Morpheus knew little about Abe no Yoshihira.
After all, the character appeared in precious few anime.
Just two, to be exact.
One was Nurarihyon no Mago, and the other was Shonen Onmyoji.
However, in neither of these series was Abe no Yoshihira the protagonist.
The protagonist of Nurarihyon no Mago needs no introduction, and in Shonen Onmyoji, the main character is Abe no Masahiro, Abe no Seimei's grandson and Yoshihira's nephew.
Outside of those well-versed in Japanese history, Morpheus, as an outsider, knew next to nothing about him.
In Nurarihyon no Mago, Yoshihira bore a striking resemblance to Nura Rikuo.
Both were half-human, half-yokai.
Yoshihira debuted in the manga's final battle arc, clashing head-on with Nura Rikuo. His ability was weather manipulation, particularly summoning lightning, and his strength was formidable, guarding the second layer of the Spiral Castle.
In the story, he acted in accordance with his father Abe no Seimei's desire for "purity," deeply resenting his half-yokai nature and grappling with confusion.
He assumed Nura Rikuo, with only a quarter yokai blood, shared his loathing for their mixed heritage.
Yet Rikuo pointed out that he didn't hate his bloodline, and that Yoshihira was merely following Abe no Seimei's will, not his own.
Defeated by Rikuo, Yoshihira was moved by his words. He opened the path to the final layer of the Spiral Castle, entrusting Rikuo to uphold the resolve to protect both humans and yokai and to convey that wish to Abe no Seimei.
Rumors had long circulated that the Dark Tournament's organizers were likely some great yokai.
But who could've imagined it would be Abe no Seimei's son?
This was intriguing.
Moreover, Abe no Yoshihira's aura was calm, devoid of any yokai energy, which didn't align with his half-human, half-yokai nature.
There were only two possible explanations.
The first: he used powerful onmyoji arts to suppress his yokai bloodline.
The second: he employed some potent spell to completely purge his yokai heritage.
The latter was far more difficult than the former.
So Morpheus suspected it was likely the former.
To confirm, Morpheus intensified his power, scanning Yoshihira thoroughly.
His suspicion was correct.
A massive seal resided within Yoshihira's body, tightly binding his yokai bloodline. Unless undone, few could discern his half-yokai nature.
This guy's onmyoji skills were impressive.
It made sense. As Abe no Seimei's son, who had lived for a millennium, having such skill was only natural.
While Morpheus scrutinized Yoshihira, Toguro reported his day's activities in full.
Yoshihira responded calmly, "Understood. Good work, Toguro."
Toguro hurriedly replied, "It's my duty."
His subservient demeanor was a far cry from the arrogance he displayed in his source material.
Understandable, given he faced a millennium-old figure. Humility was expected.
Yoshihira continued, "Tomorrow marks the start of the Dark Tournament. I expect you to continue hosting and ensure it proceeds smoothly without any errors."
"Our thousand-year wish is on the verge of fulfillment. At this critical moment, no mistakes can be tolerated."
Toguro slammed his forehead to the ground, declaring loudly, "I swear on my life to not disappoint you, my lord."
Yoshihira nodded in satisfaction, exchanged a few more words with Toguro, then waved his hand.
"That's all for today. You may leave."
Toguro bowed once more, respectfully rising and exiting.
Morpheus was curious. What was this "thousand-year wish" Yoshihira spoke of?
Could it be the resurrection of Abe no Seimei?
In Nurarihyon no Mago, Abe no Seimei diverged from his usual heroic portrayal, becoming the ultimate antagonist.
After his death, he sought to have his mother, Kuzunoha, rebirth him to escape hell and return to the human world.
Once revived, he betrayed Kuzunoha, casting her back into hell.
Then, leading his descendants, he aimed to eradicate humans and create a world solely for yokai.
Ruthless and unrelenting, that was the Abe no Seimei of Nurarihyon no Mago.
But this was a crossover world.
A patchwork of countless series.
Abe no Seimei was a towering figure in Japanese history. Mention yokai or onmyoji, and his name was inescapable.
He appeared in far too many series.
Beyond Nurarihyon no Mago and Shonen Onmyoji, there were Twin Star Exorcists, Yokai Hyaku Monogatari, Drifters, Onmyoji 0, and even games like Nioh 2.
In most of these, Abe no Seimei was a heroic figure.
So Morpheus found it hard to believe that in this amalgamated world, Abe no Seimei was the ultimate villain plotting to wipe out humanity for a yokai-only world.
Instead of guessing, why not read Yoshihira's memories?
The answers might lie there.
Morpheus approached Yoshihira, preparing to act.
Though Yoshihira was a human who had lived for over a thousand years, he was still no match for Morpheus.
Morpheus extended a finger, lightly tapping Yoshihira's head.
Instantly, Yoshihira felt an overwhelming wave of drowsiness flood his mind.
"Trouble."
As a top-tier onmyoji, Yoshihira immediately realized this wasn't natural.
He'd been targeted.
It was unthinkable. His power, honed over a millennium, had reached the pinnacle of human capability.
Few could defeat him.
Only a god could manage it.
But why would a god appear here?
Since when did the Dark Tournament attract deities?
Instinctively, Yoshihira tried to form a seal, but the sudden drowsiness was too intense. Halfway through, his eyes closed, and he sank into a deep sleep.
Morpheus materialized before Yoshihira, grasping his head. His formidable mental energy deftly infiltrated Yoshihira's mind, beginning to read his memories.
In an instant, Yoshihira's entire life—every experience—was laid bare before Morpheus.
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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