Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume 6 Chapter 5 (section)

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Yasuhara-san left without even taking time to drink tea, and those of us left behind checked last night’s data. As soon as it began playing, all of us couldn’t help frowning.

“What... is this sound?”

A low sound came from every camera. It was almost as if the sea was roaring. Slowly, it repeatedly increased and decreased. It somehow sounded like the breathing of a large beast.

“It’s like the breathing of a sleeping dinosaur...”

That strange description came from John.

“Exactly.”

We listened to that eerie sound for a while.

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It was after it had become late in the afternoon of that day. We, who had been idling in the base, stood up at the shrill sound of bells.

“...what is that!?”

“Isn’t it the fire alarm?”

When we went out into the corridor, there was a faint smoke drifting from the direction of the main building. As we ran, smoke could be seen through the window rising from the back of the main building.

“...isn’t that the grandmother’s room!?”

“It looks like it.”

As we ran up, flames were rising from the back of the corridor that led to the tatami mat room where the grandmother was.

“Takigawa-san!”

Akifumi-san, who was putting out the fire with a blanket, raised his voice.

“Are you okay!? What about your grandmother!?”

“My father just went in from the window.”

“What about the little kids?”

“They were already taken outside.”

Hiroe-obasan rushed over carrying a fire extinguisher. I took it. 

“Are there more!?”

“Yes. We’re collecting them now.”

Hiroe-obasan said, then ran away. John held out his hands, so I passed him the fire extinguisher. I was about to follow Hiroe-obasan. It was at that time. Lin-san suddenly looked back behind him.

“...Naru.”

“Eh!?”

Lin-san pivoted and rushed off.

“Please look after things here!”

Look after… I reflexively started running, too.

“Mai!?”

“Ayako, collect the fire extinguishers with Masako!”

I shouted to Ayako, who was dumbfounded, and ran after Lin-san.

...everyone, I’m sorry!

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Lin-san rushed into the base. I bound into the base right after him.

“Ah...!?”

In the base was Lin-san and another person… Kazuyasu-san was there.

While peering in Lin-san’s direction, Kazuyasu-san tore up the sliding door that lead to the next room with the kitchen knife he gripped. He raised one hand and shook the sliding door, however, it would not open. Growing irritated, he stabbed the paper with the point of the knife. The tightly closed door was in shreds because of that.

“Kazuyasu-san...”

“This means there is someone who is still possessed.”

Lin-san said as he looked at Kazuyasu-san. 

“Stop that. If you open that, you are going to die.”

Kazuyasu-san roared. He heavily drew back his kitchen knife and stabbed it. A deep gash was made on the sliding door.

“Taniyama-san, will you try attacking with the nine syllables?”

“What... !?”

I was told I shouldn’t use it on people.

“If I do it, he will be seriously injured.”

“But!”

“That barrier will not hold much longer. If Naru is awoken, it will be the end.”

But... Suddenly, an image of the burns on the backs of Katsuki-kun and Wakako-chan appeared in my mind. Hurting people is a dreadful thing.

Kazuyasu-san stabbed the knife again. A long hole opened in the sliding door. The white profile of Naru, who was lying down, was visible through the tear. I raised my hand to ward off Kazuyasu-san, but my hand would not move. I was still hesitating…

Lin-san whistled with his fingers. Kazuyasu-san again pierced the point of the blade into the hole in the sliding door. The hole expanded—

The thing I saw then made me stiffen. From out of the hole came— a red arm. It was an arm of about the length of a child’s and it seemed somewhat twisted. The skin looked like tanned leather, and yet, it was red as if wet with blood. The fingers were gnarled like knots, and the nails were as long as fingers...

It moved with a speed that sliced the air, then disappeared into the hole. A moment later, blood went flying and splattered the surface of the sliding door. Kazuyasu-san dropped the kitchen knife. Four deep, narrow wounds were carved into his arm as if gouged out—

Despite me being stunned, Lin-san moved without hesitation. Before I knew it, he had approached Kazuyasu-san, who was crouched and holding his arm, which was stained crimson with gushing blood. Again, blood flew. The spray painted speckles over the sliding door. This time, it was Lin-san who was bleeding.

“Lin-san!”

Lin-san thrust his arm, which was deeply cut, toward Kazuyasu-san. However, Kazuyasu-san quickly drew back. He sprang back like a cat. The movement didn’t seem human.

“Rin...”

I raised my hand.

“Pyō... Tō, Sha,”

This... terrible fight cannot be allowed!

“Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen!”

Kazuyasu-san howled. He flopped on top of the tatami mat, tumbling, then immediately got up and charged towards me. He hurled himself from right in front of me and I involuntarily screamed. He hit me and my back heavily collided with a post. For an instant, I stopped breathing, but I immediately shook my head with vigor.

...what happened to Kazuyasu-san!?

He wasn’t in the room. The figure of Lin-san could be seen rushing out of the base. Though my feet got tangled, I chased after him. When I went out into the corridor, Kazuyasu-san had just broken through a window that was at the end of the corridor and flew outside.

“Taniyama-san, please call Takigawa-san! Send someone to the base!”

“Alright!”