Secretly, A Master Exorcist

'A rift! What is it doing here when the night is still so young? This isn't right!'

This set alarm bells ringing inside him as Kirin couldn't help but frown, processing the matter hard.

There was something wrong here and he just couldn't put a finger on what it exactly was.

The rising of Yin hadn't reached the threshold yet. It shouldn't be enough to cause a rift, so what was exactly happening on the other side at the moment?

Suddenly, something seemed to have clicked in his mind as he stiffly turned his head to look deep into the swirling hole where a small opening had just been torn.

There he saw a huge single eye red like that of dirtied blood staring against his, slowly curving into a crescent slit that swirled with both joy and ridicule once it recognized the terror within his eyes.

A Tier-5 Tenma.

Kirin couldn't help but shudder.

He had only 15 seconds left before a Tier-5 Tenma make its presence known to the human world.

…

– Thump, Thump, Thump!

'What to do? What to do?'

The incessant hammers against his ribcage screamed of desperate emergency, pounding and pounding so hard that Kirin found it hard to think straight.

Through his perception, he had long been informed that there's no capable exorcists available nearby to deal with the Tenma and help seal the gradually enlarging rift.

It wasn't surprising though as, who in their right mind would've thought that out of millions of other better places, a supposedly intelligent high-tiered demon would choose to show up just a few metres away from a heavily-armed fortress?

In the supernatural circle, every base and living compartment of any supernatural force were referred to as a Fortress.

The prowess of each fortress varies and although the Blue Star Dormitory didn't have much infamy when compared to the other supernatural bureaus and agencies, it had only one base which meant that their power of defense was concentrated on only one point.

For a Tenma to spawn this close, what else could be the reason other than simply seeking a quick death?

That was what one would think in normal times however, Kirin of this moment had thought otherwise.

Putting aside himself, the current Blue Star Dormitory was practically empty. Even an idiot knew that without a proper wielder, even the most powerful weapon in the world would be nothing but metal scraps.

Kirin clenched his two fists, frustration twisting his eyebrows into a knot as beads of sweat slid down his pale face.

There was so much to do with so little time.

He had burnt a talisman and flared the signal for the other dorm members to quickly return. But, he himself knew that by the time they arrived, it would all be too late for the Tenma would long roam the neighbourhood clean.

Now, all he could was to put his everything on this one bet.

He could only bet that the Tenma had torn the rift here not for anything else but exactly the Blue Star Dormitory.

Whatever the Tenma wants, it could only get it by tearing the Dormitory apart and no matter at what cost, even if it meant losing that one thing the Tenma was here for, he would have to fight his best to stretch the time and keep the Demon busy with his struggle.

For the least, he had to hold on until his backup arrived on the scene.

'Now, all I have to do is quickly retreat into the dormitory and set up the defense mechanism…'

As Kirin's eyes darted across his surroundings in full alert, the gears of his mind worked so fast that his head could practically give off steam at any moment.

He was recalling the numbers of mechanisms he could operate behind the walls, arranging his layers of strategy one step at a time when he suddenly caught sight of something so disastrous that his face seemed to have been drained of all colours.

That Idiot Wannabe, Ishida Shion.

'What the hell is he doing behind that tall ancient tree by the roadside across here? Counting fuckin mushrooms? And most importantly, how can my perception miss such a big guy like him?'

Something within him seemed to have snapped as Kirin stomped towards the poorly hiding idiot's direction with a slightly reddened face.

8 seconds left out of the original 15 seconds.

At this time, a series of loud sharp screeches tore out of the swirling hole as the smaller fries clawed their way into the living realm.

Kirin's blood churned wild. Without any time left to think, he rushed to pull the surprised Shion behind him and headed towards the charm-sealed dorm, exchanging not a word nor a single glance in between.

5 seconds.

Their hurried feets shuffled in unexpected synergy, the cold air of the night piercing through their pores like cold blades as the two fought against the resistance of the wind without any intentions of lowering their momentum.

2 seconds.

It was exactly at this moment when they were just a few feets away from the dorm's entrance that a dark claw reached out towards the two.

A Tier-2 Inrei.

Kirin clicked his tongue. Without any pause, he pulled the door open and pushed Shion inside, preparing to bear the brunt himself when suddenly, another burst of negative energy slammed towards his behind, slapping the incoming attack away.

Kirin's completely spread out perception was quick to pick up what the newly-arrived intruder exactly was.

A Tier-5 Reioh, and one that reeked of such intense bloodlust at that.

– Slam!

Kirin stepped into the dormitory and slammed the door shut, not even bothering to sneak a glance at whatever's lurking behind him.

As long as they were inside, as long as the walls protecting them didn't break, they would all be safe and sound.

"Huff…huff…"

With his back against the rumbling door, Kirin's chest intensely rose and fell, the rush of adrenaline powering his explosive movements all this time hadn't yet to cease.

It was only when he was faced with this familiar enclosed space did peace return to him though not much and only for a short moment. 

Kirin heaved out a relieved sigh. He had just straightened his back to turn on the lights and properly enter the room with his shoes removed, when he was suddenly faced with the curious eyes of a certain oblivious someone.

Ah, he almost forgot.

"It's late and I just thought that the both of us haven't had anything after detention. I guess, it won't be a hassle for you to stay for supper before you leave."

Kirin randomly thought of a reason to explain himself, before walking past Shion and beckoning for him to follow behind. After what he had said to him prior this, it was truly one absurd reason to spout out but, whatever.

With his mental energy entirely drained, he simply didn't want to waste any more time bickering with someone he didn't mean to entertain. And yet,

"Staying for supper?"

He heard Shion questioning him from behind.

"Am I not overstepping your boundaries by doing this?"

'Quite the vengeful guy, aren't you?' The ends of Kirin's lips couldn't help but twitch.

Still, not wanting to stretch the matter for too long, Kirin pretended to not hear him and continued moving forward with his footsteps. Shion could act all haughty as he liked and he wouldn't even bat an eyelid.

After all, there's something much more important that he needed to do.

The Blue Star Dormitory.

From this moment onwards, he would be the only one left to defend this place till the last drop of his life.