That was why the Countermeasures Division had been so desperate to reach Ren Kuroda yesterday.
On one hand, they urgently needed high-end combat power. On the other, they simply couldn't get in touch with Ren at all—and were genuinely worried that something terrible had happened to him.
To be fair, they knew Ren was strong. But with even S+–rank great yokai showing up, the appearance of other S-rank monsters wouldn't have been surprising in the slightest.
As for Kumohime seeking Ren out as well, it was to report what had happened the day before.
Because of the mysterious celestial phenomenon, massive numbers of yokai had appeared and launched attacks on humans across the country.
Ren's family—Yami and Ruki—had naturally been caught up in it too.
Fortunately, with Kumohime and Nurikabe guarding them, the attacking yokai not only failed to achieve anything, but were instead easily counterkilled.
The power brought by the abnormal sky had boosted the strength of yokai throughout the world to varying degrees. For those who had already awakened early, it was nothing short of an enormous gift.
And as yokai themselves, Kumohime and Nurikabe were, of course, among the beneficiaries.
Kumohime's yokai power had originally been B–rank, but under the influence of the phenomenon, it surged directly to B-rank.
Nurikabe, who had originally been C-rank, pulled off a double leap in one go, rising straight to B–rank.
Logically speaking, lower-tier yokai like Nurikabe should have had a very low growth ceiling—but this cowardly slab of stone had somehow forced his way up to B–rank regardless.
Setting everything else aside, calling him the strongest Nurikabe in existence wouldn't have been an exaggeration at all.
As for the four Red Oni underlings Ren had picked up earlier, they had originally been around D+–rank. After the celestial event, they too had risen straight to C-rank.
It seemed that the weaker a yokai's original power, the greater the boost it received from the abnormal phenomenon.
Because Ren's villa was located far from the bustling city center, there hadn't been many yokai nearby—but that didn't mean there were none at all.
The people living in that area were either wealthy or powerful. That was why, when Ren's family first moved in, Yami and Ruki had been invited to various gatherings.
Yesterday, when yokai attacked, the residents of the villa district naturally relied on their influence and status, seeking help from the military.
Yami and Ruki had originally come to attend a tea party. Back when they lived in the sparsely populated Ukiyo Town, Yami and Ruki hadn't really had any friends.
After moving here, however—perhaps due to misunderstandings, or perhaps because Yami's gentle demeanor made people feel at ease—she quickly made close friends and visited frequently.
Although the rich ladies' gatherings usually revolved around their luxurious family backgrounds or their powerful husbands—topics Yami could rarely contribute to—
Whenever Ruki came along, she always had a great time playing with the other children. That was why Yami usually brought her whenever an invitation arrived.
"Yami, you don't need to be afraid. My fiancé is an officer in the Self-Defense Forces. Help will arrive soon."
Yami's close friend, Jingū Saori, spoke up. Despite being terrified herself, she forced down her panic and tried to reassure everyone.
After all, today's tea party was hosted by her. If anything went wrong, how would she ever hold her head high in this social circle again?
Either Saori's fiancé truly held a powerful position—or he genuinely cared deeply about her.
Not long after Saori made the call, the Self-Defense Forces arrived.
The yokai lurking outside the villa had hesitated before, wary of the powerful yokai aura emanating from inside.
But when faced with the incoming military units, they clearly had no such reservations.
Bullets striking their bodies didn't even count as scratches for these strengthened yokai.
Very quickly, a fully armed Self-Defense Forces unit was completely wiped out under the yokai's assault.
Inside the villa, the women and children saw the soldiers annihilated and brutally slaughtered through the windows, their bodies instantly going cold with fear.
Those with status and connections hurriedly pulled out their phones, frantically calling for help.
The yokai outside, however, had grown smarter.
They still felt wary of the mysterious powerful aura inside the villa—but waiting outside wasn't a bad option either.
After all, those foolish humans kept calling for reinforcements.
And every group that arrived to "rescue" them was nothing more than takeout delivered to their doorstep.
After the Self-Defense Forces, several more groups arrived—soldiers, hired muscle, even gangsters.
Without exception, every single one of them ended up as food for the yokai outside.
And as the stench of blood grew thicker, even more yokai were drawn to the area.
By now, the women inside the villa had mostly stopped calling for help.
Even if they called, the line would simply be cut.
The reason was simple: although these women all had backgrounds, they weren't the only ones under attack.
The world was in chaos. Their families and organizations were stretched thin and needed manpower elsewhere.
There was no time left for them.
In short—they had been abandoned.
"Yami, you haven't called anyone yet, have you? What does your family do? Can they send someone to rescue us?"
Compared to the others who were already panicking, Yami's slightly nervous yet calm demeanor drew attention.
When asked about her family, Yami replied honestly that aside from her son, everyone she had was already here.
The moment they heard that, disappointment spread across the room, followed by thinly veiled mockery.
They had assumed Yami, like them, must have had deep connections to live in such a high-end villa district.
Now it seemed they had overestimated her.
"So what if Yami doesn't have your kind of background?" Jingū Saori snapped, stepping forward to defend her friend."Your backgrounds are so impressive—yet the people you called couldn't save you either. Haven't you been abandoned just the same?"
Saori truly enjoyed spending time with Yami. And she was deeply curious—both were in their thirties, yet Saori was still a high-age virgin while Yami already had a daughter that old.
Struck at their sore spot, the other women fell silent.
They were refined ladies, not shrews who would scream insults—but they couldn't deny Saori was right.
Even if Yami had called for help, the outcome would likely have been the same—at best delaying their deaths a little longer.
More and more yokai gathered outside.
With no new rescue forces arriving, those monsters stared at the delicate women and children inside, growing increasingly restless.
"Madam," Kumohime said gently, approaching Yami in her maid outfit, bowing respectfully."I deeply regret disturbing your gathering. However, I must say—this place is becoming more dangerous by the minute. For safety's sake, we should return home as soon as possible.There is a barrier Lord Ren set up there. It offers a certain degree of protection."
Normally, Kumohime wouldn't have feared yokai of this caliber at all.
But thanks to a house full of "helpful" allies who kept calling reinforcements to their deaths, the bloodshed had drawn more and more monsters.
Although the situation was still under control for now, Kumohime didn't want to gamble with Yami and Ruki's safety.
If even a few B-rank yokai showed up, escaping would become extremely difficult.
"Leave? How?" someone scoffed."Even the Self-Defense Forces were wiped out. What can a little maid like you possibly do?"
The others had heard Kumohime too, and ridicule spread across their faces.
Kumohime ignored them completely, waiting only for Yami's decision.
"Kumohime… are you confident?" Yami asked softly.
Seeing so many people die outside, it would be a lie to say she wasn't scared.
But most of her fear came from worrying about Ruki.
The little girl, however, seemed blissfully unaware of the danger, playing innocently nearby.
"If it's just escorting you and Lady Ruki away, then yes—I'm completely confident," Kumohime replied with a radiant smile."Honestly, both you and Lord Ren have underestimated Lady Ruki for a long time. If she had combat experience, I might not even be able to defeat her.Strictly speaking, Madam—you're the only one who truly needs protection."
After receiving Yami's consent, Kumohime turned toward Ruki and spoke clearly:
"Nurikabe, it's time to leave. If Madam or Lady Ruki suffers even the slightest injury… you understand the consequences, don't you?"
Before anyone could even process what "Nurikabe" meant—
They watched in shock as the stone seal Ruki had been playing with fell to the ground and transformed into a colossal being with eyes and a nose.
Nurikabe's appearance triggered another round of screams.
But when they realized the massive creature wasn't attacking—and was instead being scolded by a pouting Ruki for taking away her toy—
A light called hope ignited in their eyes.
Humans couldn't stand against the monsters outside.
But a towering being of stone with an indestructible body like that—
No matter how they looked at it, it was clearly not something human.
..
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