While Light Yagami had all but kamikazed his way into diverting L's full attention to Tokyo...
Kyoto's top exorcist was enjoying a late-night stroll with Mai Sakurajima.
"Come to my place tonight?"
Mai tucked a strand of hair behind her ear with her right hand while her left swayed idly by her side, smiling softly.
"You're out of groceries at yours. If we go to mine, I can whip you up a midnight snack."
"Sure."
Seeing Ye Xing's utterly indifferent expression, Mai suddenly stopped walking, puffing her cheeks in adorable irritation.
"What's wrong?"
Noticing Ye Xing's teasing gaze, Mai's cheeks flushed slightly. She stamped her foot in frustration before helplessly extending her fair left hand.
"Do I really have to spell it out?"
"Huh?"
Ye Xing blinked, then seemed to have an epiphany. He fished out a banknote from his pocket and placed it in Mai's palm.
"Here, a reward from your master. Keep it."
Only after accepting the money did Mai belatedly process his words, her chest heaving with indignation.
She instinctively wanted to tear the note to shreds, but after a moment's hesitation, she reluctantly tucked it away instead.
No matter how mad she was at Ye Xing, she couldn't take it out on money.
Think of all the groceries and meals this could buy for him!
Besides, destroying currency was illegal.
Once she'd carefully secured the bill, Mai huffed in annoyance.
"'Master'? 'Reward'? Do you really see me as just your personal chef?"
Ye Xing shrugged, chuckling.
"What else should I see you as? My lo—"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence!"
Mai knew Ye Xing too well. The moment he opened his mouth, she could predict whatever outrageous thing he was about to say. She quickly raised a hand to cover his lips.
But before she could, Ye Xing caught her wrist, grinning.
"Just teasing. Of course, I know what you meant—holding hands, right?"
As his fingers intertwined with hers, Mai's earlier frustration melted into sweet oblivion. She feigned composure with a light hum.
"Hmph. At least you've got some sense. Let's go home."
The corners of Mai's lips were harder to suppress than an AK's recoil.
As they walked, what began as simple hand-holding evolved into her clinging to Ye Xing's entire arm.
It was nearly 2 a.m., and the streets were practically deserted. Anyone who did notice them would simply assume they were a blissful couple, paying no attention to Mai's features.
Though Mai wasn't fond of late nights, occasionally savouring moments like this—just the two of them wandering the city—felt rather nice.
The only regret was...
Mai Sakurajima stole a glance at Ye Xing's profile illuminated by the dim streetlight, feeling a flutter of shyness in her heart.
It was a shame Saki Kawasaki hadn't finished making the costumes yet.
Otherwise tonight...
As this thought crossed her mind, Mai suddenly remembered she needed someone to help take measurements of various body parts.
Just as she was about to ask Ye Xing for assistance, she spotted a woman in a business suit with long black hair standing at the entrance to her apartment building—a woman who exuded efficiency.
The moment Mai recognised the face, she froze.
"Coming home so late?"
The woman approached in high heels, stopping before Mai.
Noticing the woman's gaze fixed on where she was holding Ye Xing's arm, Mai instinctively wanted to let go.
But after steadying herself, she not only maintained her grip but tightened it further.
"Hmm?"
Observing Mai's refusal to release her hold or offer any explanation, the woman's eyes flickered with something unreadable as she turned to Ye Xing.
"I'm Mai Sakurajima's mother and her manager. May I ask who you are?"
At this question, Mai unconsciously tightened her grip on Ye Xing's arm.
From the moment they'd met, everything between them had felt natural and inevitable.
Yet they'd never actually defined their relationship properly.
With Ye Xing's personality, would he say something abstract when facing her mother?
"My name is Ye Xing. I'm Mai Sakurajima's junior at school... and her boyfriend."
At the word "boyfriend," Mai's mother frowned, displeasure evident on her face.
She turned to her daughter with a stern expression.
"Mai, don't you understand how dating could affect your acting career—"
Mai raised a hand, cutting off her mother's words.
After glancing at Ye Xing with unmistakable tenderness in her eyes, she spoke softly.
"Wait here for me. I'll handle this quickly."
"Alright."
Releasing Ye Xing's arm, Mai took two steps forward to face her mother directly.
In this moment, she seemed to summon all her courage, speaking each word deliberately.
"Perhaps one day I'll return to acting."
Before her mother could respond, Mai's tone shifted dramatically - serious, even unyielding.
"But you will never be my manager again."
"And Ye Xing is my partner."
"No matter how severely it might impact my career, I will never break up with him or hide our relationship."
"That's all I have to say."
"Please don't interfere in my life anymore."
Watching her mother's initial shock transform into disbelief—as if she were unable to comprehend such defiance—Mai grabbed Ye Xing's hand and dashed into the apartment building.
Only when the elevator doors closed behind them did Mai finally exhale in relief.
"You did well," Ye Xing remarked.
Hearing Ye Xing's praise laced with amusement, Mai Sakurajima tilted her head up slightly, looking rather pleased with herself.
"Of course, this is how a mature senpai handles things. You should watch and learn carefully."
Those words were something Mai Sakurajima had long wanted to say to her mother.
Her acting career wasn't a tool for her mother to compete for favour.
Mai Sakurajima loved acting—or rather, she loved the meaning that came with being an actor and touching people's lives.
But now, she'd found something even more meaningful.
Fighting the supernatural, protecting Kyoto City.
Just as Mai Sakurajima parted her lips to continue speaking, a woman's soft laughter suddenly echoed in her mind.
[Finally made up your mind?]
As the woman's voice sounded, the elevator lights began flickering uncontrollably.
[If it's something you truly want to do, don't let anyone's opinions shackle you.]
[Be it your mother, your father, or your obsessive fans.]
[The Mai Sakurajima in their eyes is still part of who you are.]
[There's no need to separate them deliberately.]
[From this moment onward, act for what you believe in.]
[Now, call forth my true name.]
Listening to the voice reverberating in her mind, Mai's delicate features seemed veiled in a thin mist under the flickering elevator lights.
She took a deep breath, slightly parted her rosy lips, and whispered:
"Now, I call forth thy true name."
"Break these shackles, Suzuhiko-hime!"
The moment she uttered "Suzuhiko-hime", Mai experienced the same sensation both Miko Yotsuya and Rio Futaba had described before.
In her heart, it felt like there had always been a heavy iron lock.
And at this very moment.
The lock shattered.
Behind Mai, a stunning woman appeared, dressed in pale pink gauze, like a dancer, wearing a jade-like hair ornament with several small bells attached. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, her figure graceful, and her skin fair.
"At last..."
Mai's face showed visible exhaustion, yet the joy in her eyes was unmistakable.
"I've finally... awakened my Soul Materialisation, too."
After her mother's sudden visit today, Mai had broken through the final barrier in her heart and faced her true self.
During her time as an idol actress, it wasn't just the pressure from her mother—the adoration and pursuit from countless fans had also become chains binding her.
She once believed that making the world forget Mai Sakurajima would solve everything.
Later, the issue of Adolescence Syndrome was resolved with Ye Xing's help.
Yet Mai still hadn't realised the most crucial point.
Those years as an actress were also part of who she was.
As long as she kept denying and resisting her identity as a former national-level idol actress, she could never truly face her authentic self.
It wasn't until this very moment that Mai finally completed her metamorphosis.
"Truly worthy of you, Mai-senpai."
Hearing Ye Xing's amused praise, Mai pressed her lips together before returning his smile.
"You... this is the first time you've called me senpai, isn't it?"
"Isn't it because I admire your awakening of Soul Materialisation ability? Consider this your reward."
"Hmph, who needs your reward?"
The moment Mai Sakurajima uttered these words, her Soul Materialisation, the bell princess Suzuhiko, slowly approached Ye Xing. Exuding an alluring fragrance, her translucent gauze dress revealed large swathes of snow-white skin as she whispered with orchid-scented breath:
"Won't you reward me too?"
"Hey! What are you saying!?"
Seeing her own Soul Materialisation speak such shameless, blatantly seductive words before Ye Xing, Mai's delicate face instantly flushed crimson. She immediately dismissed the manifestation.
Only after Suzuhiko disappeared did Mai feel the dizziness in her head and the overwhelming exhaustion in her body.
"Soul Materialisation... is really tiring."
Miko Yotsuya and Rio Futaba had described to Mai how physically and mentally draining it was to use Soul Materialisation for the first time. But only after experiencing it herself did she realise they hadn't exaggerated at all.
Merely summoning her Soul Materialisation without even fighting any evil spirits had left Mai completely drained.
"Mmm..."
After exiting the elevator, Mai led Ye Xing into her apartment, murmuring to herself:
"It seems I'll need to have Suzuhiko devour evil spirits quickly to gain strength and become useful in combat."
Hearing this, Ye Xing calmly added:
"Actually, she doesn't necessarily need to devour evil spirits. There are other things she could eat."
"Other things?"
Mai blinked in confusion before her expression suddenly changed.
"You're not... suggesting we eat humans, are you?"
Ye Xing smiled and explained:
"In a sense, yes. But actually, it's about eating what you like most."
"What I like most..."
Mai muttered quietly before suddenly blushing crimson, exclaiming in embarrassed anger:
"You... what nonsense are you spouting? We're discussing serious matters here."
"I'm not speaking nonsense."
Seeing Mai's flustered state, Ye Xing truthfully explained how he was an amalgamation of tens of thousands of evil spirits and could serve as a converter to enhance a psychic's spiritual power.
After listening, Mai wore a thoughtful expression.
Several seconds later, she suddenly realised:
"You said this method has been tested before? With Futaba... or Miko...?"
On such matters, Ye Xing believed in complete honesty.
"Both. I've also tried it with Hachishaku-sama."
"Wha—!?"
Mai's pupils trembled as if experiencing an earthquake as she shouted angrily:
"Why haven't you tried it with me then?"
Faced with the emotionally unstable Mai, who seemed on the verge of tears, Ye Xing decided to employ his most practised, secret technique that ordinary people could never master:
Turning the plaintiff into the defendant.
"Well, you only awakened your Soul Materialisation ability today, didn't you? Ordinary people can't serve the experimental purpose."
As Mai opened her mouth to retort, Ye Xing interrupted her.
A famous esports player once said:
You must never stop dealing damage.
Ye Xing: I agree.
"To be honest,"
Ye Xing gazed directly into Mai's eyes, his dark pupils filled with sincere earnestness."I want to conduct experiments with you too, but it's impossible—you're not a psychic."
"To protect Kyoto City, and more importantly, to protect you within Kyoto City, the members of the Supernatural Society must enhance their strength as quickly as possible."
"For this, I didn't hesitate to sacrifice myself to empower Hachishaku-sama."
Listening to Ye Xing's earnest words and seeing his utterly sincere expression, the slight anger in Mai Sakurajima's heart had long since dissipated.
In its place was a profound sense of guilt that came from deep within.
Ye Xing wasn't wrong.
If only she had awakened her Soul Materialisation ability earlier, things wouldn't have come to this.
Though Mai could be somewhat wilful at times, she had always been acutely aware of the Supernatural Society's importance.
When the Gates first appeared, Kyoto City's crime rate and scale surged so dramatically that even the Director of the Metropolitan Police Department issued public advisories urging citizens not to go out at night.
And now...
While the situation seemed to have improved, it had actually grown more severe.
Just as the Supernatural Society members were gradually enhancing their powers, the gravity of supernatural incidents was also escalating.
The evil spirits fused with Gates had gained the ability to drag surrounding areas into the Reverse World—no longer subtly influencing events but directly killing humans.
And the more humans they killed, the more rapidly the power of the Gates and the evil spirits—along with the spirits' own distortions—would grow.
Only psychics could combat these supernatural entities; ordinary people were utterly powerless.
Without the Supernatural Society...
Kyoto City would become a haunted wasteland within mere days.
Faced with supernatural threats that concerned the survival of an entire city—and all of Japan—Mai couldn't afford to be wilful.
"But... but..."
Though she understood this, Mai still felt somewhat unwilling. Pouting, she said,
"But I've awakened now."
"Now that you've awakened, of course it's different."
Ye Xing smiled, picking up a fruit knife from the table and making as if to cut his wrist.
"What are you doing!?"
Mai panicked, hurriedly blocking his hand.
"Self-harm?"
"No."
Ye Xing shook his head, his expression calm.
"Didn't I say? I'm equivalent to the amalgamation of tens of thousands of evil spirits. So by devouring my blood, you can enhance your power."
Mai lifted a hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, feigning nonchalance as she pursed her lips and murmured,
"Well... didn't you say... it doesn't have to be blood? Eating... eating that would work too..."
Ye Xing waved his hand dismissively, chuckling.
"Ah, blood's just the most convenient, isn't it? No hassle—just a quick cut."
Mai's cheeks flushed slightly as she mumbled in a voice barely louder than a mosquito's hum,
"But... it would hurt you."
"A little pain to boost your power? I don't mind."
"But... I don't really like drinking blood. It's too monstrous—too awkward."
"Then what do you mean?"
Seeing Ye Xing pretend to look utterly confused, Mai's face turned crimson. Gritting her teeth, she said resentfully,
"Do I really have to spell it out for you?"
Ye Xing suddenly understood.
"Oh, so you mean..."
"Don't say it!"
Mai Sakurajima was so embarrassed that steam seemed about to rise from her head.
She rose from the sofa, then knelt on the soft woollen carpet with her snow-white knees. Her delicate left hand brushed aside the hair by her ear as she slowly lowered her head in a motion resembling someone eating noodles.
...
The next noon, on the rooftop of Sobu High School.
"So much happened yesterday..."
Upon hearing Ye Xing's account of the suspicious incidents at Kyoto Municipal Hospital's mortuary, the white-coated evil spirit that possessed Gate-like powers despite having no actual Gate, and Mai Sakurajima awakening Soul Materialisation, Rio Futaba began her analysis thoughtfully.
"The most important point is undoubtedly Mai-senpai awakening Soul Materialisation."
"This proves one thing."
"The two conditions for awakening Soul Materialisation - witnessing evil spirits and confronting one's true self - don't need to be fulfilled simultaneously."
"Even if not simultaneous, fulfilling these two conditions can still awaken the ability."
"In other words, Dango, who has witnessed evil spirits, and Touma-san, who acted with you yesterday, have already fulfilled the observation condition."
"They only need to confront their true selves to complete the awakening."