An Audience at the Onmyoryo

The moon hung cold and high, and dark clouds pressed down upon the city. Within the demon-haunted Heian-kyo, the Onmyoji were suffering a backlash from the very yokai they had imprisoned. Frenzied by an ancient, sinister power, the swarms of monsters burst from their cages, clashing with the Onmyoji in every corner of the capital. Just as the human lines were about to collapse due to a hidden conspiracy, Miketsu—disguised as Owl—arrived. Leading her Hundred Demons, she marched from Rajomon into the heart of Heian-kyo. After slicing through the Demon-Faced Centipede that blocked their path, they successfully reached the central crossroads of the city.

At Owl's command, the Hundred Demons dispersed with a jubilant roar. They began to scour the city, purging the crazed monsters infected by the sinister energy. With their vast numbers and leaders like Nura Rihyon organizing the groups, the purge was exceptionally efficient.

The maddened yokai were rampaging throughout Heian-kyo. If Owl had used large-scale spells to clear them by force, she would have devastated the city and harmed innocent civilians. Thus, she decisively chose to lead the Hundred Demons directly into the capital, letting her numerous followers hunt down the swarms of monsters gathered there.

The Onmyoji, who had first been terrified by the arrival of new yokai and then stunned by Owl’s swift decapitation of the Demon-Faced Centipede, finally snapped out of their daze. They rejoined the fray against the frenzied monsters. To them, it didn't matter why these groups of yokai were fighting each other; what mattered was that in their hour of greatest crisis, someone had reached out to save them. Regardless of the savior's identity, their hearts were filled only with gratitude.

Thus, through the joint efforts of the Onmyoji and Owl’s Hundred Demons, the central district of Heian-kyo was quickly cleared of the maddened monsters. Afterward, Owl had a brief communication with Seimei, instructing him to tell the Onmyoji to maintain their arrays to lure the remaining yokai for subjugation. Meanwhile, the Hundred Demons, led by Nura Rihyon and the others, fanned out through Heian-kyo to hunt down any stray crazed monsters. This separation of forces was intended to avoid accidental friendly fire.

"Phew..." Having cleared the crossroads, Yura let out a long sigh of relief. As she watched the Hundred Demons aiding them from the streets and the rooftops, a complex look flickered in her eyes.

"I never imagined that, in the end, it would be yokai who came to our rescue. Owl... is truly a peculiar creature." As she spoke, Yura’s gaze drifted south toward Suzaku Avenue. On either side of the road lay the two halves of the massive centipede. Its dense, spindly legs were still twitching rhythmically, releasing the last of its residual vitality.

"And... he's terrifyingly strong. That Demon-Faced Centipede was dealt with in a single strike..." Yura recalled the terror she felt when she first encountered the creature months ago. Back then, she and Hao had been utterly powerless against it.

"Indeed, his strength is beyond belief. It is easy to foresee that in the near future, the name of the Yokai Lord who rules the Kinki region will spread throughout the land." Standing beside Yura, Seimei spoke with a tone of admiration, opening his folding fan to stir a light breeze as he continued slowly.

"Heh, I suppose no one would have expected a Yokai Lord to arise right here in Heian-kyo, the very heart of the Kinki region and the seat of the Onmyoryo... We are fortunate that Owl is a yokai who follows the path of Yokai Ninkyo. Otherwise, the human realm would be in grave danger."

There was a hint of relief in Seimei's voice. Yura looked around, then asked with a touch of confusion, "By the way, where is Owl now? Wasn't he just over there commanding his demons?"

"Heh, Owl should be at the Onmyoryo by now," Seimei replied with a light chuckle, leaving Yura stunned.

"The Onmyoryo? Why would he go there?"

"An envoy sent by my master invited him. To Heian-kyo and the Onmyoryo, Owl is a savior today. The Senior Secretary naturally needed to invite him for an audience." Seimei gazed toward the sky, his expression turning playful as he continued.

"Besides, given the current state of the Onmyoryo, I suspect they have something to ask of him."

...

Inside the Greater Imperial Palace of Heian-kyo, no crazed monsters had managed to intrude, as the Minamoto clan's dungeon did not extend beneath its grounds. However, numerous guards still patrolled the area, standing ready for any emergency.

Cloaked in black, Miketsu—as Owl—walked briskly down the familiar corridors. Beside her was a group of Onmyoji and samurai who appeared to be guides but were clearly on high alert. Miketsu had walked these paths before when she was Asakura Hao; she never imagined she would one day return to the Onmyoryo in the guise of Owl.

"It is right here. Please..."

Led by an Onmyoji, Miketsu entered a council chamber. Seated at the head and sides of the room were the three Senior Secretaries: Kamo no Tadayuki, Fujiwara no Saneyori, and Minamoto no Mitsunaka.

All of the secretaries looked pale and exhausted. Minamoto no Mitsunaka sat awkwardly due to his injuries, while Kamo no Tadayuki appeared ancient, his hair white and his face deeply lined. Of the three, only Fujiwara no Saneyori looked slightly better.

Looking at the three of them, Miketsu suddenly realized that the heads of the Three Great Clans were essentially all incapacitated. This meant the strength of the Onmyo clans and the Onmyoryo was currently at an unprecedented low.

In that moment, Miketsu understood exactly why they had specially invited her here.

"One-Eyed Owl, who has recently dominated the demon realm of Heian-kyo... we have long heard of your great name. As a yokai, you should naturally be our enemy, but now..."

"If you have something to ask of me, speak plainly, Onmyoji." As Fujiwara no Saneyori prepared for a long-winded speech, Miketsu interrupted him directly. Taken aback, Saneyori snapped his mouth shut and fell silent. Minamoto no Mitsunaka, sitting in the center, took over.

"Heh, since Owl is so direct, we won't waste words. You have always followed the path of Yokai Ninkyo. We are deeply grateful for your assistance tonight, but now we hope you can carry your chivalry further to prevent an even greater catastrophe."

"You should be aware that a mysterious thief has stolen the White Tiger Seal, one of the activation seals for the Four Symbols Array. This thief is also responsible for the demonic calamity sweeping Heian-kyo tonight. I believe this disaster is merely a distraction to tie down our forces. Through our investigations, we have confirmed that the White Tiger Seal is currently at the White Tiger Altar; that is his true objective."

"Though we have yet to discover his ultimate goal, he certainly intends to utilize the Four Symbols Array. That array possesses a power comparable to the gods... whatever he plans to do with it will undoubtedly trigger a massive disaster. Therefore, I wish to request your assistance in stopping him!"