“Come on, Senior sister! Faster!”

  Hikari sighed, trailing behind her junior. “Slow down. You don’t know this area yet—you might get lost.”

  “Oh please, just because I’m short doesn’t mean I’m a little kid! I can find my way back just fine!” Yukari pouted, picking up her pace.

  Through her behavior however… she certainly still acted like one.

  Hikari fastened her step, matching the speed of her stride, then glanced at her.

  “Did you memorize the new talisman chant I taught you?”

  “Ooh! You mean the one to summon your pets, right—?”

  *Thunk!

  Hikari smacked her on the head with a rolled-up talisman, it didn't hurt, yet it produced quite a sound.

  “They’re not pets. They’re Shikigami.”

  Yukari just laughs it off as she rubs her head.

  Both of them just went out to gain real battle experience against yokai. As they walked, Yukari continued asking questions about the spell she had learned.

  “So… about pets—I mean Shikigami, how many slots does each Exorcist unlock?”

  “Uh… slot?” As she raised her eyebrow in confusion. “Are you trying to say how many Shikigami an Onmyouji can contract?”

  “Ah, yes. Something like that…”

  “...Well, it depends. It’s based on the respective members' spiritual capacity and overall skill.”

  Hikari took out a talisman and began chanting.

  "From ink to spirit, from name to form, by my call and my bond—Shikigami, awaken."

  The talisman glowed as she tossed it into the air. A ritual circle formed above her, and from its center, a large, plump rabbit emerged.

  Hikari caught it effortlessly and held it up for her junior to see. “This is Mochiko, my Shikigami.”

  Yukari was mesmerized by the rabbit. “C–Cute…” Yukari continued her question as she stroked Mochiko’s soft fur. “So… what’s her skillset? Did you catch her yourself?”

  “S–Skillset? C—Catch? No!” Hikari shook her head. “We don’t catch Shikigami. We summon them based on the purpose of our contract. When I first summoned Mochiko, I envisioned a Shikigami that was small, cute, and easy for tracking targets.”

  Yukari crossed her arms and held her chin, nodding as if she understood everything.

  “Ah, so that's why… Mochiko is a Pe–Shikigami that specializes in reconnaissance and tracking.”

  “Y—Yeah… Something like that,” Hikari admitted. “But don’t let her looks fool you. Despite her appearance, she’s incredibly fast. This form is meant to trick her opponents, making them lower their guard down… Beside Mochiko, I still have another five Shikigami I haven’t summoned.”

  Yukari’s jaw dropped. "F—Five?! Isn’t that normal for a regular Onmyouji apprentice?"

  Hikari shrugged. "No, most Onmyouji usually make two or three contracts.”

  “Seriously?! Then you’re amazing, Senior Sister!" Yukari beamed.

  Hikari's face flustered from the compliment. “Hehe, it’s not a big deal...”

  Their conversation came to a halt as they finally reached their destination.

  "Uhh… this is my school. Why are we here?"

  Yukari smirked mischievously. "Hehehe~ I found something online about one of the buildings here being haunted. That means there’s definitely a Yokai here, right? Let’s go hunt it down!"

  She bounced excitedly, but the moment Hikari spoke, she froze mid-jump.

  "Sorry, but there aren’t any. I already exorcised all the Yokai around here."

  “N—No way…" Yukari slumped dramatically, her mouth hanging open in disappointment. "I didn’t think of an alternative place to go!"

  Hikari sighed. "At times like this, just trust your Senior Sister."

  She set Mochiko down and whispered something to her. The rabbit stood on her hind legs; ears twitching as she scanned the area. Then, in a flash, she sprinted off.

  Mochiko stands up on two legs, glancing left and right as her ears start twitching.

  After a while, it started sprinting to one direction, Hikari tapped on her junior shoulder and told her to follow her Shikigami.

  Hikari tapped Yukari’s shoulder. "Come on, let’s follow Mochiko."

  She grabbed Yukari’s wrist, and they both took off running.

  But it quickly became clear they weren’t fast enough.

  "Senior Sister! Mochiko is too fast! We’re going to lose her!"

  Hikari only smiled. "At times like this, use another spell I taught you."

  "W–Which one?"

  "The tracking one."

  “O—Oh, right! But doesn’t that spell need a catalyst?"

  Hikari reached into her pocket and pulled out a tuft of fur. "Here, this is from Mochiko’s last shedding."

  Yukari took a deep breath. "Okay… I can do this."

  She pressed the fur to a paper talisman and began chanting.

  "Ink upon paper, spirit takes flight,”

  “Guide my sight through day and night.”

  “By name and bond, heed my call,”

  “Lead me to the one and reveal it all.”

  The talisman glowed, then lifted into the air, streaking toward the direction Mochiko had run.

  "I did it!" Yukari cheered.

  Hikari praised her as well, “Good job! And remember well, the tracking talisman will reflect how much spiritual energy you pour into it. More means it will fly faster, if you want it to fly slower, just reduce the amount of energy you send to it.”

  “Mmm, got it!”

  As Yukari precisely controlled her tracking talisman to not fly too fast, they kept following the enchanted talisman until they reached the town’s outskirts, where a lone child stood near the forest’s edge, playing near the river.

  Yukari approached with a friendly wave. "Hey, little fella! What are you doing out here so late? Where’s your mom—"

  She was yanked back before she could finish.

  "First lesson in the wild," Hikari murmured, her grip firm. "Never trust what you see at a glance."

  Yukari blinked in confusion. "Huh? But—that’s just a kid…"

  Hikari shook her head. "Many Yokai can shapeshift and deceive human senses—including the one standing right in front of us."

  Yukari’s breath hitched as realization dawned. "That’s a… Yokai?!"

  Hikari raised a talisman, her voice firm.

  "Blessed radiant spirit, break through the veil of darkness”

  “By my command, let light be born—, illuminate!"

  As the chant finished, a bright burst of light flooded the area. Illuminating the kid as well as purifying the air.

  The "child" shrieked, shielding its face from the glow.

  As the light stripped away the illusion, Yukari got her first real look at it—its skin was red, its body covered in thick hair, and its arms grotesquely elongated,

  Her stomach churned. "Ugh! That’s a monkey?!"

  Yukari staggered as she took a few steps back, shocked by what she just saw. Then the monkey Yokai jumped at her, its left arm began to shrank, but its right arm stretched like a snake, spiraling its way towards Yukari, bearing its razor–sharp claws.

  Yukari, who saw that, screamed in disgust. “Eeeeew! What is that?! It’s disgusting!”

  "Spirit of the world, weave and protect, create boundaries where no vengeful spirit can pass!"

  Hikari came in clutch, a barrier flared to life just as the claws struck, deflecting the attack as that yokai hands was

  "What are you doing?! Ready your next chant!" Hikari snapped.

  Yukari jolted back to focus. "R–Right away!"

  “Ah… Right away!”

  "From spark to blaze, fire shall rise, from force to fury, then burst. Raging flame will be—”

  *DOOM!

  Another attack incoming, a powerful thrust that made the barrier tremble. Then followed up by an ear piercing screech that rang out as the Yokai’s claws raked against the barrier, like a nail scraping a horrid sound across a chalkboard.

  Yukari flinched, stumbling over her words. The spell fizzled.

  "N-No! It didn’t activate!"

  “From breeze to squall, from gust to storm, converge into my palm and blast them all!”

  With a talisman paper on her palm, she thrust it forward, blasting the arm away as it recoiled. The monkey yokai jumped back warily, its beady eyes darting between them.

  “Are you okay?!”

  “...Ah… Yes! Sorry, I panicked and failed to finish my chant. I’ll prepare another one.”

  Yukari steadied herself, raising her hand. "From spark to blaze, fire shall rise, from force to fury—”

  But Hikari cut her off sharply. "No! This is the outskirts of town, but there are still trees and bushes! Using an Explosion Talisman recklessly will just start a wildfire!"

  Yukari froze. "T—Then what should I chant?"

  "First, reinforce the barrier. The one I cast on you is on the verge of shattering."

  Nodding, Yukari quickly took out another talisman and threw it in the air as she finished chanting. "Done! What's next, Senior Sister?"

  "Do you know any offensive talismans besides the explosion one? Like the one I just used?"

  Yukari hesitated. Her face fell. "I–I’m sorry… I still haven’t memorized the chant—” Her face darkened as guilt weighed on her chest. She had been slacking in her studies, and now it was costing them.

  Hikari sighed. "Alright. We’ll cast another Light Purification Talisman and escape."

  Yukari stiffened the moment she heard that line. ‘Escape?’ Her very first outing, her very first fight, and she had already failed? They had to flee from a single monkey.

  Her pride as a gamer stung. It felt just like picking the 'Run Away' option in an RPG game right after her very first battle.

  "E—Escape? What are you talking about? Senior Sister… We’re just getting started. Why should we run from one small monkey?"

  The yokai screeched, its grotesque arm stretching again. Its claws tore at the barrier in a relentless barrage of slashes.

  Yukari flinched as the impacts sent tremors through the protective field, each strike rattling her bones.

  “This yokai is called an Enko—a river monkey yokai," Hikari explained, as her eyes were still locked on to the creature. "It can stretch its arms at will. If its right arm extends, its left arm shrinks, and vice versa.”

  Yukari exhaled. “Is that all? If that’s the only ability it has, we can subdue it. We don’t need to run, Senior Sister.”

  But Hikari remained tense, focusing on strengthening the barrier. The slashes were growing faster, more erratic. "The problem isn’t its power… It’s their numbers."

  Yukari blinked. "…What?"

  Then, a chorus of screeches erupted from the forest and the riverbank.

  Dozens of red eyes glowed in the dark as a swarm of Enko appeared one by one, swinging through the forest, some burst out from within the river and started running towards them.

  "Run!" Hikari commanded. She unleashed a Light Purification spell, a burst of radiant energy momentarily blinding the approaching horde as well as scorching them with purifying energy. Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Yukari’s wrist and bolted.

  The ground trembled under the stampede of the yokai.

  Yukari panting as she was not used to physical activities. “Haah—Haah, Senior sister! Why are we running alongside the city’s outskirts? You said certain areas have barriers, right? So, it’s a safe zone, can’t we just retreat there and attack them from the inside?”

  “We can’t! You must NEVER lead yokai into the city!" Hikari shot back. "If we fight them there, and they scatter away, the casualties will be disastrous!"

  Both were panting, their lungs felt like burning as they sprinted at full speed.

  “Then what do we do?!” Yukari shouted, desperation creeping into her voice.

  “We find a narrow path, cast another barrier, and hold them off. I need time to prepare a strong enough spell to wipe them out.”

  “Alright,”

  The Enko flanked them from both sides, their guttural screeches forming an earsplitting cacophony.

  Hikari struck them down with precise spells, sending several tumbling and some were exorcised. But more surged forward to take their place. No matter how many Enko they killed, the tide never ceased.

  The longer they fought, the heavier their limbs felt, the more their spiritual energy drained away like water slipping through cupped hands.

  Haah—Haah—Don’t stop! Keep running!"

  Another wave lunged at them, snarling fangs bared. Hikari gritted her teeth and fired off another blast of light, scattering them. But as the flare dimmed, a grotesquely elongated arm shot out from the chaos, faster than she could react.

  Yukari’s scream tore through the air.

  Yukari let out a piercing scream as one of the twisted arms had its claws sink into her leg and then yanked her to the ground.

  The monstrous hand wrapped around her leg, claws digging into her flesh before yanking her off her feet.

  Hikari’s heart lurched, Yukari was a precious member of Onmyouji, she couldn't let her die here.

  “Mochiko! Ram it!” Hikari ordered, with a sharp voice filled with urgency.

  A blur of white fur streaked through the air. Mochiko slammed into the arm’s wrist with enough force to break its hold, sending Yukari sprawling back onto the dirt.

  Before the creatures could capitalize on her vulnerable state, Hikari pulled her up and forced her forward. But now the monkeys’ attention had turned elsewhere.

  The Enko swarmed Mochiko in anger.

  Hikari’s heart pounded. “Shikigami Release!” she shouted, dispelling the summon before it could be overwhelmed. Mochiko vanished in a flicker of light.

  They ran, stumbling onto a narrow pathway between giant jagged rocks. It was a dead end—unless they could hold out long enough.

  "Yukari, I’ll prepare a big spell. It’ll take time. You have to hold them off."

  Yukari clenched her fists. "Got it! Please do it, Senior Sister!"

  Hikari dropped to her knees and began the incantation; her voice was steady but urgent. Beside her, Yukari traced another barrier talisman with trembling hands.

  Behind them, the monkeys screamed in rage, their frenzy amplified by the disappearance of their prey. More than sixty of them came crashing against the barrier, claws scraping, teeth gnashing.

  Yukari gritted her teeth, pouring every ounce of her energy into reinforcing the shield. But with each relentless assault, cracks spiderwebbed across its surface.

  She was also running out of energy.

  Behind her, Hikari kept chanting.

  "From the heavens above and the earth below, let all filth be washed away."

  “O sacred winds, carry forth the whispers of the divine."

  “O purest waters, cleanse the sins of this realm—”

  *CRACK!!

  The barrier shattered like fragile glass.

  Hikari’s eyes widened in horror.

  A storm of gnarled, twisted hands lunged through the breach.

  Yukari barely had time to react before Hikari abandoned her spell—

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  And threw herself forward.

  “Blessed radiant spirit, break through the veil of darkness! By my command, let light be born—Illuminate!”

  A pulse of blinding radiance erupted from Hikari’s outstretched palm. The monkeys shrieked as their flesh sizzled, their vision seared by holy light. But it wasn’t strong enough to vanquish them—it was only a low-grade spell. Still, it bought them precious time.

  Seizing the opportunity, they slipped past the frenzied creatures as they were blinded.

  Blood dripped onto the dirt from Hikari’s shoulder, a deep gash trailing crimson down her arm. She had pushed Yukari aside, taking the blow meant for her junior. Every step sent fresh waves of pain lancing through her body, but stopping wasn’t an option.

  Each step sent a new wave of pain lancing through her body, but stopping wasn’t an option.

  They stumbled behind a massive boulder near the river, panting. Yukari’s breath hitched as she saw her senior’s wound.

  Tears welled in her eyes.

  “Senior sister, I’m sorry… I—I couldn’t hold it.”

  Hikari forced a weak smile and placed a trembling hand on Yukari’s head. “You did fine.”

  A piercing howl echoed through the night, making them flinch. As the monkeys recovered their sight, their rage nearing a frenzy. Though they had lost sight of their prey, they weren’t clueless.

  *Sniff, sniff…

  The swarm of Enko sniffed the air.

  A faint scent of blood.

  That was all they needed.

  The swarm let out a chorus of screeches and bolted toward the scent, their claws digging into the earth as they closed in fast.

  Hikari clenched her jaw. They wouldn’t make it far like this.

  There was no choice.

  She pressed her fingers into her wound, warm blood coating her fingertips.

  Yukari’s eyes widened in horror. “Senior sister?! What are you doing?”

  Ignoring the pain, Hikari knelt on the ground, smearing her blood onto the ground in intricate strokes of a circular pattern. The moment the final stroke connected, the markings pulsed with an ominous crimson glow.

  "Spirit of the world, weave and protect, create boundaries where no vengeful spirit can pass!"

  The swarm of Enko rushed forward—only to slam headfirst into an invisible wall. A dome like barrier, glowing a deep crimson color. It was by far the strongest barrier Hikari’s ever casted.

  They shrieked in frustration, their claws sparking against the surface, but no matter how hard they scratched, they couldn’t break through.

  Yukari’s stomach twisted as she watched.

  Her senior sister was using blood as a catalyst.

  Back then, she still clearly remembered her senior sister’s words, —“Ritual and prayer should be clean and holy. Using blood… it feels like a sacrifice.”

  She really despised using it, but because of me… she had no choice but to use it.

  Yukari trembled, her gaze falling to the wound on Hikari’s shoulder. Blood loss had turned her senior’s face pale. She was swaying, barely staying conscious.

  Yet she turned to Yukari with unwavering determination, despite the fear flickering in her darkening vision.

  “...Yukari, summon your Shikigami… Use whatever energy you have left.”

  Yukari hesitated. “My Shikigami?! But—will that really—?”

  She herself isn’t sure that her own Shikigami can resolve their dire situation.

  Hikari’s lips curled into a faint, reassuring smile.

  “It’s okay…” she whispered. “Everything will be alright.”

  Yukari swallowed hard, her fingers trembling as they grasped the summoning talisman. She had no choice.

  She began the chant, squeezing out every single energy she had left, just to summon her Shikigami.

  "From ink to spirit, from name to form, by my call and my bond—Shikigami, awaken!"

  The ink on the talisman glowed, rising into the air—and hovered high above the sky.

  Above them, a shadow expanded—massive, towering, stretching across the land like a vast storm cloud.

  Then, in an instant, it fell.

  A deafening tremor shook the ground, rattling the riverbed and sending a shockwave through the trees.

  That night, Nagano region bore witness to a mysterious earthquake.

  “W…What is this?” Yukari whispered, eyes wide with shock and terror.

  Hikari chuckled weakly. “Didn’t think you’d see it again? Heh… That’s right. It’s your contracted beast. Your Shikigami… the Divine Beast, Genbu.”

  A towering shadowy figure stands tall right above them, its eyes glowed light blue. Glaring the army of Enko

  A towering figure loomed above them, its glowing blue eyes piercing through the darkness. The air vibrated with its sheer presence as it glared down at the swarm of Enko with sinister and intimidating look that made them frozen in fear.

  “M—My… Shikigami?”

  Hikari’s breath hitched, “Just as I thought—your contract beast feels insulted if you make a contract with another shikigami, therefore Genbu is your one and only shikigami.”

  “It's a good thing I made the right call—You’re finally… safe.” Hikari murmured, before her body went limp.

  “S–Senior Sister?! Hold on! Senior Sister?!”

  Yukari shook her, panicked and tried to wake her up. But Hikari didn’t budge.

  The gigantic turtle above them, Genbu, slowly raised its head.

  *GROOOOOOOOOOANG!

  The night quaked beneath its roar.

  Right after that roar, a shockwave followed—pure, unrelenting force that blasted the swarm of Enko, hurtling them into the sky. Those unfortunate enough to be caught in the blast were torn apart mid-air. The few that survived scrambled away in terror, their frenzied howls fading into the distance.

  As the dust settled, Genbu’s form flickered. The Shikigami dissolved into thin air—Yukari had exhausted every last drop of her spiritual energy

  Yukari herself was on the verge of passing out. Her vision blurred, as darkness creeped in at the edges. But she forced herself to stay awake.

  They weren’t safe yet.

  The river water beside them stirred.

  From within the river, a figure emerged, eyes gleaming with hunger. As if it had seen everything—the colossal beast, the slaughter, the two exhausted prey who could no longer fight back.

  It can’t hold its excitement as it licks its sharp teeth, imagining how delicious his dinner will be.

  Yukari’s breath hitched, she was still awake and witnessed the figure of Yokai walking closer and closer.

  “S–Stay away!!” she cried, hugging Hikari’s limp body tightly.

  The Yokai let out a sinister smile, as it chuckled.

  Then it lunged straight at them.

  But then—

  *THONK!!

  A blur of figures crashed into the Yokai, a brutal dropkick slamming into its face. Sending the creature away as it tumbled backward, crashing into the rocky riverbed.

  Yukari’s heart pounded as she clutched her senior even tighter, dreading that another enemy had come for them.

  Who was it—?

  A man stood before her, with silver–white hair gleaming in the moonlight. His crimson eyes burned like embers in the dark and locked on towards the Yokai before them.

  "A slashing mark right on the left eye—Finally… I found you. You damn turtle."

  One glance was enough to understand the anger and desperation in his voice.

  “Don’t think of going against anyone else, first come first served. We still have unfinished business, you damn Kappa.”

  The Kappa hesitated, glancing back and forth, assessing its odds. It quickly decided the fight wasn’t worth it. Without a second thought, it abandoned its pursuit of the two figures and dove straight into the water, vanishing beneath the surface.

  "Running away? Like hell I'll let that happen!"

  Ryohei lunged forward, ready to chase it down, but his feet froze mid-step. His eyes flickered to the side—behind them lies two girls in white outfits, behind a crimson-colored dome.

  *Tsk!

  Clicking his tongue in frustration, Ryohei clenched his fists. Every instinct told him to chase down that Kappa, but leaving them behind in this state? Too dangerous.

  And more than that—his morals as a human wouldn’t allow it.

  "Raisen… among us, you're the fastest one. Can you follow that Kappa and track where it hides?"

  Raisen nodded, as if understanding Ryohei’s order and immediately jumped away. With a gust of wind, Raisen disappeared into the night sky.

  ‘...Alright then, let's move them to a safe place and catch up with Raisen and Hikage as soon as possible.’

  Ryohei turned back toward the two figures. He stepped closer and reached out his hand—

  *Bzzt! Crack!

  A sharp jolt shot through his body, forcing him to recoil. He grimaced, shaking his numbed fingers.

  “S-Stay away!” Yukari’s weak voice rang out as she pointed a talisman paper at him, while still trembling in fear. Her lips quivered, her body barely holding together as she fought to stay conscious.

  But in her state, no one would take her threats seriously.

  Ryohei frowned, his eyes narrowing at the second figure. But the crimson-colored barrier obstructing his view, but something about her seemed… familiar. However, she was tightly embraced, obscuring her face from his view.

  ‘Is that…’ But he immediately dismissed that thought, ‘As if… It’s probably someone else.’

  Since their barrier was still intact, he felt slightly reassured. He turned around and sat cross–legged a short distance away, giving them space.

  “Wha—?!” Yukari's voice wavered in confusion. She screamed again, trying to drive him off.

  But Ryohei didn’t answer any of it and just remained quiet, with his back facing them.

  After tonight's event, Yukari learned a lot. Even though the person in front of her appeared to be human, there is no normal human that was able to overpower Yokai through sheer physical strength.

  Which means—He was another Yokai, waiting to ambush both of them.

  ‘Or perhaps… he’s guarding us?’

  Yukari finally hit her limit; her vision blurred as exhaustion finally won over her. She slumped forward, still clinging tightly to Hikari.

  Several Hours Ago

  I snuck into the hospital with Elder Korpokkur and the young Korpokkur.

  "Alright, I'm ready. Undo her bandages," Elder Korpokkur said confidently. "Little one, follow my lead, just like I taught you the other day."

  The young Korpokkur nodded, reaching out her small hands toward Ruri’s wound.

  “Oops, almost forgot.” Elder Korpokkur snapped his fingers. A soft glow pulsed through Ruri’s body.

  I frowned. “What did you do?”

  "Just a precaution. This is going to hurt—badly. We're forcibly drawing out the last of the poison from her veins. It’s better if she stays unconscious."

  Hearing that made me uneasy. “…But she’ll make a full recovery, right? There’s no chance of permanent damage?”

  "Relax. She'll recover completely."

  I exhaled in relief and stepped back, closing the curtain around her.

  Elder Korpokkur began the treatment, grinding herbs and mixing them with purified water. He carefully controlled his medicine, letting it seep into Ruri’s wound.

  I stood in silence, watching every movement without blinking.

  Each time Elder Korpokkur extracted the dark poison from her veins, the young Korpokkur purified it, and the blackened spider-like pattern on her skin gradually faded.

  The process repeated over and over—until finally, Ruri's leg was fully healed.

  “Heh, you’re awfully quiet,” Elder Korpokkur chuckled. “Got something on your mind?”

  “…I learned from experience not to interrupt a doctor while they’re treating a patient.”

  His eyes widened in surprise before he erupted into laughter.

  “Bahahaha! Well, this isn’t as intense as last time. I can still chat while working besides, the young one is doing most of the work.”

  But despite what he said, I still didn’t respond. I wanted to see her recovery first before allowing my mind to wander.

  Not long after, the treatment was done. Ruri’s pale complexion had returned to its natural color.

  "Alright, finished. Young one, you did an amazing job. You’ll master this in no time."

  The young Korpokkur beamed with pride.

  “…Hey, why do you always call her ‘young one’ or ‘little one’? Doesn’t she have a name?”

  The two exchanged glances before Elder Korpokkur shrugged.

  "Of course she does. But it's too complicated in human language."

  “…Then why not just give her a new name?

  Elder Korpokkur frowns. "What’s the point? Once we return to Korpokkur Village, we’ll just speak our own language again."

  “Well… I guess that makes sense.”

  Suddenly, the young Korpokkur pointed at me and chirped excitedly, bouncing up and down.

  “&@%^?”

  I blinked. “Uh… what?”

  Elder Korpokkur snickered. “She’s asking you to give her a human name.”

  “…Me?”

  "Why not? It'll work as a nickname, and you’ll probably be the only one using it the most anyway. Just pick something you like."

  I rubbed my chin, still deep in thought.

  She stared at me with bright eyes, full of expectation.

  I owe her a lot.

  By calling Elder Korpokkur here and even bringing that Azure Divine Jewel, she helped me regain my power, cure Ruri, and heal my mother’s frail body.

  She called it a payback, but it felt… unbalanced. I receive so much from her.

  ‘What name should I use? Korpokkur—Koropokkuru—’

  “Hmmm….”

  I smiled as an idea clicked into place.

  "Kururi… since you saved my little sister, Ruri, I’ll name you after her." Ryohei smiled. “In this, ‘Ku’ represents the sky—vast and free—just like you. And ‘Ruri’ comes from my sister’s name, meaning lapis lazuli, a gemstone as bright and blue as your eyes. It also symbolizes elegance."

  He paused, then added, "But as a whole, ‘Kururi’ also means ‘to spin’. Since you love twirling around with your Butterbur umbrella, splashing raindrops everywhere, I thought it suited you perfectly…What do you think?"

  The young Korpokkur’s eyes sparkled as she spun around in delight, as if embracing her new name with pure joy.

  Well… as long as she’s happy with it.

  Ruri treatment was completed, and she will soon make a full recovery on her own, so we decided to head back immediately.

  Elder Korpokkur hopped off my arm and dove into the pond. “With this, I’ve fulfilled all your wishes and repaid the Korpokkur clan’s debt from the Hundred Parade. Now, it’s your turn to uphold your end of the bargain—take us home.”

  “Yeah, yeah, don’t worry. I’ll bring you back the day after tomorrow. Until then, just stay here and relax.”

  “Will do!” He floated on his back, lazily drifting across the water.

  “Come join me, little one—oops, I forgot. You have a calling now. Come join me, little Kururi.”

  Kururi giggled, then gracefully climbed into the pond, bowing to me with respect.

  Even after seeing this farewell so many times, I still wasn’t used to it.

  Then—

  A scream.

  No—an earth-shaking roar exploded across the land, tearing through the night with sheer force. The very air trembled, heavy with an overwhelming presence.

  Then, ground rumbled violently, after the roar, it was followed up by an earthquake powerful enough to shake half of Nagano Region.

  "W—What was that?!" I yelled, struggling to keep my balance.

  Elder Korpokkur quickly pulled Kururi deeper into the pond, forcing her to go into hiding. His expression turned serious as he shot me a sharp warning.

  "Boy, don’t go near it. Whatever it is that makes it… the pressure it’s releasing is terrifying. Way beyond your current capabilities."

  The earthquake didn’t last long. Just a few moments—and then, eerie silence.

  But my curiosity burned.

  I hadn’t done my usual night patrol by the riverside yet… Just a quick glance. If it’s too dangerous, I’ll bail immediately.

  I sprinted toward the source of the roar.

  Along the way, I noticed something unsettling—yokai. Swarms of them, rushing away from the center of that roar.

  As if running from something… But what exactly are they afraid of?

  I shook my head and threw away that thought. Channeling the power into my feet as my running speed increases, focusing on getting there faster.