Over the next few hours, Mochi devoted herself to training. Under Haruka's attentive and demanding gaze, she began to get used to the weight of the knuckle dusters. Haruka guided her through basic combat movements, correcting her posture and teaching her to strike with precision rather than relying on brute force.
It was during a short break that Haruka introduced the fundamental concept: Ether.
"It's the energy that flows through both people and Anomalies," Haruka explained, while Mochi tried to catch her breath. "To become an OHRA agent, the essential requirement is the ability to manipulate it."
"And how do they know who can and who can't?" Mochi asked, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
"It's simple: if you can feel it, you can manipulate it. From there, the level at which you can control it depends entirely on your natural talent and the discipline of your training."
Mochi then understood that the strange pull she felt when looking at her new weapons wasn't ordinary curiosity. It was the remnants of the cat's will manifesting through Ether. An ordinary person would never have noticed that influence—they would have simply felt "strange" without knowing why. But Mochi could feel that dark vibration. Haruka assured her that as long as she remained aware of it, she would be able to keep her own will safe.
When evening came, Haruka called the session to an end. Mochi was exhausted, but satisfied. She had made real progress: after a great deal of effort and concentration, she could now perceive the flow of Ether within a radius of a few feet around her. It was like developing a sixth sense that allowed her to "feel" this invisible energy.
"You've improved quite a bit, Mochi," Haruka praised her with a genuine smile. "If you continue training with this level of discipline, your sensitivity will increase, and you might soon awaken the special ability hidden within your weapon."
Mochi appreciated the compliment, though deep down she knew there was still a vast gap between them. Haruka was on another level. She perceived Ether unconsciously, without needing to close her eyes or meditate, detecting presences from more than a mile away with ease.
But what fascinated Mochi the most was the story of the crystal fan. Haruka confessed that it had been forged from the core of a Yuki-onna, a powerful Anomaly she had defeated years ago. That was where her ability to manipulate ice came from.
"Mochi, it's time to head out for your first official assignment," Haruka said, breaking the silence of the training with a hint of melancholy. "This will be the only time I can accompany you on a mission like this."
"What? Why?" Mochi stopped moving, confused.
"Ofelia decided that, due to how close we are, I'm not the right person to train you in the long term. She believes our relationship could cloud my judgment and that I wouldn't be strict enough with you. That's why I'll take advantage of this one opportunity to teach you everything I can before the Agency assigns you a new guide."
Mochi lowered her gaze, feeling a small sting of sadness. She had imagined a future full of epic missions alongside her best friend.
"I see… That's a shame. Then," she added, recovering her mischievous smile, "I'll make the most of today and have as much fun as possible with you, Haruka."
"Mochi!" Haruka scolded her, though her ears revealed a faint blush. "This is not a game. You can't take assignments lightly or you'll get hurt. Understood?"
"Yes, yes, boss, understood…" Mochi gave a mock military salute. "So, tell me: what's today's mission about?"
Haruka sighed, resigned to her friend's incorrigible personality.
"Haa… I'll make sure to keep a close eye on you. The assignment is a standard 'cleanup': investigate a suspicious location. It's an old tunnel on the former mountain road. Ever since the new highway was opened, that route fell into disuse. It's the perfect habitat for an Anomaly: isolated, dark, and without traffic. The ideal place to grow in silence. There have also been reports of hikers going missing in the area. Our mission is to investigate and, if we find it, eliminate it."
They left the house and headed to the bus stop; the trip would take them nearly an hour to reach the outskirts of the city. Fortunately, Mochi's parents would be out late, so she wouldn't have to worry about staying out for so long.
* * *
North Side of the Old Tunnel – 9:45 PM
A few steps from the northern entrance of the tunnel, three teenagers—two boys and a girl—walked hesitantly along the cracked asphalt of the abandoned road. The rusted streetlights, corroded by years of neglect, were nothing more than useless metal skeletons.
And yet, in the middle of that place full of cracks and overgrown weeds, something shone with an unnatural intensity.
They stopped in front of a phone booth.
It was something that didn't belong there: it was immaculate, with clean glass and a warm light glowing from within, as if it had been installed that very morning. It stood in stark contrast to its surroundings.
"I guess this is the famous 'haunted booth'?" asked Daichi, a strongly built boy trying to hide his fear behind a skeptical tone.
"Obviously it is," replied Shunji, adjusting his thick glasses, which reflected the booth's light. "The urban legends forum clearly said: 'a perfect booth north of the closed tunnel.' Do you see any other phone booths around here, genius?"
"Shut up, damn otaku, don't get smart with me," Daichi shot back, turning toward him with a threatening expression.
The girl in the group said nothing. Her eyes were fixed on the phone hanging inside the booth, waiting, as if she knew something was about to happen.
Shunji ignored Daichi's insults with the arrogance of someone convinced of his intellectual superiority. He adjusted his glasses again and took another step toward the glass structure.
"If it weren't for my research, you never would have found this place, Daichi. Besides, the original plan was for me to come alone with Miyu-san. You're the one who forced your way in at the last minute."
"Of course I did!" Daichi huffed, puffing out his chest. "I wasn't about to let Miyu-san come alone to a creepy place like this, especially not with some scrawny guy who gets scared of his own shadow."
"Come on, you two, stop fighting," Miyu intervened with a calm smile as she raised her camera. "First I'll take some photos for the blog, and then we'll start the ritual."
Miyu Tachibana was the reason why two people as different as them had come together here. With her long black hair and green eyes, she possessed a magnetic beauty; her only flaw was her obsession with the supernatural. Since childhood, she had been able to see things that shouldn't be there. Her blog about myths and urban legends was her life; she visited every supposedly haunted place in the hope of finally finding a ghost.
"Guys… don't you think this booth feels strange?" Miyu asked, stopping in front of the glass door. "It's not just that it looks new. It feels… off. Like there's something inside."
"I don't feel anything," Shunji replied, shrugging as he began taking items out of his backpack.
"Don't be scared, Miyu-san," Daichi added, flexing his bicep. "Unlike this four-eyes, if something comes out of there, I can protect you."
Shunji let out a mocking laugh as he sat down on the cracked asphalt.
"Muscles are useless against something you can't touch, idiot. The best thing in life is having a brain. B-R-A-I-N!"
With methodical movements, Shunji unfolded a sheet of paper with the alphabet handwritten on it and placed a ten-yen coin in the center. Finally, he lit a red candle.
"Everything's ready. The contact ritual can begin."
Daichi sat down reluctantly, while Miyu did so with almost childlike excitement. The three of them placed their index fingers on the coin, closing the circle as they began the ritual. They asked questions, waiting for a response from beyond, but the minutes passed without anything happening. Half an hour later, there was still no answer.
"This is a waste of time!" Daichi snapped, jumping to his feet. "It's obvious there's nothing here! You made us come all the way out here just to stare at a piece of paper, otaku."
"Shut up! My research is correct!" Shunji shouted back, frustrated.
Riiiing… Riiiing…
The sharp sound of the public phone rang out inside the booth.
The three teenagers froze.
Riiiing… Riiiing…
"It's the spirit! I'm sure of it!" Miyu exclaimed. Even though her voice trembled, her green eyes burned with pure adrenaline. "It's responding to the ritual… it's real!"
"What should we do?" Shunji asked. "Is someone… someone going to answer?"
"I'll do it, Miyu-san," Daichi declared. "After all, I'm not afraid of a damn phone booth."
Despite his words, his movements were stiff. Every step felt heavy. When he reached the booth, he cautiously extended his hand and pulled the door open. He stepped inside, taking a deep breath to steady his racing heart, and lifted the receiver. He brought it to his ear.
"Kukuku…!"
A macabre, distorted laugh vibrated through the receiver, freezing his blood. At that instant, the booth door slammed shut with a metallic crash, trapping Daichi inside.
"What…?!" he roared, dropping the phone and throwing himself against the glass.
He struggled desperately, pushing with all his strength, but the door didn't budge even a little.
"Help me! The door… it won't open! It's stuck!" Daichi shouted.
Miyu and Shunji rushed to the glass, pulling at the handle and kicking the base with all their might, but the booth seemed indestructible.
"Aaaagh!" A scream of pure agony made them freeze.
Daichi collapsed to his knees inside the cramped space, clutching his stomach as his face twisted into a look of unbearable pain. His screams pierced the air, growing sharper by the second.
"Move aside, Miyu-san!" Shunji ordered.
He shoved her aside and picked up a heavy rock from the cracked asphalt. With a shout of effort, he hurled it at the glass. Both of them shut their eyes, expecting it to shatter into a thousand pieces… but the sound never came. The stone bounced off with a dull thud, leaving not even the smallest crack on the surface.
Inside, Daichi's screams began to mix with a wet, viscous sound, as if something unseen were tearing him apart. A sharp crack echoed within the booth, like thick branches snapping. His final cry was short, high-pitched… and then it stopped abruptly.
A thick, sickening noise followed, and in an instant the interior of the booth was splattered, the glass darkened by a dense crimson that slid downward, obscuring everything inside. A thin line of dark liquid began to seep out from beneath the door.
"GYAAAAAA!" Miyu's scream echoed through the area, while Shunji stumbled backward, his face pale as paper.
* * *
South Entrance of the Old Tunnel – 10:15 PM
Unaware of the horror that had just taken place on the other side of the mountain, the night breeze stirred Mochi's hair as she and Haruka finished the walk from the bus stop.
The tunnel loomed before them.
"We've arrived," Haruka said, drawing her crystal fan with an elegant motion. "Stay alert, Mochi."