Saving Touma

Chapter 2.B - Tengu

"Noboru! Come out you bastard!" This time, it was Shingen who called out to the missing comrade, but also got no response. 

Suddenly, everyone started calling out to him, even though they didn't understand what was going on.

"Yukimura, can you tell me exactly what happened before he disappeared?" Ryo asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

"We were talking about his kids and wife. I asked him what his wife's name is, but he didn't answer. I thought I offended him. 

But when I turned around, he wasn't there anymore. I looked around, and I couldn't see him. I didn't hear him walk away, sensei."

"That's strange. How could he have disappeared like that?"

Right then, Yukimura recalled a strange conversation with Noboru earlier.

"Sensei, before we continued our journey, Noboru said he saw someone in the woods."

"What?"

"Yes, I remember now. He pointed at that area over there. He said someone was standing there. I looked, but I couldn't see anyone."

"What the hell is going on."

While the two were talking, Katsuo and Tadaoki started trekking down the slope, supposedly to look for Noboru. Ryo saw them in his periphery and immediately recalled Tsumu's advice.

"Katsuo! Tadaoki! Get back here!" Ryo shouted.

Everyone was shocked by Ryo's excessive reaction. The two initially gave him a confused stare before ascending back to the trail.

"Do not get off the path. Do you understand me?" Ryo added.

"Hai, sensei," everyone agreed.

"How are we supposed to find him?" Koji asked.

"Let me think," Ryo said as he watched his men slowly consumed by anxiety and confusion. No one had a clue what was going on. 

All they knew was one of them was missing, and he could be in serious trouble. They seemed to be dealing with something they couldn't see. 

The first thing that came to their mind was the mountain spirits Tsumu had mentioned earlier. But they thought it was just superstition.

"Take out your ropes," Ryo instructed while pulling something out from his bag. The boys were confused, but they trusted their leader and took out the hemp ropes they had. 

Each one spanned at least a dozen shakus. They also took out a few tools to defend themselves with.

"Find a partner and tie the ends around your body," Ryo continued as he wound one end of his rope around his waist.

"Shingen, come here. Tie this around your waist," Ryo told Shingen, who looked confused but submissive. The other boys did the same.

"We'll look for Noboru together. But we'll go in pairs so no one gets lost. Koji, Katsuo, you two stay on the path. If we're not back after an hour, start shouting so we'll know where to go. Got it?"

"Hai, sensei," Katsuo replied. Koji nodded.

The others started dispersing. Ryo and Shingen went down the slope to the left, while Tadaoki, Kogoro, Yukimura, and Hiraoki took the right side.

As they pressed deeper into the forest, they began calling out for Noboru. This allowed them to inform the rest about their exact locations and that they weren't in harm's way.