Main World — Tokyo Metropolitan Area
Without the slightest warning, Ren Kuroda suddenly reappeared on a dimly lit street.
After stopping the Mobile Fortress from destroying Akatsuki, he had ultimately completed the World Mission and returned to his original main world.
Once the Mobile Fortress Destroyer lost its balance and was tripped up, the rest of the battle was nothing short of a one-sided beatdown.Although the enemy possessed anti-magic armor, that sort of thing was utterly meaningless against Ren Kuroda, who fought with overwhelming brute force. Despite its massive frame, the fortress had been pinned to the ground and mercilessly pummeled the entire time.
Even though it was equipped with a large number of magical weapons, every attempt to fire them was interrupted mid-activation—Ren shattered them with chantless oni techniques before they could even be unleashed.
After defeating the Mobile Fortress, Ren's name quickly spread all the way to the royal capital. Not only was he granted the title of Baron, but he was also appointed as the new lord of Akatsuki.
When the royal family learned that Ren had defeated the Mobile Fortress bare-handed—and that the one who had previously slain the Demon King Army commander Hekiya had also been Ren—they enthusiastically invited him to the royal capital.
On the surface, they were curious about what kind of man he was. But in truth, with the war against the Demon King Army locked in a stalemate, they desperately needed high-end combat power like his.
Even though the royal family promised all manner of generous rewards, Ren ultimately declined the invitation. Having already completed the World Mission, he had returned once again to his main world.
Two weeks had passed since the Hyakki Yakō, led by the Night Parade King, had mobilized a massive force of Tokyo-area yokai in an attempt to completely seize control of the district.(Ren's departure cycle was one week, but since Mizuki's world counted as an irregular traversal world, an additional week had elapsed.)
In just two short weeks, most of the reconstruction of the previously devastated Tokyo area had already been completed.
After all, this was a highly advanced technological society. Large-scale reconstruction was now handled mostly by machines.
The structure of this world was, frankly, strange.
Culturally speaking, it was clearly a high-tech society—yet at the same time, yokai existed: supernatural beings utterly beyond scientific explanation, completely divorced from conventional reality.
Walking along what was now known as the Exorcism Commercial Street, Ren couldn't help but marvel at the dazzling array of goods on display. He'd only been gone for two weeks, yet it felt like stepping into a whole new world.
The so-called Exorcism Commercial Street had been rebuilt after the Tokyo district suffered large-scale destruction.
Though it was called a "commercial street," what it sold was nothing like an ordinary shopping district.
Exorcism talismans, low-tier spiritual tools, the ever-common holy water, specially processed holy-water rounds—everything was available here. With enough luck, you could even stumble upon the rare and highly sought-after Yokai Serum.
Naturally, such items were extremely scarce. Every time they appeared on the market, they were snapped up in a frenzy at absurd prices.
Following the recent Tokyo battle, those in power finally realized a grim truth: while humanity still had a large population, the number of people actually capable of fighting yokai was painfully small.
Even weaker yokai were practically a death sentence for ordinary humans.
As a result, the upper echelons made a drastic decision—weapon restrictions were lifted. Ordinary civilians were now permitted to carry blades and firearms.
Of course, loosening weapon control meant there would inevitably be people who abused that power. But compared to the existential threat posed by yokai, those concerns were now considered minor.
Extraordinary circumstances demanded extraordinary measures. If ordinary people could carry guns loaded with special ammunition, their chances of survival against weaker yokai would increase dramatically, significantly reducing the burden on professional exorcists.
The Exorcism Commercial Street was open to everyone. As long as you had money, even a regular civilian could buy holy water or talismans here.
Armor and weapons crafted from the remains of yokai were especially popular commodities.
Although these items couldn't be powered by spiritual energy—and were considered inferior junk by orthodox exorcists—they were incredibly practical for Serum Soldiers and ordinary people who lacked spiritual power.
"C-rank Serum Soldier squad recruiting! Subjugating C-rank yokai Wanyūdō! One speed-type member needed—C-rank preferred!"
"D-rank vengeful spirit cleanup at the cemetery! Consumables like holy water at your own expense. Rewards distributed based on contribution—two more members needed!"
After passing through the entire commercial street, one arrived at a massive plaza.
Shouts rang out here as well, but unlike the vendors earlier, these voices belonged to exorcists seeking teammates.
In today's world, the old routine of clocking in to work and heading home afterward was no longer realistic.
This was now an era where strength ruled supreme. If you wanted to live freely—and with status—power was everything.
The Tokyo district battle had been devastating, but it also allowed Tokyo to rise faster than any other region.
Although the Night Parade King withdrew with his yokai forces, he left behind countless remains. After extensive processing, these remnants were transformed into Yokai Serums that flooded the market.
At the same time, a new exorcist faction emerged—the Serum Soldiers.
These individuals possessed physiques rivaling yokai themselves, and a select few even inherited special yokai abilities.
In this world, they functioned much like mercenaries, hunting yokai to amass wealth and resources.
The plaza behind the commercial street served as their primary hub for forming teams, and it was constantly packed with exorcists.
Of course, Serum Soldiers weren't the only ones here. Freelance exorcists without family backing—and occasionally even ordinary civilians—could also be found in the crowd.
In a world like this, resources were essential for survival. Serum Soldiers needed them, but so did exorcists without powerful clans to support them.
As for the ordinary people gathered here, most were dissatisfied with their current lives. Lacking talent to enter spirit-training institutions and unable to afford Yokai Serum, they came here to gamble everything on a single chance.
If one asked which profession made money the fastest, the answer was obvious: hunting yokai.
Yokai were a threat—but also a treasure trove. Their blood could be refined into valuable serum, their bodies into weapons and armor, and there was never any concern about resale. Any major corporation would buy them at a premium.
Because they couldn't afford Yokai Serum, ordinary people relied on cheaper purchases from the commercial street—low-cost talismans and Spirit Rounds.
With enough luck, they could kill E-rank yokai, slowly accumulate wealth, and eventually buy serum to become Serum Soldiers.
But such success stories were rare.
Ordinary people with no combat experience had abysmally low survival rates, even against the weakest yokai. Those who survived were usually the ones with exceptionally strong mental fortitude.
The plaza was crowded. Teams constantly formed and departed, while new hopefuls flowed in to replace them.
Ren sat off to the side and quietly observed. Despite the large crowd, he noticed that everyone here was clearly divided into four distinct tiers.
The most sought-after group was, without question, exorcists with spiritual power.Most of them were freelancers without family backing, but when it came to dealing with yokai, exorcists were still the true specialists.
Their mastery of spells allowed them to handle emergencies and adapt quickly, and their combat experience far surpassed everyone else's.
Compared to ordinary people, these exorcists weren't exactly poor either. If wealthy civilians could afford Yokai Serum, so could they. Some hesitated due to side effects—but others didn't lack the courage.
Exorcists who both possessed spiritual power and had taken Yokai Serum were the rarest and most desirable of all—the undisputed first tier.
The second tier consisted of exorcists who hadn't taken serum, along with the exceptionally lucky Serum Soldiers who inherited yokai abilities.
After taking Yokai Serum, these individuals gained not only yokai-level physiques, but fragments of yokai powers as well.
These two categories formed the second most desirable group, though their numbers were still small.
The third tier was made up of ordinary Serum Soldiers. They lacked special abilities, but their monstrous physiques—combined with exorcism weapons—still made them formidable fighters.
The final tier consisted of ordinary civilians armed with low-grade exorcism gear.
They were the least welcomed group in the plaza. Anyone with even a bit of strength refused to team up with them.
Mentally fragile and virtually useless in combat, they did little more than drag others down.
To their credit, these civilians were self-aware. After being rejected enough times, they learned their place and chose to form teams only with others like themselves.
Just then, a timid voice reached Ren's ears.
"Um… excuse me. Are you also going to hunt yokai?If so… would you be willing to team up with me?
"I've bought weapons too. I promise I won't hold you back."