How did I, an Onmyoji, become the Lord of Yokai?

As Qing Shui Chaoyang gently exhaled a breath of cold air, the seriousness and solemnity on his face gradually disappearing.

"The battle is over. Come back with me."

"A winner has been decided? Ha, what nonsense are you talking about? The climax has only just begun!"

His astonishment turned into excitement, and the thrill of fighting a powerful enemy filled Kidomaru's heart. He clenched his fist once more and charged forward like a hunting dog.

but.....

It was blocked.

Shimizu Asahi gently raised his hand, as if playing with a child, and blocked his seemingly powerful attack.

"That's enough, Kidomaru... You are no longer my match. There's no need to continue fighting."

"Your power... has weakened considerably without you even realizing it."

"!?"

As if caught red-handed, Kidomaru's body stiffened.

"Weakened? What are you talking about! My demonic power is still abundant, I can continue to fight you!"

As if he were hiding something, he became anxious.

"But the truth is, your fists have already weakened and lost their power, haven't they?"

Releasing his blood-red fist, Shimizu Asahi smiled gently.

“Indeed, you still have power. If you wanted, you could kill me and Qing Nufang right now... No, actually, including this time, you've already let me go three times, haven't you?”

"When they first threw me out, they deliberately deflected the chain to avoid a second impact on me."

"When I took that blow for Qingnufang, you deliberately held back most of your strength, so you didn't pierce my heart..."

"Kidomaru, from the very beginning, you never intended to fight me."

"If I can't win, you knock me out and throw me out. If I can kill you, you deliberately hold back and let me kill you... You made that choice when you saw me, didn't you?"

"You are still you, Kidomaru."

The black-haired boy extended his palm and said softly, "Let's go back together."

"No, no, that's not right. I intended to kill you from the very beginning. I..."

The demon opened his mouth, wanting to emphasize or imply something, but... he couldn't say it. His friend's gentle gaze made him unable to speak.

"...Chaoyang, are you an idiot? Why didn't you kill me...?"

His white hair slowly turned red, his madness and insanity quietly faded, and Kidomaru sat down on the ground resignedly.

He lowered his head, his face filled with bitterness.

"You're my friend, how could I possibly kill you?"

"Besides, if we're talking about being stupid, we're all the same."

Like Kidomaru, Shimizu Asahi never intended to fight his friend. Even when there was an opportunity to weaken him, Shimizu Asahi did not make a move.

The battle may have been fierce, but if you look closely, you'll find that only Shimizu Asahi was injured.

The young student crouched down and took his friend's arm.

"Alright, let's go back, Kidomaru."

"It's too late... Chaoyang, I can't go back anymore."

Kidomaru laughed self-deprecatingly.

"My Asura Demon bloodline has fully awakened..."

Slaughter and bloodshed are the curse and power etched into the bodies of Asura Demons. Asura Demons that awaken their bloodline will grow stronger over time, but they will also gradually lose their sanity.

He may be able to maintain his integrity now, but one day he will be defeated by his bloodline, and then, those closest to him... will be killed by him.

Kidomaru doesn't care about others, he doesn't care how the world turns out, and he doesn't care whether the people of Heian-kyo live or die, but...

If his future meant killing his friend and teacher with his own hands, he would rather die here now! Chapter 88, Section 90: Shimizu Asahi and Kidomaru

When faced with someone different from themselves, people often feel fear due to the unknown. When such a person enters a group, the group members may isolate them because of this fear.

Those who are isolated will be labeled with all sorts of negative tags by others, and these tags will be spread to people outside the group.

Therefore, the best way to avoid being isolated is to hide your differences.

"An outcast? Are you talking about me?"

In the open room, seven or eight-year-old Kidomaru gently raised his head, looking at his 'father' with a blank expression.

“I don’t think you’re an oddball, but this kind of thing isn’t something I can decide alone.”

Kamo no Tadashi calmly picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

"So you need to learn how to get along with them."

What should I do?

The bottom of the teacup struck the wooden table with a crisp sound, followed by the voice of 'Father'.

"Hide your differences and become like them."

......

"You want me to become...like those guys?"

In the spring when cherry blossoms are in full bloom, Kidomaru sits in a corner of the classroom, indifferently watching his classmates.

In his eyes, their bodies were covered with a layer of decaying and rotten outer layer, like long-dead mummies, which made him feel no liking for them.

The light yellow pupils continued to move, and the black-haired boy looked towards the front of the classroom.

The gentleman sat there quietly; ten years had not left many marks on him, and he still looked young.

"Only the teachers are different from them..."

......

"I really don't know why the teacher let this monster come here to study. He looks down on people just because he has some strength. He even refused our request. He deserves to be isolated."

"Exactly! She's just an abandoned baby adopted by a teacher, yet she's so arrogant!"

“I already told you to ignore him. I never liked him from the beginning.”

“Look closely at his eyes, they’re terrifying, like a monster.”

The whispers of his classmates reached Kidomaru's ears, but he remained sitting there quietly as if he hadn't heard them.

Even if I hide myself as the teacher said, I'm still isolated...?

'This was an inevitable outcome, after all, I'm an outcast, and no matter how I try to hide it, I can't change that fact.'

Kidomaru was not surprised by this result.

Because he never expected to make friends by doing this; he only did it because the teacher wanted him to.

Their opinions have nothing to do with him.

"Yo, Kidomaru, my name is Shimizu Asahi, you can call me Shimizu. I hope you'll take care of me in the future."

The sudden sound broke his indifference. Kidomaru looked up blankly, and then a face as vibrant as the rising sun entered his field of vision.

The black-haired boy was smiling gently at him.

He is different from others...

......

I don't know when it started, but Shimizu Asahi stood by Kidomaru's side and became each other's only friend.

They practiced together, studied together, played together, and made a promise to each other that they would be friends for life.

His radiant smile, as bright as the rising sun, gave Kidomaru a different kind of brilliance.

In their leisure time, they would also gather together to drink tea and chat.

Like this.....

"As expected, your tea is still the best, Kidomaru."

In the courtyard covered with red maple leaves, Shimizu Asahi and Kidomaru sat side by side, sipping their tea and sighing aloud.

"If you like it, that's fine. So, are you still angry?"

Kidomaru chuckled softly.

"Eh, you found out?" Shimizu Asahi looked at him in surprise.

"I heard it from the teacher."

"I told you, I specifically told you not to say it... I'm sorry, I've caused you trouble again." The black-haired boy scratched his head apologetically, but after apologizing, he said angrily, "But those guys were so rude, I can't swallow this without teaching them a lesson."

"And aren't you angry? They actually said that you killed your parents."

"Tsk... Now that I think about it, I realize I went too easy on him."

That was the first and only time that Shimizu Asahi disobeyed her husband.

He single-handedly defeated more than a dozen people, despite being ridiculed.

The incident reached his husband's ears, where he was punished, criticized by others, and even asked to apologize to the victim.

However, he did not accept it.

Even when facing his husband, he could hold his head high and say, 'I did nothing wrong!'

Ah, I was angry at first too, and I wanted to teach them a lesson.

But now, I am happy.

Meeting you was the best decision I ever made.

My friend.

......

"This is not a reason for me to give up on you."