Web of Light

5.

One month. Have I created this world or got inserted into it? OK, more detailed: is this world created with the power of human imagination or has the mangaka foreshadowed it? Yeah, I know where I am. There are no experts on creating worlds around, cannot ask one. Or should we assume the theory of the infinite amount of worlds— Or sign up to the Max Frei religion, be Juffin Hally his prophet. [This is a reference to the fantasy series Labyrinths of Echo. It’s partially about travelling to other fantasy worlds and a power of imagination.] OK, from the point of view of a physical observer all this is bullshit. The observer hates the fact that the is the “chosen” one, in other words: he is deep in shit. Some damn wraiths— sorry, ayakashi. What about mazoku or kishins? Unfortunately, the manga is of the “ecchi” genre, meaning: “perversities.” Well, perversities from the Japanese point of view: I don’t see anything bad in looking at pretty skinny-clad girls. I would not look at guys, but— Oh, come on!

Back to manga. My bodyguard Himari. I could tell it apart from others because the protagonist there was a support fighter. Some clan speciality, “light ferry.” Strange name, what is this ferry about? Note, this is the only supernatural ability, in contrast to other clans. To adapt the history, the ancestors were not stupid: the only available magic is a counterpart on Uzumaki’s fuinjutsu from Naruto. Yep, I was watching this one. Now, I am a clan member. A sole one. Last heir. A clan head. Who is nine years old, crap! OK, I got distracted.

So, the now-mine ancestors did not watch Naruto, but were fighting in a similar manner. They casted spells onto themselves (something like “spirit sighting,” “acceleration,” “strengthen muscles,” and hell-I-don’t-know-what-else) and were slashing ayakashi. Oh, yeah, my clan was occupied with demon slaying. Some kind of secret magical shinobi, oh, Naruto, hi again. Common folks forgot about ayakashi since longer, thank you, government, for protecting us. I am not joking, altruistic demon slayers are in the past; well, Japanese are quite conservative, but the Western influence opened magi’s eyes: what the hell? Nowadays our magi (meaning: the demon slayer or exorcist clans, there are as many as 12 of them — and Japan is a small country) have the government influence and got to the top. But not all of them. After the manga the Amakawa clan is not aboard. Interesting, why the heck? Also is interesting, why are we so few. Like an endangered species. Or died out ones, huh. OK, I distracted again.

Amakawa. The gift. The spirits — to use an English word — are hard to kill because of their fu— fierce power. Not all, but some. So, one of my smart ancestors 200 or 300 years ago (it’s a bad thing to forget the history of your own clan! Bad, bad boy!) drastically solved the problem. He caught a cat. Hey, a demon cat. I mean, a cat spirit, but a quite advanced game unit, the ancestor almost kicked in the bucket. But anyway, the cat swore the vassal’s oath of alliance. How?! That’s the most intriguing question for me. Because when I am 16 years old the amulet will be no more and I will tastefully “smell” around with free magic energy. Free for the spirits, as nobody was teaching the heir. However, in anticipation of this I was given a descendant of that very cat. It will arrive to “protect and guide me” after the amulet will cease its action. As I remember from the manga, spirits will come as flies to… err… honey. While I cannot wield a sword or use magic! I cannot even give orders to my only assault unit! Why? Per manga: because my parents took me off and harshly guarded me from all supernatural things. Why did then the grandpops give me the amulet? Questions without answers…

6.

A day free! A sole one! If not this, my life would be beautiful; well, until I’ll turn 16. I had to wait until school break to go to Noihara. Apparently we have there a clan library. That was “useless”, the manga protagonist did not even look into it. “The techniques are taught orally.” Yep, sure! And the description of the strategic weapons — the demon cats — simply lies around in the house. I have my doubts, especially for a clan that can turn anything into an artefact. Amakawa chose a knowingly successful path: to recruit strong units in enemy’s lore — they did not need to overpower all of them, some were initially ready to collaborate; — and then: to support them during the fight. I wonder, how the energy creatures can be motivated to fight? Only by the safety of life close to people? Sounds like bullshit.

But Noihara now is a “domestic” enclave of “sworn spirits,” but I guess that most of them run away when the grand-pops and my parents died. Or they were released while there is no one to support? In a sense the spirits are vulnerable. To convey some influence onto the normal world they need to partially materialise (a physicist inside of me has seizures and demands Einstein’s blood: no damn E = mc2 for ya!). A materialised spirit can be killed with a commoners’ weapon. But these bandits are very fast, even the weak ones. But well, not faster as a bullet, so that one Harry Potter fanfiction was right. Well, where can a nine year old buy a Kalashnikov or UZI? And I am not joking…

7

I overestimated myself. Long time since I was 9 years old! My legs hurt. After resting for 10 minutes everything is fine again. First I am thirsty, then I am hungry. Devoured two bags of chips, they are light; I am drinking the water slowly: here I cannot buy more. For two hours I am ascending in the mountains. Blast it!

To visit the clan house of my dead relatives is a bit angsty idea. After the manga the vampire ayakashi (what was her name again? Don’t remember!) and her friends are waiting for me here. But: think logically. The bloodsucker would prepare ambush only after the world would know of the appearance of the Amakawa heir. Now I am quasi not here. I am curious: does my amulet only protect me from “lighting up” with magical energy or does it fully shield me from the spiritual world? Should I go visit shrines? As far as I recall the “water god” who stuck to Yuuto was merely water spirit. If one can call this a creature that has the power similar to the jinchuuriki of the one-tailed beast from Naruto, only with water and not with sand. Yeah, the analogies with the anime about an idiot from the Uzumaki clan arise more and more often. I am here something like a mix of two protagonists: Naruto and Saske. Well, no red eyes for me, but having such a kekken genkai, read: an improved genome, I could make them happen. As I said, the “light ferry” can be applied to self. I feel myself like Kononocha’s genin, only that Danzo is not here. Wait, or is he— Wow, that is a very interesting question…

8.

A funny place. Well, and where is everybody? I was sort of expecting that near to the house I will be turned back by guys in black suits and sunglasses— How come? Yep, the Social Committee, wasn’t it? A strange name for a magical police. But no. Also, no spirits. By the way, the house does not look abandoned. The backyard is swept. And— Silence! Only the trees creep sometimes and the wind blows the leafs.

I hate using the manga as a guide! I do not remember all exactly, and there was not much useful information — like 5%. Oh, you are asking about other 95%? That’s fanservice! Handsome and well-curved gi— spirits! Hello memories!

No fresh food in the kitchen. Good thing is: we have electricity and even cell phone coverage. I called Rinko and reported in. The version for her is: I was honouring the memories of my relatives. She thinks for sure that I am at the cemetery. Well, I have a small altar directly in the house, an even the aroma sticks.

Where is this fucking brownie— I mean, the house spirit that should protect the house. Yep, that idiot girl that was throwing knifes at me in the canon. Oh, not me, but Yuuto, but, well, I am Yuuto now. I am hungry! I am the clan leader, now where is the due respect? Give me time to grok the “blood heritage” — that’s the direct translation of kekken genkai — and someone will have problems! I have very strong doubts that the vassal’s oath the free choice. Have you ever seen a guard cat? For sure the defeated spirits were “ferried”— How was that in the shinobi series? To put under a controlling genjitsu. Or the ancestors just flashed their ROM: the energy-based creature can be influenced much easier than humans. And human consciousness can be “ferried,” I am an example for this. Or: how did they create the “Noihara blades” out of insane ayakashi cats? Yeah, now I have found something useful in clan roll— sorry, books. Strange, the house is not closed, come in anyone. On the other side: there is nothing valuable here except the house as such— I am stupid! Stupid!

Surely, around the house is a barrier with a selective filter. Wait, in manga quite everyone was walking there. Or did it discharge when I turn 16? In other words, it will discharge in seven years. What a bad position: blind, unschooled, last standing member of a once-great clan that needs to be rebuild. Hm. In other words: being a typical shounen protagonist. A big “hm!”

9.

It looks like I was wrong when cursing the brownie. She is not here. It is some kind of matryoshka: a usual barrier protects the house from normal people and weak ayakashi. A check-up from the magical police would break through the barrier only to reveal an empty house. And if something really strong stomps in, the house spirit will appear. I recall now, the manga showed this technique. A virtual house. Err— Nope, mystical house, of course. A complete copy of the real thing, including the internal space organisation, and the spirits sit in there. I wonder, if I damage the house, will the ayakashi appear? Or I will get the knife first and questions later? I am not eager to check this… In the spirit spectre I can be recognised as a heir. I could take the amulet off— but I am not sure that the barrier around the house can withstand my energy. And if not: I am doomed. By the way, about being doomed. In the manga Yuuto has met doom: an insane nine-tailed kitsune. I do not even know how did they manage to overpower her. Heh, it seems that the nine-tailed ones are always insane.

10.

Took few most interesting note blocks from the library, I need to thing about it. I wonder, does the virtual— heck! the mystical house contain real technique descriptions? In manga Yuuto has not found them, but he was not searching! And Mizuki, the water spirit, was not able to read it. “Only the third stage of Sharigan can read the carving from the rock—” Crap, again Naruto! But I would not exclude an “eye cipher. Or hand cipher? Activation with aura— or a blood drop? Heck, I feel like in my home lab. ”Here is the sample, do what you want, but find me the resonance frequency.“ But even the visible text is fascinating among the lines. Hey, ancestors, what did you find that was so dangerous? Concerning the demonic cats, this is not ”the planting of the duty" as you call it. To be frank, this is a full-fledged artificial personality. Holy crap! Can you do this with people? You know, in the future, my fiance will arrive. Kuesu, I forgot the clan name. She was a guest here when she was a kid, we even kissed. Funny. The hormones will kick in only like in two-three years. The grandpa was doing something fishy, oh, very-very fishy. And what about my parents? Following the manga, they refused their demon slayer life style, but did they resign from their own power? I doubt this strongly.

11.

Poor Rinko was very nervous. Does she think I will jump of the roof from grief? We are friends like for one year — since we arrived here. She kept my dinner warm. Your mother is waiting for you, doesn’t she? Oh you sweeth— hm— mine. Why does she stick to me? If it is not— Hey, paranoia, shut up! “I’ll think about it tomorrow.”

12.

Both Rinko and her relatives treat me… strange. They like me so much, they feed me, but they do not interfere with my affairs. It’s like I am partially an adult, and partially a kid. When I visit them, I am welcome. Rinko makes me lunch. Nine year old Rinko, a tomboy, who only cares about “running until stumbling” and “be merry, don’t be sad.” My suspicion becomes a confidence. By the way, we have a very interesting living block here. Apple-pie order. Neighbours are never loud, all cars are clean. The shops have exemplary service — well, it’s more the issue of the service in Japan. Something like a circle of close-by people that interact with the lone grumpy kid. Me. I am not grumpy, I am normal, but comparing with my neighbour Rinko…

13.

I bought a PC. To be more exact: bought components and assembled them, something like this. Rinko is shocked. Opened up the side and showed what is what. Rinko is even more shocked now. Bought a DSL modem, pulled the LAN cable. It’s cheaper than buying books, especially foreign ones. When Kusaki — that’s Rinko’s family name — visited again, showed her a browser. She is reluctant to use a mouse. Japanese, oh my god! Her mobile sends and receives emails, this is normal. But a PC is only for professionals. Facepalm.

14.

Why was I thinking that the amulet blocks my powers? It shields them. The evidence is this electric water boiler that is successfully working for two months after the heating spiral burned out. I just shook it and wished that this untimely refusing to work device would merely make my tea warm. Yuuto, you are an idiot. And I am an extreme lazy-bones! To start using clan jutsu just because I was too lazy to get my ass up… My future is bright!

15.

Vacations were for one month only, the school has begun again. No real progress, the computer is at fault. I did not forget Russian — but it was hard to make a Japanese browser understand Cyrillic, — my English was also intact. Funny math class, where to write numbers down is harder than to solve the assignment. The history studies are wow— interesting! Sociology, too. I learned a lot of new things there. Maybe I should just pass the natural sciences classes as one-shot?

16.

Began doubting that “light ferry” is magic. Yep, just like this. By the way, here exists a British Magical Academy, they even have a website, even a Wikipedia article! If you are not a magus, you can hear a theory course, how strange. Oh year, Harry Potter also exists. And a local Russian fandom — oh god! Compared it to Japanese one. Don’t know who is more perverse. Some fantasy books I remember are somewhat different. Some barriers, magical circles, stealing energy from other folks — that was not in there before. And some druids. That gave me a thought.