In this crossover anime, I fight against the supernatural in my everyday world.

Hearing the woman's soft laughter behind him, Ye Xing did not turn around immediately. Instead, he snapped his fingers with his left hand and watched as a surge of black flames burned the remaining blood and corpses on the ground into nothingness before turning around.

He looked across at Tamamo-no-Mae, who was holding an oil-paper umbrella, wearing a light-colored kimono, with a princess-cut hairstyle, and smiling.

"Why are you in the real world instead of staying in the other world?"

"Eh~ How heartless, Lord Yohoshi."

Tamamo-no-Mae smiled and said softly in a gentle tone.

“It was during your trip to Tokyo that you entrusted me with the task of protecting the safety of Kyoto City with Hachisaku. Now that you’ve returned, you’ve discarded me like trash. What a heartless and ungrateful man you are.”

Don't try that.

Night Star was completely immune to Tamamo-no-Mae's seductive advances, and shook his head with a light laugh.

"You say you're protecting Kyoto's safety, but actually nothing happened during the time I was away, right?"

"In the real world, it certainly doesn't exist."

After saying this, Tamamo-no-Mae paused slightly before continuing.

"However, another group of evil spirits has disappeared from the underworld."

"But after I arrived in the real world, I learned that the frequency of strange events in Kyoto City did not increase with the increase in the density of evil spirits. In fact, it had decreased a lot compared to a few months ago."

At this point, Tamamo-no-Mae's eyes flickered, and she parted her lips slightly.

"This shows that most of the evil spirits that disappeared from the inner world did not act on their own will, but were directed by something behind the scenes."

"And to be able to suppress so many powerful evil spirits, and even make them go against their bloodthirsty nature and not reveal their tracks in the densely populated city of Kyoto, even I am far from having such power."

"If we analyze it based on the nature of the underworld, it is not that I am bragging, but there are very few legends that are more famous and more terrifying than the so-called 'Tamamo-no-Mae'."

Upon hearing Tamamo-no-Mae's last words, Yoru-hoshi glanced at her and said indifferently.

"It seems you already know how you were formed."

"I'm not stupid."

Tamamo-no-Mae smiled sweetly and said softly.

"However, the eight-foot-tall lady beside you is indeed not very clever. I was just guessing at first, but after a little probing, she gave herself away."

Night Star was not surprised by this.

Both being evil spirits born from the underworld, it's hard to say who is stronger between Yasakani and Tamamo-no-Mae, since the former has undergone rigorous training.

But when it comes to intelligence...

Never mind, there's nothing more to say.

An eight-foot-tall adult's intelligence is essentially negative.

How could a naive and innocent girl who spends all her time drinking milk and likes to squat in the corner possibly compete with Tamamo-no-Mae, a cunning leader in the underworld?

During the time when the members of the Superpower Society went to Tokyo, these two must have had a lot of time alone together.

After the tram incident, Tamamo-no-Mae already had some doubts about her true nature. With just a little probing, she learned the truth from Lord Hachisakani.

"Judging from your expression, even though you know you are not the real Tamamo-no-Mae, you are not confused by it?"

"That's natural."

Despite the identity crisis that had once troubled the Eight-Foot Lord, Tamamo-no-Mae seemed completely unconcerned and simply smiled.

"Regardless of how I came to be, I already exist. The so-called Tamamo-no-Mae is just a name."

Tamamo-no-Mae didn't dwell on the topic too much, but simply changed the subject.

"Do you remember the giant evil spirit you encountered that time?"

Night Star nodded slightly.

"Oh, I remember, it tasted alright."

Upon hearing this assessment, Tamamo-no-Mae didn't dare to respond.

To be honest, she was actually a little... no, very afraid of Ye Xing.

To an evil spirit like Tamamo-no-Mae, this guy's abilities and the things he's done are like a perverted cannibal in the eyes of humans. How could he not be afraid?

What if Ye Xing suddenly gets a strong urge to eat herself?

Thinking of this, Tamamo-no-Mae's attitude became somewhat cautious.

"That... I suspect that the giant evil spirit is being manipulated, a pawn deliberately sent to test your strength."

"Think about it, its size is too enormous. If it came to the real world, it would be virtually impossible to hide, and it would be impossible for it to escape the search of you and the psychics around you..."

"Moreover, it didn't attack earlier or later, but precisely when you were right next to that girl named Amano Hina. Even an evil spirit wouldn't be that stupid..."

Before Tamamo-no-Mae could finish speaking, Yohoshi waved his hand and interrupted with a smile.

"I know."

"You know?"

Tamamo-no-Mae paused for a moment upon hearing this, her brows furrowing slightly, her face showing confusion and bewilderment.

"If that's the case, why did you still reveal your true strength...?"

"True strength?"

Ye Xing walked out of the alley, leaving behind only one sentence.

"Since I was able to fool you, I suppose the other party will also think that this is my true strength, and that they are not far from taking the bait."

Once Ye Xing's figure disappeared from sight, Tamamo-no-Mae breathed a sigh of relief, a hint of lingering fear appearing on her pretty and charming face.

For some reason, the feeling she got from the other person today was completely different from usual.

Normally, it's an aura of confidence and composure that comes from absolute certainty about one's own strength; it's a relaxed aura that allows one to speak in all sorts of abstract terms.

But today...

Like a volcano ready to erupt at any moment, it seemed to be suppressing something.

Is it because you just consumed a soul?

Or is it an effect of merging with the Pale Demon Hand?

Tamamo-no-Mae turned around, looking at the charred ground after the alley was burned down. She pursed her lips, her expression complicated.

She learned for the first time that Lord Night Star was capable of more than just devouring evil spirits...

They can even devour human souls.

What exactly is this ability?

What exactly is the true form of that pale ghost hand?

.......

The night passed peacefully just like that.

After returning home, Kitagawa Kaimu didn't ask any questions. She simply cleaned the guest room and went back to her own bedroom, not staying in the same room as Yohoshi.

It wasn't that she didn't want to.

Instead, Kitagawa Kaimu felt that she and Kawasaki Saki were friends after all, and that she had even given her relationship advice before.

Before even declaring war on Saki Kawasaki, they were already engaging in underhanded tactics behind her back; it's truly despicable.

Kaimu Kitagawa wants to win fair and square.

........

The following morning, in a coffee shop on the commercial street.

"Have you finally made a decision?"

Dressed in casual clothes, Hayasaka Ai picked up her coffee cup, took a small sip, and asked in a calm tone.

"Well, I've pretty much decided."

Sitting opposite Hayasaka Ai, Yohoshi first nodded, then smiled and spoke.

"Then, Hayasaka-san, how should the fee for this commission be calculated? From what I understand, Kaguya Shinomiya does not have the power to control the funds of the Shinomiya Foundation. It's just that the pocket money she and you have saved up is probably not enough to meet our Superpower Society's standards."

Hayasaka Ai's expression remained unchanged, but she neither confirmed nor denied it.

"Since you already know all this, and still arranged to meet me here, you must have already decided what kind of reward you want. So stop being mysterious and just say it."

Ye Xing shook his head and answered very sincerely.

"No, actually I haven't thought about it yet."

"what?"

Hayasaka Ai, who was originally very serious and ready to start the game, was completely taken aback by Yohoshi's answer and was momentarily at a loss for words.

But then she frowned slightly, considering another possibility.

Haven't decided yet?

Could this be a so-called strategic retreat?

Is this a way of telling oneself that one is in control, that the other party is waiting for the best price, and that one's own side is the one at a disadvantage?

As expected of a genius who defeated all the first-year students at Shuchiin Academy, including Kaguya-sama, in the joint exam.

He's definitely not someone you can easily deal with.

"By the way, there's one more thing."

Just as Hayasaka Ai was pondering, Yohoshi suddenly spoke softly.

"Kaguya Shinomiya, are you aware of your symptoms?"

"She...doesn't know, has no memory of the night, and only thinks that she sleeps normally every day."

"Oh, that's how it is."

Ye Xing nodded noncommittally, picked up the coffee cup on the table, glanced down at the black, obviously bitter liquid inside, and finally put it down.

"Let Kaguya Shinomiya come and talk to me herself."

"impossible."