After bowing and offering her goodwill, Yuuri Chizuru departed. Before leaving, she cast a meaningful glance at Hinano, who was standing beside Ren Kuroda, and said, "I won't lose to you."
Kuroda blinked.
"Did you know her before? Why do I get the feeling she's hostile toward you?"
Yuuri's words left him completely baffled. Logically, this was the first time he'd met Yuuri Chizuru, and Hinano didn't know any of these exorcist families. Yet Yuuri had just treated Hinano as an enemy.
Kuroda could sense it clearly: Yuuri Chizuru's spiritual power dwarfed even her brother Maruji Chizuru. As for Hinano Kujo, she was an ordinary human. One Yuuri could easily defeat a hundred Hinanos without breaking a sweat.
And yet… she had treated Hinano as a serious rival. The tone in her voice had been firm, her intent unmistakable.
Kuroda turned to Hinano. "Why do you think she sees you as an enemy?"
Hinano's face turned crimson, steam practically rising from her head. "How should I know?! But someone who can read minds is so annoying!"
Her embarrassment and indignation flared at the exposure of her secret. She stomped ahead, pouting, no longer interested in lecturing Kuroda.
But that was only the beginning.
"Senior Kuroda! I just transferred here today. Please take care of me from now on!""Lord Kuroda, I heard your shikigami are very strong. May I take a look?""Senior Kuroda, do you have a girlfriend? I am—"
Hinano froze. Kuroda was suddenly surrounded by a cluster of girls, all eager, all leaning toward him shamelessly, calling him intimately. She clenched her teeth, glaring at the lecherous senior who seemed to be enjoying himself.
"Wait, didn't you say you offended someone from a powerful family yesterday? So… what's going on now, Mr. Handsome Senior Kuroda?"
She had been worried about him after hearing that he'd angered a powerful exorcist family. She'd even considered asking her father to intervene, offering money to smooth over the conflict. But now… it seemed her concerns were entirely unnecessary.
Kuroda looked equally bewildered. Yesterday, he had returned home bracing for retaliation. Today, first, Yuuri Jibanyan had apologized to him on behalf of her family. Now, a swarm of enthusiastic "junior girls" had flocked around him.
Wait—weren't they supposed to be freshmen too? So why did it feel like a horde of eager young ladies had appeared out of nowhere?
Meanwhile, in the Onmyo Academy principal's office, Tomoko Kurahashi sat before a towering stack of application forms, smiling wryly.
"I didn't expect that kid to be such a social magnet. If I let him be the face of recruitment, there won't be any shortage of new students," she murmured.
The stack of forms was from the exorcism families she had visited. Not every family member was suitable for Onmyodo cultivation. In the most traditional clans, male heirs were prioritized because the secret techniques of the family were passed down to men. Girls were trained only if they were the sole heirs or if the family intended for a son-in-law to live with them.
Historically, the Yin-Yang Academy had been male-dominated, with women far outnumbered. But thanks to Kuroda's influence, the majority of these families had sent their eligible daughters to the academy.
The goal was simple: if the daughters married Kuroda, the family could secure a powerful son-in-law. Even if the marriage never happened, the girls would at least gain fundamental Onmyodo skills for self-defense—a necessity in a world that was becoming increasingly dangerous.
Powerful yokai were appearing with alarming frequency. In just one week while Kuroda was away, S-rank demonic fluctuations had been detected in Kanagawa. Patriarchs of the Thirteen Demon-Slaying Families had traced the demonic disturbances, noting lingering signs of destruction and powerful residual energy. Even if the demons themselves had fled, the devastation remained.
Previously, the public might have been placated with official denials, but no longer. Ordinary people were witnessing supernatural occurrences firsthand. Disappearances and bizarre incidents were now breeding urban legends. Humans were evolving, and so were yokai. Once-harmless E- and D-rank entities were developing immunity to firearms and explosives. The growing fear of humans gave these supernatural beings power, creating a feedback loop that amplified their abilities.
As the world changed, exorcists became a highly sought-after profession. Wealthy businessmen and celebrities now employed them as bodyguards, paying steep fees for protection. Official denials couldn't hide the truth anymore—anyone who managed to climb into high society had to acknowledge the rising influence of exorcists.
Kuroda glanced around, still surrounded by a throng of eager new classmates. The world was shifting, the balance of power tilting, and somehow, he had landed right in the eye of the storm.
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