Ren Kuroda wasn't worried in the slightest that he might attack Ruri if she stepped forward to speak to his corrupted self.
What truly concerned him was the influence that "All the World's Evil" might have on her.
Ruri was his dearest family—someone he had always sworn to protect. And the effect of her arrival was, quite frankly, extraordinary.
Moments ago, the corrupted Ren—having shattered every seal restraining him—had been teetering on the brink of a full-blown rampage. He had been seconds away from unleashing a massacre.
Yet all it took was one sudden, trembling—
"Big brother."
And the storm inside him stilled.
The effect was so dramatic that even Tsuchigumo-hime and Yuki-hime, standing nearby, couldn't hide the flicker of jealousy in their expressions.
When Ren had broken free earlier, they had tried everything—calling out to him, pleading with him—to calm him down.
And though their voices had kept him from targeting them directly, calming him? That had been impossible.
They had thought he was completely lost.
But now Ruri had appeared, said a single "Big brother," and the corrupted Ren had quieted instantly…
Tsuchigumo-hime folded her arms, her tone sharp with mock irritation."Ren-sama always claims he prefers mature, voluptuous women. And yet in the end, he's just a hopeless siscon."
Yuki-hime sighed, equally put out."Honestly. The two of us talked until we were hoarse, and it still didn't compare to Ruri-sama saying one word. Really now…"
Ren turned his head away and pretended not to hear them.
He was just a clone body, after all. Whatever embarrassing tendencies existed belonged to the original. It had nothing to do with him.
And if Tsuchigumo-hime and the others tried to corner him about it later, he could always blame it on the corruption.
I was possessed. I don't remember a thing. Perfect excuse.
Meanwhile, Ruri looked up at her brother, her crimson eyes bright with urgency.
"Big brother, you're in serious trouble! Ayami was worried sick and she's rushing over here as fast as she can. If she sees you looking like this—and after causing such a massive mess—she's going to be furious. Like, terrifyingly furious!"
The corrupted Ren had been staring at the red-haired girl in front of him, head tilted slightly, like a child trying to remember a half-forgotten dream.
Who was she?
Why did she feel… warm?
But the moment he heard certain keywords—
"Ayami.""Furious."
A visible shudder ran through him.
When Ruri had suddenly descended from the sky earlier—and landed right in front of the rampaging Hundred-Night Oni—everyone had assumed the worst. She had been the closest target. And though her aura radiated formidable yokai power, most had expected her to be torn apart instantly.
Instead, what unfolded shattered every expectation.
The Hundred-Night Oni who had just battled the Oni King Ibaraki Dōji…The same one who had struck down the god Yoruha-no-Kami…The being whose power had soared to apocalyptic heights, exuding the air of a demon king poised to end the world—
Was now being scolded by a girl noticeably shorter than him.
When she had walked straight up to him earlier, ignoring everyone else, hearts had leapt into throats. People had already imagined how many pieces her delicate body would be ripped into.
But reality had diverged so wildly from imagination that many now wondered:
Was this truly the same Hundred-Night Oni from moments ago?
"It seems Ruri's presence is working," someone muttered quietly. "But… it's not enough."
Though Ren had calmed somewhat after her arrival, the peace did not last.
Soon, more black sludge—like creeping ivy—began climbing over his body, coating him once more. Along with it rose a suffocating aura of malice and despair.
The corrupted Ren, briefly stabilized, was dragged violently back toward madness.
He shoved the stunned Ruri aside and lunged again toward the remaining humans—and toward Ibaraki Dōji.
Even in his darkest state, Ren harbored not a shred of intent to harm Ruri.
But his mind overflowed with rage and destruction. He needed an outlet.
Yet every time he moved to slaughter, Ruri rushed in front of him again and again, throwing herself between him and his targets.
By now, tears streamed freely down her face.
The brother before her felt like a stranger.
Her real brother had always been bright, warm, gentle. No matter how unreasonable or spoiled she acted, he would only sigh with a pained smile and indulge her.
Like Ayami, his protectiveness bordered on pathological. He wouldn't even let her watch slightly violent shows, terrified she might grow up twisted.
And now—
The same brother who shielded her from bloodshed was about to massacre people before her eyes.
Was this truly the gentle Ren she knew?
From behind, Ruri wrapped her arms tightly around him.
Within those pitch-black pupils, a flicker of clarity flashed.
For a heartbeat.
Then the abyss swallowed it again.
His mind boiled with endless violence and annihilation.
And yet—
He did not want to destroy this light that made him feel warm.
With no outlet for his fury, Ren let out a savage roar. He reached back with one hand, effortlessly lifted Ruri by the collar, and hurled her away.
Tsuchigumo-hime and Yuki-hime, unable to stand by any longer, charged forward without hesitation.
They didn't know what Ren intended to do. But they couldn't gamble on it. Even if Ruri suffered only minor injuries, once Ren regained his senses, the guilt of harming his own sister would tear him apart.
Just as Ren tightened his arm, preparing to throw the tear-streaked Ruri aside—
And just as the two yokai rushed in—
The shard hanging from his neck suddenly flared.
A soft pink radiance erupted from the fragment, enveloping Ren completely.
Within that rosy glow, the corrupted Ren lowered his gaze.
His clawed hands were slick with blood.
On the ground lay a lifeless body.
He looked at it.
Then again.
And his dark pupils expanded infinitely.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
A roar tore from his throat—thick with regret, fury, and self-loathing. It split the sky, shattered the clouds overhead, and sent violent tremors through the entire Tokyo district.
The identity of the fallen figure did not need to be spoken.
The familiar silhouette on the ground… the face that seemed to linger in his ears like a fading echo…
Ren's psychological defenses collapsed in an instant.
And in the depths of his mind, "All the World's Evil" whispered like a demon at his shoulder.
Another version of himself appeared in his thoughts—darker, colder.
"This only happened because Ruri was foolish. Why did she run out and stop you from killing those pieces of trash?"