The Oni firmly rejected Martha's demand, tightening its grip on the tachi.
"Kyoto's nights have belonged to us since ancient times, a tradition unbroken from the days of Heian-kyo."
"These humans, mingling with our kind after midnight, are our prey."
"If you want to take them, there's only one way."
"Defeat us."
At the Oni's words, the surrounding yokai erupted into mocking laughter, their jeers echoing through the night.
"Exactly! Want to take these humans? Beat us first!"
"Yokai respect strength. Win, and we'll talk."
"Kill her! Her flesh is far tastier than these humans!"
The yokai grew frenzied, some even eyeing Martha greedily, craving her powerful essence.
A strong being was far more delectable than an ordinary human.
Martha gazed coldly at the yokai, clenching her fists.
"If that's how it is, don't blame me for what happens next."
The Oni, thrilled, slowly raised its tachi, assuming an offensive stance. "Come on, then."
It was eager to test the strength of this woman who had descended from the sky.
"Then die," Martha declared.
The moment her words fell, she moved as if teleporting, appearing before the Oni in an instant.
Startled, the Oni swung its tachi with the force of a thunderbolt, aiming to cleave Martha in two.
Martha didn't dodge. Her slender fingers curled into a fist, launching forward like a cannonball, colliding with the Oni's blade.
Boom!
Two vastly different but equally formidable forces clashed.
Martha felt the tachi's razor-sharp edge, as if it could slice through her fist and her entire body.
But the Oni felt her fist like a siege hammer, an overwhelming force surging like a tidal wave, unstoppable.
In an instant, the Oni's grip tore open, unable to hold the tachi.
The blade flew from its hand, sent soaring by Martha's punch.
Her fist drove forward, slamming into the Oni's face.
The Oni's features collapsed inward, and its body shot backward like a cannonball, crashing into the yokai crowd, sending hundreds flying.
It smashed into a utility pole with a thud, embedding itself and falling unconscious.
The scene fell silent.
Every yokai stared in disbelief.
This was an Oni—a true martial yokai, among the strongest of their kind. Yet it had been defeated.
And in a single punch, no less. It was unimaginable.
What kind of monster was this woman?
Many yokai, snapping out of their shock, trembled and longed to flee.
But some stubborn ones refused to believe it, charging at Martha.
"I'll take her!"
From the crowd, a massive skeleton yokai raised a bony arm, swinging it down at Martha with crushing force.
This yokai was colossal, dwarfing even the mightiest of creatures.
This was an Arakumo.
Legend held that Arakumo were born from the unburied bones of battlefield victims, their resentful souls forming giant skeletal forms that roamed the night, devouring any human they encountered.
Its size surpassed that of a typical house.
Its arm alone was longer than Martha's entire body.
The massive limb slammed down, the air exploding with the force, sending violent shockwaves outward like a tsunami.
Martha felt the air solidify around her, pressing against her body, nearly suffocating.
But she was a seasoned warrior, having faced countless battles.
This was merely a minor skirmish.
Back when she faced a dragon with nothing but her fists, forcing it to beg for mercy, the scene had been far more terrifying.
The Arakumo's attack was nothing to her.
Unfazed, Martha threw a punch. The immense force erupted, and the Arakumo let out a wail as its arm shattered into fragments, bone shards scattering in all directions.
Several yokai were struck by the flying debris, killed instantly.
The surrounding yokai were terrified, retreating in panic and fleeing.
Martha shattered the Arakumo's arm, then leaped into the air, landing a direct punch on its skull.
The Arakumo's massive body flew backward, crashing into the yokai crowd with a boom, crushing countless others.
The consecutive defeats of the Oni and Arakumo—both overwhelmed with ease—made the yokai realize Martha's terror. They scattered in a frenzy, no longer daring to linger.
This was a humanoid dragon.
Challenging her was no different from a suicide mission.
The yokai parted, clearing a path.
Martha led Hachiman Hikigaya, Yukino Yukinoshita, and their group away.
They had no choice—she was too powerful.
Back at the hotel, Hachiman exhaled in relief. "We're… saved."
Moments ago, he thought his life was over.
Yet, out of nowhere, a stunning woman had appeared and rescued them.
And she was incredibly strong. Yokai like the Oni and Arakumo didn't last a single round against her.
It was almost absurd.
Hachiman looked at Martha with awe, as did the others.
Martha remained composed. In her days roaming the world, saving lives, and subduing dragons, she had grown accustomed to such gazes.
"Thank you," Yukino said, bowing deeply to express her gratitude.
Hachiman and the others quickly followed suit.
Martha waved it off. "It was nothing. No need for thanks. Come, I'll take you to meet the Boss."
Hachiman and the others froze. If her subordinate was this powerful, how terrifying must her Boss be?
Excited yet apprehensive, they followed Martha to Morpheus's room.
They saw a boy who looked like a high schooler, about their age.
This… was her Boss? Not what they'd expected.
Hachiman was stunned, and Yukino shared his surprise.
Morpheus, unbothered by their reactions, asked curiously, "So, what were you thinking? Why were you wandering the streets so late?"
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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