Yamato Kuka had received numerous buffs, but all were enhancements to her own spiritual power, speed, and strength. Defensive spells? None. Healing blessings? Not a single one. And she openly admitted she didn't know any.
The Yamato family was renowned for their support magic, and its members were all trained as priestesses or shrine maidens. As a prodigy of the clan, young Kuka had displayed exceptional spiritual power and talent from an early age. She could master nearly any support spell and adapt it to different situations, a gift that thrilled the head of the Yamato family. He secretly imagined that one day, their clan might produce the strongest support spellcaster in existence.
But life, as always, had other plans.
This prodigy, this beacon of the Yamato clan's hopes, had her worldview shattered by a simple encounter: a knife-wielding thug during a kindergarten field trip.
Young Kuka wanted to intervene, to do what was right—but her father's words echoed in her mind: never use your powers as a shrine maiden in front of ordinary people.
She watched helplessly as the thug stabbed innocent bystanders, taking hostages, powerless to stop him. That was when the old man appeared, wielding nothing more than a bamboo sword.
He walked past the chaos like an ordinary passerby, and by the time anyone realized what had happened, the thug was unconscious on the ground. No one else saw it happen, but young Kuka did.
The old man's swordsmanship filled her with awe. This is how true protection works, she thought. A swordsman, wielding skill and precision, could shield people far more effectively than a "shrine maiden."
From that moment, something switched inside Kuka. Ignoring her kindergarten teacher's frantic calls, she ran after the old man, demanding to know why he hadn't told anyone he defeated the thug.
"Interesting," the old man said, turning to face the little girl. "You can actually see my sword? Another child with enviable talent. Do you want to learn swordsmanship from me?"
From that day on, Kuka became obsessed. Swordsmanship consumed her thoughts, eclipsing all else. She focused only on spells that enhanced her physical abilities, dismissing any magic that healed or bolstered defense. Her teacher had told her: the best defense is offense. Strike like a storm, leave your opponent breathless—and you will need no shield.
Quiet and obedient no longer, Kuka had transformed into a battle maniac, much to the dismay of the Yamato family head. His prodigious shrine maiden daughter now dreamed only of mastering the sword.
He didn't understand why her personality had changed so drastically after her study abroad trip. He transferred her to a new kindergarten and tried, patiently, to persuade her otherwise. But his daughter's determination was unwavering. Her teacher had said that to wield the strongest sword, half-heartedness was unacceptable; only the fiercest conviction could channel true power.
The Yamato patriarch finally realized that this mysterious teacher was the root of Kuka's obsession. He tried to identify the man through subtle questioning and, piece by piece, traced her devotion to a single figure.
If he wanted to bring her back on track, he knew he would have to address the source. Though he didn't yet know exactly who the teacher was, he considered himself a powerful figure in Tokyo—and figured that even the most esteemed exorcist families would defer to the Yamato clan. Surely a little old man with a modest sword would respect him, he thought.
But when he finally arrived, his assumptions were shattered.
The man before him was no ordinary exorcist, no mere wandering swordsman. He was Minamoto no Yoriten, a highly respected senior in the exorcist world. The surname alone commanded reverence. And on his belt gleamed the legendary "Dojigiri Yasutsuna," one of the Five Great Swords of the Realm, said to have beheaded the infamous demon Shuten-dōji.
Whether Minamoto no Yorimitsu—the ancestor—had descendants in the original world was unknown, but in this world, it was undeniable. This old man wielded divine authority and a divine weapon.
Compared to exorcist families, the Minamoto clan operated more like a military dynasty, yet their renown within the spiritual world was absolute. Their ancestor, Minamoto no Yorimitsu, had been a general of the Heian era, commanding the legendary Four Heavenly Kings. Though a warrior rather than an onmyoji, his achievements surpassed the era's most famous exorcists.
Shuten-dōji, one of the three great demons, had fallen to him. And that was just one of many feats. He had also defeated the demon Tsuchigumo—a foe formidable enough to challenge Abe no Seimei himself.
The current head of the Minamoto clan, Minamoto no Yoritomo, retained that same air of incomparable strength.
What began as a confrontation—a proud patriarch intending to assert authority—turned into a humble, deferential visit. Only after being escorted politely to the door did the Yamato family head realize the truth: his daughter had been drawn to the path of swords for a reason. The Minamoto clan was simply untouchable. To oppose them would be folly.