Dog God of the Fallen -SLASHDØG-

At a certain place——the main shrine of the Himejima Clan, members of the family were meeting in the outer sanctum. With equally stern expressions, all members present at this time were aware of the truth behind the events that had occurred. The base of the ‘Utsusemi Agency’ was more or less under control. ……Although a number of fugitives had escaped, the remains of one of the masterminds——those of Himejima Hanezu had been recovered. Because of that, for now at least everything had been resolved.

In the complete and utter silence, an aging man with a grim face who was squatting before the inner sanctum let out a whisper.

“——It would be nice if our ties to the fate of Grigori were brought to an end.”

With that one sentence the outer sanctum erupted with noise. The members of the Clan all began speaking their views simultaneously.

“Suzerain (TN: religious t.i.tle), is that okay? We have seen that one case——the negotiations over Akeno already reach a conclusion but”

The aging man——the Himejima family Suzerain, let out a single sigh as though uninterested.

“That was resolved through a secret agreement with the duke family of the seventy-two pillars. ——However, that black winged gang, with them consistently setting foot in the territory of the Himejima, even we cannot just sit back and watch. Protecting this country since antiquity, one of the five families, that is our own Himejima.”

These were not at all hesitant words. Strong unshakable will permeated throughout the minds and bodies of everyone present——.

The members of the Clan were successively stating their opinions on the information.

“We should utilize this opportunity to shorten the gap with the other families. Their side also has unexpected supernatural power users——and after all the sacred treasure possessor was taken away by the Grigori.”

“The Shinra side as well, I hear that they have a daughter who possessed a mirror sacred treasure that had the power to contact with devils. It is clear that it is in no way a coincidence that such calamities have befallen the Five Princ.i.p.al Families at once.”

“The magician a.s.sociation——‘Grau Zauberer’, have we been sounded out by them out to form a cooperative relationship in regards to this matter?”

Hearing these few words, the suzerain took out a single piece of paper. ——It was a doc.u.ment written with magical characters. That appeared to be an appeal for cooperation the magician a.s.sociation known as ‘Grau Zauberer’.

Remaining expressionless, the suzerain formed a fire phenomenon in his hand, and in an instant turned the paper the appeal had been written on into ashes.

“——It is not necessary to collude with foreign pract.i.tioners. We must display a separation between us and Mephisto Pheles who leads ‘Grau Zauberer’. The same for that Azazel, since he is no more than a swindler.”

Indeed, that was all there was to say.

For the people of the Clan, it was unanimous after all.

“However, there is the matter of ‘Oz’……the world like that from the picture book.”

“……Grigori, Oz, and those who rebelled against the Five Princ.i.p.al Clans keep popping up one after another……”

The members of the clan who couldn’t hide their unrest was not negligible. It was only natural. While they were already aware of the group of fallen angels and the magicians a.s.sociation, to say nothing of the treason of the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, it was truly unexpected that it would turn out that ‘Oz’ was involved in these events. Until now, among those who were part of the Five Princ.i.p.al Clans, none of them had believed such a place had existed. Even among those that had gathered here, there were those that were still in doubt about it.

Even within this the Himejima suzerain——Himejima Suou came to a clear decision.

“No matter what, if such a demonic Rasetsu (TN: Could also mean a Rakshasha, a demonic being) were to set foot in Honomoto (TN: another name for j.a.pan I believe) bringing disaster, it is our a.s.signed role to completely eradicate it.”

Everyone quietly nodded their head in accent at this.

——But, letting out a sigh, Himejima Suou said this.

“Truly, the ‘dog’ produced from the genealogy of my elder sister who was exiled from the family……. The matter of the ‘lighting’ was enough, what kind of strange thing had possessed this family?”

It had been some decades earlier that the sister of Suou——Ageha had been exiled from the Clan. Since then, as far as contact with each one went, they had not encountered one another. However, he could not have guessed that from her lineage such an aberration would be born. Was it something that had been brought into the Himejima bloodline? Or else, could it not be the result of a wish to a heathen G.o.d of mischief?

“However, it can’t be helped that something like that was produced from the Himejima bloodline. ——Suzaku.”

At the suzerain’s call, the form of a single individual appeared.

“Yes.”

It was a young girl with beautiful long black hair. Her black hair had a glossiness as though it were wet. She possessed a frigid atmosphere, one that was orderly without a hint of hesitation.

Regarding the age of the young girl——Himejima Suzaku, she was seventeen as of this year. Her appearance was fitting given that she was one of the granddaughters of Himejima Suou’s other older sister. As of this year, she had been the one talented woman from all of their relatives who had inherited the sacred beast ‘Suzaku’ that was governed by the Himejima. No, in recent years, the one’s who had inherited the sacred beasts of each of the respective Five Princ.i.p.al Clans had been remarkably young. Based on this, the efforts the families had undertaken to bring in good blood, they appeared to have borne fruit.

However, apart from that there was something else that Suou who was the suzerain harbored towards this daughter. That was, she strongly resembled the first one he had raised——Shuri, who had since left them. The mother of Suzaku, she had been Shuri’s biological older sister. That Shuri had also been ensnared by that black winged gang, and had lost her life as a result.

The suzerain——Suou had unintentionally thought back upon that. After closing his eyes, he spoke to her——Suzaku.

“I request of you the herald who will become the next head of the Himejima. ——As the representative of the family members who names begin with ‘Red’, can you display the fire dance for us?” (TN: Many of the Himejima’s first names start with the character for red. This includes Suzaku herself as well as Suou, Ageha, Shuri, and even Akeno. It seems Hanezu was rejected.)

She——Suzaku, gave a deep bow.

I would be honored to, Ooji-sama {granduncle}.”

Hearing that one line from Suzaku, Suou calmly nodded. ——But, Suou, narrowing his eyes, lowered his gaze to the floor.

“However. ……Towards the daughter of ‘lightning’ that is aligned with the devils. Towards the ‘dog’ of darkness that is aligned with the black angels……”

He, speaking in a whisper.

“For the time being, we should designate him as ‘The Dog G.o.d of the Fallen’.”

Having been honored by the order from the suzerain at the main shrine, Himejima Suzaku was walking through the grounds.

“Yo.”

Raising a cry, there was a boy in spectacles who appeared to be about the same age as her. Possessing long slender limbs, he was a handsome boy. The strange aura surrounding his body was equivalent to that of Suzaku’s, or perhaps even…….

“What’s your business here, Seiryuu-chan of the Kushihashi family?”

Suzaku inquired as such. The boy——Kushihashi Seiryuu shrugged.

“Inquiring if it will become a three way fight with the gang of fallen angels and the magicians from the picture book.”

Suzaku resumed walking as she spoke.

“Well, I guess it get busy around here. It’s not as though you won’t be working hard as well.”

While following behind her, Seiryuu replied.

“Since that would also be the decision of the family as well, though we will have no other than to comply as well. ……Other than that I had to come flying over when I heard that the Himejima had produced the ‘Dog G.o.d’. Amazing isn’t it, that it would be one of the Longinus?”

Suzaku stopped walking and spoke without turning around.

“Isn’t it ironic? That such a dark blade would be born from the Himejima who govern Shintoism?”

Sensing Suzaku’s atmosphere, Seiryuu put on a bitter smile.

“Scary scary.”

Seiryuu changed the topic as he continued.

“Are you aware of even that, Suzaku? That its mere presence would gather the Four Fiends?”

“——The matter of the ‘Four Fiends’ and the ‘Dog G.o.d’. The old man-sama of the Himejima, for his part however, has more than had his fury aroused.”

“The Himejima are interesting huh. Coming from here, there’s a high frequency of irregularities. From the misconduct involving the fallen angel, up to giving birth to the Dog G.o.d. And only you are its salvation huh?”

“No, even I was originally from the dark side. It’s merely that I could only be pardoned for those days. ——Seiryuu, although it’s a sin, can’t you summon the other members from the Four Divine Beasts and the Yellow Dragon?”

At these words of Suzaku, Seiryuu smiled cheerfully.

“——That’s your move huh? This ought to be fun. However, aside from Genbu-chan and that rambunctious Byakko, are you really going to go as far as to summon Ouryuu? That person is far harder to please than you can guess.”

Suzaku gathered together all of her long hair in the back——forming it into a ponytail.

“To make sure, I have to see this personally. Not only the ‘Four Fiends, Ikuse Tobio——. For myself, eventually, even that child Tobio, even that matter of the ‘lightning, I will have them recognized as part of this family. ——I will accept even the family’s darkness.”

The > and the ‘Four Fiends’, as well as the ‘Four Divine Beasts’ and the ‘Yellow Dragon’, they were each about to meet the other——.

Dog G.o.d of the Fallen    -SLASHDØG-      End