Chapter 9

Tag (鬼事) is the 9th chapter of Kazue Katō's Ao no Exorcist.

All the new Exwires have been recruited to go on a mission to find a ghost inside of Mepphyland. However, things become difficult for Rin when Amaimon attempts to steal Kurikara. While Rin fights to get Kurikara back, Shiemi chases the ghost of a little boy around the amusement park. Rin finally gets his sword back, but it seems like he is not out of trouble yet when Yamada is revealed to be Shura Kirigakure, an inspector from the True Cross Vatican Headquarters.

Summary
While sitting at the base of a statue of Mephisto Pheles, Konekomaru, Ryuji, and Renzo discuss how their first missions went. All being less than enthused, Ryuji states that it can't be helped that they get these sorts of missions because they've only just become Exwires, to which Renzo replies that they weren't missions, they were just odd jobs. Hearing this Rin giggles and gleefully exclaims that for his first mission he got to beat a demon and then make it his familiar, then Ryuji, not believing him, asks Rin to summon his familiar and Rin explains that he can't because he left it at the dormitories. Seeing that they don't believe him, Rin asks them if they think he's lying, but Ryuji and Renzo ignore him and carry on a conversation about how they can't believe Yamada and Nemu became Exwires even though it appears that they put in no effort. Rin tells them to forget about that for a moment and wonders why the girls are running late. Just then Izumo and Shiemi come running over, with Nee, apologizing and explaining that they are late because Izumo and Noriko were teaching Shiemi how to wear a school uniform. Yukio, not interested in the conversation about Shiemi's uniform, changes the subject by telling everyone he is splitting them into groups of two and that Rin is paired with Shiemi. Yukio then begins to explain why they have gathered at the True Cross Amusement Park, also known as Mephy Land. He tells them that there have been witness and damage reports of a Ghost inside of the amusement park, that it has the appearance of a little boy, and that if it is left unattended it may become evil and dangerous. Yukio tells them that once they are in the pairs he assigned they are to scatter around the park and wait for nightfall to try and find the Ghost, at which point they are to call him or Kaoru; everyone is dismissed to do as they've been told.

While wandering around the amusement park with Shiemi, Rin hears a voice in his head and instructs her to follow him as he runs towards it. They find the Ghost crying on a carousal and when she asks Rin how he knew where to find it he claims that he has a gift, and that it's not important. Shiemi attempts to ask the Ghost why he's crying, but is interrupted when Rin tells her not to talk to demons shortly before he tries to make a phone call to inform someone that they found the Ghost. However he hangs up the phone before whoever he was trying to call answers to yell at the Ghost; asking how long he plans on crying, this only makes the Ghost cry more and causes it to go to Shiemi for comfort. While she is comforting the Ghost he stops crying, calls her a hag and runs away laughing, which causes Shiemi to become embarrassed and Rin to become angry and chase after the Ghost. Shiemi decides to go a different way and also look for it.

After a short while Rin grows tired of chasing the Ghost and stops near a statue where he decides to just report to Yukio that he found it, but as he makes the phone call Amaimon, who is sitting on the statue, reaches down and steals Kurikara right off of Rin's back. Rin turns around and demands that Amaimon give back Kurikara and tell Rin who he is, at which point Amaimon introduces himself as a prince of demons and claims he is something of an older brother to Rin. Trying to get his sword back, Rin jumps up and attempts to kick Amaimon, but only succeeds in decapitating the statue of Mephisto. He then asks Amaimon what his objective is, to which Amaimon replies that he doesn't have an objective and that he came to play. This makes Rin angry and he lashes out towards Amaimon as he climbs the side of a roller coaster, warning the demon not to underestimate him. They break a small section of the roller coaster in their struggle, which causes it to fall to the ground. Meanwhile, Shiemi chases after the Ghost near the roller coaster where she almost gets hit by some falling rubble; she wonders where Rin is as she has arrived at the same spot where they were separated.

As they fall to the ground Amaimon states that he finds Rin to be a let down and doesn't understand why his brother and father are so entranced with him. When they hit the ground Amaimon is on top of Rin and it seems as though he is pinned down, but soon Rin throws Amaimon off of him and into the roller coaster above them, causing it to break even more. They end up on the sidewalk near the roller coaster, where Rin pins Amaimon to the ground and covers both of them in blue flames. They're collision causes the ground to shake and Shiemi, who is nearby, assumes there is an earthquake; the roller coaster begins to collapse and Shiemi takes cover from the debris, with the Ghost, under a thin shelter made by Nee. Rin looks over and notices that Shiemi is in danger and uses his blue flames to burn the falling rubble before it can land on her.

As Shiemi opens her eyes she is confused to see that all the rubble is gone and the Ghost exclaims how cool it was, which Shiemi disagrees with. She claims that they could have both died, at which point he states that he is already dead and calls Shiemi an idiot, shortly before disappearing. Meanwhile Amaimon kicks Rin away and states that Rin is boring, wondering if he should break Kurikara so that Rin is stuck in his demononic form forever. Before Amaimon can do it Yamada pulls a sword out of his chest and strikes at Amaimon, however he blocks it. Yamada questions Amaimon as to how he got into the academy; instead of answering the question he calls Yamada a hindrance and proceeds to sheath Kurikara, give it back to Rin, and escape. Yamada then exclaims that Amaimon was just playing around and that Rin needs to hide his tail before anyone else shows up. Shiemi, Yukio and Kaoru then all arrive and question Rin on what happened; Shiemi tells Yukio that Rin needs first-aid. Yamada tells Yukio that he was too slow and that's why he had to make his move before revealing himself as Shura Kirigakure, an Upper First Class Exorcist. Shura informs Yukio that she was dispatched as a senior inspector by the True Cross Vatican Headquarters to investigate the Japanese Branch of the True Cross Order.

Demons in Order of Appearance

 * 1) Greenman
 * 2) Ghost

Battles & Events

 * Rin Okumura vs. Amaimon (started and concluded)

Meister used

 * Knight

Weapons used

 * Fang
 * Kurikara

Abilities used

 * Blue Flames

Techniques used

 * None

Items used

 * Tengu hornbeam