I’m Really Unnerved In Tokyo

"It should be the owner of the vegetable shop who took out the slow-moving old cucumber during the festival. It doesn't matter, let's use it as an ingredient for dinner, such a big one, smash it into cold salad, dice it and fry it, slice it into soup, and make it' Eating three cucumbers is not a waste..."

Kotori Yumasumi smiled and gently grabbed the corner of the opponent's clothes, stopping Araki Sosuke who was holding a "40cm large cucumber" and was about to threaten the stall owner to return the goods.

After all, vegetables and fruits are relatively expensive ingredients in Japan.

"Everything is bought, and it's almost time, let's go back."

After re-picking a few small and cute cucumbers and eggplants, and taking the previously selected lanterns and other things for lighting the "Welcome Soul Fire", the two walked towards the Akagi Shrine.

The long and narrow Kagurazaka-dori, under the dim setting sun, looks like an endless path that stretches forward infinitely.

The two walked side by side on this ramp, and for some reason, neither spoke.

"It's really lively. It's obviously a festival for the dead, isn't it?"

Looking at the strong festive atmosphere around him, Araki Sousuke couldn't help sighing, trying to break the delicate atmosphere.

"Mr. Araki seems to seldom celebrate the Meng Lan Bon Festival. It is because the departed return that they have to have a good time to celebrate their temporary escape from the pain of hell."

Kotori Yumasumi glanced at him curiously, and explained with a smile.

The Meng Lan Pen Festival can be said to be the most important large-scale holiday besides the New Year.

After all, most people will choose to take advantage of this holiday to return home to worship their ancestors, and at the same time, various activities will be held in various places according to customs.

Both sides of the Kagurazaka slope, which retains the Edo style very well, are decorated with lights like New Year's, and are full of orange lanterns representing the Menglanbon Festival.

According to the usual practice, on this day in Kagurazaka, the representative teams of each town will hold an opening ceremony based on a dance parade.

After that, there will be stage performances, ceremonies, fireworks display, cosplay and other links.

"Really, I really didn't celebrate the Menglan Pen Festival seriously. For me, it's just a day to make money every year..."

If it were the previous years, Araki Sousuke would have been very busy at the food stalls in the night market.

It's a pity that this year, the original "Yokohama Night Market Two Heroes", but he is the only one left.

Thinking of this, his eyes were full of loneliness.

Looking at his side face, the little bird You Mayumi on the side showed distressed eyes, opened his mouth slightly, but couldn't say anything.

At the same time, what Araki Sousuke didn't know was that somewhere in Taito District, something that made him even more worried was happening.

...

Kuramae Apartment, Taito Ward.

The entire apartment parking lot was surrounded by temporary partition walls for construction.

At the various exits of the apartment, yellow tapes with the words "under construction, entry prohibited" are blocked.

Several construction vehicles filled the originally empty parking lot.

"The fifteenth blast is about to start, each group is in place... 5, 4, 3, 2..."

"boom!!!"

Huge shocks and explosions sounded from the rooftop of the Kuramae apartment.

"Cough cough cough...Damn it...How is it possible...The scope of the explosion has obviously expanded to this point..."

The gunpowder smoke dissipated, revealing the shiny black and undamaged iron gate on the roof, and the wall around the iron gate without even a single crack.

Looking at the scene in front of them, everyone showed expressions of disbelief.

In order to contain this iron door that was suspected of resentment in the first place, Section 9 mobilized people to target the walls around the iron door, using methods such as hammering, electric welding, and directional blasting. The walls are separated.

It seems that this iron gate, together with the surrounding building structure, has turned into an indestructible object.

And just now, the fifteenth directional blast has covered the entire load-bearing wall below the roof.

Under normal circumstances, the entire apartment roof should have collapsed under the explosion by now.

"...Is this the reason why IBM 700 dared to openly declare war on the government?"

Looking at the fifth floor of the dilapidated apartment below the roof, which was unscathed after the blast, a terrible idea appeared in Mochizuki Ayano's mind.

"Bang, bang, bang..."

She suddenly took out a pistol and fired several shots at the ground of the apartment in the distance, scaring the surrounding detectives.

"really……"

Looking absently at the ground in the distance, Mochizuki Ayano's pupils were slightly dilated.

"Looks like it won't work if you don't have a big playground... Immediately contact the Metropolitan Police Department and find a reason to evacuate the residents within a few kilometers of the Kuramae apartment!"

"What... what?! Evacuating such a large area of ​​residents is not a simple matter."

Hearing Mochizuki Ayano's order, Iwata Takeshi's exclamation came from the communication channel.

"I don't care. I ask the Fire Department, the Ministry of Natural Disasters, and the Ministry of Defense to cooperate. Earthquakes, typhoons, gas leaks, and poisoning by cults are fine. In short, evacuate all the people! Otherwise, they can't be responsible except for any problems. This complaint The objects are no longer the simple ones we used to contain..."

As the bullet casings fell feebly and the smoke gradually dissipated, everyone could see clearly that there was not even a trace of bullet marks left on the concrete floor where the bullet was shot.

...

At seven o'clock in the evening, in the outer hall of Akagi Shrine, which was newly decorated for the festival celebration, Kotori Yutaro was solemnly presiding over it amidst the groans of a large number of fanatical female fans carrying a thick wad of incense money. sacrificial activities.

"Don't go outside to help, Uncle Xiaoniaoyou is alone, is it really okay?"

In the quiet back hall of the shrine, Sousuke Araki glanced at Yutaro Kotori, who was surrounded by "illegitimate meals" and whose clothes were getting messy, but still kept a "business smile".

With the help of Xiaoniao Youzhengong, the two have already built a small "elf shed" in the middle of the grass.

"Well, after all, it's just a small sacrificial event, and there is no need for a full-time priestess to appear. In terms of presiding over the ceremony alone, my father is far better than me."

Hearing the other party's question, Xiaoniao Yuzheng turned his eyes to the side in a panic, his eyes rolled, and he pursed his thin lips lightly.

With the hair lifted by the little finger, her hot ears were exposed.

That's right, a certain official priestess of Akagi Shrine lied in the land of the gods.

In the past Meng Lan Pen Festival, as a full-time shaman, she would perform "soul-suppressing gods" on stage in person and hold solemn ancestor sacrifice ceremonies.

Sorry, my lord, let me make an exception this year.

Because, today, there are people here who need me more.

Concentrating her thoughts, she handed the lantern in front of Sosuke Araki, and reminded softly: "Teacher Araki, it's time to light the soul fire."

On the day of "Welcoming the Basin", the fire to welcome the soul in the lantern must be lit before it is completely dark, so that the souls of the deceased can find their way back and come to the "Elf Shed" to enjoy sacrifices and accept worship.