Chapter 496 – Witness Everything About Her
As the direct heir of the Tomotake Family, the princess in the eyes of the people of Hoori, and the Lady Miko of Mitake Shrine, Yoshino Tomotake wasn't just special—she was noble.
If all she needed was someone to stay by her side, Yasuharu Tomotake only had to say the word and countless people would have lined up to volunteer. Especially those who longed to meet her through arranged marriages, who dreamed of marrying her.
But because he knew Yoshino's situation, because he knew what she needed was someone who would treat her sincerely and help her escape her burden, Yasuharu never dared to choose carelessly.
He never wanted to force his daughter. If possible, he had hoped she would find someone she loved on her own, someone she could support and be supported by—just like he and Yoshino's mother once had.
That was why, when Yoshino turned down one proposal after another, he never scolded her. He simply let her be.
Until Kaiser appeared.
It wasn't that Yasuharu trusted Kaiser at first sight. Rather, he trusted the Divine Blade that Mitake Shrine had enshrined for generations—Murasame-maru.
Anyone chosen by that blade, anyone able to draw it, could not be an unworthy person. More than that, whoever became Murasame-maru's wielder would inevitably have their fate bound to Hoori and to the Tomotake Family who had guarded it for centuries.
For that reason, Yasuharu had made his decision. Even without Yoshino's consent, he declared their engagement.
It was a bold gamble for the sake of his daughter's future—a choice born of desperation, because he could no longer stand by and do nothing.
Now, at last, he shared that truth with Kaiser.
"Though you haven't known each other long, I have to ask." Yasuharu's voice was gentle as he looked at him. "Kaiser-kun, do you dislike Yoshino?"
It was the answer he wanted most.
He knew very well their relationship so far had been rocky. His daughter was stubborn, shutting others out, refusing to let Kaiser be involved. She had always treated him coldly, rejecting his presence.
Kaiser, at least, hadn't fought with her about it. That much relieved Yasuharu. But neither had Kaiser made any effort to push past her coldness. He had treated Yoshino with a detached calm, as if the engagement meant nothing, as if it were someone else's business.
He had his own way of thinking. Other people's attitudes washed over him like the wind. Unless they struck him directly, he simply ignored them, choosing instead to watch with indifferent eyes.
And yet tonight's battle had proven something: he wasn't without his own will. He could act, and when he did, he was decisive.
If others wouldn't give him answers, he'd find them himself—even knowing it was dangerous.
He seemed calm, rational, quiet. But beneath that was a boy unafraid of risk, bold enough to throw himself into danger, even if it cost him. Tonight, he had paid the price, but he had found pieces of the truth he sought.
That told Yasuharu something. Kaiser hadn't rejected the engagement, but neither had he truly accepted it. He was still watching, still weighing.
If he decided it meant nothing to him, he would cut ties without hesitation.
That was more dangerous than Yoshino's open rejection. Yoshino might resist, but she could still be persuaded to accept when pressed by circumstance. Kaiser, however—he might recognize the engagement in name, call himself her fiancé, but in his heart he hadn't decided anything.
If he chose, he could end it any time.
In this engagement, the one most likely to walk away was Kaiser himself.
And so Yasuharu needed to know what Kaiser truly thought of both the engagement and his daughter.
Kaiser didn't bother hiding it.
"I wouldn't say I dislike her. I know her coldness and rejection had a reason—and it was for my sake."
If he couldn't see that, he would've already clashed with Yoshino. After all, this was the same Kaiser who had once snapped back at a taxi driver for a single slight. If he'd really felt slighted, he wouldn't have just stayed quiet.
The only reason he hadn't done that to Yoshino was because he understood—her attitude was to protect him.
So, while he never tried to cozy up to her, neither did he dislike her for it.
"But…" He shrugged. "If what you're hoping is that I'll get close to her and help her fix her social life or her mindset, then you've picked the wrong guy."
He was blunt.
"I'm not good with people. I hate putting on a front. I don't bother with polite masks. That's why I've never had many friends."
Roka Maníwa, the Kurama siblings—anyone who knew him could confirm just how withdrawn he was.
It wasn't that he couldn't be sociable. He just refused to force himself. To him, relationships were something to let flow naturally, not something to maintain with fake smiles and empty banter.
If you clicked with someone, that bond would hold, no matter what. Even after years apart, it would be like nothing changed. That was why he could reunite with childhood friends and instantly feel at home.
But if you didn't click? Even if you forced it, how long could it last? And how much effort would it drain? Just thinking about it exhausted him.
So he never maintained relationships on purpose. Never chased connections for the sake of networking. He just let things be.
If Yasuharu wanted him to win Yoshino over, to smooth things out on purpose—then he had the wrong person.
But Yasuharu only smiled faintly.
"If possible, of course I'd like you two to get along. But if it has to be forced, Yoshino would only push back. She isn't straightforward, but she's still a daughter I'm proud of."
He met Kaiser's eyes.
"I only ask that you try to be patient with her when you're together. That alone… is enough."
Yasuharu's request wasn't much. He wasn't demanding marriage. He wasn't asking Kaiser to flatter or charm his daughter. He only wished for mutual understanding.
If they could understand each other, then even if they never became husband and wife, they could at least be close friends. And that, Yasuharu believed, would be enough to break Yoshino's loneliness.
"Please… watch over her. Pay attention to her. Witness everything about her."
It was not an unreasonable request.
Kaiser said nothing. He only sat there in silence, lost in thought.
——
Water rippled softly.
"Haah…"
Kaiser sank into the steaming bath, the warmth of Hoori's hot spring water enveloping him. A sigh of comfort escaped his lips.
But the relief lasted only a moment before sharp pain flared across his back.
"Tch…" He sucked in a harsh breath, his face twisting.
"So this is how the hot springs of Hoori purify filth…"
The pain was fierce, but at the same time he felt something foul being drawn out of him. As if the impurities clinging to him were being cleansed away. His body ached, but inside, he felt oddly clear.
The Tomotake Family's private bath was enormous, more like something out of a hot spring inn than a household tub. Steam filled the air, curling against the wooden walls of the Japanese-style room.
Despite the burning pain in his wounds, Kaiser endured it, refusing to leave the water.
He hadn't seen his back himself, but judging by everyone's reaction, the wounds were serious. He should have been in agony long ago. The fact that he hadn't felt it until now only proved Mitsuha's words true—his nerves had been dulled.
And pain, he realized now, was not the enemy. Pain was the body's warning. To feel nothing would have been far worse.
"To sting this much the moment I got in… Hoori's hot springs really are something."
He swirled the water absently with his hand, eyes narrowing with curiosity.
He'd bathed here countless times before, growing up. Back then, it had just felt like any hot bath. Never once had he noticed anything unusual. But now, the difference was undeniable.
"To think… the hot springs, Murasame-maru, even the mountains I used to play in—this town has been hiding secrets all along. How did I never notice?"
He let out a small laugh.
All these years, he'd spent summers here. He wasn't born in Hoori, but he knew the town well enough to consider himself half a local. And yet, only after returning now did he see its true face.
It was like finding out your childhood home was built over buried ruins—shocking and surreal.
"I used to think I was the only strange one in this world." A wry smile tugged at his lips.
Ever since birth, he'd had that impossible ability—wielding any weapon with perfect instinct. He had always thought of it as his cheat, his edge as a transmigrator.
But now he knew. He wasn't the only anomaly here.
The Divine Blade, Murasame-maru.
The Tatari-gami, born of filth.
The curse of the Tomotake Family.
The Lady Miko. The Administrator.
In just a few days, all these mysteries had forced their way into his life.
"Still… I haven't uncovered everything yet."
His eyes darkened with thought.
That talk with Yasuharu had given him answers, but it had also revealed something else—the curse of was not as simple as Yoshino sprouting beast ears.
Otherwise, Yasuharu would never have taken such drastic measures to change her life.
Kaiser had felt it in his tone: a man desperate, as if racing against time.
Yoshino was the only direct heir left. Her mother had died when she was young. Neither had siblings.
For a family as old and powerful as the Tomotake, stretching back centuries, their bloodline was shockingly thin.
That couldn't be coincidence.
"Looks like I'll have to keep digging."
The words slipped out as he leaned back into the steaming water, eyes shadowed.
Chapter 497 – That Which Shouldn't Exist
To cleanse the filth in his body and speed his recovery, Kaiser soaked in the hot spring for nearly an hour. By the time his head was spinning from the heat, he finally left the bath and submitted to another check from Mizuha Komakawa .
"Hmm. The filth is already showing signs of purification, and the wounds haven't worsened. With daily treatment for about a week, the filth should be gone completely, and your injuries won't hinder movement anymore."
She instructed Kaiser to soak for at least half an hour every day that week, and to apply medicine to his wounds daily.
Naturally, his usual training was out of the question. Climbing into the mountains was strictly forbidden as well. Even if the Tatari-gami up there had mostly been exorcised, Mitsuha still warned him to stay away, just in case.
After finishing his treatment and leaving him with those instructions, she packed up her medicine box and departed.
"Rest well tonight, Kaiser-kun," Yasuharu Tomotake said after walking Mitsuha to the door.
"Don't worry, I'll watch over Master." Murasame volunteered, though only Mako Hitachi knew that Yasuharu couldn't see or hear her.
"I'll stay too," Mako added. "Lady Miko might need someone keeping an eye on her as well."
Yoshino Tomotake hadn't been seriously hurt, but what she'd gone through tonight had clearly drained her. She'd fallen asleep almost as soon as she returned to her room, too exhausted to come back out. Just in case she caught a fever or fell ill overnight, Mako decided to remain.
"Sorry to trouble you, Mako-kun," Yasuharu said gently. He certainly had no objections.
And so, after a long night, everyone finally retired to their rooms.
Kaiser did the same, still holding Murasame-maru, which Yasuharu had entrusted back to him.
"Get some sleep already, Master," Murasame urged. "Tonight was way too close. Please, don't ever do something like that again."
Even remembering it left her shaken.
Kaiser only smiled, refusing to promise anything, and instead said softly, "You've had it rough too."
She had chased after him when he charged up the mountain, fought at his side through Murasame-maru, and frantically searched when he and Yoshino fell off the cliff. She had been just as busy as he was.
"Hmph, it doesn't matter. I don't get tired anyway," Murasame declared proudly, puffing out her chest.
But Kaiser narrowed his eyes.
"Really? Then why do you look worn out to me?" He stared straight at her. "Don't tell me… it's because you were dwelling inside Murasame-maru?"
As the administrator of the sword, a spirit rather than flesh and blood, Murasame wasn't supposed to feel fatigue. She didn't need food or sleep, not unless her spirit itself was strained.
Yet she was clearly tired. Kaiser could only think of one reason.
"Well… it's true I don't get tired from normal activity," she admitted with a small smile. "But when I dwell inside Murasame-maru, it's different. Without me, the blade is just steel. Only when I reside within can it unleash divine power."
She lifted her chin.
"A Divine Blade that can cut down spirits… that can sever things that shouldn't exist in this world."
Her voice softened. "And for that divine power to manifest, the strength within me is consumed. That's why I feel drained."
Kaiser understood immediately. When she merged with Murasame-maru, the divine power flowing through her body was drawn out and used in battle. Naturally, it left her exhausted.
"It's nothing serious. One night's rest, and I'll be back to normal."
Judging by her expression, she wasn't bluffing.
"Then go rest," Kaiser said firmly.
"But I still need to—"
"You don't," he cut her off. "I'll rest too. I won't suddenly sneak out in the middle of the night. So don't worry about watching me. Just sleep."
Faced with his unwavering tone, Murasame could only relent.
"Then… if anything happens, just call for me."
Kaiser nodded, and with that, her form flickered and vanished like a mirage.
"…Hah."
Watching her fade away, Kaiser sank into his futon, exhaling. His back still throbbed, but the pain wasn't unbearable anymore.
"If only this were a proper mattress…" He muttered at the hardness of the tatami beneath him, eyelids already closing.
He and Murasame had both been pushed hard tonight. Unsurprisingly, he slipped quickly into deep sleep.
——
Some hours later, the door to his room slid open with a soft creak.
A figure stepped inside, approached quietly, then knelt by Kaiser's side.
"…You look like you're suffering."
Watching his furrowed brow even in sleep, her eyes filled with guilt.
"It's my fault Kaiser-san got hurt so badly. I have to take responsibility and care for him…"
Clutching that thought, she sat vigil at his side. But fatigue still weighed heavy on her, and before long, her head began to nod. Moments later, she drifted off herself.
Thus the long, uneasy night finally drew to a close.
——
Morning.
The first rays of dawn slipped through the window, birdsong echoing faintly outside. Despite his injuries, Kaiser's body clock woke him as usual.
But when his eyes opened, the sight before him left his brain completely blank.
"…!"
Warm breaths brushed against his cheek. His futon wasn't his alone—someone was curled up inside, clinging tightly to him, limbs wrapped around his body.
A faint floral scent filled his nose. Something soft pressed against his chest. His whole body stiffened instantly, too shocked to move.
"What… what the hell?" For once, even Kaiser wondered if he was still dreaming.
Especially when he saw her face.
Smooth pale skin, refined features—not merely cute, but strikingly beautiful. The most untouchable girl in town.
Yoshino Tomotake.
"…Did the Lady Miko just… crawl into my bed?"
What kind of absurd dream was this?
"Mmm…" As if to confirm his disbelief, Yoshino murmured softly in her sleep.
"Careful… Kaiser-san…"
His eyes widened. The same Yoshino who had always turned him away, who had coldly resisted their engagement, was now calling his name in her dreams?
"Unbelievable…" For the first time in ages, Kaiser had the urge to shut his eyes and pretend none of this was real.
"…Mako, why are you so hard…"
But the so-called Lady Miko wasn't sleeping peacefully either. Still dreaming, she muttered her attendant's name and began fumbling unconsciously against his chest.
Kaiser's eyes bulged. Enough was enough.
"Hey, wake up, Tomotake-san!" He patted her cheek, whispering harshly. "Open your eyes! I'm not Mako, and this isn't your room!"
"Mmph…" Yoshino frowned, her lips pouting. "Don't tease me, Mako…"
And with that, she hugged him even tighter.
"Ugh…" Kaiser froze all over again, stiff as a board.
After a long silence, only one thought remained in his head.
"This is a nightmare…"
And Yoshino, the cause of it all, remained blissfully unaware.
When she finally stirred awake, Kaiser was already up, dressed, and standing off to the side. The sight made her eyes fly wide open.
"Kaiser-san!"
She sat bolt upright, her loose sleepwear slipping scandalously off her shoulder.
"…"
Kaiser stared flatly, expression completely numb.
At that moment, he was nothing less than a saint.
Chapter 498 – It Shouldn't Be That Simple
"Kaiser-san! Are you okay?"
Early that morning, Yoshino Tomotake sat up from under the futon, her face tight with worry as she fired questions at him.
"How are your injuries? Does it still hurt? Should I call Doctor Komakawa to come take a look?"
Even if she'd dozed off, she clearly hadn't forgotten why she'd come into his room in the first place.
"…I'm fine. Don't worry."
Kaiser kept his expression flat, though a trace of awkwardness lingered. He didn't even dare meet Yoshino's anxious gaze.
Unfortunately, Yoshino didn't notice his unease. Seeing his halfhearted denial, she only assumed he was lying to keep her from worrying.
"Please don't push yourself! That wound came from a Tatari-gami!" she said sternly. "Let me check it!"
She reached out, fingers moving toward his shirt.
"Wait! I'll do it myself!"
There was no way Kaiser was letting her just grab at him like that. He quickly stopped her, then peeled off his shirt and turned his back toward her.
Normally, Yoshino would've gone red just seeing him bare-chested. But right now, she didn't blush at all—her eyes were sharp as she examined his wounds.
Those two savage marks on his back hadn't faded in the slightest. The more she looked, the more guilt gnawed at her.
She'd always carried a strong sense of responsibility. That was the only reason she'd been able to endure this long under the threat of the curse and the Tatari-gami. Now, seeing Kaiser wounded this badly because of her, how could she not feel shame and self-blame?
"It doesn't look like it's healing much at all…" she murmured painfully.
"It's only been one night. How could it heal that fast?" Kaiser wasn't surprised. Instead, he tried to comfort her. "It actually feels much better. Not nearly as bad as last night."
He'd slept soundly, though he'd still felt phantom pains through the night. Compared to that, the stinging now was nothing.
"Are you sure?" Yoshino still looked uneasy, hand lifting as if to touch his back.
"Don't!" Kaiser flinched away instinctively, forcing a weak smile. "There's still filth clinging to me. You shouldn't touch it."
Her hand froze, then withdrew with an embarrassed look. She didn't want to sprout beast ears in front of him.
She had no idea he'd already seen them once.
"Then… let me at least put the medicine on for you."
Yoshino sounded determined. She had to do something, or she'd drown in guilt.
"No, really, you don't need to."
Kaiser wanted to avoid it. Every time he looked at her now, he felt guilty in ways he couldn't put into words.
This was Hoori's sacred, revered Lady Miko. What the hell had he let her do last night?
Not that it was his fault. Still, it left him unwilling to be alone with her any longer. He wished she'd just leave.
But Yoshino didn't pick up on that at all.
"Please. It's my responsibility."
"No, no, I can handle it myself. Really, you don't need to."
"You can't reach your back on your own! Someone has to help!"
"Then let Murasame do it!"
"Murasame-sama can't touch things in the real world!"
"Then Yasuharu-san can help!"
"Father has to work at the shrine!"
"Then Mako—"
"No! It has to be me!"
"No, it doesn't!"
"Yes, it does!"
"It doesn't!"
"It does!"
"It doesn't!"
Before either of them realized it, they were bickering like children in the room.
"…What exactly are you two doing?"
Mako Hitachi stood at the doorway, eyes narrowed as she took in the ridiculous scene.
"We don't have any neighbors nearby, so you won't wake anyone else. But the sun isn't even up yet. Could you at least not argue at this hour?"
Her lecture cut straight through the noise.
"…Sorry."
"S-sorry…"
Both Kaiser and Yoshino bowed their heads like scolded kids.
In the end, it was Mako who treated Kaiser's wounds while Yoshino watched helplessly from the side.
She had charged in so full of determination, but it turned out she didn't have the faintest experience in applying medicine. As Hoori's Lady Miko, she'd never so much as touched housework. Mako handled the chores, Yasuharu took care of the shrine duties, leaving Yoshino only with her Kagura dance and a bit of needlework.
And that sewing wasn't even a hobby—it was just necessity, a way to patch up the clothes she tore fighting Tatari-gami.
Cooking, cleaning, treating wounds… she was hopeless. Compared to Mako, she was clumsy to the extreme.
So in the end, Yoshino could only sit there frustrated while Mako bandaged Kaiser.
"…Lady Miko." Mako glanced at her, smiling faintly. "Why don't I teach you how to do it?"
"Okay!" Yoshino's mood brightened instantly.
And Kaiser? He slipped away with Murasame-maru the first chance he got, escaping that storm of trouble.
"Don't say I didn't warn you, Master," Murasame suddenly materialized beside him. "Doctor Komakawa said no training at all for a week."
She must've thought he'd gotten up early to start his morning routine again.
"I know," Kaiser said, shaking his head. He glanced at her, noticing her lively demeanor. "Looks like you've recovered already?"
"Mhm!" Murasame nodded hard, eyes sparkling. "I'm completely fine now! You don't need to worry about me at all, Master!"
Her weariness from yesterday was completely gone. He believed her.
"Good. Then help me test something." Kaiser smiled faintly.
He carried Murasame-maru out to the open grounds in front of Mitake Shrine.
"What is it you want to test?" Murasame asked, already guessing it had to be something unusual if it involved the sword.
And she was right.
"After fighting with Murasame-maru yesterday, I've been thinking." Kaiser's gaze sharpened. "I want to see if there's another way to use it."
According to her, the blade wasn't some legendary super-weapon. It wasn't especially sharp, nor was it indestructible. It was just steel—until her power flowed into it. Only then could it cut down spirits, severing things that shouldn't exist in this world.
Try to chop wood with it, and it was worse than an axe. Strike a rock, and it would bounce off, maybe even break. If it did snap, Murasame could restore it with Divine Power, but still—physically, it was no stronger than an ordinary sword, perhaps even weaker than a famed blade.
Its true uniqueness lay in its ability to cleave spirits, monsters, abominations—anything that had no right to exist. That was its only special function.
It was, essentially, a Divine Blade specialized against the unnatural.
Which meant when Kaiser used it, he still had to fight the old-fashioned way: close the distance, swing the sword, and cut. Nothing about the mechanics was different from wielding a normal weapon.
That was what bothered him.
"For all that Divine Power, Murasame-maru doesn't feel as overwhelming as I imagined," he admitted.
Murasame puffed up indignantly. "That's not true at all! Without Murasame-maru, you could never have beaten a Tatari-gami, no matter how strong you are!"
"I'm not denying that." Kaiser chuckled. "Against a Tatari-gami, its power is undeniable."
Unlike Yoshino's Hoko-suzu, which could never have cut so cleanly, Murasame-maru sliced through a Tatari-gami's body and purified its filth as easily as if it were nothing. Tentacles, too—it severed them effortlessly, where Yoshino's weapon never could.
Yes, part of it was Kaiser's skill. But the blade's special power against spirits was just as important. Together, they made his one-hit kills possible.
"Still…" His eyes gleamed. "Simply pouring Divine Power into the sword and swinging it feels too crude. Too limited."
He followed his instincts—the faint sense he'd felt while fighting with it.
"Divine Power shouldn't be that simple. It's the power of the gods. There must be more ways to use it than just channeling it into steel."
That much, Kaiser felt sure of.
"Really…?" Murasame blinked at him in surprise.
"Let's test it," Kaiser said with a grin. "Who knows? It might just work."
With that, he slowly drew Murasame-maru.
Chapter 499 – A Talent Born With
"Shing…"
The rasp of steel against the scabbard filled the air as Kaiser slowly drew Murasame-maru. His stance was textbook, his movements so smooth and natural they looked more like a graceful dance than a combat motion. Even Murasame found herself staring blankly, momentarily dazed by the sight.
"Murasame."
Kaiser's quiet call snapped her out of it as he leveled the unsheathed blade in his hand.
"Y-Yes!" She flinched, answering far louder than she meant to.
"Help me out," Kaiser said without noticing her slip. He kept his eyes on the blade. "Like last night—fuse with Murasame-maru again."
"Uh…" Murasame hesitated, then sighed. "I can, but Master, you'd better not do anything reckless."
He was still injured, after all.
"Relax. I just want to feel it." Kaiser gave his word.
Murasame finally nodded and vanished.
"Clang…"
A soft light suddenly shimmered along the blade in Kaiser's grip, as if the sword had come alive. The glow was cool and pure, like moonlight, wrapping itself around Murasame-maru's edge until it no longer looked like an ordinary weapon.
Kaiser closed his eyes. He could sense everything within the blade.
Murasame-maru's own will.
Murasame's consciousness, now dwelling inside.
And—something else. A current of power, at once cool and burning, clearly not of this world.
"This power… is this Divine Power?" Kaiser focused hard, feeling every detail.
He realized the energy flowed out from Murasame's spirit, was released through the Divine Blade Murasame-maru, then bound to the steel, producing that miraculous effect.
Murasame's spirit was the source. The Divine Blade was the channel. Only when the two combined could it cut spiritual bodies and erase abominations that had no place in the world.
Divine Power was the fuel—the core that let Murasame-maru become the Divine Blade. Without it, it was just a sword.
Of course, not just any sword could replace it. Ordinary steel could never host Divine Power without shattering. Only something forged by the gods themselves—like Murasame-maru—could contain it perfectly.
"…Amazing," Kaiser murmured to himself.
Before, when he'd drawn the blade, he could feel Murasame-maru's will and communicate with it, but nothing more. Without Divine Power, it was simply a sword that could talk.
But with Divine Power flowing through it, the weapon truly became something otherworldly. Only now did Kaiser understand—he was touching living myth, brushing against ancient mysteries.
"Then… maybe this power can do more?" he thought.
"Thump… thump…"
As if hearing him, Murasame-maru resonated with his heart, sending out subtle pulses only he could feel, like it was guiding him. His heartbeat quickened.
Kaiser reached out to the blade in turn.
Then, Murasame-maru drew a thread of Divine Power and channeled it through the hilt, into Kaiser's hand, and straight into his body.
The Divine Power entered him.
"W-Wait—! Master!" Murasame's panicked voice rang in his mind.
But Kaiser no longer heard her. His attention was locked on his own body.
The moment that heat poured into him, it was like swallowing liquid fire. His body grew hot, burning, the pain flaring sharpest across the wounds on his back.
The agony lasted only seconds before easing into a prickling sensation all over his body.
And then, carefully, Murasame-maru sent in another thread of Divine Power.
"This…? Murasame-maru? It really has its own will? It's… channeling Divine Power into Master's body?" Murasame gasped. "No! Stop! Human flesh can't withstand it! You'll kill him!"
But her cries went unanswered.
The sword kept resonating with Kaiser, carefully timing each pulse. It never overloaded him—waiting until each surge fully merged into his body before sending the next.
Neither Kaiser nor Murasame could resist. He could only accept the infusion, while she had no choice but to let her power flow.
"Why? Why is this happening, Murasame-maru?!"
Her desperate voice echoed in his mind.
Kaiser, meanwhile, felt his body transform. Heat and pain surged, but along with it came a strange lightness. His mind sharpened, thoughts racing like lightning.
"What… is this feeling?" He opened his eyes.
His body shimmered with the same moonlit aura as Murasame-maru.
Divine Power had lodged itself in him.
"…It really fused with me."
He moved experimentally, and his body felt weightless, his reflexes heightened. It wasn't simply physical strength—it was like his flesh had been freed from the chains of natural law.
"Whoosh!"
A single step sent him flying forward like a gale, covering dozens of meters in an instant.
"This speed…" Kaiser's eyes widened. "With this, I could crush every sprinting record on Earth."
"So this is what Divine Power can do?" He flexed his hand, pale aura flickering between his fingers. The strength inside him was terrifying.
But his body kept heating up, the stinging pain intensifying until his brow furrowed.
At that moment, Murasame-maru stopped. The infusion ceased, the resonance cut off, and Kaiser's pounding heart began to calm.
"Master!"
Murasame reappeared in front of him, aura dispersing as she popped out of the blade. Her little face was tight with panic, jumping anxiously before him.
"Are you okay?! Master?!"
"I'm fine," Kaiser assured her with a faint smile.
But she was beside herself.
"Fine?! You just absorbed Divine Power! That's impossible!" she cried, spinning in circles. "Human flesh can't withstand it! That's why I sacrificed my body, became a spirit, so I could carry Divine Power instead! That's the only reason I can serve as Murasame-maru's Administrator! Otherwise Divine Power would destroy even a soul!"
"Quick! Transfer it back into me before it hurts you!" She lunged at him.
Kaiser caught her easily, holding her still against his chest.
"Calm down, Murasame. Look at me." His tone was firm. "It's uncomfortable, sure, but I don't feel any serious damage. I can control it."
"See for yourself."
He raised his hand. The aura flickering there slowly receded, sinking back into his body. One by one, the glowing traces across him vanished.
The heat and pain ebbed away with it. Within moments, he looked perfectly normal again—just a regular human.
"H-How…?" Murasame froze, eyes wide. "Why can you control Divine Power?!"
Her centuries of knowledge had no answer.
"It's Murasame-maru." Kaiser explained simply. "The sword helped me absorb it, merging itself with me so the Divine Power could settle inside without tearing me apart."
Normally, no human body could endure it. But Murasame-maru chose to help him, knowing he wanted to explore the power.
Murasame stared blankly. "Murasame-maru… could really do that?"
"Maybe it's also me." Kaiser scratched his head. "If it were anyone else, it wouldn't work. But I'm different—I resonate with any weapon perfectly. Murasame-maru and I just… clicked."
Back when he first drew the blade, it had resonated because it sensed that perfect compatibility.
Kaiser only realized the truth now, as it flowed naturally into his mind during their fusion.
That was his unique gift—an inborn talent. From childhood, he'd only ever shown brilliance when holding a weapon, learning and adapting faster than anyone.
It was simply who he was.
"So this is something only I can do," he said with a confident grin. "That's why Murasame-maru can unleash this ability with me."
Even now, he could feel it. A power unlike anything he'd ever known, buried deep inside, waiting for his call.
A god's power—yet now within the grasp of a mortal, thanks to Murasame-maru's help and his own nature.
Kaiser didn't know how it would change him. But right now, he was exhilarated, eager to push himself and see how far he could go.
"…I don't even know what to think anymore." Murasame finally slumped, muttering in defeat after confirming he was unharmed.
She had completely lost the thread of this situation. The future was unknowable.
But one thing, at least, was clear to her.
"My Master really is… something else."
From the very moment he touched her, she'd suspected it. Now, she was certain.
Chapter 500 – Suddenly, There's Hope
From there, Kaiser threw himself into testing the Divine Power now flowing inside him, trying out different ways to use it and gauging its effects.
It didn't take long for him to realize it wasn't as strong as he'd imagined.
Sure, it was Divine Power—but when it came to Japan's eight million gods, anyone who knew the myths understood. Some deities were terrifyingly strong, capable of creating or destroying the world. Others were so weak they were barely above wandering beasts or mountain spirits. The gap between gods was massive.
The Divine Power within him came from Hoori's god. And Hoori was nothing more than a small, remote town. Compared to those lofty beings, its deity's strength couldn't be very high.
On top of that, Kaiser was still human. Even with Murasame-maru's help letting Divine Power dwell in his body, it couldn't exceed what a mortal frame could endure.
After running tests, he estimated the Divine Power inside him was only about one-tenth of what Murasame and Murasame-maru could wield. Definitely not overwhelming.
Still—weak or not, it was Divine Power. A power beyond the ordinary. Just holding it made him feel reborn.
For starters, with Divine Power settled inside him, his body was under its protection. Illness and poison would have no hold on him. He would never suffer a curse like Yoshino Tomotake, and by wielding Divine Power he could purify filth, exorcise monsters, and stand as a natural enemy to spirits and things that should not exist in this world—just like Murasame-maru.
The proof was in his own body. He suddenly realized that the lingering filth inside him had been completely cleansed. Even the wounds on his back were knitting together at an unnatural speed. At this rate, they'd be gone in a day or two.
It wasn't just his recovery. When he triggered Divine Power, his entire body was enhanced—lighter, quicker, sharper. It wasn't that his muscles simply grew stronger; it was like his flesh had been freed from the shackles of physical law itself.
His reflexes, reaction time, and thought processes all sharpened. His already impressive physical ability edged closer to something inhuman. He wasn't Superman, but he was undeniably stronger than before.
He even tried sprinting under its effect. The result stunned him.
His hundred-meter dash time dropped below seven seconds.
To put that into perspective: the world record was 9.58 seconds. Kaiser's own best had been 9.89. Now, with Divine Power, he easily surpassed the world's fastest man by almost three seconds.
If he entered the Olympics, he'd win gold without effort, shatter the record, and carve his name into history as a legend no athlete could ever surpass.
The only catch: his Divine Power was weak, and a human body couldn't bear it for long. At full output, he could only maintain it for a few minutes. Even at controlled levels, maybe fifteen or twenty minutes at best—never longer than half an hour.
According to Murasame, he should avoid going all out. Otherwise his body would collapse and his mind would be thrown into chaos, leaving him bedridden like a vegetable for days before recovering.
In other words, while Divine Power made him extraordinary, it didn't put him above the world. He wasn't a god. He was still just a mortal with a special edge. Enough to be a hero, maybe. Not nearly enough to be a deity.
But Kaiser didn't feel disappointed.
Because he realized something else—his Divine Power could grow.
Just like training his body made it stronger, using Divine Power within his limits would strengthen it over time. If he kept at it, steadily, his Divine Power would eventually surpass even Murasame and Murasame-maru. Perhaps even surpass the gods themselves.
"Life just got a whole lot more promising."
His eyes lit with determination.
"…Why can Master's Divine Power grow when mine never did?" Murasame muttered weakly, feeling like she'd been a fake vessel all along.
She simply hadn't thought it through. The power she carried wasn't hers—it belonged to Hoori's god. She only bore it because it had been granted to her, making her its host.
Kaiser's case was different. Even though his power had been drawn from Murasame, Murasame-maru had fused it into his very being. Now it was part of him, his personal strength. That was why he could train it and make it grow—something Murasame could never do.
So Kaiser spent the night experimenting, testing his limits, until the sun rose and worshippers began arriving at Mitake Shrine. Only then did he reluctantly return to the Tomotake Family estate.
...…
The next day, Mizuha Komakawa came to check on him.
"…Unbelievable. Not only has all the filth been completely purified, your wounds are nearly healed. The scabs are already forming. They won't hinder your movement anymore."
Her shocked words left Yoshino Tomotake and the others equally surprised.
"If that's the case, can I resume my morning training?" Kaiser asked casually, never once mentioning his Divine Power. Even Murasame agreed it was too unbelievable to bring up.
Instead, he consulted Mitsuha about exercise, since now he had to train not only his body but also his Divine Power. After yesterday's experiments, he'd already mapped out a plan: during daily morning practice, he would trigger his power just enough to both strengthen his body's tolerance and give the Divine Power itself a chance to grow. Two birds with one stone.
Mitsuha sighed. "Ideally, I'd like you to rest a few more days, just to be sure. But if you can't wait, then light training should be fine. Just avoid anything too strenuous. And make sure you keep soaking in Hoori's hot springs every day. They don't just purify filth—they'll help you recover from physical and mental fatigue faster."
Kaiser nodded. "Got it. Don't worry—I'll stick to my usual morning routine. I'm not planning on any high-intensity training."
He wasn't aiming to be a professional athlete anyway. For him, three hours of consistent training a day was enough.
The rest of his time, he wanted to actually live—spend time with friends, enjoy himself, maybe even dig deeper into Hoori's secrets. He wasn't in a rush.
And so, with Mitsuha's approval, Kaiser resumed his morning runs at dawn, returning only in time for breakfast.
Life slid back into a peaceful rhythm—though now with Divine Power training added to the mix, and a change in how Yoshino treated him.
The girl who had once kept him at arm's length now looked at him with guilt and worry every time they met, especially after seeing his wounds heal so fast she couldn't even repay him with care. She simply couldn't bring herself to be cold anymore.
Her father, Yasuharu Tomotake, was quietly relieved. Mako Hitachi, always watching with a smile, clearly welcomed the warmer atmosphere between them.
Only Kaiser didn't know how to deal with it. He could ignore coldness easily. But a cute girl constantly looking at him with guilty, apologetic eyes, fussing over his health? That was harder to shrug off.
No matter how often he reassured her that he was fine, Yoshino's guilt wouldn't fade. Her sense of duty wouldn't let her.
Their relationship settled into a strange state—awkward, but no longer icy.
And so a week passed.
One morning, after finishing his jog, Kaiser returned to his room and changed. He swapped his running clothes for a new outfit—a uniform unlike his usual wear.
A white inner shirt, sleeves with cutout designs below the shoulders, and dark blue trousers.
"The Ukayama Academy uniform really is unusual," Kaiser remarked, looking at himself in the mirror.
That's right. It was the school uniform of Ukayama Academy.
Today marked the end of vacation. A new semester was starting, and so was Kaiser's student life in Hoori. Thanks to Genjuro Kurama handling the paperwork, he was officially enrolled as a transfer student.
"It really suits you, Master."
Murasame floated behind him, taking in the sight of him dressed like a local student. "Looking at you like this… you really are just a high schooler."
She couldn't help but say it. Until now, his composure, his sharp mind, his strength and discipline—none of it resembled a teenager. He felt more like a seasoned warrior.
Seeing him in uniform reminded her—her Master was still a boy.
Though…
"Do you really have the right to say that?" Kaiser gave her a wry look. "You've lived for centuries, but you still look like a kid."
The comment hit her like a hammer.
"I—I am NOT a ghost! And I am DEFINITELY not a little girl!" Murasame fumed, cheeks puffed, grinding her teeth. "So rude, Master!"
Kaiser ignored her tantrum, slinging his bag over his shoulder and stepping into the living room.
"Good morning, Kaiser-kun," Yasuharu Tomotake greeted warmly.
"Good morning, Kaiser-san."
"Good morning, Kaiser-sama."
Two other voices followed as Yoshino Tomotake and Mako Hitachi entered behind him.
Kaiser turned—and blinked.
Because both girls, like him, wore brand new uniforms.