(A/N): Guys, sorry for the late update.
I was unable to upload new chapters due to a network problem which left me unable to use my Airtel X-stream fiber for the past 15 days.
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Kyoto Yokai's Base...
When the investigation team leader refused to tell the reason behind their visit to the Kyoto base to Jizo, his eyes narrowed, and he looked suspiciously at the group of Yokai from the continent before him.
'Their leader... is he plotting something?'
Jizo pondered whether to allow the investigation team from the continent to meet Hagoromo Gitsune.
For some reason, his gut feeling told him he shouldn't allow them to meet Gitsune.
"Who is that old man?"
Just when he was pondering what to do, he heard a childish girl's voice behind him.
"____"
Hearing the voice behind him, Jizo's face turned grim for a second, and in the next second, he covered it up well.
"Kyokotsu, why are you here? Didn't you say you were going to play somewhere?"
With a fake smile showing the few teeth that hadn't fallen yet, Jizo turned to the small girl, who was carrying a skull with both hands while many venomous snakes were pouring out of the hollow eyes of the skull.
She was Kyokotsu. She appeared as a small, young girl with a ghostly and eerie look.
Her face was pale, almost white, giving her a haunting appearance.
She had long, straight black hair that contrasted with her pale complexion. Her hair often covered part of her face, adding to her unsettling aura.
Her eyes were striking, with large, hollow, dark pupils, giving her an eerie, almost soulless look.
She wore a traditional kimono, which was dark and tattered, contributing to her ghostly and ominous look.
The kimono appeared too big for her, emphasizing her small stature and making her seem more like a ghostly child.
"I thought you were only blind, but I didn't know you were also deaf... let me ask you again, who are they?"
Seeing the ugly old man before she gave the ugliest smile, Kyokotsu looked at him with disgust.
"____"
Hearing Kyokotsu call him blind, a vein popped on the side of his forehead in anger.
"First of all, Kyokotsu... I am not blind. Can't you see my big eye on my forehead? Next, they are from a continental hotel requesting an audience with Hagoromo-sama, but I was about to decline them, considering Hagoromo-sama's safety."
With clear irritation in his voice, Jizo turned to point at the investigation team.
Hahaha~
Hearing Jizo claim he was considering Hagoromo Gitsune's safety, Kyokotsu laughed.
"____"
Hearing her laugh at him straight to his face, Jizo's face darkened.
"Whether to meet them or not, it's not your decision to make, Jizo... that decision must be made by Hagoromo-sama."
After laughing for a minute, Kyokotsu's face changed to a cold expression.
Despite her childlike appearance, Kyokotsu had a sinister and unsettling presence.
Her expressions and demeanour often appeared emotionless or cold, heightening the sense of danger around her.
Feeling the aura around them turn cold and send a chill down their spine, the members of the investigation team became tense.
Even Jizo became tense and looked at Kyokotsu with his big bloodshot eyes, without blinking.
"Look at them. They're shivering just from feeling my aura. Are they going to hurt Hagoromo-sama? Don't make such jokes. Send them in and let Hagoromo-sama decide what to do with them."
Leaving behind those words, Kyokotsu walked back inside the base without any care, still holding the skull in her hands.
"____"
"You guys, follow me."
Cursing in his mind, Jizo asked the investigation team to follow him inside the base.
Gulp~
With a gulp, the leader nodded at his team members to follow him, and they all followed Jizo in.
When they arrived, they were greeted by the sight of numerous Yokai looking at them with hostility and curiosity.
"Hagoromo-sama, you are giving too much liberty to that old man. How can he make decisions on your behalf?"
When they arrived in a big hall, they were greeted by Yokai on both sides, looking at them.
A big white round bed was present in the middle, while Hagoromo Gitsune was sitting at the edge of the bed, looking at them casually with her lifeless eyes.
Gulp~
"____"
Feeling her gaze on them, the team leader of the investigation team gulped and, with a deep breath, took a few steps forward.
"Thank you for giving us permission to have an audience with you, Hagoromo-sama."
Shaking his head and making his resolve strong, the team leader greeted Hagoromo Gitsune, who was looking at him without any expression on her face.
"Why do you want to meet me?"
With a cold look on her face, Hagoromo Gitsune asked the team leader.
Cough~ cough~
"Hagoromo-sama, we are here to inform you that our leader, Leo Morningstar, wants to meet you."
Bowing his head slightly, the team leader informed Hagoromo Gitsune of the reason behind their visit.
Hearing Leo wanted to meet her, Hagoromo Gitsune raised an eyebrow in surprise.
She had heard many things about Leo for the past six years, which made her very curious about him.
She wanted to know what kind of person this leader was, whom so many were looking up to.
For the past six years, Leo had been in the limelight by breaking the balance and expanding their territory very fast.
If not for the preparation for the birth of her son and Jizo's plea not to mess with the plan, she would have already gone to meet him when she got the news that even Nurarihyon had become a member of the Continental.
"He can come and meet me whenever he wants."
With a shrug, Hagoromo Gitsune gave her permission for Leo to visit her.
"Hagoromo-sama, we can't take unnecessary risks by allowing an outsider to visit us when our plan is at such an important stage."
When Jizo heard Hagoromo give her permission for Leo to meet her, he couldn't stay still and immediately tried to persuade her to stop.
"Don't speak when Hagoromo-sama speaks."
Suddenly, a viper bound Jizo tightly, while Kyokotsu coldly spoke, her killing intent increasing.
"____"
'Curse you, Kyokotsu... when Seimei-sama comes back, you will suffer the most painful death for treating me like this.'
Jizo couldn't speak, feeling the killing intent, and cursed in his mind while listening to Kyokotsu scold him.
Seeing the commotion, Hagoromo raised her hand, signalling Kyokotsu to stop.
"____"
After getting the signal, Kyokotsu released Jizo, looking at him with narrowed eyes.
Cough~
"I will immediately inform Leo-sama."
With a deliberate cough, the team leader got everyone's attention back to him.
He took his continental membership card and pressed his finger on the image.
A blue tab appeared in the air, and a hologram was projected from it.
"Reporting code-11449, mission completed. Received permission. Lord Leo can visit at any time."
Ding~
After giving the mission report, the screen turned green with a mechanical sound and vanished.
Hagoromo looked at this with interest; this was the first time she had seen someone communicate this way.
"Did you just send a message using that card?"
Curiosity getting the better of her, Kyokotsu asked while moving forward, eyeing the card in the team leader's hand with wide eyes.
Looking at the scary little girl and even Hagoromo Gitsune showing interest, the leader held his head high and started to explain what he had just done.
A few minutes passed...
Swoosh~
Amid his explanation, with a swish, Leo appeared before them with a spark of electricity.
"____"
"____"
"____"
Seeing someone appear before them so suddenly, the Yokai became very alert, assuming defensive positions as they eyed the figure with suspicion.
"Leo-sama."
Looking at Leo, who had appeared before them, the investigation team kneeled and greeted him.
Hearing the young man referred to as the leader of the Continental, everyone present in the room looked at him and started murmuring among themselves, while Hagoromo eyed him with interest.
"I received your report, so I immediately arrived."
Signalling the team to stand up, Leo started walking toward Hagoromo Gitsune, unfazed by the weapons of the various Yokai pointed at him.
Puff~
Walking to the bed where Hagoromo was sitting, Leo sat beside her calmly and turned to look at her with a smirk, seeing her shocked face.
"____"
For a moment, there was a pin-drop silence in the air.
"Can we talk privately?"
Leo broke the silence, signalling Hagoromo to send her clan members out of the room.
'Interesting...'
With an amused little smile, Hagoromo ordered everyone in the room to leave and wait until her discussion with Leo was over.
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(Author's POV)
Thanks for reading the chapter!
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