The dream ended.
The seven-to-eight-meter-tall curse died with absurd ease.
The moment the Demon-Suppressing Shrine descended, the curse was cleaved into four pieces by an unseen slash.
Before anyone could even process what had happened, the remnants were completely devoured by Granny Takeda's divine dog.
Then—
Everyone woke up.
As if from a dream.
The monitoring room returned.The modern facilities returned.The platforms, lights, and equipment all reappeared intact.
And yet—
The silence that followed was heavier than any explosion.
No one spoke.
The amount of information was overwhelming, like being dragged straight into a foreign world and told it was reality.
The damage remained.
The ground around the platform looked as though it had been plowed by some enormous force.
That was reinforced concrete.
Trees planted for landscaping had been torn out and flung who-knew-how-far.
The specially prepared sealed room had collapsed completely, reduced to rubble.
From this seemingly casual destruction alone, it was impossible not to understand how terrifying curses truly were.
Invisible to the naked eye.Untouchable by modern technology.And capable of annihilating everything in their path.
If such things truly existed—
Then this was no longer just a case.
It was a threat to civilization itself.
Yukinoshita Haruno slowly exhaled.
The shock on her face softened into a sweet, composed smile.
Her chest rose and fell noticeably as her heartbeat finally steadied.
In that moment, she felt a thrill similar to winning a fortune on a single gamble.
The status of Granny Takeda was elevated infinitely in her mind.
A clown?
No.
That was a living national treasure.
Beside her, Kudo Shinichi's eyes were red.
Not fear—
Frustration.
He had finally confirmed something.
Damn it.
His father definitely had another son more favored than him.
Otherwise, there was no way such an important truth—the existence of gods, curses, and the extraordinary—would have been hidden from him.
Extraordinary beings.Gods and Buddhas.
If Granny Takeda could command shikigami and divine beasts, then others could too.
For a teenager, the temptation was irresistible.
His hands trembled slightly.
So this was it.
This was why he had failed to find the truth.
This was why the culprit had remained hidden.
Because the enemy was never human to begin with.
As for Megure Juzo—
He was already shouting hoarsely, flushed with excitement.
"Protect Granny Takeda immediately!Get medical support!Everyone, move—now!
She is a senior of the highest standing!If anything happens to her, you can all hand in your resignation letters!"
His legs trembled as he rushed forward.
Megure's worldview had completely collapsed.
He suddenly understood something.
Why Hashimoto Kyoaki was called a "treasure" of the Onmyoji world.
Why ancient religious authorities once held status comparable to nobility.
It was never superstition.
It was power.
Power acknowledged by gods themselves.
That night, Takeda Mitsue proved she was real.
And that meant—
In the eyes of the upper echelons, her status would become untouchable.
Megure wiped sweat from his brow, his heart pounding violently.
Damn it…
Gods really exist.
The extraordinary really exists.
In Setagaya District—
Yukino's mother's hand trembled as she ground tea.
Crack.
The teacup shattered against the table.
She stared forward blankly.
After decades of life, the world had suddenly changed.
Beside her, Yukinoshita Yukino recovered more quickly.
After a long silence, she spoke quietly.
"…Is this what you wanted me to learn from my sister?"
Everything clicked.
So this was it.
If her sister could see this far ahead, then there was nothing left for her to argue.
Yukino's mother said nothing.
She merely nodded once, calming her breathing.
The result was good.
That was enough.
Her gaze fixed on Granny Takeda on the screen.
This old senior…She is destined to walk with the Yukinoshita family.
In another villa—
Silence.
A suffocating silence.
Those who had come expecting entertainment now sat frozen.
Then—
"Bang!"
Hashimoto Kyoaki slammed his hand down, veins bulging.
"I warned you long ago!
Granny Takeda is an elder of the old tradition!If she hadn't guided the younger generation, how could I hold my current position?!
Look at what you've done!"
The archbishop and high priest lowered their heads, faces pale.
They were finished.
They were fake.
And the real thing had just revealed itself.
Extraordinary power did not tolerate impostors.
Behind them, Takeda Mitsue's son stared blankly.
His mother stood tall in the aftermath, dignified and solitary.
His wife clung to his arm obediently now, fear written all over her face.
He felt dizzy.
Wasn't his mother a fraud?
Then what was he?
A failure?
A waste?
A man who had lived half his life ignorant of the truth?
Tears welled in his eyes.
Mother…
Why didn't you tell me earlier…
Only now did he realize—
His family had been sitting on a treasure all along.
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