SAK Chapter 16 A Cleansing Ritual (Patreon)

Night, Koshigaya, Saitama

Kobayashi’s Apartment, Room 303

Outside Apartment 303, the third-floor hallway was dead silent, save for the low, rhythmic hum of the vending machine down the hall and the distant drone of the building’s air conditioner. The area was washed in the flat, amber glow of the overhead fluorescent lights.

Standing before the familiar metal door, Issei stared at the brass handle as though it were the gateway to his own execution.

‘Please, God, Ddraig, Buddha, anyone… just lend me enough strength to turn this knob,’ Issei pleaded mentally, taking a shuddering, shallow breath. ‘Obaa-chan’s glare is already terrifying on a regular Tuesday. After what happened in Ginza, she’s going to flay me alive.’

His hand hovered inches from the cold metal before retreating in a spasm of hesitation. "...I don't think I can do this," He admitted softly, rubbing the back of his neck as a cold drop of sweat rolled down his temple. "Obaa-chan is definitely going to kill me. She's actually going to do it."

Mina adjusted her glasses, peering at him over the rims with an entirely unimpressed expression. "You fought dozens of corrupted Oni tonight and stood your ground in the center of a supernatural battlefield," She said flatly. "Yet you’re afraid of being grounded?"

Issei groaned, looking at her with wounded eyes. “You don’t understand, Mina-chan. You don't know my aunt! She can be very scary whenever pissed off."

"I've met your aunt," Mina pointed out.

"Then you should understand exactly why I'm terrified!"

Mina opened her mouth to counter, but hesitated. She couldn't entirely refute him. After spending the afternoon with Kobayashi, she had come to realize that the petite office worker possessed an uncanny, almost unnatural capacity for intimidation. Still, Mina folded her arms, maintaining her composure. "Just gather your courage. I am sure she will be reasonable."

Issei sighed, looking like a condemned man taking his final steps toward the gallows. "...Right." Taking one last deep breath, he gripped the handle, turned it, and pushed the door open. "I-I'm home..." He called out weakly as he stepped over the threshold, Mina following close behind.

The words had barely left his lips when a voice sliced through the apartment.

"ISSEI HYOUDOU."

The sound froze him mid-stride. Slowly, almost mechanically, Issei lifted his head.

Standing perfectly straight in the living room, her arms crossed tight against her chest and her glasses reflecting the overhead lights in a sharp white glare, was Kobayashi. She wasn’t wearing her usual, tired expression. Her features were set in a stone-cold, deadly scold.

"...O-Oba-chan..." Without waiting for another word, Issei, as if guided by instinct, glided across the entryway and dropped instantly to his knees in a seiza position. He then slammed his forehead down, his nose nearly burying itself into the carpet. “I am deeply, deeply sorry!” He blurted out, clasping his hands together in desperate supplication. “Please have mercy, Oba-chan! I swear I had good intentions! I didn’t mean to cause chaos, I was just trying to help—!”

“Quiet.” Kobayashi’s voice cut through his frantic apology, deceptively flat, heavy, and terrifyingly calm.

Issei snapped his mouth shut, trembling as she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the dark wood of the table.

“Kanna arrived earlier and gave me a remarkably detailed report,” Kobayashi began. She reached up and adjusted the bridge of her glasses with a single finger, a small gesture that sent a sharp chill straight down Issei’s spine. “Sneaking off into an active danger zone? Charging headfirst into fights with people I’ve never met? Nearly getting yourself pulverized while obliterating half a commercial street in Ginza? Do you have any concept of how reckless that was, Issei?”

“I-I know! But people were in danger! And Mina-chan was going to fight all alone!” Issei pleaded, sweat pouring down his face. “I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing!”

“You are a high school student on summer vacation, not a one-man army,” Kobayashi scolded, her glare sharpening through her lenses. “Good intentions do not erase the fact that you threw yourself into a life-or-death situation without a second thought. If something had happened to you, what was I supposed to tell your parents? ‘Sorry, Issei got swallowed by a giant demon while I was making dinner’?”

What followed next was twenty uninterrupted minutes of what could only be described as a masterclass in verbal dismantling. Kobayashi dissected his lack of self-preservation, his complete disregard for communication, and the sheer irresponsibility of his actions. She detailed every single worry that had crossed her mind after Kanna’s blunt, matter-of-fact debriefing.

Not once did she raise her voice. She didn't need to. Every flat, disappointed sentence landed with more weight than any Oni's strike.

A few meters away, the rest of the household gathered around the dining room table, watching the ordeal unfold.

Mina, Kanna, and Lucoa were settled comfortably on the chairs while Tohru glided gracefully between them, cheerfully pouring fresh cups of hot green tea.

Kanna took a slow, quiet sip, her blue eyes blinking idly as she watched Issei squirm beneath her caretaker's gaze.

Lucoa leaned back, resting her head in her hands, her lips curled into a deep, amused smile. “My, my,” She said softly, her mismatched eyes gleaming with delight. “She really holds all the authority here, doesn’t she? It’s almost adorable watching him break a sweat like that.”

Tohru nodded grimly, setting the teapot down. "Nobody survives making Kobayashi-san angry."

"I CAN HEAR YOU," Kobayashi interjected from the living room without breaking eye contact with Issei.

"Yes, Kobayashi-san," Tohru replied instantly, bowing her head in perfect obedience.

Mina held her teacup in both hands, taking a tiny sip. Though a small twinge of pity poked at her conscience, she couldn't deny the surreal nature of the scene. The fearless boy who had just fought by her side in a warzone was currently reduced to a quivering puddle at his aunt's feet.

After five more agonizing minutes of dissecting his lack of foresight, Kobayashi let out a long, heavy sigh. She reached up and rubbed the bridge of her nose beneath her glasses. "...Fine. I believe you've suffered enough."

Issei nearly collapsed flat onto his stomach in sheer relief. "Thank you..."

“Now, stop squirming,” Kobayashi muttered, her stern tone softening just a fraction. She shifted her gaze away from him, looking toward the dark hallway that led to the back rooms. “More importantly… what are we going to do with the Oni currently lying in my guest room?”

Issei peeked up cautiously, exhaling as the storm finally passed. He pushed himself back up onto his heels and glanced toward Mina, wondering what to say.

“Her name is Akami,” Issei explained, his voice returning to a serious register. “Like Kanna said, we went to stop the Oni causing trouble in Ginza. While we were there, we ran into her. She’s... someone I fought back in Akihabara when I first met Mina. Except this time, she wasn't in control. Mina realized that she was bound by some kind of vicious curse. And it felt wrong to just put her down, so I knocked her out to suppress it for a bit, and we brought her here where it was safe.”

Mina set her teacup down carefully on the wooden surface before picking up the explanation. “The corruption is still deeply rooted within her. If she wakes up before it is purged, the curse will reassert control and force her back into a frenzy state.”

Kobayashi nodded once. "And?"

“After examining her spiritual signature, I confirmed that the corruption has nearly consumed her free will,” Mina continued, her tone crisp and professional. “I intend to perform a purification ritual. As an Onmyōji of the Tadayuki clan and a practicing Miko, it is my duty to cleanse such malice. It will require considerable time and a significant strain on my spiritual energy, but I’m sure I can purge the malignant curse from her body.”

A brief silence settled over the room.

Then, Lucoa raised a single finger. "If your goal is simply removing the curse," She said gently, her tone light, "I'd be happy to lend a hand."

Mina instinctively shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, but this is a matter of Onmyōdō. It would be inappropriate to involve an outside—"

She stopped.

For the first time since entering the apartment, Mina allowed her focused spiritual senses to drift toward the blonde woman sitting across from her. Until now, she had written off Lucoa's presence as merely an unusually relaxed, strangely dressed woman living under Issei’s roof, possessing perhaps a slightly refined pool of energy.

But as Mina actively opened her spiritual vision, her internal senses recoiled in shock.

The air around Lucoa didn't just contain energy; it warped it. It wasn't wild or chaotic like Tohru’s dense dragon aura, nor was it dark and heavy like a Yokai’s Youki. It was vast, ancient, and blindingly pure like an ocean of unmistakable, undeniable divine aura.

Lucoa simply smiled, her expression warm and gentle, entirely unfazed by the sudden realization dawning on the young Onmyōji’s face.

"...If you'll allow me," Lucoa continued softly, her voice carrying a soothing weight, "my power is exceptionally effective against curses born of malice. We can untangle it far more gently than through raw force alone."

Mina remained frozen for several long seconds. Every tradition she had been taught urged her to handle supernatural burdens within her clan's discipline. Yet every instinct honed by actual battle told her that refusing the aid of an entity whose power dwarfed every living Onmyōji would be sheer foolishness.

Slowly, Mina lowered her head in a deep, respectful bow. "...Very well." She lifted her gaze, looking directly at Lucoa with newfound reverence. “I… I would be honored by your assistance, Lucoa-san. With your presence, the cleansing will undoubtedly be much safer for her.”

Lucoa giggled, waving a hand dismissively. “Ara~ no need for all that formality! Let’s just make sure the poor girl recovers nicely, okay?”

Kobayashi looked between the two of them, then walked toward the hallway to see the poor girl. "Then let's go save her."

—-------------------

An hour after the chaos had finally settled, the living room had been transformed into a silent sanctuary. The low coffee table was pushed aside, and the bright overhead lights were switched off, leaving the room blanketed in soft shadows.

Standing near the center of the room, Mina adjusted the sleeves of her traditional shrine robes. Her expression was serene, her posture immaculate as she shifted entirely into the mantle of a Onmyōji Miko. Though the bone-deep exhaustion from the battle in Ginza still weighed heavy on her limbs, she refused to let her physical fatigue compromise the sacred work before her.

Taking a slow, measured breath, she knelt gracefully upon the floor. Reaching into her small satchel, she retrieved a fine calligraphic brush dipped in spiritually infused ink. With deliberate, unbroken strokes, Mina began painting an intricate pentagram-shaped ritual circle across the floor. Every line connected seamlessly with the next, forming a delicate web of protective runes and sacred seals that hummed with a faint, pulsing glow as she fed her remaining spiritual energy into the ink.

Once the circle was complete, she scattered purified sea salt around its outer boundary, creating a crisp barrier before carefully placing polished grains of white rice at each of the five points.

"Could I borrow a few candles?" Mina asked softly, breaking the quiet.

"I'll go check," Kobayashi replied. She disappeared into the hallway, rummaging through a hall closet before returning with a handful of thick white candles. "I hope these work. They’re leftovers from a power outage last winter.”

"They're perfect, Kobayashi-san. Thank you." Mina offered a tired but genuine smile as she took them, placing them evenly around the perimeter of the formation.

She struck a match, lighting each wick one by one. Soft golden light bloomed across the room, casting long dancing shadows that clashed with the ethereal, cool blue radiance creeping from the painted symbols below. Finally, Mina reached back into her satchel and drew forth her primary ritual tool: a pristine, beautifully crafted Gohei. Its polished wooden wand caught the candlelight, while the crisp, zigzagging paper streamers attached to its tip fluttered gently, humming with natural purity despite the completely still air in the apartment.

She held the implement reverently before her chest and closed her eyes. "...Let's begin."

Issei stepped carefully toward the edge of the circle, carrying Akami in his arms. The red Oni girl, who had raged with terrifying strength only hours prior, now seemed extraordinarily fragile as she rested motionless against him.

“Please get better, Akami…” Issei muttered under his breath. Lowering himself to one knee with painstaking care, he laid her gently down in the exact center of the glowing pentagram before stepping back beyond the salt boundary.

Mina took her seat at the head of the ritual, sitting in a formal kneeling posture. She held the Gohei upright, took a deep, steadying breath to quiet her heartbeat, and began to chant.

Her voice echoed softly through the room, rhythmic, and elegant. Each verse flowed smoothly into the next, and with every passing second, the glowing runes beneath Akami burned a little brighter.

The apartment fell dead silent as the onlookers held their breath.

Leaning over the kitchen counter, Tohru and Kanna watched with wide, rapt eyes as the spiritual pressure in the room began to gently climb.

“It’s strange,” Tohru whispered, her green dragon tail swaying slowly behind her. “There’s almost no mana involved in what she’s doing. It’s entirely reliant on targeted intent, natural elements, and spiritual channels. In our world, magic requires raw energy manipulation, but this feels far more like… negotiating with nature.”

Kanna gave a subtle nod. "In our world..." she murmured softly, "...dragons simply overpower curses with raw magic."

"Or just burn them away," Tohru added matter-of-factly.

Lucoa chuckled softly from behind them, her hands resting on her hips. "Humans have always preferred elegance over overwhelming force."

Beside them, Kobayashi kept quiet, pushing her glasses up her nose as she watched the glowing lines, unable to decipher the mechanics but sensing the solemnity of the moment.

Issei, however, couldn't relax. He stood with his arms tightly crossed, his jaw set as his eyes darted nervously between Akami’s pale, sweat-slicked forehead and Mina’s pale, focused face. ‘Come on, Mina… hold on,’ He thought, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.

Suddenly, the entire ritual circle erupted into a blinding sapphire blaze. Streams of raw spiritual energy spiraled upward around Akami like ribbons whipping in a storm.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!"

It is then that Akami’s eyes snapped wide open, entirely milky white. A blood-curdling shriek tore from her throat, shaking the glass in the windows. Her spine arched violently off the floor, every muscle in her body convulsing as something deep within her thrashing form fought madly to break free.

Mina’s chanting instantly accelerated. Beads of cold sweat rolled down her temples as she flicked the Gohei downward, driving her spirit into the circle. "Return to purity… Return to the cycle… Let all corruption be cast away...!"

The strain crashed over her like a tidal wave. The curse buried in Akami was ancient and malignant, slamming back against Mina’s spirit with vicious, aggressive force. The blue light flickered violently, crackling on the verge of total collapse.

Then, black smoke began to spew from Akami’s skin. First as thin wisps, then as thick, surging torrents of pitch-black miasma that flooded the air above her. The temperature in the living room plummeted instantly. The candle flames shrank to tiny blue specks, and an oppressive, suffocating weight slammed down onto everyone in the room.

Kobayashi shivered violently, crossing her arms. "...What is that?"

"It isn't merely a simple curse," Mina gasped through gritted teeth, her hands trembling as she held the boundary together. "Something... is resisting purification...!"

The black cloud gathered above Akami's chest, twisting into a grotesque, writhing mass. Deep within the shadow, dozens of glowing crimson eyes tore open. Distorted, overlapping whispers echoed directly inside everyone's minds, a nauseating flood of pure hatred, malice, and rot.

Tohru immediately stepped in front of Kobayashi, her eyes narrowing. Kanna’s blue eyes glinted as crackling golden electricity sparked along her pigtails. Issei gritted his teeth, raising his left hand as the red glow of the Boosted Gear began to pulse dangerously, as if he were ready to summon the gauntlet in an instant.

Mina reached toward her belt for a talisman. "...Damn it...!" But her body refused to obey. Her spiritual reserves had been hollowed out from the fight in Ginza, and maintaining the ritual this far had pushed her past her absolute limit. "I... I can't...!"

Seeing Mina on the brink of collapse, Lucoa took a graceful step forward.

“Ara~ let me help smooth things out a bit,” Lucoa murmured pleasantly.

Raising her right hand toward the circle, Lucoa released a subtle, imperceptible pulse of divine power. It was as gentle as a summer breeze, yet carried the crushing weight of an ocean. A brilliant golden light blossomed from her fingertips like dawn breaking over a mountain peak. The moment her divine energy washed over Mina’s collapsing ritual, the erratic sapphire light instantly stabilized into a brilliant, unyielding beam.

With a final, violent tear, the dark aura was ripped completely out of Akami’s chest.

It surged into the air, coalescing into a towering, nightmare specter with glowing red eyes. The specter let out an agonizing, mind-shattering roar and lunged straight for the exhausted Miko.

“Mina, watch out!” Issei bellowed, stepping forward to throw himself between them.

Mina raised her Gohei with numb, trembling hands, but she had nothing left to form a barrier.

But before the shadowy beast could cross the salt line, Lucoa’s mismatched eyes glinted with mild irritation. 

“Honestly... how rude,” Lucoa sighed softly. With a lazy, almost bored flick of her wrist, Lucoa backhanded the empty air before her.

A wave of absolute divine force erupted from her hand. The instant it clipped the edge of the specter, the monstrous black entity was completely erased from reality. The miasma, the eyes, and the suffocating pressure vanished in a fraction of a second, leaving behind not a single speck of spiritual dust.

Absolute silence returned to the apartment.

The heavy pressure evaporated into nothingness. The candle flames returned to a warm, steady glow, and the room was suddenly filled once again with the cozy scent of tea and coffee.

"...Amazing..." Mina breathed, her emerald eyes wide with shock. She stared at the relaxed, smiling blonde woman before her, a realization dawning in her mind that Lucoa wasn't merely a mortal blessed by a deity, she might be a god walking among them.

In the center of the circle, Akami’s thrashing body finally relaxed. The black, corrupting veins that had patterned her skin faded away into smooth, clear red skin. Her breathing slowed to a soft, rhythmic hum. For the first time all evening, she looked genuinely peaceful, resting as if enjoying a normal, deep sleep.

Issei let out a massive breath, running a hand through his hair. “Is it over?”

“Yes...” Mina exhaled weakly. Her shoulders slumped, and the Gohei slipped from her limp fingers, clattering softly onto the carpet. “The curse... is entirely gone. But she will need time to recover.”

It is then that Kobayashi rubbed her eyes, letting out a long, exhausted yawn as she glanced at the wall clock. "I think that's enough excitement for one night. It’s well past midnight. We should all get some rest. Tohru, can you carry Akami to the spare room?"

"Of course, Kobayashi-san!" Tohru nodded brightly, scooping the sleeping Oni up effortlessly.

As the household began to wind down, Issei turned to Mina, who was struggling just to keep her eyes open as she sat on the floor.

"You don't have to go all the way home tonight," Issei said softly, crouching down next to her. "It's way too late, and you can barely sit up. Just stay at my apartment next door. Don’t worry, Kanna and Lucoa are staying there too."

Mina blinked sleepily, opening her mouth to instinctively decline out of pride. But the moment she tried to push herself up onto her feet, her knees buckled completely.

Issei moved instantly, catching her gently by the arms and supporting her weight before she could fall. “Whoa, easy there. I've got you.”

Mina froze for a second, her face burying slightly into his shoulder. After a long, quiet pause, she let out a tiny, defeated sigh. "...Very well," she whispered, a soft blush dusting her cheeks as she adjusted her glasses with her free hand. "...Thank you, Issei."

With Akami tucked comfortably into a futon in Kobayashi’s spare room, Issei supported Mina as they walked out into the quiet hallway, while Kanna and Lucoa trailed behind, offering a quiet wave goodbye to Kobayashi before the door clicked softly shut.

—-------------------------------

Night, Issei’s apartment, Room 304

The lock clicked quietly as the door to Room 304 swung open. Stepping over the threshold, Issei carefully supported Mina, guiding her exhausted, lagging steps through the dimly lit entryway. She was practically moving on pure instinct, her eyelids heavy and her usual sharp demeanor softened completely by bone-deep fatigue.

“Alright, easy does it,” Issei whispered, leading her straight into his bedroom. “You can take the futon.”

Mina offered a sluggish nod. Too exhausted to bother changing out of her miko attire, she merely reached down with numb fingers to untangle the red cord sash binding her waist. Loosening the heavy hakama and kosode just enough to breathe comfortably, she then collapsed softly onto the center of the futon with a quiet, contented sigh.

Issei pulled a spare blanket over her, turning on his heel to head back toward the doorway. “Get some rest, Mina. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Her eyes fluttered open slightly. A tiny spark of her sharp mind flickered back to life through the fog of exhaustion. “…Wait,” She rasped softly, sitting up on one elbow. “Where… are you going to sleep?”

Issei paused, scratching the back of his neck with a sheepish grin. “Oh, don’t worry about me. Kanna, Lucoa-san, and I usually just huddle together and sleep in a pile out in the living room. It’s pretty normal at this point.”

It is then that Mina froze.

The heavy haze of sleep vanished in an instant, replaced by a sudden, jolting surge of alarm. Her cheeks flushed bright red. “A… a pile?!” She squeaked, her voice cracking slightly.

The thought of her betrothed, her fiancé, sleeping huddled up next to other women instantly sparked a defensive flare in her chest. She could make sense of Kanna; the dragon teen was like a package deal when she asked for the engagement. She knew she would have to share him with her.  But Lucoa? A woman whose astonishing, godlike assets surpassed even her own considerable figure.

“A-Absolutely not!” Mina stammered, sitting straight up and clutching the blanket against her chest. Her face was burning, but she forced a stern, authoritative posture. “You cannot possibly sleep out there under such… conditions!”

Issei blinked, taken aback by her sudden energy. “Uh… Mina-chan? It’s really not a big deal—”

“It is a big deal!” She blurted out, her mind frantically racing for a reasonable, dignified justification. Her eyes darted around before snapping back to his. “W-We are engaged! It is… vital for a married couple to adapt to each other’s presence. Therefore, it is imperative that we learn to sleep together! Starting tonight!”

Issei went rigid. His eyes widened, and a sudden, wild grin began to spread across his face. ‘Front row seats to watch her sleep?!’ His inner thoughts spiraled into pure bliss. ‘And if she turns around, her massive oppai might actually touch me! Thank you, traditions!’

“I mean… if you insist!” Issei said quickly, raising his hands in fake reluctance. “I wouldn’t want to mess up your protocol!”

However, before Issei could even attempt to slide onto the edge of the blanket, the bedroom door creaked open.

Standing in the doorway were Kanna and Lucoa. Both were clad in their bedtime attire, carrying an impressive stack of extra pillows and thick blankets they had brought along from the living room having clearly planned ahead.

Mina immediately bristled, her eyes narrowing as her protective instinct flared again. “Lucoa-san! Why do you need to sleep in here with Issei?!”

Lucoa tilted her head, her mismatched heterochromatic eyes gleaming with amused warmth as a soft smile curved her lips. “Ara but sleeping next to Issei-kun is surprisingly relaxing. His nature keeps everything warm and calm. I always get such a wonderful night’s sleep next to him.”

Kanna, clutching her favorite pillow tightly against her chest, gave a slow, deadpan nod of agreement. “Nn. Issei is warm. Like a sun-baked rock.”

Before Mina could voice another objection or craft another official-sounding excuse, Lucoa glided forward with effortless grace, unrolling her extra blanket along the right side of the futon. Kanna didn't even bother asking, she simply marched straight over and flopped directly onto the middle of the bedding.

Within two minutes, the living room sleeping pile had successfully migrated into the bedroom.

Issei found himself situated right in the center. To his left was Mina, who was still blushing furiously but held tightly onto his left arm, stubbornly asserting her position as his fiancée. To his right was Lucoa, who casually leaned in close, resting her cheek against his shoulder with a soft, content sigh, her undeniable softness and huge oppai pressing against him. And sprawled right on top of Issei’s chest was Kanna, curled up like a small, contented cat.

Issei lay there frozen, his heart hammering against his ribs, staring wide-eyed at the ceiling while silently praising his luck.

Beside him, Mina let out a quiet, defeated exhale. She rested her head against Issei’s shoulder, feeling the steady, rhythmic rise and fall of his chest and the soft, radiant warmth radiating from his body. Despite the ridiculousness of the situation, the lingering tension from the night’s battle fully dissolved.

As her eyes drifted shut and sleep finally took hold, Mina couldn't help but acknowledge one final, embarrassing truth in her quiet mind. ‘He really is… wonderfully comfortable to sleep next to…’

Done. Tell me what you think and if I made any mistakes. What do you think will happen next?