Vol. 5 Ch. 2 Ep. 22: The Festival Must Go On

Kaho, Kaho!

...What is it now? Why are you in such a panic?

There's less than an hour until the Waraku Festival starts. This had best be as urgent as you're making it seem. Otherwise, Niya should handle it back at the Yin-Yang Club room.

Or...don't tell me Niya has slipped away again?

Yes, Niya has disappeared again. But more importantly...

Now?! Of all times?! I warned her until I was blue in the face that her usual tactics would not be tolerated this time.

But what is more important than our president's negligence?

What could possibly be more pressing than her disappearing moments before the Waraku Festival begins?

Surely nothing has befallen my sweet idol Chise...

I'm right here!

Ah, Chise. What a relief.

Well, if it doesn't have to do with Chise, I hardly see the problem.

...I think it'd be easier if you just came and saw for yourself.

What on earth...?

Are those...eyes? All over the district?

Eyeballs...rolling, rolling, rolling around...

Yes! Just a few moments ago, they appeared out of nowhere, and everywhere!

Shizuko from the Festival Department has no idea where they came from, so we thought that maybe they were some special attraction you'd arranged for the Waraku Festival.

This festival is meant to showcase Chise's adorable cuteness! You dare suggest I would decorate it with these...things?!

But if even Shizuko doesn't know, then those eyes must be...

This unsettling gaze... There's a strange familiarity to it.

Kaho, can we do a staring contest with that big eye?

Absolutely not!

Ugh, what the heck are these eyeballs?

How creepy... Look! It's blinkin'! You think they're alive?

Maybe if we shoot 'em they'll get scared and, uh, roll away...

W-Wait a moment! Until we know what we're dealing with, we should abstain from engaging...

The bullet...passed right on through?

What the heck?! It's like I was shootin' at some illusion!

Ah, they're multiplyin'!

Ain't that...the monster from the last fire?!

This is way out of our league... Run for it!

...Artifact Spirits.

This is the work of Nature's Beauty.

Of all times, they make their move when the Hyakkaryouran are absent...

Or perhaps...that is precisely why they've chosen to act now. Regardless, it's less than ideal.

Wh-What do we do, Vice President?

First, send out a broadcast to all the guests and staff currently in the festival grounds. They must not engage with the monsters!

All available staff should focus on safely evacuating every last civilian!

B-But...those eyeballs are everywhere. Where can we even take them?

W-Well...

Vice President Kaho! On top of the eyeballs, the same old-object monsters from last time have appeared! They're attacking everyone in sight!

It's like they were waiting for us... They've blocked off every escape route!

We can't escape their gazes!

Are we going to have to call off the festival?

What do we do, Vice President?

...Niya.

If only Niya were here, at least...

The best I can do is to evaluate the situation and maintain safety and order...

It's beyond my capabilities to formulate a counterattack...

...Kaho.

I'm sorry, Chise.

All your hard work...and we're going to have to call off the Waraku...

No. That's not it.

Look. A ninja.

A ninja...?

The Ninjutsu Research Club is here!

Kaho! You're safe!

We got delayed...because of the monsters... We had to shake them off!

Ninjutsu Research Club? How are you...?

Are you here to help take down these monsters?

Um, yes! Technically! But we actually have an urgent message to deliver!

Yes, Sensei gave us a very important mission...!

And we have a message from Niya! Nin nin!

Sensei...? And a message from Niya...?

Nyahaha... How embarrassing.

Even as a shadow, fighting the Hyakkaryouran president is no walk in the park.

Ayame truly lives up to her reputation, now doesn't she?

I suppose her ghost story will begin snaking its tendrils through Hyakkiyako about now.

Everything unfolded exactly as I expected...besides me ending up down here. Now all I can do is observe the final acts.

Ai-yah. I suppose I should've prepared at least one ace up my sleeve.

Niya!

President Niya, we've come to rescue you!

Are...you okay, President Niya?

...Ninjutsu Research Club? How did you find me...?

The three of us have been following you!

You see, Sensei bestowed a very special mission upon us before they left.

Sensei did...?

Y-Yes, ma'am! They were worried...that with the Hyakkaryouran away, someone could attack the Yin-Yang Club. So Sensei asked us to secretly guard you, President Niya...

Fufu. And working in the shadows to provide discreet protection is the ninja way!

...So you mean to tell me that you stood idly by while I was being ambushed by Ayame's shadow?

W-Well... It happened out of nowhere, you know? We were taken completely off guard!

And more realistically, we really couldn't have done anything against her...

Yeah...just watching the way she moved...made me too scared to do anything...

Sometimes you just have to know when to pick your battles!

Avoid disadvantageous situations, and catch the enemy off guard when they least expect it! That's the ninja way too!

So we shadowed you until you were alone!

Wow, President! That's how we do things, sneaky-style!

This is the perfect chance! We'll get you out of here, Niya!

...No. The time for running has long passed.

Huh...? What...do you mean?

The Hitotsume and Artifact Spirits have already spread all across Hyakkiyako.

And nothing escapes Hitotsume's gaze.

As long as Hyakkiyako is under its watchful gaze, there's nowhere to hide.

Whether we try to leave or enter Hyakkiyako, Ayame and the Phantom Fable will be there.

In fact, they might even be watching us now, as we speak.

Our plan's been exposed? Wh-Where are they watching from?

There?! Or over there?!

What...should we do...? If they can...see all our plans...we're all going to be swallowed up by the spirit realm...

No, Tsukuyo! We can't give up!

Ninjas always fulfill their lord's order! No matter how dangerous, or at what cost!

Fufu. I like your style.

We're cut off and boxed in, but no response is the worst response.

So we do as we've always done. We maintain balance.

Ninjutsu Research Club members, instead of rescuing me, could you deliver a message to Kaho at the Waraku Festival?

...The festival must go on.

Niya...said that?

Truly? She wants us to hold the Waraku Festival under these conditions? What could she be thinking?

B-But since she's the president of the Yin-Yang Club...she must have some kind of plan, right?

Did Niya say anything else?

Um... She said that the Yin-Yang Club should do what it's always done, which is to maintain balance in Hyakkiyako.

...Hm.

Ninjutsu Research Club members, I'm sorry to ask after you've come all this way, but could I ask just one more favor of you?

Yes! Leave it to Izuna!

Could you please bring Shizuko from the Festival Operations Department here immediately?

Once Shizuko arrives, we'll hold a festival that no one will ever forget!