Kobe and Kidnapping

[Hajime POV]

Stepping off the train, I immediately felt the difference between the two cities. Though Kobe was still loud, it was much quieter than Kyoto. Even though I had enhanced senses for less than a month, it was enough to get used to Kyoto. Both cities were loud, but Kyoto was far busier.

It also smelled different.

The city was close to the sea, and I could smell the ocean's saltiness. However, Kyoto and Urakyoto were very different. Kyoto was a large, recently modernized city, giving it an industrial smell. Urakyoto was different, as it was a pocket dimension. The yokai had all industrial work done in Kyoto, leaving Urakyoto with a more natural smell.

As I exited the station, I got excited, knowing that everything would change starting today. Everyone dreams of changing the world, but since nobody knows the future, they don't know if they've ever truly changed it.

After getting my bearings, I headed to the city's western half to start my search.

The city was divided into three areas. The first was the north, which was broadly empty and consisted of small towns interspersed between the mountains. Though not what one would consider part of a city, these towns fell under the city's jurisdiction.

To the east, where I currently am, is the main part of the city and where the Shinra clan and their compound are located. The Shinra's being the forgers of the Principal Clans meant that they knew about manufacturing and controlled most of the city's factories. It was also where most of the Shrines were, leaving the west part ignored by the clan and the likeliest place for Tsubaki to be.

The western part was similar to the north until recently. As more people moved to cities, they needed to expand, and that was where Kobe expanded. Because this area was new, it was primarily residential and did not contain tall buildings like you would expect a city to have.

While the Shinra clan could have expanded with the city, they didn't, which allowed some newer families to move in. Although they may be outnumbered and would lose if they fought the Shinra clan, the odds of something starting are low. The Shinra clan still rules over the city. Even though they might want to expand, an order prevented them from continued expansion due to 'balance concerns.'

More specifically, a few decades ago, the Principal clans started arguing because they were becoming unbalanced. The Shinra has grown rapidly over the last century, thanks to industrialization in Japan and the rest of the world.

The Nakiri clan decreed that they would all stay in their current compounds to maintain their power and keep the clans' strengths similar. Since this benefitted them, the others agreed, while the Shinra clan had no choice but to accept. Though they could've started something, they knew the other clans would use that as an excuse to gang up on them and loot them.

It wasn't the first time something like this had happened. When America reopened the borders, the Himejima clan gained a lot of power when a large influx of evil spirits and a few yokai started causing trouble. Their talismans helped turn the tides, netting them a significant profit, which the others didn't like.

The Doumon clan also gained considerable power due to Japan's naval doctrine during the Second World War.

The five clans were a sort of counterweight, with each clan being kept in check by the others.

As for why Tsubaki likely went west after being exiled, it's because the Shinra clan ignores that area. Mainly to avoid giving the other clans any reason to try something.

While walking around, I could feel several areas where magic felt different throughout the city.

The largest area had the magic feel suppressed, though that feeling was faint, and that area was where the Shinra clan lived. The suppression was to prevent regular people from being affected by their business. It only inhibited the feel of magic to those without it, something commonly done throughout the human world.

Several other buildings throughout the city had similar protections. Those were likely the minor families that inhabited the place. There were two groups of these families. The first live in the main part of the city, working for the Shinra clan. The others are further west and choose to be independent. While they will work with the Shinra clan, they usually focus on other endeavors.

Due to their lack of resources, these independent magic families are usually more invested in the mundane world. They typically live the same life as regular humans and work on magic in their free time until eventually reaching a breakthrough in their magic that allows them to switch to the supernatural full-time.

It could be anything. They might create a new spell and sell it to others, brew a new type of potion that others like, or forge magic weapons. These newer families try to profit in an uncountable number of ways.

Like in Harry Potter, broom companies compete to make the best broom at the best price. These families do the same. Someone is always trying to make something better and sell it cheaper, or even try something completely new and hope they get lucky.

The competition in the supernatural world is fierce, and small families use it to move up in power.

These families are also opportunists and likely followed Tsubaki. While they might not have recruited her to avoid angering the Shinra clan, they would probably still want to know her location, which could be beneficial.

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Eventually, I sensed a disturbance and went to investigate. Unlike the other areas of the city, which felt suppressed, this building felt active. The person inside clearly wasn't using a barrier.

When I approached the entrance, I leaned against the door to try to listen inside. Since nobody had put up a barrier, they likely didn't use a spell to muffle sounds.

Unluckily for them, they seemed to have forgotten because I heard what sounded like muffled screaming coming from inside.

Hearing that, I used Lightning Fist and touched the doorknob before turning up the heat and melting it, unlocking the door.

Following the sounds, I moved to a room in the back, where I saw a man standing over a ritual circle. I wasn't familiar with which ritual he might've been attempting, but it was clear what he was trying to do since there was a kid bound and gagged in the circle—a human sacrifice.

He was a rogue because most major factions and older magic organizations created these rituals. However, they fell out of favor because they were extremely dangerous to one's soul. While performing most rituals wasn't dangerous, sacrificial rituals had to be performed flawlessly, or they would recoil onto the caster.

There was also the chance that a person's spirit would linger after death when a human sacrifice was performed, using their spiritual energy to affect the ritual.

Though rituals like these were already taboo due to their nature, they were extra taboo since most supernatural were considered a more valuable sacrifice. Factions like the Greeks weren't too happy when somebody killed their kids out of greed. That and gods like Hades despised those who damaged souls during rituals.

Seeing that the ritual was about to activate, I used Lightning Rush and slammed my foot into the man's stomach. The man flew back before crashing through the wall.

Rather than finishing him off, I went to the ritual circle to check on the kid. I was confident I could win after my sneak attack, but I didn't know what the ritual did. I didn't need to risk him suddenly getting stronger because I ignored this.

Quickly giving the kid a once-over, I untied him after finding him uninjured.

Though physically fine, he was scared out of his mind. The second he could move, he ran out of the house screaming in terror. While I might've wanted to make sure he was okay, dealing with this psychopath was more important.

Turning toward the hole in the wall, I saw the man's figure finally standing up, though he had seen better days. I knew he wasn't strong enough to win or escape, so I decided to get some information from him.

"Sorry about the wall. I was aiming to kill you in one hit."

Hearing my taunt, the man finally looked at me. When he saw me, a child, standing before him, his face turned red in anger.

"A brat like you ruined all my hard work?! Do you know how much effort it took to get that ritual?! To steal it from that blasted compound?!"

I'm surprised he's following the stereotype of a monologuing villain.

"You didn't try hard enough if a kid could interrupt it."

"Hmm, you are stronger than the last one. I'll use you instead. Once I sacrifice you, I can fuse my soul to my blade and achieve immortality!"

"You should know Voldemort already did that, right?"

"Are you mocking me?" He sneered. "Do you think messing with me is a good idea? If you try anything, you'll only provoke the wrath of the Fujimori clan! Accept your defeat like the kid you are, and I'll make it quick despite your rudeness."

Wow, he's delusional. He not only revealed his plan but also mentioned his background. He's like a Wuxia antagonist.

The man pulled out a sword and created a spell circle before launching a cutting attack at me. I moved out of the way before rushing toward him, again using Lightning Rush.

Trying to end it quickly, I used Lightning Fist and punched him in the head.

When I did, I pushed more energy through my hand, sending the electricity into his head. I ended the attack, but the man immediately collapsed to the floor, likely brain-dead after that attack.

I was a little disgusted by what happened, both what the man did and how I killed him.

I guess I am indeed part of the supernatural now. The strong survive, and the weak die; that is the rule all supernatural beings follow.

I just had to make sure I was never the weak one.

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Author's Note:

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