When I joined APTA, I was merely a pleb and was only interested in working on NatsuYuu, so I never worked on the gag manga. Then when I started this blog (back when I co-ran it with Niji), we were still part of APTA, which I wasn't the leader of. This is important to note because I run DCS, not just the blog but the entire group.

I was like a parasite, so when the opportunity presented itself, I slowly but surely began replacing the members who worked on the main title. In doing so, I rose up the ranks. Eventually, I took over when the leader retired and cut our last remaining tie with APTA by renaming. No one else was working on the spinoff with the leader gone. Thus the series was dropped. Last I checked, APTA was still active, but they operate in a different language.

Special Chapter 22

The window rattles open, and Nyanko-sensei appears… with a giant ribbon on his head.

Natsume: Pfft! Ahahaha! How did you end up looking like this? Nyanko: THIS ISN’T A LAUGHING MATTER, NATSUME! I was just having my usual merry patrol, when someone suddenly hit me! When I woke up, I found myself looking like some frivolous being*!

[The term he used here is “ukareponchi”, which is an old slang to refer to a shallow man, or basically a player. It literally means something like “a floating lover”.]

Nyanko-sensei demands that they go look for the culprit that did this to him, commenting that he sensed something familiar from them just as he regained consciousness.

Natsume: Whatever the case, we should get this off you first. We need to ice the place where you got hit. Nyanko: Wait! This ribbon might be a hint towards finding the culprit. Take a good look at it! Is there anything that comes to mind? Natsume: H~~~~m… It’s tied in a rather complicated manner…… The only one I know who would be skilled enough to make this is………

Natsume: TANUMA! Tanuma: It wasn’t me, Natsume. If it’s a ribbon you’re talking about, isn’t it usually a girl? Let’s see… Maybe it was Taki? Natsume: Taki? That’s true… But…

Natsume: Taki is surprisingly rough with things, so I’m not sure if she could make something as detailed as this… Taki: *BAM!* Natsume-kun, Tanuma-kun! Tanuma: ! Taki… Taki: I’ve brought some dango I purchased… *gasp!*

[Niji: How convenient is it that everyone that gets mentioned just appears immediately??] [Jessica: We’re speedrunning through this chapter]

Taki: What happened, Nyanko-sensei——! You’re wearing something like a samba dancer—— *hug~~~!* Natsume: ——Looks like it wasn’t Taki. Tanuma: That’s true… Also, not only did they knock him out, they even put a ribbon on him… This person is rather bizarre…… Natsume: ——Then could it be the other way around like they knocked him out just to put the ribbon on him…… or something……? Tanuma: Whichever it is, it sounds bad.

While giving Nyanko-sensei a tight hug, Taki notices that the ribbon looks familiar, and that it is from a Western confectionery shop. However, as she doesn’t know much about it, she directs Natsume to Nishimura.

Nishimura: Oh! Isn’t that ribbon from Smith, the Western confectionery shop that’s popular with the girls? They recently released new macarons which you can’t get unless you dash right out of the school gates upon the last bell…… Pfft! Still! Why is it wrapped around your cat!? Natsume: Something happened, so…… Nishimura: If I remember correctly, it’s a shop near Kitamoto’s house. Kitamoto: Huh? Really?

Nishimura: You’re really slow with stuff like that. No wonder you got into a fight with your little sister. Nyanko: *sniff sniff* Kitamoto: Shut up, this has nothing to do with that. Natsume: Huh? A fight? With Mana-chan? Kitamoto: Like I said, enough about me. Nyanko: ……

Nyanko-sensei suddenly hops out of Natsume’s arms, and disappears into the trees.

Shortly after, when everyone has parted, Mana catches up to Kitamoto.

Mana: Onii-chan! *pant pant* Kitamoto: Mana. Mana: Are you still angry about yesterday? *pant…* Kitamoto: …… Mana: I’m sorry about yesterday. I said too much. As an apology, I waited in line and used my pocket money to grab these popular macarons…

Kitamoto: So you’re trying to entice me with a gift? Mana: Yes…… I’m really sorry! Kitamoto: ——Seriously… Sweet things for me are… Mana: Also! Because of some situation, I don’t have the ice pack with me, so eat it immediately! Eat it immediately, okay? Kitamoto: Huh!? Mana: Bye! Kitamoto: Huh- Oi! Mana, where are you going?

Mana dashes off. Meanwhile, Nyanko-sensei recalls the conversation he had with Natsume and Tanuma, about where he got the ribbon.

Natsume: “Sensei, I’ve noticed this earlier, but there’s something tied with that ribbon. Besides, where exactly did you get hit?” Nyanko: “It was near the old temple behind the bus stop. I was patrolling to see how ripe the persimmons have gotten.” Natsume: “——Sensei…… I don’t think you got knocked out, but rather——”

From the distance, Nyanko-sensei hears a voice.

Mana: Kitty cat! Kitty cat, are you there——? Nyanko: *pop!* Mana: There you are! Thank goodness!! You woke up.

Mana:  I’m sorry, kitty cat. Come here. I have to get that off you… I saw you got knocked down by a persimmon and panicked, so I took the ice pack that was with my sweets and tied it to you with the ribbon. But then I realized that the ribbon could get caught in various places, and worried that you might be in danger because of that…… You have a collar, so I guess your owner might remove it for you… But I’m sorry I tied it to you without asking.

Mana: ——Hehe, but it looks good on you. It’s a lovely ribbon, isn’t it? Nyanko: *trot trot!* Mana: Ah! Kitty cat… Be careful———

Natsume: Seriously, why did you suddenly run off like that, Sensei? ——What happened to finding the culprit? Nyanko: ——… Natsume: Fufu. How long are you going to wear that for?

[Niji: Nyanko-sensei reminds me of those old prideful grandpas… They love the gifts they receive but never dare to admit it. Such tsunderes lolol]

Chapter 102: “Sleeping Village of Vessels” (Part 3)

Cat eyes appear behind Tomuro, who still hangs from the ceiling. Turns out a large group of the porcelain cats are holding Tomuro, attempting to bring him with them. Surprised, Natsume shouts at them.

Natsume: HEY~~~~~~~!!! Cats: *FLINCH!* *fall fall fall fall* Natsume: WA~~~~HH!!

[Natsume legit just shouted at the cats the same way he shouts at Nyanko lolol]

Natori: ——I’m surprised……… There really are so many…… ——…… ……

Natori: PFT! Nyanko: THIS IS NO LAUGHING MATTER, YOU BRAT—!! Natsume: (——I wish I could show this to Taki.) Natori: Maybe it’s because they mass produced these vessels… But still, this is a rather creative form……

Natori: …No, rather, maybe their odd design gives them more power to suppress grotesque-looking creatures…? Matoba: “Mass produced”? I seriously hope you’re joking. Take a good look at them. They are all completely different. Completely. Different.

Matoba proceeds to name several of them so accurately that even the cats themselves are stunned.

Natsume: Matoba-san…? Matoba: ——Ah, the truth is, I used to have the catalogue for business uses back at home. It was an illustrated book with all the cats drawn in it. That’s why I was surprised when I first saw you with your cat. I know the names of pretty much every cat here. I was really fond of looking at that illustrated book of cats when I was a child, so I often peeked at it.

[That explains why he figured out that Natsume had picked up the wrong cat in the previous chapter… MATOBA HAS MEMORIZED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.]

Natsume: ——… Natori: Natsume? Natsume: ——No… It’s the first time I’ve seen Matoba-san acting in such a childish way, so… Natori: ———…… Well, that guy is a cat-lover after all.

[HE IS!? We need headcanons now. Matoba in an attic full of cats. Matoba strolling the streets and slipping fish to every stray he meets. Matoba hiding kittens under his futon. WE NEED MATOBA X CATS.]

Matoba: ———How nostalgic. My favorite cat is here too. Nyanko: *GASP!* COULD YOU BE TALKING ABOUT ME— Matoba: Nope. You weren’t in any catalogue. Nyanko: *hmm hmm* Mine must have been so well-made that they couldn’t bear to part with it. Natori: Wasn’t it because they realized it wouldn’t sell?

[Ohmygod Natori lol]

Natsume wonders how these cats are moving, and Nyanko-sensei determines that it’s likely they’ve been around for so long that souls began to dwell within them. Just as they discuss this, the cats use the opportunity to sneak away, only for Natsume to catch them.

Natsume: Why are you so restless? You even tried to take Tomuro-san with you… Cat: ……… Nyanko: What? / Hmm hmm… I see! Natsume: Sensei! You can talk to them? Natori: As expected of fellow beasts………

Nyanko: These guys will “DEFEAT YOU”, is what they are saying. Natori: HUH!? NO WAY!! US!? Cats: *hiss—! hiss—!* Natsume: ——…… Nyanko: It seems like they aren’t talking about you. *hmm hmm*

Everyone believes that the cats must be talking about Ban then. But Natori warns the cats that Ban might be difficult to deal with, since he uses techniques that are unique to his family. That was why Natori had reluctantly brought Matoba along as Matoba is familiar with Ban’s methods.

Matoba: Ban used to be part of our clan, after all. Do you understand? The only one who can save you from your dilemma right now is me alone.

Matoba immediately assigns everyone a task to do. Natori will draw circles to gather power while Natsume removes any stones and grass that might get in the way. The cats, watching Natsume, begin to help him out.

Matoba: ———By the way…

Matoba: It would be great if you could answer me now. Why were you monitoring Ban? Natori: ……… ——Because I saw it at Matsuzaki’s residence.

Natori: The “Impregnable Pot”. Matoba: The “Impregnable Pot”, do you mean that one? Natori: *scratch…* It was that pot, the one with the six-petaled bigleaf hydrangeas drawn on it. It’s most likely the real thing. Matoba: ————…… Matsuzaki, huh…?

Matoba: ——Even if that’s true, is it a good idea to let me know about it? Natori: *scratch!* …Well. It’s just stuff about a pot…

As Natsume and the cats continue to remove rocks, they hear the ringing sounds from the wooden puppets in the distance. Concerned, Natsume tells the cats to go back inside the building. But all of them remain where they are, staring up towards a point in the sky. Nyanko-sensei manages to scare them off with a shout while Natsume, curious about what the cats were staring at, looks up into the sky as well… and spots a talisman floating above.

Natsume: Natori-san, Matoba-san. Natori: ——Natsume? Natsume: Over there, above the trees! It might be something Ban-san’s using…

Natori: Huh…? ——There’s nothing there though. Matoba: I see. Well done, Natsume-kun. Indeed, when I strain my eyes, I can see it. The talisman—— Natori: Talisman? Matoba: …That’s not Ban’s. It’s something that was originally in this village. I read it in the books from before. I’m sure if we acquire the item that is stored right underneath that talisman, it will be advantageous for us. Could you investigate the place under the talisman with me, Natsume-kun? Natori & Natsume: HUH!? Matoba: I can see it, but it’s a little transparent, so I can’t be sure where it is exactly. Natori will stay behind and continue with the work. Natori: ! I’ll come along too. Matoba: You can’t see it, right? You won’t be of use even if you came along.

Natori: ———… *guh…* Nyanko: Pfft. Natsume: ———Sensei, you stay behind too. Nyanko: WHAT!!? Natsume: You’re being targeted too, Sensei. So you should stay at the hideout, where it will be harder for them to find you. Nyanko: OI! SOMEONE LIKE ME… Natsume: Stay here,

Natsume: and protect the cats and Tomuro-san with Natori-san for me, Sensei. Matoba: Time to head off then. Natsume: ——Okay.

Nyanko: …Oi, Natsume. Don’t show him any openings. He’s someone who likes to look through other people’s things without permission. Natsume: *gasp!* *glance* ———— ——……

Natsume: *grip…!* ———Natori-san. It’ll be too heavy for me to bring along, so please———

Natsume: I’m off.

[*unintelligible screaming*]

Tomuro remains unconscious inside the building, but sees recollections of his past. When he was still a child, he and his grandfather had a conversation about the cats hiding in the village, and how, maybe one day, Tomuro himself could create pottery with life dwelling in them. But reality struck when he became an adult as keen exorcists arrived at the village only to leave in disappointment.

Exorcist: “———How disappointing. This village has probably already fallen asleep.”

Urihime finally manages to find Sasago, who has just regained consciousness.

Urihime: I was looking for you. What in the world happened? Sasago: ———…… ……I don’t know. Urihime: What? Sasago: I felt a strange presence and chased after it, but… When I realized… everything became pitch-black. And then… …… And then——…

Natsume spots the wooden dolls flying in the sky, as he follows Matoba towards the talisman.

Natsume: ——Um, Matoba-san. What you said earlier… What did you mean when you said that Ban person used to be part of your clan——— If you are acquainted with him, maybe you could talk to him and convince him to back down? If you do that then——— Matoba: Ah. It’s unfortunate, but it’d be a bad idea for me to show my face in front of Ban. Natsume: ———Why? Matoba: The female master that he currently serves belongs to a sect which doesn’t have that good of a relationship with my clan. Considering his prejudice against me, there’s no telling what he might do if I stand in the way of his goal. I should just be good and stay out of his sight.

Matoba: If he decides to come after me because I’m the head of the Matoba clan, I might be forced to crush a capable talent like him as an “enemy”. It would be a pity if that happens. Natsume: ——…… The Matoba clan really has a lot of enemies. Matoba: Indeed. However, most of them are just smoldering heaps of potential. So as long as they don’t come after us in an unskillful manner, I wouldn’t mind letting them go.

Matoba: Right now, in the world of exorcists, the Matoba clan is the strongest of all. It’s rare for someone to openly oppose us. After all, everyone knows that they don’t stand a chance against us. But if you look at it another way, should they encounter difficulties with ayakashi and face possible collapse, the strength of the Matoba clan would serve as something that they can hold on to. No matter if they are dissatisfied, or if they want to oppose us, as long as they understand that they need the Matoba clan, they won’t make any futile discord. Having a strong, unyielding clan around might be necessary to maintain the balance in the exorcist world.

Natsume: ——Something to hold on to… Matoba: Fufu. It goes for everyone. Isn’t it the same for you with that kitty cat of yours? Natsume: ———I… suppose so.

[How dare you even suggest that Matoba!]

The two of them finally arrive at the place directly beneath the talisman, and uncover a giant, old kiln. Matoba enters it without a second thought.

Natsume: Matoba-san! Matoba: *ruffle…* What a splendid place. But it looks like it hasn’t been in use for a long time. Natsume: ———Please pardon our intrusion… Matoba: *click* It looks like they used discarded old kilns to create a path that leads deep inside. Natsume: (The kiln for Hakka Pottery… It’s in such a place where those cats and even Sensei were———……) Sfx: *CLATTER!* Natsume: *jolt!*

Natsume: Matoba-san… Stairs…? In a place like this———…… Matoba: *wave wave* —Now then, Natsume-kun. After all that I have just said—— The Matobas must be stronger than anyone, anywhere. In order for us to be strong, I will use it. No matter what methods I have to use.

Back at the hideout, Natori continues to draw the circles as Nyanko-sensei sits on his head, slapping the top of his skull.

Nyanko: Seriously, that Natsume! Why did he give it to a guy like you!? Natori: …Can you head into the building already? You’re being a nuisance here.

Nyanko: I’M WATCHING OVER IT! HOW CAN I TRUST A SHADY GUY LIKE YOU~~~~!!! Natori: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~....... Nyanko: *gnaw gnaw* Natori: ——… ——The Book of Friends, huh——… Nyanko: Don’t you start getting some strange ideas. Natori: Strange ideas? Nyanko: For small fries like you, such an item would make you water at the mouth, wouldn’t it? Natori: Ahaha, I wonder about that. Nyanko: It’s not something a child of man can manage, alright? Natori: But Natsume handles it just fine, right?

Nyanko: He is different from the rest of you. Stick: *scratch…* Natori: —— He’s the same. As long as he holds this, he will meet dangerous things…

Natori: ——What about you? What’s wrong? Didn’t you want this? Nyanko: ———— Natori: I should just let some random ayakashi take it away with them. Nyanko: WHAT!?

Nyanko: …In any case, have you known that Matoba for a long time? Natori: Huh? ...Well, since the time we were students. But, from the beginning, I’ve never been fond of his methods———…… ——Now that I think about it,

Natori: that was the time when I saw that pot…

Natsume and Matoba continue down a passageway, which was where the stairs led into. Matoba explains that there was a legend in the village, back when the village still produced excellent exorcism tools. One of the potters created something which had a forbidden form, and upon realizing the dangers it might cause, the potter immediately sealed it away in a box. Just as Matoba says this, the two of them come to the end of the passageway, where a door with a seal painted on it, stands before them. Matoba takes out a brush and paints the back of his hand, and then uses that same hand to open the door.

Behind the door… is a box.

Matoba: Now then, I wonder what kind of item will be revealed to us. Natsume: *gasp!* (A forbidden form.)

Matoba: *creak…* Natsume: (That was sealed away——…) Matoba-san, wai-...... Box: *clunk!*

Meanwhile…

Nyanko: Oi! Behind you!

Natori: (Ban——…!?)

Natori: *shudder…* It’s…… not Ban. …A porcelain doll? Nyanko: ——Just what is this thing?

Nyanko: What a creepy guy. I can just blow something like this away… ——GUH…!? Natori: ——What’s wrong? Nyanko: Damn it! I can’t get out of my vessel form. Natori: ——So you can’t get back to your original form while you’re inside of Ban’s barrier——…

The cats appear behind Natori, hissing, and lunge at the porcelain doll. However, their efforts are fruitless, as the doll easily flings them away.

Natori: All of you should stay back! Cats: *slap! slap! slap!* Nyanko: …The enemy they said that they wanted to “defeat”... It looks like this is the guy. Cats: *hiss—! hiss—!*

[Does every single part have to end on a cliffhanger?? This two months wait is torturous omg]

Chapter 101: “Village of the Sleeping Vessel”(Part 2)

Natsume: Ma… Matoba-san!? Why are you here…? Matoba: I came to help. Natsume: Huh———— Nyanko: They are coming.

Just as Nyanko-sensei says, a swirl of wooden dolls head towards them. Matoba, unfazed, looks at them with a smile.

Paper dolls attack their wooden attackers, just as Natori appears.

Natori: Thank goodness you’re alright. Take this chance and come with me!

Natsume: Natori-san! Natori: Hey, Natsume.

The five of them take shelter behind some trees.

Natori: ——Hiiragi, good work protecting them until we came. Hiiragi: Master. Natori: For now, let’s look for a place to hide. Seriously, Natsume… Why did you turn up at a place like this? Natsume: Well… Nyanko-sensei mysteriously ran away from home, so I was looking for him…

Natori: He ran away from home? Nyanko: AS IF I’D DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT! It’s just Natsume with his super-ultra-level misunderstanding! Natsume: …Um, the whole story is pretty complicated… Meanwhile, why are you here at this village as well? Even Matoba-san has come along… Matoba: …I was in the middle of an important lunch meeting as the head of my clan.

Matoba: All of a sudden that Natori dashed in and dragged me away by the scruff of my neck. Natori: …… Natsume: What? Matoba: When I asked for the details, he said that you were in danger. With the other party being who he is, it seemed he needed my help. Honestly, this is extremely bothersome, but well… I think it’ll be interesting to have you be indebted to me, Natsume-kun. Besides, I was curious as to why Natori’s shiki were in this village. Why were you monitoring that man? Natsume: Monitoring… Do you mean that man with long hair? Natori: …Well, we have our circumstances… ——Hiiragi, what was that man doing here? Hiiragi: ——… That man…

Hiiragi: ———He was walking around the village as if he was looking for something. He would check abandoned houses or sheds, and eventually he even entered the workshop and warehouse of the only family that remained in this Homura District——

Hiiragi: There, I saw Natsume and the cat, who had ran away from home. Natsume: No, I came here because——

Sasago and Urihime appear in a puff of smoke, interrupting their conversation. It seems that they've been looking around, and found that a barrier has been erected around the village.

Natori: It’s as I thought… This will be troublesome. Matoba: Well, this does sound like something he would do. Natsume: ——A barrier…?

Natori sends Sasago and Urihime to investigate the nature of the barrier, and they leave.

Natsume: ——Natori-san. Natori: Natsume… I would like to send you back home immediately, but…

Natori: Ayakashi——— Your Sensei, is currently unable to get out of here. This village has already become his hunting ground. Natsume: Hunting ground…………

Just as they say this, they catch a glimpse of a wooden doll in the sky. They will need to find a new hiding place soon.

Nyanko: Hey, Natsume. Do you smell something? From beyond those bushes. Natsume: Huh…? I hope it’s not a delicious-smelling udon shop or something, Sensei. Nyanko: NO!! Still, it’s still a strange… scent… Natori: … *sniff* I can’t smell it. Hiiragi: ——No, now that he mentions it… It doesn’t smell bad, but it makes me feel like I shouldn’t get close… Matoba: In that case, we should head towards it. Natsume: Huh? But… Matoba: If that place makes ayakashi feel as though they shouldn’t get close, then those wooden dolls are unlikely to come near it too.

Natsume & Natori: WOW… (……I would have preferred an udon shop……) Matoba: Isn’t it great that it isn’t an udon shop? Seems like it isn’t really a significant building. Let’s enter. Natori: Wha-! Oi!

They enter the building and look around, but see that nothing is inside. Natsume finds the building rather strange, and asks if Nyanko-sensei and Hiiragi are feeling okay. They both confirm that they felt alright the moment they entered the building.

Natsume: ——Why is there something like this here…? Natori: It’s probably because… this place is connected to an exorcists’ neighborhood. In the past, under the guise of a pottery village, Homura specialized in creating porcelain that could be used as effective exorcism tools*. Natsume: Exorcism tools——? Natori: Somehow, Hakka Pottery harbored mysterious powers. All the exorcism tools that were created here, be they masks or pots, were all top class items. Matoba: Many of them were artisans who took their work seriously, so they weren’t keen on dealing with anyone who weren’t interested in their art. Because of that, their work don’t often appear on the market. They truly are phantom tools. However, time passed and the artisans with the power to create such works began dying out.

[A more literal translation of this term is “tools to aid their technique/magic”. I’m exercising some creative liberties here in order to make it digestible in English.]

Matoba: Now, it’s but a miserable village with only one pottery kiln left. Natsume: ——… (That person’s——) Natori: In any case, this is a place with such a history. Something might have been left behind here. There are also violent people who come to this place. Be they exorcists with strong ambitions, or Collectors with no integrity.

Natsume tells them that the long-haired man was called a collector, and Matoba explains that a “Collector” is a term used in their business to refer to people who collect items related to ayakashi, or exorcism tools that harbor strong powers. Natori says that the man Natsume met was called “Ban”, an infamous practitioner who serves a female Collector.

[Imma just put all subsequent mentions of ‘Collector’ with a capital letter, since it’s now established that they aren’t just normal collectors. Also, “Ban” literally means ‘companion’, ‘attendant’, or ‘follower’, which makes me laugh a little because his whole identity is apparently just acting as someone’s servant. It’s a bit ironic considering the threat he’s supposed to pose in this arc.]

In the forest, Ban discovers his broken wooden dolls among shreds of paper.

Ban: Where... did these rats come from?

Back in the building, Natori explains that Ban comes from an old line of exorcists and can control dolls made from wooden planks. He is known for surrounding his prey as though he is on a hunt.

Natori: You could joke that he’s like a hunter now that he’s working to collect exorcism tools, but it is nothing to laugh at. Anyway, as long as it’s for his master’s collection, he will show no mercy. Once he has his eye on something, he must attain it. He would even visit various places for unknown items.

Matoba: ——And then, when he came to this village, Ban happened to encounter an extraordinary exorcism tool. It’s what you are holding. The vessel that your cat is in.

Ban: (I also want that.) Natsume: ——… …… Thank you, very much……

Matoba: ——… Huh? Natsume: …You came all this way… Natori-san, Matoba-san, and even Hiiragi and the other shiki… You came to help Sensei and me… Thank you very much……!

Nyanko: *Chomp!* Natsume: OUCH! Nyanko: You fool! What are you getting all afraid for!? I could easily beat this group of weaklings at their own game— Matoba: *grab!* Shush!

Natsume: (——He’s walking around the building——…)

Eventually, Ban leaves the area, and disappears into the forest. Matoba, seeing this as a chance, suggests that they head towards the pottery workshop.

Natori: What!? Moving around is a bad idea— Matoba: Though I was unwillingly brought here, it’s still a rare chance for me to come to Homura. We can make this our hideout, so until I return, you can just hide at that corner over there, Natori. Natori: …… Natsume: If you’re going, can I come along too? The potter stayed behind when I ran away, and I’m concerned about his well-being. Matoba: Hm… I would love to have a talk with the potter as well. Why don’t we invite him over to this hideout of ours? Natsume: …… …Sensei, could you hide here as well? If that person finds you— Nyanko: Are you an idiot? Just what do you see me as?

Nyanko: The one you should be afraid of isn’t that vulgar huntsman. It is me. You should be doing your best to worry for that man, so that I don’t run out of here and gobble him up.

Natsume: ——Is that so? Nyanko: It is so.

Sasago and Urihime investigate the barrier, confirming that they cannot escape through the sky. The barrier is shaped like an overturned bowl, a type unique to Ban’s family.

Urihime: If we want to break it—— I hate to say it, but perhaps we can ask that clan head— Sasago: *shudder!* Urihime: What’s wrong, Sasago? Sasago: —Nothing, it’s just, I saw something pass under us.

Sasago: ——It’s an eerie village. Urihime: You think so? Do you feel something from this empty land? Sasago: I do, however… When I try to find their presence, somehow… There’s something that makes me feel uneasy———

Back to Natsume’s group, they are all making their way towards the workshop when Matoba decides to split from the group.

Matoba: ——There’s a warehouse in this direction, isn’t there? I’ll part here. Natori: Matoba-san! You can’t just enter them however you want———

Matoba leaves anyway, leaving the rest to continue towards the workshop. Things are strangely quiet around them, as Natsume slowly evaluates the dilapidated state of the village, and how only one person — the potter, “Tomuro” — is living in it now.

Natsume: …Isn’t he afraid? (Isn’t he lonely——?) Nyanko: ——…

Nyanko: Hop! Natsume: WHA-...!? Nyanko: Natsume, you head on with the other brats. *dash* Natsume: Oi, Sensei-...

Seeing how the figure of Sensei running away matches with that in his dream, Natsume chases after him. He comes to a house, and sees Tomuro lying unconscious.

Natsume: (The potter is in a place like this!) Are you alright!?

Natsume: Ah! Hey, Sensei. What are you doing? We even told you that you’re being targeted… Thank goodness you’re alright… *hug…* Nyanko?: ——…

Natori and Hiiragi catch up to him, and they determine that Tomuro was caught under a sleeping spell. They agree that it might be safest to bring him to their hideout, since it dispels ayakashi.

Natori: ——By the way, Natsume. Right now, is the Book of Friends… Natsume: ——I brought it with me… Natori: …I see. I’m sorry. Even though it was for an emergency, I ended up bringing a dangerous person along. Since we are going against Ban, I needed Matoba’s advice no matter what…………… ——Natsume, since Matoba and… Ban, are both focused on Sensei, you must make sure that they don’t take notice of that. Natsume: ———… Yes.

Natsume: Haaaah… Natori: ———What’s wrong? Natsume: Nothing. I just thought it was a good thing I told you about the Book of Friends—— I can’t tell people about it carelessly… And I intend to continue keeping it a secret from here on. But whatever happens…… I thought I should let you know about it, Natori-san—— Natori: ——…

Natori: Is the Book of Friends… heavy? Natsume: Yes. It’s my treasure.

They begin heading back to their hideout, with Tomuro in tow. Matoba returns right at that moment, with books and scrolls under his arms.

Natori: Matoba-san! What’s with those items!? Matoba: There were so many interesting books, I couldn’t help myself. Don’t worry, I’ll return them soon. ——Oh my. Natsume-kun, what happened with him? Natsume: Huh?

Matoba: Who is that cat you have with you?

Natsume: Huh? What do you mean? It’s Nyanko-sensei… Nyanko: *rustle* I’ve kept you waiting! There were some rare mountain grapes in the back…

Everyone: WAAAH—————!!? Nyanko: Who in the world is that!? Natsume: !? Why are there two Nyanko-senseis!? Ah!

The fake Nyanko-sensei leaps out of Natsume’s arm, when Natsume spots a missing piece from its back. Nyanko-sensei tells Natsume to chase after his impostor, and they find themselves in a house, where the fake Sensei slips into a room. Natsume and Nyanko-sensei dash in.

Nyanko: Natsume, above!

[OMG LOLOL]

Natsume and Nyanko-sensei scream, scaring all the cats away. When Natori and Hiiragi finally reach them, both of them are in so much shock that they can’t even form coherent words.

Back at their hideout, Tomuro wakes up and sees them sitting around him.

Tomuro: …Are you exorcists? Natori: ———……… Matoba: Yes, it’s amazing you could tell.

Tomuro, in a delirium, explains that only exorcists would visit this village. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have the power to create exorcism tools, and that, as they can see, there’s no longer anything left.

Matoba: ——But it seems like you have quite a few cats. Tomuro: ...Cats? Ah… That brings back memories… Indeed, there was a period of time in the past where vessels, used as cursed tools, were made in the shape of fortune cats. However, it turned out to be much too powerful of a tool, so they stopped selling them. I heard that they were sealed in a warehouse on this land. However, a long time ago, a huge fire consumed the contents of that warehouse, and not a single one remained. I have never seen it outside of the catalog, so I’m afraid I can’t sell it to you either.

Natsume realizes that the black Nyanko vessel that Riou was sealed in was probably made here. And, likewise, Nyanko-sensei’s fortune cat form was also made here…

Tomuro continues by saying that the village has nothing but a potter who is only able to make commonplace pottery, and implores them to leave. He immediately falls asleep after finishing his words.

Natori notices Natsume looking thoughtful, and asks if he is alright. Natsume explains that he recalled what Ban had told him back at the workshop… “I also want that, which you have.”

Matoba: ——I see. It seems like Ban wants every single one of them. All the cats that are hiding in this village———

Urihime and Sasago continue their investigation in the forest.

Urihime: So this is where you sense that presence to be? It’s no good. We can’t find anything.

Urihime: Perhaps we should head back to where our master is. Sasago: Indeed. Meanwhile, it’s likely that there’s another… Urihime: ——… Sasago…?

Back at the hideout…

Natori: ——So that means, Ban also noticed the group of cats that Natsume saw… Natsume: Just who…… could those cats be? Are they like Sensei, with something sealed inside each of them…? (If that’s the case, why would they all be at the village…?)

Matoba: Well, whoever they might be, it wouldn’t matter to Ban. Natsume: Huh? Matoba: We told you, didn’t we? The Collector of exorcism tools that he is working for, couldn’t care less what is inside.

Something moves behind them, causing Natsume and Natori to flinch. They turn around, only to see that Tomuro has disappeared. Searching for where the sound might’ve come from, they run downstairs, and there—

[Every single part of this arc is just gonna end on a cliffhanger, isn’t it? God dammit Midorikawa-sensei!]