Grandfather's Disappearance

Ukiyoe-cho, Tokyo. On a bright morning, a heavy atmosphere hung over the Nura residence. The little yokai who usually played joyfully in the courtyard were nowhere to be seen. The executives walking through the corridors wore solemn expressions, whispering to one another in hushed, secret conversations.

Dressed in a light kimono with a haori bearing the "Fear" kamon, a young man with brownish hair and glasses strode quickly down the long corridor, his hand resting on his tachi. As he passed, the small yokai along the way bowed their heads in respect. Though Nura Rikuo moved through the Nura Clan's headquarters in his human form, there was a newfound determination in his eyes. He carried an aura that usually only appeared at night—an aura that caused the executives and underlings to bow in genuine admiration. They all realized one thing: their Young Lord was no longer the same.

After resolving to become the Third Head and accepting the demonic blade from the original Lord of the Night Parade, Nura Rikuo had shed his previous idle and passive nature. Night after night, he transformed into the Lord of Yokai, leading the Night Parade to sweep through the demon realm of Tokyo. He purged malevolent spirits, subdued rival yokai gangs, and defeated those who refused to submit, piece by piece reclaiming the territory the Nura Clan had lost over the years. This transformation had forced the yokai within the clan to see him in a new light. In particular, many veteran yokai who once thought Rikuo was unfit for leadership had changed their minds. This had largely stabilized the Nura Clan, which had been plagued by internal unrest and fear. Just as almost every yokai in the clan felt that things were finally improving, a sudden challenge arrived.

"Young Lord! Wait, Young Lord!" Behind Rikuo, a chibi-sized Karasu-tengu fluttered his small wings, shouting as he chased after him. Rikuo only stopped once the little messenger flew to his side.

"Karasu-tengu, how is the investigation going? Can we confirm what killed Hihi?" Rikuo asked. Karasu-tengu, still hovering, paused for a moment before speaking.

"Regarding that... according to the investigation of the scene, Hihi died from multiple fatal lacerations. The trees at the site were sliced down, and the ground bore marks of being cut. There was a massive amount of residual demonic energy. Furthermore, after Zen-ichi's examination, a large amount of toxin was detected within Hihi's body. Judging by these traces, the perpetrator who killed Hihi might possess the power to control the wind and use poison. There is also a small possibility it was someone with extraordinary swordsmanship." Hearing Rikuo's inquiry, Karasu-tengu quickly reported the latest intelligence just received from the outside. Rikuo walked on, sinking into deep thought for a moment before speaking again.

"Multiple lacerations and deadly poison... Was he ambushed by different yokai? Or does the attacking yokai possess multiple abilities?"

"I apologize, Young Lord. We cannot determine that yet. Currently, the Three-Winged Crows have taken men to interrogate all yokai within the clan's territory who possess similar abilities. However, almost all of them have alibis. We are now preparing to investigate yokai in Tokyo that are currently outside our clan's sphere of control," Karasu-tengu continued. Rikuo answered immediately.

"It likely isn't the yokai from those places. There are very few yokai in Tokyo—no, in the entire Kanto region—who can kill Hihi and control both wind and poison. Most are already under our banner. Therefore, I suspect the culprit who killed Hihi is not a Kanto yokai, but someone from another region."

"F-From another region? You mean... an invader?!" Karasu-tengu asked in shock. Rikuo nodded.

"Yes, it is highly likely. If a yokai from outside Kanto really killed one of our cadres, the nature of this entire incident changes." Rikuo's expression grew even more grave. If it involved regions beyond Kanto, it could mean a conflict with a Yokai Lord from another area, instantly escalating the severity of the situation.

A war between Yokai Lords hadn't happened in hundreds of years.

"If... if it really is an invader, this is much more serious, Young Lord. We must inform the Grand Commander immediately!" Karasu-tengu said worriedly. Rikuo nodded firmly.

"Yes, we'll go see grandpa now. For safety's sake, remember to tell the clan executives not to go out alone. If they must leave, arrange sufficient guards. These are extraordinary times; we must prevent any further accidents."

"Understood. Your plan is very thorough, Young Lord. I will see to it immediately after we meet the Grand Commander."

And so, while talking, Rikuo and Karasu-tengu arrived at a room. This room belonged to the founder and current leader of the Nura Clan, Nura Rihyon.

Faced with the sudden assassination of a clan executive, Rikuo, as the Young Lord, and Karasu-tengu, as the clan's manager, were here to consult with the current head on a specific counter-strategy. Standing outside the paper sliding door, Rikuo reached out and knocked, but there was no response. Seeing this, Rikuo paused, then called out.

"Grandpa, are you there?"

There was still no answer from behind the door. Rikuo's brow furrowed slightly as he exchanged a serious glance with Karasu-tengu. Without further hesitation, Rikuo pulled the sliding door open. What appeared before their eyes was an empty room; Rihyon was nowhere to be found.

On the cushion where Rihyon usually sat cross-legged, the calligraphy scroll bearing the "Fear" kamon had been removed. In its place hung a different piece of calligraphy with a short message.

"I've gone out to play. I'll leave the clan's affairs to Rikuo~"

At the end of the calligraphy, Rihyon had even drawn a simple caricature of himself, wearing a cheeky smile and making a peace sign. Staring at this self-indulgent message, Rikuo and Karasu-tengu stood stunned for a long while before shouting in unison.

"Grandpa (Grand Commander), how could you go out at a time like this!!"

In Tokyo, during the late afternoon on a certain street.

Inside a bustling, relatively large ramen shop, a withered old man in a kimono sat in his seat, slowly eating a bowl of ramen. His expression was natural and relaxed, his pace neither fast nor slow, as if he were seriously savoring every bit of the flavor.

"U-Um, Grand Commander... is it really okay for us to come out like this? Everyone back at the house must be frantic looking for you!" The little yokai, Natto-kozo, spoke with worry as he watched Rihyon eat with gusto. Rihyon swallowed the noodles in his mouth before replying.

"Why wouldn't it be okay? Is it not normal for an old man like me to come out for a walk and stretch his bones?" Rihyon's tone made it sound perfectly reasonable, causing the nearby Natto-kozo to panic instantly.

"But you shouldn't be out 'stretching' at a time like this! A cadre has been assassinated! The whole clan is in a panic, and they need you to preside over the situation! How could you run off alone now?!"

"Preside over the situation? I've been presiding over things for hundreds of years. If I keep doing it, wouldn't I just be getting in everyone's way? It's better to come out like this and give those who want to lead a chance." Hearing Rihyon's words, Natto-kozo was stunned. After a long pause, he slowly spoke.

"You... do you mean you're making space for the Young Lord? You want him to handle this himself?"

"What else? Young people need to flex their muscles. My old bones can't just sit there like a Buddha statue forever. Otherwise, every single one of them will just think about asking for my opinion or hearing my thoughts. Whatever I say becomes the final word—that's no fun at all," Rihyon said. Natto-kozo was left speechless. After another long pause, he finally replied.

"You want to use this opportunity to train the Young Lord and increase his prestige within the clan. B-But can the Young Lord handle the current situation?"

"Ha? Handle it? Don't be ridiculous. Rikuo is not only my grandson, but also someone that adult values and appreciates. How could he not handle something like this? Just wait; I believe Rikuo will eventually be able to resolve everything smoothly." Rihyon gave a light laugh. When he mentioned 'someone that adult values,' his face was filled with pride. It was clear that Rikuo obtaining that supreme demonic blade made him feel far more pride than jealousy.

He was proud that his grandson could inherit the legacy of the first Lord of the Night Parade, and he looked forward to him climbing to the peak of the demon realm because of it.

"Alright, I'm finished. It's time to go, Natto-kozo."

Just as Natto-kozo was about to mutter something else, Rihyon finished his ramen. After taking a sip of the soup, he stood up and prepared to leave. Seeing this, Natto-kozo quickly followed. "Wait, Grand Commander!"

Having eaten his fill, Rihyon walked toward the door at a leisurely pace. Unlike the other customers, he had no intention of heading to the counter to pay. He was clearly preparing to slip away. Dining and dashing was Rihyon's long-standing traditional art; a Slippery Nura was a mysterious yokai who would suddenly appear in people's homes or shops to freeload before vanishing.

Freeloading was practically second nature to a Slippery Nura, and Rihyon even enjoyed slipping away without using his powers; he considered it a skill to be proud of.

However, this time, an unexpected accident occurred.

"Wait for me, Grand Commander... Oof!"

Natto-kozo was chasing after Rihyon when his foot suddenly slipped—likely because the floor had just been mopped. He tumbled and slid across the floor right into Rihyon's heels. With his extraordinary reflexes, Rihyon managed to stop himself from stepping on the little guy, but the sudden movement threw off his balance.

Using the balance he had developed over centuries of combat, Rihyon staggered for a few steps and stabilized himself. However, he accidentally bumped into a cabinet. A decorative vase and several small items on top of the cabinet fell. Rihyon reacted quickly, catching two of them, but a third item fell toward a distant spot he couldn't reach in time.

'This is bad. If the sound of breaking glass attracts the humans' attention, I won't be able to slip away easily. Do I have to use my ability?'

Just as Rihyon felt his heart tighten, he saw a hand catch the ornament. Rihyon looked up along that hand and saw a cute girl about thirteen or fourteen years old, wearing a high school student uniform and sporting short black hair.

Standing at the entrance of the ramen shop, Miketsu looked at Rihyon with a smile and said, "You should have your family accompany you when you come out, grandpa."