Nyanko-sensei glanced casually at the photo. The ruined street shown in it looked very familiar.
"That's right. That's where we fought."
Noriyuki Iizuna and Yomi Isayama exchanged glances, both visibly perking up. They had finally found the source of the disturbance and could now give the higher-ups an explanation.
Yomi Isayama asked curiously, "Why did you fight Tsuchigumo?"
Naturally, Nyanko-sensei was not going to tell them that Tsuchigumo had tried to take the Book of Friends, so he simply made up an excuse.
"I also participated in the battle to subjugate Hagoromo-Gitsune several hundred years ago, and Tsuchigumo and I became enemies back then."
"He probably came looking for me to take revenge. Who knew that guy could hold a grudge for so long?"
Hearing that Nyanko-sensei had participated in the battle against Hagoromo-Gitsune several centuries ago, Yomi Isayama's expression immediately became solemn.
"So that's what happened. You've truly been through a lot."
Hearing this, Natsume could not help giving Nyanko-sensei a curious look.
Something about this situation did not seem right.
However, given the circumstances, he said nothing.
Noriyuki continued asking, "What about Tsuchigumo? Where did he go after your battle?"
Nyanko-sensei said casually, "He died. I killed him."
"Huh?"
Both Noriyuki Iizuna and Yomi Isayama were surprised. Even Kagura Tsuchimiya could not help looking at Nyanko-sensei several more times.
That was Tsuchigumo, a legendary great yokai.
Yet he had been killed by a yokai that looked like an ordinary cat.
Wasn't that far too unbelievable?
"What? You don't believe me?"
Nyanko-sensei narrowed his eyes, his expression turning unfriendly as a chilling yokai aura slowly seeped from his body.
Only then did Yomi and the others realize that although the beckoning cat before them looked harmless and friendly, he was also a genuine great yokai.
And a terrifying one at that.
They hurriedly shook their heads.
Nurarihyon set his teacup down on the table with a soft clack and smiled at Yomi Isayama, Noriyuki Iizuna, and Kagura Tsuchimiya.
"Since you now know the truth, this old man won't keep you any longer. You should return first. If anything else comes up, you are welcome to ask this old man at any time."
Since Nurarihyon had already issued an order for them to leave, Yomi and the others could not remain any longer. They stood, bid farewell to Nurarihyon, and turned to leave.
Nurarihyon called Kejoro over.
"Go and see them out."
Kejoro nodded and said to Yomi's group, "Guests, please follow me."
Natsume watched their departing backs and finally could no longer suppress the question in his heart.
"Nyanko-sensei, I have a question. Why did those people react so strangely when you said you participated in the battle against Hagoromo-Gitsune several hundred years ago? They even seemed a little… respectful."
Natsume was certain he had not imagined it.
Those government agents genuinely seemed to respect Nyanko-sensei.
Was participating in the subjugation of Hagoromo-Gitsune really such an incredible achievement?
Nyanko-sensei proudly puffed out his chest.
"They respect me because I am worthy of respect."
"Worthy?"
Natsume was completely confused and grew even more curious, hurriedly asking what exactly had happened back then.
Nyanko-sensei and Nurarihyon exchanged glances.
Nurarihyon said lightly, "It wasn't anything particularly important. Several hundred years ago, Hagoromo-Gitsune, who was then the Lord of Pandemonium, suddenly decided that she wanted to exterminate humanity and create a world inhabited only by yokai."
"Wait?"
Natsume looked completely dumbfounded.
What did he mean, Hagoromo-Gitsune had suddenly decided to wipe out humanity and create a world of yokai?
That was far too horrifying.
"Didn't you just say that humans and yokai have a mutually dependent relationship? If that's the case, why would Hagoromo-Gitsune want to exterminate humanity?"
Natsume simply could not understand it.
Nurarihyon said, "Didn't we explain earlier that yokai are born in three different ways? Some arise naturally from heaven and earth, some are fallen humans, and others are born from fear and supernatural tales."
"Of these, naturally born yokai are the most unique. They can absorb the power of human fear, but they do not depend on humans to survive. Even if every human were killed, they would remain unaffected."
"Hagoromo-Gitsune is the purest example of this."
"To create a world inhabited only by yokai, Hagoromo-Gitsune intended to exterminate humanity."
"That is also why this old man stood on humanity's side."
"Because this old man is a yokai born from supernatural tales. If humans disappeared, this old man would also vanish with them."
"Thus, during that battle several hundred years ago, countless yokai born from supernatural tales gathered beneath this old man's banner. Together, we subjugated Hagoromo-Gitsune and joined forces with humanity to ultimately defeat her and thwart her scheme."
Natsume understood.
Back then, Nurarihyon had stood on humanity's side not only to protect humans, but largely for his own survival.
"What about you, Nyanko-sensei? I remember you saying that you're a yokai born naturally from heaven and earth. Why did you also fight Hagoromo-Gitsune?"
Nyanko-sensei leapt into the air, performed several flips, and kicked Natsume squarely in the forehead, knocking him to the ground.
"Idiot! Even though I'm a naturally born yokai, I'm also a friend who once drank with Nurarihyon. How could I stand by and watch this guy die?"
"Yokai also understand loyalty and honor, you foolish Natsume."
Natsume suddenly understood and hurriedly apologized to Nyanko-sensei.
Nyanko-sensei knew Natsume had meant no harm, so after snorting once, he let the matter go.
Nurarihyon asked, "Madara, who was that person who brought the two of you back earlier?"
Even now, he still could not put his mind at ease.
The ability to bypass the numerous barriers surrounding the Nura Clan and open a door directly inside their headquarters—even right in front of him—was simply too outrageous.
Anyone who witnessed it would feel uneasy.
Including him.
"What's wrong? Sweating bullets, Nurarihyon?"
Nyanko-sensei seemed to see through Nurarihyon's thoughts and teased him with a grin.
Nurarihyon took out his pipe, lit it, and inhaled before slowly and solemnly nodding.
"I am indeed somewhat worried. That human's ability is far too absurd."
Natsume looked completely confused, glancing between Nyanko-sensei and Nurarihyon. He had no idea what the two yokai were discussing or why their expressions were so serious.
"Actually, today was also the first time I met that person."
Nyanko-sensei briefly recounted what had happened that day.
Nurarihyon exhaled a smoke ring.
"An ally, huh?"
That answer did not reassure him.
Although the man called Rowan was an ally of Natsume and Madara, he was not necessarily a friend of the Nura Clan.
A friend's friend was not always one's own friend.
Nurarihyon had learned that lesson deeply long ago.
But it did not matter.
The thing Nurarihyon was best at was turning as many people as possible into his friends.
"Madara, find an opportunity to invite your ally to visit the Nura Clan. Since he saved my friend, I cannot be stingy. I'll bring out the fine alcohol I've treasured for years and drink with him to our hearts' content."
Nyanko-sensei saw through Nurarihyon's little scheme, but did not expose it. Instead, he nodded.
"Sure."
…
"Drink alcohol? Unfortunately, I don't really like it."
Meanwhile, inside Rowan's apartment,
after sending Natsume and Nyanko-sensei back to the Nura Clan, Rowan had closed the door, but he continued observing everything happening inside the Nura Clan through farsight magic.
He was curious about why Yomi Isayama and the others were there.
As a result, everything that happened afterward was clearly seen and heard by Rowan.
Of course, farsight magic could not normally hear conversations, but Rowan had his own method.
When he closed the door, Rowan opened a tiny portal on Natsume's clothing. The portal looked like an ordinary pocket, but it connected directly to Rowan's apartment.
Thus, although Rowan was not inside the Nura Clan, he could clearly hear their entire conversation.
Everything that happened afterward, and every word they spoke, was clearly observed by Rowan.
This included why Yomi Isayama had appeared at the Nura Clan, the various ways yokai were born, and the full story behind Nurarihyon's subjugation of Hagoromo-Gitsune several hundred years ago.
This was something Rowan had not expected, because it was completely different from the original plot of Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan.
In the original story, Hagoromo-Gitsune had occupied Kyoto four hundred years ago and was the undisputed Lord of Pandemonium.
Not only had she possessed the mother of Toyotomi Hideyori, but she had also intended to give birth to a being that was both yokai and human—the Nue.
The so-called Nue was actually Abe no Seimei.
In Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, although Abe no Seimei was extremely powerful, he had already died and was suffering in Hell.
Thus, he contacted his mother through some unknown method and planned to return to the world by being born from her once again.
Hagoromo-Gitsune loved her son deeply, so naturally, she agreed without hesitation.
However, giving birth to Abe no Seimei—or rather, the Nue—once more was not an easy task.
To give birth to the Nue, Hagoromo-Gitsune consumed large quantities of fresh livers taken from young women and sent her subordinates everywhere to collect living human livers.
Later, she set her sights on a woman named Yōhime and abducted her to obtain her fresh liver.
Interestingly enough, Nurarihyon had also taken an interest in that woman.
Although both Nurarihyon and Hagoromo-Gitsune wanted to "eat" her, their intended methods of eating were rather different.
Thus, Nurarihyon went to war with Hagoromo-Gitsune without hesitation. With Hidemoto's Hagun and Nurarihyon's Nenekirimaru, they eventually defeated Hagoromo-Gitsune, who was then the Lord of Pandemonium.
Nurarihyon subsequently became the new Lord of Pandemonium.
But in this chaotic crossover world, events had clearly undergone enormous changes.
The reason Nurarihyon had fought Hagoromo-Gitsune several hundred years ago had changed from saving his lover to saving humanity.
Both involved saving people, but the difference of a few words completely changed everything.
As for why Hagoromo-Gitsune had suddenly wanted to wipe out humanity and create a world inhabited only by yokai—
Rowan understood it all too clearly.
That had never been Hagoromo-Gitsune's idea.
It was Abe no Seimei's idea.
Hagoromo-Gitsune had merely been the one carrying it out.
Furthermore, even after Hagoromo-Gitsune failed several hundred years ago, she had not abandoned that goal.
Not long ago, Rowan had learned from Kidomaru's memories that Hagoromo-Gitsune intended to invade Tokyo and stage a Night Parade of a Hundred Demons there.
It seemed very likely that she was preparing to make a comeback.
~~~
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