Watching the dark Susanoo figure clash with the towering humanoid form of the Weather God, the high-intensity spiritual power confrontation caused the surrounding clouds to tremble, with flashes of thunder even flickering within, as if adding colour to this battle between exorcist and deity.
Yet, Onimaru Kunitsuna couldn't help but frown.
She flashed forward, slicing through several cloud-formed humanoid monsters blocking her path, and landed lightly beside Hachishaku-sama and Hina Amano, lowering her voice.
"The situation is unfavourable."
"Unfavourable?"
Watching the black figure conjured by Ye Xing—wielding a dark shield in its left hand and a black fan formed from evil spirit power in its right, swinging freely and driving the colourful giant into retreat—Hina Amano hesitated, her expression doubtful.
"This... doesn't the unfavourable seem to be on their side?"
"No, you don't understand."
Onimaru Kunitsuna's expression was grave, her brow furrowed with unconcealed worry.
"Do you know what our master's ability is?"
Hina Amano nodded slightly.
"He mentioned it—it's about constructing a complete power system through imagination in his mind, then materialising abilities based on that system into reality. Simply put, it's a special ability to turn phenomena into reality, right?"
"That's correct, but..."
Onimaru Kunitsuna's face grew solemn.
"This ability is far too dangerous."
"Dangerous...?"
"Yes, dangerous."
Observing Ye Xing, fully immersed in battle with the Weather God, his body within the black figure, the two streams of bloody tears leaving dark red trails on his black mask, his eyes radiating excitement, joy, and numerous other emotions, Onimaru Kunitsuna pressed her lips together and whispered.
"I don't know how master imagines these strange abilities, including the one he's using now. But precisely because it's unrestricted and relies entirely on his will to manifest, it's the most perilous."
"Imagination is a dangerous thing."
"Master's soul and body... are ultimately only human, or at least, more inclined toward humanity."
"If he uses overly powerful techniques in battle... even with the support and protection of evil spirit power, his flesh and soul are highly susceptible to backlash."
At this point, Onimaru Kunitsuna paused, exchanged a glance with Tamamo-no-Mae in the distance, and revealed something only the two of them knew.
"And... Master's injuries haven't fully healed yet."
When Hina Amano heard these final words, she froze completely, her lips parting slightly as if to speak, yet no words came out.
Thinking carefully...
What had Ye Xing been through during these past ten days?
First, he was trapped in the Reverse World, battling powerful evil spirits, and most importantly, fighting the evil spirits created by that earthquake. He had even remained in the perilous Reverse World for an entire week.
Then, he used his soul's true form, the black and white ghost hand, to forcibly tear open a rift in the Reverse World. During a time that was neither Human Hour nor Demon Hour, he forcefully escaped the Reverse World and returned to the real world.
After that came the Kyoto Tower battle, where he fought against thousands of powerful beings, including Hannya and Shuten-dōji, while maintaining a Domain large enough to cover the entire Kyoto Tower for nearly an hour.
And the Kyoto Tower incident had occurred just the day before yesterday - less than forty-eight hours ago.
To borrow one of Ye Xing's abstract phrases that always made Supernatural Society members blush with embarrassment whenever they heard it...
Even a Saintess trapped in a goblin cave in a doujinshi couldn't withstand such treatment.
"So what should we do now?"
Realising the seriousness of the situation, Hina Amano felt even more regretful.
It was all because she had been too emotional, and because she wanted to entrust her younger brother to someone trustworthy before disappearing, that this situation had occurred.
If she had just disappeared quietly in some corner without anyone knowing...
Ye Xing wouldn't have been plunged into such danger either.
Onimaru Kunitsuna wasn't aware of Hina Amano's inner self-blame. As an emotionless, famous sword who cared only about Ye Xing, she didn't concern herself with anything beyond her master's safety.
"Going to help... would be meaningless."
Onimaru Kunitsuna gazed at the rainbow-coloured giant monster formed from rain and clouds. Even though Ye Xing had beaten it to the point where it couldn't lift its head, its injuries always healed instantly, showing no signs of retreat.
"This creature's spiritual power is nearly limitless. Even if Master were in his best condition, he probably couldn't win a battle of attrition on the enemy's home turf. The most crucial method to turn the tide, the only method, is..."
Here, Onimaru Kunitsuna looked at Hachishaku-sama with a serious expression.
"Hachishaku, you must use your own Domain to help Master override the enemy's territory and cut off its external spiritual power supply."
"Eh? Domain? Me?"
Hachishaku-sama looked completely bewildered.
"But... I don't know how."
"You don't know how now, but you already possess the conditions."
Onimaru Kunitsuna explained very seriously.
"Master and Miss Yotsuya were able to open domains because they both devoured and fused with evil spirits containing Gates. Your body already contains a Gate - it's time to use it now."
"But... I..."
Hachishaku-sama didn't know how to respond.
Regarding the Gate within her body, she had basically done little to develop it. After all, shortly after Hachishaku-sama's birth, before she even had the chance to kill a single human, she was recruited by Ye Xing as a temporary worker for the Supernatural Society. This eventually evolved into today's permanent iron rice bowl.
Opening a Domain?
Herself?
Hachishaku-sama didn't know how to accomplish such a thing.
"There's only this method left."
Noticing Hachishaku-sama's somewhat confused and bewildered expression, Onimaru Kunitsuna stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. Looking directly into Hachishaku-sama's eyes, she spoke word by word.
"If you cannot open a Domain, Master's spiritual power will eventually be depleted, and in the end... we will certainly lose."
Though Onimaru Kunitsuna's tone remained calm, the meaning behind her words made Hachishaku-sama feel an unprecedented weight of pressure.
She looked towards Ye Xing, who was locked in combat with the rainbow-coloured giant monster, and noticed that the black mist representing his Domain seemed to be resisting against this Divine Territory.
The rainbow colours and the pitch-black mist were locked in confrontation, neither side giving ground.
The black mist representing Ye Xing's Domain could no longer extend outward. Though it wasn't being overwhelmed in return, it had reached a stalemate against the rainbow spiritual power of the Weather God.
Though it was called a stalemate...
Hachishaku-sama knew, just as Tamamo-no-Mae had said, that if Ye Xing's power continued to be consumed like this, he would eventually be unable to sustain it - it was only a matter of time.
There was only that method left.
"I... I'll try."
"Not just try."
Tamamo-no-Mae pressed down on Hachishaku-sama's shoulder, looking directly into her eyes as she spoke word by word.
"You must succeed. Are you willing to watch our master die!?"
"I... I understand!"
"Very good."
Seeing the determination growing in Hachishaku-sama's eyes, Onimaru Kunitsuna said no more. After all, as a sword herself, she didn't even possess the Domain Expansion skill - aside from reinforcing the other's resolve, she couldn't provide any real assistance.
"Master..."
Onimaru Kunitsuna gazed into the distance where Ye Xing was battling the Weather God, her expression growing complicated.
She knew her master approached exorcism with extreme caution.
While Hachishaku-sama might have the potential to master Domain Expansion, it was impossible that Ye Xing would stake all his hopes for this battle solely on her.
There must be other backup plans.
What were they?
Onimaru Kunitsuna didn't know, nor could she guess.
After all, she was just a sword.
...
Meanwhile, in the Chief of Criminal Investigations and Special Operations Group's office at the Kyoto Metropolitan Police Department.
"How strange."
Soichiro Yagami sat down, pulled out several tissues to wipe the soaked parts of his suit, and sighed helplessly while listening to the heavy rain outside, muttering to himself.
"This damned weather changes so suddenly, it's unbelievable."
The first thing Soichiro Yagami did after sitting down was turn on his computer.
Just as he was about to start working, a notification popped up in the lower right corner of the screen indicating a USB drive had been inserted.
"Hmm?"
Soichiro Yagami frowned deeply. He remembered clearly that there had been no USB drive connected to his computer before he left work yesterday.
A hacker?
Probably not.
What kind of low-level hacker would insert a USB drive and get exposed by the computer's notification?
That would be too stupid.
Besides, to insert a USB drive into his computer, it would have to be either someone from within the Metropolitan Police Department, or...
Thinking this, Soichiro Yagami's heart sank. He immediately moved the mouse and clicked to open the USB drive's contents.
There was only one video file inside.
After double-clicking, the video began to play.
Just as Soichiro Yagami had suspected.
Before his eyes appeared that familiar black mask, and in his ears Mask's voice, tinged with laughter, sounded.
"Chief Yagami, hello."
"When you see this video, I should already be fighting a god."
Soichiro Yagami was completely baffled by this opening.
What?
A god?
What was Mask talking about now? Some kind of metaphor?
But upon second thought, if evil spirits existed in this world, then perhaps the gods from legends might also...
Soichiro Yagami was stunned.
Bloody hell!?
You're actually serious?
Just eliminating evil spirits isn't enough for you anymore?
You have to pick a fight with a god?
The words in the video didn't stop despite Soichiro Yagami's shock.
"If I'm not mistaken, Kyoto should currently be experiencing a once-in-a-century heavy rainfall."
Soichiro Yagami was taken aback again.
Good grief, Mask could predict the weather, too?
This was far more accurate than the weather forecast.
"Chief Yagami, I need you to help me with something..."
...
Meanwhile, in the commercial district.
"Wait..."
Oda Noto looked at Miko Yotsuya, Rio Futaba, Yui Yuigahama, Mai Sakurajima, and Haruno Yukinoshita, who stood before him, noticing the extremely serious expressions on their faces, and couldn't help but reveal a bitter, helpless smile.
"You come to me first thing in the morning, suddenly asking me to name the oldest shrine in Kyoto that's related to weather? I may be an exorcist, but I don't know such things. Even checking records would take time, right?"
"No!"
Yui Yuigahama, the Supernatural Society ambassador who was usually gentle, sweet, and very polite - someone Oda Noto held in high regard - now appeared extremely anxious, her words even becoming forceful.
"It has to be as soon as possible, preferably right now, or it'll be too late!"
"Even if you say that..."
Just as Oda Noto looked troubled, unsure of what to do, Godmother Granny's voice came from the room behind the counter.
"Hmph, useless old man."
Godmother Granny lifted the curtain and walked out slowly, holding a map of Kyoto.
She looked at Yui Yuigahama and the others before her and spoke slowly.
"It's something important, correct?"
"Yes, very important!"
"Very well."
Godmother Granny unfolded the map in her hands and placed it on the counter. After taking a deep breath for a few seconds, her aged, wrinkled finger slowly pointed to a particular street location.
"It should be around this area. With your abilities, you should be able to detect the traces of spiritual power once you arrive."
"Thank you, Granny!"
After expressing their gratitude, Yui Yuigahama and the others hurried away, their steps not faltering even as they braved the heavy rain.
Godmother Granny watched their retreating figures. Though the divination had consumed much of her spiritual power, her slightly weary face couldn't help but show a faint smile.
"Old Noto."
"What?"
"Youth... It's truly wonderful."
...
Fifteen minutes later, inside Kyoto Television.
"Sorry to trouble you, Station Director."
A middle-aged man in a suit, hearing Soichiro Yagami's words and seeing that he was about to bow, quickly stepped forward and supported Soichiro Yagami's shoulders with a friendly smile.
"Chief Yagami, you're being too formal. You're actually helping us out. Mask's public speech video will definitely become hot news."
Soichiro Yagami managed a weak smile.
"Well... but the content in this video might seem rather unbelievable to you, and I can't guarantee its authenticity..."
"Ah, don't worry about that."
The Kyoto Television station director waved his hand dismissively, smiling.
"As media, we're only responsible for conveying Mask's speech content to the public with absolute objectivity, neither supporting nor opposing it. After all, he's considered a public figure, and any action of his can become news. As for the truth of the content? That's for the public to judge individually - it has nothing to do with us."
"Well... that's true..."
Soichiro Yagami didn't like dealing with the media. As the Criminal Affairs Director of the Metropolitan Police Department, he had encountered too many unscrupulous reporters.
Those who deliberately set traps with their questions, those who applied pressure when investigations reached dead ends, and even those who secretly took crime scene photos and uploaded them to the internet.
Of course, mainstream media like Kyoto Television wouldn't stoop to such despicable methods.
During the period when Kyoto's crime rate sharply increased - when Soichiro Yagami, as head of the criminal investigation bureau, faced the greatest pressure - Kyoto Television had fulfilled its media responsibility by doing its best to reassure citizens.
And this time...
Kyoto Television's assistance was needed once again.
Five minutes later.
"We now interrupt with an urgent news bulletin."
Due to the sudden heavy rainfall and transportation difficulties, almost all residents of Kyoto City were currently staying at home.
"We have received an anonymous package which, after inspection, has been confirmed to contain a video recording made by someone suspected to be Mask."
Kyoto Television's wording was practically flawless.
Why would Mask's speech video be in Soichiro Yagami's possession, and why would he be the one to pass it along?
The television station director wasn't foolish - he could already guess that this Chief Yagami had some undisclosed connection with Mask.
But was there any need to say it aloud?
Setting aside his position as director...
He himself, like most people in Kyoto City, was a supporter of Mask.
The thought of a hidden hero secretly cooperating with the publicly known police chief...
Just imagining it made this middle-aged director's hidden chuunibyou spirit burn fiercely.
"Hello everyone."
The television screen flickered, changing from the studio feed to a pure black mask, accompanied by a voice tinged with laughter.
"I am Mask."
Just hearing this familiar opening made citizens who had watched the Sunny Doll Killer incident break into slight smiles.
Though they didn't know his appearance, and his voice was somewhat blurred and hard to distinguish...
This familiar tone confirmed it was undoubtedly Mask himself.
"Next, I want to tell you all a story."
"A story about a twisted entity that manipulates weather, uses the weather as blackmail, calls itself a god, and wants to make an innocent girl become a living sacrifice."
"You can listen to it as a fictional story, but in reality, this is something true that's happening right now."
...
Five minutes later, the video concluded.
Ye Xing naturally didn't reveal Hina Amano's identity, merely recounting the legend of the Sunny Girl exactly as it was.
In the end, he used only the simplest sentence to conclude.
"As Mask, I'm not some hero."
"But I will never compromise, nor will I yield."
"The twisted entity that threatens humanity with weather and calls itself a god must be completely eliminated."
After the video ended, the screen cut back to Kyoto Television's studio.
The host remained silent, seemingly giving viewers time to process what they had just seen.
And in this silence, almost all viewers shared the same thought at that moment.
If there truly existed a twisted deity in this world that used weather as leverage to force innocent girls to become living sacrifices...
Then it deserved to be eradicated.
The actions of Mask were undoubtedly righteous.
The citizens believed in this hero, even if he never claimed the title for himself.
In the shopping district, the middle-aged shop owner selling Mask figurines slammed his table and stood up after hearing this speech, his expression grave.
"Just because it's raining, a young girl should become a living sacrifice? What absolute nonsense!!"
"Even if it rains forever, we must never compromise with such a creature!"
"What kind of deity threatens humans? This is nothing but an evil spirit!"
"Mask will prevail!"
...
Meanwhile, in the Divine Territory above the clouds.
"Hmm?"
The Weather God, who had been fending off Ye Xing's attacks, suddenly faltered. In that moment, nearly half of its body was severed by the long blade wielded by the black Susanoo.
But this time...
The rainbow-coloured giant monster's body didn't regenerate as quickly as before - the healing process had noticeably slowed.
"How... how is this possible?"
Shocked to discover his spiritual power replenishing at a much slower rate, the Weather God's voice trembled with disbelief.
"Oh, succeeded already?"
Noticing the change in the rainbow-coloured giant, Ye Xing nodded in satisfaction with a light chuckle.
"It seems compared to a self-proclaimed god like you, and their hatred for rainy weather..."
"Everyone in Kyoto would rather place their faith in me, as Mask."