"Really? Teacher, you mean there are yokai in our city? Where did you see them? Can you take us to see them?"
Kiyotsugu's excitement was almost palpable. Hearing Yuto mention that yokai existed in their city, the details of Nurarihyon's habits no longer mattered. As a self-proclaimed yokai fanatic, Kiyotsugu had always regretted never seeing a real yokai up close. Now, hearing that Yuto had encountered one—and that it was right here in the city—sent his adrenaline soaring.
"I've only heard the stories," Yuto said calmly. "Whether they're true or not is up for debate. But if you really want to see a yokai…" He paused, eyes locking on Kiyotsugu, "…I am one."
The words made the surrounding students burst into laughter. They had immediately realized that the new teaching assistant was teasing Kiyotsugu from the start. After all, in most legends, yokai were grotesque and terrifying—but Yuto was handsome, friendly, and utterly ordinary-looking. How could he possibly be a yokai?
Yuto gave an exaggerated shrug, looking helpless. These days, no one seemed to believe the truth when he told it.
"Everyone, I'm officially inviting Mr. Yuto to be the advisor of the 'Kiyojima Strange Detective Club!'"
During the break, Kiyotsugu rallied a few friends, announcing his plan with dramatic flair.
The so-called "Kiyojima Strange Detective Club" was entirely Kiyotsugu's creation. Its members included himself, Rikuo Nura, Kana Ienaga, Natsumi Torii, Saori Maki, and Jiro Shima—a balanced mix of three boys and three girls. While the club's purpose was questionable at best, the presence of exceptionally attractive girls like Kana and Saori lent it a peculiar charm.
"You were just joking with Yuto-sensei earlier, right? You didn't actually think he'd seen monsters, did you?" Saori said mercilessly, glaring at Kiyotsugu's overly excited expression.
In truth, most of the students had joined Kiyotsugu's odd club only because of childhood ties. Persistent pleading and a promise of "adventure" had lured them in, though they still assumed no one else would take the club seriously.
"The 'Kiyoji Strange Detective Club'? A club for investigating and verifying yokai? Sounds interesting enough. Fine, I'll be your advisor," Yuto said casually. "Don't let my looks fool you—I know quite a bit about yokai."
Saori and Natsumi were left speechless. They had expected Kiyotsugu to fail spectacularly in recruiting Yuto, but the new teacher had agreed immediately—and genuinely seemed interested. Yuto wasn't being polite or indulgent; he was actually intrigued.
"I knew I hadn't misjudged him. From the moment Yuto-sensei said that, I was convinced he believes in yokai too. Since he's joining us, our first club activity starts tonight!" Kiyotsugu's excitement was infectious.
"We'll meet at the old school building at 10 PM tonight to investigate the legendary yokai. Please be on time, teacher!" he called, flailing his arms as he left.
Yuto, however, stayed by the window, his gaze distant and focused.
"The old school building… That could be tricky. I hope everyone behaves tonight. It wouldn't be good if anyone got hurt. Broom spirit, cat spirit—let them know we may have visitors tonight. A little scare is fine, but no humans should get harmed."
At his words, a black cat with two tails leapt through the window, and a broom in the office began moving on its own. By the time they reached Yuto, the broom had sprouted short legs, and the two-tailed cat spirit had transformed into a girl with cat ears and a tail.
She knelt before him, eyes wide with admiration.
"Yes, Lord Yuto. We will deliver your orders on time."
Though Yuto had been in this world only briefly, he was no longer alone. The little demon he had casually saved earlier had grown into this cat-girl, her loyalty unwavering.
Back then, she had been weak—barely able to manifest any demonic power or take human form—but Yuto had accepted her anyway. Witnessing his kindness, she had come to understand the plight of other weak demons, often bullied and hunted for survival.
Gathering her courage, she asked, "Lord Yuto… may I take them in too?"
Yuto's reply was calm, yet commanding:
"If you have companions, I can protect them. But let's be clear: I have no patience for those who harm humans without cause."
The cat-girl's expression immediately lit up, human-like in its sheer joy. She hurriedly explained that these were merely small, struggling demons, usually hiding in shadows to avoid predation, and never posing a threat to humans.
By accepting these demons, Yuto's little army grew dramatically—its numbers skyrocketing. Though weak compared to the monstrous yokai under other demon lords, their sheer variety and numbers allowed Yuto to surpass objectives that would have been nearly impossible in the human world.
With this, the first stage of becoming the Lord of Tokyo's monsters was complete. The small demons pledged their loyalty, granting Yuto 1,000 monster reputation points—and a chance to awaken his demonic powers.