Exorcist in America

"Saintess."

The car stopped at the second checkpoint inside.

This checkpoint was the last guarded one, also considered the last safe zone by the priests of the shrine.

Indeed, this final checkpoint acted like a real boundary line, separating two different zones.

Outside it was merely oppressive, a cold current or resentment could be felt, but inside the checkpoint, a much colder, gloomy atmosphere spread, deeper than outside.

The eeriness was enough to film a horror movie without any additional props, perfectly enhancing the terrifying atmosphere.

It was as if the real vent was inside, with winds constantly spreading from inside to outside, describing the vent as a source of resentment would also be appropriate.

Whether it was because of Kayako sensing the situation here, the inside was indeed eerily indescribable.

Higa Kotoko nodded in response to the priest who opened the car door outside and looked to her side.

The car door on the other side was opened by someone else, and after seeing York nod, Higa Kotoko prepared to get out, initially planning to wait for her sister.

However, she found that Higa Makoto did not exit from her side but instead got out on the side near York.

"..."

Higa Kotoko simply closed the door.

York stood there, ignoring the figure of Higa Makoto approaching, observing the surroundings.

The security at this intersection was extremely tight.

Besides a large number of police officers, there were also priests in traditional Shinto garb.

These priests were mostly middle-aged and older, sitting along the roadside stretching for dozens of meters, their expressions filled with bleakness and solemnity.

Between these priests were several small altars.

Combined with the gloomy feel behind them, a strong sense of ritual hit you head-on.

York nodded silently, summarizing the situation as having 'the right feel.'

"This is our shrine's sealing ceremony," Higa Kotoko explained, walking beside him.

"If we die inside, this will be the last checkpoint. They will sacrifice their own lives and perish together with the spirits and ghosts."

York looked at the priests stretching out to the perimeter, observing their solemn faces, and did not doubt Higa Kotoko's words.

He also believed that these people would truly give their lives for the success of the exorcism.

This was the style of the shrine, and why its status was so exalted, with top families and government officials paying their respects every year.

Simply put, the island nation could remain unscathed under the influence of the world's rifts and the attacks of strange evil creatures because, behind the scenes, countless priests had sacrificed themselves.

When they couldn't overcome, they chose to exchange life for life, never living a half-hearted life.

This was the style of the island nation.

When he first came to the island, he had witnessed it himself.

A demon hunter with only a slight spiritual power daring to exhaust his life for powerful strength and to combat spirits.

The sheer determination left a lasting impression on him; it was an old man.

"Mhm."

York responded and looked toward the deep street, calmly saying, "Let's go."

After speaking, York led the Higa sisters inside, under the respectful bows of the surrounding people.

At this moment, even Higa Makoto showed a serious expression, no longer carrying her usual carefree demeanor. She just silently followed York, not moving anywhere else, not saying a word, for fear of disturbing others.

While Higa Kotoko stood next to Higa Makoto, her position subtly shifted to protect her younger sister, Makoto.

Once they crossed the boundary, the eerie feeling inside intensified.

It was just an ordinary street with streetlights still on and buildings on both sides where residents hadn't managed to turn off the lights, yet it felt chilling to the bone.

"It knows we're here," York stopped walking, observing the sudden surge of red energy as they entered, saying calmly.

"Mhm," Higa Kotoko responded, also looking towards the depth.

As the strongest spiritual medium in the island nation, combined with her specific spiritual powers and skills, she could keep up with York's pace.

Instantly, there was no place for Higa Makoto; she could only watch with her eyes, understanding through the conversations between York and Higa Kotoko how it knew of their arrival.

As she thought this, the streetlights suddenly started popping loudly.

The eerie and frightening space suddenly experienced this, truly terrifying. Higa Makoto tensed up, quickly looking over.

As the streetlights popped and went out one after another, the buildings on both sides that were still lit also suddenly went dark at that moment.

Now, lacking light sources, the area plunged into darkness, visibility significantly reduced.

The atmosphere became even more ethereal, elusive, and wisps of fog visible to the naked eye mysteriously appeared, seemingly harboring great terror.

Higa Makoto instinctively reached into her bosom, clutching a talisman there, her expression wary

.

"This is interesting."

York looked back at the way they had come in. If you tried to see with the naked eye, there was nothing visible, completely different from how it looked when they entered.

The checkpoint and blockade had disappeared, the priests guarding it were gone, the altars were missing, and the police were no longer there.

Like here, without light sources, as if the entire city had suddenly become a ghost town.

However, breaking through this barrier set up by the spirit, in reality, nothing had changed on the other side. The lights were still on, the checkpoint and blockade, the guarding priests, the altars, and the police were all still there.

"This really surpasses the probability of a bound spirit, deceiving and dealing with ordinary exorcists like Higa Makoto is indeed sufficient," York retracted his gaze, looked inside, and then at the wary Higa Makoto, just smiled.

"Onii-chan, what are you planning to do?" Higa Kotoko spoke up.

"It seems we've entered the domain of this spirit's illusion."

If it were her, facing a powerful spirit, she would only choose the spirit's source location, set up an altar there, and perform an exorcism through a combination of spells.

That was her usual method, simple and effective.

But she knew York's approach was different.

With her question, even Higa Makoto looked up.

"This spirit probably can't be dealt with by ordinary means."

Remembering Kayako's performance in the movies, York fumbled in his pocket for a while, eventually pulling out a cross and handing it to Higa Makoto.

"Put this on; it will protect you."

Although the cross was generally intended for demons, it contained his holy energy.

As long as it involved resentment or anything related to darkness and negativity, it was effective. It didn't matter what the object was; at this point, he could achieve the effect of the cross with just any grass; the cross was merely a habit from living in the West for so long.

Also, the holy energy stored in the cross would be triggered automatically in case of anomalies.

This would prevent Higa Makoto from being dragged into a space created by Kayako suddenly.

"Thank you, Onii-chan."

Higa Makoto's eyes showed a hint of joy as she quickly took it and put it on, immediately feeling a warmth.

This warmth instantly dispelled the chill lingering on her and warmed her thoroughly.

"It's so warm," Higa Makoto couldn't help but say.

"That's the effect of the cross," York explained, looking at Higa Kotoko.

He thought Higa Kotoko would shake her head, but unexpectedly, she stretched out her hand, silently staring at him.

The sudden change in the cool beauty of an older sister, York coughed dryly, fumbled again, but found nothing more, the last cross had already been given to Higa Makoto, thinking for a moment he could only take off the cross hanging around his neck and hand it over to Higa Kotoko.

Higa Kotoko, who had been silently observing from start to end, quietly clenched the cross, retracted her hand, and carefully felt the warmth still in her palm, her heart warming up.

But this mood, under her sister's skeptical look and teasing words, completely vanished.

"Big sister, don't you dislike the church?"

Higa Kotoko expressionlessly said, "The church is the church, Onii-chan is Onii-chan."

"Oh," Higa Makoto drew out the word long.

"That makes sense."

York, pretending not to see this loving yet antagonistic scene between the sisters, began to walk forward.

"Let's keep going."

Seeing this, Higa Kotoko could only ignore her sister and followed.

The two of them moved, making Higa Makoto feel as if the surroundings had become unsafe, and she quickly followed.

The three of them walked down this gloomy, moonless path.

Thump, thump, thump!

The quiet, uninhabited street echoed only with their footsteps and Higa Makoto's quiet tones.

"131."

"132."

"..."

Eventually, under York's lead, the trio turned a corner to a street lined with buildings numbered 140 to 150, walked past an intersection, turned a corner, and arrived at the street where apartment 164 was located.

At that moment, the cold intensified.

So much so that the effect of the crosses became stronger, the warmth increased, and they started to emit a white light, enveloping Higa Kotoko, Higa Makoto, and York, who was affected by association.

"Onii-chan, the resentment is heavy," Higa Kotoko looked at the road ahead, her expression grave. She had exorcised spirits many times, but such intense resentment was rare, countable on one hand.

That was indeed the infamous Kayako, whose resentment was naturally heavy.

York didn't feel surprised but looked towards the right

 side of a building.

In the second-floor window of that building stood an unclear figure, appearing very eerie. The figure seemed to be wearing a school uniform, draped in hair even blacker than the night.

Intense resentment radiated from her, and here, any human figure appearing was undoubtedly a spirit or ghost, no doubt about it.

"Kotoko, can you compensate the residents here for the damage?"

Without hesitation, Higa Kotoko followed York's gaze, saw the figure, and nodded:

"I can."

As soon as Higa Kotoko's words fell, York casually waved towards the direction of the building, as if slapping someone's face lightly.

Feather-light, seemingly with no force at all.

But in Higa Makoto's dumbfounded expression, that building shattered instantly as if slapped by an invisible giant hand, crumbling completely.

The result was immediate, even before the sound.

A massive boom shattered the dead silence.

Boom!!!

The building, now reduced to debris, was flung outward by the slap.

Before Higa Makoto could react, a shrill scream followed.

This scream, mixed with heavy, massive resentment, roared over, filling Higa Makoto's consciousness with only the word "endure," her soul shaken so that her vision split, and she instinctively covered her ears, unable to do anything else. Her spiritual power was completely ineffective under these circumstances.

Just then, a figure blocked in front of her, and Higa Makoto could only widen her eyes in astonishment; that was all she could do.

It was her sister, Higa Kotoko, who had already formed a seal with her hands, her kimono fluttering without wind, spiritual power bursting from her.

A calm yet cool voice replaced the scream filling her mind.

"Hang on, fear the revered name, call upon the unseen god, pray to the god of ancestral soil, long have we worshiped this mountain and river.

Fear and respect, I obey the divine will, I return what was given!"

The powerful purification spell was very effective in this situation.

Higa Makoto felt a relief wash over her, her buzzing head finally calming down, and she began to feel like she could move a bit, feeling fortunate.

Just as Onii-chan said, this spirit was indeed not something she could handle.

Thinking of York, Higa Makoto looked forward.

She suddenly realized that the figure blocking in front of her was her sister, and blocking in front of her sister was Onii-chan.

That broad back was like a mountain, providing a great sense of security, covering both sisters.

Unconsciously, Higa Makoto's gaze softened.

A memory she would probably never forget in her life surfaced in her mind, the most dangerous moment when, dazed, she had opened her eyes and seemed to have seen this scene before.

"A clone of Kayako?"

At that moment, York's calm voice sounded.

"Seems a bit weak."

Before Higa Makoto could try to look past the broad back of her sister and Onii-chan.

A snapping sound.

Higa Makoto saw the buildings on both sides being crushed into debris by an invisible force, even carried by this force and blasted towards the front.

Boom!

The unseen front exploded with a brilliant white light in the thunderous noise, brightening the entire night.

The piercing scream turned into an extremely miserable wail.

"Is this the power of Onii-chan?" Higa Makoto was stunned, murmuring to herself.

___________________

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