Yanghai Academy, eastern campus.
"Blood!"
"What happened?!"
"My god… there's so much blood!"
Yoshii Muya had been killed by Arthur in a single blow. The blood mist from his body spread for dozens of meters, instantly drawing the attention of countless youkai nearby.
They could sense another surge of powerful demonic energy right after.
That made them pause in surprise.
Using one's true demonic power on campus—especially while not in human form—was strictly forbidden by school regulations.
Some of the youkai caught sight of Kaneshiro Hokuto.
It was his demonic power that had erupted.
And judging by the way he was running, it looked as if something terrifying was chasing him.
Before they could process it, Kaneshiro Hokuto suddenly flew backward even faster than he'd been running—
as if an invisible hand had grabbed and hurled him back.
The onlookers exchanged confused glances.
When the first youkai ran in the direction Hokuto had been thrown, the rest quickly followed, curiosity piqued.
Meanwhile, on the eastern lawn.
Using his psychic power to drag the fleeing Kaneshiro Hokuto back, Arthur looked at him with a calm, unreadable expression.
"Take me to Fujisaki Miyabi," he said flatly. "I'll give you a chance to live."
The two of them had no personal grudges.
But since the man was Miyabi's subordinate—if he didn't know what was good for him, Arthur wouldn't hesitate to invoke the Sin of Collateral Guilt.
He'd already offered him a chance.
"…Alright."
After a moment of silence, the clever Kaneshiro Hokuto nodded.
A wise man knows when to yield.
Though he worked for Fujisaki Miyabi, it was merely an employment relationship—there was no loyalty to speak of.
And leading Arthur to her might not necessarily be a bad thing.
Though Arthur was undeniably strong, Miyabi's depths were unfathomable.
"Good," Arthur said with a faint smile. "You're smart."
His gaze briefly swept over the gathering youkai before returning to the now-unbound Hokuto.
"Which direction?"
"This way…" Hokuto said honestly, pointing ahead.
Arthur took Zhu Ran Aiai's hand, their fingers intertwining, and then activated the power of the Silver Sanctuary, enveloping Hokuto with them.
Just as the three were about to take off—
"Hm?!"
Arthur's eyes narrowed; he suddenly sensed something and turned his head.
A blazing fireball was shooting toward them, as bright as a miniature sun.
The Azure Sanctuary flared before them, blocking the incoming attack.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion erupted as the fireball struck the barrier, unleashing a blinding burst of flame and a shockwave that rippled across the area.
The nearby onlookers were forced to retreat several steps.
When the blast finally subsided, a man with long golden hair and a sharp uniform strode toward them, followed by a squad of men and women in matching attire.
"It's the Public Safety Committee!"
At their arrival, many youkai's expressions shifted, and a few gasped in alarm.
The Public Safety Committee was well-known in Yanghai Academy—
but for all the wrong reasons.
They were notorious for exploiting the weak.
And though everyone resented it, most of the lesser youkai endured it silently, too afraid to resist.
After all, the Committee's chairman was frighteningly strong—and the other members were hardly weak either.
Though they mimicked human society with its rules and order, the youkai world still ran on the law of the jungle.
Arthur, Zhu Ran Aiai, and Kaneshiro Hokuto landed back on the ground.
Arthur's eyes rested on the golden-haired man leading the group.
The Public Safety Committee… Yes, he remembered them.
The leader's name was Kuyō—a good name, he thought.
His true form was that of a four-tailed fox, capable of wielding special flames.
That fireball just now had clearly been his doing.
Kuyō's gaze was icy as it fell on Arthur and his companions.
"You've got some ner—"
"Shut up."
The curt interruption cut him off before he could finish.
Kuyō blinked, dumbfounded.
He couldn't recall anyone ever daring to interrupt him like that.
Then his face darkened, fury boiling up as he clenched his fists.
"?!!"
The onlooking youkai exchanged uneasy glances—especially the Public Safety Committee members.
That human was finished, they thought.
Kaneshiro Hokuto raised an eyebrow, a flicker of intrigue passing through his eyes.
Zhu Ran Aiai, however, remained expressionless—her cold gaze fixed on Kuyō without a hint of concern.
Just as Kuyō was about to explode—
Arthur's eyes flashed blue. He activated his King's Servant ability.
An armored warrior materialized before him, towering two meters tall, clad head-to-toe in azure plate armor.
At the same time, Arthur reactivated the Silver Sanctuary.
In the next instant, the trio shot skyward, streaking southeast like a stream of light.
"You've got guts?!" Kuyō roared, veins bulging on his forehead as he surged upward, demonic energy blazing.
But before he could give chase—
The summoned Azure Soldier leapt forward, its power propelling it like a comet to block his path.
The soldier's sword glowed with blue fire as it swung.
"Get lost!"
Kuyō snarled, hurling a pillar of flame from his hand.
Then his pupils shrank.
The flame column was split in half by a single strike.
A blade of blue energy flashed toward him—
Kuyō twisted aside, narrowly avoiding it.
"Not good!"
A chill of death raced up his spine.
The Azure Soldier vanished, reappearing before him in a blink. Its sword arced toward his neck in a killing stroke.
Too late to think, Kuyō released his restraints, reverting to his true form—a massive four-tailed fox—trying to unleash his full power.
But he was still a step too slow.
Before the transformation was complete, the soldier's blade sliced cleanly through his neck.
"I… actually…"
His widening eyes froze midair.
The mighty Kuyō, mid-transformation, fell from the sky with a dull boom.
His severed head rolled to the side, not a drop of blood spilling out—
the cut sealed in glittering frost.
As the Azure Soldier dissipated into light particles, silence fell.
Every youkai present stood frozen, eyes wide in disbelief.
That terrifying Kuyō—slain, just like that?!
As if he weren't a powerful fox demon… but a stray dog struck down in passing.
The scene felt unreal, dreamlike.
Elsewhere, at the same time.
When Kuyō was slain, Arthur received a notification.
His Bestiary had been updated with a new entry.
But he didn't stop to check it—
He simply kept flying.
Ten minutes later, led by Kaneshiro Hokuto, they finally arrived at their destination.
Deep in the forest stood a mountain, and within that mountain—a solitary castle.
According to Hokuto, this was the residence of Fujisaki Miyabi.
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