With the intellect of the Kudo father and son, it was entirely possible they had uncovered clues about supernatural forces.
But in their pursuit, they might have stumbled, becoming trapped somewhere.
Or worse—they could already be dead.
This wasn't an impossibility. Supernatural power wasn't some harmless trinket.
For ordinary people to meddle with it invited disaster.
Still, given the Kudos' cautious nature, it seemed unlikely they'd perish so easily.
Morpheus leaned toward the theory that they were entangled by something—or trapped somewhere beyond their ability to escape, leading to their disappearance.
When Morpheus shared this hypothesis, Yukiko Kudo found it plausible.
She knew Yusaku's capabilities; he wouldn't die so readily.
Nor was she willing to accept that he was gone. She nodded firmly. "Yes, that must be it. They're trapped somewhere."
Sonoko interjected, "Our priority is to figure out what's holding Uncle Kudo and Shinichi—and what kind of supernatural power they were after."
Ran nodded in agreement, looking to Yukiko.
Yukiko grimaced, feeling the weight of their expectations. "The problem is, I really don't know."
"Yusaku and Shinichi seemed to sense the danger in this, so they kept me out of it to protect me. I know very little about their plans."
Ran's face fell, disappointment evident.
Morpheus, however, found their secrecy reasonable.
Wasn't it natural to shield loved ones from dangerous endeavors?
Though being excluded must sting, it had spared Yukiko from whatever fate had befallen the Kudos.
Had she been involved, the entire Kudo family might have been wiped out.
There'd be no one left to seek help, as they were doing now.
Just then, Yukiko's eyes lit up. "Wait, I remember something. Before they vanished, Yusaku and Shinichi were always sneaking around in the study, searching for something. There might be clues there."
Ran's face brightened. "Let's check the study now!"
Yukiko nodded and led Morpheus and the others to the room.
After some rummaging, Morpheus uncovered clues on the study's computer.
Before their disappearance, the Kudos had scoured the internet for information on supernatural forces—clues of varying credibility, difficult to sift through.
But Morpheus noticed something striking: their searches focused heavily on sealed youkai and methods of demon summoning.
It dawned on him what the Kudos had planned.
They likely intended to find a sealed youkai, release it, and form a contract to make it their guardian.
With a youkai's protection, Trinity would no longer be a threat.
If that failed, they might turn to summoning a demon, striking a deal to safeguard their family.
Both were perilous paths.
Success could grant them extraordinary power.
Failure, however, could easily lead to their demise.
Youkai and demons were not to be trifled with. If the released youkai was profoundly malevolent, it might crush the Kudos on a whim.
Or a contracted demon might betray them, claiming their souls.
Still, given the Kudos' intellect, they wouldn't act recklessly without confidence.
The youkai or demon they targeted likely wasn't excessively evil.
They wouldn't dare tamper with something too wicked.
Morpheus examined their browsing history further and found they had zeroed in on specific targets.
The first was none other than Enno Ozuno.
This was a figure from antiquity.
Enno Ozuno, also known as Kamo no Eno Kimi Ozuno, was the ancestor of Kamo Tadayuki, mentor to Abe no Seimei.
Living between the Asuka and Nara periods, he was a renowned sorcerer, known as Enno Gyoja, the founder of Shugendo.
He established the Shugendo sect, recorded in the Nihon Shoki. Legends tell of him soaring over Mount Fuji in iron shoes.
Considered the progenitor of onmyoji, he was said to master astronomy, geography, and all manner of knowledge.
His most significant allies were the demon gods Zenki and Goki, tied to numerous tales that left some questioning his existence, though historical records confirm he was real.
There were two accounts of how Enno Ozuno subdued these demon gods.
The first claimed that at thirty-nine, while training in Ikomayama, a demon couple approached him and kneeling.
"We are descendants of Amatsume Chikao who bearing divine power, and have never submitted to anyone."
"But knowing you, Enno Ozuno, are a bodhisattva in mortal form who guiding and saving the world, we ask to follow you, swearing eternal loyalty."
Overjoyed, Enno Ozuno named the husband Zendo-ki and the wife Myodo-ki.
He later dubbed them Zenki and Goki.
Morpheus dismissed this tale as fanciful. The second account felt more grounded.
While training in Hannya Cave, Enno Ozuno learned of villagers plagued by two demons. He swiftly subdued them.
He sealed them in Hannya Cave, and after his teachings, the demons became his loyal servants, known as Zenki and Goki.
This version rang truer.
Demon gods respected strength over virtue and lacked grand ideals. Submission through force was far more likely.
Morpheus even recalled an ancient anime tied to his childhood: Kishin Douji Zenki.
The details were hazy, but it centered on Enno Ozuno, a great sorcerer who tamed one of the mightiest demon gods, Zenki, and used him to vanquish countless youkai.
All men meet their end, and Enno Ozuno was no exception.
Fearing Zenki's ferocity, he sealed the demon in stone, leaving a prophecy: "When evil rises, the power of the demon god shall awaken."
A millennium later, a young exorcist, Enno Chiaki, aided by Enno Ozuno's spirit, summoned the world's mightiest demon god, the Crimson Demon God Zenki.
But the savage demon refused to obey.
To restrain him, Chiaki used Enno Ozuno's sacred bracelet to transform Zenki into a child, restoring his true form only when needed.
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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