Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu
Was Chiaki showing off a spiritual ability truly just a coincidence?
Seiji felt that would be too much of a hasty conclusion right now. Instead of treating this dancing ability as an Awakened ability, it might actually be closer to a type of spell. In that case, failing to cast it wouldn’t be strange, since Chiaki had just learned it.
Seiji told this to Chiaki.
Then, Chiaki tried dancing for a third time, but still failed to activate anything.
She still wanted to continue trying, but Seiji told her it was time to sleep as it was the middle of the night. He suggested to try again next time after a good night’s rest.
“It’s not actually that rare to learn something new during Visualization,” Natsuya told Seiji the next morning after she heard about Chiaki’s situation.
Last night, Seiji and Chiaki had stayed over in guest rooms at Natsuya’s mansion after exiting the Spirit House. They had been too tired to go home to the Uehara apartments.
At this time, Seiji had now woken up and was eating breakfast together with Natsuya and the others in her home. Chiaki was still sleeping.
“Even I myself have personally experienced such deep and immersive Visualizations that I’ve gained new insights into my spells. But, someone like Wakaba-san, who was originally an ordinary person with no powers, Visualizing and learning a dance from her dream that has actual powers… this is the first time I’ve heard of such a situation. This is because it’s already inconceivable that an ordinary person could successfully Visualize.”
Seiji picked up and placed a small dried fish in his mouth and chewed while listening. He then spoke up after swallowing the dried fish. “Ignoring the fact that she was an ordinary person, it is possible to learn a new spell during Visualization, correct?”
“Theoretically, it’s possible, yes.” Natsuya paused for a moment. “To use an analogy, cultivating and learning new spells is like building a house. Normally, when spiritual ability users Visualize and learn something new, it’s like building a small portion of the house. However, learning an entirely new spell is like directly building the house itself, which is rather miraculous.”
It wouldn’t be overboard to say that this was a new type of Awakening. However, the scion was already numb to everything miraculous that constantly happened around Seiji. She was no longer astonished because of such a small matter.
“So, in that case, Chiaki’s situation is akin to having completed most of her house.”
“I suppose so.”
“Next up, she’ll need to continue building her house… er, continue cultivating.” Something flashed in Seiji’s eyes. “If she can perfect her Kagura dance in her dream used for suppressing the evil god, then she’ll learn an ability that’s useful against the gods.”
Chiaki might even become the key to saving her mother… if it was possible to save her mother, that was.
After breakfast, Natsuya went out together with Hitaka.
While waiting for Chiaki to wake up, Seiji surfed the internet using his cell phone. He checked out Soul Society’s message forum and learned that Soul Society was now allowing certain information to spread to the ordinary public.
What Soul Society allowed to be known was that the police made an announcement regarding progress being made in the investigation on the Midnight Incident. The police confirmed that a terrorist organization was behind this, and that this terrorist organization was now planning a second attack that might harm the entire city or even cause large numbers of casualties. Although the police were investigating with all their resources to stop the terrorists, progress wasn’t going well…
Allowing this news to spread was to let the ordinary people know that “there might be a terrorist attack” in order to explain away any possible damage caused by the Realm of Cherry Blossoms when it fully descended.
It might be necessary to have the citizens evacuate… but that wouldn’t be a problem, as the municipal government already had a complete evacuation plan. The issue would be to how large a degree and at what time to begin evacuating.
The Realm of Cherry Blossoms Spirit World #1 was expected to descend upon the real world a few days after the fourth battle to suppress it took place. The specific location it would descend upon was still unknown.
It would be difficult to prepare beforehand without knowing its specific location. This also went for the citizens’ evacuation.
If the Realm of Cherry Blossoms actually ended up descending upon the entire city, then the entire city would need to be evacuated. That would doubtlessly be the worst possible situation.
If it was possible, it would be best to only have to evacuate a small section of the city. For that, it would be necessary to know the exact location that the Realm of Cherry Blossoms would descend upon.
It would be best to narrow down the descent to a more specific timeframe. If that wasn’t possible, then the evacuation would have to take place on the first day after the fourth battle. Otherwise, large numbers of casualties might appear if the evacuation didn’t commence before the Realm of Cherry Blossoms arrived.
After scanning the forums, Seiji surfed some random internet pages before starting to play a cell phone game.
Suddenly, a wild Rana appeared before him!
Seiji tossed a master ball and caught the wild Rana successfully!
Seiji activated his cat petting skills, making Rana feel comfortable and her favorability rating towards Seiji increase.
And then, a domestic Mai appeared!
Seiji tossed a master ball, but Mai slapped the ball away and the capturing failed!
Mai activated her maid skills, leaving behind a set of poker cards and vanishing into the tall grass.
Rana obtained the poker cards and started burning up with heated passion. She counterattacked against Seiji with a card game!
Seiji readily accepted the challenge, facing off against the cat girl in a card game!
After a fierce battle, Rana activated her skills in acting cute. She gained the upper hand!
Just as Seiji was about to be defeated, Chiaki woke up and appeared!
Chiaki tossed a master ball at Rana, but the cat girl dodged and the capturing failed!
Chiaki used a pounce attack, but was dodged again as the attack failed!
Chiaki activated her summoning skills, but was ignored as the summoning failed!
Rana activated her run away command, vanishing into the tall grass.
Seiji tossed a master ball at Chiaki, capturing her successfully!
Seiji activated his coaxing skills, making Chiaki feel comfortable and raising her favorability rating!
Seiji brought Chiaki to the dining room for breakfast, filling her food meter!
Seiji told Chiaki that if she continued practicing, she might be able to truly master that dance—for now, he decided to call it the “God-suppression dance.”
This process would take an unknown period of time. It was also unknown whether Chiaki would be able to truly master the dance. There was only a possibility.
Chiaki was determined to continue practicing this dance.
She didn’t want to give up. Although Seiji didn’t mention it, she also realized that this dance might be critical to rescuing her mother!
She learned a God-suppression dance in her Visualization dream which would be effective against the gods… perhaps it was her innermost desire that caused such a type of “Awakening.”
Since this “Awakened” ability was incomplete, then she would practice until she had mastered it!
This was just like performing in a play. Many rehearsals would be required before the final big performance.
Chiaki then went into Seiji’s Spirit House once again.
While Chiaki worked hard at practicing her dance, Seiji didn’t sit around, either. He also cultivated his own spells.
The Realm of Cherry Blossoms would be arriving soon. He wanted to become even stronger.
Seiji appeared quite cool and handsome as he cultivated seriously. Chiaki was mesmerized by the sight. If it wasn’t for the fact that she also needed to practice, she could watch him like this for an entire day.
Actually, Seiji could also watch Chiaki dance for an entire day, but he didn’t have the free time to do so right now.
Time passed… after Chiaki practiced her dance for the umpteenth time, she finally felt that subtly wondrous sensation like the first time!
She instantly became excited, but then that sensation vanished.
Chiaki summarized her experience so far: she couldn’t get overly excited, and she had to remain calm. However, her dancing couldn’t be overly plain, and she had to seriously immerse herself…
Chiaki felt like this was really similar to a performance.
No, this was indeed a performance!
Dancing in front of a god, attracting it, disturbing it, and calming it… This was a ritual, a spell, as well as a performance.
With such a realization, Chiaki started dancing once more after she rested a little.
The subtle sensation returned!
Chiaki continued dancing under such a condition. But a while later, the sensation disappeared again.
‘I don’t need to worry. I’ve already grasped the first necessary step.’
Chiaki took out her handkerchief and wiped some sweat off her brow. She noticed attention on her and turned around to exchange glances with Seiji.
“You’re doing well.” Seiji smiled while encouraging her.
Chiaki felt warm inside from receiving this encouragement. She felt like her body’s energy was restored as she smiled movingly.
After another short rest, she raised both her hands again and began to slowly dance…
Seiji quietly watched and then saw pink cherry blossoms beginning to fall. He was brought into that beautiful illusion once more…
