Skyjacking

Time flowed like water, and soon, two weeks had hurried by. High schools across Japan held their final exams. Whether it brought joy or sorrow, the long break finally arrived for the students. Countless students had drafted their vacation plans long ago, and shortly after the holiday began, they set off on their journeys according to their schedules. Hayakawa Rin was one of them.

At Haneda Airport in Tokyo, amidst the bustling crowds, Hayakawa Rin gave a final wave to her parents who had dropped her off. Watching their figures disappear into the throng, she lowered her hand and pushed her suitcase toward the terminal.

"Heh-heh-heh~ I’m smart little Rin~ lucky little Rin~"

Humming a tune she had composed herself, the chestnut-haired girl, dressed in a light blue casual outfit, pushed her suitcase through the vast hall, her face radiating joy.

Currently, Hayakawa Rin was on her way to board a flight to Kyoto. Because of her outstanding performance in the final exams, where she achieved high scores she usually couldn't reach, she had obtained enough travel funds to go out and have a blast during the holiday, as promised. Her destination had been decided long ago.

After retrieving her pre-booked ticket, Rin finished the procedures for her luggage. Feeling light and unburdened, she quickly lined up for security. Once through, she jogged and skipped her way to the departure lounge, sitting down excitedly to wait for takeoff.

'Ha, I really can't believe I actually scored that high! I felt like I was guessing on so many questions, but in the end, I got them all right. Normal practice tests never went like that...'

Leaning back in her chair, Rin muttered to herself while reaching into her collar. She pulled out the small eraser on a thin thread and held it in her hand.

'It seems like wearing this really did improve my luck during the exams. Did Inaba really share some of her luck with me, or is it just psychological?'

As she pondered, Rin suddenly realized something. Clutching the eraser in her hand, she fished out her phone from her clothes.

"I almost forgot; I need to call Inaba now. I won't be able to once I'm on the plane. She should have gone back by now."

As she spoke, Rin dialed the number she had saved earlier. After a few rings, a familiar girl's voice came through.

"Hello? Rin?"

"Inaba! I'm at the airport! I'm about to head over! I'll be at Fushimi Airport in about an hour. Where are you now?" Rin spoke with a hint of excitement. A calm reply came from the other end.

"Me? I'm currently on the way. I'll be in Kyoto soon. Looking at the time... I should be able to pick you up at the airport."

"You're almost there? That’s great! I won't have to worry about getting lost as soon as I leave the airport. See you in a bit then! I'll call you immediately after I get off the plane."

"Okay, see you then."

With a click, the voice on the other end hung up. Rin put her phone back into her clothes and let out a long breath. "Finally going to Kyoto. I'm so excited! I wonder what I'll run into there?"

Her thoughts shifted as she continued softly, "Speaking of which, Inaba is still on her way. Since she can answer her phone, she must be taking the Shinkansen rather than a plane. Just like she said before, her family isn't exactly wealthy."

While Rin was thinking this, a sudden burst of rapid, heavy footsteps reached her ears.

Attracted by the sound, Rin turned to look. She saw several men in black suits walking straight toward her area from a distance. Their leader was bald, wearing sunglasses, and his bulky frame seemed ready to burst through his thin suit. His heavy footsteps thudded on the ground, and his entire being radiated a terrifying pressure. The force of his approach made Rin tremble slightly, and she instinctively shrank back. She only let out a small sigh of relief after they passed in front of her.

'Whoa, they look like the yakuza in movies. Ah... they're sitting right across from me. Are they on the same flight?'

Rin thought to herself. Suddenly, she felt a slight warmth in her palm. Startled, she opened her hand, and the small eraser amulet came into view.

'Huh? I feel like this thing just got a bit hot. Isn't it just an eraser? Why would it heat up?'

Looking at the plain-looking eraser, Rin tried to think of a reason but couldn't come up with anything. She eventually gave up and tucked the eraser into her pocket, then quietly began waiting for the flight to board.

High above Central Japan, above the thick layers of clouds, a small aircraft soared through the sky, flying rapidly from east to west.

Inside the private jet's comfortably decorated cabin, Miketsu, who had just hung up on Rin, leaned back on a soft sofa. After taking a sip of cola from a tall wine glass, she placed the glass back on the table and turned her gaze toward an open laptop. On the screen was the fox-eared woman.

"Alright, I've finished my call. Tsuruha, you may continue."

"Yes, Lady Uka. According to your plane's speed, you will arrive over Kyoto in twenty minutes. At that time, the aircraft will enter stealth mode to pass into the divine realm and land at the airport in the Inari Secret Realm. A welcoming ceremony has been prepared here. Per your previous instructions, the ceremony is small and very secret, with only a few core members of the Inari involved. Do you have any further instructions?"

Tsuruha reported through the screen. Hearing her words, Miketsu leaned back on the sofa and gently shook her head.

"A welcoming ceremony? That can be pushed back to the evening. I'm not in a hurry to return to the shrine. Also, have the plane fly directly to Fushimi Airport. I'll get off there."

"Go to a public airport? Does Lady Uka have other business?" Tsuruha asked curiously. Miketsu responded directly.

"Mm, more or less. I'm waiting for a classmate there. After all, I'm returning as an ordinary person to participate in the Inari Festival this time, not as Inari Okami."

After hearing Miketsu's explanation, Tsuruha nodded in understanding.

"Understood. Then I will rearrange things for you immediately."

"Thank you for your hard work."

As she spoke, Miketsu took another elegant sip of the cola in her wine glass, as if savoring a fine vintage wine. Meanwhile, her private jet began to descend gradually, flying straight through the clouds.

At the same time, also above the clouds over the Kanto region, a passenger plane had climbed to cruising altitude and was flying straight toward the west.

Having successfully boarded her flight, Hayakawa Rin was currently sitting in her seat, waiting for the plane to reach its destination. Although she couldn't play with her phone on the plane, making things a bit boring, the total flight time was only about an hour. She could endure that short wait.

The cabin was quiet. Rin spent the time staring out at the vast sea of clouds. After several dozen minutes had passed, a voice drew her attention.

"Sir, please return to your seat, fasten your seatbelt, and do not walk around freely."

Following the sound, Rin saw that a tall figure was now standing in the aisle of the cabin. Dressed in a black suit, with a burly build, a bald head, and sunglasses—it was the leader of the group of mysterious men in black she had seen in the departure lounge.

The man had stood up from his seat at some point and was walking quickly from the back of the cabin toward the front. He was intercepted by an anxious flight attendant, a scene that immediately drew the eyes of the hundred or so passengers in the cabin. However, what happened next left them all speechless.

"Sir, the plane is currently in flight. We may encounter turbulence at any time. Please go to your seat and fasten your seatbelt. If you need to use the restroom—"

While the flight attendant was patiently trying to persuade him, the silent man in black suddenly reached out and slapped the attendant's face. Without warning, the attendant's head took a heavy blow. The sheer force sent him flying to the side, his face contorted and blood spraying from his nose. He slumped unconscious onto a row of seats, landing at the feet of the passengers.

"Aaah!!!"

Screams erupted throughout the cabin. In an instant, the attention of everyone on board was drawn to the scene. A wave of restless, chaotic noise spread through the cabin as gazes filled with fear or anger fixed upon the man in black.

Ignoring the surrounding commotion, the man in black looked around at the crowd and signaled with a wave of his hand. Several other men in black rose from their seats throughout the cabin.

"Everyone, quiet! Stay in your seats and don't move! This plane is now under our control. If you want to live, stay put!"

Upon hearing these words, everyone on the plane suddenly understood what was happening. They were being hijacked!

Realizing their predicament, the passengers broke out in a clamor. Fear and anger spread rapidly. The cabin did not quiet down as the men in black had demanded. The reason was simple: their intimidation was not enough.

There were fewer than ten men in black, while the cabin held over a hundred people. Without any weapons, it was clear that a few men wouldn't be able to suppress such a large crowd. However, they had clearly prepared for this.

Seeing the countless gazes hiding thoughts of resistance, the leader pulled a small object from his clothes. Upon closer inspection, it was a small wooden box, engraved with intertwining demon masks.

"Yokai Treasure: Open Box."

The man in black whispered softly. As he spoke, a dark light flickered along the seams of the ancient wooden box. He opened the box and actually pulled out a handgun that was significantly larger than the box itself. One of the other men in black immediately took it and pointed it at the passengers.

"Quiet! If anyone makes another sound, I'll shoot them immediately!"

At the sight of the firearm, the once-rowdy cabin fell silent instantly. Those pointed at by the bright muzzle of the gun lowered their heads in terror. Although they didn't know how these people had brought a gun onto the plane or if the gun was real, no one dared to test it. The appearance of a single gun had increased the intimidation of the group by several levels.

"Hmph, weak humans."

The man in black let out a cold snort. No other flight attendants dared to block his path. Everyone shrank into their corners, watching in fear as the tall man walked past. The leader soon reached the end of the aisle—the door to the cockpit.

Currently, the cockpit door was completely locked. The reinforced door was incredibly thick, thoroughly isolating the cabin from the cockpit. It could only be opened from the inside using a code, a design meant to prevent situations exactly like this.

The man in black stopped before the door. He took out the wooden box again and pointed it at the door. Black fire suddenly erupted from the gaps in the box. When the flames dissipated, a withered, translucent evil spirit appeared before him.

The man in black pointed forward. The evil spirit nodded and then phased through the thick door, entering the cockpit. A moment later, the door opened. Appearing before the man in black were the co-pilot, whose eyes glowed with a green light and whose expression was vacant, and the captain, who lay slumped to the side with blood flowing from his head.

Seeing this, the man in black smiled slightly and issued a command.

"Now, contact the ground. Tell them we want to speak with Inari."