Yamiyo no Hotaru

Chapter 9

In the previous lives, foxes, raccoon dogs (tanuki), and cats are believed to have been animals that wielded the art of transformation and the Youkai jutsu. They were called "bake-danuki" or "bake-neko" (monster raccoon dogs or cats).

In this world, too, it is the same. A monster fox that has gained wisdom and youkai power by eating the flesh of a human being with spiritual power or a youkai with youkai power is called a youkai fox in particular.

Especially in the East, including Fuso-kuni, the Calamity Youkai of fox that has continued to accumulate their power for a thousand years are called "Celestial Fox" and are feared, but this is because at one time in the continent, the Calamity Youkai of Celestial Fox appeared one after another and destroyed the continental dynasty that constituted the largest human community at the time by their scheming and intriguing ways. Their intelligence is higher than that of other monsters since they were small Youkai, and therefore, they can easily survive and bloom into powerful monsters. They were also very knowledgeable about the affairs of the human world and were good at playing cunning tricks. Because of this, the Imperial Court encouraged the active hunting of the monster foxes after the tragedy on the continent.

Of course, the fact that the Imperial Court actively encourages them means that their hatred against the Court is also fierce too...

Therefore, it may be natural that a lone monster fox is looking down on the capital with overwhelming malice and hostility under the moonlit sky.

Now, the capital, which has a history of more than 1,000 years and has functioned as the center of the "human" species in this Fuso-kuni, has been the target of invasions and "feeding grounds" of numerous Youkai in the past, as well as humans, due to its rich land and powerful spiritual veins.

In some eras, it was flooded by the hordes of the dead like rivers of death, and in other eras, it was ruled by the Four Evil Youkai. In another time, a serpent swallowed the land, trampling villages and cities on its way to the land as it marched eastward, and when the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons attacked, the national army and the people worked together under the emperor's command to successfully defend the city.

...However, the Youkai "Kuuban", who was loyal to his instincts and desires, was strong and united the monsters who would normally not cooperate with him, and organized them into the most powerful and intelligent group, causing the city to become a hell filled with the corpses of Youkai and humans that covered the ground both inside and outside of the city.

And even through all those years, humans continued to hold the land. Now hundreds of thousands of people live in the capital, which is literally the center of Fuso-kuni. To put it paradoxically, if this capital were to fall, the country would be destroyed by itself. And for youkai, by acquiring a powerful spiritual vein residing in this capital, the youkai will reach the next level of Calamity Youkai. Yes, a mythical entity of which only a few have been recorded in history, and which may or may not even be true...

"That's why I've built such a huge army. To destroy the city of the vain and vain of the abominable humans, and to aim higher."

With an air of arrogance, the Youkai fox... a figure with nine silvery tails and distinctive animal ears on her head, giggles and scoffs. Behind her, she finds herself surrounded by an army of thousands of monsters. They are an army of monsters that she has spent decades roaming the country, multiplying and forging. In fact, her army, which has already eradicated several small cities and a few, albeit weak, families of exorcists, is not deceptive.

"Well, let's get going. You, go on. Those who run, those who defy, and those who resist, devour them all equally and eat them up!"

The confidence of the Youkai fox is not a lie. Indeed, it is not an easy task to destroy a city or a house of exorcists. After all, the army of a city or a family of exorcists would not be easily defeated if all the lords and houses of exorcists were to join forces to defeat them.