311-315

Chapter 311: The Headless Case

"Sir, there's been a major crime at Horikawa High School!"

Sakai's thoughts were quickly pulled back to the Metropolitan Police Department by the urgent report from the Special Assault Unit.

"A monk from Kinkaku-ji has been found dead inside the school's auditorium. All the bodies were decapitated with a sharp blade, and the monks' heads were nowhere to be found at the scene."

As Sakai listened, the Special Assault Unit provided further details on the case.

"Headless bodies?"

Hearing the details of the murder, Sakai muttered to himself.

There had been previous records of headless murder cases in the Kyoto Metropolitan Police Department.

More importantly, Sakai had recently read about a description of a headless female corpse in Kyoto Miscellany.

Before coming to Kyoto, he might have dismissed all of this as the work of a deranged serial killer. However, after encountering Keiko Watanabe, he quickly realized that this case might be connected to the headless female corpse described in Kyoto Miscellany.

"Seal off Horikawa High School. Until the investigation is concluded, no one is allowed to enter!"

Sakai's original mission in Kyoto was to investigate and cover up the incident related to Keiko in the time capsule.

Although Keiko Watanabe, the primary target, was now trapped inside the laboratory due to the phone incident, Sakai was becoming increasingly aware of the peculiar nature of Horikawa High School itself.

From what Kyoto Miscellany suggested, Keiko in the time capsule was not a coincidence. The real key to everything might be Horikawa High School—the origin of the entire event.

---

### Horikawa High School, School Gate

The police had sealed off the entrance with caution tape. Onlookers passing by cast curious glances at the officers stationed at the scene.

Not far away, a small crowd had gathered, closely observing the school's situation.

If not for the intimidating uniforms of the Kyoto Metropolitan Police officers, some of them might have already forced their way inside.

"Same method of killing again..."

Inside the School Auditorium

Yamamoto frowned as he looked at the heap of headless corpses, their lifeless bodies soaked in blood, staining the floor.

"Could it be the statues again?"

One of the Kyoto police officers, who had also worked on the previous headless corpse case involving Tanaka, couldn't help but voice his suspicion as he looked at the monks from Kinkaku-ji.

"But the police already analyzed the broken plaster statues and confirmed they were just ordinary sculptures—nothing unusual about them."

Due to testimonies from Inoue and others, the police had initially taken the broken statues at the scene seriously.

However, as follow-up reports came in, the once-clear case became even more puzzling.

"If you ask me, instead of some murderous statue, I’m more inclined to believe this is the work of a psychotic serial killer."

"According to the security personnel at Horikawa High School, the monks from Kinkaku-ji had been chanting sutras all night. This morning, they even saw them still sitting in place..."

Listening to his colleague’s words, Yamamoto’s gaze fell on the dark, congealed bloodstains on the auditorium floor.

"If the monks had been conducting the ritual until this morning, then their time of death doesn’t match the crime scene..."

"…Which means the only possibility is that those resurrected headless statues decapitated the monks and then continued the ritual, mimicking their previous actions."

Stepping into the auditorium, Sakai interrupted Yamamoto, making his judgment.

"In the previous case involving Tanaka’s death, Inoue mentioned that he had spoken with Tanaka multiple times—despite Tanaka already being confirmed dead. He even spent time with him in the art club. In other words, these resurrected headless statues, after obtaining a head, can somewhat assume the identity of their victims."

Sakai’s conclusions were based on the police's findings from the first headless murder case.

"But the police investigation already proved that the plaster statue was made of nothing more than ordinary plaster. There was nothing supernatural about it!"

A Kyoto police officer at the scene protested, unwilling to accept Sakai’s claims.

"I had hoped that, after dealing with the Keiko case, the Kyoto Metropolitan Police would have gained some awareness."

Frowning, Sakai scanned the officers in front of him, his expression filled with disappointment.

At that moment, members of the Special Assault Unit arrived at his side.

"Sir, we've investigated the area. The headless statues that were originally in the art club have all disappeared."

"What?!"

Hearing this, the police officers near Yamamoto were immediately struck with shock and regret.

Because all the bodies were found in the auditorium, they had neglected to investigate the old school building—missing such a crucial clue.

Ignoring their frustration, Sakai nodded slightly after hearing the report.

"Keep searching. Those missing statues won’t have gone far. Send someone to Kinkaku-ji to check if the monks who conducted the ritual have returned. Also, question people in the surrounding area to see if anyone has seen monks appearing nearby."

Sakai remained calm, issuing instructions methodically, showing no signs of panic regarding the missing headless statues.

From the Tanaka case, it was clear that although the headless statues had a bizarre way of killing, they were not particularly strong—not nearly as deadly as Keiko.

If given the chance, even high school students like Inoue and his friends had been able to destroy them with ease.

The real reason why the monks from Kinkaku-ji were killed was likely because they were paralyzed by fear.

As Sakai’s orders were carried out, members of the Special Assault Unit quickly sprang into action.

Meanwhile, inside the auditorium, Sakai’s gaze shifted slightly—falling upon the school principal.

Horikawa High School had been plagued by so many incidents, and now even the monks invited to conduct rituals had all been slaughtered.

The principal had clearly fallen into complete despair.

He knew that with so many murders occurring, Horikawa High School’s future was doomed. Rumors would spread, and the school’s reputation would only continue to deteriorate.

"Principal, I need your assistance with something. I hope you’ll cooperate."

Of course, Sakai didn’t care about the future of Horikawa High School or the fate of its principal.

He walked up to the pale-faced man, locked eyes with him, and calmly stated his request.

*(End of Chapter)*

Chapter 312: The Endō Family

"Endō… Endō…"

Early in the morning, at the entrance of the Endō household.

Shimada pressed the doorbell and called out toward the house.

*Click!*

With Shimada’s voice still lingering in the air, the tightly shut door of the Endō residence swung open, revealing the pale face of a middle-aged woman.

"Mrs. Endō."

Upon seeing the figure inside, Shimada immediately lowered his voice and addressed the woman respectfully.

"Oh, it's you, Shimada."

Peering through the gap in the door, Mrs. Endō's gaze fell on Shimada standing outside. She hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Are you here to go to school with Endō?"

"If so, you might have to wait a little while—he's still eating breakfast."

"School?"

Hearing Mrs. Endō's words, a look of confusion appeared on Shimada’s face.

"But the school has already sent out a notice. Starting today, it's closed for a week. They’ll inform us later about the reopening date. Mrs. Endō, didn't you receive the notice?"

"Is that so?"

"Maybe I was too busy making breakfast this morning and missed their call."

Learning about the school closure from Shimada, Mrs. Endō put on a thoughtful expression before her face shifted to mild irritation.

"Seriously, what is going on with Horikawa High School lately? Why do they keep canceling classes…"

Standing at the doorway, she muttered to herself for a long while before seeming to realize something.

She had left Shimada standing outside all this time.

Looking slightly apologetic, she said, "I'm so sorry, Shimada-kun. I kept you waiting out here for so long. So, did you come over to hang out with Endō?"

"I…"

Shimada opened his mouth, ready to explain why he had come looking for Endō. But just as he was about to speak, he hesitated. In the end, he simply nodded.

"You're always welcome. Endō is inside."

Seeing this, Mrs. Endō smiled kindly and stepped aside, opening the door fully.

"Then, excuse me."

Nodding politely to Mrs. Endō, Shimada stepped into the house, took off his shoes, placed them neatly by the entrance, and then walked toward the living room.

"Endō, End—"

Upon entering the living room, the first thing Shimada saw was Endō sitting at the dining table—along with his father.

Endō’s father was a quiet and stern-looking man, eating breakfast with a cold expression.

"Shimada, why are you here?"

Sitting on the opposite side of the table, Endō noticed Shimada's arrival but showed no sign of surprise. His voice remained calm as he spoke.

"Let me finish this last bite, and then we can head to school."

"About that… I just told Shimada. Horikawa High School is closed for a week starting today, so you don’t have to go to school today."

Following Shimada into the house, Mrs. Endō informed Endō of the school closure while he was still eating breakfast.

"Closed? Why are they closing again? Horikawa High School is really getting worse."

Before Endō could react to the news, his father, who had been eating silently, suddenly put down his chopsticks with a frustrated grunt.

Shimada had heard from Endō before that his father had also attended Horikawa High School. That might explain why he was so annoyed.

After voicing his displeasure, Mr. Endō’s gaze shifted toward Shimada. Frowning, he said, "Even if school is closed, you shouldn’t be slacking off on your studies. It’s because of kids like you, wasting time, that my son’s grades keep dropping. So, tell me—why exactly are you here?"

From Mr. Endō’s tone, Shimada could sense an unwelcoming attitude.

That struck Shimada as odd. He had been to Endō’s house before.

Back then, Mr. Endō hadn’t said much either, but his attitude had never been this hostile.

"Father, Shimada came to discuss schoolwork with me."

Just as Mr. Endō’s sharp gaze lingered on Shimada, Endō spoke up.

Swallowing his last bite of rice, he looked his father in the eye and calmly explained.

"That’s right, Mr. Endō. I came to ask Endō about some study-related questions."

Mr. Endō narrowed his eyes and looked back and forth between his son and Shimada.

After a moment, he reluctantly muttered, "It better be about studying."

"Honey, if you don’t leave soon, you’ll be late for work," Mrs. Endō suddenly interjected, breaking the tension. It almost seemed like she was deliberately helping Shimada out.

"Fine, I’m off."

Grumbling under his breath, Mr. Endō picked up his bag and, with visible reluctance, left the house.

Hearing the sound of the front door closing, Shimada let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Under Mr. Endō’s gaze, he had felt an inexplicable pressure.

"What’s up with that, Endō? I feel like your dad really doesn’t like me coming over."

"I don’t know."

Endō shook his head at Shimada’s question.

"Alright, you two go upstairs and hang out. I’ll clean up the table," Mrs. Endō said warmly.

"Okay, now you can tell me, Shimada."

Once they were in Endō’s second-floor bedroom, Endō turned to him and asked, "Why’d you suddenly come to my house?"

Shimada stepped inside and, almost instinctively, glanced toward the bed.

After making sure there was no shadow lurking underneath it, he finally let out a relieved sigh.

"He came to my house."

"He? You mean…"

Following Shimada’s gaze as he looked away from the bed, Endō's expression shifted from confusion to sudden realization.

"You mean that guy."

"That’s right."

Shimada nodded, his face growing paler as he recalled the horrifying experience of lying motionless in bed all night, too scared to move.

As soon as daylight broke, he had bolted out of his room as fast as he could—without even daring to check if something was actually hiding under his bed.

"Last night, I was lying in bed when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw him quietly climbing in through my window… and crawling under my bed."

"I spent the entire night with him just beneath me, separated only by my mattress."

Shimada had no idea how he had managed to endure that night.

All he could remember was the overwhelming fear.

All night long, only one thought echoed in his mind—

**He's under the bed.

He's under the bed.

He's under the bed…**

*(End of chapter)*

*Chapter 313: Reviewing the Records*

“Today is the last day.”

In Endo’s room.

Upon hearing Ishida’s account of last night’s events, Endo calmly reminded him with an eerily composed tone.

“What?”

Ishida’s expression froze upon hearing Endo’s words.

But soon, realization struck, and his face turned even paler.

“You mean...”

Endo nodded, staring at Ishida before him. “The person climbed into your room and delivered the final will. This means today is the last day mentioned in the will—‘I, Ishida,’ one of us is destined to die.”

“No, I don’t believe it.”

Endo spoke with an almost indifferent voice, explaining everything.

However, Ishida’s face was filled with panic.

“It’s just a will! Maybe the person is a twisted psychopath. We can call the police and arrest him! Why, why is this happening to me?”

Ishida was just an ordinary high school student, so breaking down under the threat of death wasn’t all that surprising.

“...”

In the room, Endo coldly observed it all. He watched Ishida, who was clutching his head in despair, and a strange smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Knock, knock, knock—

“Ishida-kun, you have a phone call.”

Just as Ishida was nearing the brink of despair, the sound of Endo’s mother knocking at the door interrupted him.

She opened the door and looked at Ishida, who appeared despondent, and then at Endo, who was watching indifferently, her face revealing a look of confusion.

Thanks to the interruption from Endo’s mother, Ishida managed to keep himself from completely breaking down.

He took deep breaths and suppressed his chaotic emotions before turning to Endo’s mother outside the door, forcing a pale smile as he asked.

“Who’s calling, Mrs. Endo?”

“I’m not sure.”

Seeing that Ishida had begun to calm down, Mrs. Endo’s expression softened a bit. She shook her head and replied.

“Anyway, the caller specifically asked for you by name. It must be someone familiar to you, perhaps even a family member.”

Upon hearing Mrs. Endo’s answer, Ishida felt a bit uncertain but still went downstairs.

“Hello, this is Ishida…”

He took a deep breath as he reached for the phone.

“Run!”

However, as soon as Ishida picked up the phone, a hurried voice came through the receiver.

“The person you saw is not the real Endo!”

...

*"Officer Sakai, I believe everything you asked for is here."*

At Horikawa High School.

The principal led Officer Sakai to a slightly old library and carefully explained as he pointed to the books and materials on the shelves.

“This is the library of the old school building. After the new teaching building was completed, most of the books were moved to the new library. The remaining books here are mostly unrelated to teaching or outdated materials. Some of them are unique editions from the early days of the school. A few years ago, during the school’s anniversary, the school intended to gather information about the history of Horikawa High, but due to some unforeseen events, that project was never completed. Instead, these materials were simply gathered and placed here in the old library…”

Inside the library, while listening to the principal’s explanation, Sakai’s gaze scanned the shelves lined with books that exuded a sense of history.

Previously, from The Kyoto Miscellany, he had already noticed some unusual descriptions about Horikawa High.

However, The Kyoto Miscellany covered rumors and stories from all over Kyoto, and its entry on Horikawa High only mentioned a female corpse.

Sakai sought more detailed records about Horikawa High, so he knew he had to look through the school’s own materials.

“Thank you for your cooperation, Principal.”

Nodding and offering a polite thank-you to the principal, Sakai once again shifted his attention back to the books on the shelves.

“Officer Sakai, if there’s nothing else, may I be excused? I still need to report everything about Horikawa High to the board of trustees.”

After a brief hesitation, the principal, watching Sakai immerse himself in the books, finally spoke up.

Given the severity of the events at Horikawa High, the principal knew he had to inform the school board.

Sakai didn’t answer but simply nodded, silently granting the principal’s request.

“Then, I’ll leave it to you, Officer Sakai.”

Relieved, the principal bowed slightly and thanked Sakai before hastily leaving the old school building.

As the principal departed, the library in the old building once again fell silent.

Amidst the quiet, Sakai focused intently on the book in his hands.

Though the principal had mentioned that most of the materials had already been moved to the new library, many books still remained in the old building. Had it not been for the anniversary, the school would have already organized them. It would have been nearly impossible for Sakai to find anything useful on his own in this sea of material.

Turning the pages of his book, he quickly found some useful information.

According to The Ancient Records of Horikawa in his hands, it was noted that Horikawa had long been a place plagued by tales of ghosts and spirits. The earliest recorded ghost story from Horikawa dates back to the Edo period. It was said that during that time, the area was infested with ghosts, leading to numerous murders. The local residents, fearful for their lives, raised money to hire an onmyoji (a practitioner of the esoteric arts) to deal with the ghosts. After the onmyoji eradicated them, the ghostly disturbances gradually ceased.

As for whether the murders were truly committed by ghosts or whether someone used the ghost stories as a cover for their crimes, Sakai couldn’t determine. However, The Ancient Records of Horikawa clearly showed that something unusual had existed in Horikawa since the Edo period.

Perhaps the onmyoji had truly eradicated the ghosts, or perhaps they had simply disappeared for reasons unknown.

But for some reason, they seemed to have returned.

Closing the book, Sakai immediately began searching for the next one.

Horikawa High had a wide range of materials, some of which were not useful to his investigation. After flipping through several irrelevant documents, he finally found a few records about the school in a book called The History of School Oddities.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 314: Escape*

The Records of Strange School Events states:

"In the 20th year of the Shōwa era, amidst the chaos caused by a massive explosion, all of Japan was in a state of panic. Kyoto fell into disorder. At that time, Horikawa High School was closed due to the declaration of surrender. However, in reality, an unexpected earthquake struck Horikawa, affecting the entire area. A hole was discovered beneath the school grounds..."

"In the 21st year of the Shōwa era, the Emperor issued the Humanity Declaration, stating that he was not a divine being. That same year, a teacher at Horikawa High School committed suicide. In the following months, more than twenty people—both students and teachers—took their own lives. Strangely, their suicide notes were eerily similar. Due to the high number of deaths, the school was once again forced to close."

"That same year, amidst political turmoil, the former principal was found dead in his office."

"The newly appointed principal established strict regulations to prevent further deaths on campus. The following month, he mysteriously disappeared."

Volume 2 of The Continued Chronicles of Horikawa describes:

"In the 22nd year of the Shōwa era, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department launched an investigation into the growing number of strange occurrences at Horikawa. Reports of numerous disappearances surfaced. Then, in August and September of that year, the missing individuals suddenly reappeared—standing motionless in various locations around Horikawa. Their presence caused widespread panic. The police deemed them dangerous individuals and took them into custody..."

Meanwhile, another book, Kyoto Dream Chronicles, simply states:

"In the autumn of the 21st year of the Shōwa era, in Kyoto’s Horikawa district, someone was seen glowing in broad daylight before gradually vanishing from the world."

Without a doubt, these records all point to the same conclusion.

The Horikawa district has been strange since the Edo period. Although it experienced a period of calm, an unusual earthquake in the 20th year of the Shōwa era reignited its eerie nature. From that year onward, inexplicable events occurred frequently in Horikawa, but due to the chaos of Japan’s wartime defeat, few people paid attention to the area's abnormalities.

Strangely, over time, these disturbances seemed to subside—until now.

After reading the books left behind in the old school building of Horikawa High School, Sakai did not feel even the slightest joy at having found new clues. Instead, his expression became even more grim.

If the contents of these books were true...

Then everything happening at Horikawa High School right now was no coincidence. In fact, it was merely the beginning of something much bigger.

The Continued Chronicles of Horikawa and Kyoto Dream Chronicles both suggest that these events will soon spread beyond Horikawa High School.

And yet, Sakai had no way of stopping them.

"What a terrible answer."

Sakai had finally found the truth he had been searching for, but it was far more horrifying than he had imagined.

*Ding ling ling—*

Inside the library, just as Sakai was sinking into despair over his discovery, an urgent ringing suddenly sounded from his pocket.

He answered the call. On the other end, a voice from the Special Assault Unit spoke calmly.

"Commander, we have located the monk."

—

The Endo Residence

Hearing the urgency in the voice over the phone, Shimada's face showed a hint of surprise.

But he quickly recognized the caller—it was none other than Endo’s father, who had left the house not long ago after making it clear that he did not welcome Shimada.

"You're... Endo’s dad?"

"Yes, it's me."

On the other end of the line, Endo’s father stood inside a public phone booth, his face pale as he spoke to Shimada, who was still inside the Endo residence.

"Listen carefully. Now is your chance. Endo hasn’t noticed yet. You need to run—right now! If you don’t, it’ll be too late!"

His voice was filled with urgency.

"What is going on, Mr. Endo? Why do you keep saying that the person I see isn't the real Endo? What do you mean by that?"

The more Endo’s father urged him to escape, the more confused Shimada became.

He furrowed his brows, trying to process the situation. But as he was about to continue questioning him, a horrifying thought struck him.

Could it be because of the will? Endo once told him that after killing me, the will stopped appearing.

But what if... it wasn’t me who was killed? What if it was Endo?

The thought sent chills down Shimada’s spine.

If Endo was the one who died...

Then who had been walking to and from school with him these past few days? Who had just been in the same room with him?

"I don’t have time to explain everything over the phone," Endo’s father said anxiously. "Just know this—the Endo inside that house is not the real Endo. He may look exactly like him, but he is something else entirely. No, maybe he isn’t even human at all. That night, I woke up by chance and saw him standing in front of the fridge—gnawing on raw meat. The way he looked then… there was no way that was my son!"

"You have to run. Now. Whatever happens, just get out of there!"

Hearing these words, Shimada’s mind was thrown into utter chaos.

*"Shimada, are you still not done?"*

At that moment, Endo’s voice called down from upstairs.

"Run! Run now!"

*"Who are you talking to, Shimada?"*

"If you don’t run, it’ll be too late!"

*"Why aren’t you answering me, Shimada?"*

Footsteps from the second floor grew louder. At the same time, Endo’s father’s frantic shouting continued over the phone.

Panic surged through Shimada.

He didn’t have time to think. In the end, he decided to trust Endo’s father.

*Click!*

*Beep beep beep—*

As Endo descended the stairs, he saw the phone lying on the ground, emitting a steady dial tone. Then, he looked toward the wide-open front door.

A strange smile crept across his cold face.

—

*"What do I do? What do I do?!"*

Shimada had run for what felt like an eternity before he finally dared to stop, his legs burning with exhaustion.

Gasping for breath, he clutched his knees, but his mind was in turmoil.

He had escaped his house to flee from the shadow lurking under his bed... but now, even Endo—the one person he trusted—had become something unrecognizable.

Standing at the intersection, Shimada gazed at his surroundings, lost in thought.

"So, you really did escape."

A familiar voice suddenly spoke behind him.

It was Endo’s father!

Relief flooded Shimada’s face. Yes! It was because of Endo’s father’s warning that he had managed to get away. If Endo’s father could see the truth, then surely he would know what to do next.

Feeling a surge of hope, Shimada quickly turned around.

But in the next moment, his expression froze.

Behind him stood a figure—wearing his exact face.

A twisted smile spread across its lips.

"I can’t wait to become you, Shimada..."

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 315: Spread*

Kyoto, Kita Ward, Kinkaku-ji.

Kinkaku-ji, also known as Rokuon-ji, is one of the most historically significant Buddhist temples in Kyoto.

However, the current Kinkaku-ji is not the ancient temple built during the Shogunate era. Instead, it was reconstructed on its original site after the arson incident in 1950 (Shōwa 25).

*"Report, the target is inside the temple."*

Outside Kinkaku-ji, the Special Rapid Response Unit saluted as Sakai arrived upon receiving the news.

*"Are you sure?"*

Hearing the report, Sakai looked up again at the magnificent golden temple reflected in the water.

*"We have tracked the movements of the monks. After completing their rituals, they walked back into Kinkaku-ji and have not left since. According to local residents, they indeed saw a group of monks wearing kasa hats entering the temple this morning."*

Hearing this, Sakai furrowed his brows.

He initially thought that after obtaining the monks' heads, these statues would go into hiding.

Yet, unexpectedly, they had boldly returned to the temple as if nothing had happened.

*"Are the other monks at Kinkaku-ji aware of their abnormality?"*

The Special Rapid Response Unit shook their heads.

*"Not at the moment."*

Sakai let out a sigh of relief upon hearing this and quickly issued an order.

*"In that case, let's act swiftly. Dispatch a small team to infiltrate the living quarters of the monks who returned from Horikawa High School. Before any casualties occur, eliminate them all."*

According to the Kyoto Metropolitan Police Department’s investigation into the Tanaka case, these headless statues were not particularly dangerous. Even ordinary high school students had managed to break them with their own strength, let alone a well-equipped Special Rapid Response Unit.

Though the headless statues that had returned to Kinkaku-ji appeared normal for now, continuing to play their roles as monks, this was only because the heads on their necks were still intact.

Once the monks' heads began to rot or were damaged, these statues would revert to their murderous nature in their quest for new heads.

*"Remember, avoid causing significant damage to Kinkaku-ji unless absolutely necessary—especially to its important artifacts."*

As a significant historical site, Kinkaku-ji underwent an extensive restoration known as the "Shōwa Great Restoration," costing 740 million yen.

If anything were to happen to it during this operation, Sakai knew he wouldn’t be able to afford the consequences.

*"Understood!"*

In truth, even without Sakai’s warning, the Special Rapid Response Unit was well aware of Kinkaku-ji’s importance.

They nodded, their expressions growing more solemn.

Carrying out the mission while ensuring minimal damage to the temple was a daunting challenge, even for them.

Under Sakai's watchful gaze, the Special Rapid Response Unit entered Kinkaku-ji in an orderly manner.

The monks inside had been notified in advance. Although they were visibly uneasy, they cooperated and refrained from making any drastic moves.

*Bang! Bang!*

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

Not long after the unit entered the quarters of the returning monks, bursts of gunfire erupted from the temple’s annex.

Hearing the gunfire, Sakai's eye twitched slightly.

He silently prayed that the unit wouldn't go overboard inside the temple.

*…*

After a brief round of gunfire, an eerie silence fell over Kinkaku-ji.

With no explanation provided, the monks inside grew increasingly anxious upon hearing the gunshots.

They clasped their hands together, continuously reciting sutras.

However, their trembling hands revealed their inner turmoil.

Fortunately, the silence didn’t last long.

The Special Rapid Response Unit soon returned.

*"Wait! Let me see your necks!"*

As the team marched back in unison, Sakai’s expression remained tense. Instead of relaxing, he sternly ordered them to reveal their necks.

Upon hearing the command, the unit members halted, pulled down their collars, and revealed their unscathed necks.

Only then did Sakai finally breathe a sigh of relief.

---

However, the next day, Sakai realized he had relaxed too soon.

The Kyoto Metropolitan Police Department had arranged for the disposal of the broken headless statues and the monks’ severed heads from Kinkaku-ji.

But then, numerous calls flooded the department, reporting strange, motionless figures appearing around Horikawa.

These figures were scattered throughout the area, standing completely still in bizarre postures. Some were even causing disruptions to traffic.

*Beep! Beep!*

On the bustling streets, countless vehicles were stuck in a jam, honking at the unmoving figures blocking intersections, making the already chaotic scene even more disorderly.

*"Are these the people mentioned in the reports?"*

Responding to the emergency calls, Sakai arrived at the scene.

Looking at the figure standing still at an intersection—arms raised like a scarecrow—he frowned, his anxiety deepening.

These figures weren’t isolated cases.

Similar scenes were unfolding across various locations in Horikawa.

The individuals varied in identity, age, and profession, yet all inexplicably froze in place, striking unnatural poses.

*Beep! Beep!*

As the cacophony of honking grew louder, Sakai turned to the patrol officer who had been investigating.

*"Has anyone tried moving them away?"*

*"We’ve attempted to, but no matter how many times we remove them, they always return to the same spot shortly afterward."*

While traffic officers worked to manage the road congestion, Sakai stepped closer to one of the frozen figures.

As he approached, he gradually got a clearer look.

It was a middle-aged man, appearing to be in his late 30s or early 40s. His appearance was ordinary—nothing stood out.

*"Excuse me, sir."*

Flashing his badge, Sakai examined the man, who remained still with his arms raised.

Under normal circumstances, holding such a pose for too long would cause physical strain. However, this man’s face showed no signs of discomfort.

He simply stood there, arms raised, with a blank expression.

*"I am an officer from the Metropolitan Police Department. Your actions are disrupting public order. I need to know why you—and others like you—are doing this."*

(End of Chapter)