Chapter 90: Evil Spirits (BONUS)

In the afternoon, the sea stretched endlessly before them, offering a clear view of the surrounding environment. The sight of the sun setting over the horizon, casting golden hues across the water, was undeniably mesmerizing.

"So beautiful…"

Ran, who had always loved scenic views, leaned against the guardrail, gazing at the breathtaking seascape.

"Mmm, the ocean really looks stunning at this time."

"Amamiya… huh?"

Sonoko turned around, intending to call Ren over to admire the view.

However, when she looked back, she saw that both Isumi and Ren were already by the guardrail, only they weren't admiring the sea.

Instead, their eyes were locked onto their destination in the distance—Tsukikage Island.

"There are quite a lot of evil spirits."

"Can Lord Amamiya see them too?"

"Yes."

Even from this distance, they could already make out malevolent spirits emerging in the evening glow.

Tsukikage Island was fairly large, yet there were more than a dozen spirits floating above it.

To those with supernatural sight, the scene was disturbingly unnatural.

After all, evil spirits didn't manifest easily, the conditions for their formation were strict.

Strong lingering obsessions were the primary cause of their birth.

If these spirits had also experienced wrongful deaths, their resentment and influence would be even greater.

This could be quite troublesome.

"This trip is shaping up to be far more interesting than I expected."

Ren sighed.

"Evil spirits tend to remain within a certain range. Since everyone here is protected by their diaries, it will be difficult for the spirits to approach them."

"But for others, it might be a different story."

"Please don't worry."

Isumi immediately pulled out a large number of talismans.

These exorcism charms were always part of her preparations, she carried them everywhere, just in case.

"I came fully prepared."

"When we reach the island, I'll make sure Maria and the others carry these at all times."

"If the diary offers protection, then those unable to defend themselves should stay close to the diary holder."

"Well, that's one way to handle it."

Ren's gaze remained fixed on the spirits.

"For so many evil spirits to appear on one island… there must be a deeper secret hidden here."

"Sanzenin has no resistance to these kinds of things, right?"

"Yeah."

Isumi frowned slightly.

"Mouri isn't good with them either."

Ren instinctively blurted out Mouri's situation.

Evil spirits weren't something most girls could handle.

"I hate them too."

"But after gaining the means to fight back, they barely bother me anymore."

Isumi nodded in agreement.

"I don't like them either."

Having confirmed the situation, Ren gathered everyone before disembarking.

"Everyone, listen up."

Hearing his call, the group assembled.

"First of all, I need to warn you, this trip won't be as easy as you might have thought, especially for the girls."

Just from this single statement, an ominous feeling settled over the group.

"There are more than a dozen evil spirits at our destination, Tsukikage Island."

"…???"

The girls stared at him in stunned silence.

Then, realization hit, and their expressions shifted drastically.

This wasn't a joke.

"Saginomiya and I believe that the appearance of these spirits is closely tied to certain events that occurred on that island."

"Evil spirits are almost always formed from human souls."

"They have no subjective consciousness and are purely driven by negative energy."

"Normally, their activity is restricted to the areas where they died, and they only appear at night."

"But this situation… is highly irregular."

As he spoke, Ren turned back toward the island.

With the sun gradually sinking below the horizon, the spirits above the island were becoming increasingly active.

"The range of their movements is far too large."

"Normally, this shouldn't be possible."

At that moment, Isumi stepped forward.

"Unless there's a special factor at play."

"Their lingering obsession must be incredibly strong… and the murderer is still on the island."

"This would explain why the spirits continue to wander, because of their excessive resentment and the powerful negative emotions tied to their deaths."

"Isn't that really dangerous?"

Ran couldn't help but interject.

Her face had gone pale.

The existence of supernatural beings was hard enough to accept.

Knowing they were real was terrifying.

"No."

Isumi shook her head slightly.

"The spirits that are freely roaming aren't inherently dangerous."

"If a spirit remains confined to a specific location, that's when they become truly dangerous. The place where they died holds the greatest concentration of negative energy, allowing them to directly harm the living."

"But these spirits have expanded their area of activity, dispersing their negative energy. As a result, they can't cause direct harm."

"At worst, they might induce nightmares or mild depression."

"That's the lightest possible consequence."

However, as she finished, Isumi hesitated.

After a brief moment of thought, she decided to speak up.

"Based on my assessment, a series of serious murders must have taken place on that island."

"The island is remote, located far out at sea."

"If something significant happened there, it's likely that no one outside the island ever heard about it."

"And if those who died had sneaked onto the island, even the residents might not be aware of their presence."

Nagi, being quick-witted, immediately caught on.

"So, if people were sneaking onto the island… then someone must be running some kind of shady business there."

"That would explain why so many people ended up dead, right?"

Saginomiya Isumi nodded slightly, confirming her speculation.

"I see."

"Those who died were likely eliminated because of their involvement in underground dealings."

"Since they were disposed of, they harbored immense resentment and transformed into evil spirits."

Sonoko finally pieced together the cause of their appearance.

For such an operation to exist on a remote island, it had to be motivated by money.

And those who perished likely met their end because the people in charge had no intention of sharing the profits.

A bunch of fools who risked everything for money without considering whether their employers would actually honor their agreements.

No wonder they became spirits.

How could they not, given their grievances?

"There are three industries in the world that generate the highest profits."

"Prostitution, gambling, and drugs."

"This island seems to be infected with all three."

"Secluded from the city, with a sparse population… it's the perfect breeding ground for these kinds of operations."

Ren couldn't think of a location better suited for illicit dealings than this island.

***

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