The air felt wrong.
Not just heavy—
Oppressive.
Like something invisible pressed down on the entire city.
Breathing felt slower.
Harder.
Even the wind—
Didn't move the same.
"…You're early."
A voice drifted from above.
Calm.
Almost amused.
Rishiro looked up.
Floating in the dark sky—
Smiling like always—
Nurarihyon.
His presence didn't explode outward.
Didn't crush everything.
But it lingered.
Subtle.
Absolute.
Like something that didn't need to prove itself.
"…You've changed," Nurarihyon said softly.
"…Since our last meeting."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Studying.
Measuring.
"…Or should I say…"
A faint grin spread across his face.
"…Mr. Liar."
Rishiro scratched his head lazily.
"…Still stuck on that?"
Nurarihyon chuckled.
Low.
Entertained.
"…It suits you."
A small pause.
His gaze sharpened.
"…But I wonder…"
"…Is that really all you are?"
Silence.
The question lingered.
Heavy.
Unanswered.
Rishiro didn't respond.
Didn't deny.
Didn't confirm.
Just—
Looked at him.
Nurarihyon's smile widened slightly.
Satisfied.
"…Good."
"…I prefer it that way."
He slowly rose higher into the sky.
Drifting.
Effortless.
Untouchable.
"…Well then."
"…Good luck."
A pause.
His eyes gleamed faintly.
"…Try not to die."
"…I would hate to lose something so entertaining."
Rishiro smirked.
"…Worry about yourself."
Nurarihyon laughed.
Soft.
Echoing.
Then—
He vanished.
Like he had never been there.
The sky flickered.
Like a broken screen tearing across reality.
A message forced itself into existence.
[HYAKKI YAGYŌ — PHASE TWO HAS BEGUN]
Silence.
For one second—
Everything stopped.
Then—
From far across the city—
Something appeared.
At first—
Just shadows.
Shifting.
Moving.
Then—
Shapes.
Unclear.
Distant.
Then—
A mass.
Moving.
Slow.
Steady.
Unstoppable.
"…What is that…" Daichi whispered.
His voice barely held together.
Hikari's eyes widened.
Her breath caught.
"…No way…"
From the distant street—
They came into view.
Yokai.
But not like before.
Not scattered.
Not chaotic.
Not hunting.
Walking.
In formation.
A parade.
At the very front—
A woman walked calmly.
Her long black hair flowed behind her.
Elegant.
Unhurried.
Then—
Her hair shifted.
Split.
A second mouth opened.
Hidden within.
Hungry.
Watching.
Futakuchi-onna.
Behind her—
A pale woman in white moved silently.
Barefoot.
Each step leaving no mark.
No sound.
No trace.
Cold followed her.
The air itself seemed to freeze slightly in her presence.
Yuki-onna.
Further back—
A monk-like figure walked slowly.
Each step—
Heavy.
Deliberate.
His staff tapped against the ground.
Echoing unnaturally far.
Each sound—
Like it struck something deeper than the surface.
Umi-zato.
The ground trembled.
Low.
Constant.
Massive oni followed behind.
Towering over everything.
Dragging weapons across the broken streets.
Metal scraping.
Sparks trailing.
Each movement—
A threat.
Above the broken structures—
Something crouched.
Watching.
Still.
Its entire body covered in thick hair.
Its eyes barely visible beneath it.
Silent.
Patient.
Otoroshi.
And within the shadows—
Something moved.
Long.
Shifting.
Slithering.
Watching everything.
But never fully seen.
Nozuchi.
The parade stretched endlessly.
Across streets.
Across rooftops.
Across the entire city.
Not rushing.
Not stopping.
Just—
Moving forward.
Together.
Unified.
Like a force that had already decided the outcome.
"…This isn't normal…" Hikari whispered.
Her voice barely reached the others.
"…This isn't a fight," Daichi said quietly.
His grip tightened around the axe.
"…This is a whole army…"
Maru clenched her weapon.
Her stance lowered slightly.
Ready—
But tense.
"…So when do they attack?"
Silence.
Rishiro watched.
Eyes sharp.
Unblinking.
Tracking everything.
Patterns.
Movement.
Distance.
Timing.
Then—
He spoke.
Calm.
Certain.
"…When they reach us."
The words settled heavily.
Because everyone knew—
They would reach them.
There was no stopping this.
The distant parade continued forward.
Slow.
Relentless.
Unavoidable.
Getting closer.
Closer.
Closer.
The sound of footsteps grew louder.
Not chaotic.
Not rushed.
Rhythmic.
Like a march.
Like something ancient.
Something inevitable.
Rishiro stepped forward slightly.
Just one step.
But it changed everything.
His lips curved.
Not a full smile.
Not madness.
Something quieter.
Something sharper.
An uneasy—
Excited—
Grin.
"…Shit."
The wind moved again.
But this time—
It carried something else.
The beginning—
Of war.
End of Chapter 32