A heartbeat.Then another.Kouki opened his eyes slowly, his eyelids heavy as concrete. His vision was blurry, dark spots floated in front of him.Everything was hazy.He tried to move… but his arms were numb. A tingling sensation crawled up his spine. He felt wood beneath his palms. A rough fabric under his neck.The smell of incense hit his nostrils. Strong. Peppery. Mystical.— Where the hell… am I, man…
He blinked several times. The room began to take shape.Walls covered with ancient parchments and circular talismans. A dozen black candles resting on obsidian pedestals formed a circle around him. From the ceiling, skeletons of giant birds hung from chains. At the far end, an altar covered in feathers, ashes, and grotesque shamanic masks. To his right, a stuffed bird with red eyes seemed to stare straight at him.
— What the actual hell is this…
He sat up slowly. Was this a museum? A basement? A torture chamber for demonic pigeons?A deep thud echoed.Heavy footsteps. Very heavy.Then a booming voice outside.
— Where is that little runt?! WHO HAS THE KEY TO THIS DAMN ROOM?! Another voice replied. Calm, slightly dry. Feminine, composed. Like a secretary who'd seen far worse.
— Lord Karasuma, I must ask you not to shout. The wood on these doors is very old.
— I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE WOOD! OPEN THIS CRAP!
The door exploded. Literally. A massive old man walked in, the floor trembling with each of his steps. Broad chest, volcanic voice, chalk-white mustache, feather tattoos running down his arms. His aura hit like a punch to the gut.He slammed the door behind him without even closing it properly.
— You and me.
Kouki frowned, still seated.
— Who the hell are you?
The old man's gaze flared.
— ANSWER ME! SHE SENT YOU, DIDN'T SHE?! HOW DARE SHE DEFY OUR RULES LIKE THIS?!
— Huh? What? Who? Who the hell are you even talking about?!
— DON'T PLAY DUMB!
The old man grabbed a rope hanging on the wall, yanked it sharply.Kouki didn't even have time to react: chains wrapped around his ankles, and he was suddenly hanging upside down, arms dangling, blood rushing to his head.
— WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENIIIIING?!
— YOU LOOK LIKE A KID BUT YOU'RE HIDING YOUR TRUE NATURE! MOTHER SENT YOU, DIDN'T SHE?!
— Huh?! My mom?!
— NOT YOUR MOM, IDIOT!!!
— …Your mom?!
The old man turned around, neck veins ready to explode.
— Mother. THAT DAMN KANE MATRIARCH! THE GREATEST SHAMAN OF THE CENTURY MY ASS! THAT OLD SNAKE WITH A THOUSAND SPIRITS! I'LL SKIN HER MYSELF!!!
He yelled so loud one of the stuffed birds fell from a shelf.
— Seriously?! You're hanging me upside down, you're just yelling nonstop, what the hell is your damn problem?!
— SHUT UP, YOU LITTLE SHIT!
— ARE YOU ALL NUTS IN THIS FAMILY OR WHAT?! I DIDN'T EVEN ASK TO BE PART OF YOUR ZOOPHILIC WIZARD WAR!!
— HUH?! I'LL MAKE YOU MUTE FOR LIFE, YOU LITTLE—!
— Ahem.
The door opened. This time softly. Perfect. Soundless.Hiraki entered. Upright. Unshakable. Hair in a tight bun, talismans at her waist, sharp gaze behind razor-thin glasses.
— Karasuma-sama. "Mother" is on the line.
The old man froze. Immediately.
— …Shit.
He turned on his heels.
— Leave me alone with her. And get me MY damn tea.
— Yes, master.
He left, grumbling. The door closed.Hiraki slowly stepped toward Kouki. He was spinning gently like a broken clock.
— Uh… Hi? Wait I recognize you, you're the cosplayer from last time! Could you untie me? My head's starting to spin...
She observed him.
— Your nose is bleeding. It would be best to avoid letting the blood pool in your sinuses.
— SO CAN YOU UNTIE ME OR WHAT?!
— …Use this to work on your abs.
She turned on her heels. Kouki kept spinning slowly, hanging by his feet.
— …Freaking family of lunatics.
Kouki was starting to lose feeling in his toes. Hanging upside down for too long, the blood was pounding in his temples, his eyes were watery, his throat dry. He sighed, barely aware of what he was mumbling.
— Seriously… I'm gonna die in a basement, upside down. What a destiny…
The door burst open. He didn't have time to look up.Patriarch Karasuma walked in without a word. He stomped heavily toward the rope, grabbed it abruptly and…CLACK.Kouki crashed to the ground. A dry fall, no ceremony. He groaned, trying to push himself up on his elbows.The old man didn't even look at him. He stopped at the door and stared out at the horizon through the open frame.
— You're staying here. Until further notice.And he left.
Kouki stayed there, not moving. Silence again. A buzzing in his ears. The old man's command took a while to reach his brain.
— …Wait what? What the hell is that supposed to mean? "Stay here"? Here here? Like, in this creepy ass room?!
He sat up halfway, grumbling, and grabbed the wall for support. Felt like someone had shaken his brain in a cup.The door opened again. This time, more gently. A figure entered.He looked up.
Kiko.
He froze. For a second, he wondered if he was hallucinating. Then he felt something lift off his shoulders. Finally, a familiar face. More importantly, a non-hostile one.She approached without a word, knelt beside him, and pulled a tissue from her pocket.
— Your nose is bleeding.
She handed him the tissue.He took it, a bit dazed, and slowly wiped away the drop of blood still under his nostril.
— Thanks… You have no idea how glad I am to see you.
She didn't answer. Just a small breath through her nose.
— So… what is this place? Seriously. I feel like I'm locked inside some taxidermist's acid trip.
— You want the truth? This is the chamber of ancient rites. It's used for rooting pacts. And sometimes for heavy exorcisms… when a shaman loses grip and risks corruption.
He shivered involuntarily.
— Great. So I was in the waiting room for possessed people. Perfect.
She stood up slowly, scanning the room.
— My father chose to bring you here. It was the only option. After what happened with the Zohōn, the energy you released, your link to the elephant spirit… it didn't go unnoticed.
— Yeah, I figured. So like… where are we exactly? I mean, what part of the city?
— We're no longer in Osaka. Welcome to Takayama. Gifu Prefecture. We're up in the mountains, on Karasuma land. A protected place. Isolated. Perfect to make sure nobody accidentally kills you.
He blinked.
— Gifu? But that's all the way across the country… How the hell did we get here so fast?
— Thanks to my father.
— What, does he have a private jet?
— Better. He fuses with his shikigami. A three-tailed phoenix. He can cross the skies at lightning speed. It's called Raikō-ten.
Kouki stared at her, speechless. She remained perfectly calm.
— Yeah… this is definitely not what I signed up for.
She started heading toward the door. He followed her with his eyes, observing her steady, confident stride. Nothing like the tense, guarded girl from the other night.
He stood up carefully, massaging his shoulder, then slowly followed. His gaze drifted—unintentionally—across her silhouette and curves. Just for a second. Just enough for his heart to beat faster, without really knowing why.
She was waiting at the threshold.
— Come. I'll show you around the estate. You've seen the worst room. Might as well understand where you've landed. He nodded.
— You're right. I'm already in hell anyway. Might as well take the tour.
She smirked slightly. And they walked out together.Kiko's steps were precise, almost solemn, as she guided Kouki along the paths of the Karasuma estate. The afternoon sun bathed the gardens in warm, golden light.
The gravel crunched under their feet. Around them, perfectly trimmed groves framed stone pathways, and an open aviary let out the songs of rare birds
—some with fluorescent feathers, others with almost human-like eyes.
— This is… huge, said Kouki, looking around. And quiet. Like, too quiet.
— Silence is a barrier, she replied. Nothing gets through here without us knowing.
They passed in front of an open building, where worn tatami mats told of long years of training. On the walls, training dummies
—both human and animal—some marked with shamanic glyphs. Round, black, red symbols. Alive.
— Spiritual training hall, Kiko explained. Every Karasuma spends at least two hours a day here. Even my father.
— Seriously? Even him?
— Even him.
They continued, crossing a small wooden bridge over a lotus-filled pond. A breeze lifted the hem of Kiko's haori.
— By the way, said Kouki, eyeing a sort of greenhouse protected by a faint energy field, I'm curious… how do you guys afford all this? I mean, between the exotic plants, the birds, the buildings, and the blinking talismans… you've got an army-sized budget.
— You're not far off.
She slowed her pace a little.
— Professional shamans get paid. Every mission assigned by the Japanese Psychopomp Order comes with a fee. The more dangerous the Zohōn, the higher the reward.
— Like how much? Give me a scale.
She raised her fingers, methodically.
— Level 1: about $54,000. In yen, 8 million. Level 2: $108,000 — 16 million yen. Level 3: $540,000 — 80 million yen. Level 4: $1.08 million — 160 million yen. Level 5: $10.8 million — 1.6 billion yen. Level 6: $54 million — 8 billion yen. Level 7… $200 million. In yen? 32 billion.
Kouki froze. His mouth dropped.
— …Did you just say...WHAT?!
— You heard me perfectly.
— And the things we fought the other night?
— Level 1. Maybe 2 for the one with the collar. Not more.
— …FUCK. So logically, I should get half, right?!
She barely smiled.
— You get… 0 yen. You don't have a license. You're not affiliated. You weren't even supposed to be there.
— Great. So I fought an illegal battle for free.
— Article 49-B of the Psychopomp Code: "Any non-accredited shaman operating on a territory without authorization is considered intrusive and must be neutralized."It means what it says.
He sighed.
— And your dad, I'm guessing he took it personally?
— Yes. And he's not the only one. Any clan leader would've reacted the same. Others might've killed you before asking any questions.You're part of the Kane clan. And they're… different.
— Speaking of my family, who exactly are the Kane? My dad never told me any of this shaman stuff, and I've never met a single member of that damn family.
She stopped in front of an ancient tree, its trunk engraved with seals carved directly into the bark.
— The Kanes are the masters of the Mammal Pact—but not just that. They're the most powerful psychopomp clan in the world.Their matriarch, Mother, is… unique. She's also called the Shaman of a Thousand Spirits. She oversees the entire psychopomp network of West Africa.
Kouki's eyes widened.
— A thousand… spirits? I don't know much, but that sounds huge, right?
— You have no idea. A very high-level shaman can handle maybe 3 or 4, 5 max. Mother is way beyond that. She's… something else.And she's on her way. She wants to meet you. My father spoke with her.
He swallowed.
— Ok… cool vibe.I'm about to meet a great-aunt I never heard of, who can probably atomize me with a single eyelash.
They reached a large wooden door, decorated with feathers, red lines, and a reverse spiral symbol.Kouki put his hand on the handle.
— Is this the famous room?
— Wait—! No!
He opened it. He had barely caught a glimpse of the room when Kiko slammed the door shut violently, then stepped in front of him.
— Are you out of your mind?!
— What the hell is your problem?!
She froze. Her breath uneven.
— …That was my brother's room.
Silence fell like a lead weight.
— He died when I was seven.He protected me once. Just once. And it cost him his life.
Kouki lowered his eyes.
— I'm sorry. I didn't know.
She nodded slowly.
— I hate being protected. I don't need saving. No one really does.Especially not me. That whole thing about men having to protect women? It's stupid. Everyone's responsible for themselves. And I don't want anyone dying because of me.
A pause.
— About the other night… she said, almost whispering. Thanks for stepping in. It wasn't meant to be harsh, I admit that.I just have a hard time with people slapping the "fragile girl" label on me.But you didn't deserve it. I was unfair.
He ran a hand behind his neck.
— I'm no better. I yelled too. And pushed it. I'm sorry.
— No, it's me who—
— No, it's me.
— Kouki!
— I said I started it!
— I'm the one who sulked first!
— DAMN YOU'RE A PAIN IN THE ASS, YOU KNOW THAT?!
— AND YOU'RE A CHILD!! YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED SINCE YESTERDAY, DAMMIT!!
— Karasuma-sama, please watch your language.
They turned around. Hiraki. Arms crossed. Ice in her tone.They froze. Then, as if by reflex… both burst out laughing.
Kiko shook her head.
— Come on. I'll show you my favorite room.
They entered a large hall. Entire walls were lined with shamanic weapons—swords, spears, chains, chakrams, kyoketsu-shoge, even bows engraved with ancient Yoruba scripts. Some weapons hummed faintly with their own energy.
— This is the psychopomp armory.There are weapons from Japan, Benin, Ghana, Tibet… And some are one of a kind.That one — Amatsuhikari. A double-bladed sword that can slice through energy veils.
— And that one? asked Kouki, pointing to a curved weapon.
— Shael'tari. A weapon designed by Mother herself. It uses triple flow: focus, soundwave, and spirit echo. If you don't have the affinity, it vibrates until your arm gives out.
He approached a pair of blade-rings.
— These… they speak to me.
— They're called Kazetsume. Used by ancient dancer-warrior shamans.They channel speed. You seemed pretty agile the other night.Wanna spar? You can try any weapon you like.
— I'm not the kind of guy who fights girls…
She stared at him. Slowly.
— Can you quit with your sexist bullshit?
— I said no. Period.
— I'm not asking for a duel to the death, I'm offering you a tryout. And trust me, I don't plan on losing to a rookie who knows nothing. Kane clan or not, it doesn't matter.
— I never said that—
— What, scared of a girl, Kane?
He grabbed Kazetsume and slipped them onto his fingers.
— Fine. But if I win… we sleep in the same bed tonight!
— Not a chance! Pick something else!
— Hmmm… then you call me Senpai for a week.
— If I win, you clean every aviary on the estate.
They stepped forward, each to their side.
— Deal.