Chapter 17: Fireflies In The Dark

Translator: Larbre Studio  Editor: Larbre Studio

“This is the school’s main entrance.”

Walking along the broken fence for around two to three minutes, the group finally reached the main entrance of Akichi High School.

It was a little different from what everyone had in mind as they had thought that there would be a large gate that stood before them at the main entrance.

“There used to be a big metallic gate at the entrance last time, but after the school was abandoned, the main gate was dismantled.” Nakagawa Aokiji explained, “Of course it’s better for us since that metallic gate was tall and heavy. If it had still been here, it wouldn’t be easy to enter Akichi High School without the controller from the guard room!”

“Let’s split up at the entrance… You all can decide which area you want to explore but let’s try to finish exploring the entirety of Akichi High School within one or two hours!”

Since Masato and Aohi were here to court the ladies, thus Aokiji had also tried his best to help them.

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By voicing out the places they wanted to go to, the others would subconsciously not head towards the same spot.

“I want to take a look at the gym area,” Kazuki was the first to speak out. Since the gym was where the fire took place, there had to be some clue over there if Akichi High School had really produced spiritual entities.

In a generation where reiki had not recuperated, the spiritual entities that clung to the mortal world would typically linger around the place where they had died.

It was not because they were restricted, but more to the fact that if they wandered around, they could turn into ashes quickly under the light rays of the sun. Even at night, an average spirit could be suffocated to death by the enormous amount of Yang where it was crowded with humans.

Spirits could only walk under the sunlight and linger around night markets if they had reached the State of Mortal Shedding and underwent a transformation.

“I have no objections,” said Shiori as she nodded in agreement. She had the same intention as Kazuki as they had both came for the fire incident.

“Then, Keiko and I will explore the girls’ dormitory… there were rumors that a female student committed suicide in the dorm 20 years ago and produced an evil spirit that caused many female students to die mysteriously.”

As soon as Masato finished speaking, he glanced at Sakai Keiko, and upon seeing that she did not oppose, he released a sigh of relief.

As for Yasuda Aohi and Suzuki Aichi, they were prepared to explore the teaching building since many unbelievable incidents had happened in that building.

After allocating destinations, everyone went their separate ways without much talking.

Finally, Aokiji bid goodbye to Kazuki and Shiori and hurried to the primary school area in apparent urgency.

Shiori looked at the leaving silhouette of Aokiji suspiciously. Now, only she and Kazuki were left at the school entrance.

Kazuki Kimura gazed at the distant five-story teaching building. The gaping windows were dark and black as if they were mouths that could devour humans whole. Beneath their feet, the floor had no area that was left uncracked, and weeds were growing everywhere.

This high school had already become a classic horror scenario.

Kazuki did not speak to Shiori but headed straight in the direction of the gym.

The gym was located behind the teaching building and Kazuki who did not have the intention of going to other locations headed straight to the gym.

Seeing that Kazuki was starting to leave, Shiori followed after him but soon realized that Kazuki was walking so fast… she almost could not manage to catch up to him.

They had scaled several sloped roads on their way there, and despite having time to rest, they hadn’t fully recovered yet.

“Kimura-Kun, don’t you think it’s kind of strange?” Feeling helpless, Shiori started a conversation, and as expected, she saw Kazuki stop walking after she spoke and heaved a sigh of relief internally.

“What’s strange?” Kazuki Kimura turned his head slightly to see that Shiori was rushing to catch up and understood that he had walked too fast. Hence, he slowed down his pace, but what Shiori had said sparked his interest.

Could it be that this novelist had discovered something?

“That leader, Nakagawa…” answered Shiori after a brief contemplation, “Why did he purposely separate himself from the group? He said he wanted to dig up his time capsule at the primary school area, but that reasoning itself was a huge loophole.”

“Don’t you think that it’s impolite to speak ill of others behind their backs?” Kazuki frowned slightly. He was not a curious man by nature because he understood that curiosity would kill the cat.

He did not care if what Aokiji had said was real or fake because it did not make a difference to him.

“Speaking ill of others?” Shiori was stunned for a moment but flicked her hair afterward and said in a calm tone, “I wasn’t speaking ill of anyone. I was simply stating a fact, a strange one. Furthermore… speaking of impolite, I can tell that you, Kimura-Kun, is obviously not a novelist, why did you choose to lie to the others?”

Kazuki glanced at her and said plainly, “You’re correct. I’m not a novelist yet, but I’m getting ready to enter the field, so I’m here to feel the atmosphere.”

Although Shiori didn’t believe him, Kazuki was unwilling to talk about it, so she could not do anything about it.

However, there was one thing that both she and Aokiji had thought of, that Kazuki was an extraordinary person… The strangeness was not from thinking that Kazuki was lying, but it was an overall feeling that he gave her.

Although Kazuki was average-looking, he had a unique aura that could only be described as supernatural. There were a sure steadiness and depth in his eyes where his expression was always calm. Furthermore, his stamina was exceedingly good… Even healthy people would at least pant or sweat after traveling such a distance.

Wearing thick clothes in Spring to walk such a long distance would at least cause some sort of discomfort, but Kazuki was visibly at ease.

Even though Shiori was exhausted at the time, her observation skills were still exceptionally sharp.

Just as Shiori was deep in thought with her head down, Kazuki suddenly stopped walking, causing Shiori who was speeding up to almost walk into Kazuki.

“What’s wrong?”

Shiori looked around her and realized that they were still in the teaching building area and had not reached their destination.

“I’m planning to go to the gym by myself, you don’t have to follow me anymore,” said Kazuki, “I planned to experience the atmosphere here alone. I bet you had originally planned to come here alone too, right? So, we should go our separate ways from here.”

Shiori did not respond to Kazuki but instead gazed at Kazuki, “Is it because… you noticed something?”

“Noticed something?” Kazuki was thrown-off by this for a while, but then he caught on. “You can’t seriously be thinking that I’m some sort of master in vanquishing ghosts and demons?”, annoyance in his voice.

Shiori stared quietly at the Sun and Moon Sword in Kazuki’s hand and nodded in silence.

That was… exactly what she was thinking.

Kazuki sighed deeply in helplessness. How did these guys see through his true nature…

Was he being that obvious?