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Kyoto — Yasaka Shrine
A young girl in red-and-white shrine maiden robes stormed inside, shoving past the attendants blocking her way. Fluffy fox ears twitched atop her head, her cute, middle-school-aged face flushed with anger.
"Mother, what's going on with this abdication?"
"Why are you stepping down as the West Leader of the yokai and handing it over to some guy who came out of nowhere?!"
Inside the shrine, Yasaka—now dressed in formal priestess robes—looked pale as she faced her daughter, Kunou. After a brief hesitation, she spoke.
"Kunou… be a good girl. I have my reasons."
The moment she said it, guilt prickled at her chest.
'Reasons? What reasons could I possibly have?'
The truth was simple. After seeing that punch, she understood one thing clearly.
That man—Ryo Yagami—was a disaster in human form. Something you couldn't resist. Something you couldn't oppose.
Even among the top-tier beings of countless mythologies, none had ever made her feel that kind of pressure.
In front of him, yokai could only pray to survive.
If he wanted the title of leader, she had no choice but to hand it over.
But there was no way she could tell her daughter that. Not while he was still around.
"Reasons? What reasons?"
Kunou puffed out her cheeks, clearly unconvinced.
"The officers from the Hyakki just told me—they've all been ordered to declare war on every major force in Kyoto!"
"Mom, that's war!"
"Didn't you say yokai are weak right now, that we should keep a low profile?"
"And now what?"
"The Five Great Families, the devils, the angels, the fallen angels, even the Buddhist factions in Kyoto—we've declared war on all of them! What kind of 'reason' leads to that decision?!"
"I may be young, but I'm not stupid!"
Hearing that, Yasaka immediately understood.
Her subordinates were using her daughter to question her.
There was no way Kunou could come up with something this organized on her own.
Even so, Yasaka found herself at a loss.
Declaring war on everyone in Kyoto…
She thought it sounded insane too.
But it was Ryo's order. What choice did she have?
She was weaker. A single mother. It's not like she could defy him and survive.
Disobey, and die immediately. Obey, and maybe buy time—maybe find a way to live.
Swallowing her unease, she forced herself to stay composed in front of her daughter.
"If we dared to make such a move," Yasaka said sternly, "then naturally we have confidence in it."
"Kunou, the truth is… yokai in this world aren't weak. We just didn't tell you before."
"We were worried you'd act recklessly and bully the weak."
"I founded the West Yokai Faction to protect lesser yokai—those drifting at the mercy of various pantheons. At its core, it exists to give the weak a place to survive."
"So understanding and protecting the weak is something you must learn."
"…Really?"
Kunou looked at her with suspicion.
"Of course," Yasaka said, gritting her teeth.
"We're strong?"
"…Of course."
"But… even random fallen angels can come here and throw their weight around…"
Before she could finish, Yasaka hurriedly cut her off. "That's just our cover. Until we're strong enough, we can't show our full power—or we'll become targets."
"Really?"
Now Kunou was genuinely confused.
'Are we actually that strong? Even stronger than the fallen angels?'
Just then—
Bang bang bang!
Rapid footsteps echoed from outside.
"Leader! Leader! Something's wrong!"
A crow-headed yokai burst in, panic written all over his face. "This is bad—the Leader smashed the fallen angels' church!"
"…What?"
Yasaka and Kunou both froze.
"Wait, no—!" The crow tengu spat to the side, flustered. "Not you, Leader—the new Leader smashed the fallen angels' church!"
"What did you say?!"
Yasaka shot to her feet, disbelief all over her face.
"Our people—are they alright?"
"Alright? Of course they're alright!"
The crow tengu's expression turned strange.
"The fallen angels were still talking big one moment… and the next, the new Leader ripped off all their wings, stripped them, and nailed them to crosses for a public parade."
"…What?"
Yasaka sank back down, dazed.
"We… won?"
"Then why are you panicking?" Kunou asked, confused. "Did their higher-ups show up?"
"…Yes. The Lightning Fallen Angel, Baraqiel, came in person."
"What?!"
Yasaka jumped up again.
"And? Who won?!"
The crow tengu swallowed nervously. "The new Leader tore off his wings too. Hung him on the church cross… and even put a human woman's bra on his head."
"Pfft—!"
Kunou couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.
Yasaka, on the other hand, went deathly pale.
Even Baraqiel lost?
That was someone on the same level as Azazel, the fallen angels' governor!
If someone like that got beaten…
Wouldn't the fallen angels go all-out against them?
Wait.
Something's off.
If Ryo defeated Baraqiel so easily… and Baraqiel is on par with Azazel…
Doesn't that mean Azazel wouldn't stand a chance either?
"…"
Suddenly, Yasaka didn't feel nervous anymore.
She sat back down calmly, her tone oddly composed. "Anything else? What is the new Leader doing now?"
"He took a group of yokai to the Five Great Exorcist Families' headquarters. There should be results soon."
"The Five Families? They're not as strong as the fallen angels, right?"
Kunou tilted her head, suddenly feeling very reassured.
The Five Great Families were roughly on par with the yokai. They had clashed many times in secret, neither side gaining the upper hand.
But now things were different.
With a leader who could beat Baraqiel leading them… the Five Families would probably get steamrolled.
"…That does seem to be the case."
After saying that, Yasaka paused.
'Wait… something's not right.'
Why did hearing about Ryo defeating Baraqiel make her feel so calm?
…Is this what it feels like to have someone powerful backing you?
Just then, another yokai rushed in—this one shaped like a broom.
"Breaking news! The new Leader has tied up everyone from the Five Families and brought them back!"
"He also said once he finishes dealing with the remaining angels and the Buddhist factions today, he'll come back for a victory drink!"
"…I see. You can go."
Yasaka waved him off, her expression dazed.
Beside her, Kunou was practically glowing with excitement.
"Mom! Does this mean we don't have to hide anymore? Are we going to clear out all the outside forces in Kyoto?!"
"…Probably."
Yasaka's voice sounded hollow.
"Really?! Then I can finally go shopping freely in Kyoto?!"
"…Yeah. I guess you can…"
Her eyes looked unfocused.
Somehow… things had started going very, very wrong.
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