The passionate words of the Yamato family head stirred the entire hall into deep contemplation.
Yet it didn't take long before new concerns surfaced.
Even if the gods descended—and even if every exorcist family present combined their strength—they might barely manage to hold the line.
But how were they supposed to gather that strength quickly enough?
Everyone here knew the truth.
Each exorcist lineage carried its own unique inheritance. Some families had been blood enemies for generations. The only reason they were seated at the same table now was because the situation was dire beyond precedent.
When the decisive moment arrived, how would they ensure their forces were united before the gods struck?
And that wasn't the only problem.
What if more than one god descended at the same time?
What about the yokai?
For centuries, yokai had been humanity's natural enemies. Rumor had it that the gods' primary target this time was not them—but would the yokai really pass up such a golden opportunity?
If the exorcists were locked in battle with the gods, only to be ambushed from behind by yokai…
They would truly be fighting on two fronts.
There was no denying it: humanity's exorcist forces were powerful.
But gathering all those scattered forces—ensuring they did not dissolve into chaos like loose sand—was no simple task. And the number of variables they had to consider was overwhelming.
After a full day of heated deliberation, the decision was finally made.
They would form a Grand Alliance.
This would not be like the coalitions of the past.
Anyone who possessed supernatural ability—or even a unique, unusual trait—would be eligible to join.
The current family hierarchy would be dismantled.
All members of the exorcist clans would be reorganized under a new unified system.
Not only the exorcist families, but official organizations such as the Non-Natural Countermeasures Division and the Bureau of Onmyō Affairs would also be folded into the same structure.
Within this Grand Alliance, rank and authority would be determined solely by strength and merit.
Lineage would no longer guarantee power.
Simply put—
This Alliance would represent the entirety of humanity's combat strength.
Their final capital.
Their only bargaining chip against the gods.
And once a new unified force was established, it naturally required a leader.
The Grand Alliance would have a decision-making council—composed of the most respected clan heads and a few high-ranking government officials.
But when it came to the position of Supreme Commander…
No one had a satisfactory answer.
Reputation alone would not suffice.
Whoever held that seat needed strength—strength that commanded genuine respect from every faction present.
As the first-ranked among the Thirteen Demon-Slaying Houses and hailed as a spiritual successor to Abe no Seimei, the head of the Tsuchimikado family, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi, had been the obvious candidate.
But the slightly disheveled middle-aged man declined the nomination himself.
"If we are to appoint a Supreme Commander," Yasuzumi said plainly, "then that person must at least possess the strength to cross blades with a god. Otherwise, the gods will look down on us before the war even begins."
He knew his own limits.
His strength was respectable.
But after witnessing the power displayed by the war god Yagami, he understood with painful clarity—
It was nowhere near enough.
The position of Supreme Commander appeared glorious on the surface.
In truth, it carried unbearable weight.
Victory or defeat would ultimately be attributed to the leader's decisions.
Win, and you would become a savior.
Lose, and you would be condemned as the sinner who doomed humanity—your name cursed for eternity in whatever history survived.
Yasuzumi wasn't particularly concerned about his reputation.
If humanity lost this war, whether history itself would even continue was uncertain.
What he feared was incompetence.
The "Supreme Commander" of the Human Grand Alliance would be more than an administrator.
They would be a symbol.
If that symbol were struck down in a single blow by a god—
The blow to morale would be catastrophic.
A commander must embody hope.
Only when people see hope can they fight to the bitter end.
It was the same principle recorded in countless military treatises:
Capture the king, and the army collapses.
A strong leader inspires, charges ahead, rallies the troops.
But if they fall faster than the soldiers they command—
The battle is already lost.
In short, Yasuzumi believed he lacked the strength to confront a god head-on.
If he took the position and was swiftly defeated, he might do more harm than good.
Better to leave the position vacant than appoint a leader who would shatter morale.
"But without a supreme commander," someone argued, "how can we unite the people? Who will make the final call on major decisions?"
The whole purpose of the Grand Alliance was to bind humanity's scattered forces together.
If it had no head, would it not become a body without a brain?
In the past, a position like this would have sparked ruthless competition.
Now, no one wanted it.
Those qualified were hesitant.
Those eager were deemed unworthy.
Just as the room sank into helpless silence, the Yamato family head spoke again.
"I may have a suitable candidate," he said slowly. "Though I cannot say whether the other clan heads will agree… nor whether the person in question would accept."
All eyes turned toward him.
He enunciated the name clearly.
"Tennōin Masami."
A murmur rippled through the hall.
"Tennōin Masami…? That sounds familiar."
"Wait—that name appeared in the footage just now, didn't it? During the battle between Yagami and the Hundred-Night Oni?"
The Tokyo district clan heads frowned thoughtfully.
Those from other regions, however, wore blank expressions.
They could not recall any major figure in the exorcist world by that name.
But someone quickly pieced it together.
Tennōin Masami had appeared in the projection.
And—
She was the mother of the Hundred-Night Oni.
"You must be joking," one clan head snapped, pointing at Yamato. "The Tennōin Masami you're referring to is the mother of the Hundred-Night Oni who rampaged through Tokyo, isn't she? This is a Human Alliance. And you want someone like that as our Supreme Commander?"
The accusation hung in the air.
Before tempers could explode further, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi raised a hand.
"Let's hear him out," he said calmly. "We can debate after."
Yamato nodded gratefully.
"Your objections likely stem from her identity. But let me clarify something.
"Tennōin Masami is not a yokai.
"She is human.
"A pure-blooded member of the orthodox Tennōin exorcist lineage."
That revelation stunned several in the room.
"Her being the mother of the Hundred-Night Oni does not negate her humanity. By all standards, she qualifies to join the Grand Alliance.
"Second—her strength.
"We have not personally witnessed her in combat. However, she effortlessly dispelled the blackened corruption entwining the Hundred-Night Oni… and even Tamamo-no-Mae bowed her head before her.
"That alone speaks volumes."
A wave of murmurs swept the hall.
"And finally—perhaps most crucially—the yokai issue.
"Do not forget. She is the mother of the Hundred-Night Oni.
"And the Hundred-Night Oni has already become, in all but name, the leader of the yokai in Tokyo. It would not be an exaggeration to call him the Lord of a Hundred Demons."
The room grew silent.
"If his mother becomes the Supreme Commander of the Grand Alliance, then at the very least, the yokai of Tokyo will not move against us.
"More than that…"
Yamato's gaze sharpened.
"We may even bring the yokai camp to our side.
"We feared fighting on two fronts.
"But through Tennōin Masami and her relationship with the Hundred-Night Oni—
"We could turn a potential enemy into an ally."
No one could refute him.
"Leaving aside everything else," Yamato concluded, "the Hundred-Night Oni is currently the only being known to have faced a god head-on and survived.
"That alone is an overwhelming asset.
"And he does not stand alone.
"He commands a vast host of yokai."
The hall fell into stunned silence.
Only now did the others fully grasp the layers behind Yamato's proposal.
What had initially sounded outrageous—
Was, in truth, a masterstroke.
Turn a possible enemy into an ally.
Secure the only combatant capable of confronting a god.
Unite humanity's forces under a symbol both powerful and legitimate.
Even in the worst-case scenario—
Even if Tennōin Masami were not the hidden powerhouse Yamato believed her to be—
Bringing the Hundred-Night Oni, Ren Kuroda, fully into their ranks would already be worth the gamble.
After all—
At present, he was the only one who could stand before a god—
And live.