Ye Xing glanced at Ushio Kofune's left eye, noticing that although she still appeared bewildered, her eye colour was gradually returning to normal. He waved his hand dismissively.
"Nothing to be done about it. Hiruko's left eye went to her on its own. You've installed the right eye, haven't you? One eye versus two doesn't make much difference for you, does it?"
"Well, that's true..."
Hyakume pouted, still clearly looking somewhat heartbroken.
Seeing this, Miko Yotsuya gently patted her shoulder and said in a soothing, childlike tone.
"I'll compensate you with another eye later, alright?"
"Hmph, since you put it that way, I suppose I have no choice."
After glaring irritably at Ushio Kofune, Hyakume's figure slowly faded away.
"Um... everyone..."
Yui Yuigahama looked up from her phone, her expression complicated.
"We... seem to be in the news again."
"Huh?"
Mai Sakurajima quickly pulled out her phone too. She didn't even need to search specifically - just opening her browser automatically brought up pushed news notifications.
"Mask battling deities... illusions in the sky?"
Seeing the overwhelming number of news reports with explosive discussion, everyone finally realised that, from the moment Izanami deployed her Domain, the entire battle had been broadcast live through mirage-like projections.
Fortunately, when other members entered the Domain, the illusions had already lost their sound, and, following their usual operational habits, they hadn't used anyone's real name, preventing any information leaks through lip-reading.
"This is really troublesome now."
Rio Futaba frowned deeply, muttering to herself.
"With supernatural phenomena on this scale, even if authorities try to control public opinion, they'll likely be powerless. If this causes panic among people... that would be disastrous. I never expected Rikka Sakuragawa would plant such a landmine at the last moment."
Then, Rio Futaba abruptly changed the subject.
"Still, it's fortunate we ultimately won. If the widely admired hero Mask had been killed before the eyes of all Japan, Izanami's goal of causing panic and triggering drastic changes in the Reverse World would have been achieved. Looking at it now, the public just found it thrilling. While there's some fear and panic, it doesn't seem to have had too severe an impact."
Hearing this, Yui Yuigahama let out a sigh of relief and smiled.
"So that means particularly powerful evil spirits shouldn't emerge? That's wonderful. Our enjoyable summer holiday is finally about to..."
"Don't even think about it."
Before Yui Yuigahama could finish, Miko Yotsuya interrupted flatly.
"I have an idea."
"With over a month left before school starts, let's conduct special training."
Miko pointed at the surrounding beach and spoke slowly.
"Hitogashima Island has plenty of usable space with few residents - it's practically isolated from the world. Although everyone's physical fitness is quite strong now, we're still lacking in combat experience."
"Just like with that Weather God, and this time with Izanami, even though they possessed god-like powerful strength, their lack of combat experience meant the initiative in battle was completely in Ye Xing's hands."
"Considering the possibility of encountering even stronger enemies, we'd better use this free time for targeted special training. While adapting to our superhuman physical capabilities, we can also further develop our Soul Materialisation abilities."
"Of course, not everyone can stay here. Someone still needs to handle Mr Oda's commissions and our daily exorcism duties."
"So I suggest we train in rotating batches."
Upon hearing Miko Yotsuya's words, Rio Futaba nodded slightly in agreement.
"Indeed, so far we haven't encountered any truly difficult battles. Those who don't plan for the future will find trouble at their doorstep. Not only do we need to practice using our abilities, but our combat resolve also requires some tempering."
"Eh?"
Yui Yuigahama instinctively responded.
"Haven't we experienced difficult battles before? Like at night when..."
"Shh."
Mai Sakurajima, sensing the situation was becoming awkward, quickly covered Yui Yuigahama's mouth and said, with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
"Little Dango, please don't just say whatever comes to mind. I'm begging you."
"So the question is,"
Hina Amano said thoughtfully.
"Who will be responsible for arranging the specific training schedule?"
Everyone's gaze simultaneously turned towards Ye Xing, who was standing there. He froze for a moment before complaining.
"Wait... what's this about? Are you exiling me to the frontier? Not letting me return to Kyoto?"
Rio Futaba snorted lightly.
"Don't pretend to be reluctant when you're actually benefiting. This is to let you have a proper rest for a while."
"As for the first group of participants..."
Hearing this, Haruno Yukinoshita raised her hand and spoke with a smile.
"Me, me, me! Although I'm on summer break too, there's still plenty of company work. Since I happen to have free time these few days, why not put me in the first group?"
"Well, that makes sense, too. So we'll confirm Haruno first, and..."
"And my adorable little sister, let's bring her along too."
"Ah? You mean Yukino?"
"Yes."
Haruno Yukinoshita nodded, looking at the slightly confused group as she explained seriously.
"Think about it - since we need more psychics, what about those trusted members in your club who are already aware of the supernatural? Even if they haven't awakened their spiritual power yet, wouldn't it be better to start training them in techniques and combat responses early? That way, when they do awaken, they won't have accidents due to being unprepared for sudden battles, right?"
Haruno's reasoning was indeed quite sound.
Though everyone couldn't help feeling she had some ulterior motives.
"Then..."
Rio Futaba looked towards Yui Yuigahama.
"Yui, you decide. After all, you have the best interpersonal skills, so we'll leave the grouping to you."
"Okay, no problem."
Yui Yuigahama thought seriously for a moment before speaking with a smile.
"So Haruno and little Yukino, plus me, and then... Touma-san and Ogiso-san. Five people in the first group shouldn't be too many, right?"
"Not at all, it's perfectly suitable."
When it came to matters involving interpersonal relationships and compatibility, Yui Yuigahama was truly a genius.
Kazusa Touma paired with Setsuna Ogiso, Haruno Yukinoshita paired with Yukino Yukinoshita - exactly two groups consisting of one psychic plus one member who hadn't awakened yet. With such good relationships between them, they could communicate well with each other.
Plus, Yui Yuigahama herself, acting as the Supernatural Society's super internal mediator, prevents any strange conflicts between Haruno and Kazusa Touma.
A perfect arrangement.
Upon hearing this, Haruno Yukinoshita revealed a meaningful smile.
Although it was supposed to be members gathering for special training together...
However, she planned to invite her good friend along as well.
...
Early the next morning, on that familiar stretch of beach.
"Sigh..."
Ye Xing looked at the Supernatural Society members standing scattered before him - Kuchisake-onna, Hachishaku-sama, the Matchmaking Deity, Tamamo-no-Mae, along with Hizuru Minakata and the Kofune sisters - all staring at him as if facing a formidable enemy. He let out a heavy sigh, his face showing a sorrowful expression.
"The Supernatural Society members bully me in my old age, taking turns to have X relationships with me. Truly, public morality is degenerating with each passing day, and the world is becoming cold and miserable."
"Pfft."
Miko Yotsuya's pretty face flushed bright red as she stammered.
"Wh-what kind of vulgar nonsense are you saying? It's clearly just a practical exercise."
Before leaving Hitogashima Island today, Miko Yotsuya had proposed an interesting idea.
With so many psychics gathered here, plus several non-human members of the Supernatural Society, Hizuru Minakata, who had just become a psychic, and the Kofune sisters possessed by shadows, wouldn't it be a shame not to have a sparring session?
The content of the sparring was simple.
Since it was a practical exercise to experience the pressure of combat, naturally, they should choose the strongest, most oppressive opponent.
The founder of the Supernatural Society, Kyoto's number one eroge player, Harem God, Sobu High School's Satan - he was the undeniable choice.
"Really now..."
Ye Xing looked somewhat reluctant, wearing a lazy, slacking-off expression.
"I just fought Izanami yesterday, and today you're all teaming up to torment me. This is taking advantage of someone in distress, quite despicable indeed."
"Um..."
Mio Kofune seemed hesitant, speaking cautiously.
"Isn't it too exaggerated for so many of us to join forces against Ye Xing alone? What if he gets injured?"
"Kofune... since you and your sister share the same surname, it might be confusing. I'll just call you by your given name."
Miko Yotsuya sighed softly, her golden eyes remaining fixed on Ye Xing without the slightest shift, speaking quietly.
"If you had witnessed his true strength, you wouldn't be considering such a childish question."
"Everyone seems quite serious."
The smile on Ye Xing's face gradually faded as he slowly spoke.
"If this is a practical exercise, I won't go easy..."
Before he could finish speaking, Ye Xing suddenly flashed forward, appearing before Light Yagami in the next instant.
Light Yagami's pupils contracted slightly as he immediately said softly.
"Fus..."
Boom!
With a loud collision sound, Light Yagami didn't even have time to finish saying 'fusion' before instinctively raising his arms to block his head, trying to defend against Ye Xing's downward punch.
"Too slow, Light."
Although this beach wasn't particularly soft, feeling not much different from ordinary ground when stepped on, it was still just sand.
Ye Xing's strike directly buried most of Light Yagami's body in the sand, leaving only the area above his chest exposed.
Simultaneously, Light Yagami felt a pain in the arms that had just collided with Ye Xing's attack, and even his chest felt somewhat tight, as if he were about to vomit blood.
"Listen to your heart, Hienma..."
Just as Haruno was nearly through chanting, Ye Xing, who had originally been almost ten metres away, had already appeared before her.
Watching the pale ghost hand reaching towards her face, Haruno instinctively shrank her neck and even closed her eyes.
But the next moment, Ye Xing merely tapped Haruno's forehead with his index finger and said calmly,
"Haruno, you're too slow too."
Hearing this, Haruno finally opened her eyes and stuck out her tongue playfully.
"Sorry~"
Seeing this scene, Light Yagami felt even more like vomiting blood.
What happened to no holding back?
You bastard, you use martial arts on me, but just tap Haruno Yukinoshita's forehead? Flirting and double standards, is that it?
But then he thought again...
No, perhaps that wasn't the case.
Probably in Ye Xing's eyes, he was a threatening target that required full force, while Haruno posed no threat, which was why he had been so heavy-handed with him.
Yes, that must be it.
"Play the melody, Kinnara..."
Just like with Haruno Yukinoshita, before Kazusa Touma could finish chanting her Soul Materialisation release phrase, Ye Xing had already appeared before her.
But the next moment, a faint smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of Kazusa Touma's lips.
Kinnara, with her white and light-green streaked long hair, holding a pipa, instantly materialised and swung the instrument towards Ye Xing.
"Good strategy."
Ye Xing sidestepped to avoid Kinnara's attack, even having the leisure to comment.
"Pretending to be as unskilled at using Soul Materialisation as Haruno to set up a sneak attack... well done indeed."
"Of course."
Receiving Ye Xing's praise, a trace of a smile appeared on Kazusa Touma's usually icy face as she said softly,
"This is power born to protect you. Though I'm happy you're focusing so intently on me, it's better to maintain awareness during battle."
Hearing the sound of rushing air from behind, Ye Xing immediately turned around to see the tall figure of Hachishaku-sama already throwing a punch towards him, her face wearing a timid expression.
"Sorry, boss, please don't hold a grudge against me."
Ye Xing opened his left hand and caught Hachishaku-sama's powerful punch, his feet sliding back half a metre on the sandy ground, leaving tracks.
Before he could react, scattered cherry blossom petals composed of spiritual power suddenly drifted down around him.
The signature red threads of the Matchmaking Deity also instantly wrapped around Ye Xing's body at that moment.
And from the ground beneath his feet, several hard bones suddenly emerged, twisting like vines to firmly bind his legs.
It wasn't that Rio Futaba was holding back - after consideration, she had determined that in such a brief moment, her Bone Woman's spiritual power alone couldn't construct bone spikes capable of piercing through Ye Xing's defences, so she had settled for this movement-restricting control ability instead.
"Please!"
With Hina Amano's sharp cry, a blinding bolt of lightning suddenly appeared in the previously clear sky, striking directly towards Ye Xing, who was bound in place.
Already clad in her spiritual power combat attire, Miko Yotsuya wielded the pale golden Mikazuki Munechika. The arc drawn by the blade resembled a crescent moon as it, along with Tamamo-no-Mae's sharp claws and the illusory serpent tail of Yui Yuigahama's soul's true form, launched an assault on Ye Xing from three different angles.
"Not bad."
Facing Hina Amano's lightning, Tamamo-no-Mae's claws, Yui Yuigahama's serpent tail, and Miko Yotsuya's slashing blade, Ye Xing merely gave an indifferent nod before revealing a faint smile the next second.
"However, it's still not enough."
Boom!
The lightning struck the sandy beach, erupting in a blinding flash of light.
"Did... did we succeed?"
Rio Futaba murmured to herself, only to then spot Miko Yotsuya kneeling on one knee, using the inverted tip of Mikazuki Munechika for support, and couldn't help but smile wryly.
"It seems not."
When the light faded, everyone saw Ye Xing standing there perfectly unharmed, holding a massive fan-shaped weapon. Not only was he uninjured, but his clothing showed no signs of damage either.
He glanced at the surrounding members and spoke softly.
"Is this all you've got?"
Only at this moment did the members of the Supernatural Society truly experience for the first time the overwhelming pressure that Ye Xing, as an enemy, could exert - so powerful it felt as if it could stop one's breath.
The three from Hitogashima Island were completely dumbfounded.
Wait, you call this practical training?
Summoning heavenly lightning to strike people counts as practical training?
The key point was, even god-like techniques like this had been used, yet they hadn't produced the slightest effect?
Ushio Kofune, Mio Kofune, and Hizuru Minakata exchanged glances, all sharing the same thought.
Who am I?
Where am I?
Do I even deserve to be standing on this beach?
...
Ten minutes later.
"That should be enough, right?"
Ye Xing dispersed the black war fan in his hand, looking at the exhausted members before him who could no longer continue, and spoke with a light laugh.
"You've all done quite well."
Yet upon hearing his words, no one felt the slightest bit happy.
On the psychic side, it wasn't even a question of who could compete with Ye Xing - only Light Yagami and Miko Yotsuya could barely last one round. Everyone else would be instantly defeated the moment he got close, without any chance to fight back.
Among the non-human members, Hachishaku-sama and Tamamo-no-Mae, relying on their special nature as evil spirits, could exchange a couple of moves with Ye Xing, but that only meant lasting half a second to a second longer.
As for Kuchisake-onna, there was no need to even mention her - pure dead weight.
The Matchmaking Deity's abilities weren't suited for close combat, and her battle experience wasn't rich enough. Though her divine power was strong as a goddess, she didn't know how to properly utilise it.
Neither Miko Yotsuya nor Rio Futaba had deployed their Domains, but that didn't matter anymore.
Because from beginning to end, Ye Xing hadn't even used his true weapon, Onimaru Kunitsuna, nor had he really tapped into his own spiritual power. He had been fighting entirely relying on his monstrous physical attributes and that war fan formed from condensed evil spirit power.
If the boss were at their final stage and you said you almost won, that would be one thing.
But the key was they hadn't even seen the final stage - they were completely crushed in the first phase. What talk of winning could there be?
Moreover, this was a weakened Ye Xing who had just battled the goddess Izanami yesterday and expended massive amounts of spiritual power.
No chance of winning. Pure monster.