As one of the primary combat methods used by onmyoji, shikigami were something nearly every onmyoji relied upon.
However, that didn't mean every onmyoji's shikigami was powerful.
Earlier, when the punk-styled leader of the Old Rat Group saw how young Yura was, he'd immediately labeled her easy prey. But after personally witnessing the destructive might of her Shikigami: Rensen, he realized—far too late—that he had catastrophically underestimated this girl.
Watching a single blast reduce his underlings to chunks of flesh and blood made the Old Rat Group's leader ache with real pain.
The Old Rat Group had long ago been expelled from the Nura Clan for their atrocious conduct. Ever since, they'd been hated by nearly everyone. Every subordinate lost was one less expendable pawn in a group that already lived hand-to-mouth.
At the rate Yura was slaughtering them, even if they somehow won through sheer numbers tonight, the losses would be catastrophic.
Just as the Shamate-styled leader was on the verge of charging forward to tear Yura apart himself, the scene before him shattered his composure completely.
The onmyoji girl wasn't just capable of summoning powerful shikigami—
She was controlling two shikigami at the same time.
The massive white wolf—over five meters long—plowed into the Old Rat Group like a tiger among sheep, ripping and devouring them one after another. Watching this, the leader finally understood one thing with chilling clarity.
The girl in front of him was no lamb.
She was a predator wearing a harmless disguise.
His underlings were suffering devastating losses. And more importantly, as he looked at the girl standing atop the giant wolf, calmly commanding the battlefield, the leader instinctively assessed the situation—
He was no match for her. Not even close.
As he watched the onmyoji girl continue her one-sided massacre, his gaze flicked toward the real target of tonight's mission.
A thought suddenly clicked.
A smug, twisted smile spread across his face.
"Bind… bind… immovable restraint… divine decree descends—so be it!"
Originally, seeing that Yura's strength far exceeded expectations, the Old Rat Group's leader had planned to use Kana and Saori as hostages, forcing Yura to surrender.
But the instant that thought formed—
A Yin–Yang magic circle flared beneath his feet.
Glowing chains burst out from the circle, coiling around his limbs and torso, binding him tightly in place.
"If we're talking purely about spiritual power, your talent as an onmyoji is flawless," a calm voice said."But when it comes to actual combat experience, you're still too green, kid."
"Before you start a fight, you should ask yourself—are you here to exorcise demons, or to save people?"
"Ignoring the hostages like that… don't you realize how easily someone could use that against you?"
The sudden appearance of the Yin–Yang formation startled Yura, who was still mid-battle.
But when she saw the approaching figure—and heard Ren Kuroda's words—she immediately understood what the Old Rat Group's leader had been planning.
For the first time, a faint trace of embarrassment appeared on her usually expressionless face.
She couldn't refute his criticism.
She really had focused entirely on exterminating the monsters… and forgotten about Kana and the others who'd been captured.
Onmyoji existed to protect humans from yokai.
And Yura, raised strictly under her family's teachings, took that duty seriously.
If the Old Rat Group had truly threatened the girls' lives, she would almost certainly have been forced to surrender.
"Thank you for your help… big brother," Yura said softly.
She called Tanrō over, leapt down from its back, and bowed deeply toward Ren Kuroda.
"As an onmyoji, Yura nearly made a grave mistake."
In truth, Yura was still a novice. Otherwise, her family would never have sent her out to train alone. And if she hadn't coincidentally encountered this senior onmyoji tonight, the situation could have turned extremely dangerous.
Ren's words had been blunt—almost harsh—but Yura understood that he was teaching her through experience.
Her bow was both an expression of gratitude and respect for his guidance.
"Big brother…? Uh, well—never mind. You can actually call me—"
Ren started to introduce himself.
But at that very moment, the Old Rat Group's leader—still bound by Ren's onmyoji techniques—suddenly went berserk.
The appearance of a second onmyoji completely erased his last shred of doubt.
One onmyoji could be explained away as coincidence.
But two?
This wasn't Kyoto—the stronghold of onmyoji.
This was Kanto, territory ruled by the Nura Clan, the great yokai lords of the region. Calling it a yokai stronghold wouldn't be an exaggeration.
Under normal circumstances, an onmyoji appearing here was already rare.
Two appearing at the same time?
If someone claimed the Old Rat Group hadn't been set up, who would believe it?
Rage from being tricked—combined with the crushing pressure from Yura and Ren—made the leader snap.
His once-pristine white suit tore apart as his body swelled grotesquely, expanding from human size to over five meters tall.
The binding spells Ren had placed shattered violently as the rat demon revealed his true form.
Looking at the towering monster, Ren was reminded of the Rat Demon King he'd once killed in the main world.
Both were rat demons—but this one stood upright, more like a monstrous werewolf than a rat.
"Young master, this is the area," a voice reported calmly."I remember the Old Rat Group—expelled from the Nura Clan—often operated around here. Even after being banished, they showed no remorse and continued breaking the rules."
Just as the Old Rat Group's leader unleashed his full demonic power, preparing a desperate gamble to kill Ren and Yura—
Another group arrived.
Tonight, Nura Rikuo looked dashing and heroic. Aside from his slightly swollen face, his bearing and aura were impeccable.
This was his first true Hyakki Yagyō—his first Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.
With Miyagi-maru slung casually over his shoulder and one hand tucked into his kimono, he walked forward with a roguish swagger, leading the hundred demons behind him.
At his back, the yokai of the Nura Clan followed with barely restrained excitement.
Whether it was Kubinashi, Kurotabo, or the others—they had waited an unthinkable length of time for this moment.
The Old Rat Group was nothing but trash; any one of them could wipe it out alone.
But this was their young master's first Night Parade.
The ceremony mattered.
As a result, nearly all the main-family yokai of the Nura Clan had mobilized.
Walking at the very front, Nura Rikuo appeared calm and commanding, like a seasoned general.
Internally, though, he felt more than a little smug.
No wonder everyone wants to be the Lord of a Hundred Demons, he thought.Marching through the streets like this, with all eyes on you… how could anyone not love it?
Listening to the report from the Three Crow Tengu, Rikuo nodded.
Truthfully, there was no need for a report. The moment they entered the area, he and his companions had sensed the thick demonic aura saturating the air.
Rikuo didn't recognize the Old Rat Group by name—the Nura Clan had far too many subgroups to remember them all.
But since these exiles had dared continue wreaking havoc in Nura territory, eliminating them was his responsibility as the young master.
Bad luck for them.
Rikuo had just been humiliated earlier tonight. Now that he'd recognized his own shortcomings, these rule-breaking yokai would serve nicely as practice.
The Old Rat Group's leader, now in his true form, quickly assessed Ren and Yura.
His chances of winning were slim—but sacrificing subordinates might allow him to escape.
Unfortunately, before he could even plan a route—
An overwhelming tide of demonic energy surged in from all directions, completely engulfing the Old Rat Group.
It dwarfed their own aura beyond comparison.
"You are the Old Rat Group," Nura Rikuo declared confidently, preparing a grand introduction."And I am Nura Rikuo—the third-generation successor to the Kanto Demon General—"
But as he scanned the area, counting how many demons he could potentially add to his Hundred Demons—
He noticed something.
There were… humans present.
And among those "unrelated parties," Rikuo saw someone he least wanted to encounter right now.
Someone who had beaten him senseless earlier that very night.
He'd only just recovered and come here to regain some confidence—
And instead, he ran straight into his nemesis.
Rikuo's self-introduction stalled.
Seeing this, Kurotabo and the others were baffled.
Why was their young master staring at a human boy with such a conflicted expression?
They'd come to deal with the Old Rat Group—but the real troublemaker seemed to be right in front of them.
"So…" Ren Kuroda said, wearing a helpless smile as he looked at Rikuo's constipated expression."Did everyone decide to throw a banquet tonight or something? Why are you all gathered here?"