"Stop it!"
"We have to stop that Earthquake Catfish!"
In the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's operations room, Director Takeya threw himself onto the control console, roaring into the microphone.
Bunkyo Ward.
This district housed some of the nation's top universities, as well as elite private elementary, middle, and high schools. While not all students could be described as "filthy rich or powerful," most hailed from upper-middle-class families with considerable social clout. These weren't people who could be brushed off lightly.
If the Earthquake Catfish wreaked havoc in Bunkyo Ward, Director Takeya might as well kneel and resign on the spot—even with full support from the Prime Minister's residence.
Just the destruction in Arakawa Ward earlier had almost been enough to cost him his position.
"We can't do it!"
In response to his order, a pilot from the Self-Defense Force's 1st Division aviation unit shouted angrily.
"That monster can burrow underground! How the hell are we supposed to stop it?!"
"Sir, we need tactical support!"
And by "tactical support" in Japan, they meant one thing: call in the Americans.
America, founded nearly 250 years ago, had been at war for most of its existence—Independence War, Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam, Gulf War, Afghanistan, Iraq...
"The flame of the lighthouse still burns bright, the aircraft carriers of the United States set sail; the army of liberty crosses borders, igniting foreign lands"—it wasn't just sarcasm; it was built on mountains of corpses.
"Sorry, Mr. Takeya."
Brigadier General Thomas, present in the operations room, shook his head.
"Yokosuka Base has some bunker-buster missiles, but by the time we re-arm and deploy them—"
It would be too late.
Besides, there was no guarantee the bunker busters would even work on a supernatural entity like the Earthquake Catfish.
Those missiles were designed for fortified bunkers in the Middle East. Japan hadn't equipped many of the advanced 'Spearbearer' hypersonic penetrators—Tokyo's enemies hadn't yet warranted that level of force.
"Damn it! Damn it!!"
Takeya slammed his fist onto the console, frightening the staff nearby.
His knuckles split open from the impact, blood dripping, but he didn't even notice. He stared unblinking at the screen, where the Earthquake Catfish slithered underground toward Bunkyo.
Supernatural. If only he had supernatural power too—he wouldn't be so helpless.
——
"Huh?"
Among the three heading to Kousakura Academy, Tenjo Eiko turned toward the street.
Luxury black sedans screamed past, one after another, like black arrows slicing through the road. They broke speed limits, ignored red lights, and honked relentlessly, warning everything in their path: "Get out of the way!"
"What's going on..."
Class president Nao looked puzzled.
This was Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward—at the very heart of the capital.
Driving like this guaranteed license revocation. Probably even jail time.
Beep-beep. x2
At that moment, both Souta Kiryuu and Tenjo Eiko's phones rang.
"Ichiyo? What?"
"Yes, we're just outside campus... GPS? Okay, we'll wait here."
While Eiko kept nodding at the rapid speech on the other end, Souta replied to his sister with just one line:
"Stay where you are. I'll be right there."
"Souta, what's going on?" Nao asked.
Souta turned west, chin lifting slightly.
"A terror attack. Heading this way."
?
SCREEECH—
Minutes later, a black car skidded to a stop next to them, tires leaving scorched marks on the road.
"Eiko, get in!"
The door flew open. Normally aloof Ichiyo, in a rare panic, grabbed Eiko's wrist and yanked her into the car.
Before the door even shut, the car roared off, leaving Nao dumbfounded.
What the hell was happening?
——
RUMBLE RUMBLE—
The Earthquake Catfish, now in a frenzied state, tunneled through the ground in wild, unpredictable paths—left, then right.
Each time it surfaced, buildings, cars, parks, bridges—everything crumbled before its colossal mass. Destruction followed in its wake.
"Don't panic!"
"No pushing! Follow instructions—"
A massive police force had arrived in Bunkyo Ward to evacuate civilians.
Thanks to Japan's frequent disaster drills, the crowds remained relatively orderly. But where the Earthquake Catfish passed, chaos still erupted.
RUMBLE~~~
The massive black body tunneled forward. Cars were like pond scum before it; buildings, nothing more than pebbles. It didn't even notice the people, but every movement of its massive body brought death.
"Report: the Earthquake Catfish is approaching Kousakura Girls' Academy!"
"WHAT?!"
In the operations room, Director Takeya stumbled back like he'd been struck on the head.
Kousakura Girls' Academy—
A noblewoman's school. Most students were daughters of old-money families or rising elites, many of them only children. If something happened to them...
Takeya didn't even want to imagine the wrath of their powerful parents.
"Stop it at all costs—"
He choked on his words.
How?
The 1st Division wasn't some lazy paycheck unit; they were elite. But how do you fight something that could vanish underground at will?
What do you do—jump from a plane with a magic belt and pull the monster out of the ground like Hercules?
The screen showed the Earthquake Catfish smashing through a skyscraper, its massive body landing across a road, blocking a line of speeding black sedans.
Takeya closed his eyes in anguish.
It was over.
——
"Miss, run!"
A massive black creature burst through a building and landed in the street, cutting off all escape.
The middle-aged driver in a suit and sunglasses kicked open the door. He pulled open the rear door and kept his eyes on the supernatural creature.
He knew exactly what it was.
As both chauffeur and bodyguard, he'd been briefed on the supernatural. He just never expected to face it so soon—or that it would be this terrifying.
BOOM!
Collapsed buildings blocked the road. Dozens of luxury cars were stopped.
Even the pampered young ladies lost their poise, screaming and fleeing. Some ran; others were dragged away by bodyguards.
"What is that..."
Ichiyo, who had just stepped out, was stunned. Fortunately:
"Run, Ichiyo!"
Eiko grabbed her sister's hand and bolted.
"Hey, monster! Over here!"
The chauffeur pulled out a pistol and fired.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Several other drivers did the same.
In a gun-restricted nation like Japan, this said everything about who these people worked for.
But it was useless.
SWOOSH—
A whisker thick as a barrel whipped through the air, sending the man flying. He crashed through a storefront window, falling in a shower of glass.
The Earthquake Catfish moved on, flattening abandoned luxury cars. The billion-yen machines compressed into scrap under its weight.
The creature had no sense of good or evil. It just... moved. And as it did, screams from fleeing girls reached new heights.
Then—
WHUMP.
Ichiyo stumbled and fell.
"Ah—"
"Ichiyo?!"
Still holding her sister's hand, Eiko turned and tried to help her up.
But she was just a girl. Carrying someone her age?
"Eiko, leave me! Run!"
Ichiyo shoved her hand away. Her legs felt like jelly, but at least her mind was clear.
"Go! Run! If you survive—"
"No."
Trembling, Eiko stepped forward and placed herself between Ichiyo and the beast.
"I'm the older sister! If I run now, I'll regret it forever. What kind of life would that be?"
SWISH—
She spread her arms to shield her sister. Her lips trembled, and blood welled up from how hard she bit them.
'Grandpa... everyone has parents. Where are mine?'
"Haha... well..."
The elderly shrine priest scratched his head, dodging the question. But she kept asking.
"Your father is someone important. Your mother was devoted but chose the wrong man... That's all. Don't worry, Grandpa will always be with you."
But a few years later, the priest passed away.
After that, the girl often visited her 'father's' home, watching the happy family from afar.
Envy, jealousy, resentment...
Until one day—
"Wanna play together?"
When her 'sister' offered her hand, the girl hesitated... then accepted.
So warm.
"STOP—!!"
As the monster loomed close, Eiko shouted with all her might.
Shockwaves rippled from her voice, echoing through the entire block.
?!
The volume wasn't high, but it reached everyone's ears—fleeing girls, drivers, guards, even the helicopter pilots and distant soldiers.
"STOP—!!!"
Most terrifyingly, it echoed through every surveillance mic in the police ops center.
Sound waves bounced and overlapped. People fell over, stunned.
"What is that?!"
Kneeling on the floor, Takeya looked up at the screen with all his strength.
The Earthquake Catfish had stopped!
And before it—
SHWING—
A beam of light descended, enveloping Eiko.
A white kimono fluttered onto her; red ceremonial hakama wrapped around her waist; a golden crown sparkled atop her head. Branches sprouted beside the crown, blooming with cherry blossoms.
Jingle—
A kagura bell, adorned with three tiers of bells and long streamers, dropped into her hand. Eiko stared at it, stunned.
Was she dead?
She knew this outfit. Since Grandpa died, she had been the shrine's Divine Child.
This was her ceremonial garb.
But—
BOOM.
The monster stirred again.
Without thinking, Eiko instinctively raised the kagura bell.
"EVIL—BEGONE!"
WHOOSH—
A vermilion torii gate shot down from the sky.
Before everyone's stunned eyes, it pierced the monster's back with a thunk.
"Rrrrnnnn~~~"
Its body began to shrink.
Eventually, the Earthquake Catfish shrank to the size of a person. Well, compared to a normal catfish, it was still massive.
The 'mini' Earthquake Catfish swam to the robed Eiko's feet and affectionately nuzzled her hakama.
"Huh?"
"G-Good boy...?"
Eiko patted its head, completely bewildered.
Three great questions ran through her mind:
Who am I?
Where am I?
What am I doing?