.” Yukari replied with discontent.
“...Huh?”
Both of them fell into silence. Hikari blinked, trying to process what she just heard, while Yukari let out a deep sigh, as if expecting this outcome.
“As I thought, it was a scam, huh?” She muttered. ”I expected it too, scholarship and even a place to stay out of nowhere? It sounds too good to be true.”
Hikari was lost in the conversation, but after thinking it over, she understood what's happening. “Oh, I understand what’s going on. They didn’t explain it to you yet, did they?”
“Explain what?”
Hikari straightened up. “Don’t worry, I’ll fill you in. The scholarship and place to stay are real… but you won’t be going to a regular school.”
Yukari tilted her head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t follow.”
After a pause, Hikari said, “You’ll be going to an Onmyouji school.”
“...”
The silence brewed without someone to carry on the conversation, Yukari pinched the base of her nose as she rubbed her eyes, she couldn't help but sighed.
“Look, I may be a gamer who daydreams a lot, but I’m not delusional enough to believe something like that.”
That kind of reaction is to be expected from a normal person's point of view, it definitely sounds like nonsense and expecting her to buy it.
But Hikari doesn’t give up, “I think it's better if I show you.”
She took out a set of talismans from her bag and placed one on the table. Raising two fingers to her forehead, she chanted softly.
A faint blue flame flickered at her fingertips
For most people, they wouldn’t be able to see it.
But Yukari–who has a naturally strong spiritual sense–was able to barely see it.
“Spirit of the world, create boundaries for the beginning.”
“Let no malevolent force in, and let no sounds escape.”
“From within, the secret remains hidden.”
A sudden blinding flash illuminates the small cafe. Yukari, momentarily stunned by the sudden burst of fire, was left speechless as she saw her surroundings.
Everything had turned monochrome.
Frantically, she turned her head, scanning the café in confusion. The barista behind the counter, the bustling street visible through the glass window, even the television hanging from the ceiling—all had lost their colors. It was as if the world around her had been drained of its life, leaving only shades of black and white.
The waiters came, bringing their food, but Yukari noticed something strange. The waiter drops their food and explains the food and drinks, but she can’t hear anything. As if the waiter purposely gestured with an inaudible voice.
“Do you get it now?”
Hikari’s voice cut through the silence, unaffected by whatever was happening around them.
"This is a barrier I just set up," she continued. "It isolates this space from the outside. We won’t be able to hear anything beyond it, and they won’t be able to hear us either."
Yukari turned her attention back to Hikari. Unlike the rest of the café, she still retained her colors, and her voice carried through normally. Was this barrier only affecting the space around them? She wondered.
“How was it? You experience it for the first time. This is Onmyodo, but some call it Onmyo Arts or Mystic Arts–It functions similarly to magic. And…”
“...zing.”
Hikari blinked, barely catching what Yukari just said.
“Uh.. excuse me? What did you say?”
Without warning, she slammed her hands on the table and stood up.
“Amazing! Wow~ I have never seen something like this, does this work everywhere? Does you need this paper thingy to do that?”
She went from stunned to ecstatic in an instant, bombarding Hikari with questions.Hikari found her reaction… surprising. Most people wouldn't believe in something like this so easily, even after witnessing it firsthand. Yet Yukari accepted it almost immediately.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
She cleared her throat, letting out a loud fake cough to get her attention. Yukari, who was busy inspecting the paper talisman, immediately snapped out of it.
"Please refrain from doing that," Hikari warned. "While this barrier prevents eavesdropping, it doesn’t stop people from seeing what we’re doing."
Only then did Yukari notice the barista and a few other customers staring at her. Flustered, she quickly sat down and lowered her head.
"Sorry… this is just my first time experiencing something like this, and I just—"
Hikari sighed but let out a small smile. It was kind of amusing.
"It’s alright. Let’s just take things slow, okay?"
Yukari nodded and finally settled down to listen.
"So, let’s start from the beginning," Hikari said. "The Onmyōji have existed since the Heian period. We were once part of an organization known as the Onmyōryō—what you might call the Bureau of Onmyōdō.".
They began talking it through as they ate their food.
“It’s a government-controlled Onmyōji organization, overseen under the hands of the Ministry of the Center. To put it simply, we regulate all Onmyōji activities in Japan."
"So… what exactly do they do?" Yukari asked, intrigued.
“A lot of things, but primarily exorcism. The organization is divided into several divisions, each specializing in a specific field. For example—”
Exorcism Division (Tōmaka). “Mainly handles yokai hunts and purification. They’re the organization's main force."
Divination Division (Senjutsuka). “A division specializes in doing prophecies and omens, while also handling the information within the Onmyouji.”
Summoning Division (Shikigamika). “This division trains Onmyōji in controlling Shikigami, for the sole purpose of tracking, or doing recon work with it.”
Seal & Curse Division (Fūin Jujutsuka). “They are experts in curses and seal formations to restrict and contain a Yokai.”
Enforcement Division (Rippōka). “Their role is like a police officer; they will punish rogue Onmyōji who misuse their power and enforce laws.”
Hikari casually waved her cake knife as she took another bite of her dessert.
"There’s also a ranking system within the organization, but it’s too soon for you to worry about that. Let’s get to the point—"
She set her knife down and looked Yukari straight in the eye.
"The reason we contacted you is because we want to recruit you into our organization."
"Me?" Yukari blinked. "Why me? Isn’t there someone else?"
"Yes, there are others, and we’ve already recruited everyone who shows promise," Hikari replied. "You see… not just anyone can become an Onmyōji. You need a high level of spiritual sensitivity. Tell me—can you see this?"
Hikari raised a finger. A blue flame flickered to life at her fingertip, glowing softly as she waved it in the air.
Yukari narrowed her eyes as she tried so hard to see it. “Uh… yes, a bluish flame but it's fading, I only see a blur of it.
“This is spiritual energy," Hikari explained. "Everyone has a different amount, but only those with a naturally high spiritual pool can become Onmyōji. Indirectly, everyone’s spiritual energy also influence their own personalities. As this is one form of positive energy. Have you ever heard of the Seven Heavenly Virtues?"
“Uh… never heard of it to be honest.” Yukari shakes her head in denial.
“True, it's less popular than its counterparts. In short, It’s the opposite of the Seven Deadly Sins," Hikari clarified.
"Oh! I know that one."
“So it is a form of appeal that you follow a certain path. Like being Humility instead of Prideful, showing Kindness instead of Envy, become Patience instead of fall into Wrath, turns Diligence instead of Sloth, understand Charity and not greed, practicing temperance instead of gluttony, and maintain purity and self control, instead of drowning in lust.”
Yukari frowned, “Sorry, but that sounds difficult. Humans nature leads more towards sin.”
Hikari chuckled. "You’re not wrong. But people sometimes do good without realizing it. For example—helping that lost little girl reunite with her mother. That is also one form of kindness."
Yukari froze.
"Eh? How do you know about that?!"
Hikari smiled apologetically. "I arrived a little earlier than expected, so I used an Onmyō art to scout the area… and accidentally saw you helping her."
Yukari was still processing the idea that someone had been monitoring her from the sky.
"That’s amazing… Onmyō arts can do anything, huh?"
Hikari chuckles, as she shook her heads. “You’re exaggerating, it can do all sort of stuff, but it's not an omnipotent.”
She leaned forward slightly.
"But back to the point—you were born with an exceptionally high spiritual pool, and because of your good deeds, your spiritual nature is astounding too. It’s as if… you’ve been loved by both the world and spirits."
For a brief moment, a faint sadness flickered across Yukari’s face, but she quickly masked it.
“Loved by the world huh…” a faint of sad face appeared on Yukari's face, but she brightened almost immediately.
“So was that the reason why I was chosen?”
“Yes, but that’s not the only reason… your spirit is a perfect match with one of the Divine Beast. You will be the contractor of one of the Divine Beasts.”
Yukari’s eyes widened in disbelief, “I… what?”
"You heard me. You will be the contractor of one of the five Divine Beasts."
She could barely process the words.
“Throughout history, the contractor of Divine beasts are deemed as protector of Humanity. It’s a fate that must be fulfilled," Hikari continued. "I won’t lie—it’s dangerous. But you’re the only one who can do this."
Yukari’s mind raced, overwhelmed by the sudden weight of it all.
"What kind of beast? A monster?" asked Yukari.
“There are four Divine Beasts, that represent the Guardian of Humanity—”
“Azure Dragon of the East, Seiryuu. Vermilion Bird of the South, Suzaku. the White Tiger of the West, Byakko and the Black Tortoise of the North, Genbu. With the center of it as their Leader, the Golden Dragon Kohryu.”
"The remaining four already have found its contractors," Hikari explained. "But Genbu has gone without one for years. No one has been a match—until now."
She met Yukari’s gaze.
"You’re the only one who can do this."
In that instant, Hikari’s words felt heavy, as if a tightrope wrapped around her, binding her chest, she unconsciously cuffed her fist.
After a long silence, she finally spoke—but the first thing that came out of her mouth was a small laugh.
“Fufufu.” Her grin widened, her snickers growing louder before she finally smiled. “Sure, I’ll accept it!”
Hikari was astonished by her sudden answer. ‘Uh… What? That easy? I thought it would take longer to convince her.’
“..Are you sure…? Why don't you discuss it first with your parents before making the decision?”
The girl’s playful demeanor faded slightly at the mention of her parents. “It’s fine… after all, I'm an orphan.”
Hikari flinched, “Ah.. I'm sorry I didn't mean to—”
“It's alright.”
Hikari was still a bit hesitant to invite her without contacting her relatives, so she asked again. “...But what about your guardian? We need to tell them—”
“No!” Yukari interrupted, her voice firm, unyielding. “Please, just inform them I got a scholarship at another school... To be honest, I owe the Orphanage a lot.”
She was hesitant to share her story, but the earnest look in Hikari’s eyes made her felt she’s trustworthy.
“For elementary and junior high, it was fine since we had tuition waivers from the government. So there were no tuition fees. But high school… there’s no such thing, meaning I had to pay full. It's getting more difficult, financially.”
Yukari continues, “Not to mention, I’m not the only kid in that orphanage who attends highschool... If I can lessen the burden, even if it's just one person worth of tuition and food.. that’s enough for me… Since the Onmyouji want to recruit me, I assume there’s a salary too, right?”
Hikari nodded.
“I've grown up in an orphanage all my life, and I still haven't found a goal or meaning in life… My daily routine is just a boring cycle of monotonous activities. I go to school, work part-time, and play games to entertain myself at home. There's no excitement nor expectations for me…”
She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled it, her mouth arched. Showing a sad smile towards Hikari.
“When you said I’m the only one who could do this… it honestly made me happy. My life has some purpose after all. And since they’re offering pay… there’s no reason for me to turn it down, is there?”
Hikari stood in silence, after taking a deep breath she assured Yukari's uneasiness.
“Don't worry, I will make sure the organization takes care of the Orphanage financially.”
Her sad smile turned into a bright happy smile, then she uttered in a very small voice.
“Thank you…”
Hikari smiled and nodded. “Since you’ve agreed, you’re officially an Onmyouji now. Pay attention to the rules and maintain secrecy during your work, understood?”
“Understood”
“Since you’re new, you may address me as Senior Sister for now. I’ll inform headquarters that you’ve agreed to join and request permission to visit the North.”
“North? Are we going somewhere? Uh… Senior Sister?” Yukari hesitated, still getting used to the title.
“To Hokkaido, you’ll undergo a contract ceremony with Genbu there. After that, you’ll stay at my house for a month. I’ll teach you all the basic knowledge regarding Onmyo Arts.”
“Once you’ve learned all the necessary knowledge, you will continue your training at the Onmyouji Academy in Kyoto. Well then, shall we get going?”
After finishing their meal, both of them went towards the station.
----------------------------------------
“I suppose this is far enough.”
After meeting Nurarihyon, I made my way to the forest behind my house. I went further than usual to avoid attracting the attention of a random passerby. Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I transformed into my half-yokai form.
‘He said to frequently use my power right? That means a fight with random yokai isn’t necessary, as I only have to spend my spiritual energy until it's exhausted. Back then my energy drained quickly for recovery, that means hurting myself and triggering the Yokai natural recovery is also plausible… But I’d rather avoid that method.’
“Besides, Raisen and Hikage are nowhere to be found. Getting into a fight with a Yokai is risky with my current power, I’ll just spend my spiritual energy to get the hang of this power.”
I transformed my hands into sickles, and as expected… transforming two fingers into a single sickle is my limit. Doing a weak swipe with it, my attack cuts a big tree in front of me, the tree toppled toward me, then I swung my arm upward, splitting it apart.
*BOOM
The tree crashed to the ground beside me.
“As I thought, because of that excess spiritual energy, I cannot control the power of this form either. It's unbelievably sharp…”
A memory flashed through my mind—his face appearing vividly. Unintentionally, I tightened my grip.
“If only my attacks were this sharp back then… Could I have cut his flesh?”
Even though it's been a while since that tragedy, the pain and frustration of his loss still remain. The bitter feelings when all my attacks barely scratch the Oni’s thick skin, and the feeling of hopelessness throughout that entire fight.
‘I don’t want to experience that again…’
With a renewed resolve, I continued training—transforming my hands back and forth, honing my sickle transformation, and practicing my balance during wind ride.
Time slipped away. Before I knew it, the bright morning sun had turned into a glow of evening sunset.
“Oops, it's already this late… Time sure flies when you’re focused.” I glanced behind me, the tree I cut down along with several tree branches that I cut during training.
What a total mess
‘Well, it's not like it's a waste, I can use this.’ I swiftly cut the fallen down tree into the size of a regular firewood. Then slowly peel the tree bark off a nearby tree and twist it into a makeshift rope.
Shinanoki, a tree native to nagano, as it was flexible and excellent for making a rope. I pile the wood together and secure it with a tight knot. Securing it like a bag.
With swift movements, I headed home, continuing to refine my wind-riding skills. I was improving—the number of times I lost balance had decreased. But there was still room for growth.
Near my house, I transformed back. With slight hesitation, I punched a nearby tree.
BUK! Crack!
The bark cracked under my fist, but the damage wasn’t as severe as before. I couldn’t contain my happiness—I was finally feeling a little more… ‘normal.’
----------------------------------------
On the way home, I spotted an old man in the distance, pulling a wooden cart. The cart creaked as it moved, showing the sign of its age and overused.
I waved, trying to get his attention. As he noticed me, he walked closer.
“Oh! Little Ryohei! I didn’t think I’d meet you here!” he said with a wide smile.
I chuckled. “Come on, look at me! I’m in high school now—I’m not little anymore.”
“Hah! You young’uns are always small in my eyes.” As he laughed heartily.
Grandpa Tanaka was an old farmer who lived across the river. He owns a small farm and often shares with us some of his harvest.
He turned around and took some bundles of weeds and fruits from his cart.
“I visited your house just now, but no one was home. Luckily, I ran into you! Here, take this.”
“Ah, thank you, Grandpa. Sorry for the trouble.”
He laughed and patted my shoulder hard. “It’s fine! Had a big harvest of Mitsuba recently. Oh, take some Akebi fruit too! And some Fuki—great for making Tsukudani.”
“That’s too much!” I protested, struggling to hold everything.
“It’s fine! Youngsters need to eat a lot to grow!” he said, laughing again. I thanked him and invited him to our house, but he refused.
“Thanks for the offer, but maybe next time. It's getting late. I better head back before it gets too dark—I can’t cross the bridge safely at night.”
Unfortunately, in rural areas like this, we barely had any streetlights. So, people in the countryside often use lanterns to help.
I felt bad taking so much without giving anything in return, so I offered him the only thing I had.
“Wait, Grandpa Tanaka. At least take some firewood.”
“Oh, thanks! These old bones can’t chop wood like they used to.”
“Well then, let me take you hom–”
*SLAP!
I got a hard slap in the back, “What are you talking about! It's getting late! You should just return home.” I keep insisting on helping him, but Grandpa Tanaka keeps refusing me, while saying...
"Don’t Worry! These old bones still work just fine!"
Losing an argument with him, I gave up and let him head back on his own… Or so he thought.
I trailed behind in my half-yokai form, ensuring he made it home safely. It can’t be helped… ever since I knew Yokai became more active at night, I can’t help but worry about him too.
After checking he made it back safely, I returned back home. As I glanced at all the things he gave me—one in particular item caught my attention.
A stalk of Fuki.
It’s an ingredient with a thin, membranous skin, harvested from Japanese Butterbur plants.
As I look at it, it reminds me of the Yokai I saved during the Hyakki Yagyo."
I wonder how she’s doing now?
"Oh Ryohei, did you go somewhere?"
Right after I arrived home, I was welcomed by my mother and little sister, who just returned from Tokyo.
Seeing them I can't help but smile, my eyes narrowed as my expression turned mellow.
"Yeah... I'm home."
I walk closer and hug both of them.
"Wha...? What's the occasion? what happened here? Ryohei??"
"Yaaaay! Hugies~"
My mother was confused, and my little sister was just happy. But I don't care... I just stayed still, expressing my relief that I can still hug both of them.