Chapter 41. Got Goosebumps
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Nothing was more thrilling than finally getting to play the sequel of a game he'd long dreamed of.
So, Hirose Furukawa quickly paid for the game and brought Onmyoji 2 home.
Although he was genuinely excited, he also had a lingering concern—
If Onmyoji 2 didn't live up to expectations, would it ruin the beautiful memories he had of Onmyoji 1?
Just thinking about it made Furukawa a little hesitant.
But no matter how anxious he was, it wouldn't change anything. It was like Schrödinger's cat in a box—if you didn't open it, you'd never know what was inside.
So, Furukawa inserted the game cartridge and turned on the TV.
The game began.
...
Next appeared the Pokeni logo and the bold title: Onmyoji 2.
Even though it was only the second time seeing this title, it made his heart inexplicably race.
He opened the game menu.
Hirose Furukawa clicked "Start Game."
The screen went black, and large white text appeared:
[I don't know why... things turned out this way.]
[But when I came to my senses—]
[There was already a fair-skinned, exquisitely beautiful girl standing in front of me.]
On the screen, it showed a simulation of someone opening their eyes—from pitch black, to a blurry haze, then slowly coming into focus.
Just as the narration described.
A pale-skinned girl appeared on screen.
She had heterochromatic eyes—one red and the other blue—and long silver-white hair that shimmered like moonlight.
She appeared in the eyes of the narrator, and also right before Hirose Furukawa.
He couldn't help but swallow nervously.
The background was filled with rising flames, dyeing the entire sky in magnificent hues. It was precisely the blazing red fire that made the girl appear even more radiant and striking.
At the same time, there was a strange sense of unease that made his heart race.
Yes, yes.
This is Onmyoji.
This is exactly the feeling Onmyoji gave.
This is the right flavor!
Hirose Furukawa couldn't stop the smile from curling his lips. He felt his blood boil with excitement, almost as if he had returned to the very first time he experienced Onmyoji.
Back then, it was the same—when he saw the first scene featuring Onihime, he was completely blown away.
...
The girl smiled beautifully and reached her hand toward Hirose Furukawa from the screen.
"Come on, please use me to your heart's content."
Oh no!
What a dangerous line.
Starting off this strong?
Heh heh...
But I like it.
Hirose Furukawa felt strangely excited.
However, when he clicked "Next," the screen suddenly went black.
Then more text appeared:
[One Month Earlier]
Nani?!
I already took my pants off!
Kuso!
So it was a flashback all along?
...
Time rewound to one month earlier.
Snow fell all over Heavenly Mountain.
Vermilion-red pillars stretched up the mountainside along a staircase, leading to a vast courtyard at the top.
It was clearly the grounds of a massive shrine.
The male protagonist stood in the snow, dressed in a white Onmyoji robe, but holding a broom as he cleaned the courtyard.
Though surrounded by a blanket of snow, spots of red plum blossoms could still be seen, making the entire scene breathtakingly beautiful.
Seeing graphics like this on a Famicom-style game felt like pure bliss.
Just then, a more mature man in similar attire walked out from the main gate and called out to the protagonist:
"Moriyama, Master wants to see us."
The dialogue box also revealed the male protagonist's name—Moriyama Taira.
Hmm, sounds pretty ordinary.
Hirose Furukawa thought.
Compared to the previous generation's Asakura Haruka, this protagonist's design seemed intentionally more low-key and "normal."
Maybe Pokeni made that choice on purpose?
"Alright, I'll be right there," Moriyama Taira responded.
...
Onmyoji 2 didn't have much tutorial content. And Hirose Furukawa was already familiar with the gameplay mechanics, so he easily controlled the protagonist and began exploring the nearby area.
He collected treasure chests and some hidden items, then headed toward the destination indicated by the game.
As the screen gradually moved, two humanoid figures appeared in the distance under an ancient pine in the center of a large courtyard.
With just one glance, Hirose Furukawa's breathing grew rapid—
Because he knew those two figures all too well.
When Moriyama Taira reached the destination, the TV screen displayed a still image.
In the image, the lone ancient pine stood tall and green, white snow blanketed the ground, and the sky behind was an incredibly vivid blue.
Against this backdrop stood a tall figure.
Wearing a high hat and a luxurious Onmyoji robe, his expression calm and detached, yet carrying a sense of maturity—
It was none other than Asakura Haruka, the male protagonist from the first game.
Beside him stood a female swordswoman with delicate features, her slender hands clutched at her chest.
She was Kurai Tsuki, Asakura Haruka's confidante from Onmyoji 1.
Seeing these familiar characters and their current states instantly brought memories of the first game flooding back.
Hirose Furukawa couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with emotion.
...
After a round of dialogue, it was revealed that Asakura Haruka was now the head of the shrine, and also the master of these young Onmyoji.
Calling them "Onmyoji" might be premature, as their abilities were still lacking.
Today, he had gathered everyone to hold a lesson and to test the disciples' progress by having them spar with each other.
From the dialogue, it was revealed that on the next full moon, Asakura Haruka would hold a major competition at the shrine. From among the young disciples, he would choose the most outstanding one to pass on more advanced spells and then send them out to undertake an important demon-slaying mission.
Everyone was diligently preparing for it.
What followed was a friendly sparring session among disciples, essentially serving as a combat tutorial in the game.
The protagonist, Moriyama Taira, faced off against his fellow senior disciple, Takeshi Hirono.
After a series of exchanges, the player defeated him in gameplay but then the story forced a loss.
Takeshi Hirono summoned a shikigami that defeated Moriyama Taira's own. Moriyama Taira was knocked to the ground, struggling to catch his breath.
Their master, Asakura Haruka, frowned at the scene.
It was clear he wasn't particularly impressed with Moriyama Taira.
"It seems you don't have the talent to become an Onmyoji. Better to quit early than die at the hands of a demon one day."
With those words, Asakura Haruka turned and walked back into the building.
Huh?
Hirose Furukawa frowned in discomfort.
Wasn't Asakura Haruka a lively and lovable boy back in the day?
When did he turn into such a cold, sharp-tongued middle-aged man?
...
"Don't mind what he said. He's just worried about you," the master's wife, Kurai Tsuki, walked over gently and consoled him.
She said that if he needed help, he should come find her at the back of the mountain and she could help him with his training.
Compared to the cold Asakura Haruka, Kurai Tsuki seemed much kinder toward the protagonist.
That night, under the moonlight, Moriyama Taira followed her instructions and made his way to the back mountain.
Snow was piled on both sides of the path.
In the distance, the sky was a heavy navy blue.
As he approached, he saw Kurai Tsuki standing on a small mound, lost in thought, gazing into the distance.
Following her line of sight, he saw two people sitting together under the moonlight.
A soft flute melody began to play and it was "Snow Poem," the ending theme from Onmyoji 1.
The TV screen changed to a mid-shot still image.
The two figures sitting down—one was Asakura Haruka.
And the other was a young girl in a red-and-white miko outfit, leaning gently on his shoulder.
What?!
Hirose Furukawa's pupils shrank in shock.
That—
That was Yuuki Rei, wasn't it?
Rei.
Didn't she sacrifice herself during the sealing of Yamata no Orochi?!
Seeing this, Hirose Furukawa broke out in full-body goosebumps.