Tokyo Exorcism Diary

The crimson glow of his left eye trailed through the air, leaving a long, eerie red streak in its wake.

Like a phantom, Hoshino Gen materialized before the terrified couple.

With a swift swing of his wooden stick, the man’s thigh emitted a sharp crack, and he collapsed to the ground with a pained howl. Desperately, he grabbed at the boy’s pant leg, his distorted face twisted with agony as he strained to look up at Hoshino Gen. His voice was hoarse, filled with despair. “Kill me… I deserve it. But… please, spare Seiko… She’s not like us! She had no choice! She… she only did this to save her father…”

Bang!

Hoshino Gen kicked away the man’s arm, silencing him with a foot pressed to his skull. The man’s pleading voice was abruptly cut off.

“So, you decided others should pay the price for your misfortune?” Hoshino Gen’s voice, layered with an unnatural timbre, carried a chilling resonance. He lowered his head slightly, his crimson left eye locking onto the man’s now-fading consciousness. A small, cruel smile crept onto his lips. Slowly, he lifted his foot and then brought it down with a sharp stomp.

The sound of bones breaking was accompanied by the sickening squelch of something unspeakable staining the ground.

Yoshida Seiko sat paralyzed, her body trembling uncontrollably. Her face was pale as a sheet, her eyes wide with terror as she watched Hoshino Gen approach step by step.

The wooden stick rose before her eyes.

In her fright, she squeezed her eyes shut, a scream stuck in her throat. In the next instant, her world spun into darkness, her vision never returning.

The stench of blood was so overpowering it seemed to saturate the entire hall. Hoshino Gen’s breathing grew heavy, laborious.

With some difficulty, he pulled a taLizman from his waist and pressed it to his forehead. His lips moved as if reciting a chant. Moments later, the taLizman dissolved into shimmering blue particles flowing into his crimson left eye.

The ominous red glow gradually faded, but Hoshino Gen’s forehead was now damp with sweat.

Turning to glance at the hellish scene he had created in his partially uncontrolled state, he lowered his gaze and stood silently for a long while.

From the corner of the room came a trembling voice. Bound to a beam, blindfolded, Liz’s uncertain whisper cut through the stillness. “A-are you… still there?”

Though her English carried a British accent, Hoshino Gen understood her well enough. After all, despite their differences, British and American English were fundamentally the same language.

Snapping back to reality, Hoshino Gen retrieved another batch of talismans from his waist and casually flung them behind him. Each talisman landed precisely on a corpse. Flames erupted, consuming the hellish tableau until nothing remained but ashes.

Only after clearing the scene did he approach Liz.

With a flick of his stick, the talisman covering her eyes was cast aside. Another downward slash severed the ropes binding her.

Liz collapsed onto the ground, her face pale, her eyes rimmed red with tears. She looked up at Hoshino Gen, her lips quivering. “Th-thank you… Thank you…”

Hoshino Gen gave her a cold glance but said nothing. Without a word, he turned to leave.

Seeing this, Liz scrambled to her feet to follow, stumbling slightly from exhaustion. Though her body and mind were battered from her ordeal, she knew staying close to Hoshino Gen was her only solace.

As they left the hall, Liz couldn’t help but glance around in curiosity. The terrifying scene she expected to find was gone; there was nothing left. It was as if her harrowing kidnapping had been nothing but a nightmare.

But this illusion of normalcy only unsettled her further, and she hurried to catch up with Hoshino Gen.

…

The skies, once bright and clear, were now heavy with dark clouds, lightning flashing across the horizon.

Walking along a deserted path far from the city, surrounded by endless fields, Hoshino Gen moved at a steady, unhurried pace. His body was wracked with exhaustion, yet he found a peculiar comfort in the oppressive skies and vast wilderness.

The only disturbance to this tranquility was the labored breathing of Liz, struggling to keep up behind him.

For once, Hoshino Gen didn’t feel irritated. In fact, he was mildly impressed by her resilience.

For a child who had just endured a kidnapping and witnessed a gruesome scene, not breaking down entirely was a feat in itself. This frail, pampered nine-year-old girl had managed to grit her teeth and follow him for such a long distance. It was commendable in its own way.

But only to an extent. Beyond mild surprise, Hoshino Gen offered no further recognition or sympathy.

After another half hour of walking—

A single raindrop splashed onto Hoshino Gen’s forehead, followed by the low rumble of thunder. Moments later, a torrential downpour engulfed them, soaking both to the bone.

Neither said a word, silently enduring the rain as they trudged through the increasingly muddy path.

That silence was broken when a soft thud came from behind him. Hoshino Gen turned to see Liz sprawled in a muddy puddle, her small hands braced against the ground. Her eyes were red and brimming with tears that mingled with the rain as they streamed down her face.

Fear, cold, exhaustion, and pain finally broke her. Liz couldn’t hold back anymore. She began to cry.

Hoshino Gen stood there for a moment, rain dripping from his hair. Impatience crept into his voice. “How long are you planning to sit there?”

Liz sobbed quietly, her voice shaky and thick with a nasal tone. “I-I’m sorry… I can’t… I can’t move… My legs won’t work…”

With that, her suppressed grief burst forth, and she wailed openly, the sound of her cries carried away by the storm.

Soaked to the skin, her once-brilliant golden hair was now disheveled and matted with mud, making her look like a discarded porcelain doll abandoned in the wilderness.

Hoshino Gen watched her cry in silence, then sighed, realizing he couldn’t just leave her there. If she got herself kidnapped again, it’d only cause more trouble for him.

He crouched down in front of her, his voice cold and indifferent. “Get on. And stop crying. If you keep it up, I’ll throw you into the pond over there and leave you to cry all you want.”

At his words, Liz immediately choked back her sobs. Whether out of fear or some other emotion, she clamped her mouth shut and silently climbed onto his back, her small body trembling.

Carrying her, Hoshino Gen resumed walking through the downpour.

Liz buried her face into his shoulder, her muffled voice trembling with guilt. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry…”