Think was buried in research of the array and ley lines, forcing Sū ěr to stay in the past constantly. Truth be told, as time passed, he could even see the shadowy outlines of modern skyscrapers while standing in the ancient world.
The expanding time portal had reached a point where it could no longer be hidden, in either era.
The modern government used information control to limit reports of supernatural phenomena and had even implemented curfews. Ancient society limited info on the portal simply because information moved slowly. Even so, news of a "miraculous creation" on Saigyouji land spread among yōkai, and demons from far away could occasionally be seen coming here out of curiosity.
And so, time continued to flow.
In the eyes of a long-lived species, it was just a fleeting two years. But these short two years affected life in both worlds.
Despite Think greatest efforts, the mirage-like bubble continued to expand slowly until it enveloped the entire city.
Ordinary people in the city had long been evacuated. Now, the only ones remaining were Onmyōji, monks, and priestesses from all over Japan, alongside various yōkai and a handful of oddity experts. This disorganized group was the city's final guard.
Well, perhaps the Self-Defense Forces, U.S. troops stationed in Japan, and scientists from around the world should be counted as well.
In just two years, what had been hidden was brought into the light. The migration of millions was no small matter. People watched the mirage with tension and expectation—the snarling yōkai, the ancient architecture, and humans with centuries-old accents.
Artillery was likely useful, as the former human city was now armed like a military fortress. Massive amounts of supplies were sent in daily, along with various new weapons... "to-be-verified" new weapons.
It was like a bizarre carnival.
Even the groups defending the city were wary of each other. Surprisingly, the Keikain Onmyōji family from Kyoto had formed an alliance with the Nura Clan. They were actually guarding against the military and scientists who watched them daily with predatory eyes.
The only thing maintaining a surface-level stability was the mirage-like nature of the scene. Beings from the modern and ancient eras could stand face-to-face, but reaching out would only result in touching empty air.
The city had become a fortress of phantom traps. A place you thought was grass might be a phantom of the past; stepping on it could lead to a fall. A place that looked like a lush forest might be a wide modern road. Everyone walking in the city had to be extremely careful.
Ancient humans and yōkai faced the same situation. The tall steel-and-concrete buildings, boxes that moved on their own, people who looked similar but dressed indecently, and those seemingly weak yōkai.
The two sides couldn't hear each other; they could only guess words by watching lips move, which was made difficult by the evolution of language. In this regard, modern society—having essentially gathered the world's power—had the advantage.
Uh, limited to facing ancient humans. Reading the lips of yōkai who didn't even look human was asking too much.
Think hadn't gained nothing. This situation where both sides could see but not touch was the final measure she took after failing to make the portal disappear. It prevented modern forces from rushing into the past and ancient beings from suddenly entering the modern world.
It was a balance, but one that had reached its most fragile moment.
Echoes of death were reappearing in modern society in a way no one could have imagined—ghosts emitting blue light, appearing like summer fireworks.
They passed through oceans, forests, and the concrete of cities... not just in the fortress city, but from its surroundings and other Japanese islands.
Their figures appeared in other countries too, though for now, they were scattered.
When looking down from a plane at night, one could see the flickering blue lights gathering into a sea of light. But remembering that this beautiful sight was actually the souls of deceased humans... it was a nightmare enough to stop a child's crying.
Their final destination was the city covered by phantoms of the past. They moved forward blindly and dazed, as if a mysterious voice was calling them, drawing their consciousness.
Even the calls of living friends and family couldn't wake them. They harmed no one and were blocked by nothing; they simply moved forward.
Such scenes appeared not only in modern society; the same things appeared within the mirage-like visions.
From electric shocks to flames, to magnetic fields and other energy weapons people thought only existed in fiction—a variety of weapons that even amazed Sū ěr appeared in the city. This military tech was easily twenty, perhaps thirty years ahead of civilian tech.
"Ready for battle" was the only phrase to describe both sides. It couldn't be denied that mild methods were initially used to try to communicate, but after talking with the anomalies hidden in the city, high-level human leaders decided to have a first clash before trying other dialogues.
One side was the overlord that had completely occupied the planet, the other was yōkai who couldn't understand a future centuries away and still viewed humans as prey. Only blood and power could make both sides calm down again.
"Is it really okay for you, as the Yōkai Sage, not to lead the yōkai but to keep talking about a human?"
"My existence or absence doesn't matter. Those yōkai know what they want better than anyone right now."
"...Is that so?"
Silence returned. Sū ěr watched the veil-like mirage with a heavy expression... waiting for the moment it would shatter.