"I once had the audacity to be your enemy for a time. We did indeed cross blades," the old youkai said, shaking his head with a sigh. "Though I was completely outmatched and took quite a beating."
The old youkai's wrinkled face scrunched up further, seemingly recalling some painful memory.
"Is that so?" Sū ěr replied airily, not taking the flattery to heart.
"I am a Nurarihyon, Nurarihyon. Although I once had a bit of a reputation, now I am just an old youkai who has lived a long time. I am better at evasion and lingering than frontal combat—little more than a Kyōka Suigetsu [Mirror Flower, Water Moon] illusion. Not worth mentioning."
The old youkai rambled on like a typical senior citizen, while Sū ěr... pulled out his phone and started Googling.
A few seconds later, Sū ěr had a rough idea of what that "bit of a reputation" meant. While not as famous as the Nine-Tailed Fox or Shuten-doji, the Nurarihyon was rumored to be the Supreme Commander of Youkai.
Legend has it that at dusk, when everyone is busy, the Nurarihyon visits uninvited, sits in the living room, and drinks tea. Although the master of the house might wonder who he is, they are usually too distracted to see through his true nature—or perhaps they are awed by his calm, composed aura. They might even fall under the delusion that he is the master of the house and end up serving him warmly, only to be tricked into providing a free meal.
Hmm... I bet that has to do with the Nurarihyon unique ability. Something like a cognitive blind spot? Didn't the old guy just mention illusions?
But overall, he wasn't known as a malevolent youkai. Even if he knew how to exploit the weaknesses of the human heart, he had his own principles. At least, Sū ěr didn't find any legends of him committing atrocities. But that wasn't enough. Not nearly enough.
It wasn't enough to make Sū ěr believe he had been his enemy and lived to tell the tale.
"How did you survive back then?" Even though he knew the question was a bit of a slap in the face, Sū ěr couldn't help his curiosity. Based on his own self-knowledge, if a youkai dared to bare its fangs at him, he wouldn't give them a second chance unless there was a very specific reason.
Looking at this old youkai, he didn't exactly look like a flower spirit... After that experience with Kazami Yuuka, Sū ěr didn't think he'd leave any loose ends.
"..." However, the old youkai fell silent.
"Go on. No need for reservations," Sū ěr tapped the table.
"...Perhaps because you were hesitating at the time," the old Nurarihyon said, grinning immediately after Sū ěr spoke, his previous silence having been a mere probe.
"Ah, hesitation," Nurarihyon nodded. "I wanted to kill that Nine-Tailed Fox, but you didn't want to see her die... At least, you weren't entirely committed to seeing her dead."
The Nine-Tailed Fox—Sū ěr hadn't expected to hear that name again so soon.
"What did that Nine-Tailed Fox look like?" Think suddenly asked, and Sū ěr repeated the question.
"What did she look like?" Nurarihyon seemed taken aback, as if he hadn't expected the question. He paused to reminisce. "A long-haired wom—no, wait, that was just the body she was possessing."
He had never thought about it before, but Sū ěr question made him realize something. Even after surviving that great war—which left him heavily injured and aged into his current state—he realized he didn't actually know what the Nine-Tailed Fox looked like before she took a physical host.
"Hmm... a fox-shaped shadow? But with nine tails. No fur was visible even in sunlight; it was like a solid patch of shadow, but much darker," Nurarihyon recalled. "I don't know much more. To be honest, although we narrowly defeated that fox, my subordinates and I had no way of killing her. She is still alive, or perhaps... reincarnated?"
Sū ěr also recalled that jade-like body being pierced by the Kusanagi sword, slowly stained by black miasma until it turned pitch black, eventually resulting in a gruesome scene of carnage.
That thing actually lived into this distant era? Sū ěr felt a momentary surge of emotion.
He could roughly understand why the "him" in this Nurarihyon story had shown such "uncommitted resistance," and he also understood why the Nurarihyon had ultimately survived.
Even though she had completely devolved into a youkai, that fox... Sū ěr could never forget that beautiful, jade-colored form.
"Tell me more... Start with what you know of the legends of gods and youkai, and... about me," Sū ěr sighed. He casually manifested a cup, picked up the teapot in front of Nurarihyon, and filled it.
"Ah, I would be honored. However, I have only been around for four hundred years or so since my birth. As for the more ancient history, even I—"
Nurarihyon words cut off abruptly. At the same time, both he and Sū ěr looked up at the cherry tree. A person dressed in a royal blue haori was now reclining on a branch that had been empty a moment ago. If nothing else, Sū ěr had to give him points for the pose.
"It seems we have guests, Old Man," the newcomer said, tilting his head elegantly and striking an even more dramatic pose.
There was no need for doubt. Just looking at that long back-of-the-head, Sū ěr could guess exactly who this was—to say nothing of the "Old Man" address.
Compared to Nurarihyon bald, baguette-like head, this young youkai had hair that was clearly divided into black and long white sections, which made him look far less bizarre.
One had to admit, that hair was a lifesaver. Sū ěr could hardly imagine how ridiculous this handsome youkai would look without it to mask the long protrusion extending from the back of his head. Even the most dashing man would become a freak.
"Pfft."
Well, Think was already laughing.
"Yes, Rikuo," Nurarihyon said, making no attempt to hide anything. He set his teacup down beside him. "Go and fetch a jar of Grandpa's prized sake, and have Wakana prepare some good dishes. I have things to discuss with our guest."
"...Alright," the young youkai replied intelligently, after giving Sū ěr a thoughtful look. In the next second, he vanished from the tree.
Like a mirage in the desert, Sū ěr watched as the youkai's form faded into a phantom, and then watched him calmly jump down from the tree and head toward the outer courtyard—all in a mere heartbeat.