Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume 6 Chapter 6 (section)

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After that, along with low voices chanting sutras outside the room, the sounds of banging and the scratching of something continued until dawn. When it finally quieted down and I looked outside from a gap in the curtains, the sky had become faintly bright.

“Well, shall we work a little more?”

I was surprised upon hearing Bou-san’s voice.

“Why don’t you sleep more?”

I know, in the end, without removing the barrier, Bou-san served as a barricade and mostly didn’t sleep. He was finally about to doze off just now.

“I can’t do that. I have to hurry.”

“Why? Won’t it also be okay after it becomes daytime?”

“I wish I could wait, but I can’t. It isn’t necessarily safe because it’s daytime, and if we don’t settle it quickly, there’s no telling what will happen. If we’re attacked again tonight like we were last night, it’s unlikely I can handle them again in this condition.”

...yeah.

“Lin-san, you stay here. I’m going to remove the barrier since it weakens my energy.”

“Understood.”

“Well then, shall we go?”

“But, where are you going?”

When I asked, Bou-san laughed.

“The ‘Sanroku mounds’, of course. You heard the voices chanting sutras, right?”

...ah.

John nodded at Bou-san’s voice.

“And the three were using the spirits gathered around here as enslaved spirits.”

“It’s not only the gathered spirits. It’s also probably the five from the riot who were beheaded and the princess and her lover from the legend. All the spirits of the people who died roughly around this area, I think they’re all being enslaved as shiki.”

“That’s a staggering amount.”

Bou-san shrugged his shoulders as if fed up.

“Sort of.”

“You should sleep.”

It was Ayako who firmly said that all of a sudden.

“Then, are you saying we leave it to John alone? John is tired, too!”

“I’ll do it.”

Bou-san sighed.

“I hate to say it, but it’s impossible for you.”

“Look, I can do it!”

“Say that after you’ve been more useful.”

Actually, that’s true. But, there was something she said last night. There being conditions or something…

“There were circumstances up till now. I can do it this time. Leave it to me and both you and John go to bed. You’re unsteady on your feet.”

“Do you think I’ll say, ‘Yes, very well,’ and go to sleep?”

John stopped Bou-san, who was going to say something further.

“Why don’t we accept Matsuzaki-san’s kind offer and leave it to her?”

“John, wait a sec.”

John looked at Ayako and smiled.

“However, I do not know what will happen, so may I go along as a measure of precaution? I’ll just watch since I’m very tired.”

“You don’t trust me, huh?”

“I think there’s a difference between trust and irresponsible neglect.”

After frowning slightly, Ayako sighed.

“Even though I was offering out of kindness...”

“Sorry.”

“It’s not like you have to apologize to me. How ridiculous.”

...what? What’s with this confidence suddenly??

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A morning fog was drifting outside. We left cautiously just in case, however, there were no signs in particular of an oncoming attack. The shop building was in terrible condition. The corridor walls were mostly chipped, and there were spots left on the pillars as well as the floor and ceiling as if they had been struck with an axe.

Still being cautious, we headed for the shrine. There was also a fog drifting around the small compound of the shrine. In the distance, birds were chirping peacefully. It felt bizarre. 

The ‘Sanroku mounds’ were also immersed within the fog. Ayako was holding a single bottle of sake and just the branch of a sakaki tree, which had a bell attached to it.

“Ayako, can you really do it?”

When I asked, Ayako laughed confidently.

“I’m telling you, leave it to me. There’s no place better than this.”

“Place?”

“...Yes.”

Ayako looked over the compound.

“Although it’s small, faith securely remains. The trees are also alive.”

“The trees?”

Ayako nodded. She scattered sake on the roots of the compound’s trees.

“There was a large camphor tree in front of my parents’ home.”

...oh?

“A wonderful one with a sacred rope tied around it. It taught me various things from the time when I was little.”

After saying this, Ayako frowned slightly.

“When I was little, since it would even inform me of the time of death of the patients that came to the hospital, I would get scolded every time I told my parents.”

“...really?”

“To tell the truth, I don’t think I have that much power. Still, I am a miko.”

Ayako erected the sakaki in front of the mounds. There was a clear jingling sound.

“I will begin.”

She put her hands together.

“I reverently offer this prayer for thy presence…”

I was sure it was the same prayer Ayako always did, but even so, it was much simpler than usual. And yet, it seemed like something profound, which was completely different. It was likely that Ayako’s own aura was different.

Ayako smoothly proceed with the ritual, her hands folded in prayer,

“Hail, I pray to thee, descend here before us and grant thy protection.”

After chanting, she put her fingers together. She was using the formal method for cutting the nine syllables, not the fast version.

“Rin...”

There was a clear chime from somewhere as if in response. I looked around the area. There were no silhouettes in the compound, which was heavy with fog.

“Pyō...”

There was a chime once again. Something shook right nearby. Each time Ayako cut one of the nine syllables, a clear sound responded.

“Over there...”

When I looked in the direction John was pointing, a figure drifted out from the trunk of a large tree. I watched it in astonishment. Figures drifted out from the trees here and there. They were faint shadows, but I knew they were people. There were many old men with beards grown long.

Those men, who had quietly gathered, walked calmly towards the sakaki. Whenever they reached the side of the sakaki, they would vanish. The sakaki’s bell shook each time and made a sound.

After watching the last one disappear, Ayako carefully formed the sword seal. She began cutting the air, five horizontal and four vertical.

I watched it while being strangely impressed and noticed there was still a silhouette in the distance.

“Aya...”

When I tried to call out, Bou-san stopped me.

“But..”

“Shh...”

But still, it remained. When I thought so and focused my eyes on the silhouette, I realized that it wasn’t one of the old men from the trees. It pushed its way through the morning fog and walked calmly closer. Each time the figure swayed, there was the sound of water lapping. When I noticed it, the sound repeated throughout our entire surroundings.

I soon knew who the one approaching was. His neck was broken and bent...there was no doubt that it was Kazuyasu-san.

Ayako bowed her head deeply and picked up the sakaki.

“Now, the time for all of you to rest has come.”

Suddenly, the figure of a person rushed from the shadows. The stench of salt water assailed my nose. Ayako shook the sakaki faster than Bou-san could form the sword seal. The bell rang and the figure that had rushed over vanished into the fog.

From there, our jaws just dropped and we could do nothing but watch. The spirits of the dead approached Ayako as if drawn in— it was like they were completely unaware of the rest of us— they would vanish just from the ringing of the sakaki.

She also shook the sakaki toward Kazuyasu-san. For a moment, as he was disappearing, Kazuyasu-san’s appearance returned to its original state, then he dissolved into the fog. 

“Sure enough… we weren’t needed...”

Bou-san said suddenly. I nodded. While watching, I noticed something. The spirits of the dead weren’t gathering to attack Ayako. They were… gathering to be saved by her…

There was nothing dangerous about them. At last, black shadows flickered out from the mounds, however, they also just hung their heads at the ring of the sakaki and vanished.

After the figures ceased to approach, Ayako shook the sakaki toward the mounds to finish up. At the same time as the ringing sound, the three mounds cracked, making a noise.

Ayako erected the sakaki in front of them. When she placed her hands together, making a noise, the bell untied itself and fell. —With that, everything was completely over.