Onmyou Agency Headquarters.
Within a traditional chamber.
Robed leaders of the Onmyou Agency convened.
"The barrier guarded by the Keikain family for generations was shattered overnight? Quite the bold move from Hagoromo Gitsune."
"Should we intervene? Abe no Seimei's resurrection would complicate matters significantly."
"Isn't it too late for containment now that the barrier's fallen and the Gokadoin Family has mobilised en masse?"
"It's not too late, is it? If we gather the Twelve Divine Generals, suppressing and eliminating even that Gokadoin Family wouldn't be difficult."
"Then why don't you ask the director to issue the Onmyou Agency's highest order? What are you telling us for?"
"..."
The Onmyou official who had spoken earlier fell silent.
He had no ability to make the Agency director—his superior—issue such a command.
Just then, an Onmyou official from the Tsuchimikado lineage said calmly:
"Rather than empty talk here, shouldn't we hear the opinion of the person involved?"
"She should be here—White Tiger Divine General."
As the words fell, a feminine silhouette quietly appeared behind the white shoji paper of the sliding door.
"My, my, I couldn't hide after all."
Clack—
The sliding door opened.
Yuiyui Gokadoin stood at the entrance wearing a black frilly Western dress that clashed with the traditional Japanese architecture, smiling as she said:
"Long time no see, seniors of the Onmyou Agency."
"We hardly qualify as your seniors, Lady Yuiyui."
At the far end of the conference table, a beautiful young boy with navy-blue short hair and a childish face—Kaoru Kawahira—smiled as he spoke.
Hearing Kaoru's voice, Yuiyui's gaze turned cold before she narrowed her eyes and said with a smile:
"Does the head of the Kawahira Family have something to ask?"
"Has the Gokadoin Family betrayed the Onmyou Agency?"
A black-haired shrine maiden with an exceptionally voluptuous figure—her left eye golden and right eye pitch-black—stared coldly at Yuiyui.
Seeing the shrine maiden speak, Yuiyui tilted her head and laughed:
"Divine General Azure Dragon—no, Tobi Kagamimori."
"Really now, no need for such harsh words!"
"It's not like we want to be enemies with the Onmyou Agency either."
In response, Tobi simply fixed her golden, beast-like left eye on Yuiyui and said:
"Then please explain the Hagoromo Group's current actions, and whether your side intends to resurrect the progenitor of the Abe Family—Great Onmyoji Abe no Seimei."
"Tobi-nee..." Kaoru, beside her, looked troubled, as if trying to prevent their conflict from escalating.
Yet at that moment, Yuiyui smiled and said:
"To be precise, yes."
"The Gokadoin Family is indeed attempting to resurrect our ancestor, Seimei."
"Under the will of Lord Ariyo Tsuchimikado."
The Onmyou officials, whose expressions had darkened upon hearing the Gokadoin Family's intent to resurrect Abe no Seimei, fell completely silent upon learning it was Ariyo's doing.
Ariyo Tsuchimikado—Director of the Onmyou Agency.
A Great Onmyoji who had lived over six centuries, the Agency's highest authority.
In Japan, only a handful held status equal to his: the Imperial Princess of Ise Grand Shrine, the leaders of Buddhism's six schools, and the Cabinet's prime minister.
If the Gokadoin Family was conducting Abe no Seimei's resurrection ritual under his direction...
The dozen or so assembled Onmyou officials fell into silence—even Kaoru Kawahira and Tobi Kagamimori, who disapproved of the Agency's tacit approval of the resurrection.
Though Japan had a tradition of subordinates overthrowing superiors, such revolts were typically led by radical factions like the warrior class, who held real power.
The awkward truth was that Ariyo Tsuchimikado himself led the radicals—a reformer sworn to usher the Onmyou Agency into a new era.
"Has that individual made another move?" One of the Onmyou heads sighed.
At this moment, another Onmyou head remarked with emotion:
"Who would have thought... even that person desires Abe no Seimei's resurrection..."
Within the Onmyou Agency, the Director's authority remains irreplaceable to this day. This is acknowledged by nearly 90% of personnel - from the Onmyou heads who manage daily operations as the Director's subordinates to the martial artists of the Twelve Divine Generals who serve as its military force.
The reason for this is simple.
Over 72% of the techniques currently used by the Onmyou Agency, whether traditional Imperial styles or modern innovations, were all developed solely by the Director. Every member of the agency must treat him with the respect due to a master.
Thus, the Onmyou Director is regarded as a living treasure—a walking repository of knowledge that ensures the Agency's perpetual survival.
When the Director insists on enforcing an order, even if flawed, hardly anyone dares to oppose it openly unless major disasters occur.
Fully aware of this, Yuiyui Gokadoin had naturally anticipated the Onmyou heads' silent acquiescence.
"It seems our esteemed seniors have reached a consensus."
Hearing Yuiyui's slightly mocking tone, one of them - a martial artist named Takamori Shirahaku - immediately frowned:
"Don't misunderstand, White Tiger. Accepting the Director's orders doesn't mean I'm submitting to your Gokadoin Family."
"At most, it's simply tolerating your actions."
"Oh~~" Yuiyui chuckled before replying: "Then please continue tolerating us."
With that, she turned away, casually summoning a parasol with a wave of her hand. Pressing a button on its handle...
As the parasol snapped open with a swish, Yuiyui rested it on her shoulder and tilted her head with a smile:
"Ah, yes, we'll need your Onmyou Agency to keep the Bujin-shū occupied."
"As for the remaining small fry... perhaps you could spare a few Divine Generals as reinforcements?"
The Onmyou heads frowned at her commanding tone, clearly displeased despite Yuiyui's equal status as the Divine General White Tiger.
Bound by the Director's instructions, they hesitated momentarily - until Kaoru Kawahira sighed and shouldered the unwanted task:
"Understood. I'll verify the situation with the Director before providing limited support."
"The Kawahira family... Ah, that would be the Divine General Tsuchigumo, correct?"
Yuiyui glanced at Kawahira, immediately recalling the current face of his family - that Divine General Tsuchigumo.
'If it's that Great Fox Spirit's daughter...'
With this thought, Yuiyui turned away with a faint smile:
"Then I shall await your reinforcements with interest."
Under the Onmyou heads' complicated gazes, Yuiyui leisurely departed the training academy.
...
49th Day, 5:00 PM - Twilight.
Luo Shu sat on the sofa of his hotel suite, a laptop resting on the low table before him.
Checking his phone, he took a deep breath as the clock struck 5:10:
"Let's begin."
"Online meeting!!"