Suga came to his senses.

“It’s just that, that boy’s drawing....”

Suga showed the drawing to Ishikari. On this paper is a picture drawn with crayons and in a kid’s drawing style: Suga is sitting on the swing with the forest behind him; a huge black figure appears to be watching Suga from behind the shady forest trees.

Suga and Ishikari’s attention was immediately drawn to the forest trees behind the swings they had been sitting on before, but there was nothing. Suga’s expression turned disturbed.

“This drawing seems to suggest something.”

Ishikari was also disturbed by this, but she hid it with a smile.

“It’s just a child’s drawing, don’t overthink it.”

Suga turned to Ishikari, then smiled and nodded. They then walked away together.

Ishikari and Suga walked together while enjoying the evening town view. The sunlight was getting darker orange, coloring the clear sky. Suga walked while leading his bicycle on the right, and Ishikari walked on his left. Nellson stood in the basket while looking around curiously. While walking, they talked to each other. Suga appeared to remember something.

“I want to stop by the photo studio shop first.”

Ishikari’s expression turned curious.

“Is that something that concerns your investigation?”

Suga nodded.

“Yes, if true, this is a photo of Gasokami, Kagohara village’s Guardian gods.”

Ishikari was a little surprised.

“So, the Guardian gods is real?”

Suga was a little surprised.

“Right, do you know anything about that?”

Ishikari shook her head.

“No, I even just found out that this guardian gods’ name is Gasokami.”

Suga nodded.

“I was given it by Unjyo san, who got it from an investigator before.”

Ishikari’s expression turned curious.

They arrived in front of the photo studio shophouse that Suga had previously visited. Suga entered the shop, followed by Ishikari, Nellson then flew after them. Inside the shop, the shopkeeper immediately noticed Suga’s arrival. Suga and Ishikari walked over to the shopkeeper. Suga smiled.

“Good afternoon. I want to take a photo of my order.”

The shopkeeper smiled, but his expression then turned doubtful. The shopkeeper returned Suga’s photo; he accepted it curiously and opened the photo envelope. The photo that Suga got was the same as the one he got before; there was no change. Suga was surprised.

“Hmm? There’s no change in this photo? Is there something wrong?”

The shopkeeper nodded.

“Yes, I have tried to restore this photo carefully, but this damaged photo cannot be restored in the slightest, as if this is how this photo was from the start. Weird…”

Suga was surprised to hear that.

The time now shows 5:40 pm. The sky was getting darker orange and slightly cloudy. Suga led his bicycle on the right, Nellson standing in the bicycle basket, and Ishikari walking on his left. Ishikari held the damaged photo and looked at it in astonishment.

“I wonder why this damaged photo cannot be restored. Is there a negative film for this photo?”

Suga looked doubtful.

“I don’t know either. This is all Unjyo san gave me.”

Ishikari nodded, then put this photo back into the envelope and returned it to Suga. Not long after, they arrived in front of Ishikari’s house. Suga said.

“I’ll return to the inn for a while, then patrol around here.”

Ishikari smiled.

“Thank you, Suga. I’ll excuse myself.”

Suga nodded and smiled.

“You’re welcome; you don’t need to be reluctant.”

Ishikari smiled and nodded, then walked into her house. Suga got on his bicycle and then pedaled away from here.

The time is 6:00 pm. Suga arrived at the inn and immediately headed to Mrs. Unjyo’s office; Nellson flew after him. Arriving at the entrance door to Mrs. Unjyo’s office, Suga then knocked on it. Not long after, Mrs. Unjyo's voice was heard from inside the room.

“Yes, come in.”

Suga opened the door and walked into the office, Nellson flew into the room and landed on the floor. Suga closed the door again.

Inside the office, Mrs. Unjyo was sitting at her desk while reading documents. Mrs. Unjyo's attention turned to Suga; she immediately stood up from her seat.

“Hisoka-san? Is there anything I can help you with?”

Suga nodded and walked closer to Mrs. Unjyo.

“Right, it’s about the photo Unjyo san gave me.”

Mrs. Unjyo’s expression turned curious.

“You mean the Gasokami photo? Can the photo be restored?”

Suga shook his head.

“This photo cannot be restored, even though it was damaged, as if the photo was not a damaged photo.”

Mrs. Unjyo’s expression turned surprised. Suga returned the envelope containing the photo; Unjyo accepted it and took out the photo from the envelope. Mrs. Unjyo looked at this photo with an astonished expression.

“Cannot be restored? How is that possible?”

Suga nodded.

“I also do not know. Does Unjyo san remember that there was something strange when Hideyuki gave this photo?”

Mrs. Unjyo was silent for a moment to think.

“As far as I remember, there was nothing strange. Hideyuki seemed confident when he handed this photo to my father.”

Suga nodded; he then seemed to realize something.

“Did Hideyuki also provide a negative film of this photo?”

Mrs. Unjyo’s expression turned doubtful.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t know there was such a thing. But my father might also have received the negative film. I’ll try looking in the warehouse containing things my father left behind.”

Suga smiled.

“Good idea; thank you for Unjyo san cooperation.”

Suga bowed politely to Mrs. Unjyo, who then did the same. Mrs. Unyo smiled.

“No need to be reluctant, Hisoka san. I am happy to be able to help with your investigation.”

Suga smiled and nodded.

“Then I’ll excuse myself, Unjyo san.”

Mrs. Unjyo nodded and smiled. Suga walked out of the room; Nellson then flew after him.

The time now is 7:00 pm. Suga wears a black shirt tucked in with the top button open, black trousers with a belt, black boots, a white Yokai Controllers Association overcoat with a black stripe pattern, and a sheathed black katana in his left hand. Suga walked out of the inn entrance and got on his bicycle, parked in the bicycle parking slots next to the inn. Nellson flew after Suga and then landed in the bicycle basket. Suga pedaled his bicycle away from here.

Sometime later, Suga arrived at Ishikari’s house and found that she had been waiting for Suga’s arrival from her open window. Ishikari waved her hand at Suga, who also waved at Ishikari. Isihkari walked down the stairs and walked to the front of the house. In front of Ishikari's house, Suga got off his bicycle and parked it in the front yard of Ishikari’s house, with Nellson still on the bicycle basket. Ishikari smiled, then bowed politely toward Suga.

“Thank you for taking the time to come here.”

Suga smiled.

“Of course, no need to think about it.”

Suga remembered something.

“By the way, did you see anything strange tonight?”

Ishikari looked doubtful and shook her head.

“There’s nothing strange even at this time of night.”

Suga crossed his arms.

“That’s good then; let me know immediately if you see anything strange. I will start patrolling now.”

Ishikari smiled and nodded. Suga got on his bicycle and then pedaled away from here. Ishikari watched Suga leave momentarily, then went back into the house.

Suga patrolled the parameters where Ishikari’s house was the center. Some time passed while Suga patrolled, but there were no signs of anything unusual. Nellson looked around curiously.

“Nothing seems strange tonight.”

While riding his bicycle, Suga occasionally looked at Nellson.

“Yes, it doesn’t seem like the missing victims roam the town every night.”

Nellson nodded.

“It’s not that I’m not happy, but unfortunately, we can’t continue the investigation under these circumstances. The police from outside the town have even left the town first.”

Suga also began to realize that possibility.

“As long as the village state that strangely vanished remains like that, it is very likely that our investigation will reach a dead end.”

Suga and Nellson continued patrolling.

The time is 8:00 pm. Because Suga did not find any irregularities, Suga widened the parameters of his patrol. Suga rode his bicycle through the outskirts of town. Suga was surprised and stopped his bicycle when he found a male police officer standing on the sidewalk at the side of the road, facing the forest. That policeman immediately caught Suga’s attention; Suga then rode his bicycle towards the policeman. However, until Suga was close to the policeman and stopped his bicycle, the policeman still did not change his standing position facing the forest. Suga and Nellson’s expressions changed in surprise. Nellson faced Suga.

“There’s something strange about that policeman.”

Suga nodded.

“I don’t know, but I did ask the police for help.”

Suga stopped his bicycle not far from this policeman. The surrounding atmosphere looks dim, only lit by dim street lights. Suga and Nellson noticed something unusual about this policeman: the uniform that this policeman was wearing was old, shabby, and dull, and his skin was pale white and covered in bruises.