The Eight Thunder Gods – Naruhime
"Something terrible!? What do you mean!?" Naruhime looked confused.
The Eight Thunder Gods – Taikyoku
Taikyoku turned toward the other Thunder Gods.
"Jaku'un, tell them."
The Eight Thunder Gods – Jaku'un
"A being with unknown power has just entered Mato," he said, opening his palm.
From it, black mist slithered out, forming the image of Souta radiating a powerful aura of darkness.
The Eight Thunder Gods – Shikoku
Shikoku was instantly intrigued.
"What is this? Its form is clearly human, but the aura—undeniably not."
The Eight Thunder Gods – Jouryu
"He's clearly not human."
The black mist then shrank and returned to Jaku'un's hand.
"The moment he appeared, I immediately sent my demon servants to keep watch, but…"
"But?" asked Shikoku.
Jaku'un turned to her.
"By the time my servants arrived… he had already vanished."
"And at his last detected location, there was one of the Anti-Demon Corps chiefs." he continued.
Naruhime crossed her arms.
"What did that chief do? Did they try to kill the creature?"
"Unclear. But at the time, that chief was alone—until a few minutes later, when one by one, the rest of the Anti-Demon Corps leaders arrived at the scene."
Shikoku looked surprised and quickly asked,
"All of them!? Even Ren Yamashiro?"
Jaku'un nodded.
"Yes, Sister Shikoku. Ren Yamashiro even came to the site."
Shikoku, who had been relaxed, now looked a bit more serious.
"One more thing—the gate… it appeared again."
Her thoughts were cut off as Jaku'un added,
"You mean the gates filled with monsters?" asked Shikoku.
"Exactly. But this one was different."
"Different how?"
With growing interest, Jaku'un explained,
"That gate turned red, and the energy spike it emitted increased dramatically."
"Not only that—according to the demon servants' observations, shortly after the red gate appeared, it became completely inaccessible."
Jouryu finally spoke,
"You're saying the red gate is stronger than the others."
"That's right, Sister Jouryu. And definitely more dangerous."
Naruhime, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up.
"So that gate still exists? Then this could be the perfect opportunity to attack them."
Jaku'un looked down with a slightly disappointed expression.
"Unfortunately, the gate has already closed. And according to my demon spies near the commanders' headquarters, each commander has returned to their respective base."
Naruhime immediately lost interest, while Jouryu, who still seemed curious, asked,
"What did the Anti-Demon Corps do with the red gate?"
"They did try several things to interact with it… but every attempt failed," Jaku'un continued.
"Then, after seven hours, the gate changed color again, and from it emerged several members of the Anti-Demon Corps."
He snapped his fingers.
"And with them… that creature appeared too."
Naruhime looked shocked.
"Wait—you mean that creature is on the humans' side?"
Jaku'un seemed uncertain.
"I think so, but the dark energy he emits makes me doubt it."
While touching his temple, he added,
"That's all the information I could gather. I had to pull my demon servant back before that little clairvoyant girl noticed their presence."
Jouryu sat forward in her seat.
"So… what should we do about this creature?"
"That decision… lies with Sister Taikyoku."
The four Thunder Gods turned their gaze to Taikyoku.
In a cold tone, Taikyoku finally spoke.
"It's not like me to want to act quickly… but this time is different."
"I don't know if you realized it, but… when he appeared, the dark energy I felt from him—it reached even where I am."
Her expression turned serious. "Even though right now he's only at the average level of a unit chief, what makes him dangerous is how quickly he grows stronger."
Taikyoku then extended her palm, releasing a dark mist just like Jaku'un had done earlier.
The black mist condensed and eventually revealed Souta, slaughtering hundreds of Shuuki, his dark aura gradually intensifying.
"What you're seeing now is his first appearance in the Mato dimension."
"And this… is his second emergence—from the Red Gate."
The image of Souta in the mist reacted, showing a clear and rapid increase in power in a short span of time.
The eyes of the four other Thunder Gods widened.
"Wait! How much time passed between his first and second appearances!?"
"T-That…" Jaku'un hesitated to speak.
"Roughly seven to eight hours—"
Before he could even finish, Jaku'un was startled as Naruhime slammed both palms on their round table and stood up.
"Seven hours!?"
"Calm down, Naruhime. I know you're shocked, but please, don't overreact," said Jouryu, arms crossed.
Meanwhile, Shikoku, resting her chin in her hand, smiled at the commotion.
"Alright, alright, no fighting you two."
She then shifted her gaze to Taikyoku.
"So… are we taking direct action, Sister Taikyoku?" she asked while adjusting her sitting posture.
Taikyoku thought for a moment.
"Given our previous failures, it's too risky for us to act directly."
"Sending troops wouldn't be effective either. But…"
Her expression turned grim.
"We also can't afford to lose any more of the Thunder Gods."
Shikoku, Jouryu, Naruhime, and even Jaku'un went silent as Taikyoku released a terrifying aura.
"Still, we don't have many other options."
She paused before finally speaking.
"Jaku'un…"
Jaku'un immediately turned when Taikyoku called his name.
"Yes, Sister Taikyoku," he answered, slightly nervous.
"How far along is the Raiketsu Project?"
Jaku'un looked a bit surprised.
"It's been four years since you started that project."
Jaku'un became visibly more enthusiastic as Taikyoku brought it up.
"About that, everything has been going smoothly so far."
"And up until now, only four specimens have been successful."
He looked slightly proud as he said it.
Taikyoku gave a small smile.
"I see. In that case…"
"Are they strong enough to fight the Anti-Demon Corps?"
Taikyoku fixed her piercing gaze on Jaku'un.
Jaku'un smiled confidently.
"As a whole, yes. More than enough."
"How many troops have you gathered through those gates?" Taikyoku asked.
Jaku'un now looked completely confident.
"We have more than ten thousand troops from this project."
"And four among them are confirmed to have power on par with Anti-Demon Corps chiefs."
Taikyoku looked satisfied.
"Then we can use them now?" asked Shikoku, who seemed pleased by the news.
Jaku'un nodded, still smiling.
"Of course, Sister Shikoku. They're ready anytime."
"But without direct command from us, can they coordinate properly?"
Jouryu's question made Jaku'un pause again.
He had almost forgotten that Taikyoku advised against direct involvement.
"You're right, Sister Jouryu… I hadn't considered that."
"They can't coordinate by themselves? What kind of captain are you, Jaku'un!?"
Naruhime's voice was so loud, Jaku'un nearly covered his ears.
As irritating as she was, he still held respect for his sister.
"Sorry, Sister Naruhime. But not all of them were created by me. The only ones I fully made are the four elite soldiers I mentioned."
"Oh, is that so?"
There wasn't the slightest hint of regret on her face.
Jouryu, still serious, asked again,
"Then what's the solution now?"
"Hey, hey, calm down, Jouryu. I've got a solution, relax," said Shikoku, casually.
Jouryu finally relented.
"So… what is it, Shikoku?"
She looked at Shikoku, who now wore a confident grin.
"Since both our direct and indirect attacks have failed—and from the second attempt by Rairen and Fukuma, we can conclude our defeat came from one thing: the way humans think."
Shikoku's smile widened, her gaze now blank and a bit manic.
Still with that twisted expression, she continued:
"Humans analyze critically when facing something larger. They see flaws we don't notice… and they act on those flaws, even if it's a gamble. That's a way of thinking completely different from ours."
Shikoku calmed herself and returned to her usual demeanor.
"Since so many of our divine methods have failed to defeat them… why not use human thinking itself to beat them?"
Naruhime stood up from her seat.
"What!? You mean we're going to use human strategies!?"
She looked visibly offended.
"Why would we ever do that!?"
"If we want to succeed in defeating the Anti-Demon Corps, we must lower our egos," Shikoku replied calmly.
"Unfortunately… I agree with Shikoku," Jouryu said with equal composure.
"Now you too, Jouryu!?" Naruhime looked shocked.
"Sister Shikoku is right. This is the best option we have if we want to deal with that creature," Jaku'un added without hesitation.
Though Naruhime didn't look like she could argue further, Jaku'un continued, revisiting Shikoku's earlier idea.
"So, how exactly are we supposed to do this, Sister Shikoku? If it's human thinking, doesn't that mean only a human can carry it out?"
"Exactly. And that's why…" Shikoku snapped her fingers.
From the shadows, a human figure slowly stepped forward.
A smile formed on Shikoku's face.
"Jaku'un, do you remember the incident six years ago, when our special Shuuki army was suddenly defeated?"
"Yeah, I remember. They were our first Special Shuuki—a stronger version. Though they now roam freely and have replaced the older generation of Shuuki in Mato… what does that have to do with this?" Jaku'un scratched his head, puzzled.
Still smiling, Shikoku said,
"I wasn't talking about the Shuuki… I meant the individuals responsible for our defeat."
"There were two major figures who created the opening that allowed the Anti-Demon Corps commanders to regroup, coordinate, and ultimately drive our forces back."
Shikoku leaned back in her seat.
"There were two of them… but one of them likely perished after overextending his power near the end of the battle. Still, I managed to secure the other one before the fight ended."
She grinned proudly.
Jaku'un seemed to remember something.
"So that's why you ordered me to send all our forces into battle even though we had clearly lost…"
"Exactly. Amid the chaos, I got what I came for. It took a long time to successfully brainwash him… but I'm satisfied."
Shikoku glanced toward the human figure.
"His intelligence impressed me. He effectively directed the movement of every Anti-Demon Corps member—even without any special abilities of his own. He's the perfect person to lead the Raiketsu forces, wouldn't you agree, Jaku'un?"
Jaku'un took a moment to consider the man's qualifications.
"Considering how our forces were defeated back then… I'd say he's very capable."
"Right!? I knew you'd say that!"
Shikoku beamed with excitement.
She turned to the others.
"So? Do you all agree?"
"I do," Jouryu answered without hesitation.
"Same here." Jaku'un followed.
Naruhime hesitated, then groaned.
"Argh! Fine—fine! I'm in too!"
Taikyoku smiled.
"Our Mother will awaken soon. Until then… we must eliminate anything that could threaten her."
"You're right, Sister Taikyoku. And this time, we're more prepared than ever."
Shikoku smiled again.
She turned back to the man.
"Now it's time… for you to join us as well—
Isamu Azuma."
Meanwhile, at the Anti-Demon Corps Headquarters
Souta was walking down the corridor with Ginna.
"Where are we going?"
"To Ren-sama's office. She said she wants to speak with you," Ginna replied, glancing over at him.
What does she want to talk about this early in the morning? Could it be about my powers?
I hope she doesn't ask anything too direct…
They arrived in front of Ren's office.
Ginna knocked on the door.
"Ren-sama, it's me."
"Come in."
As soon as we heard her voice, the two of us slowly stepped in.
"Good morning, Ren-sama. I've brought him here," Ginna said.
"Good morning to you too, Ginna. Thank you for bringing him."
Ren smiled at Ginna.
That alone made Ginna beam with joy.
"It's no problem at all, Ren-sama!"
"Then, you can return now, Ginna."
She gave the girl another gentle smile.
Ginna looked even more thrilled.
"Understood, Ren-sama!"
And with that, she left the room.
The atmosphere immediately turned awkward.
… …
"You're such a stiff person, aren't you?" she asked teasingly.
I just kept a neutral expression.
"See?"
"You didn't call me in here just for that, did you? So, why did you want to see me?"
My gaze grew slightly more serious.
Ren let out a small laugh.
"You're right."
She closed her laptop, then looked directly at me.
"I have some business outside the HQ today, so…"
"So?"
This doesn't sound good…
"I'm assigning the First Unit to look after you while I'm gone."
What?
I thought she was going to talk about my powers…
Well, this isn't so bad either.
"The First Unit?"
"Yes. They'll be here soon to pick you up."
Wait, I haven't even—
"What is it, Souta Hayashi?"
"Ah—it's just… I haven't even said whether I agree to this or not. Why are you deciding everything on your own?"
This woman can be so irritating sometimes.
Ren sighed before replying.
"First of all, I want to apologize for deciding things suddenly and without your input. But it's safer this way than leaving you here alone—it's too risky."
"So, whether you agree or not, I'm going through with this. It's for your own good."
I could only frown.
Even though her reasoning made sense—my presence here could indeed bring danger to others—it still rubbed me the wrong way.
Ren noticed I was sulking.
"Aw… are you sulking now?"
She said it with a mischievous grin.
"Shut up."
Ren chuckled at my reaction.
"Hmm?"
She seemed to sense something.
"What?"
Ren stood up from her seat.
"Looks like they've arrived."
She walked toward the door.
"Come on, let's go meet them."
"Alright."
I followed her from behind.
We walked together to the front gates of headquarters.
There, we saw a young girl accompanied by an older woman.
"Thank you for accepting my request, Konomi—and Riu-san as well."
Riu stepped away from the vehicle.
"It's no problem. Besides…"
She looked toward me.
So this is the boy everyone's been talking about?
Meanwhile, Konomi looked hesitant to approach.
"What are you doing over there, Konomi?"
"Eh—uh…"
Ren quickly realized why Konomi looked so awkward, and she walked over to her.
"Relax, Konomi."
Konomi slowly looked at Ren, who gave her a warm smile.
"The commander selection is over. You don't need to be so tense around me."
A small smile formed on Konomi's lips.
"Come on, where's that fiery spirit you always had?"
"Yes, Commander!"
Riu simply smiled watching the two of them.
"Weird… she used to act like such a brat. And now suddenly she's warm and kind."
Riu turned to me.
"Yeah… a lot has happened. It's changed her."
"I see."
I then shifted my gaze back to Ren and Konomi as they approached us.
Ren wore a suspicious grin.
"So, what were you two saying about me?"
Even though she said "you two," it was clear she was directing that question at me.
"Nothing important. Just some meaningless stuff," Riu answered quickly.
Ren looked slightly disappointed.
"I see…"
"Alright then, let me introduce you all to each other."
Ren then gestured toward Konomi.
"Souta, let me introduce you. This is Tarara Konomi."
She continued,
"Konomi, this is Souta Hayashi."
Riu gave Konomi a subtle signal.
"Right!"
Konomi stepped forward and introduced herself.
"I'm Tarara Konomi! Leader of the First Unit of the Anti-Demon Corps."
Wait, this girl… is the leader?
"Then what was the point of me introducing you earlier, Konomi?"
Ren's voice came from beside me.
Konomi scratched her head.
"Ehehe, sorry, Commander. It's just a habit of mine."
"Never mind," Ren said, then turned to Riu.
"What about you, Riu-san? Will you introduce yourself?"
Riu nodded and walked over to me.
"I'm Riu Myouga, Vice Commander of the First Unit."
"Souta Hayashi."
I kept it short.
"So, can we take him with us now?"
Riu seemed to be growing impatient.
Ren thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Now is fine, so yes—"
"You may take him now."
She glanced at me.
Riu immediately got in the car after hearing that.
"Hop in, Hayashi-san!"
Before getting in, I sensed Ren behind me.
I turned slightly.
"What is it?"
"You'd better not cause any trouble over there," she said, tapping my nose with her index finger.
I scoffed.
"I'm not a child, you know."
"Is that so?"
She grinned mischievously again.
"Whatever."
I turned around and walked toward the car. Before getting in, I glanced back at Ren, who was still watching me.
"What is it now?"
Ren seemed to snap out of a daydream.
"Oh, nothing."
She quickly looked away.
I finally got into the car. After fastening my seatbelt, we began driving away from headquarters.
Ren watched the vehicle disappear into the distance… before finally turning and heading back inside.
Back in her office, Ginna was already waiting.
Ren walked up to her.
Ren asked with a slightly serious expression:
"Ginna, has Yoshino Ookawamura received the vial I sent?"
"Yes, Ren-sama. They're currently analyzing the vial you sent," Ginna reported.
Ren then turned to her.
"Have you contacted Fubuki?"
"Yes, Ren-sama!"
Ren began preparing to leave. But before she reached the door—
"Ren-sama."
Ren turned back to Ginna.
"What is it, Ginna?"
She turned fully to face her.
Ginna hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Why do you want to meet with Fubuki-sama?"
Ren smiled at the question.
"To ask for help in uncovering more information about Souta Hayashi."
"And the Azuma family… is capable of doing just that." Ren added.
"I see. Forgive me if my question was out of place, Ren-sama."
Ren smiled again.
"It's fine."
"Now then, I'll be going."
Ren opened the door and stepped out, leaving Ginna behind.
Jaku'un walked alongside Shikoku, while Isamu followed behind them.
"We're here."Jaku'un stopped in front of a massive gate.
Shikoku stared at the towering structure."So, this is the place."
"Yes, Sis Shikoku."Jaku'un finally finished dismantling the barrier before the gate.
"Let's go in."The three of them stepped through.
Inside, they saw a vast expanse—reminiscent of Mato, though not as boundless.
Jaku'un turned to Shikoku."This is an artificial dimension Sis Taikyoku and I created after studying the gates that appeared in Mato."
They had only taken a few steps when a squad ofRaiketu soldiersblocked their path.
"What are they doing?"Jaku'un muttered in confusion.
"They shouldn't dare confront us like this… unless—"His eyes flicked toIsamu."It seems they're targeting him, not us."
"Oh?"Shikoku smirked, glancing at Isamu."Isamu."
"Understood."A deep male voice rumbled in response. Isamu stepped forward, locking eyes with the monsters ahead.
"Do you truly believe yourselves worthy… in the eyes of the gods?"