"Yu!"
After Ichika exclaimed in surprise, Yura Keikain, who was standing in front of her, finally dared to open her eyes.
The moment she opened her eyes, the scene in the hall completely shattered the girl's view of the world.
A dozen rat yōkai who had previously been in the hall were now all lying on the floor, their heads quietly lying beside them, clearly severed at the same moment she had closed her eyes!
But what being in all of Tokyo could possess such terrifying power?
Could it be possible that Nakano Ichika's younger brother behind her was an even more terrifying genius, a powerful onmyōji?!
As Yura Keikain pondered what had actually happened, Kyūso, who was standing in front of her, laughed mockingly:
"Tsk, I thought it was someone important, but it turns out to be just a human brat who got a little power!"
Kyūso looked at the handsome young man with contempt and stepped out of the iron cage.
"Hey, you're the one that little kitten called… Yu, right? I have to admit, you have the courage to make trouble in Ichiban Street. You managed to kill so many of my people in one moment, your strength isn't bad, but it's still not enough!"
As Kyūso spoke, fine gray hairs appeared on his handsome face, and his hands elongated and turned into a pair of claws that gleamed with a cold shine!
Then his slender cheeks gradually stretched, two sharp fangs grew from his mouth, and a rat tail over two meters long pierced through his clothes and fell to the ground.
Soon, Kyūso revealed his true form—a disgusting humanoid rat!
Seeing that, Nakano Yu raised an eyebrow and sized him up from head to toe, as if examining some strange creature:
"A rat this big… you're really ugly."
"Hey, brat, wake up! Stand up and deal with this traitor!"
As Nakano Yu spoke, he patted Nura Rikuo on the back. With a jet of blood spurting from the hit, Nura Rikuo slowly woke up.
"Ahem! What happened?"
After coughing a few times, Nura Rikuo struggled to rise. Before he could figure out what was happening, he saw in the distance the rat-like head and the monster Kyūso had transformed into. His eyes widened in fear, and he collapsed backward onto the ground.
"Ah! Wh-what's happening here?!"
Nakano Yu narrowed his eyes, observing Nura Rikuo's behavior.
He knew Nura Rikuo, young master of the Nura Clan and future Third Leader of the yōkai. However, it seemed that Nura Rikuo had not yet awakened his yōkai blood and was still just an ordinary human child.
Without overthinking, Nakano Yu felt relieved seeing that Nura Rikuo was fine.
After all, Nakano Yu was somewhat at ease knowing that Nura Rikuo would become a key figure in the Nura Clan in the future. If some radical yōkai took over, humans and yōkai would probably start a war again, and he didn't want his peaceful life disrupted by yōkai problems.
"Hey! Ichika, are you okay?"
Ignoring Kyūso's shouting, Nakano Yu called out to Ichika inside the iron cage.
"Yu! I'm fine!"
Seeing that Nakano Yu had really come to save her, Ichika felt immense relief, but at the same time endless worry. This was a yōkai! Yu… would he really be okay?!
Seeing Ichika full of energy, Nakano Yu nodded and completely relaxed. If anything happened to Ichika, today wouldn't just be the Kyūso Clan suffering; the entire Nura Clan, standing behind all this, would have had to directly clash with his Boar!
However, Kyūso had captured Ienaga Kana and Yura Keikain. Did that mean the plot had really begun?
It seemed that those yōkai from Shikoku would soon come to Ukiyoe Street to start the battle.
Hm~ maybe I should grab some popcorn and watch the show?
No, no, no, it would be bad if the Five Sisters got hurt. It would be better to move them out of Ukiyoe Street in advance, right?
As Nakano Yu thought about this, Kyūso saw that an ordinary human dared to so openly ignore him, and in him, his endless hatred toward humans instantly flared again.
"Damn it!! You bastard, die!!!"
With a roar, Kyūso charged forward and swung his claws at Nakano Yu's chest, trying to pierce through his chest.
However, what he received was not Nakano Yu's blood, but the young man's gaze of ultimate contempt.
"Do you still think this is the age where you wait to say the name of the technique before attacking? Idiot, times have changed!"
As Nakano Yu spoke, he raised his hand and waved it behind Kyūso.
In the next moment, a piercing sound of a sword came from behind Kyūso:
"Zzznnng!!!"
Sensing something was wrong, Kyūso abruptly turned his head, only to see the golden Golden Sword rushing straight toward him.
"What?!"
Seeing that, Kyūso's eyes widened wildly. In panic, he swung his tail, trying to block the Golden Sword. However, when his tail struck the Golden Sword, the sword's trajectory didn't change at all. On the contrary, his tail was just grazed and then cut in half.
"Aaaa!!! My tail!"
Kyūso immediately let out a piercing scream, but did not wait for death. Enduring unbearable pain, he suddenly dodged to the side and avoided the Golden Sword.
After the Golden Sword missed its target, it flew straight to Nakano Yu's side and landed in his hand.
Nakano Yu laughed, watching Kyūso writhe in pain, holding half of his tail.
The weapon in his hand was a divine artifact!
The master of the sacred sword Joyeuse was none other than the legendary hero Charlemagne, the White Knight, and lord of the Twelve Warriors!
Not only does it possess multiple abilities, but its sharpness is such that even powerful yōkai cannot stop it!
And on top of that, the legendary Joyeuse contains a fragment of the holy spear Longinus.
Nakano Yu swung the sword, glanced at Kyūso still struggling, and casually said:
"This is how battles go today, old man. You're outdated."
"How dare you!! I, I am actually being mocked by a human?!"
With a distorted, furious expression, Kyūso still couldn't believe he was outmatched by an ordinary human. Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
It must have been a treacherous attack!
"Unforgivable, unforgivable! Human, I will kill you, and then eat your women, your family! I will destroy everything you have!!"
Kyūso screamed, his body began to twist and swell, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into a huge, wild rat with a severed tail.
Seeing this, Nura Rikuo and Ichika, who had already escaped the cage, watched in horror, and even Yura Keikain, the onmyōji, had a serious expression on her face.
This aura is incredibly strong!
In an instant, Yura felt that Kyūso's demonic aura had not increased by just one level, but several times!
Can that guy really contend with such demonic power?
Clenching her teeth, Yura looked at Nakano Yu, only to see his face turn cold. Then from his body erupted an aura far surpassing humans, monsters, and all life on Earth.
The source of that aura was Nakano Yu. At that moment, there was no trace of relaxation left on Nakano Yu's face. Only cold indifference and the killing intent of a demon king who rules the world remained!
What did you just say?
Purple eyes lowered onto Kyūso. The young man's question was quiet, yet heavy as a mountain, crashing down straight onto Kyūso.
"Bang!!"
With just one glance, Kyūso knelt heavily to the ground, his entire body trembling, his fur standing on end, and he didn't dare to lift his head.
How is this possible? This power… is this [fear]? No, it's not that! This power far surpasses [fear]!
That guy, that man… no, is he even human?!
At the moment when Kyūso completely fell into despair and could no longer muster a shred of will to resist, Nakano Yu approached carrying Joyeuse.
Looking down at the enormous rat lying face-down on the ground, Nakano Yu showed disgust. Killing it would only soil his Joyeuse!
Raising his foot, Nakano Yu released golden radiance and lightly pressed it onto Kyūso's head. In the next moment, the terrifying force instantly crushed Kyūso's head into dust. The raw power of that strike even caused the entire hall to collapse, and the entire villa shook.
Only when everything settled did the young man let out a long breath and quietly said:
"Ten Incarnations Bull – Golden Horn."