Fine, go! Let's see who begs whom in the end!

Arata had many ways to find Suzuka Gozen, the mistress of Mount Suzuka, in this region. He had no need for Higanbana's guidance.

One relatively straightforward method was to summon Otakemaru, letting her sense her younger brother's presence and come to him herself.

Just as she was doing now.

An overwhelming surge of demonic power erupted from the depths of the Sanzu River, crossing straight toward this Firelit Road.

With Arata's reminder, Otakemaru clearly noticed it as well.

That familiar presence made him look into the distance in a daze, and his tall, powerful frame trembled almost imperceptibly.

He must have been incredibly excited. His feet had already carried him impatiently toward her!

He wanted to go out and welcome her back.

After all, because time flowed differently on the Sē River Plains, Suzuka Gozen, who had remained deep within the Sanzu River, felt that only two or three days had passed. Yet a thousand years had gone by in the living world!

Those thousand years had made Otakemaru Mount Suzuka's new guardian, and had nearly plunged Mount Suzuka into hopeless, irreversible ruin.

He had so many things to say, so many events to recount to Mount Suzuka's true mistress.

Just as he had when he was little, newly brought to Mount Suzuka.

But his advancing feet abruptly stopped a moment later, and self-reproach appeared on his sharply defined, resolute face.

In his rush of emotion, he had actually forgotten to repay the esteemed onmyoji beside him!

It was the Shikigami Arata had brought who had saved Mount Suzuka.

And it was Arata who had helped him find his sister, from whom he had heard nothing for so long.

"Lord Arata."

"I'll subdue her for you first."

He reined in his eagerness for their reunion and lifted the Yasaka Magatama,