Chapter 102: Walking Further Down the Path of a Voyeur

"But I lean toward the second hypothesis—not entirely because the first has flaws, but due to another reason: the frequent earthquakes.

Director Nakamura looked at Mori Takeshi.

"Just now, Inspector Mori said that yōkai movement can cause earthquakes here. Perhaps this year’s surge in seismic activity is caused by yōkai. Also, Director Takahashi noted that earthquakes weren’t frequent before, but now they are—clearly something has stirred many yōkai that had been lying dormant."

At this, everyone nearly understood Director Nakamura’s thought, their expressions shifting involuntarily.

"Director Nakamura, are you suggesting that the reason behind yōkai and the supernatural hiding for centuries, then reappearing, is connected to these dormant yōkai suddenly moving?" asked Director Takahashi.

"Yes, and more than that—I believe the late King’s video recordings, the surge in earthquakes caused by yōkai, and the collective concealment and reappearance of yōkai and the supernatural are all linked, possibly all tied to that same reason."

As he spoke, Director Nakamura’s expression grew grave.

"The timing is too close—all these events occurred within the same year, and their occurrences are closely spaced."

"As the saying goes, three’s no coincidence: one’s an accident, two’s luck, but three can’t still be chance—and this isn’t even three, it’s four. So many events tied to the supernatural and yōkai happening in one year—if you say they’re unrelated, I’d rather chop off my own head than believe it."

"I’m convinced there’s a connection between these events—and the most likely cause is that reason."

He crushed the cigarette he’d unconsciously smoked to ash in the ashtray.

Director Nakamura lit another, drew a deep breath, and exhaled a wisp of smoke.

His solemn eyes glimmered with thought.

"That reason caused yōkai and the supernatural to vanish and hide; because of that same reason, dormant yōkai indirectly triggered earthquakes; and through the late King’s NH137 video, it seeks to reveal yōkai and the supernatural to the world."

"The force capable of driving yōkai and the supernatural into another realm and into concealment must be terrifying—otherwise, it could never control all of them."

"Yōkai and the supernatural are immensely powerful; almost nothing in this world can control them all—but that doesn’t mean nothing exists."

The next moment.

Everyone in the room simultaneously thought of it…

That thing—the "over there" that forced yōkai and the supernatural into the same camp, mentioned by Jizōdōji and Kūkai.

The conference room fell utterly silent.

Faced with Director Nakamura’s speculation, their spirits trembled.

What exactly was this "over there"? What had it done to yōkai and the supernatural to make them so fearful they had to hide for centuries?

Unconsciously, the room filled with drifting smoke.

Everyone lit cigarettes, puffing clouds, expressions uncertain, minds agitated and unsettled.

The more they analyzed and speculated, the heavier their heads grew—they sensed this was no simple matter, that some great terror or secret lay hidden.

Just then,

Director Takahashi proposed:

"Find a chance to ask the Tsuchimikado family—they’re descendants of Abe no Seimei; they must know something."

"Right! The Tsuchimikado family agreed to advise our Supernatural Response Division—we can ask them about yōkai. Even if we can’t uncover the reason, at least we might get other information," added Suzuki Kū. "For example, the strength tiers of yōkai and the supernatural."

At these words, everyone immediately turned their gaze toward him.

They’d seen yōkai before—not just in Yunhu or Higashioku, but countless others, dozens of types—but they knew nothing of their strength levels.

Weak ones like the small yōkai that killed the Sakurada Group; powerful ones like Dainyūdō, the child yōkai, the six-eyed yōkai.

Yet even Dainyūdō, the child yōkai, and the six-eyed yōkai have varying strengths. Leaving aside the child yōkai that never revealed its full power, just comparing Dainyūdō and the six-eyed yōkai—the six-eyed yōkai is clearly far stronger.

Now that yōkai have reappeared, Director Takahashi and the others believe more will emerge. Though Kūkai and others protect them, they can’t rely on them forever—the government must act, or public trust will crumble.

Whether to maintain Japan’s position at the world’s apex or to protect its citizens, the government must study yōkai and develop powerful weapons to counter them.

To fight yōkai, they must understand their strength tiers—otherwise, they’d have to mobilize heavily every time. After all, yōkai vary in power; if a weak one appears and the government still sends a massive force, it won’t just panic citizens—it would bankrupt the military budget.

Know yourself and know your enemy, and you’ll win every battle.

Knowing yōkai strength levels allows them to deploy the precise military scale needed—to eliminate targets with minimal cost and personnel.

"Accelerate the Supernatural Gene Project, Human Modification Project, and Biological Gene Weapon Project—all other nonessential projects are suspended immediately. Redirect all funding to these three to develop powerful weapons as soon as possible."

Suzuki Kū spoke.

At the last Diet session, every vote passed, granting the Supernatural Response Division full authority over the supernatural gene and related projects.

"I second it!"

"I second it!"

…

Tokyo, Arakawa Ward, apartment.

After inspecting Rikui, Kamikawa Mitsu didn’t rest immediately. His gaze flickered toward the window, toward the direction of the Supernatural Response Division.

Director Takahashi and the others didn’t know their entire conversation had been spied on and overheard by Kamikawa Mitsu.

"Looks like those who sit at the top aren’t fools—their imagination is top-tier."

Kamikawa Mitsu rubbed his chin, genuinely impressed by Director Nakamura’s analysis—his mind-reading was flawless. Not only had he deduced all the information Kamikawa Mitsu had provided, he’d even filled in the gaps himself.

As the mastermind behind the emergence of yōkai and the supernatural, Kamikawa Mitsu knew perfectly well that the surge in earthquakes had nothing to do with him—it was due to interdimensional invasion.

Through the invasion by Sengai, the system had revealed antagonist information; combined with Kamikawa Mitsu’s expenditure of script points to learn more, he now understood the cause of the earthquakes: it was tied to interdimensional invasion.

Every world has its own barrier, designed to protect it from collisions with other worlds and prevent damage.

To invade a world, an interdimensional force must first pierce through its barrier.

Japan’s frequent earthquakes are, in fact, the interdimensional force striking this world’s barrier, attempting to breach it. Why only Japan and not other regions? Because Japan sits atop the weakest point of the world’s barrier.

After spying on Rikui and the Supernatural Response Division meeting, Kamikawa Mitsu stretched and prepared to sleep.

As he lay on the bed, he recalled his spying—and murmured softly.

"…How did I end up walking down the path of a voyeur?"

…