Chapter 14: Yasaka Joins the Fold!
During the period that followed, Akira and Kingu focused their efforts on developing the new world they had just finished creating.
In doing so, Akira stumbled upon an intriguing discovery. Because this world was fundamentally a Shadow Realm—further shaped by the lingering influence of Tiamat's Chaos Tide—an additional layer had formed deep within its foundations, much like the Underworld of Mesopotamia.
Every soul that perished in this world, along with all accumulated negative energy, would eventually drift down into this abyss. It followed the logic of the myth where Pangu split the heavens; the pure ether rose to form the sky, while the heavy, turbid energy sank to form the earth. Even the roots of the World Tree extended into this deep dark, absorbing the negative energy to fuel its own growth.
Akira was genuinely delighted by this find. In a sense, it provided the world with a perfect, self-sustaining equilibrium.
However, on this particular day, Kingu suddenly returned—and she wasn't alone. Following closely behind her was a woman whose entire presence radiated an enchanting, seductive aura, possessing a figure that was, by all accounts, breathtaking.
"Kingu, what's going on?"
Akira knit his brows slightly. What was she thinking, bringing a woman like this back? Did she really take him for some kind of womanizer?
"Onii-chan, her name is Yasaka. She is a Great Yokai."
"Hmm? Yasaka? The Great Yokai?"
In this world, the name Yasaka was certainly one Akira recognized. She was the supreme leader of the Yokai in Kyoto, the Grand General of the East, the Nine-Tailed Fox, and a high-level spiritual entity who governed the ley lines and atmospheric flow of the ancient capital.
In the original story, she had once been mind-controlled by Cao Cao to summon Great Red in Kyoto, though she was eventually saved by the main group. Between her stunning physical proportions and her status, she was a figure of worship for many men.
"Honored Lord, I am Yasaka, currently serving as the supreme leader of the Yokai in Kyoto..."
Her speech and demeanor exuded the grace of a Yamato Nadeshiko, leaving a very favorable first impression on anyone who appreciated a refined, beautiful woman.
"I know of you, the Nine-Tailed Fox and Grand General of the East. I'm just curious—how exactly did you run into Kingu?"
Akira had sent Kingu out to adopt orphans and gather people who might be willing to join them. After all, the 'New World' currently spanned five thousand square kilometers of empty land. Looking at a woman of her stature, it was clear she hadn't come for charity; as the leader of the Yokai, she represented more than just herself.
"From Lord Kingu, I learned that you are currently gathering personnel. Though I fear my talents are lacking, I have come to offer my services."
"Interesting. I wonder, what did Kingu tell you?"
As he spoke, Akira glanced at Kingu. She gave a small, subtle shake of her head. Akira understood immediately; Kingu wouldn't have breathed a word about the truly confidential matters. The scale of their project was too massive; if word got out, it would act like a magnet for unwanted attention.
"Lord Kingu only mentioned the situation in passing, but I still felt the need to meet you in person."
"You haven't even fully grasped the situation, yet you dared to seek me out? Aren't you afraid I might do something to you? Surely you realize your reputation as the Grand General of Kyoto is quite well-known."
The current state of the Yokai was precarious. While they were all grouped under one label, their races were far too varied. Especially in Japan, where even inanimate objects like brooms or lanterns could become Yokai if they lived long enough. This was even truer for those who held the title of 'Gods' among the 'Three Thousand Gods.'
Because they were such a chaotic, mixed bag, conflict had been a constant since ancient times. Now, with the rapid expansion of human civilization, the habitats available to Yokai were shrinking by the day, yet they were powerless to stop it.
Since humans were the "seedbed" for the Gods—their faith acting as the incense that sustained them—humanity was not allowed to vanish. Caught between internal strife and external pressure, the Yokai race was in a state of steady decline.
"I simply have no other choice. It is becoming increasingly difficult for Yokai to survive in this human world. Various factions are hunting us, the humans have their exorcists and Onmyoji, and we are plagued by our own internal conflicts."
Hearing this, Akira nodded. It was true; in Japan, many Shikigami were actually Yokai in disguise. Humans controlled and exploited them through talismans. It wasn't uncommon for powerful Great Yokai to be enslaved by prominent families, forced to serve generation after generation for centuries.
"So, you've come looking for me. What is it you want? To submit to me?"
"Something like that. Your name, Lord Akira, is quite famous even in Kyoto. Now that I know you are gathering subordinates, I have come to volunteer."
"There's one thing you've misunderstood. I'm not gathering subordinates. I'm gathering citizens."
"Citizens?"
"I have a territory of my own, but it is currently in its unrefined stages. Therefore, I am gathering people to build and populate my land."
Akira phrased it carefully. Saying he was "plundering a population" sounded far too vulgar.
"A territory? Do you mean a domain within the Underworld?"
As the brother-in-law of the Gremory family, it was natural for someone like Shin Akira to hold land in the Underworld. However, the Underworld—and the Devil race in general—was very closed off to outsiders. Trying to migrate Yokai or humans there would make development nearly impossible.
"Of course not the Underworld. My territory isn't there; it's an area that has never been stepped upon by anyone else."
"If that is the case, then I am willing to lead the Yokai of Kyoto to submit to you and become your people."
To a Yokai, a primordial land untouched by humans was nothing short of paradise. At their core, many Yokai were born from beasts and nature; the wild was where they truly belonged.
"Leading all the Yokai of Kyoto to submit to me? That is an interesting offer. But I must make one thing clear beforehand. Once you enter my territory, you will be given my mark, and you will never be able to leave again."
"If it is truly as you say, then I do not see that as a bad thing. In the human world today, there is no place left for us. We only survive in the cracks."
"Don't speak so boldly just yet. Eat this, and then you will understand everything."
Akira produced a leaf of brilliant emerald green. Its surface shimmered with an iridescent light, clearly far from an ordinary plant.
Looking at the leaf, Yasaka hesitated for a moment. But after glancing at Kingu and Akira, she decided to take the leap. She had already come this far; there was no turning back now. She had to gamble.
She placed the leaf in her mouth. Before she could even chew, it dissolved into a warm current that surged through her body.
In that instant, Yasaka was branded with the mark of the 'New World.' The essence of her power from the old world was absorbed by the World Tree, and in exchange, a flood of information regarding the 'New World' was beamed directly into her mind.
Suddenly, Yasaka understood exactly what Akira meant by 'citizens of the territory.'
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