Ghost Hunt:Volume6, page 15
part #6 of Ghost Hunt Series
I hurriedly looked between the entrances of the coast side and the cove side. They were undoubtedly more narrow than when we came in. Already, the width that remained at the entrance of the cove side was only enough for a single person to pass through.
“Kyataya hanjasa hadaya sowaka!”
A red light quickly flowed into my field of vision. It rushed through the inside of the cave, however, the state of the closed entrance did not change. Nevertheless, the movement, which was in the process of closing at a visible rate, came to a dead stop.
“It’ll open naturally if we stop the source. Don’t worry about that.”
Naru’s voice spoke calmly.
The openings that remained at both the coast side and the cove side were only enough for a person to turn sideways and barely pass through. I stared at it for a while. I couldn’t help but confirm that it wasn’t moving or closing any further and we wouldn’t be trapped in here.
The beating sound continued. The sound of breathing also continued. Then, at that juncture, a loud sound joined the others. It was a sound resembling someone shouting something in the distance somewhere. It was the voices of many people shouting at the top of their voice’s with a scream. Though I looked around, there weren’t any figures. The voices were echoing in a place that was somewhere separated by something thick. Probably on the opposite side of the cave wall.... and now they drew nearer.
I closed my eyes tightly. There was a dark hole on the opposite side of the wall, and from within that, a large number of dead people were shouting as they drew nearer— I drove away that illusion. They came even closer. They would be here soon…
“In the beginning was the Word.”
John spoke. He connected his fingers and closed his eyes.
“The Word was with God. The Word was God. The Word was in the beginning with God. All things were made by the Word. Without the Word was not any thing made that was made...”
The voices that came across the wall halted.
Just as I sighed in relief, Naru spoke sternly.
“Bou-san, the prayer.”
“...Right.”
Bou-san said and continued his mantra. At the same time, a pale light began to illuminate the surface of the wall. Faint light, which shined dimly, seeped out onto the surface of the wall and formed pale human faces. One after another they rose to the surface here and there, and it seemed as though a countless number of masks were lined up. The faces appeared clearly, opened their mouths, and began to shout. Furthermore, two arms leisurely came out from beneath each face and went forward. The inside of the cave was filled with voices similar to screams.
“Naumaku sanmanda bazara dankan!”
The faces that had risen to the surface near Bou-san disappeared. Following this, Lin-san whistled with his fingers. Ayako and I cut the nine syllables and…
The inside of my mind was filled with the thought, “You should run away.” I remembered what happened when the base was attacked. If we cut the nine syllables, the faces would disappear for the time being, however, they would resurface shortly in that case and it would repeat. Even if we were to do that, it would be endless. We would inevitably become worn out…
A red light flowed through the inside of the cave once again. My eyes opened wide in astonishment as a transparent red color extended over my entire field of view. When it disappeared, I couldn’t see any of the faces that had emerged on a great deal of the wall’s surface.
That was Bou-san just now. When I thought this and looked back, Bou-san was just preparing his Tokkosho. He threw it into the shrine. It struck into the driftwood.
“Tari tsuta boritsu hara boritsu takimei takimei kara santan uenbi sowaka!”
At the same time as he finished speaking, Bou-san was blown back by some kind of force.
“Bou-san!”
“Takigawa-san!”
We rushed over and helped up Bou-san, who had fallen to the bottom of the wall.
“Are...are you okay!?”
“Oww…”
Yeah, I should think so.
“John. I’m sorry, but that Tokkosho...”
After this was said by Bou-san, John looked at the shrine.
“Break the driftwood with that.”
“Right!”
With a shout, John ran up to the shrine. He pulled out the Tokkosho and raised it overhead. Before he had time to pierce the driftwood, John was flung back this time and crashed beside Bou-san.
“John! —Yasuhara-san!”
Yasuhara-san broke into a run instead. He picked up the Tokkosho dropped by John and rushed toward the shrine. Now Yasuhara-san slammed into the wall.
...it’s completely useless. There’s nothing we can do about it.
“Yasuhara-san, are you okay?”
“...owowow. Well, somehow… I’m alive.”
At that time, a sickening calm voice resounded.
“Is that all?”
Naru turned his gaze toward Bou-san. His eyes were cold.
...I’m...I’m angry!!
“Knock it off!!!”
Naru turned his gaze toward me.
“What are you so worked up about!? Bou-san and everyone else already reached their limit saving you!! Why does everyone have to go so far just for the sake of your pride!?”
Naru only frowned.
“Even your pride is worthless! Don’t you think it’s ridiculous!? If your own pride is so important, why don’t you do it yourself without relying on others!? You have others protect you, so how much can that pride be worth!!?”
Ahhh, I’m furious! This guy!!
Naru looked at me expressionlessly.
“...That’s a just argument.”
Hmph. I won.
The beating sound and sound of breathing was still resounding in the cave. And the shouts of people could be heard from far away. I looked at the cave entrance. Somehow it was not a width where we would be trapped inside.
“Bou-san, are you okay?”
“I don’t seem very okay.”
“Let’s go. It’s enough… already.”
I led Bou-san by the hand. As I pulled, Bou-san raised his body.
“Naru-chan, sorry. I’m at my limit.”
Naru didn’t reply. Lin-san helped me lift Bou-san. John stood and supported Bou-san beneath his arm. Masako and Ayako lifted Yasuhara-san.
“Well, we’re going back.”
Lin-san and John supported Bou-san’s arms and began to leave. Naru had his back turned, oblivious of that. His gaze was fixed— toward the shrine.
“Naru?”
Though I called, he didn’t look back. The others, who had begun to hurry towards the entrance, looked back.
“Naru!?”
Lin-san shouted and quickly tried to turn back. John lost his balance and Bou-san nearly fell over, but he hastily stood firm in place.
“Naru! Don’t do it!!”
Naru didn’t look back. He advanced towards the shrine. His hair lightly drifted up as if he was encircled by a gentle breeze.
—What?
Just as I thought this, there was a ringing in my ears. I heard a low sound as if there were small insects or something flying deep within my ears. I quickly reached out my hand. Just as I touched Naru’s arm in an attempt to hold him back, something repelled my fingertips.
“Ow…!”
It was like strong static electricity. Like what occurs when you touch metal during dry weather midwinter. There was a violent striking sound and something solid caused a splitting pain against my fingertips.
What is this?
Naru stood directly facing the shrine.
What is that?
The air was distorted.
The air surrounding Naru’s body was clearly distorted as if a heat haze was rising from his body. It was rapidly thickening. The distortion immediately began spreading. Naru clenched his lowered right hand into a fist and grasped the wrist with his left hand. His stance looked like he was trying to accumulate something in the tip of his fist. Then, the air began to bend and warp around his fist at a visible speed.
Suddenly, I felt something strange on my skin. Like when the little hairs on your body bristle just as your hair rises up. It was similar to that. That feeling when static electricity happens… like when plastic sheets are brought close and rubbed together. I felt a gentle wind. It was something like an air flow rather than a wind.
Even the air around me was distorted. Everything looked shaken and distorted as if looking through warped glass or the inside of water.
“What is this?”
Naru had raised his hand just before I spoke. The distortion ended and a mass of congealed air dripped from the inside of his fist. That’s what it looked like. Lin-san spoke, but the ringing in my ears was intense and I couldn’t understand what he was saying.
Suddenly, Naru swung down his arm. The air broke from the top of his fist. —That’s what it looked like. A fissure was made in the air like a crack in warped glass and the scenery there was completely skewed. The fissure extended and began to spread in the direction in which his arm was swung down. In that moment, the glass filled landscape was torn to pieces and broke. The air crumbled, and the distorted image cracked along with the distorted shrine.
There was a strange feeling of air slowly creeping up from my feet. It caressed my spine, then disappeared.
In actuality, I think it only took about ten seconds from when Naru held his arm until then. After a long, long ten seconds passed, the same scene as before remained. The cave smelled of the tide and we all stood frozen as if rigid like the dark rock surface. Naru remained standing. I couldn’t hear the beating. There was neither breathing nor the voices. Instead, the sound of the waves could be heard.
The shrine remained unchanged with the door still open. However, that was excluding the driftwood inside there, which was broken. The fragments were scattered inside and around the shrine.
“What happened?”
Naru silently looked back at Bou-san’s weak voice. He had a sardonic smile on his face.
“The presence...”
Masako looked around the inside of the cave.
“The presence has disappeared. This place is no longer sacred ground.”
...eh?
Masako looked at the cave entrance.
“Even the spirits that had been gathered are gone…”
The entrance was completely back to normal, and from the wide open mouth one could see the waves break onto the rocky stretch. The horizon was visible beyond there and a white sky extended above that.
“This place is just a cave.”
“That thing… disappeared?”
Masako nodded.
“I think so. Definitely...”
Bou-san exhaled.
“Right now, I’m full of the desire that you would have done it from the beginning if you were able to exorcise it.”
Naru said nothing. He turned his gaze toward us and started walking.
“Let’s go.”
We looked at each other, then hastily followed him.
5
Helping Bou-san and Yasuhara-san, who were close to sinking to the ground, we went through the rocky stretch and returned to the coast. The tide had gradually risen and the stone path had become submerged to ankle depth. While staggering, we returned to the coast and sat down in the shade where it was dry and the waves could not reach. The pebbles on the beach were warm and I felt extremely relieved when I touched them.
“Bou-san, are you okay?”
I nudged Bou-san, who was exhausted.
“...I’m dying.”
“Pull yourself together.”
“...sleep.”
Yeah, yeah. Yasuhara-san was also crouched. His face had become ghastly pale.
“What about you, Yasuhara-san? Are you okay?”
“Well… it seems like I hit something hard...”
“Is it painful?”
Yasuhara-san looked directly at me.
“It’s terribly painful.”
Uh-oh. Was he joking or was he serious? Either way, immediate action was necessary.
Just as I thought something like that and attempted to stand up, Ayako suddenly cried out.
“Naru!”
When I looked back at her scream, Naru was lying on the beach.
Everyone rushed over. The one who leaped at him first was Lin-san.
...is—is it anemia again?
“Naru!?”
Attempting to lift Naru, Lin-san’s body suddenly stiffened. He immediately laid his face on top of Naru’s chest.
Naru’s face was pale. A faint shadow had visibly formed on his tightly closed eyelids.
“Hey, is he okay!?”
Ignoring Ayako’s screamed question, Lin-san straightened. He placed both his hands on Naru’s chest, applied his body weight, and pushed with all his strength.
If—if you do such a thing, Naru’s whole body will break!
Lin-san pressed his chest a few times in that way, then impatiently withdrew his hands. He grabbed Naru’s collar and swung up one hand.
...Wa—wait, Lin-san!!
Before I could stop him, there was a violent smacking noise. He slapped him mercilessly.
“Naru! Breathe!!”
…what did you just say?
John broke into a run.
“I’ll call an ambulance!”
***
Naru was taken to a nearby emergency hospital and, to our absolute terror, immediately taken to the intensive care unit.
We were forced out of the hospital room and stood dumbfounded in the corridor. Yasuhara-san, who was crouched over, was taken for treatment along with John and Bou-san. The door to the hospital room did not open for a while. Ayako went off somewhere saying she was going to check everyone’s conditions, and in the end, Masako, Lin-san and I stood there quietly waiting.
If I remain silent, I’ll only think about bad things. Just as I was getting sick of my dark thoughts, a doctor at last came out.
“Is someone his proxy?”
That being said, Lin-san went forward.
“It appears to be shock. His pulse is weak, and a considerable arrhythmia is present. His blood pressure is also very low. It resembles a heart attack, but judging from his electrocardiogram, it seems it’s not a heart attack. Has he ever had a similar attack before?”
“If it was light, several times. So far, it was the first time it was severe.”
“During his illness, was there any fever?”
“There was none.”
“Then, does he have allergies? Was he taking any medicine?”
“No.”
“What about an angina attack?”
“There was none.”
The doctor hmmed.
“Once the blood pressure elevation medicine is administered, his blood pressure will gradually return to normal. We can assume he is recovering from shock. Since there’s concern that complications will occur following this, he’ll be hospitalized for the time being and we will watch his progress.”
Masako covered her face and crouched on the spot. Seeing that, Lin-san bowed his head to the doctor.
“...Thank you in advance.”
“The nurse has an explanation of everything.”
After he saw off the doctor, who bowed and left, I pulled on Lin-san’s sleeve.
“Is something wrong with Naru?”
“No. There is no specific illness in particular.”
“Then… Naru used Qigong, didn’t he? Is that the cause?”
Lin-san’s eyes widened in surprise.
“He fainted before, too. You said it was anemia, but that wasn’t really the case, was it?”
My mother had died in an accident. The cause of death was shock from blood loss. Shock, I know, is a truly terrible condition.
“Did you stop Naru because you knew this would happen?”
Lin-san lightly exhaled.
“...That’s right.”
“Is Qigong such a dangerous technique? You can also cure illness with the technique, right? And yet, why does Naru get like this when he uses it?”
Lin-san patted my shoulders to calm me down.
“Everyone releases ch’i. That is what is known as presence. Usually, it is only released and cannot be used for anything. Qigong is a technique that successfully amplifies that and controls it for a certain purpose. It’s the same as any sport and with enough training, anyone can to do it to a certain extent. However, in Naru’s case, nothing can compare.”
...nothing can compare.
“It’s an innate ability. Naru used to cause poltergeists when he was a child.”
...ah.
“I taught him Qigong for the purpose of controlling the emission of ch’i that was uncontrollable by his own consciousness. Therefore, his style is quite similar to Qigong. However, it’s on a completely different level.”
“Is...that so?”
“Yes. Nevertheless, Naru’s power is too great for a human being. Therefore, if he uses it, his body is unable to keep up.”
“...It’s my fault.”
Tears spilled. However, I think crying at this point is a cowardly thing.
“It’s because I said things in order to provoke him.”
“It was his fault for taking the provocation.”
“But...”
Lin-san laughed slightly.
“Naru knew what would happen. If he was cool-headed, then he would not have taken the provocation like he did. In the first place, he’s not the kind of person to lose his composure. He will be extremely angry with his blunder. The loss of restraint will damage his self-esteem, since his pride is ridiculously high.”
...that’s true, but…
“It’s a foolish thing to risk your life for the sake of pride. When he wakes up, he will realize that. It’s good medicine. —Although, he will probably be in a bad mood for a while.”
“...maybe.”
“Being upset caused him to blunder and draw a sword that should not be drawn. He will be difficult for a while and lose his temper because of his so-called double blunder. If he had also failed in the exorcism, he would have died from indignation.”
I laughed a little.
“...You’re right. —Will he heal properly?”
Lin-san gave me a small smile.
“Of course.”
