Under Ayami's utterly uncompromising insistence, Kuka could only sigh in defeat and use the Shunkei Talisman to take Ayami with her. As for Ruki, the Special Countermeasure Unit was instructed to dispatch a helicopter to pick her up.
However, the moment Ruki received her brother's precise coordinates and watched the white light flare—Kuka and Ayami vanishing from the spot—she broke into a grin, a tiny tiger tooth peeking out mischievously.
"Honestly… Mom and Onii-chan both underestimate me way too much," she muttered. "When they're not home, I've been sparring with Spider Princess Onee-chan and Yukihime Onee-chan in practice matches. And they still treat me like a little kid."
The instant Kuka's Shunkei light faded—
A surge of crimson yokai energy erupted skyward from the Amagami estate.
"Kehehehe…"
A sharp, wicked laugh echoed through the courtyard as a figure stepped forward from within the swirling aura. She wasn't particularly tall—but the sheer pressure radiating from her was impossible to ignore.
Ruki's twin ponytails had come undone, her once neatly tied hair cascading freely down her back. The crimson strands now flowed all the way to her heels. Her previously modest chest had filled out noticeably, and her height had shot up by more than ten centimeters in an instant.
From her forehead extended a single crimson horn. Unlike Ren Kuroda's oni horn, hers was etched with intricate natural patterns that glowed faintly beneath the red sheen.
Ren had always known the truth.
When it came to raw talent, Ruki left him in the dust.
And reality proved it.
Though she was only in middle school, her normal-state yokai power had already reached B+ rank. Once fully transformed—
That power didn't just increase.
It exploded.
From B+ straight to S- rank.
Yes. You heard that right.
She skipped an entire tier.
Back when Ren had been in middle school, a random C-rank yokai could have beaten him senseless without breaking a sweat—let alone anything near S-rank.
And though both siblings underwent demonization, Ruki's form was clearly a higher-order version. From the markings to the aura, she radiated superiority.
The moment her transformation completed, even the previously dim-witted Red Oni froze. Their bodies trembled instinctively under the crushing pressure, shrinking together in fear.
Ren's oppressive aura had come from becoming a "Demon King Seed" and the effects of skill fusion.
But Ruki?
Her transformed presence alone carried that overwhelming pressure naturally.
More importantly—unlike Ren's first demonization, which had cost him his sanity—Ruki retained complete clarity from the very beginning.
That was the difference between mediocrity and genius.
Compare goods and one gets discarded.
Compare people and one dies of shame.
Feeling the overwhelming power coursing through her veins, and glancing down at her now more-developed figure, Ruki's lips curved in satisfaction.
She loved this form.
It just wasn't practical to use at home. If Ayami saw it, she'd scream the roof off. So Ruki usually kept it hidden.
She'd originally planned to surprise her brother someday.
Looks like she'd have to reveal it early.
"Nurikabe. You're coming with me. You four stay behind and protect Aunt Saori and little Yukino."
The transformed Ruki crooked a finger toward Nurikabe, who had been quietly trying to slip back inside unnoticed.
He immediately wore a look of utter despair.
Of course he would go help his master—there was no question about that.
But if even the invincible Lord Ren had run into trouble…
Anyone with half a brain could imagine how dangerous that battlefield must be.
Nurikabe internally screamed in protest, but under Ruki's overwhelming pressure, he had no choice. He transformed into a small stone, which she tied into her hair with a rubber band—thus beginning what he was certain would be a one-way trip.
In her fully demonized state, Ruki's faintly mischievous personality was completely unrestrained. Her actions grew bolder, almost reckless—as if she were venting years of pent-up frustration in one go.
With a single step, she kicked off the ground hard enough to leave behind a small meteor crater.
Map in hand, a crimson streak tore across the city skyline, crushing rooftops beneath her feet as she sprinted in the indicated direction.
She moved so fast that to ordinary eyes she was invisible—only collapsing roofs and fleeting red flashes marking her path.
At that speed, it was no wonder she'd claimed she might reach her brother before Kuka.
Meanwhile, at the snow-covered mountain—
Several minutes had passed.
The exhausted artificial body of Ren Kuroda could already feel it.
The first layer of binding spell had been completely devoured by the "Evils of This World."
Judging from the rate of corrosion, the second layer wouldn't last long either. His darkened main body was becoming increasingly unstable—proof that the corruption was deepening.
The surrounding exorcists, realizing the gravity of the situation, had temporarily set aside their grudges. They worked together with Spider Princess and Yukihime to reinforce the seals suppressing Ren's corrupted form.
Everyone understood one thing.
If the sealed Ren broke free—
Not a single person here would survive.
"What exactly are those black substances?" the head of the Kagamori family demanded as he poured more sealing techniques onto the restrained Ren. "Even in the last battle, they seemed able to erode and consume our clan's seals."
Each seal he placed was devoured before it could take effect.
Time ticked on.
The seals continued to erode.
The once-stable white cocoon began shaking violently.
Pure white spider silk slowly darkened from within, as though ink were spreading outward through fabric.
The moment the cocoon was fully dyed black—
The outermost layer of ice fractured with spiderweb-like cracks.
"BOOOOOOM—!"
As though suppressed for far too long, a tidal wave of black sludge exploded outward the instant every seal shattered.
Those too slow to escape didn't even have time to scream before being swallowed whole.
Watching the black tide surge toward them, Ren forced a bitter smile.
It was over.
He told Spider Princess and Yukihime to run.
To stop protecting this artificial body.
It wasn't worth it.
They were nearly drained from suppressing his corrupted form. Even at full strength, they had no means of countering the "Evils of This World."
But neither of them moved.
They stood firmly in front of him.
"BOOOOOOM—!"
Just as Spider Princess and Yukihime gathered what little power remained for one final stand—
A crimson figure plummeted from the sky like a meteor.
The impact shattered the earth.
A canyon hundreds of meters long ripped across the battlefield.
The oncoming black sludge, flowing like liquid, poured directly into the newly formed chasm.
Dust and debris slowly settled.
The red silhouette became clear.
"Spider Princess Onee-chan, Yukihime Onee-chan… and Onii-chan."
Ruki tilted her head slightly, smiling.
"It's pretty rare to see you three looking this pathetic. Too bad I rushed out and forgot my phone. Otherwise I'd snap a group photo and never have to worry about allowance again."
Spider Princess and Yukihime looked surprised—but not shocked.
Ren, however, stared in utter disbelief.
The delinquent-looking girl standing there—
That was his cute little sister?
In demonized form, Ruki's features and temperament had grown wild and bold. The aura she radiated now was even stronger than this artificial body of his.
Was this really the same girl who used to follow him around demanding toys?
"Whoever did this to my brother," Ruki's eyes flared with fury as she looked at the drained Ren being shielded behind the two maids, "better be ready to—"
Her words faltered.
Because the enemy standing opposite them—
Also looked like her brother.
Wait.
Why are there two Onii-chans?
Her raging fury was instantly extinguished.
Ruki's head turned left and right between the blackened Ren and the weakened Ren. Both carried her brother's aura unmistakably.
In other words—
Two brothers?
Had Ayami secretly given birth to twins?
Her brain short-circuited.
She'd only heard from Kuka that her brother was in danger and needed help. The finer details hadn't registered.
Now, seeing two identical figures facing off—
No wonder her mind froze.
To outsiders, perhaps it looked like Ren and the Hyakki were separate beings.
But Ruki shared blood with him.
She would never mistake her own brother.
Though the blackened figure looked different, she was absolutely certain—
That pitch-black existence was her brother.
"Ruki," Ren spoke through exhaustion, "I've run into a bit of trouble. To put it simply… I lost myself."
He nodded toward the figure emanating overwhelming evil.
"That one—radiating pure malice—is my true body. Try and see if you can call my consciousness back."
His expression turned serious.
"But those black mud-like substances—avoid them at all costs. If they touch you, even you could be swallowed whole."