Toshio POV
The barrier wouldn't budge.
I raised my palm toward the shimmering wall of corrupted energy. My Reiryoku surged instinctively, a cero blasting against the surface, trying to force an opening like I'd done with the barrier at the main shrine, but this one was incomparably stronger.
"Move aside." The fox Youkai with the burning katana—I'd learned his name was Hiroshi during our sprint here—stepped forward, channeling his spiritual power into a concentrated blast. The attack hit the barrier and dissipated harmlessly, not even causing a ripple in its surface.
Kunou tried next, her single tail blazing with golden fox-fire as she unleashed a barrage that would have incinerated lesser demons. The flames struck the barrier and simply... stopped. Absorbed into the corrupted energy like water into sand.
"Damn it!" Her young voice cracked with frustration and fear. "Mother is in there! We have to—"
"We can't break through," I interrupted, hating the words even as I spoke them. "This barrier is leagues beyond what they put up at the main shrine. It would take... I don't know, maybe hours of sustained assault to crack it. Maybe longer."
"Then we start now!" Kunou whirled on me, her golden eyes blazing with desperation. "Every second we waste—"
"Is a second we should spend coming up with an actual plan," I said firmly, catching her by the shoulders before she could launch another futile attack. "Kunou-san, listen to me. Throwing ourselves at this barrier accomplishes nothing except exhausting our power. We need to regroup and figure out a real strategy."
"Let go of me!" She tried to wrench free, but I held firm. "My mother is in there! She could be—"
She didn't finish the sentence, couldn't say the words, but I saw the terror in her eyes. The same terror I'd felt in my previous life watching people I cared about slip away while I stood helpless.
"I know," I said quietly. "But getting yourself killed trying to brute-force your way through won't help her. We need someone strong enough to actually break this barrier. Someone with the raw power to—"
I stopped mid-sentence as the wrongness I'd been sensing in the leylines suddenly intensified. The spiritual energy flowing beneath us—that constant, comforting presence that had thrummed through Kyoto since we'd arrived—shifted. Darkened. Like watching crystal-clear water turn brackish and foul.
"Toshio?" Hiroshi's voice was sharp with concern. "What's wrong?"
I released Kunou and dropped to one knee, pressing my palm flat against the stone pathway. Energy Sense flared to maximum, and what I felt made my blood run cold.
The leyline was being corrupted. Not just tainted or poisoned—actively transformed into something wrong, something that felt like the spiritual equivalent of gangrene spreading through healthy tissue. The corruption was emanating from somewhere within the barrier, spreading outward through the network of spiritual channels that connected all of Kyoto's sacred sites.
"The leyline," I managed to force out. "Something's happening to it. They're not just attacking the shrine—they're trying to corrupt the entire spiritual network."
Kunou's face went white. "If the leylines fall, if they're twisted into channels for demonic power—"
"Every shrine, every sacred site connected to the network becomes vulnerable," I finished grimly. "And worse, the spiritual balance of the entire region destabilizes. Demons could manifest freely, barriers would fail, protective wards would collapse..."
"A foothold," Hiroshi said, his expression darkening with understanding. "They're not just trying to destroy—they're trying to claim Kyoto as their own territory. The power that empowers us would then flow into them."
The implications crashed through my mind like dominoes. If the Old Demon Faction succeeded in corrupting Kyoto's leylines, they'd have a permanent base of operations in the heart of Japan. A staging ground for larger attacks. A beachhead from which to wage war against multiple factions at once.
And Yasaka was in there, possibly the only one who could stop it.
"We need Serafall," I said, standing abruptly. The decision crystallized with absolute clarity. "She's one of the Four Great Satans. If anyone has the raw power to break through this barrier, it's her."
"Devils?" One of the other Youkai guards—a crane named Miyako—bristled visibly. "You want us to rely on devils to save our queen?"
"I want us to use every resource available," I shot back. "Your pride isn't worth Yasaka-sama's life or the corruption of Kyoto's leylines. Serafall-sama is already in the city, already coordinating with your forces. She has the power we need."
Kunou's jaw clenched, and I watched emotions war across her young face. Fear for her mother. Pride in her Youkai heritage. Desperation for any solution. The weight of leadership forcing her to make impossible choices.
"You're right," she finally said, her voice steadier than I'd expected. "I... you're right. We need to involve the devils." She took a shuddering breath. "We need to regroup at the main shrine. Coordinate with Serafall-sama and... and prepare for the worst."
The admission seemed to cost her, but I saw maturity in her eyes that hadn't been there when we'd first met earlier that evening. Crisis had a way of forcing growth, whether you were ready for it or not.
"Let's move," I said, already pulling out my phone. "I'll call ahead and get Rias and her peerage mobilized."
We turned and began racing back toward the main shrine. I dialed Akeno first, knowing she'd already be with Rias.
She picked up on the first ring. "Toshi-kun? What's happening?"
"The secondary shrine is sealed by a barrier we can't breach," I said tersely, weaving between buildings as I ran. "Yasaka-sama is inside, and the leylines are being corrupted. We're falling back to the main shrine to coordinate with Serafall. Get Rias and her peerage ready—this is about to escalate."
"Understood." Her usual playfulness was completely absent, replaced by pure tactical focus. "We're already mobilizing. Serafall-sama sensed the disturbance in the leylines and came to get us. We'll meet you there."
I ended the call and immediately dialed Rias. She answered before the second ring.
"Toshio," her voice carried the weight of authority I'd come to associate with her heiress mode. "Akeno briefed me. We're en route to the main shrine with Sona's peerage. What's your status?"
"About twenty minutes out with Kunou-san and five of her elite guards. The barrier at the secondary shrine is beyond anything I can breach—it would take sustained assault from multiple high-level fighters, and we don't have time for that. The leyline corruption is spreading. If it reaches the main network junction—"
"The entire spiritual infrastructure of Kyoto becomes compromised," Rias finished. "Sirzechs-sama warned this might be their endgame. A corrupted leyline network would give the Old Demon Faction permanent access to this region."
"Can Serafall break the barrier?"
There was a brief pause. "She believes so, but it will require her full power. The political implications of a Satan directly engaging in combat on Youkai territory are... significant."
"Less significant than letting Kyoto fall to demons," I said flatly.
"Agreed." I heard the rustle of movement on her end, the sound of multiple people moving quickly. "We'll be at the main shrine in ten minutes. Serafall-sama is establishing a defensive perimeter to prevent any demon forces from exploiting the chaos. Toshio... be careful. If they've committed this much planning to the secondary shrine, they may have contingencies we haven't anticipated."
"Noted. See you soon."
I pocketed my phone and matched my speed to the Youkai, Runic Shunpo carrying me across rooftops in blurred leaps. Beside me, Kunou kept pace with her Youkai speed, her single tail streaming behind her like a golden banner. Her guards fanned out in protective formation, their supernatural senses alert for any ambush.
The main shrine came into view, and I immediately noticed the new barrier. Unlike the corrupted demonic energy surrounding the secondary temple, this one felt clean—pure spiritual power woven by Youkai hands. It enclosed the entire shrine complex in a translucent dome, invisible to normal eyes but blazing like a beacon to my Energy Sense.
"Containment barrier," Hiroshi explained as we approached. "Standard protocol when a shrine comes under attack. Keeps civilians out, prevents panic, and ensures any residual demonic energy doesn't leak into the surrounding area."
We passed through the barrier with barely a ripple—it recognized us as allies—and entered the shrine grounds proper. The carnage from the earlier battle had been partially cleaned, but demon ash still stained the sacred stones, and the metallic scent of blood lingered in the air.
Youkai soldiers moved with organized purpose, tending to the wounded, reinforcing defensive positions, and coordinating patrol routes. I spotted Takeshi near the main hall, his tiger features set in grim determination as he barked orders to a squad of warriors.
"Princess!" He spotted us and immediately moved to intercept. "Thank the spirits you're safe. What's the status of the secondary shrine?"
"Sealed by a barrier we couldn't breach," Kunou reported, her voice steady despite the fear I knew she was feeling. "Mother is inside. The leylines are being corrupted. We need—"
She was cut off by a surge of demonic power so intense it made my teeth ache. I spun toward the entrance, hand instinctively moving to Shinjūka's hilt, before I recognized the signature.
Serafall Leviathan strode through the barrier like she owned it, her magical girl costume somehow managing to look both ridiculous and terrifying. The twin-tails of her hair seemed to defy gravity, and her staff—that ridiculous wand-like weapon she carried—crackled with barely contained power.
Behind her came Rias and her peerage, Sona and hers, all of them radiating the supernatural presence that marked them as devils. Akeno caught my eye immediately, and I saw relief flash across her features before her expression settled into professional focus.
"Kunou-chan!" Serafall's voice carried across the courtyard, and despite the gravity of the situation, I caught the genuine concern in her tone. "Are you hurt? Where's Yasaka-tan?"
"Serafall-sama," Kunou bowed formally, and I noticed her hands were trembling slightly. "My mother is trapped at the secondary shrine. The barrier—"
"I felt it," Serafall interrupted, her playful demeanor dropping away to reveal the Satan beneath. "That level of corruption, that sophistication in the barrier construction... this isn't just the remnants of the Old Demon Faction. Someone with significant knowledge of spiritual architecture is coordinating this attack."
We moved as a group toward the main hall, Youkai soldiers parting to let us through. I noticed the way they looked at the devils—wariness mixing with desperate hope. They needed Serafall's power, but centuries of distrust didn't vanish overnight.
Inside the main hall, the atmosphere was tense. Youkai warriors lined the walls, their weapons at the ready, while Serafall moved to the center of the room with Kunou and the rest of us following. I noticed how the young princess held herself—spine straight, chin up, every inch the leader despite her obvious fear for her mother.
Just as we were about to begin strategizing, a Youkai scout burst through the entrance. She was breathing hard, her sickle weasel features sharp with urgency as she dropped to one knee before Takeshi.
"Report," the tiger Youkai commanded.
"Sir, we've completed our investigation of the demon activity patterns before the attack." The scout's voice carried across the hall, drawing everyone's attention. "Multiple sources confirmed significant demon movement in Osaka—approximately forty kilometers from here. Large concentrations of demonic energy, possibly battalion-level forces."
My mind raced at the implication.
"When did this activity occur?" Takeshi pressed.
"Beginning roughly six hours before the shrine attacks commenced, sir. But here's what's strange—the moment our shrines came under assault, all demon presence in Osaka completely vanished. Not scattered, not relocated. Vanished, as if they'd teleported en masse."
Serafall's expression sharpened. "My familiar network reported identical findings. Devil observers stationed near Osaka detected substantial Old Demon Faction movement. A devil strike team was about to preemptively attack, then nothing. They were gone. We assumed they'd simply concealed themselves better, but mass teleportation..." She trailed off, clearly working through implications.
The pieces clicked together in my mind with sickening clarity. I stepped forward, unable to keep silent.
"They're all here," I said, my voice cutting through the murmurs that had started among the assembled warriors. "Or they will be, the moment that barrier comes down. The forces in Osaka weren't a separate operation—they were staging. Waiting for the signal."
Kunou's golden eyes fixed on me. "What do you mean?"
"Think about it tactically," I continued, my mind racing through the strategic logic. "They hit the main shrine with fodder to tie up your forces. They seal the secondary shrine with their elite units to corrupt the leylines and capture Yasaka-sama. But they know reinforcements will eventually break through that barrier. So where are the heavy hitters? Where's the real army?"
Hiroshi's expression darkened with understanding. "Waiting in reserve. Close enough to deploy rapidly once the barrier falls, but far enough away that we wouldn't detect them until it was too late."
"Exactly." I turned to Serafall. "Can you break that barrier, Serafall-sama?"
The Satan studied me for a long moment, and I saw calculation behind her eyes—weighing political ramifications, tactical necessities, and the lives at stake. Then her expression shifted, and that playful smile I'd seen earlier returned.
"There's no barrier that can keep magical girl Levia-tan out!" She struck a pose with her staff, the gesture so absurdly cheerful that it seemed to suck some of the tension from the room. "Those meanies picked the wrong city to mess with!"
Despite everything—the danger, the corruption spreading through the leylines, the knowledge that we were about to face an army—I felt a smile tug at my lips. The mood in the hall shifted perceptibly. Even Sona, who'd been maintaining her usual stoic expression, allowed the ghost of a smile to cross her features.
"However," Serafall continued, her tone growing more serious, "if devils become directly involved in combat operations on Youkai territory, we need proper authorization. Kunou-chan, as acting leader in your mother's absence, you have the authority to request our aid formally."
Kunou blinked, clearly not expecting the diplomatic pivot. "I... a treaty? Mother mentioned those when dealing with other factions, but I've never—"
"Lucky for you, diplomacy is literally my job!" Serafall's staff glowed, and magical circles appeared in the air around her. Paper materialized from nothing, the script writing itself in elegant calligraphy as we watched. Within seconds, a formal treaty document floated down into Serafall's waiting hand. "Standard mutual defense agreement, temporary provisions for joint operations, liability waivers, the usual bureaucratic necessities. Sign here, and we're good to go!"
She produced an ornate pen from nowhere and offered it to Kunou. The young princess took it with trembling hands, her eyes scanning the document quickly.
"This authorizes devils to engage in combat operations within Kyoto to defend against the Old Demon Faction threat," Kunou read aloud, her voice steadying as she focused on the formal language. "Duration of authorization extends until the threat is neutralized and normal operations can resume. Terms are... these are actually quite favorable to us."
"I'm not trying to exploit a crisis," Serafall said gently. "I'm trying to save your mother and protect your home. The treaty just makes it official so nobody can complain about jurisdictional issues later."
Kunou nodded and signed with a flourish that would have made her mother proud. Serafall countersigned with equal formality, and the document glowed briefly before vanishing in a flash of light.
"Done and registered with the Underworld's diplomatic archives," Serafall announced. "Now let's go save Yasaka-tan!"
Kunou immediately moved toward the exit, her single tail blazing with renewed determination. But Takeshi stepped in front of her, his massive form blocking her path.
"Princess, we're not ready," he said firmly. "If we're facing a small army once that barrier falls, we need time to prepare proper defensive positions, coordinate our forces, establish fallback points—"
"My mother is in there!" Kunou's voice cracked, and I saw her hands clench into fists. "Every second we waste—"
"Is a second we spend ensuring we don't all die the moment we breach that barrier," Takeshi interrupted, his tone gentle but unyielding. "Princess, I understand your fear. But rushing in unprepared will only get more of our people killed. We need thirty minutes, maybe an hour, to properly organize our response."
Kunou's face flushed with anger and frustration. I watched her prepare to throw what would probably be an entirely justified tantrum—she was terrified for her mother, desperate to act, and being told to wait when every instinct screamed at her to move.
But then she stopped. Took a breath. Her hands unclenched slowly.
"You're right," she said quietly. "We... we need to be smart about this. Mother would want us to be smart." She looked at Takeshi with eyes that were too old for her young face. "One hour. Coordinate with Serafall-sama and prepare our forces. But not a second longer."
I couldn't help but smile at that. The maturity she was showing—the ability to override her emotions with tactical necessity—was remarkable. Leadership forced growth, and Kunou was rising to meet it.
"My peerage and I will do whatever we can to help prepare," Rias spoke up, stepping forward. "And when the time comes, we'll fight alongside you to save Yasaka-sama."
"Mine will as well," Sona added, her voice carrying quiet determination. "The treaty Kunou-san signed authorizes our participation. We're in this together."
"Absolutely not." Serafall's voice dropped all its playfulness, becoming the cold authority of a Satan. "You're students. Children. This is war, and you're not ready for it."
"With respect, Serafall-sama," I said, stepping forward before either Rias or Sona could respond, "I don't have to do what you say."
Her eyes fixed on me, calculating. "You're human, Toshio-kun. Technically outside my jurisdiction. But—"
"No buts." I walked past her, past the assembled devils and Youkai, until I stood directly in front of Kunou. Then I dropped to one knee, meeting her golden eyes at her level. "Kunou-san, I swear to you—I will do everything in my power to fight for the Youkai and to save your mother. Whatever it takes."
For a moment, Kunou just stared at me. Then her eyes filled with tears, and she threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around my neck as she buried her face in my shoulder. Her body shook with quiet sobs, all the fear and desperation she'd been holding back finally breaking through.
I returned the hug gently, one hand on her back in what I hoped was a comforting gesture. She was so young to be carrying this weight, so young to be making these impossible decisions.
"Thank you," she whispered against my shoulder. "Thank you..."
"If Toshio is participating, then I'm going too." Akeno's voice cut through the moment, firm and brooking no argument. She stepped forward, her violet eyes meeting Rias's. "Buchou, I'll be acting as myself for this operation, not as a member of the Gremory peerage. I'll accept any punishment afterward, but I won't let him face this alone."
Rias's expression softened. "There won't be any punishment, Akeno. Because I plan on helping too." She turned to face Serafall directly. "We're going, Serafall-sama. All of us. This is our decision to make."
"I—" Sona started to speak, but Serafall's hand shot up, silencing her.
"Sona-tan, no. I can't stop the Gremory peerage or Toshio-kun, but you're my sister and I won't—"
"Then can we discuss this later? Privately?" Sona's voice was carefully controlled, but I caught the undercurrent of determination. "Please?"
Serafall's expression went through several rapid changes—concern, frustration, resignation, and finally something that looked almost like pride. Then she did a complete one-eighty, her face lighting up with that characteristic enthusiasm.
"So-tan wants to have alone time with me!" She pulled Sona into a crushing hug, completely ignoring her sister's protests. "We can talk about all sorts of things! Your love life, your studies, maybe I can finally get you to try on that magical girl costume I made—"
"Onee-sama, please," Sona managed to extract herself, her face red with embarrassment. "Can we focus on the crisis?"
"Right, right! Crisis first, sister bonding also firs—I mean second!" Serafall released her and turned back to address the room. "Okay, new plan! We have one hour to prepare. Youkai forces will establish defensive positions around the secondary shrine. Devil observers will maintain surveillance on potential demon teleportation points. And someone please explain to me exactly what we're walking into when that barrier comes down."
Kunou finally pulled back from our hug, wiping at her eyes as she tried to compose herself. I stood, offering her a hand up that she accepted gratefully.
"Thank you," she said again, quieter this time. "All of you. I... I won't forget this."
"We're not doing it for thanks," I replied. "We're doing it because it's right."
The moment of quiet solidarity shattered as heavy footsteps echoed through the main hall.
I turned toward the entrance, my Energy Sense already picking up the surge of powerful spiritual signatures approaching. Five of them—old, formidable, and carrying the weight of centuries of leadership. The doors slid open with deliberate force, and an old man with a weirdly shaped head strode in flanked by four other Youkai elders I didn't recognize.
The old man's presence was commanding despite his diminutive stature. His traditional robes were immaculate, his expression stern as his eyes swept across the assembled devils with barely concealed contempt. The four elders with him—a tanuki in formal hakama, a kitsune woman with 3 tails, a massive oni whose horns nearly scraped the doorframe, and a crane Youkai whose ethereal beauty was marred by the hardness in her eyes—all radiated similar hostility.
"What is the meaning of this?" Nurarihyon's voice cut through the hall like a blade. His gaze fixed on Serafall, then swept to include Rias, Sona, and their peerages. "Devils? In our sacred shrine? While our queen lies imprisoned behind a barrier erected by demons?"
The implication hung in the air like poison. I felt Akeno tense beside me, saw Rias's expression harden into something dangerous. Kunou's hand tightened around mine—when had she grabbed it?—and I could feel her trembling.
"Elder Nurarihyon," Takeshi stepped forward, his tiger features set in careful neutrality. "The situation is—"
"I am addressing the outsiders, Takeshi-san." Nurarihyon's eyes never left the devils. "It strikes me as remarkably convenient that Yasaka-sama would be trapped the very night devils flood our city. That demons would attack precisely when our traditional enemies arrive in force."
"We had nothing to do with the attack," Rias said, her voice cold and controlled. "We came to help defend Kyoto from the Old Demon Faction."
"So you claim." The tanuki elder spoke up, his voice gravelly with age and suspicion. "Yet here you stand, in the aftermath of our greatest disaster, asking us to trust you. To believe in your innocence."
I felt my jaw clench. The tactical part of my brain understood their suspicion—centuries of conflict between devils and Youkai didn't evaporate overnight, and the timing did look suspicious if you didn't know the full context. But the part of me that had just watched Kunou break down in fear for her mother, that had seen Serafall's genuine concern, that knew Rias and her peerage were risking everything to help—that part wanted to tell these elders exactly where they could shove their paranoia.
"They're telling the truth." Kunou's voice was quiet but carried steel I hadn't heard from her before. She stepped forward, still holding my hand, facing the elders with her chin raised. "Toshio-san and Akeno-san were the first to respond when the main shrine came under attack. They fought alongside my guards. They killed demons. They came immediately when they sensed the corruption in the leylines."
"This... human?" The kitsune elder's three tails swished with obvious disdain as she looked at me. "A mere mortal, and you trust his word?"
"I trust what I saw with my own eyes," Kunou shot back. "I trust that when my guards and I thought they were enemies and attacked them, Toshio-san refused to seriously harm them even in self-defense. I trust that he and Akeno-san prioritized protecting Youkai lives over their own safety."
I squeezed her hand gently, grateful for her defense but aware we needed to de-escalate this situation. "Elder Nurarihyon, I understand your suspicion. But we're wasting time that could be spent preparing to save Yasaka-sama. If you want a detailed account of what happened at both shrines, I can provide one. But can we do it quickly?"
Nurarihyon's eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made my skin crawl. I met his gaze steadily, refusing to look away. After a long moment, he gestured curtly.
"Speak, then. Convince me you're not a demon sympathizer playing at heroism." Why was there always an asshole elder in every faction?
I took a breath and recounted everything—sensing the attack while at the hotel, breaking through the barrier with Akeno, being mistaken for enemies by Kunou's guards, the fight that followed, clearing the demons from the main shrine, racing to the secondary shrine only to find the barrier impenetrable. I kept my voice level and factual, knowing that emotion would only make me seem less credible.
"And now we're here," I finished. "Preparing to breach that barrier and save your queen. With or without your approval, Elder."
The kitsune Youkai's eyes narrowed. "Bold words from an outsider who claims to fight for us while bringing devils into our most sacred spaces."
"The devils I brought are the only reason we have a chance of breaking that barrier in time," I said flatly. "Serafall-sama is one of the Four Great Satans. Her power is what we need. Unless you have another solution?"
Silence met my challenge. The elders exchanged glances, clearly uncomfortable but unable to refute the logic.
"Furthermore," Kunou spoke up again, her voice stronger now, "I've already authorized their involvement. Officially."
That got their attention. Nurarihyon's head snapped toward her. "What?"
"I signed a mutual defense treaty with Serafall-sama," Kunou said, pulling the document from seemingly nowhere—had Serafall given her a copy? "As acting leader in my mother's absence, I have the authority to make such agreements. The treaty authorizes devil forces to engage in combat operations within Kyoto to defend against the Old Demon Faction threat."
"You did what?" Nurarihyon's face flushed with anger. "You're a child! You can't simply—"
"I am my mother's heir and her designated successor in emergency situations," Kunou interrupted, her golden eyes blazing. "The treaty is valid, binding, and registered with the Underworld's diplomatic archives. If you have a problem with my decision, Elder Nurarihyon, you can take it up with my mother after we save her."
The old man's jaw worked silently for a moment. Then he held out his hand. "Show me this treaty."
Kunou handed it over without hesitation. I watched Nurarihyon's expression as he read, saw the way his features shifted from anger to something more calculating. The other elders crowded around him, reading over his shoulder, their reactions ranging from shock to grudging acceptance. The look of approval from the crane woman was welcome. At least one of them was reasonable.
But there was something in Nurarihyon's eyes as he read that made my instincts prickle. A flash of... what? Disappointment? Frustration? It was gone too quickly for me to be sure, but it left me wondering. Was he angry about the treaty itself or angry that Kunou had acted independently? And if it was the latter... was he hoping to use Yasaka's absence to consolidate his own power?
The thought was dark and uncharitable, but I'd seen enough political maneuvering in my previous life to recognize the signs. An ambitious subordinate, a crisis that removed the legitimate leader from power, a young and inexperienced heir who could potentially be manipulated or sidelined—it was a recipe for a power grab if I'd ever seen one.
"The treaty is... valid," Nurarihyon finally said, his voice carefully neutral. He handed the document back to Kunou with what looked like reluctance. "You signed it in Yasaka-sama's stead, as is your right in her absence. I... will not contest it."
"Thank you, Elder." Kunou's tone was formal, but I heard the relief beneath it.
"However," the crane elder spoke up, "this doesn't explain where you were during the initial attack, Nurarihyon. The main shrine was breached, our princess was in danger, and you were nowhere to be found."
I saw Nurarihyon stiffen slightly and saw the flash of something—guilt? anger?—cross his features before his expression smoothed into careful neutrality.
"I was at the northern shrine complex," he said, his tone measured. "Coordinating defenses there when the attack began. By the time I received word of the assault here and mobilized my forces, the immediate threat had been neutralized."
The explanation was plausible, even reasonable. But something about the way he said it—the slight hesitation before he spoke, the too-careful control of his expression—set off alarms in my head. My energy sense had been active throughout this entire exchange, and while I couldn't read minds, I'd learned to pick up on the subtle fluctuations in spiritual energy that accompanied strong emotions. Something I couldn't have accomplished without perfect memory.
Nurarihyon was lying. Or at least, by omission.
I kept my expression neutral and filed the observation away for later. Accusing a Youkai elder of deception in front of his peers without proof would accomplish nothing except making an enemy. But I made a mental note to keep a close eye on him.
Before anyone could respond to Nurarihyon's explanation, my Energy Sense picked up a new signature approaching rapidly. I turned toward the entrance a split second before the doors burst open.
The sickle weasel scout from earlier—the one who'd reported on the demon movements in Osaka—practically flew into the hall, her features wild with urgency. She skidded to a stop in front of Takeshi, breathing hard.
"The barrier!" she gasped out. "The barrier at the secondary shrine—it's gone!"
The hall erupted into motion. Warriors reached for weapons, the elders exchanged sharp glances, and I felt everyone's spiritual energy spike with a mixture of hope and dread.
"Gone?" Takeshi's voice cut through the chaos. "You mean it's been breached?"
"No, sir. It just... collapsed. Dissolved. Like whoever was maintaining it simply released it." The scout's eyes were wide. "We sent an advance team in immediately to investigate."
"And?" Kunou's voice was barely above a whisper, but it carried across the suddenly silent hall.
The scout's expression crumbled. "Princess, I'm... I'm so sorry. There's no one alive. Only blood and bodies. Lady Yasaka's elite guard, all twelve of them. Slaughtered."
The words hit like a physical blow. I felt Kunou's hand go limp in mine and felt her knees start to buckle. Around us, the hall exploded into shocked exclamations and angry shouts, but all I could focus on was the young girl beside me as she crumpled.
I caught her before she hit the ground, dropping to my knees and pulling her against my chest. Her body shook with silent sobs, her hands clutching at my shirt like it was the only thing keeping her anchored.
"Mother," she whispered brokenly. "They took Mother. They killed everyone and took her. She's gone. She's—"
"She's alive," I said firmly, one hand on her back while the other cradled her head. "Kunou-san, listen to me. They took her, which means she's alive. If they wanted her dead, they would have left her body with the others. She's alive, and we're going to find her."
I didn't know if that was true. The logical part of my brain knew that taking someone alive could mean any number of horrible things. But right now, this terrified young girl needed hope more than she needed brutal truth.
The tactical part of my brain knew that capturing someone alive could mean torture, ritual sacrifice, using them as bait—any number of scenarios that made death seem merciful by comparison. But watching Kunou break down, feeling her terror and desperation, I couldn't help but remember my own previous life. All those moments when I'd needed someone—anyone—to tell me things would be okay, to hold me while the world fell apart around me.
No one had been there then. But I could be here now.
"We'll find her," I murmured, keeping my voice low and steady. "I promise you, we'll find her."
Kunou's sobs gradually quieted, though her grip on my shirt didn't loosen. Around us, I heard the chaos of the hall—warriors shouting, elders arguing, and Serafall's voice cutting through the noise with that ridiculous persona. But my focus stayed on the young girl in my arms, giving her the comfort I'd once desperately wished for.
After what felt like a few hours but was probably only a minute or two, Kunou pulled back slightly. Her golden eyes were red and swollen, her face streaked with tears, but there was steel beneath the grief.
"I need to investigate," I said, meeting her gaze. "The secondary shrine—I have a unique way of searching for things that might help us track where they took her. Energy signatures, residual spiritual traces, anything they left behind."
Before Kunou could respond, Nurarihyon's voice cut across the hall.
"Absolutely not." The old man stepped forward, his expression hard. "You are an outsider, human. A mere mortal with no official standing. You are not part of the pact Kunou-san signed, and you have no authority to investigate our sacred sites."
I felt my jaw clench, anger flaring hot in my chest. Every second we wasted arguing was a second Yasaka remained in enemy hands, a second the trail grew colder. But before I could formulate a response that wouldn't make things worse, Kunou pushed herself up from my arms.
"Silence." Her voice was quiet, but it carried the weight of absolute authority that made even Nurarihyon pause. Kunou's tears still streamed down her face, but her golden eyes blazed with fury as she faced the elder. "Toshio is free to act on behalf of the Youkai. He will investigate the secondary shrine, and you will not interfere."
"Princess, you cannot simply—"
"I am not asking for your permission, Elder Nurarihyon." Kunou's single tail blazed with fox-fire, her power flaring in response to her rage and grief. "My mother is missing. Her elite guard is dead. And you stand here questioning the one person who has shown nothing but loyalty and courage since this crisis began?"
Nurarihyon's face flushed, but before he could respond, Rias stepped forward.
"We'll accompany him," she said firmly. "My peerage and I. We can provide additional support during the investigation."
Takeshi moved closer, his massive tiger form imposing as he addressed the room. "Princess, I'll send a small group of our warriors with them. They'll ensure access to the site and assist with the investigation. The rest of our forces will remain here to prepare defenses and coordinate with Serafall-sama."
"Perfect," Serafall chimed in, her tone bright despite the grim circumstances. "I'll stay here too! Kunou-chan and Nura-chan and I have lots to discuss about defensive positioning and—"
"Nura-chan?" Nurarihyon sputtered, his face turning an impressive shade of red. "I am Elder Nurarihyon, you insufferable—"
I couldn't completely hide my amusement, a brief smile tugging at my lips despite everything. The sight of the pompous elder being reduced to indignant sputtering by Serafall's cheerful disrespect was oddly satisfying.
Kunou turned back to me, and I saw her struggling to maintain her composure. "Please," she said quietly. "Find my mother. Bring her home."
I placed both hands on her shoulders, meeting her eyes steadily. "I'll do my best to track down Yasaka-sama. I promise you, we won't stop until we find her."
She nodded, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks, but she didn't break down again. The steel in her spine held.
Takeshi gestured to three Youkai warriors—Hiroshi, the fox with the burning katana; Miyako, the crane; and a wolf Youkai I recognized from the earlier battle. "You three will accompany the devils and the human. Provide whatever assistance they need."
"Yes, sir," they responded in unison.
Rias moved to my side, Akeno immediately claiming her position at my other shoulder. Kiba fell into formation behind us, along with the three selected Youkai, as we moved to leave for the corrupted shrine.