"Careful—they're all hidden in the mist!"
Azazel's warning came as the group's vision was swallowed in a thick haze, with only the massive golden fox rampaging and tearing up the ground.
"W-What should we do…? What's wrong with Mother…?" Kuzuha asked through tears, watching her mother's frenzied state.
"Whatever the case, we need to restrain her first."
Just as Cao Cao had said, Yoru couldn't afford a proper fight with him now—he had to deal with the rampaging Nine-Tails first.
With a wave of his hand, shards of ice formed around the fox, frost spreading across her body even as she raged.
"Mom…!" Kuzuha flinched when Yoru attacked, but quickly relaxed upon seeing her mother unharmed.
"Don't go near her—she's already lost her reason."
"W-What do we do then?" While Kuzuha panicked, Azazel and the others were fending off monsters that emerged from the Absolute Demise fog.
"I can't help you here—whether your mother wakes up or not is up to you, Kuzuha." Yoru took a deep breath, holding the girl's hand firmly.
"I can suppress her rampage further, but you must be quick. If it takes too long, my power will cause irreparable harm to her body." His tone was deadly serious.
"I'll definitely bring her back!" The small girl nodded firmly, squeezing Yoru's hand tightly.
The technique Yoru used was the same one he had once employed on Kuroka—freezing her blood from the inside out to stop her movement.
But that method only worked if the target stayed still. If they moved or struggled with their power, the consequences could be severe. And with the frenzied Nine-Tails, there was no chance she'd stay still. Yoru could only forcibly suppress her for a short window—too long, and the damage would be irreversible.
Kuzuha's small hand was damp with sweat, trembling slightly.
"Don't be afraid—believe in yourself." Yoru gave a soft smile, and when her eyes steadied, he unleashed his full power.
Even the mist from the Sacred Gear, Absolute Demise, reacted—nearly freezing over under his influence.
Azazel and the others felt a chill pierce their very souls. Though it lasted only a moment, it was something they wouldn't soon forget.
"Mother… can you hear me, Mother…"
Under Yoru's complete suppression, Kuzuha approached her frozen mother, speaking in a trembling voice.
"Please… please come back… I'm begging you…"
Tears streamed down her face as she continued.
"I won't be selfish anymore… I'll eat the fish I hate… I won't sneak out of Kyoto at night… so please, please come back to the way you were… Please… forgive me… Mother…"
Darkness rippled, as if sensing the weight of her desperate plea. The golden soul within the Nine-Tails trembled, and Kuzuha kept apologizing over and over.
And then…
"K… Ku…zuha…"
The voice was faint, but real. Kuzuha's head shot up, and she called out again with all her heart.
"Mother! I'm right here! Please sing for me again! Please teach me to dance again! I'll be a good girl! I'll stay with you forever… in Kyoto! I want us to live together here…!"
Clap… clap… clap… clap…
A gentle light enveloped Kuzuha, and Yasaka's form glowed as well. The Nine-Tails' enormous body began to shrink, until at last, the light faded and she stood there in her human form once again.
"Well done." Yoru praised softly, slowly retracting his power.
"…Where am I?"
Yasaka wavered slightly, still a bit dazed, but she was conscious at last.
Kuzuha rushed into her arms, sobbing loudly.
"Mother! Mother!"
Yasaka held her gently, stroking her hair.
"What's wrong, Kuzuha? You really are a crybaby no matter when."
"I'm so glad, Yasaka." Gabriel, her friend, was moved to tears by the reunion.
But Azazel broke the moment with a grim voice.
"This isn't the time for tears—I can't hold out much longer!"
Slashing down another beast, Azazel called for help.
"Not bad at all… I didn't expect you to restore the Nine-Tails' reason so easily," Cao Cao's voice rang out, applauding as his plan unraveled. He didn't seem angry—only amused.
"You think this mist can protect you?"
Catching the retreat in his tone, Yoru smirked coldly. Frostmourne cut through the Absolute Demise fog with ease.
"Impossible… my Sacred Gear?!"
From within the mist came a startled cry, quickly replaced by a scream.
"Trying to leave? Stay… Cao Cao!"
In an instant, Absolute Demise fell into chaos, blinding both sides.
"Georg, what happened to you?!"
Cao Cao's eyes flickered with unease at his subordinate's screams, but he had no time to dwell on it—the killing intent was already upon him.
"Sorry, but I've lost interest in playing with you. Ophis is my true target."
"To think you can kill me—you're far too arrogant, Yoru!"
Although he admitted Yoru's strength and had avoided a full confrontation until now, Cao Cao would not tolerate being looked down upon. If Yoru wanted to try and kill him outright, then he would make him pay dearly for the attempt.
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