Screech!
The massive gargoyle crashed to the ground under Cao Cao's strike, the impact shaking the earth. Yoru shielded Kuzuha as they stepped back, the mist once again thickening around them.
The fog emitted by the Longinus slowly spread, gradually engulfing the entire Hero Faction.
Cao Cao's voice came from within the haze.
"Quite a lot of unwanted guests… But as the opening act of the festival, this isn't bad at all, my friends."
It was a farewell, spoken like a declaration.
"Unfortunately, the Nine-Tailed Fox is not with us at the moment. We'll be parting ways for now. Tonight, at Nijō Castle, we'll be conducting an important experiment. We'll meet again then, and I'll return the Youkai commander—the Nine-Tails—safe and sound."
The fog thickened further, rising from ankle height to their chests, then creeping toward their faces, until their entire vision was swallowed in white.
When the mist cleared in the blink of an eye, they were back at the bustling tourist spot, with no trace of battle and no sign of damage anywhere.
"…Mother. Mother hasn't done anything… so why…" Kuzuha's small body trembled, the word experiment filling her with deep unease.
"Don't worry. We'll save your mother—this is a promise." Yoru spoke gently, patting the shivering girl's head.
"So, what exactly is their goal?"
In a private room at the hotel, the five of them sat in a circle. Azazel voiced his frustration.
As for the sudden arrival of Vali's magician, she had left with the gargoyle to report back.
It was clear Vali had made his stance known—though he was also a member of the Khaos Brigade, he seemed to be at odds with Cao Cao's Hero Faction. Whether this meant he wanted to cooperate with Yoru's group was still uncertain.
"Perhaps… their goal is to summon the True Red Dragon God Emperor, Great Red, from the Dimensional Gap into this world."
Yoru offered the speculation, and everyone turned to stare at him in shock.
"Why do you say that? Do you have proof?" Azazel asked, puzzled by how casually Yoru had reached such a conclusion.
"I just think it's highly possible. Whether it's Vali or Cao Cao, it wouldn't be surprising for them to attempt something like that."
He shrugged. "Vali wants to fight strong opponents, so summoning the strongest being in this world—the True Red Dragon God Emperor—makes perfect sense for him. As for Cao Cao, leader of the Hero Faction, summoning Great Red to achieve the ultimate dragon-slaying feat also fits."
The room fell silent for a moment before anyone responded.
"That's… a little too random of a reason, don't you think?"
Azazel didn't know whether to laugh or sigh. Summoning Great Red just to kill it? That was insane.
"I guess I really am getting old. I can't understand you young people anymore."
"Either way, we'll know for sure tomorrow night at Nijō Castle—what the Hero Faction and Cao Cao are really after."
At Yoru's words, everyone nodded, mentally preparing themselves for the coming battle.
◇
That night, Yoru gently held Kuzuha's hand as he, Azazel, and the rest headed for Nijō Castle, as Cao Cao had said.
Kyoto's night was especially vibrant, with crowds enjoying the beautiful scenery.
The battle in the Underworld wouldn't affect the surface world, and as they arrived, a faint mist began spreading quietly.
The cool, damp night fog brushed past their skin with a strangely pleasant touch.
"Stay alert. The fog might separate us," Azazel warned. Almost immediately after he spoke, the mist churned violently, like a monstrous maw swallowing them whole.
Sensing spatial distortions, Yoru—who had once used frost to form a space-sealing prison—easily stabilized the unstable energy.
The more he mastered his powers, the more he understood what it meant for all techniques to return to the same origin. Even something like igniting flames with ice might not be impossible.
Shhh… The fog dispersed instantly, revealing they were still at Nijō Castle—but now, not a single tourist was in sight.
"Ha, we didn't get separated." Just as Azazel finished speaking, dark figures emerged around them—assassins.
But before the enemy could move, their bodies froze in place, turning into ice sculptures.
"Hey, at least leave one alive for questioning," Azazel muttered, scratching his head.
Yoru shook his head slightly. "Don't forget who our opponent is—Cao Cao, heir to a legendary tactician. He's probably waiting for us out in the open."
"If Yoru-nii says so, then they should be in the Honmaru Palace," Kuzuha added.
With that, the group headed toward the palace.
In truth, those assassins had only come to guide them to Cao Cao's location—but unfortunately, they were instantly wiped out by Yoru.
Crossing two courtyards, they reached the moat surrounding the Honmaru Palace. Passing through the turret gate, they were met with the sight of ancient wooden buildings and a spacious courtyard crowded with hundreds of moving silhouettes.
"You got here faster than I expected," Cao Cao said with a light smile.
Beside Yoru, Kuzuha gasped. "Mother!"
Following her gaze, Yoru saw a stunning woman in a kimono, fox ears peeking through her golden hair, and several fluffy tails swaying behind her.
It was Yasaka, leader of Kyoto's Youkai—and Kuzuha's mother.
But her eyes were vacant, unresponsive even to her daughter's calls.
"Mother, what's wrong? Please wake up—it's me, Kuzuha!" The little fox's ears flattened, and she glared at Cao Cao and his group.
"You! What have you done to my mother?!"
"I already told you, little princess. We just want your mother's help for a small experiment," Cao Cao replied, his eyes narrowing dangerously as they locked onto her.
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