Tokyo Exorcism Diary

Confirming that there was absolutely no way to leave this “cell” for now, Hoshino Gen stood before the glass wall, contemplating for a moment. In the end, he chose to return to the gel-like bed that exuded a futuristic feel.

His head was still a little dizzy, and his body lacked any real strength. Since he couldn’t leave or receive any outside information, sleeping a little longer seemed like a reasonable option.

Before falling unconscious, though his consciousness had been hazy, he still remembered what had happened. He had slaughtered every gang member at the underground garage, while the resident in his left eye devoured an unknown number of soul entities. There were signs it was about to fall back into slumber — the best proof being that, despite him teetering on the edge of complete loss of control, the resident hadn’t stepped in to take over his body.

His actions at the time had been entirely driven by his own uncontrollable desire for malice.

He was already deeply contaminated. He had to find a way to resolve this — otherwise, the next time he lost control, there was no guarantee he’d ever wake up again.

As for whether he’d be able to leave this place… Hoshino Gen wasn’t particularly worried. If he was still alive, then there was definitely a way out.

Lying on the gel bed, staring at the ceiling, he sank into his memories.

Contamination — his master had told him about this phenomenon in his previous life, though back then it wasn’t called “contamination” but rather “yin energy invasion.”

For those who dealt with ghosts for long periods, yin energy inevitably invaded their bodies. Even ordinary people would fall ill for several days after merely encountering a ghost, let alone someone like Hoshino Gen, who actively sought out vengeful spirits and fought them head-on.

Vengeful spirits were the most yin-filled, most malevolent entities in the world — chaotic and maddened beings, often born from wrongful deaths and bitter grievances. They were omens of extreme misfortune. Since ancient times, those who frequently interacted with such entities rarely met good ends — at best, they were plagued by illness, and at worst, they lost themselves to madness.

All of this was the result of yin energy invading the human body — or in this world’s terms, contamination.

It was severe, but not without a solution. The method wasn’t exactly difficult, but neither was it easy — especially not for Hoshino Gen.

Ghosts and humans walked different paths — ghosts belonged to yin, while humans naturally belonged to yang. Contact with ghosts led to yin energy corruption, while ceasing contact and spending more time around people helped gather yang energy. In a way, it aligned with humanity’s innate nature as social creatures.

Hoshino Gen’s daily commitment to attending school wasn’t entirely without this intention.

However, this method was slow and weak in effect. If he continued dealing with vengeful spirits in the meantime, the results would be no better than a drop in the ocean.

What truly made a difference — and could even save a life in desperate moments — was forming bonds, having attachments. As his master once described it, for people like them, the world was an endless ocean, and they were but lone boats drifting across its surface.

Vengeful spirits were the waves, the storms, the violent tempests. The people they cared for were their anchors, preventing them from being carried away and sinking into the depths. In their most helpless moments, those bonds were what could pull them back.

Family was the most natural and best anchor. In his previous life, Hoshino Gen had no family. His master knew this and had always urged him — even on his deathbed — to make friends, build connections, marry, and have children. At the very least, he should take on disciples to pass down their craft.

Hoshino Gen had wanted to follow his master’s advice — but unfortunately, he died too early. He hadn’t even experienced what it was like to lose control due to contamination before his life ended.

In this life, he had family — natural anchors, so to speak. Yet when he lost control, those anchors hadn’t helped him at all. When his thoughts were filled with chaos and desire, when his soul struggled in the stormy ocean, not a single hand had reached out to pull him back.

The solution existed, but it wasn’t one he could rely on.

That left him with only one option — to cut himself off. To temporarily sever all ties with vengeful spirits, frequent lively places, witness more people and events, and bid farewell to the dark, supernatural world — at least for now.

As he mulled things over, a hissing sound of gas escaping echoed from the direction of the cell’s gate. Hoshino Gen instinctively looked over, seeing the gate slowly rise. A striking figure stepped inside.

Asakura Meika

Before the Special Affairs Unit had assigned Kiryu Rakuye as his partner, Hoshino Gen had typically contacted the Unit through her.

“Awake? How are you feeling?”

Though the two weren’t particularly close, Asakura Meika’s tone and demeanor now carried the warmth of an old friend.

Hoshino Gen sat up on the bed, offering his habitual smile. “Not bad — it’s been a long time since I’ve slept this soundly.”

“Is that so? That’s good to hear.” Asakura Meika stood not far away, arms lightly crossed, her smile friendly as her gaze flicked to the circular rings on his wrists and ankles. “These are ability locks — but they’re not meant to suppress your special powers. You should have noticed by now… you can’t feel the contamination in your body anymore, can you?”

Hoshino Gen was taken aback. He hadn’t noticed before, but now that she mentioned it — the burning pain in his left eye, which had felt like part of him for so long, was indeed gone.

He blinked. “This thing can seal contamination too?”

“That’s right. As its name suggests, it can lock away all supernatural energy. But because of the exorbitant cost and the rarity of the materials, the entire Special Affairs Unit only has two sets — and now both are being used on you. Your special power and contamination are simply too immense for a single lock to contain.”

Hoshino Gen’s gaze flickered.

“I imagine you’ve already guessed what these were developed for.” Asakura Meika smiled. “Indeed — ability locks were created as a safeguard for Unit members. When the contamination in our bodies reaches a certain level, we can put them on, retire from the profession, and return to ordinary life.”

“And now, you’re enjoying a retirement benefit that even our internal members haven’t had the chance to experience yet.”

Hoshino Gen’s eyes darkened. After a moment, he said, “They’re made from vessels, aren’t they?”

“Correct.”

“Then it seems… unless you people are willing, there’s no way I could take them off myself.” Hoshino Gen’s lips curled in a faint smile, as if entirely unconcerned. “So… this means you’ve forcibly stripped me of myl powers, haven’t you?”