Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume 6 Chapter 5 (section)

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I stood in the cave, vacantly watching the waves crash against the rocks at the entrance. Small orbs of light were also crashing along with the waves. It looked like snow.

...ah, I’m dreaming again...

A figure appeared among the waves. It was a woman. She was walking solemnly. With her head bowed and shoulders drooped.

“Nao-san...”

Nao-san, who had finally reached the cave, walked quietly as if she didn’t notice me and exited towards the cove.

“Wait, Nao-san.”

Upon exiting to the cove, Nao-san was taken in by the wind and blown up towards the sky.

I released a single sigh and looked back behind me. The small shrine was visible. It appeared distorted again. It gave off a very unpleasant atmosphere. I wondered if I should try to get nearer, however, I absolutely couldn’t bring myself to do such a thing.

I vacantly watched the shrine for a while. And then, when my gaze returned to the sea, Nao-san once again entered my vision as she entered the cave from there.

“...Nao-san?”

She did not reply. When I rushed towards her, she unexpectedly flew away as if gently pushed by the wind. Without even shifting her gaze, she went out to the cove, then she was blown up towards the sky again. When I waited for a while, she emerged from the sea again. She repeated this over and over.

“...what?”

I wondered what was going on.

“What is she doing? Please tell me. —Naru! Why aren’t you here!?”

“Rebirth ritual.”

A voice suddenly came from behind. When I looked back, Naru was smiling.

...what!? If I call him, I’ll see him? I thought something like that.

“Rebirth ritual?”

“I think that’s probably so. Passing through a dark hole signifies being reborn once more. Although she’s passing through this cave over and over like that, I think she’s trying to change her nature into something different.”

...something different…

“This cave is summoning souls. A soul that’s summoned like that repeats the ritual. I understand it to that extent, but...”

“I’m a soul right now, aren’t I?”

Oh no, oh no, oh no!  I don’t have to participate in that ritual, do I?

“That’s right. Therefore, it’s best not to get too close to here... let’s go.”

Naru held out his hand. I took his hand a little nervously. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel anything. Naturally, it was because I currently didn’t have a body. When he pulled my hand, we rode on a short breeze and soared to the top of the cove like surfacing from the water.

“Hey, Naru?”

‘Hmm?’ he asked as he gently directed his gaze toward me.

“Before, you told me you showed me the direction of the dream, right? Was it also like that all the way until now?”

There was no reply to this. He simply smiled softly.

Wispy lights floated up from the cove one after another.

“Mai...”

“What?”

I looked back when I was called, but there wasn’t anyone there.

“Naru?”

“—Mai.”

Where... where is that voice coming from?

“Mai!”

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Y-y-y-yes!

I was suddenly awake. Before my eyes was Masako’s appalled expression.

“Ah...”

When I hurriedly looked around, I was in the base. I was leaning against the wall and seemed to have dozed off. I couldn’t see anyone other than Masako. The morning light was shining in through the window.

“S-sorry. Did you call me?”

Masako stared coldly.

“It seems it would have been better not to have called.”

“Not particularly... ”

“You were probably on a date with someone, right?”

W-w-w-what is this unexpectedly?

Masako smiled maliciously, 

“You seem to have mistaken me for someone else... or something.”

Oh no!

“That— that’s not true! I didn’t make that mistake, it honestly isn’t like that, it wasn’t that kind of mistake, err...”

I was dripping cold sweat.

Masako pouted a little, then looked into my face.

“Were there any clues?”

I recalled the dream and my mood fell abruptly.

“...Nao-san was passing through the cave over and over again.”

Masako looked at me doubtfully.

“Through the cave?”

“Yeah. She went through to the cove from the sea over and over. Was it… rebirth ritual?”

“Yes, that is where someone passes through a dark hole. [[Ghost_Hunt:Volume6_Translator's_Notes#Tainai-meguri|Tainai-meguri]].”

“Tainai-meguri?”

“That kind of place is common to shrines and temples. There is a dark tunnel and it is likened to the belly of a mother. Upon exiting the tunnel and going out, one is born anew.”

Really?

“However, why is Nao-san doing such a thing? ...I wonder if it is the process of transmigration of the soul.”

“Transmigration of the soul, is that reincarnation?”

“Yes... I do not understand it well.”

...yeah.

“Where is everyone?”

“At the entrance... —They have returned.”

When Masako indicated the entrance of the room, lively voices from the direction of the corridor grew closer. The lattice door opened and everyone returned. Though, I noticed the number of people was one greater.

“...Yasuhara-san!”

When I raised my voice, Yasuhara-san (Yasuhara Osamu. Originally a client.), who was surrounded by everyone, directed a smile towards me. Yasuhara-san’s personality seemed just like his expression appeared.

“Ah, Taniyama-san, hello.”

I felt somewhat relieved. Seeing his bright smile during such a painful mood was delightful.

“As I thought, you were who Bou-san called.”

“That’s right, it was me.”

“You got here just now? Was it difficult?”

Yasuhara-san gave a brisk nod.

“It was really difficult. Even I’m fascinated by my finesse.”

“Where did you come from?”

“I was in Okinawa.”

Eeeep!

“You arrived quickly, didn’t you?”

Today, right on the heels of yesterday. Fairly early this morning.

“Right? After I hung up the phone, I immediately packed my bags and went to the airport. Because of my critically ill friend.”

“Critically ill friend?”

“Indeed. I wasn’t just enjoying myself, I was in the middle of my part-time job as a [[Ghost_Hunt:Volume6_Translator's_Notes#Bellboy|bellboy]] at a resort hotel. I said my friend named Takigawa was critically ill because of an accident. Saying so, I was able to escape.”

Bou-san smiled wryly.

“Who’s critically ill? Not me!”

“Now, now.  Because of that, one way or another, I caught a flight up to Fukuoka. I got on the last bullet train and went to Osaka. From there, I further hopped on the night train. Then, I arrived this morning.”

“Remarkable.”

I clapped my hands.

“Right?”

Laughing, Yasuhara-san looked at Bou-san.

“Well? What should I do?”

“We can’t move from here. [[Ghost_Hunt:Volume6_Translator's_Notes#Sh.C5.8Dnen|Shōnen]], I want you to gather information outside.”

“Oh, I see. I should be a detective. But, what kind of information should I gather?”

“I’ll describe the details right now… ”

Bou-san said, then questioned Yasuhara-san.

“Which reminds me, Shōnen. About what year was the Ansei era?”

“The [[Ghost_Hunt:Volume6_Translator's_Notes#Ansei_Purge|Ansei Purge]] was the year 1858. Wasn’t it thereabout?”

Remarkable. Truly.

“Well, that kind of information.”

“Got it.”