Chapter 033: Running Forest

Running Forest ( 走る森 Hashiru Mori ) is the 33rd chapter of the Kekkaishi Manga written and illustrated by Yellow Tanabe

Summary
Madarao identifies the enemy as a plant Ayakashi, but finds this fact odd, since they lack free will and couldn't appear at Karasumori without help. Yoshimori destroys one of the trees with a Kekkai, but the tree instantly sprouts back up. Yoshimori is ready to try again when Tokine and Hakubi arrive. Tokine tells Yoshimori to stop wasting his power and help her examine the trees. Yoshimori fears the forest will continue to spread, but Tokine points out that they couldn't destroy the trees one by one fast enough.

Masamori observes from the school roof, noting that the forest's strength is regrowth. He is confident that Yoshimori can't surround the entire forest with a Kekkai.

In an attempt to learn more, Tokine surrounds a lower portion of a tree with a Kekkai and destroys it. The tree falls, and while the stump instantly regrows, the top half does not. Hakubi realizes they must target the roots, but Tokine adds that they don't know how deep the roots go. She mentions that her grandmother told her that there is a low-intensity Kekkai around the school that alerts them of intruders, but it should also prevent Ayakashi from going any deeper than one meter below ground. Hakubi corrects her, saying that if Ayakashi get too close to Karasumori, they are swallowed up. Yoshimori runs up and says he found something.

Masamori reveals that the forest is in fact a single tree, and that the core must be attacked in order to defeat it. The core is merely a normal tree seed with a plant Ayakashi attached, wrapped in jyufu (charm paper). The growth will stop once the seed is destroyed, but Masamori admits he cannot predict Karasumori's influence. Yoshimori shows Tokine a large, spiked pod hanging from a tree branch. Madarao smells a strong poison and urges Yoshimori to destroy the pod at once. Yoshimori does so, and Tokine asks Hakubi if he can sense the roots. Hakubi says the roots are stretching out around them, and Tokine notices that the tree braches are connecting as well. Tokine suggests that they call for help since there are too many uncertainties, but Yoshimori refuses, not wanting to accept Masamori's help. Hakubi agrees with Tokine, though he admits he doesn't like Masamori. Yoshimori suggests that he could surround the entire forest and then burn it, which would prevent the fire from reaching the school. Tokine finally agrees to help him.

Masamori is startled when Yoshimori attempts to enclose the entire forest in a Kekkai. It takes considerable effort, but Yoshimori succeeds. Masamori remains confident that Yoshimori will not be able to collapse such an enormous Kekkai, but then notices smoke from the fire that Tokine started. Tokine uses a small Kekkai to create a hole in the top of Yoshimori's Kekkai. Air rushes into the hole, starting a large explosion.

Characters (in order of appearance)

 * Yoshimori Sumimura
 * Botanical Ayakashi
 * Madarao
 * Masamori Sumimura
 * Tokine Yukimura
 * Hakubi