Chapter 328: Conspiracy Theory |
A bonfire crackled nearby, accompanied by the continuous chirping of cicadas from the jungle behind them.
Eight people sat around each of the two dining tables set up on the beach.
Shimizu Yu, her four friends, Hoshino Rin, Monica, and Amamiya Sashi sat on one side, while the rest gathered on the other.
Compared to the lively chatter at the neighboring table, the hushed voices and deliberate atmosphere at Hoshino Gen's table felt rather mysterious.
After all, the topic of their conversation was shrouded in mystery.
"Speaking of which, back in Kyoto, before Hoshino and Yusuke arrived, I actually had a run-in with that Skeletal Great Serpent."
Asaba Shinichi's sudden remark drew the gaze of everyone else at the table.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Don't you believe me?" Asaba Shinichi chuckled. "If you don't believe me, just ask our future Revered Chief Priest. Ask her if there's a coffin oozing black water in the underground seal where her family kept the serpent."
Aside from the Moriya sisters, who had no idea what Asaba Shinichi was talking about, and the little girl Tamamo-no-Mae, who simply did not care, everyone else turned their attention to Chiyo Uzuki.
Hoshino Gen completely ignored the possibility that Asaba Shinichi was just boasting and chatting idly, asking directly, "And so? You saw the Skeletal Great Serpent while it was still under the seal. Is that what you're trying to say?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk..." Asaba Shinichi chuckled softly, wagging his index finger. "The main point isn't the Skeletal Great Serpent, it's that coffin oozing black water."
"Even though I don't know what was inside, I felt that coffin was far more terrifying than the Skeletal Great Serpent." Asaba Shinichi spread his hands. "I originally planned to pry the lid open and see what kind of monster was hiding in there, but right before I acted, I suddenly had a premonition—if I opened it, I might end up lying inside it myself. So, I gave up halfway."
"More terrifying than the Skeletal Great Serpent?" Takasugi Yusuke suddenly spoke up. "Do you mean in terms of creepiness, or power level?"
"Both," Asaba Shinichi replied. "The scene I saw was of that coffin suspended in mid-air by iron chains. The black water leaking from it had formed a lake on the ground, and half of the Skeletal Great Serpent's body was submerged in it. I even had this intuition..."
After a brief pause, Asaba Shinichi continued, "Yamata no Orochi had been dead for a long time. The only reason it could reappear in the world as the Skeletal Great Serpent was because of that black water."
A sudden silence fell over the group. Yamata no Orochi was obviously dead, otherwise, it would not have turned into a Skeletal Great Serpent. The problem was Asaba Shinichi's claim: the reason it became a skeletal monster was that a coffin in its sealed grounds was constantly drenching it in black water...
No matter how one listened to it, why did this entire situation reek of a conspiracy theory?
Hoshino Gen and Takasugi Yusuke exchanged a glance. Both of them had directly faced and fought the Skeletal Great Serpent; they knew exactly how powerful that thing was. Compared to back then, they were certainly much stronger now. However, if they truly had to face it again, they knew perfectly well that even if all three of them joined forces now, they probably still wouldn't be able to defeat the corpse of that mythological monster.
If that monster was truly spawned and nourished by the black water Asaba Shinichi mentioned, then just what kind of entity resided inside that coffin?
The strange, quiet atmosphere was brought about by Asaba Shinichi, and it was similarly broken by him. He chuckled and waved his hand. "Alright, I'm just putting it out there. Regardless of what that thing is, it's none of our business right now."
With that, he glanced at Chiyo Uzuki beside him. "Though, Miss Chiyo, it'd be best if you ask your family about it when you get back. It would be pretty hilarious if you guys later find out that someone secretly snuck that thing in there without the Chiyo family even knowing."
Chiyo Uzuki nodded silently, appearing to take his words to heart.
Dinner was soon wrapping up. After all, this wasn't an adult drinking party. Even though they ate, chatted, and played around, once their stomachs were full, the energetic girls could hardly sit still.
The neighboring table, consisting entirely of girls, finished faster than Hoshino Gen's group. Oguri Aino pulled Suzuki Sawami over and giggled, asking if there were any other activities planned for after dinner. If not, they wanted to check out the shopping mall they had spotted in the center of the island on their way here.
"After dinner is free time, of course. Go have fun if you want." Asaba Shinichi held a beer can in his hand. Out of the dozen or so people present today, he was the only one with a fondness for drinking. "The road is a bit far, though. Are you planning to walk there?"
Oguri Aino quickly chimed in, "Plus, we're all girls over here! Especially with super beautiful girls like Yu-chan and Saki-chan around. It looks like this island is full of rich people. If those guys are used to doing whatever they want and set their sights on us, it'd be terrible! So, we need knights in shining armor to protect us!"
Saying this, she shot a pitiful, pleading look at Hoshino Gen, Asaba Shinichi, and Takasugi Yusuke.
Asaba Shinichi shook his beer can and laughed. "Hoshino and I have things to do later."
With that, he looked at Takasugi Yusuke. "Yusuke, what about you?"
"Although I'm not really interested..." Takasugi Yusuke said with a hint of helplessness, "this classmate does make a fair point. I'll make the trip."
Before long, Takasugi Yusuke drove off in Asaba Shinichi's commercial van, taking away a group of chattering girls eager to enjoy their vacation time.
Back at the messy dinner table, Asaba Shinichi rested an arm on the back of his chair and swept his gaze over those who remained. Aside from himself, Hoshino Gen, Sasaki Ayane, and Chiyo Uzuki, Hoshino Rin, the little fox Tamamo-no-Mae, Monica, and the Moriya sisters had also stayed behind.
He couldn't help but smile. "This works too. Although exposing ourselves wouldn't be a big deal, it's best to somewhat abide by the international convention..."
Having said that, he looked at Hoshino Gen and Sasaki Ayane. "Going for a walk to digest?"
Hoshino Gen did not say a word; he simply slipped a ring off his left middle finger and handed it to Sasaki Ayane beside him.
Sasaki Ayane took it and placed it on her left index finger. In the blink of an eye, their bodies stiffened for a split second as their souls swapped.
Hoshino Gen, whose soul now occupied Sasaki Ayane's body, reached out to take the ring off his own physical body. Sasaki Ayane's soul, which had just transferred into Hoshino Gen's body, immediately returned to her own.
But by the same token, Hoshino Gen's soulless body went completely limp, collapsing directly into Hoshino Rin's embrace on the other side.