Meanwhile, Sun Seto, who had carried the village girl out of the settlement, leapt onto the branches of towering forest trees, bounding swiftly through the woods.
Her agile movements left the pursuing villagers blinking in confusion as she vanished from sight.
"Where'd she go? Which way?"
"It looked like she headed towards the forest."
"The forest? Which part of the forest?"
"How should I know?!"
"We're doomed! If the Celestial Maiden punishes us for losing the sacrificial offering, what'll we do?"
At these words, the villagers descended into panic and terror.
While chaos engulfed the villagers...
Elsewhere, Sun Seto had already put considerable distance between herself and the village by leaping between trees when her nose suddenly twitched.
"Demon Power!!"
She kicked rapidly through the air, twisting her body mid-leap to dart rightwards.
The instant Sun Seto moved, a white whirlwind swept through where she'd been hovering, swirling violently in place.
A tremendous howl of wind erupted as trees and grass were uprooted, spiralling upwards.
At the same moment, a surprised voice rang out from above:
"Oh? She actually dodged my Familiar?"
Then a male voice called down:
"Couldn't we just sit down and talk this through?"
"Enough! Force is always the simplest solution when dealing with yokai."
Hearing this exchange, Sun Seto - who had just landed and stabilised herself with a roll - finally looked up towards the sky.
There, she beheld a massive silver-furred Dog Demon, upon whose back stood a man and woman side by side.
With one glance, Sun Seto recognised them.
Luo Shu, head of SDS's Hidden Management Department, and Kuesu Jingūji, current head of the Jingūji family.
As for the giant Dog Demon, Sun Seto couldn't place it.
Though the Demon Power she'd sensed earlier seemed to have been deliberately emitted by this very creature?
Friend or foe? Or just internal conflict?
Sun Seto felt somewhat puzzled.
At that moment, Kuesu Jingūji stamped her foot impatiently on Senhime Rin Getsu's back:
"Hey, mutt! Don't think I didn't notice you intentionally releasing your Demon Power just now."
"If you hadn't interfered, our target would already be in my grasp."
Senhime Rin Getsu merely sneered:
"I did it on purpose. What of it?"
"You—!" Kuesu Jingūji's eyes widened in outrage. "Just as I thought - untrustworthy, deceitful yokai!"
With a flick of her wrist, she materialised a black magic book, seemingly preparing to attack.
"Haven't you done enough?"Luo Shu raised his hand and grabbed Kuesu Jingūji's wrist, saying helplessly:
"Even though there's no killing intent, you're deliberately provoking like this. What exactly are you playing at?"
Hearing this, Kuesu Jingūji, still holding her book, made no further moves and stated expressionlessly:
"Does the Jingūji family need a reason to exterminate yokai?"
'Indeed, they didn't.'
Upon hearing this, both Luo Shu and Sun Seto thought the same thing inwardly.
The prestigious Jingūji family had a nickname in Japan - Demon Slayers.
As the name suggests, they were professionals specialising in slaying evil spirits and demons.
For the Jingūji family, hunting yokai was simply an occupational habit, much like how hunters pursue game, naturally requiring no justification.
Perhaps survival itself was reason enough.
However, Luo Shu strongly suspected Kuesu Jingūji had ulterior motives:
"Speaking purely for yourself, the duties of a Demon Slayer aren't that important, are they?"
"Considering your earlier proposed collaboration terms, could it be that you want to study the Seto Group's heiress?"
Remembering Kuesu Jingūji's previous research conditions involving the Shikon Jewel, the Three Swords of Supreme Power and the Tree of Ages, Luo Shu couldn't help but question her motivations.
At Luo Shu's words, Kuesu Jingūji clicked her tongue in obvious displeasure.
"You actually planned this?!" Seeing her reaction, Luo Shu was genuinely speechless.
'Kidnapping the Seto Group's heiress while she's alone to conduct experiments? This woman is utterly deranged!'
Hearing Luo Shu's clearly exasperated tone, Kuesu Jingūji argued vehemently:
"A solitary mermaid like this, especially one descended from dragonkind that crossed the Dragon Gate, is an exceptionally rare specimen!"
"Having chanced upon her in the wild, shouldn't capturing and protecting her in a Nutrient Pod be the obvious course of action?"
Luo Shu inwardly complained: 'You just want to satisfy your own research desires, don't you?'
"Eh? You think so? I'm actually not that amazing!"
Below them, Sun Seto rubbed the back of her head sheepishly upon hearing Kuesu Jingūji's words, appearing genuinely flattered by what she mistook for praise.
Witnessing this, both Luo Shu and Senhime Rin Getsu couldn't help but stare at her intently.
Under their unwavering gazes, Sun Seto touched her cheek in confusion:
"Is there something on my face?"
"No, nothing." Luo Shu sighed.
Senhime Rin Getsu, at a loss for words, could only remark:
"Honestly, you're quite special, mermaid."
Though this was their first meeting, both Luo Shu and Senhime Rin Getsu mentally labelled Sun Seto as 'not quite right in the head'.
Naturally, Kuesu Jingūji shared this dubious honour.
Thinking this, Luo Shu glanced at Sun Seto, then at Kuesu Jingūji.
One seemed like a naive, sweet-natured mermaid; the other was an obsessive witch who would stop at nothing for knowledge.
Why did the mystic side always attract such peculiar individuals?
Was insanity a prerequisite for power?
Mentally complaining, Luo Shu looked at Sun Seto once more, though this time his gaze lingered slightly on the unconscious woman draped across the mermaid's back:
"Though it was a bit rude earlier, would you mind sharing some information, Miss Seto of the Seto Group?"
"Ah! Sharing information?"
Sun Seto widened her eyes slightly, thought for a moment, then nodded:
"Sure."
"Though you might need to be the ones asking the questions."
"We ask?"
Luo Shu looked puzzled, but after hearing Sun Seto's explanation, he quickly understood the situation.
So this girl doesn't actually know how to interrogate people at all!!