I managed to inform Yukari and Reimu about the incoming threat. They went towards the outskirts of the human village holding torches, and encountered Rumia, with a dozen of her black eyed slaves.

I decided to just witness the battle that is about to commence with Momiji.

"Rumia! You have gone too far to commit this atrocity!" Reimu shouted.

"Is that so~? Anyway, that's a rude way to greet me, Armpit Miko."

"You shut your mouth!"

"Patience, Reimu. They feed off from negative emotions as well." Yukari covered Reimu's mouth with her fan.

"So, you noticed it? I'm surprised Heavy sleeper like you, Yukari, can notice it."

"My... Don't test my patience..."

Yukari then made a sudden attack by opening a portal near one of the children. A bottle of acid was thrown out from it, and shattered on the child's arms. However the acid didn't even hurt him.

Rumia just smiled smugly, and said "Sonanoka~ Is that all you got?"

"So even corrosives can't damage them..."

"But let them taste this!" Reimu shouted, charging up a Yin-Yang circle shaped danmaku and shot it at Rumia's army. "I'll purify you!"

But then, there is no damage done to them. Rumia just yawned.

"What...? Even a large danmaku can't do the trick?"

"Now it's our turn to play." Rumia said plainly.

The children casted their arms forward, and a surge of dark energy were shot from them, which hits both the Hakurei Miko and the Boundary-Bending Youkai. It all happened to fast, even Yukari wasn't able to dodge.

After the surge dissipates, Both of them were then seen lying on the ground, motionless. Rumia and her army then left as she laughed in the darkness.

"Ayayaya! They are indeed unstoppable with all this darkness, even Yukari can't deal with them!"

"We need to check them out."

Me and Momiji then walked toward the bodies, they are still breathing which means it's a good thing.

"They are heading to the village. Momiji, can you carry both of them to the Hakurei Shrine? It's probably safe there."

Momiji nodded, and carried both of them before sprinting off.

I flew to the village center, where I witnessed a gruesome scene. The village is on fire, maybe due to the chaos caused by the humans who decided to stay and fight Rumia.

It's foolish, but still brave.

But that's not the only thing that shocked me. In the middle of the square I see...

The body of Rinnosuke Morichika, with his hands nailed on some sort of wooden contraption. On top of the contraption is his glasses... And there's a written statement above his head.

Tried to Play hero

"Whoa... Did they do this!? No. They could've just fired a dangerous danmaku at him... I need to bring this to the Mansion, without getting spotted."

I looked around for more clues, and I found a notepad belonging to Hatate.

"She's helping evacuate the village too? Not bad, for a shut-in, Hatate. I guess I need to ask you as well."

Afterwards, I carried the body along with the contraption and his glasses to the Mansion.

There, even though a bit crowded, I see Patchouli STILL in the library, reading.

"Even at a time like this, Aya!?" She shouted at me.

"That's my line! Says the person who just read her book during a chaotic incident!"

"Give me a few minutes!"

I put the items and the corpse inside the library, and waited.

Later...

"The autopsy's done. Rinnosuke was still alive before he got crucified on this cross."

"Crucified? Cross?" I scratched my head.

"As expected of a Tengu... A cross is an execution tool used by the people of an empire named the Roman Empire, it also symbolizes the Christian Religion in the outside world."

"I see... So, what clues do we get from that?"

"It's clear that your culprit read a Christian Bible before, otherwise they don't know what a Christian cross is!"

"And what about the glasses on top of the cross?"

"It's covered with tea. After some... Checking, there's none found in his system."

"This means that the culprit read the Bible and drank tea. But the latter could be anyone!"

"That's why, Aya. Be careful on this case, the culprit is careful this time. Oh, and if I put it correctly, the culprit nailed his hands down with their right hand, as seen from the angle."

I noted all of this down, and turned around to see Hatate. I gasped in surprise.

"Ayayaya, Hatate! Don't ever do that to me again!"

"It seems that you've got something of mine... It's good you're OK."

"Yeah, thanks.... But what was your notepad doing at a crime scene?"

"Oh, Where Rinnosuke got murdered? I dropped it there, but he was still alive at his shop when I'm still there evacuating people."

"I should go to Kourindou then."

After a hard flight (hitting a lot of branches along the way) through the darkness, I managed to reach Kourindou. Inside is well lit with candles... And it's a mess. Most of his wares are on the floor and wall, he must've been in a hurry.

However I found a note on the floor, and a frog hopping about.

The note reads, 'Flandre. Remind Sakuya, OK?'

Why would he wanted to ask Flan to remind her maid? Is she in debt? I inspected the writings, and it looked recent.

Then, I looked at the frog. It's similar to those that played with Suwako sometimes at the Moriya Shrine.

I flew to said shrine, where Sanae is busy tending to the evacuees and Suwako is sitting down in a corner.

"Suwako-Chan, I have a question!"

"Ah, Aya-San... You know this is not the best time for an interview."

"It's important... Why is one of your frogs at Kourindou? That shop's owner got murdered recently."

"Morichika was what!? You're kidding!"

"I'm afraid it's the truth."

"I still haven't returned the Bible I borrowed from him... I got interested in it so I read some of it."

"Were you at the Human Village?"

"No. I was staying here with Sanae..."

"Alright, that's all. Thanks for your statement."

Now I need to ask Flandre. I flew back to the Mansion, with a cut on my cheek after hitting a couple of branches on the way.

"Aya-San! It's horrible, the mansion is full of people, scared of whatever is going on outside!" Flandre cried out.

"It's alright Flan, you're safe. But I have a couple of questions for you."

"What are they about?"

"Rinnosuke got murdered."

"Rinnosuke... Murdered? But why?"

"I don't know. But have you visited his shop today? I found this note on the place."

"I was about to go there, just as the sky and everything became dark! Sakuya-San had a debt, for taking a Bible from him, which is a good read... And I was just finishing my tea before going out. It's scary, Aya-San! I'd rather hug this teddy on my right hand than going outside!"

"This is the first time I've heard of a vampire afraid of the dark... Well. That's all, Flandre."

"I hope you'll find the culprit."

"Yeah."

Now we need to find a way to stop Rumia, whilst finding out who murdered Rinnosuke. I'm beginning to think that the 3rd person in Rumia's trio did this... But who is it?

- To Be Continued