The eastern bridge near the Inner Citadel Palace.
Under the night sky, Yuiyui Gokadoin curiously observed the two handsome men across the bridge while holding a parasol.
"Dark brown hair and those eyes... So you're Kaname Kuran, head of the Pureblood Vampire Kuran family?"
"Fufu, to think even someone of your status could be dispatched. Did the Cabinet exert pressure?"
Kaname remained unfazed by Yuiyui's words.
Beside him, Hanabusa Aidō whispered: "Lord Kuran, that's the White Tiger Divine General from the Onmyou Agency, Yuiyui Gokadoin. She specialises in puppet techniques. Be wary of her spiritual threads and puppets."
"I understand." Though outwardly calm, Kaname grew more alert.
He'd encountered puppet sorcerers before - always troublesome opponents where a single misstep could lead to ambush.
Just then, from the western bridge behind Yuiyui, draconic roars and tiger-like growls echoed as an emerald barrier descended from the sky.
This unexpected development prompted Yuiyui to remark, "Has that brat Tenkai gone all out already?"
She wasn't surprised by Tenkai Gokadoin's actions. As the ninth head who'd clawed his way up despite lacking talent, his combat experience was formidable.
If he was fighting seriously, the intruders there must be formidable too.
Glancing back at the western bridge, Yuiyui sighed theatrically: "How unfortunate. I really didn't want to fight here."
"After all, my orders were simply to guard this eastern bridge and prevent you intruders from approaching the Inner Citadel Palace."
Beside her, a green-haired girl in an autumn sweater and jeans, her hair in twin tails, frowned impatiently: "Enough blabbering. So you want me to fight them first, right?"
Yuiyui smiled sweetly at her: "Precisely, Yoko."
"Then enough talk."
Yoko cracked her knuckles, glaring at Hanabusa and Kaname: "Those Vampires who appeared recently? Let's see what you're made of."
Hanabusa stiffened, studying Yoko before whispering, "Lord Kuran, that's White Tiger of the Twelve Divine Generals from the Gokadoin family. As for the puppet, Bujin-shū records suggest she's the daughter of a Great Yokai fox once sealed by the Inugami. Specialises in fire and spatial techniques."
"...Understood."
Kaname frowned. Yuiyui with her puppets, and now the fox yokai's daughter with space and fire abilities.
If just the eastern bridge had two such formidable opponents, how much worse must the Inner Citadel Palace be?
Could the Keikain family and Nura Clan really infiltrate, locate Hagoromo Gitsune's position and assassinate her?
Calmly, Kaname instructed: "Hanabusa, prepare yourself."
This was a prearranged signal between him and Hanabusa Aidō. Once these words were spoken, it meant Kaname Kuran needed Aidō to prepare for retreat.
Upon hearing this, Hanabusa Aidō's expression stiffened momentarily, but then he nodded. After all, they were merely external reinforcements invited here—there was no reason to risk their lives for the Bujin-shū.
"Have you settled on how you want to die?"
Yoko cracked her knuckles with a grin.
"Since we're all non-humans here, no one will hold anyone accountable for killing each other. So..."
Before she even finished speaking, Yoko had already materialised directly above Kaname Kuran, a massive black fireball over five metres in diameter hovering in her palm.
WHOOSH!
The scorching heat evaporated moisture, distorting the very air.
At such close range, Kaname could even smell the acrid stench of his own eyebrows singeing.
And in that instant—
Yoko hurled the black fireball down without hesitation!
"—Just die here, bat boy!!"
The black flames swallowed Kaname whole.
The next moment—
BOOM————!!
A deafening explosion erupted, the heat vaporising the moat water and sending a towering plume of steam over ten metres high, engulfing the entire eastern bridge.
...
At the same time.
Within the Inner Citadel Palace.
Two consecutive explosions rang out.
Nura Rihan, chewing lazily on a blade of grass, shot a sidelong glance at the spirit of Hidemoto Keikain, the 13th head of the Keikain family.
"Just confirming a location, and they're already making this much noise. Honestly, do none of them fear the organisation stepping in directly?"
Hidemoto Keikain chuckled behind his fan, seizing the chance to tease:
"Ohoho, seems the Nura Clan suffered quite a bit under the organisation back in the day, eh?"
Truthfully, both the Keikain family and the Nura Clan were latecomers to this world.
It was only due to a certain, supposedly terrifying Abyss Artefact that the collision between worlds was forcibly halted, merging them into this world's history.
However, as outsiders, both factions were quickly discovered. Unlike the Keikain family, who were human, the Nura Clan—a yokai organisation—endured significant hardship until they brokered peace with Japan's Cabinet, securing its protection before finally settling down.
This was also why, when the head of the Bujin-shū sought out Nura Rihan to confirm Hagoromo Gitsune's location, he had no choice but to comply.
"If you can't speak properly, then shut up." Rihan glared at Hidemoto.
Though by Nurarihyon's generation, he ought to address the man as "uncle," Hidemoto's behaviour made it impossible for Rihan to respect him.
What was with this blatant Spiritual Power fluctuation the moment they infiltrated the Inner Citadel Palace?
Did he, a half-yokai, proficient in supernatural arts, look like an idiot to him?
Sure, they had ties with the SDS and couldn't openly assist the Bujin-shū in eliminating Hagoromo Gitsune—but this was just too obvious!
As Rihan internally grumbled—
Click.
The sound of a sliding door shutting echoed.
Both Rihan and Hidemoto's expressions shifted as they watched the corridor before them transform into an impossibly vast conference hall.
And on the opposite side—
A woman clad in a white shiromuku, her snow-white hair cascading and golden serpentine eyes gleaming, regarded them with mocking amusement.
"A half-yokai from the Nura Clan... and a lingering ghost of the Keikain family, hm?"
"I thought it was just some insignificant insects sneaking in, but to think it would be you thieves?"
"What a twist of fate~"
At that moment, upon seeing the other party's appearance, both Hidemoto Keikain and Nura Rihan's expressions stiffened, clearly recognising the identity of the individual before them.
Abe no Orochi, granddaughter of Abe no Seimei and third-generation head of the Gokadoin Family.
Seeing this, Hidemoto Keikain flicked open his folding fan with a snap, narrowing his eyes as he said:
"Abe no Orochi, who devoured parts of the Yamata no Orochi's flesh and created the Orochi Familiar Spirit?"
"My, my, young Rihan, it seems we've got trouble on our hands."