"According to the gods' original plan, the yokai were not meant to be purged just yet.You, and that other oni over there—I noticed both of you from the very beginning. But you were not my targets, which is why I chose to ignore you."
The Nightblade God's voice carried no urgency, only cold detachment.
"But judging by the situation now, it seems you two have no intention of fleeing.Well… that's fine. Compared to those frail weaklings, perhaps the two of you can provide me with a bit of entertainment."
When the Nightblade God descended into the mortal world, the first beings that drew his attention were not the head of the Yamato family or the exorcists before him—but Ren Kuroda and Ibaraki Dōji, locked in combat in the distance.
From the moment he arrived, he could sense it clearly.
Those two were the strongest entities in the entire area.
Under the rules and limitations imposed upon the lower realm, the absolute ceiling of power appeared to be around SSS+ rank.And yet, the combat power Ren Kuroda and Ibaraki Dōji had unleashed was already comparable to SS+—placing them firmly among the highest tier of monsters this world could produce.
Of course, to the Nightblade God—whose true power far exceeded the limits of the lower realm—even this level was merely… passable.
The barrier between the divine realm and the mortal world had only fractured slightly. Though he had exploited that crack to descend, the restrictions of the world's laws—combined with the injuries he had sustained—had drastically suppressed his strength.
Before absorbing the phantasmal remnants of the Four Divine Beasts, his power had even fallen to SS rank.
But now—
Even without fully recovering to his peak, he was confident.
Dealing with Ren Kuroda and Ibaraki Dōji would not be difficult.
One figure plunged downward from the sky.Another launched upward from the ground.
Kamiyori and the black scythe collided midair.
The instant they clashed, two overwhelming auras erupted outward, each tearing away and claiming half the sky.
The stalemate lasted only a moment.
Ren Kuroda was abruptly flung away—man and blade together—sent hurtling through the air by the massive scythe.
Before he could even adjust his trajectory—
The Nightblade God vanished.
Not moved.
Vanished—like darkness swallowing itself.
When he reappeared, it was directly behind Ren Kuroda.
A cold gleam flashed.
The scythe's blade slid up from behind, resting lightly against Ren Kuroda's neck.
All it would take was a gentle pull.
And his head would fall.
"Night Raid · Guillotine."
The words whispered like the murmur of death itself.
The blade moved.
Blood scattered through the air.
Landing smoothly, the Nightblade God looked across at Ren Kuroda—now kneeling, gasping for breath, blood pouring from his wounds—and smiled in satisfaction.
"Just as I suspected.You really are capable of amusing me.
If you were an ordinary creature—even one that had reached SS rank—you would have died just now. And yet… you managed to respond.
Among the beings of the lower realm, you are truly exceptional."
At the very instant the scythe was about to sever his head, Ren Kuroda had acted.
Dodging was impossible.His reaction speed could never outpace the scythe's pull.
So, in the final heartbeat—
He slammed his left wrist against the blade.
The result was brutal.
The upper half of his left arm was cleanly severed.
Even his neck bore a deep, vicious gash.
The blood raining down moments earlier came from that very wound.
And yet—even after suffering injuries of that magnitude—
Ren Kuroda still counterattacked.
As the Nightblade God pulled his scythe back, Ren Kuroda endured the agony of losing his arm and kicked forward with all his remaining strength—slamming his foot into the god's abdomen and blasting him out of the air, straight into the ground.
That was why the Nightblade God had been surprised.
By all logic, the difference in power meant Ren Kuroda had been facing a near-certain death.
Yet this oni had chosen to sacrifice an arm to escape that fate—then used his combat instincts to avoid follow-up damage by forcefully disengaging.
And more astonishing still—
As the Nightblade God was sent flying back, he noticed something else.
Ren Kuroda's severed arm…
Was already regenerating.
"Regeneration…?"The god licked his lips, eyes gleaming.
By the time he surged forward again, scythe whirling effortlessly in his hands, Ren Kuroda's arm had already fully reformed.
They clashed once more.
At first, Ren Kuroda believed that even if his raw power was inferior, he could compensate through technique and swordsmanship.
He was wrong.
Whether it was martial skill or combat experience, the Nightblade God was equally—if not more—refined.
Ren Kuroda gained no advantage at all.
And as the fight dragged on, a harsh truth became clear.
The reason he was still holding his ground…
Was because the Nightblade God was deliberately holding back.
The god had grown interested.
Rather than crushing Ren Kuroda with overwhelming force, he had chosen to test him purely through technique.
From that alone, it was obvious.
This was no ordinary god.
This was a battle god—and likely a battle-obsessed one at that.
Even so, Ren Kuroda knew the outcome.
If this continued, he would lose.
Both Half-Oni Transformation and Blade Spirit Release had time limits.
Once those dual amplifications ended, defeat would be instant.
And when he thought of the consequences of failure—
Fear flooded him.
Yes.
For the first time since his reincarnation, Ren Kuroda felt true fear.
But it wasn't fear for himself.
It was fear for the people he loved—living in the Tokyo District.
"Damn it… what the hell am I hesitating for?!
If I'm afraid they'll be hurt, then all I have to do is defeat this bastard!
I already swore it—didn't I?!
If it's to protect them… even becoming a demon beyond redemption would be worth it!"
As his power continued to wane, Ren Kuroda was gradually pushed back.
Even the Nightblade God sensed it—his interest beginning to fade, his power preparing to rise for a finishing blow—
And then—
He felt it.
Ren Kuroda's fighting spirit flared once more.
As a god, the Nightblade God was highly sensitive to mortal emotions.
From Ren Kuroda's eyes, he could tell—
Something had changed.
"Interesting…The girl earlier stepped forward out of love.
So what about you?
What drives you?"
He smiled faintly.
"Show me something worth seeing."
With a powerful slash, Ren Kuroda forced the god back and leapt away, creating distance.
Then—
He pulled out the Endless Gourd.
This time, he had no intention of staying sober.
Activating Lives for Drink, he tipped the gourd back and drank everything.
The concentrated liquor he had stored for days vanished down his throat.
His youki surged—violently.
SS rank…
SS+.
Power swelled explosively.
But along with it—
His rationality eroded.
Even at full output, Ren Kuroda could feel it.
This still wasn't enough.
And he couldn't drink more.
Another sip, and he wouldn't lose clarity—He would lose consciousness entirely.
"…If I'm already losing my mind…"
His eyes darkened.
"…then I might as well go all the way."
He spread his arms.
"Evils of This World—You've always wanted to devour me, haven't you?
Fine.
Then become my power!"
The Intrinsic Domain began to tremble.
Black mud seeped up from the bone-strewn ground, pooling together, surging toward Ren Kuroda.
The oni generals and soldiers within the domain dropped to one knee.
"We offer ourselves as our lord's strength—To protect your will!"
They dissolved into black sludge as well, rushing toward him.
Ren Kuroda had always been uncertain about his purpose in this world.
Was it just to survive?
No.
He had gained something irreplaceable.
Family.
Comrades who entrusted their lives to him.
If he had already decided—
That for their sake, there was nothing he wouldn't do—
Then there was no reason to hesitate now.