"Indeed..."
Miko drew Mikazuki Munechika from her waist, its pale golden, magnificent blade illuminating the surrounding dim environment somewhat.
The greatsword that originally required both hands to wield could now be swung effortlessly with just one hand, given Miko's current wrist strength level.
She gazed at the red-clothed woman standing opposite her, slightly narrowing her golden eyes as undisguised killing intent bloomed within them.
"Judging by your appearance... you're the Ushikubi-no-Onna..."
The Ushikubi-no-Onna also originated from the Hyakki Yagyō legends.
Some might not recognise the name alone, but mentioning just one thing would suffice to demonstrate the significance of this evil spirit.
Japan's belief that vengeful spirits wear red clothing originated in inferences about the Ushikubi-no-Onna.
Women who lost their virginity and were abandoned, dying with intense hatred and resentment, would transform into red-clothed, life-taking Ushikubi-no-Onna.
Among the Hyakki Yagyō legends, she was counted among the more powerful category.
Moreover, unlike so-called benevolent spirits, all stories about her recounted how she indiscriminately slaughtered innocents using cruel methods.
This evil spirit born from these legends, now fused with a human body...
One could imagine just how terrifying she was.
"Hehehe..."
Hearing Miko Yotsuya call out her name, the Ushikubi-no-Onna covered her mouth with a light laugh. Though her voice was exceedingly sweet, it gave people an unnerving feeling.
"I... am the Ushikubi-no-Onna."
The Ushikubi-no-Onna lowered her head slightly, staring at her jade-white hands, and spoke softly as if addressing Miko Yotsuya, yet also as if murmuring to herself.
"The night I arrived in this world, in a dim and filthy alley, I discovered this human woman."
"At that time, she had just endured an ordeal—a group of over a dozen men had jointly subjected her to cruel, inhuman abuse accompanied by brutal violence. Blood was flowing from her lower body, her rectum, and her mouth. She was barely clinging to life, on the verge of death."
"And I, in exchange for using her body, allowed her to continue living, granting her the power to take revenge on those perpetrators in kind."
"Now, tell me..."
The Ushikubi-no-Onna raised her head, her eyes—which had been streaming with blood—now showing a trace of pleading, her voice shifting to a panicked tone.
"Please, I beg you, don't kill me."
But only for a brief moment. She quickly returned to her original demeanour, sneering as she spoke.
"As an exorcist, can you kill an innocent human woman? She is a victim, after all."
"You speak well, and you are correct."
Miko Yotsuya gave a slight nod, her expression impassive, then raised the Mikazuki Munechika in her hand, pointing the blade tip at the Ushikubi-no-Onna standing before her. Her golden eyes showed no fluctuation.
"However, that has absolutely nothing to do with my intention to kill you."
"Even if that human woman's soul truly still exists within this body, I do not care."
"Everything is for the purpose of expelling your kind from the human world forever."
Hearing Miko's words and seeing her unwavering gaze, the Ushikubi-no-Onna snorted coldly.
"Tch, it didn't work after all... Just as it said, these humans are truly troublesome opponents."
As a powerful evil spirit born in the Reverse World, having devoured countless of her own kind, lurking in the real world for a long time, absorbing vast amounts of human resentment, and now occupying a human body, the Ushikubi-no-Onna held a simple view of humans.
They were lowly beings, fit only to be her sustenance.
And not just humans.
She felt the same about those low-level evil spirits and spectres lacking intelligence, who did nothing but chant "Can you see me? Can you see me?" all day long—she did not consider them her kind at all.
In her eyes, whether low-level evil spirits, spectres, or humans, they were all easily manipulated creatures with very obvious weaknesses.
The Ushikubi-no-Onna had originally thought that with a little trick—using this moral dilemma, tying her own existence to the life of a so-called innocent victim—she could make this human girl hesitate, even render her unable to strike the killing blow.
Now it seemed she was the naive one.
"But, it doesn't matter."
The corners of the Ushikubi-no-Onna's lips curled into a bizarre, chilling smile.
"After all, it was all just something I made up on the spot."
Her blood-red, wide sleeves swept lightly through the air.
In the next moment, Miko Yotsuya noticed many elongated black shadows cast upon the ground.
She turned to look and saw that, behind her, on the power station's buildings, hundreds of grotesque, terrifying evil spirits with twisted, ferocious eyes had densely gathered.
"I've heard that aside from that human male, you are the strongest human in this city."
The Ushikubi-no-Onna's eyes seeped two trails of bloody tears as she stared at Miko Yotsuya standing there, her distorted desire completely unconcealed, her voice hoarse as she spoke.
"My luck is truly good, to be able to possess an exorcist's body."
"Good luck?"
Watching the hundreds of evil spirits closing in on her, glaring covetously, a rare hint of amusement surfaced in Miko Yotsuya's typically emotionless eyes.
Sobu High School's number one stone-face had been amused.
"You... have drawn the worst possible lot."
As her words fell, Miko Yotsuya suddenly vanished from the Ushikubi-no-Onna's field of vision in a flash.
"So fast..."
The Ushikubi-no-Onna's pupils contracted in shock, and as she regained her senses, she noticed a pale golden blade light slashing towards her from beside her.
She had no intention of confronting it head-on, quickly retreating backwards while waving her hand to command the lower-level evil spirits.
"Deal with this human!"
Seeing her first surprise-attack slash miss, Miko wasn't particularly surprised.
Originally, she had just wanted to test the waters - killing her would be ideal, but failing to achieve results simply proved that the Ushikubi-no-Onna was indeed powerful, at least in terms of reaction speed.
Miko didn't consider sneak attacks to be dishonourable in any way.
A famous exorcist had once told her.
When dealing with evil spirits, you must use every means at your disposal - there's no such thing as bottom lines or martial virtue.
"Open your eyes, Hyakume."
As Miko softly called the name of her soul's true form, a strange light bloomed in her golden pupils.
The dozen or so evil spirits that had already pounced close, ready to attack her, instantly froze in place when swept by those golden eyes, their bodies unable to move.
Without the slightest hesitation, Miko directly used Mikazuki Munechika to slay the evil spirits before her.
Through these months of constant exorcism battles, as the first member of the Supernatural Society to awaken spiritual power and the most talented, she had naturally developed greater abilities in Soul Materialisation.
Although Hyakume's initial ability was reconnaissance, when combined with the Slaughter Demon's eyeball, the powerful spiritual object, Mikazuki Munechika, and, most importantly, Miko Yotsuya's own spiritual power, what emerged was a gaze pressure that could immobilise ordinary evil spirits with just a glance.
"This creature..."
Hiding in the distance, the Ushikubi-no-Onna watched as Miko swung her blade again and again without hesitation or mercy, slaughtering each of the evil spirits under her command, and couldn't help but feel an indescribable fear growing in her heart.
The exorcists of Kyoto...
Are they like this?
Is this exorcism?
No... is this still human?
Just that speed is difficult for the naked eye to follow, and the power to sever any evil spirit with casual swings of her long blade - this already exceeds human limits, doesn't it!?
Judging by the physical prowess displayed, the Ushikubi-no-Onna realised she couldn't overwhelm this human girl - at best, she might only hold a slight advantage...
And... what kind of ability was that just now?
When Miko Yotsuya's golden pupils swept across, the Ushikubi-no-Onna accidentally made eye contact, and even she felt a chilling cold run through her entire body.
Was that person... truly human, and not an evil spirit like herself, occupying a human vessel?
"Wait there obediently."
Miko Yotsuya swung her blade, the sharp Mikazuki Munechika directly severing several evil spirits.
Her golden eyes pierced through the hundreds of evil spirits blocking her path, fixing on the Ushikubi-no-Onna hiding in the shadows.
"I've already seen you."
...
Meanwhile, Rio Futaba and Mai Sakurajima, who were moving alongside Soichiro Yagami and the Metropolitan Police Department members, noticed that as they advanced deeper into the power station, they hadn't encountered a single evil spirit.
"Could it be..."
Rio Futaba seemed to have thought of something, asking Soichiro Yagami, who was cautiously advancing ahead with his firearm at the ready.
"Chief Yagami, if both power stations resume operation, can they guarantee Kyoto's power supply?"
"Yes, no problem."
Soichiro Yagami replied in a deep voice.
"Although running at nearly 100% capacity will cause irreversible damage to the machinery, now is clearly not the time to worry about component lifespan. You asked before, why are you asking again now?"
Rio Futaba didn't answer Soichiro Yagami's question, instead asking again.
"What if... only one power station returns to normal operation?"
"Well..."
Soichiro Yagami frowned slightly, hesitating before replying.
"If we issue announcements restricting citizens from using high-power appliances, and only ensure lighting... though it would be tight, we should at least be able to last through one night."
"So we only need one power station..."
Rio Futaba frowned slightly, exchanging a glance with Mai Sakurajima beside her. Both women felt an ominous premonition.
If Kyoto experienced a citywide blackout tonight, with most citizens spending the night in darkness and mobile communications cut off, there would be no need for any evil spirits to act—people would panic and fear on their own.
But as long as lighting was restored, even if no other appliances could be used, people's negative emotions would diminish considerably in the light.
After all, fear of darkness is ingrained in human instinct.
Putting herself in the shoes of the mastermind behind this attack, Rio Futaba thought that if she were the one planning it, she would use all her strength to complete her plan to cause panic in Kyoto during the time Ye Xing was trapped in the Reverse World—that is, before the Human Hour at 5 AM tomorrow.
Rio Futaba didn't know how Ye Xing had become trapped in the Reverse World, but she was certain he wasn't someone who could be easily fooled. Though usually quite abstract, during exorcisms, he was always 120% cautious.
Once Ye Xing left the Reverse World, Rio Futaba could imagine what he would do.
A thorough cleansing of Kyoto—even earthworm evil spirits would be sliced vertically, egg evil spirits would be shaken until their yolks scattered.
Given that only one power station was needed to restore Kyoto's lighting, why were there no evil spirits here at all?
This completely contradicted the cunning the opponent had shown.
Assuming the mastermind lacks the courage to confront her and Mai Sakurajima directly at this power plant, why then kill the Metropolitan Police Department's special operations sniper?
Could it be to prevent their team from monitoring the plant's interior at will, thereby gaining a tactical advantage?
"Wait..."
Just as Rio Futaba was pondering deeply, Mai Sakurajima suddenly spoke up beside her.
"Killing the Metropolitan Police Department sniper might not be about setting an ambush for us, but rather... preventing us from noticing that something originally hidden within the plant... has left?"
"Left?"
Hearing this, Rio Futaba's expression shifted abruptly. She switched her walkie-talkie to the private channel shared only by herself, Soichiro Yagami, Mai Sakurajima, and Miko Yotsuya.
"Esper, what's your situation?"
"Everything here is..."
Miko Yotsuya, stationed at another power plant, was about to respond when she noticed hundreds of faint, flickering shadows emerging in the distance along the plant's perimeter.
With Hyakume's power, she could see clearly even objects hundreds of metres away.
Each shadow... was an evil spirit.
And judging by the density of their energy, every single one was at least as powerful as the Nukekubi they'd encountered in the abandoned building.
"What's happening over there?"
Hearing Rio Futaba's urgent voice through the walkie-talkie and spotting the Ushikubi-no-Onna hiding in the distance with a smug smirk, Miko murmured:
"So... I'm the target..."
She quickly reported the appearance of over a thousand evil spirits, with numbers still increasing, to Rio Futaba and Mai Sakurajima on the other end.
Upon hearing this, Mai Sakurajima urgently responded:
"It's too dangerous. Retreat."
"No."
Hearing Mai's words, Miko shook her head, her tone calm.
"If you detected anomalies, it means you two haven't encountered significant resistance at your plant. The enemy's main force is targeting me, correct?"
"Yes... but..."
"No buts."
Miko, typically soft-spoken with a deadpan expression yet gentle personality, now displayed unwavering determination.
"I'll buy as much time as possible. Use this opportunity to repair the plants. If one isn't enough, do two. If two aren't enough, do three. As long as you avoid this plant, you shouldn't face much resistance."
"Are you mad? There are over a thousand..."
Before Mai Sakurajima could finish, Miko cut the communication.
Surrounded by the thousand evil spirits swirling around her like a black tide, she murmured to herself.
"So this is the burden you normally carry as the strongest... Now that I'm the strongest, I can't afford to lose either..."
As her words faded, Miko Yotsuya sheathed Mikazuki Munechika at her waist, took a deep breath, and slowly closed her eyes.
Seeing this, the Ushikubi-no-Onna in the distance couldn't help but reveal a sinister grin.
"Finally giving up? Unfortunately, I won't grant you a quick death. After tearing your soul to pieces, I'll take over your body."
Miko appeared not to hear her at all, simply standing there and breathing deeply.
Ever since that incident in Tokyo when she had Hyakume devour the evil spirit known as Nuribotoke, she'd been experiencing a vague, peculiar sensation - as if she'd awakened some new ability.
And this ability, as Ye Xing had once described to her, was a special power that even Mai Sakurajima, Yui Yuigahama, and even Rio Futaba in their current spiritual power levels couldn't possibly wield.
Miko wasn't one hundred percent confident, but she knew very well that with her current strength, she couldn't possibly handle such a massive number of evil spirits without using that ability.
Even if she did use it, it would only buy her some time at best.
But buying time was enough.
"Haa..."
Miko slowly opened her eyes, the golden light within them reaching an intensity almost blinding.
"Domain Expansion."
...
Meanwhile, in the Reverse World.
"How boring. Is this all?"
Looking at the four evil spirits lying on the ground, their mutilated bodies twitching uncontrollably, Ye Xing wore a disappointed expression as he crouched down and extended his pale ghost hand to pat Nozuchi-bō's head, which had been half-eaten and was slowly regenerating.
"Hey, continue. I haven't had enough fun yet."
Upstairs, Tamamo-no-Mae wore a complicated expression, even feeling sweat running down her back.
What had happened over the past ten-plus minutes had completely overturned her imagination.
Ye Xing had instantly defeated any one of the four evil spirits - even when all four attacked simultaneously.
However, he deliberately didn't destroy them completely, because even if he did, they would just revive under the influence of the black mist.
Ye Xing had made a wise, cruel, merciless decision that even Tamamo-no-Mae found difficult to watch.
He was taking turns devouring the bodies of the four evil spirits, watching with a thoroughly pleased expression as they twisted in fear and unbearable pain after being consumed by him.
This wasn't a battle between equals at all.
If one had to describe it with a single word...
Torture.