Chapter 124: A Stake

A Stake ( 釘, Kugi) is the 124th chapter of the Kekkaishi Manga written and illustrated by Yellow Tanabe.

Summary
A hooded figure with a large pack on its back walks the streets of Karasumori. It detects something with a small stake on a string. Nearby, Yoshimori is circling Karasumori Academy, trying to narrow down the exact location of Karasumori's power source, and where the power's influence ends. Yoshimori finds it odd that the power seems to end precisely at the school's surrounding wall, especially since the school wasn't built 400 years ago. He thinks that if he understands the details of Karasumori, it will put him one step closer to finally sealing it. Madarao laughs at the very idea, which puts Yoshimori in a foul mood.

Tokine and Hakubi arrive just before an intruder is detected on the grounds. Yoshimori and Tokine chase a dark creature across the site. Tokine notes that its strong demonic aura, combined with its large body, will make it a difficult catch. Without warning, the demon is struck from behind by a flying stake. Yoshimori and Tokine both catch sight of a hooded figure leaping toward them. With a loud cry, the hooded figure channels a large column of spiritual power into the demon, using the stake as a focus. The Kekkaishi are shocked as the hooded figure rushes past them to inspect its prey. The large portion of the demon near the stake has been vaporized. The hooded figure notes that the demon is "the wrong one" and even offers a small apology to it as Yoshimori demands an explanation. The hooded boy offers to clean up the mess that he caused, but Yoshimori explains that the land is the responsibility of the kekkaishi, and asks him not to act on his own. Upon realizing that he is in Karasumori, the hooded boy becomes excited, stating that spirits would come there to recover faster. He murmurs that Karasumori is "that guy's" target, then quickly laughs it off. At Tokine's prompting, the boy introduces himself as Takeshi Kongo, a 16 year-old exorcist, then quickly collapses from exhaustion.

Yoshimori and Tokine pick up Takeshi and his pack, which is full of large stakes. Yoshimori takes Takeshi home with him, but reveals to Tokine the next morning that despite being weak and covered in wounds, Takeshi vanished overnight. However, Yoshimori is confident that he will return, since he purposely hid one of Takeshi's stakes. Sure enough, Takeshi is waiting at the gates of the school. As it turns out, Takeshi only returned to thank Yoshimori for his kindness, and doesn't even realize a stake is missing until Yoshimori points it out. Yoshimori tells him to rest, but Takeshi refuses because he is chasing a certain spirit that he is determined to seal, which sparks Yoshimori's interest.

Characters (in order of appearance)

 * Takeshi Kongo
 * Yoshimori Sumimura
 * Madarao
 * Tokine Yukimura
 * Hakubi

Minor Ayakashi

 * Dark Hopper