Light was completely stunned.
He'd thought the man's ability to withstand bullets at close range was astonishing enough.
But to actually contain a grenade explosion by simply cupping it between his hands?
And seemingly without suffering any injuries?
Are you Superman?
While Light was still processing this, Ye Xing felt quite satisfied.
Truthfully, even before entering the door, he'd already sensed it.
This flesh amalgamation evil spirit formed from over a dozen humans far surpassed any he'd encountered before - its power nearly rivalling even Tamamo-no-Mae, one of the major yokai lords of the Reverse World.
For Light to face it alone would be suicide.
Ye Xing just wanted to confirm one thing.
Was Light showing his full capabilities?
Not that he was overly suspicious.
But knowing what Light had done in the original storyline...
Even aware that this version wasn't the Kira led astray by the Death Note, it was hard not to remain cautious.
From the earlier situation, Light had genuinely been ready to sacrifice himself against the evil spirit - clearly not holding anything back.
Of course.
Ye Xing didn't think Light had been acting in that moment.
If it were an act, he'd first have to gamble that Ye Xing would intervene.
Then bet that Ye Xing could arrive in time.
Finally, wager that Ye Xing possessed the ability to contain a live grenade in this confined basement without harming himself.
That many gambles...
It'd be like playing Russian roulette with a semi-automatic while your opponent uses a revolver.
They're betting on five out of six chambers - you're betting on a misfire.
That's just asking for death.
"Ito-kun, you..."
Before Light could finish, Ye Xing waved him off and said flatly,
"I'm not Makoto Ito. My name is Ye Xing."
Hearing these words, Light Yagami shook his head with a wry smile, wearing an expression that said "as expected."
Indeed, whether it was Mitsuha Miyamizu or Makoto Ito, they were merely aliases.
He wasn't certain of the other's true name, but he had a vague intuition.
Someone like this shouldn't be called something as ordinary as Makoto Ito.
"Alright, step back."
Ye Xing took two steps forward, staring directly at the disgusting, massive fleshy mass of an evil spirit. His right hand extended five fingers outward beside him.
"Next, it's time to leave it to Kyoto's number one exorcist."
As his words fell, the pale ghost hand appeared.
From the palm of the ghost hand, a long sword gradually emerged, sheathed in an ancient wooden scabbard.
Without any visible movement from Ye Xing, the blade unsheathed itself as if possessing spiritual power.
The deep, pitch-black blade made the already dimly lit basement grow even darker.
The sword actively offered its hilt to Ye Xing's right hand.
His fingers gradually closed around it, and the moment he grasped the blade, an intangible pressure radiated from his entire being—so thick it was suffocating.
"So this is... Onimaru Kunitsuna..."
Light Yagami had seen promotional photos of Onimaru Kunitsuna before, and as a psychic himself, he could sense its power.
Though he didn't understand why the blade of this legendary sword had taken on such a deep, blackened form, the sharpness and spiritual energy filling the air after its unsheathing were enough to confirm it.
This was indeed the famed blade once wielded by historical figures such as Hojo Tokimasa, Oda Nobunaga, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi—Onimaru Kunitsuna.
Ito-kun...
No, Ye Xing-kun... actually gained recognition from this legendary sword?
Clang!
After unsheathing, Onimaru Kunitsuna's blade emitted a metallic resonance, as if its sword spirit was exhilarated at being wielded by Ye Xing for the first time.
"Quiet down. Don't act like you've never seen the world."
At Ye Xing's reprimand, the trembling blade immediately stilled.
For some reason, Light Yagami found the scene oddly amusing.
Wasn't this a bit like a playboy gaslighting an innocent girl?
He didn't understand, and he didn't dare ask.
"Alright, let's begin."
As if in response to Ye Xing's words, the moment he spoke, dozens of arms extended from the fleshy mass, reaching out to grab him.
Simultaneously, over a dozen human faces surfaced on the mass, letting out piercing, agonised screams.
Even someone with nerves as steady as Light Yagami couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear at this horrifying sight.
"Damn."
Ye Xing let out an exclamation.
"Little thing, you're one hell of a sight."
Then, he swung Onimaru Kunitsuna in his hand. The strike was simple and unadorned, yet its effect was striking.
Before the blade even made contact, the sharp spiritual energy radiating from it scorched the evil spirit's extended arms. The fleshy mass let out a shrill cry of pain and retracted its limbs.
"Huh, interesting."
Watching this, Ye Xing glanced at Onimaru Kunitsuna in his hand and nodded approvingly.
"Mhm, as expected of my sword. Truly, no ordinary weapon."
Light Yagami desperately wanted to retort.
Wasn't this sword originally Hojo Tokimasa's?
Since when did it become yours?
However, seeing how obediently Onimaru Kunitsuna behaved in Ye Xing's hands, Light Yagami had no choice but to swallow his sarcastic remarks.
Be it Hojo Tokimasa, Nobunaga Oda, or Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
These great figures from Japan's history were merely owners of Onimaru Kunitsuna.
Perhaps Ye Xing was the only one truly acknowledged by the sword spirit as its master.
"Oh, by the way, Light."
Noticing the retreating meatball evil spirit, Ye Xing didn't press his advantage but spoke calmly instead.
"How did that pistol made by this fellow feel to use?"
Light Yagami paused, recalling the sensation of firing it earlier, and gave an honest assessment.
"It was quite well-made. Unlike those cheap guns prone to jamming, the handling was smooth, with excellent attention to detail. The quality rivals even the Metropolitan Police Department's standard issue. To craft such a firearm under these conditions demonstrates remarkable skill."
"Oh, remarkable is good enough."
Ye Xing responded noncommittally before turning his gaze to the meatball evil spirit before him, shaking his head regretfully.
"You're too bulky. Hard to take a bite out of you."
Suddenly, as if struck by inspiration, a white smiley face pattern appeared on his pure black mask, though his eyes remained coldly cruel.
"Got an idea."
Ye Xing lifted his foot and advanced slowly towards the meatball evil spirit.
The latter sensed inexplicable terror and extended over a dozen arms from its surface, clearly unwilling to await death passively.
"Come out."
The moment Ye Xing uttered these two simple words, pale and pitch-black ghost hands materialised simultaneously, sandwiching the meatball evil spirit between them, left and right.
The human arms protruding from its body couldn't even approach within a metre of Onimaru Kunitsuna.
Any attempt would immediately be sliced to shreds by the razor-sharp spiritual energy emanating from the blade.
Light Yagami watched as the meatball evil spirit, which had moments ago left him helpless and desperate enough to consider pulling a grenade pin for mutual destruction, now cowered before Ye Xing like a rabbit paralysed by a stalking tiger. His heart swirled with complex emotions.
A body that could withstand point-blank shotgun blasts. Hands capable of blocking grenade explosions.
And now displaying what could only be described as invincible combat prowess against evil spirits.
Light Yagami felt profoundly grateful he'd made the right decision in having the other reveal his true name, establishing a relationship of mutual trust.
This guy wasn't some ordinary psychic or exorcist.
He was practically a human-shaped evil spirit himself.
"Let me see now."
Ye Xing stood before the meatball evil spirit, observing the dozen terrified faces on its surface as the smile on his black mask curved even higher.
"Best do some preparation first."
The next minute's events left an indelible impression on Light Yagami that would last a lifetime.
Words failed to describe the shock in his heart.
Ye Xing was actually using Onimaru Kunitsuna in his hand to slice...
The flesh-mass evil spirit into mincemeat.
If one ignored the flesh-mass evil spirit's unceasing shrill screams and just observed Ye Xing's expression of enjoyment and effortless movements, it looked no different from chopping dumpling filling during New Year celebrations.
Light was genuinely struggling to process this.
In all his life, he'd never encountered someone so utterly deranged.
Wait a moment.
Light's pupils contracted sharply as he recalled the words Ye Xing had uttered upon arrival.
The other had said...
"Tonight's dinner is decided, then?"
Could it possibly mean...
Under Light's stunned gaze, Ye Xing nodded approvingly at the finely minced remains of the flesh-mass evil spirit.
Then the pair of black-and-white ghost hands on either side gathered the mince in their palms, pressing firmly together.
When they separated again, a pure black energy sphere, about the size of a lion's head, appeared.
Ye Xing took the sphere in his hands, the lower half of his mask disappearing as he took a small bite, smiling with satisfaction.
"Hmm, not bad."
Light was dumbfounded.
"You... what are you doing?"
Ye Xing glanced at him and replied matter-of-factly.
"I'm eating an evil spirit."
Light's expression grew even more incredulous.
"You... you can eat evil spirits?"
"Oh, right, you wouldn't know."
Holding his freshly prepared meal in one hand, Ye Xing slung his other arm around Light's shoulders with a laugh.
"Anyway, let's return to the Reverse World first."
Light nodded, then frowned slightly at the hallucinogens and firearms arranged in the basement.
"What about these things?"
"Leave them for your father."
"Alright."
...
When the two left the three-storey building and returned to the Reverse World through the exterior Gate, Light sighed in relief while feeling somewhat puzzled.
From Ye Xing's initial strike to the operation's conclusion, at least ten minutes had passed.
Even for ordinary public murder cases, the Metropolitan Police Department's response shouldn't be this slow, let alone when dealing with Ye Xing, who wore the black mask and had taken the genuine Onimaru Kunitsuna, surely Kyoto's most wanted suspect.
It made no sense.
...
Meanwhile, at the commercial district's perimeter.
Having received an emergency notification and temporarily cut short his leave to resume field command, Soichiro Yagami calmly issued orders without any sense of urgency.
"Ahem, everyone, first equip your combat gear properly, then seal off all surrounding entry points. Only enter the scene after ensuring complete safety."
Hearing Chief Yagami's orders, the members of the Metropolitan Police Department exchanged puzzled glances.
This Criminal Affairs Director was known for his decisive, no-nonsense approach.
Why did today's response seem deliberately delayed?
Though they wondered, since the Kyoto City Museum incident, rumours had circulated within the department that Chief Yagami might soon be promoted to a higher office.
At this moment, going against the other party's orders would be unjustifiable, whether from a human perspective or the absolute obedience expected between superiors and subordinates.
That Seishu Akoya was currently hospitalised – no member of the Metropolitan Police Department would make such an idiotic decision on the scene.
Soichiro Yagami gazed silently towards the shopping district entrance, deep in thought.
Last time at Kyoto City Museum, he'd seen a rather petite, gender-ambiguous figure standing beside Mask.
This time, according to eyewitness accounts, the person accompanying them wore pure white garments and a mask carved with red teardrops of blood, standing approximately 180cm tall.
Just how many accomplices did Mask have?
Could it be that every person around them possessed that terrifying ability to disregard firearms and effortlessly overpower even the Metropolitan Police Department's strongest member, Seishu Akoya?
If that were truly the case...
Then the safety concerns wouldn't be limited to Kyoto alone, but would extend to the entire nation of Japan.
Several minutes later, Soichiro Yagami finally issued the order to attack.
Once again, he led from the front.
When he reached the three-storey building and cautiously pushed open the door, the gruesome scene in the corridor didn't unsettle him. Instead, he looked visibly relieved.
Just as he'd suspected.
Mask's target this time was the violent gang called Black Dragon Society that the Metropolitan Police Department had been investigating.
Using slaughter to punish evil?
That was so like their style.
Years of service in the Metropolitan Police Department made it impossible for Soichiro Yagami to rationally approve of such methods.
Yet from an ordinary citizen's emotional perspective, Mask had indeed eliminated evil once more, safeguarding Kyoto's safety.
Soichiro Yagami had once firmly believed in the absolute balance between procedural justice and outcome justice.
Now, that conviction was wavering.
...
6:45 PM, same day.
Ye Xing and Light Yagami removed their disguises and returned to the normal world.
"Haa..."
The moment his feet touched solid ground, Light finally exhaled deeply.
His clothes were drenched in sweat.
"That was truly dangerous today."
Though Light's tone suggested someone who'd narrowly escaped death, Ye Xing could see the barely contained excitement in his eyes.
"You seemed to enjoy yourself quite a bit, Light. You're truly an insane guy."
This time, Light didn't argue. Instead, he smiled and replied:
"Takes one to know one, Ye Xing."
During their journey through the Reverse World, Ye Xing had briefed Light on the intelligence they'd gathered so far.
Naturally, he hadn't mentioned Miko Yotsuya or the others.
After all, whether to reveal those girls' identities was their decision to make.
Though Ye Xing led the Supernatural Society, he neither had the right nor any desire to disclose the girls' identities without permission.
When Light heard Ye Xing describe the Reverse World – teeming with powerful evil spirits – as an all-you-can-eat buffet, he nearly lost his composure.
Simultaneously, Light couldn't help but feel awed.
No wonder Ye Xing's abilities were so formidable.
There was a fundamental difference between their abilities.
Ordinary psychics, no matter how much they had their spirit avatars devour evil spirits, could only enhance the power of those avatars. Their own bodies remained ordinary flesh and blood.
But Ye Xing himself was far more powerful than those two black-and-white ghost hands.
He was practically a superhuman.
"Oh, right."
Leaning against the wall, Ye Xing smiled at Light Yagami.
"Since you've already worked with me and we've established a basic cooperative relationship, it's time to give you an operational codename."
Light Yagami grasped the concept quickly.
"Oh, for convenience during operations, right? Let me think..."
After careful consideration, Light found himself unable to come up with a good codename. He looked at Ye Xing and asked with a smile,
"Why don't you give me one?"
"I was waiting for you to say that."
Ye Xing chuckled softly.
"How about... Kira?"
"Kira..."
Light repeated the word with a smile.
"Not bad. Derived from the English word 'killer'—it fits my self-definition quite well."
"OK, then it's decided."
"But..."
Light's tone shifted.
"I need to return to Tokyo. Your goal is eradicating evil spirits, while mine remains eliminating crime and changing this decaying world. Too close a partnership would be restrictive for both of us."
"You make a fair point."
Ye Xing patted Light's shoulder.
"So, unless it's something major, let's keep contact to a minimum."
"Agreed."
As Ye Xing turned to leave, Light suddenly spoke again.
"What exactly is our relationship now?"
"Are you having another episode?"
Hearing what sounded like a romantic confession, Ye Xing was once again disgusted.
"Don't tell me you're imagining yourself as Sasuke now? What kind of question is that?"
Then, as Light wore a slightly helpless, bitter smile, Ye Xing's expression turned serious.
"Friends? We don't have that kind of personal connection."
"Partners? Our ties aren't that close either."
With that, Ye Xing turned away, waving as he walked off, speaking softly.
"Though we walk different paths, we both march forward toward the same goal—the elimination of evil."
"This kind of relationship, in my understanding..."
"Can be called comrades."