Hoichi the Earless [Episode 4] Night Cherry Blossom Hundred Demon Festival (3)

Tonight, gathered beneath the cherry blossoms are a hundred demons—

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Chapter 4: Ikuno Silver Mine, The Monk Arrives

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The town of Ikuno breathed within the valley of the silver mine.

Ore was being dug out from the mountains again today, and the line of people heading toward the mine shafts never ceased.
Merchants and miners passing through stopped at the inns along the main road, and the scent of steaming meals and sake drifted into the night air.

However, in contrast to that brightness, an unsettling atmosphere was gradually seeping out from the depths of the mountains.

A single monk was walking along a slope on the outskirts of town.
He was dressed for travel, wearing a sedge hat, his ink-dyed robes fluttering in the wind.
In his hand was an ordinary-looking staff, but a sharp blade was concealed within. In the bag slung over his shoulder, a wooden fish (mokugyo) for Buddhist rituals lay silent.

The monk had been aiming for Kyoto since leaving Ichijo-ji Temple.
However, a single remark he heard at the entrance to Ikuno made him stop.

—Behind the mine, something 'not human' appears every night.

It's just your imagination, a mistake, just a tanuki—everyone laughed it off, but beneath that laughter lay an indescribable anxiety.

“The things hidden behind vitality are the ones with the deepest roots... I see.”

The monk frowned slightly as he climbed the slope.
This town has human life. Warmth, light, and prayers still remain.
And, as if drawn to that, shadows also gather.

When he stepped onto the narrow mountain path leading behind the mine, the air suddenly changed.
The birds stopped singing, there was no wind, and the trees creaked slightly. Even though there was no human presence, a sensation of being 'watched' clung to him.

“...It’s here.”

In the darkness, something was quietly writhing.
It had not yet revealed its form. But it was certainly there.

The monk stopped and gently placed his hand on his concealed staff.

He did not strike the wooden fish yet.
Now was the time to simply discern the 'presence' that was approaching.

What spread out before him was the underside of the bustling town.
The invisible, shadowy part of the town that had gained prosperity by digging for silver.

The monk walked silently along the mountain path where the moonlight could not reach.
He felt the presence of something approaching. But it still did not show its form clearly.

Deep in the darkness, something was holding its breath.
Whether it was a vengeful spirit or the sprout of a demon—he would discern its true nature from here on.

The monk did not stop his pace and quietly entered the depths of the mountain.

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It was like a beast, yet it was not a beast.
Crawling on all fours and letting out a groaning sound, it moved from shadow to shadow in the forest.

The monk had not seen its form.
But he felt it with his ears, his skin, and its breathing.

“Devouring human hearts, are you...”

He muttered in a low voice and took the wooden fish out of the bag on his shoulder.
It was just the right size to fit in his palm, old but polished.
The carved Hannya mask faintly emerged in the moonlight.

The monk lowered his hips and quietly closed his eyes.
Before long, the sound of the wooden fish, 'poku, poku,' rang out from his palm.

—Poku, poku... poku.

The sound was low, deep, and somehow soft.
However, its vibrations permeated every corner of the forest, shaking the presence of the grudge.

The 'something' that had been lurking in the shadows until then raised its voice and writhed.
The trees shook, the grass tore, and a black shadow rolled out from the depths of the slope.

It mimicked the form of a human.
One hand was a pickaxe for excavation, and the other was crumbling as if rotten.
A lump of iron ore like a mask was embedded in its face, and silver bubbles dripped from its mouth.

“...Those who greedily consumed the mountain have been consumed by the mountain, have they.”

The monk's voice was quiet.
But the shadow's grudge was strong and sharp, letting out a groan that tore through the night.

“—Giiiii...!”

The shadow lunged. With the speed of a beast, it snapped branches and bared its fangs as it closed in.

In that instant, the sound of the wooden fish stopped.

The monk stood up and simultaneously twisted the lower part of his staff.
With a click, a steel blade was drawn from the concealed staff.

In the moonlight, it was a single flash of light.

“—Rest in peace.”

His voice tore through the air.

The swung blade sliced through the center of the shadow without hesitation, and the grudge blew away like mist along with the silver bubbles.
The wind danced in that place, and a slightly cold scent remained.

The monk quietly put away the wooden fish and returned the concealed staff.

“...This is still just the beginning.”

He turned his back and descended the forest.
Kyoto was still far away. But the air was already somewhat restless.

On the night he exorcised the shadow, human voices returned to the town of Ikuno.
Even so, a lingering presence remained in the monk's heart that he could not wipe away.

Because, just as the vengeful spirit was fading, he had definitely heard it.

—A sound, ringing somewhere far away.

The monk did not yet know the meaning of that sound.
But he felt that it was a sound connected to Kyoto.

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Dawn broke.

The town of Ikuno was still wrapped in mist, but the chirping of birds had returned to the mountains.
Thin smoke rose from the charcoal huts, and the shouts of those heading to the silver mine could be heard for the first time in a while.

The monk stood on the mountain pass overlooking the town, quietly gazing beyond the morning haze.
With his white wood staff in hand and the wooden fish tucked into the bag on his back, his travel preparations were already complete.

He looked back just once.

At the end of his gaze was a small Jizo statue.
It was likely carved by a miner. The surface of the stone was worn, but only the compassionate expression remained clearly.

The monk gently pressed his palms together and offered a prayer for just one breath.

“May the peace of this land continue for a long time—”

And then, he started walking again without making a sound.
His destination was still ahead. But there was no hesitation in his steps.

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