What should have been a catastrophe capable of endangering the entire world… ended in a scene so absurdly dramatic it felt like the curtain call of a stage play.
Ren Kuroda had no idea what kind of terrifying, unfathomable existence the exorcists of Tokyo had already reconstructed in their imaginations when it came to Ayami Tenkami.
But one thing was undeniable—
The fear he and Ruri felt toward Ayami's "family disciplinary code" came straight from the depths of their souls.
And everyone present could clearly see that their terror was anything but an act.
Ren, who had dared to cross blades with a god.
Ruri, who had faced down a fully corrupted Ren without flinching.
And yet in front of Ayami—
The two of them shrank like frightened chicks.
Under their repeated, pitiful pleas, Ayami's heart eventually softened. She declared that she would deal with her troublesome son and daughter after they returned home.
Ruri's "maximum-level family punishment" was waived—but she would be placed under house arrest for three days. No stepping outside. Not even one foot past the threshold.
As for Ren…
He had tried to follow Ruri's lead, attempting to muddle through with a bit of charm.
Unfortunately, he lacked the necessary qualifications.
The "family disciplinary code" was unavoidable.
After thoroughly scolding the disobedient siblings, Ayami led Ren and Ruri before the gathered exorcist families. She personally apologized to each one—and offered her heartfelt thanks to Kuka Yamato.
In Ayami Tenkami's eyes, every single one of these exorcist families far surpassed the humble Tenkami household she came from.
She had no clear understanding of just how extraordinary her son and daughter truly were. But ingrained beliefs told her one thing—
Their family couldn't afford to offend any of these clans.
And judging from what had just happened, Ren seemed to have caused no small amount of trouble for all of them.
So she apologized. One by one.
She had even made up her mind—once they got home, she would start packing immediately and leave the Tokyo district, this land of endless trouble.
A woman may be weak—
But a mother is strong.
That saying found its perfect embodiment in Ayami Tenkami.
Because of her experiences growing up, she harbored an instinctive fear and aversion toward exorcist families.
And yet now, for the sake of her children, she stood before each of them with impeccable manners, apologizing with such sincerity that no one could possibly fault her.
When Ruri muttered under her breath that these people weren't even that impressive, Ayami silenced her instantly with a single glare.
Ruri shrank into obedient submission.
As for the clan heads receiving Ayami's apologies—
Not a single one dared act arrogantly.
Some even lowered their posture more than she did.
After all—
Setting aside the fact that many of them had already imagined Ayami to be some unfathomable hidden powerhouse—
Just the two children standing behind her were more than enough to make them cautious.
Hadn't they noticed?
Every time Ayami bowed in apology, Ren stood behind her, scanning them with sharp, measuring eyes.
If their response was even slightly inappropriate—
It was obvious they would be recorded in his "little notebook."
Through this incident, everyone also came to a shocking realization:
Ren Kuroda—
And the Hundred-Night Oni—
Were the same person.
The so-called "curse" they had speculated about?
Not a curse at all.
He was a half-yokai.
Even now that the truth had come to light, there was little the exorcists of Tokyo could do beyond stare in stunned silence.
Ren was no longer the timid rookie he once appeared to be.
He was a genuine SS-class Yokai King.
Even if they now understood his dual identity, anyone thinking of making a move against him would first need to weigh whether they possessed the necessary strength.
And this had all happened in a single day.
So much information had been thrown at them that it felt overwhelming.
Compared to the revelation that the gods intended to cleanse humanity and establish a new civilization—
The news that the so-called "Redeemer" was actually the Hundred-Night Oni seemed almost trivial.
The deity known as Yagami had torn open a crack between worlds by forcibly exploiting their ritual techniques.
Originally, that crack had been small.
But when corrupted Ren's ultimate blade technique collided with Yagami's divine power—
Space itself had collapsed on a massive scale.
The fissure had widened.
Which meant—
At some unknown place.
At some unknown time.
The so-called gods might descend upon this world once again.
The next one could be weaker than Yagami.
Or far stronger.
To the gods, humans were nothing but ants.
Yokai were nothing but pawns.
In the face of such enemies—
Could humans and yokai continue clinging to their old hostilities?
With the gods' descent, the structure of the world would inevitably shift again.
And with it would come endless new troubles.
Of course—
Those were matters for the "important people" to worry about.
Ayami Tenkami firmly believed her family was just an ordinary household. Such grand affairs had nothing to do with them.
So after finishing her apologies, she simply took Ren and Ruri by the hand and headed home under the watchful eyes of everyone present.
—
Ren was being dragged along by the ear when suddenly—
A soft pink radiance burst from his chest.
After a brief flash of shimmering light—
A slender, breathtakingly beautiful woman materialized.
Her figure was elegant, her features fox-like and captivating. Behind her, multiple tails swayed gracefully in the air.
"The Three Great Yokai Kings—Tamamo-no-Mae!"
The exorcists gasped in unison.
As professionals, they could not possibly fail to recognize the legendary fox spirit.
The overwhelming demonic aura radiating from her body—
And the nine tails swaying behind her—
Were undeniable.
But what they didn't understand was this:
Why would one of the Three Great Yokai Kings appear here?
Wasn't Tamamo-no-Mae only supposed to revive after all fragments of the Sesshōseki were gathered?
Ren pressed his temples in frustration.
"Hey, hey… I know you've awakened already, but did you really have to materialize here? Are you trying to make my life harder on purpose?"
The woman before him was none other than Yuki-onna—no.
Now she was something more.
After absorbing the power of the Sesshōseki, her soul had fused with the remnants of Tamamo-no-Mae.
Her strength had risen once more—
Surpassing Ren's normal-state yokai power.
SS-minus class.
Terrifyingly close to the pinnacle.
Ren had originally intended to discuss the promise he'd made to her with Ayami in private.
Instead, she had chosen to reveal herself immediately.
"My lord Ren speaks so coldly," she replied, her voice warm and faintly teasing. "After all, I did play a part in helping you escape your previous state.
"And as for the mother you so often speak of… I have come to admire her deeply. That is precisely why I could not wait to meet Lady Ayami sooner."
With the fusion of Tamamo-no-Mae's fragmented soul, not only had her power grown—
Her temperament had changed slightly as well.
The original Yuki-onna possessed strong maternal instincts, but she had been aloof and emotionally distant.
Now—
With the White-Faced Golden-Furred Nine-Tailed Fox's power interwoven into her being—
A natural, effortless charm radiated from her.
She wasn't even deliberately using her abilities.
Yet simply standing there—
With her devastating beauty and enchanting presence—
Was enough to make most men's hearts race uncontrollably.
Because Yuki-onna's soul had been whole while Tamamo-no-Mae's fragment had been incomplete, the dominant consciousness remained Yuki-onna's.
Which meant her maternal nature was not only preserved—
It had grown stronger.
If she were summoned into another world like the one of heroic spirits—
Her overwhelming "motherhood" alone might qualify her for Berserker-class.
Like Minamoto no Raikō.
It was precisely because of that maternal instinct that she had been so moved.
She had watched Ayami suppress Ren and Ruri—two monstrously powerful "problem children"—with nothing but a raised hand.
She had also seen Ayami, an ordinary human, muster the courage to stand before the exorcist families she feared most—all for the sake of her children.
Through her enhanced abilities, she could peer into a person's heart.
She could sense emotions.
She could create illusionary worlds born from one's deepest fears.
That was how she knew—
Ayami Tenkami was truly ordinary.
And she also knew—
Exorcist families were the thing Ayami feared most.
And yet she had stood before them anyway.
For her children.
For the first time—
Yuki-onna truly understood what Ren had meant by "real family."
Compared to that—
Her so-called bond with Abe no Seimei was laughable.
Not even false.
Simply hollow.
She stepped forward, her nine tails swaying gently behind her.
"Lady Ayami," she said warmly, taking Ayami's hands in both of hers like an overjoyed fan meeting her idol. "My name is Yuki-onna… and also Tamamo-no-Mae. If you prefer, you may call me Otome.
"For a long time now, I have longed to meet you. Only today do I understand—your presence is even more inspiring than Lord Ren described."
Despite the overwhelming demonic aura surrounding her, her expression toward Ayami was that of a devoted admirer.
Sincere.
Almost starstruck.
"Forgive me if this is presumptuous," she continued eagerly, "but if possible… would you allow me to serve by your side?
"And—if you would be so kind—I would dearly love to consult you on certain matters. For example… how one raises children to be so obedient…"