The air inside Ash's house didn't just feel heavy—
It pressed against Izumi's skin.
Like something unseen was breathing too close.
_________________________
Ash stood a few steps away.
Still.
Smiling.
"…You're not alone, are you?" Izumi asked quietly.
For a moment—
There was silence.
Then—
Ash's lips curled slightly.
Not like his usual grin.
Not relaxed.
Not natural.
"…You're sharp," he said.
But the voice—
Wasn't entirely his.
Izumi's expression hardened.
"…Yeah."
A pause.
"…I've had a weird couple of days."
Ash chuckled.
Low.
Distorted.
"…I can tell."
The lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
And then—
The temperature dropped.
Izumi took a slow step back.
"…Alright."
He exhaled.
"…I don't know what you are."
His eyes sharpened.
"…But I'm guessing you're not here for tea."
Ash tilted his head.
"…You talk a lot."
And then—
He disappeared.
"—!"
Izumi barely reacted in time.
A force slammed into him from the side, sending him crashing into the wall.
"Ghh—!"
The breath was knocked out of him.
"…Fast…" Izumi muttered.
Ash stood near the doorway now.
Or rather—
Something wearing Ash.
"…You carry something interesting…" it said.
Izumi pushed himself up.
"…Yeah?"
The thing smiled wider.
"…Something that doesn't belong to you."
Izumi froze for a split second.
"…So you know about that."
"Of course."
The air trembled.
"…That power…"
Ash's eyes flickered.
For a moment—
They weren't his.
"…It should've been mine."
Before Izumi could respond—
Ash rushed him again.
This time faster.
More aggressive.
Izumi ducked just in time as a punch shattered the wall behind him.
"…Okay, that's definitely not normal human strength!"
He rolled to the side, grabbing a chair and throwing it.
Ash swatted it away effortlessly.
"…You're annoying," the thing said.
"Yeah, I get that a lot."
Izumi dashed forward, trying to close the distance—
But Ash caught his arm mid-motion.
"…Got you."
"—Not yet!"
Izumi twisted his body, breaking free and kicking Ash backward.
Both of them stopped for a second.
Breathing.
Watching.
"…I don't know how to deal with this…" Izumi muttered under his breath.
"…But I can't hurt him directly…"
Ash laughed.
"…Thinking too much."
He suddenly grabbed something nearby—
His phone.
And hurled it straight at Izumi.
"—!"
Izumi tilted his head just enough—
The phone missed him by inches.
"…What was that—?!"
The phone hit the wall and dropped to the floor.
Screen still on.
For a brief moment—
Izumi's eyes caught it.
A wallpaper.
Ash.
Smiling.
And beside him—
A girl.
Bright smile.
Close.
Important.
"…!"
Izumi froze.
Just for a second.
"…So you do have something to lose…"
Ash rushed again.
Izumi barely blocked the attack.
"…Tch!"
That one moment of distraction—
Cost him.
Ash's punch connected—
Sending Izumi sliding across the floor.
"…Focus!" Izumi shouted at himself.
But something had changed.
That image—
Stayed in his mind.
"…I can't just destroy him…"
The fight intensified.
Ash moved relentlessly.
Each attack faster.
More precise.
More violent.
Izumi struggled to keep up.
"…Damn it…!"
His body was reaching its limit.
"I don't even have a weapon…!"
As if responding—
A sudden sound cut through the air.
Whoosh.
"…?"
Something spun toward him.
Izumi reacted on instinct—
And caught it.
"…A—katana?"
________________________
His eyes widened.
The blade felt… different.
Not ordinary steel.
The handle was cold.
Yet alive.
And at its center—
A small red stone.
Faintly glowing.
"…Where did this come from…?"
Ash stopped moving.
For the first time—
He looked uneasy.
"…That blade…"
The air grew heavier.
"…So they're interfering now…"
Izumi tightened his grip.
"…I don't know who 'they' are…"
He took a stance.
"…But I'll take the help."
Ash charged again.
This time—
Izumi didn't run.
The katana moved.
Almost on its own.
Clang—
The moment Ash struck—
Izumi blocked it.
"…!"
The impact sent a shock through his arms—
But he held.
"…Okay…"
A small smirk formed.
"…Now we're talking."
The fight changed.
Each movement of the blade felt guided.
Precise.
Controlled.
Izumi moved faster.
Sharper.
"LEFT—!"
He reacted instantly—
Dodging a sudden strike.
"…What… was that…?"
It felt like—
Something was guiding him.
Or maybe—
He was seeing it before it happened.
"…Future sight…"
Ash roared—
Launching a barrage of attacks.
Izumi countered.
Dodged.
Struck.
The katana cut through the air—
Leaving faint red trails behind.
"…That blade…" the thing growled.
"…It's dangerous."
"Good," Izumi replied.
The red stone began to glow brighter.
The room trembled slightly.
"…End this…" something whispered.
Izumi's eyes sharpened.
"…Yeah."
Ash lunged one final time—
And in that moment—
Izumi saw it.
A flash.
A second ahead.
The opening.
"…Now."
The katana moved.
A single clean strike.
Through Ash.
And through—
The shadow behind him.
A piercing scream filled the room.
The ghost tore apart—
Separating from Ash—
"…NO—!"
Light erupted.
And then—
Silence.
Ash collapsed.
Izumi stood still.
Breathing heavily.
"…Did I…?"
The remains of the spirit flickered.
Then—
Just like before—
A faint glow rushed toward him.
"…Wait—!"
Too late.
It entered him.
Pain exploded through his body.
Visions.
Again.
Faster.
Sharper.
More violent.
"…AA—!"
And then—
Darkness.
________________________
[Unknown Time]
"....wake up.."
A voice.
"…Oi."
Another.
Izumi slowly opened his eyes.
"…Where…"
He was lying down.
A familiar ceiling.
Ash's house.
"…Ash—!"
Izumi sat up suddenly.
"…Relax," a voice said.
He turned.
Two figures stood nearby.
Dressed in black.
"…You…"
The exorcist organization.
The same two.
"…Where's Ash?" Izumi demanded.
"…Alive," one of them replied calmly.
Izumi looked to the side.
Ash lay on the bed.
Breathing.
Peaceful.
Relief hit him instantly.
"…Good…"
But then—
Something clicked.
Izumi looked back at them.
"…Where's the third one?"
Silence.
The two exchanged a glance.
"…Third?" one of them asked.
Izumi frowned.
"…Yeah."
His voice grew sharper.
"…The one with you."
"…Wearing the same black outfit."
"…He was there at the station."
"…And on the train."
A pause.
Then—
"…There was no third member," the leader said.
Silence.
"…What?" Izumi muttered.
"…When we first met you," the man continued, "it was only the two of us."
Izumi's heartbeat slowed.
"…No…"
That wasn't right.
He remembered clearly.
Three figures.
Not two.
"…That's impossible…"
The room suddenly felt colder.
"…Then who…" Izumi whispered.
"…was the third one?"
No one answered.
But somewhere—
Deep inside—
That question had already found something.
Something waiting.
Watching.
Smiling.