Chapter 47: Helping Family, Not Justice
Under the vast silver moon that bathed the shrine in its pale glow, the night was tense and silent — until it shattered. A half-illusory golden dragon tore through the sky with an earth-shaking roar, its scales glimmering like molten gold, its wings slicing through the mist. Every pair of eyes turned upward as the heavens themselves seemed to tremble.
The mantis-shaped shikigami had only just descended from midair, its limbs brimming with ghostly green energy, when the golden dragon struck with blinding speed. The air exploded with a booming shockwave, scattering fallen leaves and sending dust spiraling. In an instant, the mantis was engulfed by divine light.
And then...
There was no continuation, no resistance — nothing.
The mantis shikigami followed the same end as the demon before it, disintegrating into gray ash that dissolved into the wind. The magical aura it left behind flickered faintly, then vanished.
As the last shimmer faded, the radiance of a blade gleamed through the drifting embers, revealing a tall, calm figure.
It was Kouya.
His robes fluttered in the wind, moonlight tracing the outline of his shoulders. The golden dragon coiled behind him before fading, leaving only the faint echo of its roar reverberating in the night.
Chiba Ruri's eyes brightened. Though she said nothing, the faint smile that tugged at her lips carried her relief. The burden on her chest seemed to lift.
The beautiful woman across from them froze, her face hardening. Her eyes locked onto Kouya, trembling with disbelief — and growing rage. That mantis shikigami had been her personal companion, bonded through blood. To see it obliterated in a single strike left her heart writhing in pain.
"Sister, are you okay, meow?" The little catgirl Rina called out softly, her tail swishing nervously.
With Kouya beside her, courage welled up. She dashed across the scorched ground toward Chiba Ruri, her tiny paws light and quick.
But before she could reach her, the sharp growl of a beast cut through the air. From the shadows, a black hellhound — its fur like smoke and eyes glowing red — lunged forth, jaws wide open. The creature's howl echoed with cursed energy, its massive body towering over the girl.
And then—
A dragon's roar split the night once again.
The golden dragon surged forward, scales burning with divine light. Its massive form carved through the darkness, wings fanning the air like a storm. With a single motion, its mouth opened wide — and the hellhound vanished inside, crushed by celestial power.
"I told you about the one-blade trick, but you just had to tempt fate. Why suffer needlessly?" Kouyas voice was lazy, almost mocking, as he rested his blade on his shoulder.
The woman's expression turned from shock to fury. Her complexion darkened, eyes gleaming with hatred. That hellhound had also been hers. To lose two shikigami so easily — both under the same man's hand — was a humiliation she couldn't swallow.
"Damn you!!" she screamed, stepping forward. "Who the hell are you?! How dare you kill my shikigami!?"
Kouya turned his gaze toward her, his tone light, uncaring. "Oh, and then?"
The simplicity of his answer only fueled her rage. His voice carried no weight, no fear, as if her anger were beneath him. Her fists clenched, power flaring, ready to strike.
But before she could, the man beside her caught her arm and stepped forward.
"I am Kitagawa Yūji," he said calmly. "And this is my wife, Kitagawa Kyōko. May I ask this gentleman's name?"
"You can call me Kouya," Kouya answered, blade still glinting faintly in the moonlight.
"Please forgive Kyōko's rudeness earlier," Kitagawa Yūji bowed with measured grace, though his eyes never left Kouya.
Kouya gave only a small nod. "Mm."
He had no fondness for malicious people, and this woman radiated venom. If she persisted in seeking her own death, he wouldn't hesitate to grant it — and erase every trace of her influence in the process.
After all, this woman wasn't like the gossiping students at school. Those girls whispered out of curiosity, their teasing mostly harmless. The rumors died in days, leaving no scars. To him, they were little more than background noise.
But this woman — her hostility was real. Tangible. Dangerous.
And Kouya never showed mercy to people like that.
Kitagawa Yūji's tone turned solemn. "Mr. Kouya our family has a long-standing feud with the Chiba Shrine. Years ago, the former head priest of the shrine seized a powerful shikigami from my father. The shame consumed him, and he passed away in regret. We came here to fulfill his dying wish — nothing more."
"Are you done?" Kouyas reply was cold.
Yūji hesitated, bowing again. "So please, Mr. Kouya, do not interfere in this matter—"
"No."
"...What?"
"Because I've never been one for reason." Kouya shrugged casually, his tone dry. "If anything, I'm the kind of man who helps family, not justice."
The words hung in the air, heavy and defiant. Even Yūji faltered, unable to find a retort.
"Help family... not justice?" The shrine maiden's cheeks flushed crimson. She sneaked a glance at Kouya, then quickly turned away, flustered.
"Arrogant brat!" Kitagawa Kyōko snapped, trembling with fury. "You'll regret offending the Kitagawa family!"
Kouya's eyes flicked toward her, sharp and emotionless. "The last person who said that to me is already dead."
The world seemed to still. Kyōko's breath caught. For a heartbeat, she saw something monstrous in his gaze — a beast lurking behind human calm. Fear spread through her veins.
Kitagawa Yūji moved in front of her, his composure returning. "Then we'll take our leave. This duel ends here."
"Yūji?!" she protested, stunned.
"Enough," he said firmly. "We're leaving."
"But—"
"Go back."
"...Yes."
Kyōko lowered her head, silent, but her glare lingered, burning with venom as she turned away.
Kouya ignored her completely. He didn't fear threats — if they dared to act, he'd gladly show them what fear truly meant.
"Kou-kun, farewell." Kitagawa Yūji bowed once more, dismissed his shikigami, and led his wife away.
As they vanished into the distance, the mystical barrier around the shrine shimmered and dissolved, letting the night wind flow freely again.
"...Thank you," the shrine maiden said softly. She had held out alone for so long; exhaustion traced her movements. A thin sheen of sweat gleamed on her pale forehead. Her lips, slightly parted, revealed the faint glimmer of her teeth as she drew slow breaths. A gust stirred her long black hair, brushing against her cheeks, the red-and-white of her robes glowing faintly under the moonlight.
"It's nothing," Kouya replied simply, his tone casual yet steady.
"Mm..." Chiba Ruri tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, her eyes gentle. "It's getting late. Kou-kun, you should go home and rest."
"Meow?" Rina blinked, her cat ears twitching. "But what if those two come back, meow?"
"They won't." Ruri's soft smile carried calm confidence. "Kitagawa Yūji is a clever man. Once he retreats, he won't return — not until he learns exactly who Kou-kun is."
Her hand reached down, gently pinching Rina's soft cheek. "But you — how can you talk now?"
Rina giggled, rubbing against Ruri's hand like a spoiled kitten. "My master helped me, meow~"
"Master?" Ruri's smile remained, but the air grew colder, her tone suddenly sharp.
"That's right, meow! As long as he could save sister, I made him Rina's master, meow~"
'Shut up!'
'I never agreed to that!'
'And that look on her face — seriously? I save her life and that's what I get?'
'If I had to choose, I'd pick the curvy one, not the flat-chested catgirl!'
...
Meanwhile, on a street near the shrine.
The Kitagawa couple appeared under the dim streetlights, their shadows long against the pavement. A black sedan pulled up silently beside them, headlights dimmed.
"Get in," Yūji ordered quietly.
Kyōko hesitated, glaring out into the night before finally slipping into the back seat.
The car rolled away, swallowed by the darkness.
Inside, the tension was thick. The hum of the engine was the only sound until Kyōko burst out, voice trembling. "Yūji! Why did you let him go?! That damn brat killed three of our shikigami!"
"A small patience avoids great chaos," he replied coolly.
"But—"
"Would you rather watch every shikigami in our family be slaughtered?" His tone was cold, sharp.
Kyōko fell silent, teeth clenched. The memory of Kouya's single, effortless swing replayed in her mind — that flash of light, that instant death.
"That man is far stronger than we imagined," Yūji continued. "Even together, we might not win. And with the Chiba shrine maiden there... the risk was absolute." He leaned back, eyes narrowing. "Yet, in all our intelligence, there was no mention of this man. None of the nearby onmyōji families have anyone named Kouya. That means he's new — someone Chiba Ruri recently met."
He stared out the window, voice low. "We'll investigate. Once we know who he really is... then we'll strike back."
A faint smirk touched his lips. "There's more than one way to defeat a man like that... and next time, we'll be ready."