𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐗 ⟼ g. satoru

025

KAZUYA STARED AT the purple kid-monster, eyes wide in fear.

Fear.

It was a word that had become foreign to her almost seven years ago. It was an unfamiliar feeling that had resurfaced uncomfortably.

But this...monster with purple skin, holes, and metal-sharp teeth. This was no human. This surpassed the boundaries of reality itself.

She didn't even have time to wonder what was going on.

"HAHAHA!" the purple freak cackled. "TIME TO PAY!"

Suddenly, Kazuya saw what looked like a gigantic blade falling...straight toward her. She heard someone scream, and it took her a second to realize that she was the one who screamed.

No, wait! I can't use my-- not yet!

Her instinct took over. She leaped onto the back of the chair. She immediately pushed off it, launching herself in the air. The blade landed right where she was sitting. She covered her face with her arms, shielding herself from the debris.

She looked up and saw that the blades extended from the purple monster's teeth. Her eyes widened in horror.

That's...that...it...shouldn't be possible- How is it...?

"Dammit!"

Detective Araya cursed under her breath. Ten seconds ago, this place was calm (and annoyed) watching the video. Now there are dozens of DOPI detectives screaming their heads off because their simple minds can't comprehend the idea of cursed spirits.

How is it that the cursed spirit managed to get here?

But she didn't have time to ask questions. She reached over toward the podium, grabbing a long, silver-colored tube. She brought it to her lips.

Sweet notes of music began to travel through the air. They caught the attention of everyone in the room.

Immediately upon reaching their ears, detectives began to close their eyes and drop like flies over chairs, the floor, and even fellow detectives. Like a domino-effect, their heads began to slump and their faces relaxed.

They're...they're...Kazuya's eyes fluttered close.

After playing for exactly fifteen seconds, Detective Araya took the flute away from her lips. She smiled, observing the results of her success.

"Lullaby."

By infusing the flute, a cursed tool, with cursed energy, Araya Akako could make the cursed energy travel through the air to the ears of others, forcing them into a coma. But she could only affect one of three groups: ordinary humans, jujutsu sorcerers, or cursed spirits.

And for however long she played, the affected will forget whatever happened before she began playing the flute for that specific amount of time.

Suddenly, Araya's eyes widened. "No...!"

Kazuya was the only one who was forced to jump away from the teeth-blades. When Araya used her technique to induce all the detectives into a coma, she was still in the air.

Because Kazuya had sat in the back, and thus in the higher seats, she had gotten very high in the air. And, there was a lot of space between her and the seats in the lower levels.