Invasion Of Japan ARC 🇯🇵
The air in the Yokai Hunter clan's hideout was thick with the scent of dust and stale incense. Yagi, his face etched with concern, ushered Yejun and Megumi towards the staircase. "Uniforms upstairs. Last door on the right. We move out at sundown."
Yejun swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. The walls lining the hallway were covered in unsettling portraits of Yokai, their grotesque features amplified in the dim light. He clung to Megumi's back as they crept forward, her hand already resting on the hilt of her sword.
"I think that's where the uniform is," Yejun mumbled, pointing to the open door at the end of the hall.
Megumi didn't reply. Her steps slowed to a crawl, her senses on high alert. She glanced back at Yejun, his face pale, fingers nervously gnawing at his lip. "When are you going to man up? Oh my god, I hate men."
"Look," Yejun stammered, "I just saw a shadow behind the bookshelf."
Megumi sighed, her expression hardening. "Wait here." She edged into the room, sword raised. Yejun watched from the doorway, his heart hammering against his ribs. He saw nothing, but a chill snaked down his spine. He knew, somehow, that something was wrong.
Megumi scanned the room. Nothing. But the feeling persisted, a prickling sensation on the back of her neck. It wasn't until she moved deeper into the room that she sensed it – something above her. With a flash of steel, she leaped back, slashing upwards. A grotesque, shadowy figure plummeted to the floor, cleaved in two.
Yejun gaped. "Why are your eyes blue? And how did you know?"
Megumi ignored him, her blue eyes unnervingly cold. She tossed him the uniform, stained with Yokai blood. "This is no joke. Man up, or you'll be dead." Her gaze was intense, almost cruel. "Japanese swordsman will kill you or the Yokai's will."
Yagi appeared at the door, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the dead Yokai. "We're being followed. We need to reach the boat."
"Can we get a bag for our kimono?" Megumi asked, her voice tight. "I don't want to throw mine away. It was a gift from my mother."
"There's a bag on the boat," Yagi replied, urgency lacing his voice. "Come on."
Yejun, still reeling from the encounter, remained frozen. "I miss my family," he whispered, his voice cracking. "Being an orphan isn't easy. Everyone laughs at you. I miss my grandmother, her cooking, her smile… Why did the water have to destroy my village?"
"I'm sorry, Yejun," Megumi said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We're here for you."
Yagi nodded, his eyes filled with a strange sympathy. "We are."
Megumi raised Yejun's head, her blue eyes locking with his. "I've got your back."
As Yejun turned to Yagi, he noticed it then – the same unsettling blue glow in his eyes. "Why do you guys have blue eyes?" he asked, his voice trembling. "Who are you? What do you want from me?"
Before they could answer, Megumi stiffened. "Yokai. In the building. Now!"
They charged towards the stairs, but a new Yokai blocked their path. The lighting was poor, but Yagi and Megumi didn't hesitate, attacking swiftly. The Yokai, however, dodged their attacks, and rushed at Yejun. Reacting instinctively, Yejun drew his sword and slashed, cleaving the Yokai in half. He stared down at the lifeless form.
"I know you guys are Yokai," he said, his voice shaking but firm. "And if you try to turn me into one, I'll kill you."
Megumi's eyes flickered from blue to black, a chilling smile spreading across her face. Yagi stepped forward. "I think the kid's ready to fight with us."
"Let's get to the boat," Megumi said, her voice devoid of warmth.
As they rushed down the stairs, the Yokai, not quite dead, lashed out, biting Yejun on the neck. He collapsed, unconscious.
"Yejun!" Yagi shouted, frantically trying to revive him.
Megumi stared down at him, her face pale. "If he got bitten, he'll turn, right?"
"He might," Yagi conceded. "Thankfully his body is not transforming yet."
Yejun's eyes snapped open, a chilling blue glow emanating from them. He grabbed his sword, his gaze fixed on Megumi and Yagi. "Yejun, it's us! Please, don't hurt us!" Megumi cried. Seeing as they had no choice Yagi started to advance and Megumi seeing that she was gonna get killed dropped her sword. "Stop. I'm not letting you kill Yejun."
That was a mistake. Yejun charged, ripping her kimono and exposing strange curse marks on her body.
"That's it, I'm killing him! " Yagi roared and launched himself at Yejun. Megumi sobbed. "Please, Yejun! It's us! I want us to fight side by side! I saved you because… because I grew up alone, like you. Someone killed my parents… Please, Yejun, wake up!"
Slowly, the blue glow faded from Yejun's eyes, replaced by his normal brown. He stared blankly at Megumi, then down at her torn kimono, the strange curse marks.
"What happened? My head hurts…Hey Megumi are you okay? What are those scars on your body?"
Megumi grabbed her uniform, avoiding his gaze. "Let's get to the boat before you turn into a full Yokai."
As she slammed the door shut, Yagi and Yejun exchanged a confused look. "Who is she?"
The moon hung heavy in the inky sky, a silent, judgmental eye watching as Yagi, Yejun, and Megumi boarded the small, dilapidated boat. Fukuoka. Their target. Enemy stronghold. The words echoed in Yejun's mind, but a new, more immediate fear gnawed at him. He glanced at Megumi, her face obscured by shadows, but the faint crimson glow emanating from her eyes was unmistakable.
"It's time to go," Yagi announced, his voice strained. The boat lurched forward, the engine sputtering to life. "Fukuoka is our goal, remember? The enemy, not us... right, Megumi?" He forced a nervous laugh that died in the still night air.
Megumi remained motionless, a statue carved from the darkness. "Let's just get to Fukuoka," Yejun stammered, his own laughter sounding hollow and desperate. He reached out tentatively, wanting to touch her shoulder, to ask if she was alright.
"Don't you dare touch me," she hissed, her voice a low, guttural growl.
"Are you okay...?" Yejun began, but his question was cut short by a piercing scream that ripped from his own throat. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!"
He clutched his arm, staring in horror as a grotesque, swirling mark bloomed on his skin, pulsating with an unnatural, sickly blue light. It was transforming, twisting his flesh into something alien, something wrong.
Yagi's face paled. "Megumi! Can you help him? Why this sudden change… from sad to… this?"
Megumi slowly turned, her eyes burning like embers in the gloom. "This is the night of the Yokai," she rasped, her voice no longer human. She pointed a long, skeletal finger at the moon. "Look."
The moon, once a serene pearl, was now a malevolent crimson orb. A grotesque silhouette, a swirling mass of horns and claws, danced across its surface. A Yokai creature, unleashed upon the world.
Yejun stared at his reflection in the oily water, his eyes shifting, the black slowly being consumed by an eerie, vibrant blue. "What… what have you done to me?" he choked out, his voice cracking.
Yagi's gaze swept from Megumi to Yejun, a grim understanding dawning in his eyes. "I guess," he said, his voice low and heavy, "the Yokai are invading Japan. And now… we must protect one another." The words felt weak, futile, against the encroaching darkness, against the terrifying transformation happening to Yejun, against the chilling presence of the creature beside him. The night was young, and the Yokai had only just begun their reign.
The distant shore of Fukuoka shimmered in the heat, a welcome sight after days of relentless paddling. Yejun, finally able to focus on something other than the endless blue, grinned. "Land ho!"
Yagi, the weary oarsman, groaned. "Finally! I'm so tired of paddling this blasted boat, I could sleep for a week." He promptly closed his eyes, already halfway to dreamland.
Just as the relief settled in, the small fishing boat began to shudder violently. Yejun, his newfound Yokai senses tingling, peered over the edge. "Uh, guys? I think we have company. Something's circling the boat."
Megumi, ever practical, barely glanced up. "It's probably just a shark. Relax, Yejun. Just keep paddling so we reach the shore."
Suddenly, with a snap that echoed across the water, the boat fractured in two, sending Yagi tumbling awake with a yelp. Two monstrous figures erupted from the depths – shark Yokai, their eyes gleaming with predatory hunger.
One lunged for Yejun, jaws snapping. The other barreled towards Megumi, who frantically fumbled for her katana. "My sword! Where is it?"
Yagi, despite his exhaustion, sprang into action, intercepting the shark Yokai aimed at Megumi. He parried a vicious bite, the force jarring his arms.
Yejun, dodging the first attack, leaped into the air, drawing his own sword. He plunged the blade deep into the back of the shark Yokai, a sickening thud echoing as he ripped it free. The creature thrashed momentarily before sinking back into the water. He quickly followed up with a swift cut that bisected the other shark Yokai.
Yagi, panting, watched Yejun land gracefully on the precarious remains of their boat. "Wow, kid. You learn fast."
Megumi, still searching for her weapon, stared at the carnage in disbelief. "I guess the power of Yokai doesn't just change a person's body; it changes everything."
Yejun, puffed with pride, stood tall. "The Yokai are going to take over Fukuoka!" he declared, his voice ringing with newfound conviction.
Yagi and Megumi burst into laughter.
"You being part Yokai doesn't change you, Yejun," Megumi said, wiping tears from her eyes.
"What's so funny?" Yejun demanded, drawing his sword. He lunged playfully at Megumi, their blades meeting in a shower of sparks as Yagi swiftly intervened, blocking them both with his own katana.
"Just because you're a Yokai doesn't mean you can take on me, Yejun," scowled Megumi. "I'd kill you in a heartbeat!"
"Oh yeah?" Yejun retorted, his Yokai instincts kicking in. "If it wasn't for Yagi, you would've gotten chomped and turned into Shark Girl! Oh, should I say... Yokai Girl!"
"Oh yea, says the guy who, when I saw him, was crying like a baby! Like a Yokai baby," Megumi retorted.
Yagi sighed, sheathing his sword. "Enough, you two! We've arrived at Fukuoka. Let's go before we attract any more unwanted attention." He pointed towards the shore, and they both begrudgingly followed him