The events of that moment were quite simple: as Sū ěr and Yakumo Yukari were about to pass each other, Yukari struck out violently and without warning to test his strength. Even calling it a 'test' wasn't entirely accurate; it was a serious blow. If Sū ěr couldn't withstand it, his death would have meant nothing to her.
There were only two possible outcomes: either Sū ěr failed and died, or he held his ground and she gained the information she sought.
The only thing that exceeded Yukari expectations was the injury to her own hand. Relying on her unique abilities, the gap-yōkai known as Yakumo Yukari had rarely been injured since her debut years ago. Whether facing yōkai of pure physical might or those skilled in sorcery, few could truly land a hit on her—yet now, she was genuinely wounded.
Her hand had indeed lost flesh, and a piercing pain radiated from beneath the charcoal-like scars. However, Yukari didn't pay much mind to the pain; she cared only for the information gathered in that split-second exchange.
She felt as if she had seen something, yet seen nothing at all. The only certainty was that this male yōkai and his 'soul body' were very powerful and should not be provoked lightly. As for their race or the nature of their abilities, she had no starting point for a guess.
Two souls in one body? No, how could two souls be like this? Reincarnation? Parasitism? Or a fusion?
None of it seemed right. She had never seen such a singular existence. Was it a new race? Or was he like her—a being where a single individual constituted an entire race?
Ignoring her minor injury, Yukari continued to observe this novel entity, speculating on their composition and the nature of their power.
Unfortunately, whether it was the part where the male yōkai and his soul were tightly linked or the power the soul used to wound her, Yukari current experience and knowledge offered no further insights. She could reach only one conclusion: there was no need for hostility.
And so... it was just a joke.
The black yōki that had surged like a tide vanished instantly, along with the massive rift filled with malicious eyes. Yukari stood there looking as fresh as when she first appeared, so clean she hardly seemed like a yōkai.
"It seems our first meeting must end here..." Making a show of regret as if she wished for a long, heart-to-heart talk that could not happen, Yukari sighed and continued with a smile. "As a gesture of goodwill, I shall leave you with a warning... Beware the Nine-Tailed Fox coming from the west. That haughty existence won't be as easy to talk to as a 'minor yōkai' like me~"
With those lingering words, Yukari turned and stepped into a newly opened gap. In the corner of her eye, she caught a small detail—both the male yōkai and the soul wore exquisite rings on their fingers, and the designs were nearly identical.
Was that the reason they became like this? A curse? Or something else?
With no way to know, Yukari chose to store her curiosity for their next meeting. After all, today would certainly not be the last time they saw each other.
An interesting yōkai.
The blonde female yōkai, who exerted such immense mental pressure, finally left.
Closing his eyes, Sū ěr reached out with his senses to perceive everything around him. After confirming several times, he finally accepted the fact, feeling somewhat relieved.
After all, no matter how calm and unhurried he appeared on the surface, he was actually panicking inside.
He no longer possessed the nearly omnipotent power of the One True God. This was a completely new and unknown world, and he hadn't even gauged how deep its waters were. Moreover, neither he nor Think understood how Yukari had healed the wound Think had inflicted, or what the purpose was of all those eyes inside the gap—eyes that would make anyone with trypophobia squirm. Everything was unknown, and the unknown brought fear.
One could only say that after decades of surviving cautiously in the cracks of a great war, Sū ěr prudence was not something that would change anytime soon.
But it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Exploring an unknown world with such a cautious stance was quite a pleasure in itself.
Though it seemed Sū ěr was joking around with Think after she appeared and repelled Yukari, he had actually been prepared to strike with his full power. If things had taken a turn for the worst, they would have had to crush that yōkai with her high-level concealment right then and there.
Fortunately, perhaps sensing something was amiss, the blonde yōkai retreated quickly.
"What do you think of what she said? The Nine-Tailed Fox?" Withdrawing her gaze from where the blonde yōkai had vanished, Think turned and asked Sū ěr.
"...I feel like there's a lot to say, and yet nothing at all," Sū ěr replied, spreading his hands helplessly. "There are far too many stories about Nine-Tailed Foxes. After all, it involves a beautiful fox-woman. From the past to the present, there have been so many kinds. Who knows which one she's talking about?"
"Then tell me every single one of them, one by one."
"I'd be a ghost if I could remember all that! It's been so long! —Fine, fine, don't look at me like that. I'll try to think of the most famous ones to tell you in a bit." Pushed by Think piercing gaze, Sū ěr could only raise his hands in surrender. "By the way, how are you feeling now? Any issues with your consciousness?"
"Very stable. Your hypothesis was correct." Having checked her own state countless times, Think gave her answer immediately. "Though existing in this form feels a bit strange, it's actually quite interesting. Lurking in your heart like this... it feels as though our souls are intermingling~~"
"...Why do you have to make a perfectly normal thing sound so weird?" Sū ěr remarked with deadpan eyes.
"Oh my~ perhaps the listener has a guilty conscience?"
"I'm saying, your way of speaking is becoming more and more like mine. Is that really okay?"
"It's ab-so-lutely fine. After all, our hearts and minds are in per-fect sync~"
Hearing his wife's airy reply, Sū ěr couldn't help but sigh. What to do? I feel my temples throbbing again.
"Speaking of which, will this way of existing continue forever?" Think asked, her smile fading slightly into a more serious expression.