The Minamoto clan's family swordsmanship had never been intended for outsiders. But unlike other exorcist families, the Minamoto line had never truly prospered; it had slowly declined over the years.
Unlike the onmyoji, who studied feng shui and predicted fortune and misfortune, the Minamoto clan was a martial family through and through. Yet in modern society, even knives were strictly regulated, and the younger generation considered swordsmanship useless. They abandoned the art, pursuing other careers instead.
To prevent the clan's ancient techniques from vanishing, Minamoto no Yorimitsu had opened his own dojo. There, he met Yamato Kuka—an exceptionally gifted young girl whose talent rekindled his purpose.
Years passed, and the world shifted dramatically. For the younger Minamoto generation to carve out a future, strength would be vital—but it was too late for them to start learning swordsmanship. Instead, it was Minamoto no Yorimitsu himself, steadfast in his practice for decades, who, at sixty years old, single-handedly defeated an A-rank demon leader during a massive upheaval—an achievement that even the most prominent exorcist families found daunting. His fame spread far and wide.
Nearly twenty years later, Yamato Kuka was no longer the kindergarten girl who had first met him.
Now, standing against Futakuchi-onna—a B-rank yokai—Yamato Kuka pressed forward relentlessly. The amplification from her various spells enhanced her speed and strength, confirming that her earlier words weren't boastful; her initial attacks had been mere probes.
Futakuchi-onna, unwilling to face Onikiri directly, lashed out with her demonic hair, attempting to entangle Yamato Kuka in a grueling battle of attrition. Yet Kuka's strength exceeded the yokai's expectations. Despite Futakuchi-onna's overwhelming advantage in raw demonic power, she found herself struggling in close combat.
Seizing a brief opening, Kuka appeared behind the yokai in a flash. Her Onikiri sword slashed toward Futakuchi-onna's neck.
"Soul Devouring!"
The blade cut through the yokai's hair like a hot knife through butter, severing it completely. Victory seemed within reach—until Kuka felt an overwhelming gravitational pull tugging at her sword.
A gaping maw had split open on the back of Futakuchi-onna's head. It expanded instantly, like a small black hole, sucking everything around it. Chandeliers, tables, and debris spiraled into the void, shredded by the yokai's razor-sharp teeth. Even Yuuto, standing nearby, couldn't help but admire the sheer ferocity of the creature's jaws.
The suction force grew stronger by the second. Initially, only lightweight objects were affected, but soon the countermeasures team members were pulled into its influence.
Yamato Kuka, closest to the yokai, abandoned her attack, plunging Onikiri into the floor to anchor herself.
"Quick! Remove the barrier! Protect the child, then fall back to a safe distance!" she ordered.
The barrier that had originally contained Futakuchi-onna had now become a trap, binding the countermeasures team. Confined within the yokai's spiritual field, its devouring power grew exponentially. Formation collapsed, and despite Yamato Kuka's orders, the support staff scrambled desperately to maintain balance, unable to dispel the barrier.
"Officer! What about our child? You promised us they'd be safe!"
Outside the barrier, the restaurant owners pounded frantically against it, panic and regret etched into their faces. They had trusted Yuuto and the team, and now their child was in danger.
Inside, Yuuto's expression hardened. Apologetic yet focused, he began searching for the child amidst the chaos—and found them unharmed, standing directly in front of Futakuchi-onna. The area around the child was calm, as if the yokai itself had deliberately protected them.
So that was it. The reason Futakuchi-onna had been suppressed until now wasn't weakness—it was concern for the child.
"Interesting," Yuuto murmured, eyes narrowing. "Sometimes yokai have more principles than humans."
Gripping the hilt of his demon sword Oni-Shou, a crescent-shaped slash of purple energy erupted in the next instant. Radiating outward, the crescent grew more potent with every passing second—but its target wasn't the yokai itself. It was the barrier.
The slash struck the massive field, shattering it instantly. With the sealed environment destroyed, Futakuchi-onna's terrifying suction diminished sharply. The countermeasures team's support personnel, finally freed from the oppressive gravity, fell to the ground before retreating in a coordinated, orderly manner, keeping a safe distance from the yokai.
The battle, which had seemed perilous just moments ago, was beginning to tilt back in humanity's favor—but the fight was far from over.