Chapter VII: The Hyakki Yagyō Concludes
Meiji Shrine (明治神宮)/Shibuya, Tokyo (渋谷区, 東京)/1:05 AM (JST)
Having sensed Derrick's demise, Kelley teleported away using an alchemic spell. He left his adversaries to wonder where he went.
"Damn it! He got away!" Mina cursed as she quickly scanned for the alchemist's whereabouts.
"He's relocated this way!" William pointed toward the direction of the shrine's front gate.
"Then, that's where we're going!" Mina declared. "Hey, follow us if you're finished here!" She saw Sekiken, Queen, and Noir preparing to finish off Talpa.
After taking a blow from Talpa's punch, Sekiken fell and cracked his back on the pavement. Noir came to Sekiken's rescue and shot both of Talpa's eyes with her Yagrush gun. With its eyes gushing with blood and disgusting puss, Talpa grabbed its face and stumbled back blindly. However, it didn't stop its relentless attack and kept swinging its blade around, hoping to slice his victims.
Standing in Talpa's way, Leto swung its long black arms and brushed the Yokai back. As the giant wolf assaulted Talpa, Medic treated Sekiken. As she cut her arm, she formed a bead from blood trickling out of her wound. With the blood, she formed a Blood Bead and fed Sekiken to replenish him.
"Karen, thanks."
"Drink, Louis. It'll be ok," Medic said. She and Sekiken watched as Leto knocked Talpa toward the center of the battle area.
"Now take my Fist of Justice!" Queen roared as she hopped off Agnes while gliding off the shrine's rooftop. She performed a somersault and charged powerful energy in her right fist. She fell on Talpa and smashed its head into pulp with a Nuclear Fist.
Queen raised her fist back and shook off the Yokai's gore from her knuckles.
"Ugh, gross," Queen looked away from Talpa's remains scattered over the floor.
"Beautifully done, Makoto," Sekiken praised Queen's decisive finishing blow.
"William and Mina just left and pursued that alchemist," Noir informed them.
"Good, I'm already recovered. Thankfully Revenants can self-regenerate fast," Sekiken stood, picking up his Enduring Crimson sword.
"You three, we've finished clearing this area of Yokai," Okatsu informed the two Thieves and the Remnant.
"Looks like one of them went down to injury. Let them treat me. We, on the other hand, need to convene with William and the others," Hanzo suggested as he and the kunoichi headed off toward the direction William and Mina took.
"I've fed him a Blood Bead. He should be fine and ready to go," Medic informed Queen and Noir.
"Thank you, Karen," Noir said.
Queen knelt and grabbed Sekiken's hand. "C'mon, I know you can self-heal and your sister fed you some blood, but you're taking it easy. No more fighting for you through the rest of this."
"Aww, you really do care, Mako-chan," Sekiken playfully quipped, which earned him a light jab to his shoulder from Queen. "Ow, hey that hurt!"
"C'mon, you're a Revenant vampire who has a greater tolerance for pain than normal humans. That little jab from me hurt you?"
"Well, it was from you in your Phantom Thief state."
Queen coyly smirked. "Point taken." With that, she pivoted and nodded to Noir. "Ready, Haru? Let's get Mr. Tough Guy up," Queen said as she and Noir put arms over Sekiken.
"Up you go!" Noir said.
"Thanks, Makoto and Haru."
"I hope Ren and the others are ok, Mako-chan."
Queen bit her bottom lip. "You and me both, Haru-chan."
Standing over the grisly and charred remains of Derrick, the Nine-Tailed Fox howled, declaring her victory.
"Impressive showing vanquishing the executioner, but you've dropped your guard," the alchemist chortled behind her.
Turning to face Kelley, the Nine-Tailed Fox roared and lunged at him. More than prepared for the beast's advance, Kelley trapped the Nine-Tailed Fox inside an alchemic circle. Pillars of red alchemic energy popped out of the circle and bound the nine-tailed beast. Having neutralized her, Kelley used Ouroboros to suck the Guardian Spirit's power out of the Nine-Tailed Fox. The Nine-Tailed Fox roared, resolving to break loose from her bindings. Using her strength to break free, Kelley sealed her again and continued using Ouroboros to sap away the nine-tailed beast's power.
Presto, Brave, and their group ran over to witness Kelley extracting the Nine-Tails and leaving Yumeko a defeated mess.
"Oh my god, look!" Brave pointed to Yumeko's prone and unconscious form lying inside Kelley's alchemic circle.
"Yumeko!" Presto cried out.
"She's not moving!" Firebird exclaimed.
"Damn you!" Azure vehemently cursed at Kelley.
"Yes, I'll harvest the Nine-Tailed Fox's power and make it my own!" Kelley boasted, collecting the divine energy from the beast. He managed to collect enough, causing the Nine-Tailed Fox to regress as her fur receded and her form became smaller. She changed back to Yumeko, who lied on her side and writhed in pain.
"The power that transformed Yodogimi and now this girl into the Nine-Tailed Fox belongs to me!" Kelley boasted, preparing to harvest the legendary beast's divine power.
Suddenly, a shot from Riot Gun blasted the ground near Kelley and alarmed him. The English Alchemist quickly shifted his sights on Joker, Panther, Skull, and Mona as they assembled with Fox's party.
"You vermin!" Kelley snarled, vehemently facing his opposition.
"He has Yumeko and took her Nine-Tails power!" Presto called out. "YUMEKO!"
"Oh god…" Brave gasped, her lips quivered with sadness while seeing her friend lying motionless on the ground. "Yumeko, c'mon wake up. Stop bullshitting me. You're just pranking me, right? RIGHT?!" She screamed with sadness and fury, shooting at incensed glare toward Kelley and infused greater wind power through her spear. "GIVE HER BACK, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" She flew into a rage and attacked Kelley with blinding strikes.
"Mary! No!" Presto fearfully called out to her.
"Oh, that girl meant so much to you? I had no idea. I was too busy relishing in obtaining the Nine-Tailed Fox's strength! Let me show you just a taste of what to expect!" Kelley maniacally grinned as two fox tails shot out of his back and repelled Brave far away into the forest.
"MARY!" Presto cried out in horror as Kelley eliminated his other best friend.
"Kelley cannot be allowed to fully incorporate the Nine-Tails into himself! If he harvests it entirely, no… I don't even want to imagine the destructive power he'll wield!" Yukimura apprehensively warned the group.
"We must stop him!" White Tiger declared as he charged forward at the alchemist.
"We'll help, too!" Presto called out as he, Brave, Azure, and Firebird followed White Tiger.
"You guys hang back," Joker insisted the other Phantom Thieves hold their ground. With that, he summoned Kohryu to accompany him.
"Be careful, Joker!" Panther watched him fly off to engage Kelley.
As he fully absorbed the Nine-Tails' power, a burst of fiery red aura formed over him. Nine black tails of divine energy formed out of his back. A devilish grin adorned his features as his eyes glowed feral red. He witnessed Joker, White Tiger, Presto, Azure, and Firebird unleash a united front against him. Joker's Kohryu, White Tiger, Presto's Genbu, Azure's Blue Dragon, and Firebird's Suzaku fiercely attacked Kelley.
"Give Yumeko back her Guardian Spirit!" Presto shouted defiantly at the malicious alchemist.
"That's our friend you just hurt and we're going to make you regret it!" Firebird scornfully screamed at him.
"Ya think your stupid tails can protect your sorry ass?!" Azure shouted.
Cackling evilly, Kelley swung down all nine-tails and flung fiery stones at his five adversaries. Kohryu swiftly moved and attacked from the far right. White Tiger continued his forward charge. Genbu, Blue Dragon, and Suzaku attacked from the far left. Kohryu unleashed Psycho Force to temporarily stun Kelley, allowing White Tiger to fire a thunder mouth blast into Kelley and electrocute him. However, the nine-tails also provided a barrier to diminish White Tiger's attack. Kelley healed himself and cast an alchemic circle over White Tiger, reversing his frontal attack and sending him crashing into forest undergrowth.
"I will not be defeated!" Kelley boasted as he conjured another alchemist circle to nullify Genbu's water blast, Suzaku's fiery wave, and Blue Dragon's wind attack.
"It's no use! He's countering our Guardian Spirits!" Firebird cried out.
"No, don't give up! We can't let this guy get away with Yumeko's spirit! That Nine-Tails means a lot to her!" Presto openly vowed to save Yumeko's Nine-Tails.
"Well, you ain't gotta worry about me giving up to this freak!" Azure yelled.
Just then, William, Mina, Kyosuke, and Hide arrived to see the group fighting Kelley.
"No, has Kelley managed to capture a Guardian Spirit?!" William gaped. As he noticed the nine-tails features on Kelley, the Englishman became appalled and saw Tamamo lying unconscious. "You monster!"
"Heheheh, worry not for Saoirse will be next after I'm through with these youths!" Kelley boasted as he unleashed a seismic-like wave that pushed Joker and the Spiritual Gamblers away.
"Ren!" Panther cried out as she saw Joker fall and hit the ground.
"That's it!" Mina growled as she sprinted ahead with Saoirse guiding her. "You're not getting away with the Nine-Tails that easily!"
At the same time, Kyosuke transformed into his Shiftling state and charged with every intent to kill Kelley.
"Hn and pray tell how you'll stop me?!" The alchemist set his sights to attack Mina and Kyosuke next.
"William stopped you before, so as his successor, I'm duty-bound to send freaks like you to the underworld where you belong!" Mina declared as she came close within Kelley's reach.
"Now, you die here!" Kyosuke roared, swinging his glowing ōdachi at the alchemist.
In response to Mina and Kyosuke's frontal attack, Kelley shot all nine-tails forward to ensnare her & Saoirse and Kyosuke & Makami. Seemingly preparing to throw their own lives away, Mina and Kyosuke beckoned her Guardian Spirit to heal Joker, White Tiger, and the Spiritual Gamblers with their Ki.
"Wait, what are you doing…?!" Kelley balked at Mina's strategy.
"Giving them another chance to defeat you!" Kyosuke chided him.
"Yes, we're letting the wielders of the Four Symbols take you on in our place! Who knew we'd be crazy enough to fight the Nine-Tails, Kyosuke?!" Mina rebuked as she dove in and retrieved Tamamo, throwing the girl over her right shoulder and running off with her.
Seeing Mina carry Yumeko off, Kelley knocked Mina aside with one tail.
Alarmed by Kelley's attack, Kyosuke quickly broke free from one of the tails and sprinted forward while defending her and Yumeko from Kelley's tail strikes.
"You were only going for the girl! You tricked me!" Kelley watched as Saoirse and Makami healed and restored the aforementioned five.
Joker, White Tiger, Presto, Azure, and Firebird stood up ready to fight again. Joker conjured Kohryu again. The Spiritual Gamblers restored Genbu, Blue Dragon, and Suzaku. White Tiger stood up and roared.
"I've got your friend!" Mina called to the Spiritual Gamblers.
Presto sighed with relief. "Thanks."
"You will all die!" Kelley shouted as his anger fueled the Nine-Tailed Fox's power. A red cloak enveloped him transforming him into the Nine-Tailed Fox. He raised all nine tails and charged each tail with glowing red orbs. These orbs converged and formed into a burning alchemic circle.
As Joker and the Spiritual Gamblers prepared to face off against the alchemist, Otakemaru quickly stormed into the fray and merged with his Guardian Spirit Baku.
"Otakemaru?!" Mina and Kyosuke exclaimed in unison.
"Your thievery of Guardian Spirits shall not go unpunished!" Otakemaru bellowed as his merger with Baku transformed him. Once someone who relished the thought of eradicating humanity, Otakemaru now staked his existence to save the Compulsive Gambler. As a dark purple glow radiated over him, his hair extended down his back and cascaded into a wavy black mane. His body turned nearly ash black as red molten lines formed on varied areas of his black and hard-skinned exterior. His lower body transformed, gaining a centaur-like appearance. A pair of purple glowing horns protruded from his forehead. Forming over his head, a purple halo-shaped ring imbued with powerful Yokai Ki. Three swords formed in front of him: a blue one, a red sword, and a black, spiked one. Along with these swords, four extra hands floated in rotation with these swords.
Quickly choosing a sword out of random, Otakemaru grasped and swung his red sword, which unleashed a mighty inferno that splashed across Kelley's Nine-Tailed Fox form. The powerful energies radiating from the Nine-Tailed Fox absorbed most of Otakemaru's fiery wave.
"It's as if we're witnessing a battle between two of the Greater Yokai," Hide observed, getting the urge to join in.
"Yes, it is," William commented.
As the Nine-Tailed Fox charged with murderous intent, Otakemaru collided with the beast. While defending himself with his blue Water Sword, he stopped the Nine-Tailed Fox's front paws. With his blue sword, he released an immense water wave and pushed the Nine-Tailed Fox back.
"Damn it! I won't be beaten by the likes of a Yokai!" Kelley snarled with frustration. Controlling the Nine-Tailed Fox from within, he got the beast to sit up and lunge forward for a headbutt.
After knocking Otakemaru away with a headbutt, the Nine-Tailed Fox mightily swung all of its tails at Otakemaru, who batted and knocked them away with his three swords. As the nine-tailed beast amassed a glowing orb from a singular point in its mouth, Otakemaru seized his Lightning Sword and blasted the Nine-Tailed Fox's beam with a quick lightning bolt as their attacks caused a seismic blast that shook the vicinity.
"Alchemist, you do not have what it takes to tame a Greater Yokai! That woman has made better and efficient use of Tamamo-no-Mae's strength! I will see to it that no one but that woman wields Tamamo's spirit!" Otakemaru berated the alchemist, who seethed at being chastised by the Greater Yokai. As Kelley roared with fury, the Nine-Tailed Fox collided with Otakemaru, attempting to drive its claws into him.
Joining in the fight, Mina and Kyosuke quickly conjured their Living Weapon techniques. Manifesting their Guardian Spirits, the wielders imbued their weapons with their spirits' Ki. Channeling Saoirse's Ki through her katana, Mina sent a powerful tidal wave that crashed into and ripped through the Nine-Tailed Fox's exterior. Quickly swinging his glowing ōdachi, Kyosuke delivered a vertical slash that opened up its torso.
Conjuring his elemental swords, Otakemaru sent them into the Nine-Tailed Fox and used their powers to subdue the beast.
"Joker, we've weakened him enough! It's time!" Mina beckoned to the Phantom Thief.
Joker intently faced down with the alchemist's impending destructive force. Then, he heard Arsène's voice in his mind. "Show this heathen the strength of Kohryu's will and send him back to be chained in Hell once more!"
"Kohryu! We will finish this!" Joker declared as he commanded the golden dragon to unleash the finishing blow on Kelley.
At the same time, White Tiger, Suzaku, Genbu, and Blue Dragon each prepared to use their elemental powers to defy and overcome Kelley's Nine-Tailed Fox perversion. Kelley quickly summoned an immense red beam of light that ripped out of the alchemic circle and headed straight for his opposition. Kohryu, White Tiger, Suzaku, Genbu, and Blue Dragon released spiritual beams to push back Kelley's alchemic beam.
"Hey, where's Mary?! Has she not recovered from the forest yet?!" Presto noticed Brave was nowhere to be seen.
"Yo! Don't lose focus and screw this up for us!" Azure snapped at him.
"Wait, now that you mention it. Mary's still out of commission!" Firebird, too, realized their colleague's absence.
"Perish in defeat and allow me to take all your Guardian Spirits!" Kelley's voice hollered from the Nine-Tailed Fox. "Now say farewell!"
"Farewell!" Brave seemingly called out as she jumped out of some bushes. She already summoned Janomecho as it blasted the Nine-Tailed Fox with a powerful wind blast.
The Nine-Tailed Fox got caught by the wind attack and knocked over to its side. Everyone was taken aback by Brave's surprise attack. However, Kelley was baffled. At that crucial moment, he let his guard down and that ended up costing him.
"Surprise, asshole! I'm still alive!" Brave responded with an overly crazed smile and a middle finger to add insult to injury.
"MARY!" Presto screamed in elation.
At that moment, Tamamo barely stirred as she heard her friend's name being yelled out. A small grin smeared across the Compulsive Gambler's face.
The Nine-Tailed Fox roared and prepared to ensnare Brave, but the Four Symbols and Kohryu's beams converged and engulfed the nine-tailed beast. A reverberated mixture of the Nine-Tailed Fox and Kelley's pained screams filled and shook the vicinity. The body of the Nine-Tailed Fox burned away, leaving Kelley naked without the beast's body to protect him. Ouroboros dissolved, too. Kelley hit the ground as his body burned. The remnants of the Nine-Tails regenerated into a spiritual orb and flew over back inside Yumeko's body.
"Mary!" Presto cried as he ran over to tend to her. "That was crazy what you did!"
"For all that guy's bravado, I bet he feels dumb for overlooking someone like me," Brave smirked. "Shows him never to overlook small fry."
"That's not true. You were a difference maker!" Presto hugged Brave. "Thanks!"
Taken aback by Presto's genuine sincerity, Brave smiled and embraced him. "Yeah, so was that enough to save Yumeko?"
"I think you two better take a look for yourselves," Firebird pointed Brave and Presto toward Tamamo, who was seen awake in Mina's arms.
Seeing their friend awake, Brave and Presto rushed over to embrace her. Tamamo was initially confused until the others explained what happened during her brief unconscious state. Watching Brave and Presto conversing with Tamamo, Otakemaru and Hide keenly observed them.
"Is this ok, Otakemaru? Are you ok with letting that young woman contain Tamamo's spirit?" Hide asked his uncle.
Nodding, Otakemaru transformed to his base state. "Tamamo-no-Mae has made her choice and she's chosen to remain with Jabami Yumeko. I must abide by her decision." He watched Tamamo's presence dwelling inside the Compulsive Gambler's body.
"Yo, Ren! That was awesome what y'all did!" Skull ran over and slapped Ren a high five.
"I honestly was worried you wouldn't have pulled it off, Ren," Panther approached Joker and kissed him. "I'm glad you're ok."
"We're all ok now that we've gotten rid of the Yokai," Sion chimed in as he, Tennyo, and the Vein Remnants regrouped with the four founding Phantom Thieves, Spiritual Gamblers, Mina, Kyosuke, and the spirits.
"We saw the whole battle. I'm glad everyone is ok," Tennyo nodded.
"Guys, look," Joker noticed William approaching Kelley's dissolving body.
Kelley coughed black mucus from his mouth. "...well done… the youth of this time has shown to have proficient mastery of the Guardian Spirits… they've managed to vanquish the Yokai waves… and now have bested me."
"What force revived you, John, and the Yokai? Tell me. Was it the Yami Matter they've spoken about?" William demanded a clear and concise answer.
Unfortunately, what he got was no response. Instead, Kelley's body dissolved and the Ouroboros vanished for good. William walked away and returned to the group.
Otakemaru grunted. "He wasn't going to give us what we needed anyway. The dark forces made sure of that."
Hide nodded. "Yes, and that just leaves us to wonder when the dark forces will strike again."
"I couldn't get an answer from him. I apologize," William humbly referred to the Thieves, the Remnants, and the Gamblers.
As White Tiger turned back to Nekomata, the wise cat sagely chimed in. "Worry not. I'm confident these youth will discover the origins of this force that revived our enemies, William."
"So, the Yami Matter can revive dead bad guys like those Yokai? That just sounds delightful," Panther sardonically remarked, sounding unenthused to fight possible old enemies.
"And maybe not even revived foes, but possibly create distortions and completely new enemies from scratch," Mona conjectured.
"But, how do we know we didn't just defeat the Yami Matter?" Brave asked.
Moonlight spoke up. "No, it won't be that easy. The only way to know for sure if we've entirely removed the Yami Matter presence is if time has been restored."
Joker checked his phone and saw the date was still 2019. He confirmed everyone's fears with a quiet nod. The festive mood quickly became dour for the simple fact this was merely a battle. They have yet to restore time to the way it was before the Yami Matter distorted their world's temporal flow.
1:50 AM (JST)
It wasn't long as the other Phantom Thieves and Remnants reconvened with the others. Some of their allies, including the Successor Revenants, reverted to their normal states.
Suddenly, the group was surprised by the appearance of more spirits. The most notable is Tokugawa Ieyasu. Nearly everyone recognized this man from their history books.
"My word, that's… Tokugawa Ieyasu! Founder of the Tokugawa Clan!" Fox acknowledged the important historical figure.
"These guys are like historical celebrities to you, aren't they, Inari?" Oracle playfully teased.
"There's more!" Omusubi scanned several other new figures materializing around them.
Then, Yodogimi (Lady Chacha) emerged.
"Oh, it's Lady Chacha! It's good to see you again!" Presto exclaimed.
"Yes, you're looking well for a spirit. And trust me, I've made sure to keep Yumeko from running wild with the fox," Brave reminded her.
"Lady Chacha, I'm honored to see you, again," Yumeko stood and faced Lady Chacha, who bowed to her successor. The Compulsive Gambler returned the favor with an etiquette bow.
Fuku emerged. The next spirit to appear is Tenkai. The next spirit is Tachibana Muneshige. Then, Honda Tadakatsu appeared. Then, Tachibana Ginchiyo appeared. The next spirit is Shima next to Shima is Ishida Mitsunari. The next spirit is Otani Yoshitsugu. The final spirit is Saika Magoichi.
"Venerable ancestors, we're humbled to be in your presence," Miko dropped to both knees and bowed to the historical figureheads.
"Check out their badass armor! They're samurai!" Skull pointed out to the samurai-garbed individuals.
"That's Honda Tadakatsu, one of Ieyasu's Four Heavenly Kings," Joker turned to the older samurai man with the golden horned and black antler helmet. "I remember reading about him in our history books in school."
"Good catch, Ren," Fox added. "We're in the presence of some important figureheads in our country's history."
"At least we have someone who was paying attention in history class," Mona remarked.
"Yes, these are figureheads I remember reading about while taking time away from my studies," Sekiken commented on researching Japan's past cultures.
"Hmm, yes I recall you spent several countless nights reading about Japan's history," Medic said.
"At least you're educating yourself, Louis," Queen added.
"I honestly don't think I can read those many books like you, Louis," Mircalla sighed.
"Yeah, tell me about it. I'd rather be napping and hanging with Emily," Omubushi remarked.
"Oh, you would, huh?" Adel sneakily grinned and tugged on Omubushi's arm.
"No wonder you didn't answer your phone when I called you," Sion shook his head, laughing. "But, Hifumi has helped me learn about Japan's history, too."
Tennyo smiled. "I do what I can. If we want to better understand these spirits, we must learn about their past lives."
"Yeah, no thanks. I'll pass on reading all those books," Skull remarked. "Just meeting these old spirits is more than enough…!"
Then, Lady Chacha cleared her throat and garnered everyone's attention.
"On behalf of myself and my colleagues, we're grateful for protecting the sanctity of this beautiful shrine, young heroes," Lady Chacha expressed gratitude to the Thieves, the Remnants, and the Gamblers.
"We're honored, venerable ancestors," Joker bowed.
"Consider our shock that a malevolent alchemist and his cohorts would return with a Yokai army. Thankfully, we have warriors of this modern time who can vanquish them," Ieyasu proclaimed.
"However, they couldn't have left the underworld without an outside force at work to free them from their eternal prisons," Yoshitsugu alluded to the outside force, which the Thieves, the Remnants, and the Gamblers figured out was the Yami Matter.
"We know full well of the forces we're already fighting. We will investigate its origins," Sion vowed to uncover the Yami Matter presence.
"Now there remains one issue to resolve," Hanzo said as he and the historical spirits faced Tennyo. As if she couldn't feel anymore awkwardly, she found herself in the gaze of the many historical figureheads.
This awkward positioning prompted Sion to stand in front of her.
"What's the meaning of this?" Sion asked.
"Togo Hifumi. Do you not remember when the Guardian Spirits sensed traces of the entity that nearly controlled this world? The being that called itself the 'God of Control'?" Nobunaga reminded the Thieves. "In fact, wasn't your group that engaged and fought that malevolent entity twice?"
"Yes, we defeated Yaldabaoth," Joker confirmed.
"We kicked his ass twice!" Skull boasted.
"Technically we beat the alternate Yaldabaoth and Datenshi," Queen clarified.
"Datenshi was the vessel of the alternate Yaldabaoth's dark half," Noir stated. "Hifumi took in the light half when Datenshi killed her. During her brief time dead, Hifumi's spirit met with the source of the amber bead that the cloned Sion carried with him. Inside, she met Io's essence, who was guarding the Weeping Tree. Io used her power to restore Hifumi's life and they bonded through a merger. As a result, she awoke into Shin-Io and used the last of her power to reverse the damage Datenshi was doing to our reality."
"Then, with her reality-warping power, she affected time and space, and pulled us to your time without our initial memories," Sion said. "I effectively replaced the Sion that died before I came here in this dimension, but no one remembers the previous Sion."
"Except for a select few like the Phantom Thieves and Hifumi," Sekiken said.
"Don't forget Kyosuke and me. I remember the first Sion," Mina interjected. "Which was why I was surprised to see this one. I assumed he came back to life."
"Oddly, I kinda did," Sion said.
Lady Chacha frowned. "We're digressing, my friends." She shifted her stern gaze toward Tennyo. "Young miss, consider this a council meeting as we decide your position in this ongoing conflict." She beckoned Ieyasu, Masamune, Yukimura, and Nobunaga to gather with her.
"Young miss, do you understand you contain the lighter half of that malevolent entity?" Ieyasu asked Tennyo.
"According to Chinese philosophy, I would be the yin to Datenshi's yang. When the alternate Yaldabaoth separated, we became his vessels."
"You two became the inseparable and contradictory opposites of the alternate Yaldabaoth's whole being. Moreover, you took that half, purified it, and made it your own." Masamune assessed. "You converted the half into the goddess known as Shin-Io."
"With that power, you altered this world's reality and seemingly purged the alternate Yaldabaoth's dark half into the ether. However, that doesn't seem to be the case," Yukimura said.
"It can't be concluded if this Yami Matter is anyhow linked to the God of Control, but understand you're using a power that once belonged to that malevolent being. With the goddess Shin-Io a part of you, you'll be directly helping your allies here deal with the new threat," Lady Chacha stated.
Tennyo nodded. "I understand the risks. I know full well Shin-Io's power lies within me. I don't intend to invoke her power in every battle. As you plainly saw in this battle, I required no assistance from Shin-Io's power."
"Yes, but what will happen should a Yami Matter create another Yaldabaoth? Or, create another Datenshi? What if the God of Control is revived by these forces?" Ieyasu inquired about Tennyo, who fell silent and was unsure of her future destiny.
"It'll be alright," Sion took Tennyo's hand. "You have me, my friends, the Thieves, and the others."
"And me. I share our power. I will ensure neither of us goes awry in our actions," Moonlight interjected as she hugged Tennyo from behind.
"Thank you all," Tennyo felt appreciated in the company of her friends.
"And we have another individual: Jabami Yumeko," Lady Chacha veered over to Tamamo. "You've managed to merge with my Nine-Tails and released the Nine-Tailed Fox into the battle."
"Yeah, I kinda… got a little excited fighting that executioner guy," Tamamo apologetically said. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."
Yukimura sighed deeply. "Lady Chacha was the last to invoke the Nine-Tailed Fox's power and unleash her into this world. However, you've been able to tame the beast better than Lady Chacha ever has."
"That's partly why I'm allowing you continued use of the Nine-Tails. However, please do not get careless in that manner again, because that nearly cost you. If your friends and Otakemaru hadn't stopped that alchemist, he would've harvested all of the Guardian Spirits and we'd be still fighting Edward Kelley," Lady Chacha informed the group.
"Well, guess what? We kicked his butt and there's nothing to fear!" Tamamo reassured her.
"Yeah, with a little help from me," Brave scoffed. "Geez, give me just a teeny ounce of credit here!"
"We haven't forgotten, Mary. You're a lifesaver," Presto said.
"You could've gotten yourself killed out there, Yumeko! Please don't do anything reckless like that again!" Karasu pleaded out to Tamamo, who smiled knowingly.
"Ok, I will," the Compulsive Gambler responded with a big smile.
"We shall permit you to go forth and continue solving these Yami Matter cases. However, a condition must be met," Yukimura proposed to the group.
"What is it?" Joker asked.
"You will train here to hone your warrior prowess." Nobunaga issued. "Having assessed your combat abilities, some of you need refining."
"Some of us will supervise your training," William stated.
"If you're training these kids, then I want in," Mina sadistically grinned. "I swear I'm gonna whip most of y'all into shape!"
"Training, great…" Panther muttered hesitantly.
"How bad can it get?" Skull shrugged.
"I think some of us will need the extra training, especially us," Presto said.
"Sounds exciting! Won't you be my training partners, you two?" Tamamo asked Presto and Brave.
"Eh, why do I need training?" Azure sighed in an annoyed tone.
"Practice makes better, right?" Firebird added.
"Don't you mean 'practice makes perfect'?" Azure blinked.
"No, because perfection doesn't exist."
"Could've fooled me."
Tanuki-Ō smirked while referring to Firebird. "Very wise advice, Miss Sumeragi. I never would've imagined that hearing from you."
"There's no room for complaints, right?" Sion turned and asked the other Vein Remnants.
"Nope," Omusubi replied.
"If they're letting us continue finding the Yami Matter, we should take in the training to get better," Sekiken said. "Besides, since we have our full Revenant strength, we'll require training to help us control our powers and put some restraint on our physical strength."
"No kidding. We can't be cutting loose or no doubt our fights will involve collateral damage," Tyrone stated.
"Hey, a little training can't hurt!" Yaksha cheerily said.
Mircalla shrugged. "Sure, I guess. I'm in."
"You mean we're all in," Hunter corrected Mircalla. "Since I turned into that dragon, I do require the extra training to control this new power." He looked at and grasped his necklace orb. "By the way, thank you, Io. I couldn't have fought that monstrosity without this power."
Moonlight nodded and smiled. "You're quite welcome. Yes, my power derived from the Weeping Tree created this specifically for you."
Songstress placed a hand on Hunter's lap and leaned on him. "And I'll be there to watch and assist you with our training."
"I'm sure that includes us, too," Brave said.
"Of course, Guardian Spirit wielders like us will need the training, too," Kyosuke replied.
"We accept your conditions, spirits," Sion complied.
"Excellent, then it's settled. You'll train here on the shrine when you all have free time, but I'd suggest you make good use of it." Nekomata addressed the groups.
Hakutaku then chimed in. "We're humbly pleased you've accepted our request. Become stronger warriors through these teachings. As of today, you have forged your names as legends."
Kurama Tengu addressed them with a bow. "Please use this shrine when you need it. We'll be waiting during the evening."
"We will. Thank you, ancestors," Joker bowed.
"And I'll be sure to grant you all access to the shrine during the late-evening hours," Miko offered.
"Thanks, Yuriko," Presto said.
Tamamo went over and shook Miko's hands compulsively. "Yeah, thank you so much! We won't forget your kindness!"
"Y-Yes, now will you please let go?!" Miko cried out.
"Some extra training? I'm ok with that as long as you two bozos are going to be there," Brave referred to Tamamo and Presto.
"And if you're all going to be there, I will, too!" Azure added.
"Don't forget us! We managed to help, too!" Gunslinger boasted.
"I'm only concerned about how dangerous these battles are going to get," Shikama said.
"Don't worry. We have special powers like the Phantom Thieves now, Reiko."
"Yes, but it's still dangerous, Shinya!"
Protector chuckled. "Well, as long as I have this armored body, I don't have to worry about flesh wounds."
Tamer added. "And now I have spirit animal friends to have conversations with!"
"Senpai," Violet approached Joker. "Whenever you and Panther come to train, make sure and give me a heads up, ok?"
Nodding, Joker gave her a thumbs up. "Sure thing."
"And perhaps I could indulge in some training with you, too? Besides, my schedule is open and I have very little to do these days," Crow asked Joker and his friends.
"Sure, why not?" Joker shrugged.
"Just make sure you don't hold us back from our training," Panther stated.
"But, first you four need to get home," Queen spoke like a policewoman would when addressing Gunslinger and his friends. "Your families must be worried sick."
"Oh, crap! You're right! My curfew during school days!" Gunslinger exclaimed.
"Well, I'm Nicola's only family," Mircalla said. "I can call Shinya, Reiko, and Li-Ming's parents to let them know they're sleeping at our place."
"Always the responsible big sister type, Mia," Sekiken chuckled. "That's a quality that'll never change."
"Sis is practically like my mom now," Protector said with a nervous chuckle.
"Don't worry. We can ask your sister to take us to the shrine for training. As long as she's supervising us, it should be ok," Shikama suggested.
Mircalla smirked. "I love how you think, Reiko."
As Yaksha walked up to Violet, she patted her shoulder.
"Hey, since we are training here, we can get to know each other."
Violet blinked. "Oh, and you're…? Wait, I know you. I've seen your face before but I wasn't sure."
"Yep, I knew your sister, Sumire. I'm Murasame Rin. I was a gymnast before my injury. We have some catching up," Yaksha said.
"Yes, we do," Violet smirked, looking forward to furthering conversations with the former gymnast, who had a close acquaintance with Yoshizawa Kasumi.
"Thank you for permitting us to use these respected grounds to hone our training. We'll put it to good use," Joker bowed.
"You'll be seeing us here a lot from now on," Sion said.
"Well, we shall leave you then. Heed our advice and train when you're able," William said. "For now, get some rest. You deserve it, especially after the battle here."
With that, the historical spirits vanished. Mircalla took the four teens to her home. Soon after, the Phantom Thieves, the Vein Remnants, and the Spiritual Gamblers departed. Only Sion, Tennyo, Joker, Panther, Moonlight, Mina, Kyosuke, and Miko stayed behind. Tennyo used low-level reality warping to clean the damages done to the shrine caused by the Yokai battles. She also purged the dead Yokai carcasses scattered all over the sacred grounds.
Relieved over the clean-up job, Miko sighed deeply. "You have no idea how much this means to me. Now I don't have to explain what happened to the caretakers."
"No thanks are necessary. We're happy to clean up our mess," Sion said.
"Will you be staying here, Mina?" Panther asked her.
"No, I have a place close by, but Kyosuke and I will be monitoring this area."
"And I'm staying with relatives. For the time being, I'll be fine," Kyosuke informed them.
Punching a fist into her left palm, Mina smiled menacingly while snickering. "I hope to see y'all here for training! It's gonna be fun!" As she said this, her eyes burned with fiery passion as she relished at the thought of putting the Thieves through physical pain.
"Riiiiight," Panther shuddered. "I'm ready to go, Ren."
Nodding, Joker walked with Panther. He stopped and briefly turned toward Sion, Tennyo, and Moonlight.
"Skyler, Hifumi, Io. You three know to talk to us if you need anything," Joker offered. "Hifumi, that goes double for you. We're all here if you have any problems about that talk we had with the spirits about Shin-Io, Datenshi, and Yaldabaoth."
Nodding, Tennyo calmly smiled. "It'll be fine, but thank you we'll call."
Sion patted Tennyo's shoulder. "Let's get going home. We're going to need to recharge after tonight."
"Yes, I'm tired," Moonlight yawned. "Please, someone carry me." She tipped over, only for Tennyo to catch and piggyback her. "And perhaps a good bedtime story, too. Can you tell me one, Hifumi?"
"I… I'll find a really good one," Tennyo chuckled as they headed out of the shrine.
2:15 AM (JST)
As the Thieves, the Vein Remnants, and their allies cleared Meiji Shrine, another group watched the first Yami Matter event's aftermath from a distance. This group consisted of nine death maidens with an otherworldly aura about them. Behind a veil of darkness where they stayed hidden, the maiden's haunting red eyes gleamed as they scanned Sion, Tennyo, and Io leaving the shrine.
A devilish grin smeared across the face of one of these dark maidens, who chortled darkly. "I see they hast survived the first Yami Matter event. They hast proven to be worthy adversaries. Dost thou agree, my colleagues?" She spoke in an archaic English dialogue. Turning around facing the other members of these dark maidens is a 5'7-foot tall, fair-skinned young woman. She has black hair in a shoulder-length hairstyle coupled with longer strands braided and centered in the back hair. Her most notable features are her golden eyes. She was garbed in dark gray full-bodied armor, sans the arms, with golden chainmail underneath, dark gray knee-length armored boots, and a silver helmet with white wings. She also wore a dark golden ring on her index finger.
"Vanquishing two Yokai waves and defeating that alchemist is quite impressive, but they art just an appetizer before they face us," a second maiden added, walking out of the shadows. The second woman has fair skin with tinges of red on her flesh, especially around her cheeks. She had neck-length blonde hair put into a small ponytail. Her notable features are her bronze eyes. She was the exact height as the leader. Her outfit consisted of moderate layered brown and silver armor, sans the legs; she also wore a light brown loincloth with beige leggings underneath and dark brown knee-length boots. She wore elaborate metal embellishments on her upper body armor and boots.
"Agreed, we shalt pose a greater challenge for these Phantom Thieves, Vein Remnants, and their collective allies," a third maiden chimed calmly and collectively. The third woman, standing 5'9, was taller than the leader and the ponytailed blonde woman. Her complexion was slightly paler than the other two, but not so much that it was sickly or snow pale. She had long, straight back length argent-colored hair. She had silver eyes. Her wardrobe comprised silver upper body armor, including elbow-length silver armored gloves, coupled with a long white battle dress. She wore silver knee-length boots. She wore a silver helmet with silver wings.
The maiden with the dark braided hair and the golden eyes veered toward her other six colleagues. "Well? Dost thou think it is time for us to take flight and bring destruction to their peaceful lives? They will not expect us!"
The other six maidens nodded in unison. Each of them walked out of the shadows and revealed themselves.
The next woman stood roughly 5'10. She was fair-skinned. Her shoulder-length hair is a very distinctive strawberry blonde and has assorted braids in the front and back. Her eyes are green. She wore a full-bodied orange and white battle armor, sans forearms, and golden armored wrist gauntlets. She wore white knee-length boots with yellow trim, a white helmet with golden wings, and a white cape with orange trim.
The next woman stood out as exotic-looking compared to the others first introduced. She had a light brown complexion. Standing 6'0, she was also undoubtedly the tallest of the maidens. Her red hair is a tomboyish short, nearing neck lengths. She had red eyes. Her armor is a revealing ash gray battle armor attire, which showed enough of her skin, including impressive six-pack abdominals built like steel. Adorning her right shoulder is a piece of burgundy sole shoulder armor. She also wore black spiked wrist gauntlets and an ash gray helmet fashioned like a facial mask. Her footwear was burgundy gladiator-styled armored sandals. Her appearance exuded a rare masculine beauty, which made her stand out among her peers.
A 5'10-foot tall russet-skinned woman walked next to the masculine woman and grasped her hand. Her lavender hair stood out among her peers. She had her long back-length hair styled in princess curls, giving herself a regal appearance. She had baby blue eyes. She wore purple lip gloss. Her attire consisted of a moderate layered azure armor, sans the forearms and legs, coupled with a white gown underneath the armor. She had on a turquoise battle dress and knee-length azure boots. Her helmet was azure and fashioned like a crown with turquoise wings on the sides. In contrast to the masculine woman, this one had a royal and feminine appearance as if she had come from another land far away.
In contrast to the other maidens, this youngling was a munchkin in comparison. She stood a modest 5'3. She had light fair skin. Her jade hair was straight and shoulder-length but also worn in a ponytail. Her eyes are amber. Her garb consisted of a moderate green layered armor with a silver chainmail undergarment. She wore a knee-length violet battle dress and ankle-length green boots. Her battle helmet was fashioned like a crown and lacked wings.
On the far left is a fair-skinned woman with neck-length auburn hair and vermilion eyes. She wore a black cloak often worn by rangers and utilized for stealth missions. Under the cloak, she wore very light red armor with black chainmail underneath, a red battle dress with black leggings, and shin-length brown boots.
Standing next to the maiden with the black cloak is a beige-skinned woman with shoulder-length wavy navy blue hair and cream eyes. She wore revealing cyan battle armor coupled with a see-through white veil that covered some sections of her body. She also has on a short cyan battle dress and shin-length silver armored sandals.
Their presence exuded a hauntingly beautiful vibe as if they were revived from the far past; specifically an age of heroes, gods, and monsters from a once forgotten era. Quite possibly another dimension with a prominent reputation that had seen its glory days before meeting its tragic end.
With a soft chuckle, the dark-haired, golden-eyes maiden raised her hands and boldly declared. "Enjoy thine retirement for the evening. Next time, we shalt meet and spill thine blood!"
2:17 AM (JST)
Not too far from Meiji Shrine, a smaller group consisting of three sat in a parked car. Maruki, Ichinose, and Sophia watched nearly the whole first Yami Matter event play out through a visual screen provided by the AI's optical sights. Having seen the monstrosities the Thieves and their allies faced, Maruki and Ichinose met with firm gazes.
"Those crazy kids are still fighting like nobody's business. It's like yesterday to them," Maruki stated.
"Hmmm, yeah, but still these weren't cognitions. These were real monsters and yet there's no more trace of them. After the fight was over, their bodies dissolved away similarly like a Shadow," Ichinose mused.
"According to my readings and having monitored everything through Joker's phone, the creatures were organic until they ceased to be. The black matter we saw was immaterial," Sophia verified with the two scientists.
With a hand on her chin, Ichinose wondered. "Yokai, Guardian Spirits, and black matter. What are the Thieves and their new friends getting themselves into?"
"It sounds like a new adventure for them. I think at some point we're going to find ourselves dragged into their battles," Maruki half-chuckled.
Ichinose laughed a bit. "Yes, perhaps if we tread too closely."
"I would hope to join them in a battle so I can show my upgrades?" Sophia suggested.
"One day, you'll get a chance," Sophia," Maruki casually smiled toward her. "Until then, let's just monitor Joker and his friends' progress from the sidelines."
Nodding, Sophia replied earnestly. "Affirmative!"
Skyler and Hifumi's Apartment/Hamamatsuchō (浜松町)/Minato, Tokyo (港区, 東京)/January 14, 2019 (2019年1月14日) (Reality: January 14, 2021)/12:30 AM (JST)
Having returned home, Skyler closed the door behind him.
"Hey, guys! I'm home already!" Skyler called out, sounding audibly sober. "I didn't get to drink much after all." He walked into the dimmed living room and noticed Io's couch bed littered with magazines and stuffed animals. He smiled. "Looks like Io went to sleep inside you, huh, Hifumi?"
He headed straight for their bedroom and saw the door was closed.
"Hifumi?" He opened the door and to his surprise, he saw something he didn't expect. His face blushed at the sight of fully nude Hifumi laying on their bed. A dark blue bathrobe lay on the edge of their bed, indicating that she had already bathed before getting into bed.
Hifumi let out a deep, heavy breath as she arched her body into a V-shape. She raised her chest and upper body off the plain white sheets of their bed. Skyler watched his nude girlfriend in an erotic posture. Hifumi's bare feet rubbed against the bed sheets. She raised her right left and foot into the air, opening her toes. In her left hand, she kissed a shogi piece. She had her right hand seemingly caressing her own crotch.
"H-Hifumi…" Skyler blushed at the sight of his goddess in her birthday suit.
Hearing her presence being addressed, Hifumi saw Skyler. Naturally, since it's Skyler who saw her, a smile adorned the woman's delicate features. Hifumi turned over and sat on the edge of their bed. She got up and stood facing her Revenant lover. She walked up to him. He did the same. They walked toward the other until they came to a pause. The lovers exchanged looks. Allured by her gaze and knockout body, Skyler held her close to him. Hifumi folded her arms around his neck. They met face to face. Then, their lips met and shared a passionate kiss. They kissed so passionately that their tongues met and kissed each other's necks.
"Hifumi."
"Skyler."
Hifumi slipped both hands under Skyler's shirt and pulled it off. After removing his shirt, her right hand caressed the back of Skyler's head. Skyler continued kissing her, but Hifumi coerced him to put his face into her chest. She invited him in and smothered his face with her breasts, causing him to blush red. Skyler then licked and sucked on Hifumi's left breast. Skyler moved his left hand over his girlfriend's back. With his right hand, he caressed her firm buttocks, eliciting a sensual gasp from Hifumi.
Skyler effortlessly lifted Hifumi and mounted her on his lap. As he finished licking her other breast, the Revenant leaned down between Hifumi's legs. Giving her a check-up, he licked her vaginal area, causing Hifumi to moan out sensual gasps and pants.
Skyler got up and fell on the bed. Hifumi not only turned around, but she started feeling moist. She couldn't wait to tear every fabric of clothing off him. She started by unbuttoning his pants and throwing that off. She then removed his shoes and finally his underwear. She mounted him and leaned her head near his crotch. Hifumi teased licking him but instead held and fondled his crotch. She went in feeling and tasting her Revenant boyfriend. Skyler felt his crotch harden much to Hifumi's delight.
Hifumi then turned around, allowing Skyler to lean face-first into Hifumi's buttocks and lick her crotch area. Hifumi was already licking and sucking on Skyler's hardened crotch.
"Oh god…" Hifumi blushed, feeling wet from Skyler's tongue going inside her. She not only felt wet from ecstasy but spilled all over Skyler's face with some of her juices going inside his mouth. "Yes…! Oh! Get it further inside me, Skyler Jones!"
Before he could, Skyler felt his crotch harden and twitch harder as if pumping something out forcibly.
"Oh, fuck…! I'm coming…!" Skyler shouted as he splattered all over Hifumi's face.
Hifumi licked her face. With their faces covered in each other's sexual juices, their bodies were covered in layers of hot sweat as a result of their sexual intercourse. Hifumi and Skyler got out of their intercourse position and lied next to each other. Hifumi sat up, wiping off and licking the fluids that still covered her face. As Skyler sat up, the lovers shared another passionate kiss. As they lied on top of the other, the couple transitioned their make-out into a new position. Folding each other's bodies with their legs, they performed their sex in a scissor-legged position. They held each other's legs while licking the soles of their feet and toes. Skyler's tongue licked every corner of Hifumi's sweet-scented feet. This feet and toe licking session went on until Skyler decided to shove his crotch into Hifumi. After thrusting into her, he felt hard and climaxed inside his beautiful girlfriend. both climaxed. Hifumi felt every bit of her boyfriend's virile drive going inside her.
"UGH, DAMN! OH FUCK!" Skyler shouted as Hifumi panted and gasped hard.
"Yes, keep going… Skyler! KEEP GOING!"
As they got out of their second intercourse position, they experimented with a third. This time, Hifumi was laying on their bed with Skyler on top of her. They held each other's hands, staring into their eyes and moaning during their continued intercourse. Gasping loudly, Hifumi cried out happily as she grasped Skyler's neck and back. The couple climaxed for a second time. At one point when Skyler's crotch went inside her, Hifumi threw her head back and opened her eyes. For a brief instant, Hifumi's eyes turned gold, indicating that Io was inside her seemingly watching the couple's sexual intercourse.
Skyler noticed this as they ceased their premarital intercourse. "...Hifumi?"
Hifumi looked down as the gold in her eyes faded. "...yes?"
"Your eyes just now. They turned…"
"What?"
"They turned gold like Io's."
Realizing this, Hifumi gave a bewildered look and faced a nearby mirror. She tried getting a glimpse of her eyes, but they were their natural colors again.
"I swear you did."
As a serene smirk curved across her face, Hifumi nodded knowingly. "You know what I think? I think Io has an interest in what we're doing. Perhaps we should invite her for a threesome next time?" She winked and giggled.
He smiled knowing Io was watching them. He leaned down as he and Hifumi shared another passionate kiss.
When it was said and done, the couple rested together in each other's embrace. Though their bodies were covered in sweat, they were satisfied. Besides Io, there was no one else to watch their beautiful and hedonistic night. Tonight, the Revenant and his goddess lover rested after the first Yami Matter event from the other night.
Morning would be just another day for them together.
And going forward, while they can't predict what'll happen to them, they plan to face life's pleasures and obstacles together.
Chapter Soundtrack
Nioh OST - Main Theme- Defeating Kelley.
Nioh 2 OST - Eye of the Beholder- Kelley's final words after being defeated and William questioning him before Kelley dissolves. Song ended after William apologized to the group with no answers and followed up with Nekomata's statement.
Nioh 2 OST - Freed From This Mortal Coil - The aftermath of the first Yami Matter event and the appearance of Yodogimi and the other historical figures. Interacting with the spirits of the historical figures.
Nioh OST - Mysterious- Interacting with the spirits of the historical figures. The spirits debate like in a council meeting/courtroom regarding Hifumi's goddess status.
Nioh Soundtrack OST - The Way of the Warrior- The spirits' encouragement for our protagonists on their adventure to solve the Yami Matter case.
Code Vein OST - Towards the Eternal Glory - Aftermath of the first Yami Matter event with the Revenants and their new allies.
Owari no Seraph Nagoya Kessen-hen OST 02 - 4-a - The end of the song describes the environmental feeling of the story's setting.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist of the Roses OST - The Perfect Rule - The first scene of these nine deathly maidens. Describe the 'orchestra and church vocal feeling' while writing the scene.
The way -feat. Sayulee - Xenoblade Chronicles X OST - Hiroyuki Sawano - A powerful song for Hifumi and Skyler's intercourse.
VAMPS - VAMPIRE'S LOVE - Hifumi and Skyler's moments after their lovemaking.
A/N: The first Yami Matter event has been resolved. If some were expecting Kelley and company to survive this, well sorry to disappoint you. They were intended to be the starter bosses for AnM Book II. Furthermore, this story already has enough central and recurring antagonists who have already appeared and will show up later.
Speaking of, the Four Symbols and the golden dragon (Kohryu) take on the Nine-Tailed Fox. What a sight that battle would've been to see in person. Luckily, thanks to Mary's surprise attack intervention, she helped turn the tide of the battle against Kelley.
The Thieves, the Remnants, and the Gamblers gain support from the Nioh spiritual figures. Meiji Shrine also becomes their new training ground. Not a bad tradeoff.
The spirits gather the group in a courtroom. They pass judgment but don't condemn Hifumi for having Shin-Io in her and allow her to use the alternate Yaldabaoth's light half in future Yami Matter events. If Hifumi wasn't Shin-Io's vessel, there'd be some serious issues and they wouldn't be as forgiving.
Gee, not only do we have Maruki, Ichinose, and Sophia keeping tabs on the Thieves and company's activities, but nine dark maidens are looking for a fight with our heroes. Things could escalate soon if and when the next Yami Matter event occurs.
Then, we end the chapter with Skyler and Hifumi's lovemaking. If you're keeping count, this is the second time (onscreen) sexual intercourse has happened in this whole story so far. And don't expect this to be the last time as evidenced by the 'threesome' idea Hifumi planted in Skyler's brain.
Sorry if these past chapters have been kinda long in the tooth, but the new couple of chapters should hopefully be moderate in length. The next couple of Yami Matter events will be much smaller-scaled and less crowded bits. There'll be slice-of-life plots to smooth the story's pacing so it's not just all fighting. I don't want this to be bogged down by a series of serious life and death battles after another.
That's all I've got. Send a review and see you soon.