Meo was trembling all over... he didn't even dare to breathe too loudly.
The last time he had been this nervous was when he'd seen a vast mass of dark-purple yokai energy drifting across the sky from afar. Within that shroud of demonic miasma had lurked a colossal form, mountain-sized and radiating overwhelming power. For the first time, he had understood what true helplessness felt like.
And now—he felt it again.
An equally terrifying surge of power had erupted right beside him, making his chest tighten and his limbs go cold. Even the old yokai Kirara beneath him was behaving uncharacteristically agitated.
The instant that pressure-filled aura exploded, Kirara's white fur bristled all at once, and he growled defensively. Even when facing the massive swarm of insect yokai moments earlier, he hadn't reacted like this.
"Tsk, that's a rather rude way to treat your savior, don't you think?"
The newcomer wore a pure white kimono. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, carrying an otherworldly allure, with a single demon mark traced delicately along her cheek. Tall and graceful, her striking figure filled the simple fabric with elegant shape. Two white fur orbs hung from the sides of her head, and her long, flowing hair danced wildly amid the surging yokai energy.
In her hand were the pulverized remains of the Mask of Death, blown apart by raw spiritual power. Behind her, yokai insect corpses fell like rain.
She turned, looking down at Meo with an amused, slightly mocking gaze. "Meo, was it? With power like that, you're nowhere near worthy of impressing Satsuki."
"You—you're Ruri?"
Ruri grinned, tilting her head slightly. "So? Impressed? This your first time seeing my battle mode? Surprised? Shocked?"
"Y-yes..." Meo admitted, a complicated expression crossing his face. "I never imagined that a great yokai was hiding within our village... let alone that I'd be saved by one."
Ruri pointed lazily at Kirara beneath her. "Don't misunderstand. I'm a shikigami, not a yokai. If anyone here's a yokai, it's that little cat you're riding on."
"Meow—"
Kirara could only let out a protesting sound, unable to refute it.
"Shikigami?" Meo repeated. The term sounded familiar—something connected to the onmyōji nobles of Kyoto.
Could it be... that Miss Satsuki was actually the daughter of some noble family from Kyoto?
He didn't know why his thoughts suddenly veered in that direction, but perhaps it was because Satsuki had left such an extraordinary impression on him.
Ruri took a brief moment to scan the area. After that earlier burst of demonic energy, most of the nearby yokai that had been lurking in the shadows had already fled in fear.
Only a handful of weaklings remained—nothing the Demon-Hunting Village couldn't handle.
"Well, that's that then. Everything's wrapped up here. I'm going back to sleep... so tired."
Ruri let out a lazy yawn, showing not the slightest awareness that she'd just annihilated over a hundred yokai moments ago. Without another word, she turned into a streak of light and shot back toward the Demon-Hunting Village.
Meo and Kirara remained frozen in place the entire time, neither daring to move until Ruri vanished from sight.
Only then did Meo slowly reach out and pat Kirara on the back.
"Let's head home, Kirara."
"Raaowww~!"
Flames burst from Kirara's four paws as he turned and raced back toward the Demon-Hunting Village.
Inside the village, all the exorcists were waiting in excited anticipation to welcome their returning leader.
Thanks to Ruri's deliberate restraint, aside from the nearby Meo and Kirara, only Miko could have possibly sensed the sheer scale of yokai power that had just been unleashed.
So, when the exorcists saw that the entire insect swarm had been wiped out, they were stunned—but ultimately, they attributed the victory to their commander.
"Captain Meo is incredible! He single-handedly wiped out all the yokai in the west!"
"Yeah, as long as we've got Captain Meo and Lady Miko, the Demon-Hunting Village will never fall!"
"Hey, don't forget Miss Satsuki! Without her medicine, our injuries wouldn't have healed this fast!"
Listening to the chatter of the villagers below, Meo and Kirara exchanged complicated looks. But as the leader, he quickly composed himself.
After landing, his first act was to officially announce the victory—the successful defense of the Demon-Hunting Village.
Amidst the cheering crowd, Meo began assigning cleanup duties and announced preparations for a village banquet.
Partly, it was to celebrate their victory—and partly, to properly thank the shrine maiden Miko.
After all, she had risked her life for the village's survival despite being a mere passerby. It was only right that the Demon-Hunting Village express its gratitude.
...
The villagers were not only quick to act but also remarkably resilient in spirit.
By the following noon, the oppressive gloom that had hung over the village after the attack had completely vanished. In its place was an atmosphere as festive as a New Year celebration.
"To being alive—cheers!"
Following Meo's lead, the exorcists and common villagers alike finally allowed themselves to relax. They clinked cups together and downed their sake in a single gulp.
In this era, sake—fermented and distilled from rice, kōji, and water—was a true luxury. Only on such special occasions was it freely shared.
To Satsuki, however, this drink, barely stronger than ten percent alcohol, tasted no different from water. After a single sip, she frowned slightly and set her cup aside.
Even the King of Heroes's divine wine had never held much appeal to her—so this cheap brew certainly didn't.
Besides, she preferred tea over alcohol.
"Hic~ Miss Satsuki? You don't seem very happy?"
Satsuki sat in a quiet corner, a spot reserved for those who had distinguished themselves in battle. Only a handful of people were allowed near—and among them was the shrine maiden Miko, her face flushed red as she walked over.
Satsuki glanced toward the lively crowd and replied calmly, "I was just thinking... it's about time for me to leave."
"Hic~"
Though Miko had been fearless in battle, her alcohol tolerance was surprisingly poor. She hadn't even drunk much before her cheeks turned pink, and her speech grew faintly slurred.
"Either way, I came to thank you."
Miko sat down beside Satsuki, her hand absently reaching out to pat Ruri—who was sitting nearby with her eyes closed, clearly in [Standby Mode].
"If it's gratitude you're offering, it isn't necessary," Satsuki said softly. "That's not something I need."
From her sleeve, she produced a small packet of flower tea and began to brew it with practiced ease.
Before long, a gentle fragrance spread through the air. The soothing aroma seemed to clear Miko's head, easing her drunken haze.
She watched Satsuki sip her tea gracefully, her expression softening, the flush on her face deepening.
Unable to resist, Miko poured herself a cup as well. The warmth spread through her body like a tender current, and she let out a long, contented sigh.
"Miss Satsuki... is this some kind of noble's drink?"
"This is tea," Satsuki replied simply. "I discovered it by chance."
"Discovered... by chance?"
Miko's eyes gleamed mischievously. Suddenly, she reached out and grabbed Satsuki by the shoulders, her beautiful face so close their lips nearly touched.
"Then, Miss Satsuki... about what I proposed before—have you made your decision?"
"Ever since we met in the forest, you've seemed... anxious. You've been very persistent about me becoming a shrine maiden. Is there a reason for that?"
Satsuki's golden eyes locked onto the shrine maiden before her.
"...Was it that obvious?"
Miko lowered her head, letting out a soft sigh. The faint blush on her face faded almost instantly.
"A shrine maiden with strong spiritual power doesn't get drunk so easily," Satsuki said quietly. "You were pretending."
"Hmph. I suppose I'm not very good at dealing with clever people. It's much easier with yokai—either you kill them, or they kill you."
Miko sat down beside Satsuki and exhaled. "Whatever the case, I owe you my thanks for treating me—whatever your true intentions may be."
"My intentions?"
Satsuki swirled the tea in her cup, watching the petals drift apart on the surface before taking another sip. "I can only say this—I hold no hostility toward you, the Demon-Hunting Village, or the jewel you're protecting."
At those words, Miko's body stiffened—but she quickly composed herself. "When did you find out?"
"I knew from the moment we met," Satsuki replied, her gaze shifting to Miko's weapon—[Sakura and the Waning Moon]. On its hilt, shaped like the claw of a dragon, a brilliant gem pulsed faintly with spiritual power.
It had been hidden beneath a barrier—but to Satsuki's eyes, it had always been perfectly visible.
"So that's the Shikon Jewel the outside world whispers about," Satsuki mused. "They say it's changed hands between shrine maidens and yokai for centuries. The last rumors placed it near Nara—apparently, countless yokai slaughtered each other over it. Flaunting such a relic before a stranger seems... unwise."
"That's because, in truth, the Shikon Jewel holds little value in the eyes of the truly powerful." Miko cradled [Sakura and the Waning Moon] close to her chest. The soft clink of the scabbard against her belt echoed faintly. "For great yokai, it doesn't increase their power by much. On the contrary, the chaotic souls within it—and Lady Midoriko's residual spiritual energy—interfere with their strength. As for someone like you, Miss Satsuki, it's even more worthless."
Satsuki didn't dispute her statement. Instead, she calmly followed up, "True. It may be useless to the powerful—but for lesser yokai and half-demons desperate for strength, it's an irresistible lure. Possess it, and trouble will never cease to find you."
Miko let out a short, derisive laugh. "Those foolish creatures have no idea what happens when they fuse their energy with the Shikon Jewel. They really think it'll make them ascend to godhood."
"Rumors tend to be far more glamorous than reality," Satsuki replied coolly. Then she turned her gaze back to Miko. "But you still haven't answered my question. Why are you so intent on making me a shrine maiden?"
"Miss Satsuki... do you believe in intuition?"
"Intuition? I consider it a reference point—nothing more," Satsuki said, her tone steady.
"But I believe in it..."
"When I first saw you in the forest, I knew you were the one I had been searching for. And after that treatment—after feeling the power inside you—my conviction only grew stronger. You're far more suited to destroy the Shikon Jewel than I ever imagined."
Destroy the Shikon Jewel? Not guard or purify it?
"You must be mistaken," Satsuki replied flatly. "Just because I occasionally heal people on a whim doesn't mean I actually care about their lives."
"Exactly," Miko said softly, her eyes glinting with a foxlike cunning. "Only someone who understands the truth of 'Purity is defilement, and defilement is purity' can truly destroy the Shikon Jewel."
"The jewel embodies the duality of good and evil, purity and corruption, life and death—all intertwined in an endless cycle of transformation. Anyone who fails to grasp that principle can never destroy it. I've traveled far and wide searching for such a person... and you, Miss Satsuki, are precisely the one who possesses that qualification."
"Oh?" For the first time, Satsuki truly looked at the shrine maiden before her. Her intuition was... intriguing.
Miko wasn't judging Satsuki's power—she was perceiving her state of being.
To recognize Satsuki's current spiritual realm wasn't something mere strength could accomplish. Only someone who had at least glimpsed the Bodhisattva stage could even begin to comprehend it.
Could this young shrine maiden named Miko really have reached that level at her age?
"Don't look at me like that," Miko said, flustered. "I only learned of such concepts from a monk I met during my travels. He spoke of that realm, but neither of us could ever attain it."
"A monk?"
"Yes—a venerable one called Master Hakushin."
At the mention of his name, Miko straightened her posture, her tone filled with deep reverence. "During the years of famine, he gave his own food to the starving people. They revered him deeply, calling him their sole light of faith in those dark times."
He sounded like a man worthy of respect—a saint, perhaps. But could such an unblemished soul truly comprehend the principle of 'Purity is defilement'?
Certainly not.
Satsuki knew all too well that true understanding required one to transcend purity itself. Before becoming the Demon Buddha, she had already undergone reincarnation, through which she attained insight into the Threefold Truths and gained a profound understanding of the Buddhist teaching: Form is emptiness, and emptiness is form.
Later, through her divine powers as the Demon Buddha, she fused the utmost holiness with the utmost corruption—and, having once stood face to face with a true Awakened One, she had found a standard by which to measure herself.
By the end of her second return to the Warring States era of the shinobi world, she had severed the Six Roots of attachment entirely. Through this sequence of experiences, she had reached a level that could truly stand alongside the Awakened Ones—the realm known as Nirvāṇa.
Ordinary Nirvāṇa, also called Parinirvāṇa, means the perfect stillness of enlightenment: Perfection in all wisdom and virtue, and extinction of all delusion and karmic bondage. Those who attain it transcend birth and death, leaving behind the cycle of existence.
Such beings should, in theory, have no corporeal form. To exist in the flesh meant one was not yet free.
But Satsuki was... different. Since the beginning of time, she was the second being—after the Awakened One—to manifest in bodily form while possessing the qualifications of true Nirvāṇa.
Māra was the enemy of Buddha, yes—but she was Buddha, too.
And that was why, on that day, the Awakened One had smiled before departing—
For the Great Way is never solitary.
All beings are driven by their own desires, clinging to illusions.
Those yokai who sought to increase their power through the Shikon Jewel were beings attached to form.
Likewise, the shrine maidens and monks who wished to purify the jewel through spiritual power were also attached to form.
Thus, the Shikon Jewel's "corruption" and "purification" were nothing more than illusions of transformation.
Satsuki, now one who could perceive the truth of formlessness, knew that if the Shikon Jewel ever fell into her hands, it would vanish in an instant.
Yet, though the jewel itself held no significance, it was entangled with fascinating threads of karma—even tied to the very foundations of this world.
For that reason, she had never intended to simply ignore it.
But there was a difference between being sought and being asked.
Now that the moment had come, she finally spoke.
"I can agree to become a shrine maiden," Satsuki said calmly. "But... I don't particularly like your ceremonial attire."
Miko blinked, then chuckled softly. "Honestly, I'm not fond of it either. But you'd only have to wear it during your years of training at the Grand Shrine. After that, you can wear whatever you like."