Well, a large-scale battle wasn't likely to erupt immediately, but it would be highly likely as things went on.

"Currently speaking, due to the night of one hundred demons and the appearance of the Awakened, Spiritual Ability users from other places are gathering, and now that Spirit Worlds have appeared, even more Spiritual Ability users will be attracted here…"

"With more Spiritual Ability users gathering here, would things become more chaotic with an increased possibility of violent incidents?"

"That's right."

Seiji fell silent for a moment.

"But if we try thinking positively, if there's more Spiritual Ability users, doesn't that also mean that there's more people to fight against the demons?" he tried asking.

"…Yes, that's true."

"By the way, have you all learned anything about the night of one hundred demons or the Awakening phenomena?"

"We still don't know how they originated," Natsuya replied. "The demons seem to be appearing out of thin air, the same goes for the Awakened… the only thing I know is that apparently the Awakened all go through an experience similar to entering their own soul realms."

"Similar to entering their own soul realms?"

"Yes, but it's not one hundred percent confirmed yet. It's not completely impossible for people to enter their own soul realms while asleep, but the chances are incredibly low… at least they were in the past."

Things might be different now. Those words were left unsaid.

Something flashed in Seiji's eyes.

He wanted to say something else to Natsuya, but decided against it in the end.

After Hos.h.i.+ finished resting and called him, Seiji headed over to Shouzou Amami's residence, where he met with Hos.h.i.+.

Seiji went directly for the main topic at hand after greeting Hos.h.i.+.

Hos.h.i.+ brought out a bright-red leaf and placed it on his left hand's palm.

Seiji cast [Astral Vision] on himself as he watched the leaf giving off a red glow. The leaf suddenly became a red bird that resembled a pigeon who was glowing with a faint red mist.

Hos.h.i.+ waved his hand, causing the red bird to fly around in a few circles under the ceiling. Then, the bird started landing while heading for Seiji.

Seiji reflexively reached out to catch the bird. However, he didn't feel the sensation of any touch or weight.

"This… is it under your control?" He observed the bird.

"Yes. It feels similar to controlling a video game character, but I can do it with my mind, not a game controller," Hos.h.i.+ explained.

"Oh…" Seiji tried petting the bird, but was unable to touch anything. "Is it only an illusion?"

"No."

The red bird lowered its head and rubbed against Seiji's arm, giving him a cool, icy sensation.

"Only when I want it to be capable of touching others will it have physical form."

"I see. How wondrous."

Hos.h.i.+ had the red bird fly back to his hand, and after a red flash, the bird transformed back into a bright red leaf.

"It can even change back to its original form… what type of leaf is that?"

"An ordinary leaf from a flower here. It's just stained with my blood." Hos.h.i.+ lifted his palm to show Seiji.

Seiji noticed that there was a band-aid on Hos.h.i.+'s left hand's index finger.

"You have to use your own blood in order to use your Spiritual Ability!?"

"Yes, I have to color a leaf red with my own blood first before being able to use the leaf to activate my ability." Hos.h.i.+ smiled. "This power seems slightly evil, doesn't it?"

Seiji was rendered speechless. "Although this type of ability using one's own blood is relatively common in anime and manga, it still doesn't exactly seem like a good ability." Seiji rubbed his chin in contemplation.

"Senpai, do you hate this type of ability?"

"I don't hate it, I just don't think it's a good one, because you have to harm yourself in order to use it."

"I can accept bleeding a little every day."

"You intend to use your ability every day!?"

"I intend to create a stock of red leaves so that I can use them whenever I need to."

"Oh, so you can stock up… By the way, is there an expiration date for the red leaves you create?"

"No. That's what my senses tell me."

"Then that sounds fine… but is it really alright to make yourself bleed like this every single day?"

"I think that I'm quite fortunate already to have Awakened to a Spiritual Ability. I won't be picky about it." Hos.h.i.+ smiled. "It's just at the degree of bleeding a little every day; it's fine. No need to worry about me, Senpai."

Seiji was still somewhat worried as he looked at the beautiful boy's smile.

"Hos.h.i.+, in your dream… or more accurately speaking, what did you experience in your soul realm?" He tried asking.

Something flashed in Hos.h.i.+'s eyes as he looked back at Seiji.

"I met a strange person and exchanged a few words with her."

"A strange person?"

"She greatly resembled Senpai, and at first I thought that she was Senpai. However, I soon discovered that she wasn't."

"She greatly resembled me?" Seiji was astonished to hear this.

If Hos.h.i.+'s trial was the same as Yukari's, meeting some sort of incarnation of an ancestor, then wouldn't that mean… that the Amami family was actually related to the Haruta Family!?

"What did you talk about? Did this person say her own name or ident.i.ty?"

"I can't remember." Hos.h.i.+ shook his head.

"Eh?"

"After I woke up, I felt like that part of my memory was incredibly hazy… I don't remember what I said to her, or how long we talked for. I only remember that we talked."

"I see…"

A moment of silence fell between them.

"Senpai, what are you doing right now?" Hos.h.i.+ suddenly asked.

"Eh?" Seiji blinked in surprise. "What exactly do you mean?"

"I want to know if Senpai is battling against anyone… something like that." Hos.h.i.+ looked directly into Seiji's eyes as he spoke seriously, "Although I just Awakened to my power and it might be arrogant of me to say this, but I would really like to help out and be of a.s.sistance to Senpai!"

Seiji paused in surprise.

He was dazed for several seconds at how serious Hos.h.i.+'s expression was before he chuckled.

"What are you saying? Do you think that we're in a hot-blooded battle manga with mystical abilities? Am I some heroic protagonist that's fighting against evil?"

"Senpai…"

"I said before not to treat me as more than an ordinary person. I'm not some main character, nor am I a hero. I don't have a destiny to gather my companions to fight against evil." Seiji chuckled. "Although there are indeed people I want to defeat, that has nothing to do with fighting against evil, it's just a personal affair."

Hos.h.i.+ blinked at this.

"Senpai, you misunderstood," he stated sincerely. "I don't want to help out because I think that Senpai is a main character type or a hero. I want to help out simply because of you, Senpai."

"Hmm?"

"Although I indeed feel that Senpai is a hero, I want to help Senpai for simply one reason… I want to stand next to Senpai!"

'I want to be by your side, fight together with you, and fight for you.

'No matter if it's to fight against evil, or for personal matters, I want to become your strength! I don't want to only be taken care of by you.'

"Hos.h.i.+…"

"Senpai, we're friends. As friends, shouldn't we help each other out?"

"…Yes, you're right." Seiji understood Hos.h.i.+'s intentions. "I was the one who misunderstood earlier. I apologize. If I ever need your help in the future, I'll call for you. At that time, I'll be in your care," Seiji told him sincerely.

"I'll be more than happy to help!" Hos.h.i.+ was delighted to be recognized like this.

Perhaps his fantasy yesterday might be able to come true after all.

After talking to Hos.h.i.+, Seiji then had a discussion with Shouzou.

"Harano-kun, what's your opinion of the ability that Hos.h.i.+ Awakened to?" the old man asked him.

Seiji thought it over.

"Setting aside the matter of its usefulness in combat, what I'm most concerned about is that it can only be activated with Hos.h.i.+'s blood."

"Yes, I'm concerned about that as well." Shouzou sighed. "This type of ability gives me a faint ominous premonition."

"Do you know something, Amami-san?"

"No… Perhaps I'm just overly worried about my own grandson. But, I can't help but imagine, will this Spiritual Ability that he received so suddenly always stay like this? Or will it continue developing in its own right? And… will it cause any changes in Hos.h.i.+'s personality?"