I work as a yokai exterminator, ask me anything? Part 6

[1] Q. Yokai don’t exist. This is just a made-up story, right? A. Maybe they do exist. Whether you believe it or not, I just want you to know a little about the world of yokai. Q. Do you have psychic powers? How do you exterminate them? A. I don’t have psychic powers, so I can’t cast amazing spells or shoot beams of light. It’s more like I use folk remedies born from past eras, without really understanding the logic behind them. Q. The OP isn’t showing up. A. On that point, please just be patient with me >.< Q. How often should we bump the thread? A. Apparently, once or twice a day is fine.

[913] Long time no see. I forgot how far I got, so I’m going to dig through the past logs (lol). I just got back today and I’m a bit tired, so I’ll come back tomorrow night.

• [914] >>1 He’s here!
• [915] You came.
• [916] Glad I didn’t give up waiting.
• [919] Kept us waiting, huh? Making a grand entrance at this timing… you know how to make an entrance.

[947] I’m back. The first of the three methods my master mentioned. It’s to make a “Kogan.”

Kogan (宏願): A great vow in Buddhism, particularly Mahayana Buddhism. It involves setting a grand goal, such as the salvation of all sentient beings, and demonstrating the resolve to dedicate one’s life and future to achieving it.

[947] As a result of revealing one’s fate (Tenmei morashi), your lifespan runs out. But who takes that lifespan? It’s not King Enma or anyone like that, but rather Tendo, the Way of Heaven, or maybe the world itself takes it. So, the idea is to get that lifespan back from Tendo. Well, obviously, it’s not as simple as just asking for it back, or there’d be no trouble. That’s where making a “Kogan” comes in. Originally, a “Kogan” is like taking out a loan from Heaven. It’s hard to explain in words, so let me use a famous example again. Do you all know about Jizo Bosatsu?

• [949] He’s back! Yes, I know!

[950] Jizo Bosatsu, well, I don’t know if it’s true, but he was originally just an ordinary monk.

Jizo Bosatsu (地蔵菩薩): A Bodhisattva in Buddhism. Particularly in Japan, widely venerated as a guardian of children and travelers. Said to have vowed to save even those who have fallen into hell.

[950] Of course, he had accumulated some virtue, but not enough to become a Bodhisattva, and he wasn’t that powerful. But this kind-hearted monk made a “Kogan.” He vowed, “Until the hells are empty, I shall not leave hell.” Basically, hell is full of bad people and spirits with regrets who cannot pass on. Moreover, many such people die in the world every day, so their numbers never cease. The monk vowed never to leave hell until he had saved or reformed every single person in it. Because of this, even though the monk didn’t possess that level of spiritual practice (Dogyo), he received the rank and power of a “Bodhisattva” from Tendo as an advance loan, becoming Jizo Bosatsu. Of course, in return, he must remain in hell forever unless he can empty it. Which means, he’ll probably be there forever (lol). You make an extraordinary wish and borrow the power and means to fulfill it from the world. This method is called “Kogan.”

[951] Of course, it’s not like you gain power immediately just by vowing (lol). Otherwise, everyone would probably do it. You need proper rituals, preparations, training, and above all, the vow must align with the will of Heaven, or whatever you call it, the flow of things. And you need a genuine determination to see it through. Jizo Bosatsu already had considerable power, his wish was incredibly noble, and most importantly, he had the firm resolve to truly accomplish it. That’s why he succeeded. I think I mentioned “Kogan” quite a while ago, but it has some similarities to how gods come into being in Shinto.

Shinto (神道): Japan’s indigenous polytheistic belief system revering nature and ancestors. Characterized by the absence of a specific founder or scriptures.

[951] But there are more mundane examples too. I think in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhuge Kongming performed some ritual to extend his lifespan but failed. That was also a kind of “Kogan.” Like, “I’ll restore the Han dynasty, so won’t you give me more lifespan?” (lol)

• [962] >>951 The system of merits and demerits? Also, in the Lotus Sutra, Bodhisattva Never Disparaging is said to have had his life extended when he was about to die. And there are wish-granting Bodhisattvas, etc.
• [952] I see.
• [953] Seems like Jizo gets no salvation himself then…
• [955] Jizo is amazing! I respect him! I’ll put my hands together if I see a statue…
• [956] Still interesting as always. And easy to understand.

[957] Well, even if it’s not such a huge wish, many other things are conceivable. For example, wanting to be dutiful to your parents. Or wanting to invent something important. Even if it’s not on the scale of Jizo Bosatsu, you can still make a “Kogan” for such things. And from then on, you live your life dedicating everything to that cause. Perhaps among the amazing professionals in the world, there are people who have unconsciously made this “Kogan.” Now, let’s get back to the master’s niece. Her lifespan was taken by Heaven. The reason for choosing the “Kogan” method here is… while making a request like “Lend me lifespan because I will do X” is very difficult for a “Kogan,” asking “Give me back my lifespan because I will do X” feels slightly more achievable, right? It seems my master has already decided to take his niece as his disciple. As I’ve said before, our Hanzan style prioritizes, above all else, a strong will. We have some methods for developing that kind of mental readiness. Based on that, the plan is to have the niece accumulate some spiritual practice (Dogyo) for a while. When she’s ready, she’ll make some kind of “Kogan” and reclaim her lifespan. It’s a rather long-term method.

• [958] Hmm, hmm!

[960] Well, however, this method also has its drawbacks. First, being long-term means it will take at least 10 years. Of course, there are individual differences in “capacity.” But we don’t know when the niece’s fate will run out. If we take our time like that, she might get spirited away (Kamikakushi) any day now (lol).

Kamikakushi (神隠し): The sudden, unexplained disappearance of a person, especially a child. Traditionally believed to be the work of gods or tengu.

[960] Besides, there’s no guarantee that in the process, the niece will find a wish strong enough to stake her “path” and life on. The majority of people in the world end their lives without ever figuring out what they really want to do. Even if she learns how to find it in the Hanzan style, whether she can actually find it ultimately depends on her. Attempting a “Kogan” with a half-baked goal will only result in failure. Gonna go grab some food. Someone set up the next thread quick.

• [964] Is it okay to set up the next thread already?
• [967] Still easy to understand. Very informative.
• [971] Was the next thread too early?
• [972] >>971 Not early. Thanks for your work.
• [975] Hurry up with the continuation!

[15] I cooked rice, then fell asleep. Continuation… The second method isn’t time-consuming like the first one; it aims for a quick resolution. In exchange, the danger level increases slightly. This involves summoning the yokai that made the niece reveal her fate, negotiating with it, and having it forget what was revealed. As I wrote before, humans, due to their thirst for knowledge, tend to reinforce memories when they try to forget something. And things they intended to remember forever can sometimes just slip away. But for yokai, it’s not like that. They can remember what they want to remember forever, and they can immediately erase things they don’t want to recall from their memory. If that yokai has no particular attachment to the content that was revealed, we’ll have it forget. On top of that, we’ll perform a small ritual to make it as if the fate was never revealed, thus restoring the lifespan. However, this method also has several uncertain factors. First, will the yokai really forget? This part relies on others. Also, when a fate is revealed, it’s possible that the yokai wasn’t the only one listening. Unless the yokai took measures to ensure only it could hear, the wind, earth, grass, trees, and other things around at that time might also count broadly as listeners. If that happens, it becomes completely unmanageable.

• [16] Take care! Looking forward to the continuation.
• [17] Freshly cooked rice… Thank you for your hard work!
• [14] First time posting, please be kind. I have a question for the OP. You previously mentioned becoming a god-level being through something like “unchanging death” (Fuhenshi). Someone who can see local spirits told us that in my family, someone became [Name withheld] White Dragon Great Deity (〇〇白龍大明神様) from an “unchanging death.” My father venerates this deity, but I don’t really do so myself. Should I follow my father’s example? Sorry for the poor writing.

[19] A yokai capable of making someone reveal their fate is likely quite powerful, and getting further involved with such a being is also dangerous. >>14 If you don’t believe in it, I don’t think it matters much either way.

• [20] Which Emperor’s photo do you recommend?
• [36] >>20 I was wondering about that too! Please tell us.
• [50] Recommended Emperor! Recommended Emperor!

[52] >>50 A photo of Emperor Jimmu should be fine, I guess? (Just throwing that out there). If you can find one.

[48] And the third method. This method is more certain. But compared to the previous two, the danger level jumps significantly. I don’t know if it rings a bell for everyone, but there’s a yokai called “Kudan,” right?

Kudan (件): A Japanese yokai said to predict the future, especially calamities. Often depicted with a cow’s body and a human face (or vice versa), it is said to die after making its prophecy.

[48] Well, if you don’t know, go ahead and Google it. It’s famous for leaving a major prophecy, fulfilling its destiny, and then dying. The name probably comes from the kanji for person (人) + cow (牛) forming the character 件 (ken/kudan). However, it apparently has an original name. I think it came from Buddhism, the name is supposedly “Nyoze.” “Nyoze” is born when something terrible is about to happen in the world, and it predicts it. It predicts. And its prophecies are apparently almost impossible to avoid. But what’s less known is that this “Nyoze” yokai’s prophecy is supposedly only half of the story. What happens to the other half? Apparently, a yokai called “Gamon” is supposed to be born and deliver it. The “Nyoze” yokai is said to have a cow’s body and a human head, but “Gamon” has the reverse: a cow’s head and a human body. “Gamon” is invariably born within 10 ri (about 39 km or 24 miles) of where “Nyoze” died, immediately after its death. And there, “Gamon” also leaves the other half of the prophecy and dies. This makes the prophecy completely unavoidable. However, if you can kill this “Gamon” yokai right after it’s born, the prophecy can be averted.

[49] People were telling me to summarize, so I took a peek, but if you’re going to summarize, fix the typos and mistakes! It’s embarrassing (・ω・｀)

[51] Building on that, it seems that a human who has done the “Tenmei morashi” (revealed their fate) also gives birth to a yokai similar to “Gamon” after they die. The third method is similar to the third one mentioned in my case. We trick that yokai resembling “Gamon” into thinking the master’s niece has died, causing it to be born. Then, we kill it, nullifying the prophecy itself. If it’s nullified, it means the prophecy wasn’t made, and from there, we call back the lifespan. Well, the danger of this method is as I explained before. However, the tricky part here is finding and killing the “Gamon.” First, finding “Gamon” is difficult. And even if found, it’s doubtful whether we can reach its location before it makes the prophecy. Furthermore, even if found, we need to kill that yokai. It’s still a yokai, however weakened, so there will be risks. Besides, as I’ve said many times, our job is more “negotiation” than “extermination.” Harming a yokai for our own convenience is straying from the path.

• [55] Yokai actually exist? Nyoze and Gamon seem to exist physically. Are they preserved somewhere and viewable? Can ordinary people see real yokai?

[68] >>55 Well, maybe they’re just mutated animals. They say it has a human head, but it probably doesn’t look exactly like a human (lol).

[151] I was wondering why I was restricted, turns out I can’t post if Skype is open… After explaining the three methods, the master’s younger brother looked troubled. Well, whichever method was chosen, the danger remained the same. The brother asked the master which method he should choose, but the master just shook his head silently. Then he said that the final decision should be made by his brother’s daughter herself. Even if they decided on a method here, if she herself wasn’t convinced, they couldn’t go through with it. The brother looked pained and said, “I suppose you’re right…” then added, “Well, it’s late today, let’s talk specifics tomorrow.” He probably needed time to think things over too. The master and I returned to the guest room assigned to us and decided to sleep. Just before we parted ways, the master casually asked me, “What would you do?” I answered, “I don’t know.” The master replied in an uncharacteristically tired tone, “Still half-baked, I see.”

[153] That night, probably because I was quite hungry, I had trouble falling asleep. And when I lay awake for a long time, I eventually felt the urge to go to the toilet. I had been shown the location beforehand, so I headed there. In front of the toilet was the brother’s wife. The toilet door was closed, and from inside, I could hear retching sounds, “Oeeeh.” It was a familiar voice; apparently, the master’s niece was inside. I felt a bit awkward. Well, since I was largely responsible for this situation, she was someone I honestly didn’t want to face.

• [154] Seriously couldn’t post because of Skype? (lol)
• [155] Even the master worries about his relatives.
• [156] Make sure you eat lunch properly.

[6] I thought about turning heel and hiding in the garden to relieve myself in some bushes, but the brother’s wife in front of the toilet door noticed me before I could. She bowed slightly, as if acknowledging me, and asked, “Is something the matter?” Reluctantly, I replied, “I wanted to use the toilet, but it seems it’s occupied right now.” The wife looked apologetic and said, “I’m sorry, but I’ll have her come out right away…” No, I mean, I was kind of the cause of this, so her apologizing felt wrong, but the urge to pee was serious, so I couldn’t exactly say “take your time,” and that felt wrong too, so I decided to just accept her offer. The wife knocked on the toilet door, “Ton, ton,” and said something like, “Misato, are you okay? Could you come out for a moment?” That’s when I heard the master’s niece’s name for the first time.

[13] Then, I heard the sound of the toilet flushing from inside. Followed by some thudding sounds, like a body hitting the wall, and the toilet door opened. The master’s niece who came out had her eyes covered with something like a red cloth. About this cloth… people with psychic abilities might want to try this, but if you cover your eyes with a double layer of red silk cloth, you should become unable to see most yokai, though maybe not ghosts. Your vision gets quite bad, but you should still be able to vaguely make out the general outlines of things. The master’s niece, well, Misato-san, was wearing this. The brother’s wife was holding a steaming cup of tea, which she handed to her, and had her take two or three sips. Saying “Excuse us,” she started to lead Misato-san by the hand past me, but—

• [14] But what!?

[17] Misato-san suddenly let out a small shriek, “Hih!”, and stumbled as if she had tripped over something. Of course, there was nothing there. The wife quickly supported her, but in doing so, the tea from the cup she was holding spilled onto my hand. It was quite hot, and I couldn’t help but yelp, “Ouch!” And then, I woke up. Huh? I thought, feeling groggy. Looking around, I was in the guest room I was staying in. After a moment, as my eyes fully opened, I realized I must have fallen asleep at some point, and going to the toilet had been a dream. It was a strangely vivid dream, though. I don’t know about you all, but I often dream about going to the toilet. When I was a kid, having that kind of dream usually meant I’d wet the bed after using the toilet in the dream. But as an adult, I usually wake up right before I use the toilet. And when that happens, I always really need to go. Of course, this time was no different, and I needed to pee. So, just like in the dream, I crawled out of the futon and headed for the toilet.

[18] As I got near the toilet, I saw a figure there. It was the brother’s wife. Huh? I was hit by intense déjà vu. And as I got closer, I heard the same retching sound as in the dream, “Oeeeh.” The wife saw me coming and asked, in the exact same tone as the dream, “Is something the matter?” Feeling bewildered, I hesitantly replied, “I’d like to use the toilet…” The events that followed were exactly the same as the dream. The wife asked Misato-san, “Are you okay?”, had her drink tea after she came out, and then they were supposed to leave. But then, their movements stopped. And slowly, only their eyes turned towards me. Their faces twisted into an indescribably creepy smile. I was quite shocked into silence, and the next moment, the wife suddenly threw the cup of tea at me. It was quite hot, so I instinctively yelled, “Ouch!” and then… I woke up. In the guest room.

• [19] Phew.

[20] What the heck? I thought. I had a dream within a dream, and then it looped. No, it wasn’t exactly a loop. Near the end, the wife clearly threw the tea at me with malicious intent. Even though it was a dream, strangely, I felt pain from the heat of the tea. I tried pinching my cheek, but felt no pain that time. I got it. Apparently, I was still dreaming. As if guided by something, I crawled out of the futon again and headed straight for the toilet.

[21] The hallway felt considerably darker than before. The wife was in front of the door. And sure enough, from inside the toilet came Misato-san’s vomiting sound, “Oeeeh.” Although, at this point, I wasn’t even sure if the master’s niece’s name was really Misato. But something was off. The wife was banging the cup against the door, “gon, gon.” The cup was made of glass, and it was slowly shattering, and the wife’s hand became increasingly covered in blood. For some reason, I didn’t feel particularly scared at that moment. I approached the wife directly. She asked, “What is it?” and I answered honestly, “To use the toilet.” Hearing this, the wife suddenly broke into a creepy, strangely sticky smile, said, “Please wait a moment,” and called Misato-san out of the toilet. Then, she put the quite shattered glass fragments into Misato-san’s mouth. Misato-san, also with that creepy smile, chewed once, twice… Blood quickly started pouring from her mouth. Seeing this, the wife turned to me and asked, “If you’re hungry too, would you like some?” I refused, but the wife insisted, “Don’t be shy,” and grabbed my arm firmly. Her strength was incredible. I tried to shake her off, but couldn’t. Then, she forcefully shoved the glass fragments into my mouth… and there, I woke up again.

[22] I tasted a faint metallic tang in my mouth. I pinched my cheek, and it hurt. It seemed I had finally, truly woken up from the dream. I let out a sigh of relief. I often have scary dreams, but usually, I don’t remember the details well after waking up. This time, however, the dream’s vividness left a bad aftertaste. For a while, I lay there in the futon, replaying the dream in my mind, feeling dazed. Maybe because it was a scary dream, and a toilet dream, I don’t know, but I was hit by another intense urge to pee. That’s when I somehow understood. Maybe, just maybe, I shouldn’t go to the toilet right now. But the urge was becoming unbearable. So, instead of going to the toilet, I decided to do what I had schemed in the first dream: sneak out into the garden and take a leak in the bushes. Slipping out of the futon, I tiptoed to the window leading to the garden, opened it, and stepped out. Confirming no one was around, I found some nearby bushes and lowered my pants.

[23] Anyway, the moon is round and beautiful… Continuation. After relieving myself, I felt somewhat eased. I was about to head back to my room when I noticed the rhythmic sound of flowing water coming from quite nearby. The sound of a toilet flushing. However, something seemed a bit off. You know how when you push the small flush lever on a toilet, water flows briefly only while you hold it? It sounded like that, but someone was doing it at regular intervals, almost like playing an instrument. I wondered, what on earth is that?

[24] Honestly, given the dream, I didn’t want anything more to do with the toilet. The master’s family home had a rather large garden. The toilet making that rhythmic flushing sound had a window facing the garden. I glanced at the window just once, but the light was off, and it was dark inside. I hesitated for a moment, thinking I should just pretend I didn’t notice and go back to my room. Curiosity kills the cat, after all. But the next moment, that thought vanished completely. I heard a voice other than the sound of water coming from the toilet. It was a subdued voice, but one I recognized. Of course, I doubted my ears. So I focused harder on the sound. Then, I was certain. It was the master’s voice.

[25] I became curious about what the master was doing in the toilet in the middle of the night. Why was he doing something so strange? Once the question arose, my curiosity grew rapidly. I’ll just take a quick look. I decided. Keeping low, I stealthily approached the toilet window. I didn’t have the courage to actually peek inside, but I thought I could at least try to make out what the master was saying. And I heard it. “Jaa, jaa,” the master was saying while flushing the water, “Come out, come out… Come out, come out… Come out, come out…” My heart leaped into my throat. I felt like I had heard something I shouldn’t have. I quickly moved away from the spot, retraced my steps stealthily, and returned to my room.

[26] That’s all for today, somehow I can’t express it well. Sorry if it’s hard to read.

• [27] No, it’s still really interesting and easy to understand. Thanks for your work. Looking forward to the continuation.
• [28] You’re here! Thanks for your hard work. It’s scary but I’m looking forward to it.
• [30] Thanks for your hard work. Looking forward to the continuation!
• [29] Thanks always for the interesting stories. Thanks for your hard work!
• [38] Really looking forward to the continuation!!!
• [49] Isn’t this like a real-life Yokai Watch? Do you have a partner yokai?
• [51] A weasel-possessed yokai exterminator protagonist… I want this to be a manga.
• [53] Who knows when he’ll come next. By the time the OP comes, I’ve forgotten the previous content, so maybe summary sites are good. Haven’t looked though (lol).

[67] Continuation. Back in my room, I burrowed into my futon, trembling. Whatever the master was doing… or whatever it was that wasn’t the master… whatever was happening in that toilet, it was probably something I shouldn’t know about. I deeply regretted spying on the toilet. That day, I just fretted about it and eventually fell fast asleep. This time, probably due to accumulated fatigue, I slept soundly.

[68] In the morning, the master woke me up. It was around 8 o’clock. Curious about the events of the night, I observed the master’s condition, but he seemed normal. The master said breakfast was ready, let’s go eat. I was thrilled, “Finally, some food!” I followed the master towards the kitchen. The moment I passed through the kitchen door, I suddenly felt my body become somewhat lighter.

• [69] Welcome back, OP! Looking forward to seeing how far we get today.

[71] I had some recollection of that sensation. But why here? I wondered, scanning the kitchen. Then, on the kitchen wall, I noticed a slightly faded ink painting hanging there. Well, it felt out of place in a kitchen. Since there was nothing else noteworthy, I guessed that might be the cause of my body feeling lighter. Since I don’t have psychic powers, I can’t tell at all, but according to the master and others who claim to have them, there’s usually a burnt, disgusting weasel clinging to my body. But sometimes it detaches. The reason isn’t that the weasels are scared or dislike something. Well, unlike typical yokai, the weasels are already dead, so maybe that stuff doesn’t matter to them anymore. The times they disappear are usually when they are in front of something they feel they “can’t face.” It’s strange that creatures who don’t even fear death feel shame, though. I made eye contact with the master and signaled him about this. That painting. Might be valuable. Want it. Deceive them. Take it home?

[156] Continuation. Noticing my signal, the master glanced towards the painting. Then, while sitting down at the table laden with lunch, he signaled back, “Give it up.” Well, if the master says so, it’s probably impossible, I thought. Following the master, I took my seat and looked closely at the painting. The ink painting depicted cranes? or something in a lake-like setting. In the bottom left corner of the painting, the name Sō× (couldn’t read it clearly) Koji was written. Koji can mean a lay practitioner’s Buddhist name or posthumous name, or it can be an honorific title taken by someone who has undergone significant training (Koji-gō). A particularly famous Koji is Kashin Koji; maybe you all know the stories about him being an illusionist under Oda Nobunaga? And among the names I recognized, there’s only one Koji with the character “Sō” (葬 – funeral/burial). Soshi Koji (葬死居士 – Lay Practitioner of Funeral Death).

[173] Going into detail about Soshi Koji would take too long, so I’ll skip it, but for now, just think of him roughly as the person who translated the text called the Sosho (Book of Burial) into Japanese. The Sosho is about Feng Shui, and originally, Feng Shui existed for honoring ancestors. So Guo Pu, the person who wrote the Sosho, is considered something like a god of filial piety in China. The person who translated the Sosho into Japanese, Soshi Koji, holds a similar position in Japan. Incidentally, there’s a school of yokai extermination called the Soshi-ryu, which also originated from this person. Well, perhaps because he spread the concept of Feng Shui in Japan, or because he founded a school, even though he was human, he seems to be respected even by yokai. Why the weasels can’t face him, I don’t really know. I don’t have much knowledge about him. Maybe someone from the Soshi-ryu would know something.

[174] Tried to keep going but I’m really sleepy after all (lol). Sorry, going to sleep.

• [175] >>174 Good night.
• [176] Good night~. Sweet dreams.
• [177] Nooo, don’t sleep! More stories!

[209] As I was vaguely looking at the painting, the master’s younger brother and his mother came into the kitchen. Breakfast was quite proper: rice, grilled fish, miso soup, etc. Once the food was set on the table, the brother’s wife picked up some rice porridge and looked like she was about to take it to her daughter’s room. Just then, the master said, “Call Misato-chan here too, let’s eat together.” “But…” the wife hesitated slightly, but the master glanced at me and persuaded her, “It’s not good for her to stay cooped up in that room all the time. It’s okay now.” Then the brother also agreed, “That’s right. Could you call her?” I was surprised that the name I heard in my dream, Misato-chan, actually came up. The wife replied, “Understood,” and went to get her daughter.

• [210] Getting nervous…
• [211] OP is here!

[213] Misato-san arrived shortly after, led by her mother. She seemed to have changed; she wasn’t in pajamas but in casual clothes like a long-sleeved shirt and jeans. When Misato-san saw me, her face showed a momentary shock, but she didn’t seem to feel unwell like before. Once everyone was gathered, we started eating breakfast together. Then, the master said something like, “We were so busy yesterday, we didn’t get to introduce ourselves properly,” and explained to Misato-san who he was. Well, she knew he was her uncle, but when he mentioned the yokai extermination stuff, she clearly looked suspicious (lol). Then, riding on the master’s coattails, I introduced myself too. Watching Misato-san, I wondered how much she understood about her own situation. Perhaps due to shyness, she didn’t talk much. After a somewhat awkward breakfast, the master said something like, “Well, I need to talk to this child for a bit, could everyone else leave?” The brother’s wife looked worried, but she was led away by the brother and the mother. I thought I’d follow them and stood up, but the master told me, “You stay.”

[214] Ah, I made a mistake in writing the introduction part. Misato-san knew the master was her uncle, but she didn’t know his job involved this sort of thing, so the master explained that, and I piggybacked on it. That’s how it went.

[215] Started drinking, and now I’m getting incoherent (lol). After the others left, the master began explaining Misato-san’s situation to her in broad strokes. Misato-san seemed quite overwhelmed, but she was relatively quick to grasp things or, rather, she easily lowered her guard. Well, the master revealing his involvement in that kind of work while family was present was also clever. And now, by isolating her, he was making it easier to sway her.

• [216] Welcome back, OP. Reading along.

[268] Continuation. Misato-san just nodded along as she listened to the master’s explanation. After hearing most of what the master had to say, she asked him this: She had heard from her parents about becoming his disciple, but she was told he was involved in calligraphy. Was that completely different? I remembered the several calligraphy awards I saw in her room. I see, so initially, she thought the master and I were a master-disciple duo in calligraphy. Suddenly switching to yokai extermination must have seemed strange. But I recalled the master did hold a rank in some calligraphy school… Was the discipleship meant for calligraphy? I wondered, but based on the master’s talk, he fully intended to teach yokai extermination. Well, he could teach calligraphy too, so maybe it wasn’t a complete deception?

[270] From there, it turned into the master’s excuse time. He claimed that initially, he only intended to teach calligraphy, but upon coming here and finding her in this situation, he had no choice but to involve his secret profession. The master was smooth-tongued, one way or another, so Misato-san seemed convinced by that. Finally, the conversation got to the main point: there were the three methods, what did she want to do? The master asked. According to the master’s explanation, the first method meant he intended to teach her yokai extermination-related studies from now on. For the other two methods, if successful, and if she was still inclined, he would take her solely as a calligraphy disciple. Well, the idea of taking her only as a calligraphy disciple seemed a bit fishy to me (lol). He looked like he was thinking, “Once she’s my disciple, I can handle the rest however I want!” Misato-san thought for a while but said honestly that she didn’t feel like learning about yokai extermination and preferred to aim for a quick resolution with the other two methods.

[272] From there, the master and I discussed it a bit. We decided to go with the second method: “Have the yokai forget.” The reason was, well, that approach offered more room for negotiation, something the master and I were more accustomed to. Once the policy was decided, we immediately began preparations. First was scouting the location to summon the yokai. We decided on the place where Misato-san disappeared and was found. The master said he had other preparations to make, so he told me to go check it out. Well, the master probably didn’t want to get too close to the sea anyway, so I followed his instruction. Guided by the master’s brother, I headed towards the cliff where Misato-san was found. Location-wise, it was about a 40-minute walk from the brother’s house? Quite far. Initially, the brother asked if we should go by car, but I wanted to properly check the surrounding scenery and building locations, so I requested we go on foot. By the time we arrived, I was quite tired.

[273] The place was quite remote, just as I’d heard. Not right next to the road; you had to leave the paved asphalt road and walk for 4 or 5 minutes over rocky ground to reach it. Of course, there were no streetlights around. It was around noon now, so it was perfectly fine, but it was obvious that at night it would become pitch black, impossible to see anything. Because it was such a place, there were few people around. Well, it was a perfect spot for summoning a yokai. Then, I had the brother take me to the large rock where Misato-san was found eating earthworms, and I chipped off a piece of it. When I say chipped off, I mean I hit it with a hammer I brought beforehand and obtained a relatively large, flat piece of rock. After that, I looked around for a reasonably wide open space in the area and sprinkled sake there. It was cooking sake I had pilfered from the kitchen. For some reason, cooking sake works better than regular sake in this case… Maybe there’s something different about it (lol).

• [283] >>273 Cooking sake has salt in it, maybe?
• [274] Maybe something processed to be undrinkable is more palatable to yokai?
• [279] Whether it’s true or false is beyond my comprehension, but it’s very interesting to read. My grandpa used to say that foxes used to trick people and make them lose their way, or transform into humans. Foxes have this image as archetypal yokai, but are foxes particularly prone to becoming yokai among animals? Also, why have they disappeared now? Is it related to deforestation, perhaps?
• [284] >>279 I can’t comprehend your lack of comprehension.
• [280] OP is here.
• [282] Yokai and spirits are subtly different, aren’t they? Can’t explain it well, but maybe spirits are like radiation? And radioactive material is humans or yokai? Something like that, but different.
• [286] I understand it’s hospitality for the yokai, but I definitely wouldn’t want to eat it either (lol).
• [287] Drying and drinking them exists, but raw… hmm…

[460] After finishing most of the preparations, the brother and I headed back to the house. Of course, I brought the chipped rock piece back too. When we returned, it seemed the master had also gone out for other preparations and hadn’t returned yet. So, with the help of the brother and his wife, I started digging up the garden soil, searching for as many live earthworms as possible. The yokai in question used earthworms to entertain Misato-san, and yokai apparently tend to offer their favorite things to guests. Now that we knew its favorite food, there was no reason not to prepare it for the negotiation.

[651] After preparing the earthworms, the brother and I returned to the house. When we got back, it seemed the master had also finished his other preparations and had returned. The master told me that the negotiation with the yokai would proceed using the next method.

• [653] Oh, first time seeing this in real time.
• [657] He’s here!!
• [699] Scaryyy

[663] As I wrote before: It seems that a human who has done the “Tenmei morashi” (revealed their fate) also gives birth to a yokai similar to “Gamon” after they die. We trick that yokai resembling “Gamon” into thinking the master’s niece has died, causing it to be born. Then, we kill it, nullifying the prophecy itself. If it’s nullified, it means the prophecy wasn’t made, and from there, we call back the lifespan. Well, the danger of this method is as I explained before. However, the tricky part here is finding and killing the “Gamon.” First, finding “Gamon” is difficult. And even if found, it’s doubtful whether we can reach its location before it makes the prophecy. Furthermore, even if found, we need to kill that yokai. It’s still a yokai, however weakened, so there will be risks. Besides, as I’ve said many times, our job is more “negotiation” than “extermination.” Harming a yokai for our own convenience is straying from the path.

[697] The master returned around 5 PM. It was already quite dark outside. The returning master carried a large bag and had a slight fishy smell about him. I briefly explained to the master the preparations I had made so far. The master, looking somewhat tired, replied, “Understood,” and then said, “I’m going to take a quick bath now and rest until it’s time. Take care of the contents of the bag.” I agreed, and the master headed towards the bathroom. Opening the master’s foul-smelling bag, I was startled. Inside was the dead body of a dog.

• 698

[700] The dog’s corpse wasn’t particularly necessary for the ritual we were about to perform. Why would the master prepare something like this? Moreover, judging by its appearance—though this is just speculation, of course—it wasn’t a stray or anything like that. It was a Shiba Inu with quite good fur, and it even had a collar. And the dog’s belly area was split right in two. Black dog’s blood is often used in yokai and ghost extermination, alongside a virgin boy’s urine. This is a relatively well-known fact, right? However, the method of obtaining that dog’s blood is actually quite cruel. First, to calm the dog, you stuff its mouth with stones and tie its legs. Then, with a large hatchet, you slowly cut the dog’s torso in half. For a while, the dog doesn’t die and writhes in apparent agony. After it’s completely dead, you remove the dog’s organs and soak them in water. The water turns red, and that water is used as “dog’s blood.”

• [701] >>700 What on earth is that used for…

[704] Well, of course, various things are mixed in afterward, but that’s the gist. It’s not something we normally use much, I guess? It’s cruel and difficult to obtain. However, black dog’s blood is generally considered “impure” and disliked by yokai and ghosts, making it effective for warding them off. And dogs of colors other than black also have various uses. In this case, since it was a relatively light-colored Shiba Inu, it probably means we’ll be using white dog’s blood. But white dog’s blood is something rarely used. Because white dog’s blood is used to “kill” people.

• [711] This is taking an ominous turn… The master is still okay at this point, right?

[712] White dog’s blood is said to contain spiritual power. It’s said to have the power to remove ominous things or cure demonic illnesses. It’s also used in techniques like Senshinjutsu (mind-washing/purification arts). Well, hearing that makes it sound like a good thing, but those are basically stories about it being a medium for some incredible techniques, and apparently, most knowledge about those uses hasn’t been passed down to the present day. So, what is it used for now? It’s used in a technique called “Hikeshi” (Fire Extinguishing). This “Hikeshi” technique is the “method of causing spiritual death” I mentioned before. Did I mention before the story about humans having three flames, one on each shoulder and one on the top of the head? If not, I’ll explain later, but as long as these three flames exist, the human soul is tethered to the body. To extinguish these flames, one apparently needs to be doused in white dog’s blood. Therefore, you must never, ever let white dog’s blood touch your shoulders or the top of your head. Your soul will supposedly just pop out and go somewhere. Conversely, if you want to scatter someone’s soul, splashing them with white dog’s blood will, nine times out of ten, cause them to “die” spiritually.

[766] A brief explanation about the flames. There’s a superstition about not looking back when walking on a dark road at night, and this apparently stems from the flames on the shoulders and head. It might sound a bit dodgy, but those flames were supposedly given by the gods when they created humans. When all three are present, they possess a kind of barrier power, given to protect humans from evil spirits (chimimōryō). These flames rarely go out unless something specific happens, but they have a few weaknesses. Well, white dog’s blood is one, of course, but apparently, a person’s own breath can also extinguish the flames. That’s why when people turn around, they apparently unconsciously extinguish one of the shoulder flames with their nasal breath.

[768] Therefore, at night, even if you hear a suspicious noise from behind, you must never turn back. Because it’s likely a yokai or something that wishes to harm humans, trying to trick you into turning around so that your breath extinguishes one of the shoulder flames. In the case of white dog’s blood, the extinguished state lasts quite a while, but with breath, even if a flame is extinguished, it usually returns by the next morning. And even when a human dies, the flames don’t just disappear. They separate from the person and continue to burn for a while. Perhaps this is the origin of Onibi (demon fire/will-o’-wisp) or something.

• [769] Whoa. What’s the difference between Hitodama (human soul fire?) and Onibi? Is Hitodama = human’s and Onibi = yokai’s type?

[770] Well, there’s more to talk about regarding these flames, but it’s not that relevant to the current situation, so I’ll leave it here. Back to the main story. I hesitated for a moment about what to do with the dog carcass the master gave me, but decided to “dispose” of it as instructed. Fortunately, the master’s brother’s family wasn’t around. I temporarily hid the smelly bag in a corner of the garden and borrowed the necessary tools from the master’s brother and others. Well, at that time, maybe because I also carried the fishy smell, I aroused suspicion and was asked various questions. I just said I was preparing things needed for tonight and managed to placate the brother for the time being. Then I asked him to keep people away from the garden and proceeded with the “disposal” of the carcass. First, fill a bucket about halfway with water. Then, spit into the water… there are a couple more steps, but detailing them too much might be problematic, so I’ll skip them… Remove the dog’s organs and soak them in the water. Then pour the red-stained water into a plastic bottle. Of course, throughout the process, I was careful not to let the water splash onto my shoulders or head. Then, everything remaining, including the bucket, was buried in the garden. As a final step, plant a peach pit where it was buried. It’s common knowledge to plant something when burying something bad, but apparently, cherry or willow trees should be avoided. In cases like this, a peach pit is usually chosen. Of course, compatibility is also an issue.

• [793] Flames on the head, like the protagonist from Reborn!

[829] >>793 Flame is probably just a metaphorical expression common in these kinds of stories, don’t you think?

• [799] I get not turning around because the shoulder flame goes out. But couldn’t you just turn your whole body without changing the relative angle of your head and shoulders?

[833] >>799 I’m not a researcher, so I haven’t looked into it that much. Is there really that much need to look behind you? Maybe it’s in the spirit of ‘look forward and walk’. >>811 It’s not that I don’t want to tell you the reason, but you know those ghost stories where knowing something makes it come true? Maybe it’s something like that.

• [811] My mom used to tell us brothers with glaring eyes, “Don’t drink tea left overnight!” and “Never cut your nails at night!!” So it really is bad, huh… Why don’t adults ever explain the real reasons properly?

[845] Continuation. By the time I finished processing the dog’s blood, it was getting dim outside. I decided to take a bath myself. On the way, I ran into the brother’s wife, but she blatantly averted her eyes. I worried slightly if the smell was really that bad. After the bath, I changed into my work “attire.” As I think I mentioned before, Shinto priests dealing with gods need to dress neatly, but for businesses like ours dealing with yokai, it’s the opposite; we need to look shabby. Well, there are different kinds of dirtiness, though; the smell of blood seems to be bad from a yokai perspective. Yokai seem to prefer dirtiness like mud, dust, that sort of thing. Perhaps because those things are closer to nature. That’s why I prepare well-worn clothes that haven’t been washed much.

• [846] Hmm hmm.

[850] After a while, the brother invited me for dinner. Between the earthworms and the dog, I didn’t have much appetite, but I thought I should eat something for the night ahead, so I followed him. When I reached the kitchen, Misato-san, the wife, and the rest of the brother’s family were already there, but the master was absent. When I asked where the master was, the brother told me he was apparently still asleep and showed no signs of waking up. Well, normally it would be best to let him sleep, but personally, considering this yokai serves things like earthworms, I thought confronting it on an empty stomach might not be good. There was a slight possibility of being exploited through appetite. So, I said, “I’ll go wake him,” and went to the master’s room. Opening the door to the master’s room, I found it pitch black inside. I called out, “Master, Master,” two or three times, but there was no reply. Having no choice, I fumbled for the light switch and turned it on. Then, I jumped slightly. The master’s eyes were open, staring fixedly at the ceiling. I cautiously approached him and asked, “What’s wrong? It seems it’s time for dinner?” “Can you see it?” he suddenly asked. I was stunned, but looked where the master was staring, and saw nothing. “No,” I replied. The master said, “I see,” and got out of the futon. And then, I was further aghast. The clothes the master was wearing were drenched in sweat. Like, you could wring them out.

• [852] >>850 Whoa, scary.
• [856] The master is starting to seem like he’s in danger…