Hikaru didn't bother explaining much. Although its power wasn't very strong, it worked very effectively against malevolent spirits.
Not only that, two other items appeared in Hikaru's hands: a snow-white skull and a wooden box. Because they both possessed spiritual energy and were connected to evil spirits, the banner had pulled them in.
The skull had belonged to the S-class evil spirit Self-Slitted Maiden of a Thousand Souls back when she was alive, but now that she'd been absorbed by Hikaru's Banner, it had become useless.
The wooden box's appearance, however, confirmed Hikaru's suspicions.
Hozuki Yayoi and Hozuki Eiko came over.
"What's this?"
Opening the wooden box revealed a withered, blackened mummified arm.
By seeing it, Hikaru immediately surmised that the S-class evil spirit group known as The Replaced also existed in this world. In a world where ghouls could survive, a group that could possess others at will would surely be living quite comfortably.
"This is the culprit, and also the truth behind your mother's disappearance, Yayoi."
Upon hearing this, Hozuki Yayoi's eyes widened, and her small hands instinctively clenched into fists.
The reason she had joined the exorcist team in the first place was because her parents had been killed by evil spirits—so thoroughly that even their souls had been taken. To retrieve her mother's soul so it could rest in peace, Hozuki Yayoi had never stopped searching for clues. Yet now, Hikaru somehow knew?
She didn't ask how he knew. The man was involved with demonic forces, holding power beyond an ordinary person's imagination, so it wasn't surprising that he was privy to this.
"Big Brother, where is my mother now?"
"I don't know exactly. But this arm is connected to the group that took her soul. They're called The Replaced, and they used your mother's soul to nurture the embryo they're cultivating."
—The Moonless Dawn Embryo.
That was probably its name.
Though he didn't know their ultimate goal, after learning about this organization's existence, Hikaru had no intention of letting them continue to operate. Compared to ghouls, The Replaced was even more dangerous and completely irrational, doing everything for the sake of killing and domination. Their only rightful end should be utter destruction.
"What do you plan to do, Big Brother?"
Hozuki Yayoi noticed that Hikaru's aura had turned cold.
"That mummified arm is crucial to reviving the The Moonless Dawn Embryo. They won't just stand by. You can leave some clues here, and they'll track you down."
"You want me to act as bait?" Hozuki Yayoi repeated.
"That's possible, but my power alone is limited."
Right as he finished, Hikaru handed her the small banner.
"You're giving me such a precious item?"
The little girl was quite surprised. But before she could express her thanks, Hikaru's next words made her choke.
"Don't get the wrong idea. The Banner is already bound to me. I'm only letting you use it for self-defense. If you find their lair in the future, let me know."
Hikaru's tone was calm.
"All right…"
Hozuki Yayoi sounded a bit deflated, having nearly convinced herself that she'd be unstoppable from then on. Even so, borrowing it was fine—anything that helped was enough.
"You can increase the banner's power by sacrificing spirits to it," Hikaru added. He knew Hozuki Yayoi's home was sealed with many evil spirits she'd captured, none of which were particularly weak. If she used them as sacrifices, the artifact's power would increase significantly. That was the reward he wanted in return.
"Eiko, come here. I'll dispel your curse."
Hearing this, Hozuki Eiko froze, then nervously walked over to Hikaru. The girl removed her glove. Compared to when they'd first met a little over a week ago, the pale wart-like growths on her hand had multiplied.
Hikaru reached out to take her hand, causing Hozuki Eiko to flinch slightly as if it hurt, but he used his immortal arts to probe the area. The curse wasn't especially strong, just annoyingly stubborn. For him now, it was a simple matter to handle. Locking onto the source of the curse, he used his immortal arts to eliminate it at its root. The entire process took less than ten seconds.
In an instant, the pale wart-like growths on the girl's hand withered and calcified, and when touched, crumbled into dust that drifted away.
Feeling the normal sensation return to her hand, Hozuki Eiko stood there in a daze.
Hozuki Yayoi stared intently at the girl's hands, then smiled. "That's great, Eiko. It won't hurt anymore."
The little girl felt relief for Eiko's sake and greater gratitude toward Hikaru. But just as she was about to bring up the "price" she owed him, two magic circles lit up next to Hikaru.
Sona Sitri and Shinra Tsubaki, dressed in Kuoh Academy's girls' uniforms, appeared once again.
~~~
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