Returned from Another World, Earth Turned Out to Be Quite the Fantasy Too. Also, Losing Heroines, Stop Looking This Way. - V5 Chapter 53: “Underground Kyoto Sounds Kinda Hype, Doesn’t It?” ②

Chapter 53: “Underground Kyoto Sounds Kinda Hype, Doesn’t It?” ②

“Underground Kyoto… I’d heard rumors, but I didn’t think it was real.”

Senju had apparently caught whispers of it before, but never imagined it actually existed.

Tamamo-no-Mae nodded proudly, like she was about to reveal a secret history.

“Indeed. Long ago, those blasted Seimei and Douman drove us out of Kyoto entirely. But we weren’t about to just accept that. We fought back, carved out our own territory, and what you now call Underground Kyoto was born.”

“…People back then were ridiculously strong! Well, I guess if it was Seimei and Douman, it makes sense…”

Back in those days, the oni led by Shuten Doji fought alongside Tamamo-no-Mae and other youkai who had crossed over from the mainland.

But no decisive victory was ever reached. The spiritual powerhouses of the past were simply too overwhelming.

“Anyway, time passed. Wars broke out, blood was spilled, and the barrier weakened. Thanks to that, we can come and go as we please these days.”

“The barrier’s still technically active, though. That’s why we can’t go all-out. If we did, things would get… ugly. But that only applies to heavy-hitters like me and the others. Weaklings? No matter how hard they try, they’re still weak. The barrier doesn’t even register them. Especially the newer youkai—they’re ridiculously weak. Pathetically weak.”

Compared to the era when monsters and spirits roamed freely, modern-day youkai were painfully weak.

Natsuki found that tidbit interesting, but right now, his priority was to move the conversation along.

If possible, he wanted to finish off Ibaraki Doji today.

He was the type who preferred dealing with the things he hated first.

“So, if it’s Underground Kyoto, we can just cut loose? No limits?”

“There are limits. But even when we went all-out back then, it never spilled over into surface Kyoto. So it should be fine.”

“Eh, and if it does cause problems? Oh well. The weak don’t get to complain to the strong anyway.”

“Exactly. Besides, I do have a mansion in Underground Kyoto, but I keep one in surface Kyoto too. Worst case, I’ll just take this as a good chance to move.”

“You’re seriously fine with that?! That’s some next-level letting go! Not that I was planning to hold back just because you told me to be considerate, though!”

“…I think you’re the one taking ‘letting go’ to the extreme, Nacchan.”

Tamamo-no-Mae gave him an exasperated look, and Natsuki just shrugged.

At least they weren’t about to blow up any national treasures or cultural landmarks—that much was a relief.

The last thing he wanted was to go home and have his mom scold him for causing “unnecessary mass destruction.”

“Natsuki Yura-kun… no, Natsuki Yura-dono.”

“Shinonon?”

On the tatami floor, Shinonome Abe bowed low, pressing his forehead against it with utmost sincerity.

“Please… lend me your strength. I had intended to use you for my family’s sake. Even if I couldn’t defeat Ibaraki Doji, I had planned on throwing you at Lord Shuten Doji instead.”

“No need to worry about that, Shinonome Abe-san. It’s only natural to care about your family. Honestly, I can’t get along with people who claim their family means nothing to them. I fight for myself—but I also want to break Madoka-kun’s curse. So really, I should be the one asking you. Please… lend me your strength.”

Natsuki stepped forward, clasped Shinonome’s hand, and shook it firmly.

“…Thank you. Thank you so much!”

For the first time, Shinonome had someone who truly understood him—a reliable ally. A single tear rolled down his cheek.

〜〜Afterword〜〜

Senju: “Hey, I’m gonna bring up something kinda awkward.”

Yusuke: “What’ is it?”

Senju: “So, Madoka Abe’s been dedicating his whole life to avenging Yura against the oni, right? But… what happens if the curse gets broken and he finds out Yura’s alive?”

Yusuke: “Please, Senju-san. Obviously—he’s joining the harem!”

Senju: “I’m not joking around here—what’s with those sparkling eyes of yours? Wait… Sado, don’t tell me—”

Yusuke: “Childhood friend I thought was a girl turns out to be a boy? Totally fine with that!”

Chapter 53.5: Interlude – “Mukaijima Monster Agents, Right?” ③

“…Let’s ignore the fact that today’s kindergartens are insane—actually, no, we really shouldn’t ignore that—but I don’t have the energy to rant about it right now. For now, we just need to link up with Lord Susanoo-no-Mikoto and Jack-san, then get out of—”

“Like hell I’m letting you do that!”

Ginko had barely suggested retreat when a man’s furious roar split the air.

The very next instant, a flash of light erupted, knocking Ginko’s two blades—Taro and Hanako—clear out of position.

“Aoyama!”

Seishiro leapt in front of Ginko, trying to swing Totsuka-no-Tsurugi—

But before he could even move, a bullet ripped through his shoulder.

“Uncle Seishiro! …You bastard!”

Young Yoshimasa raised his twin pistols in fury, but his shots were casually blasted out of the air by the man’s gun.

“He—he’s good!”

“You think some punk Earthlings can look down on me?! Hah?!”

The man was tall and broad-shouldered, wearing a sleeveless jacket that showed off arms like tree trunks—clearly the product of relentless training.

His head was shaved bald, one eye covered with an eyepatch, and his whole aura practically screamed villain.

But the most striking thing about him was the pair of ridiculously cute cat ears perched on that terrifying head.

(D-Don’t laugh! Don’t you dare laugh, Ginko Aoyama! If you crack up here, you’re seriously dead! But… but a scary old dude with cat ears?! This is killing me!)

Seishiro and Yoshimasa were clearly fighting the same battle.

Both of them pinched their own arms desperately, struggling not to burst out laughing.

Meanwhile, Dillon Caron Cassie Ariel Kimura—a big-shot politician from Uranus—and his family trembled in pure terror at the sight of the man.

“Never thought Earth had the tech to remove those collars… Guess I’ll just rip your arms and legs off next time, make sure you stay put! Ah?!”

“Pfft—uh, w-who are you, exactly?”

“You really don’t know who I am, do you? To pull all this crap without even knowing my name…! I am the heir to the Dopnnyanya Pirate Crew! Tama Angelo Maruns Orjun Nekota!”

“Buhh—! H-Hold it together, Ginko-chan! Hold it!!”

Despite his hulking physique, the man’s cutesy cat ears and utterly feline name made him seem… ridiculously cat-themed.

(T-Tama?! With that face?! Oh no, I’m gonna— I can’t breathe—)

Seishiro’s whole body trembled violently. He bit his tongue so hard to keep from laughing that blood actually dripped from his mouth.

Yoshimasa kept his head down, shoulders shaking in tiny spasms—absolutely laughing on the inside.

The only one not holding back was the little girl perched on Seishiro’s back, pointing straight at “Tama” and laughing her head off.

“So, you’re trembling in fear that badly, huh?! Hah?! Listen up—I lost my old man and my big brother thanks to you Earth scum hitting us twice! My crew? Wiped out. Everything I had? Gone. And just when I finally got back on my feet to rebuild the glorious Dopnnyanya Pirate Crew as its new leader—bam! You Earthlings again!”

Tama turned his back to them with smug confidence, clearly mistaking their shaking for fear.

Normally, Ginko and the others would’ve taken that as the perfect opening to strike.

But they couldn’t.

—Because sprouting from Tama’s rear was…

…an adorable, swishy cat tail.

“B-b-b-b-bwahhh—!”

Ginko finally cracked and burst out laughing. She clamped both hands over her mouth, trying desperately to muffle it, but that tail made it impossible.

“Don’t you dare underestimate the universe, you brats! There’s no way an unenhanced sword can block my gunfire! Not a chance! And you over there might have a decent gun, kid, but you’re still just a kid. You don’t belong on the battlefield. I’ll sell you off to one of those high-paying collectors who love rare Earthlings!”

“—Mammon-Mammon.”

Tama’s gloating laugh was suddenly cut off by a deep, cool voice.

“Who’s there?!”

Startled, Tama whipped around with his gun raised.

Footsteps sounded—clack, clack—as someone slowly approached.

“You—?!”

“Mamomomomomomomomooon! Kept you waiting, huh?! I may be the Demon of Greed, but I always repay my debts—the one and only of the Seven Deadly Sins… MAMMON!”

“Nobody was waiting for you though?!”

And there he stood—Mammon, the Demon of Greed Natsuki had once fought as an enemy.
Now he was dressed in a sharp gray business suit… with a frilly kitchen apron thrown on top.

〜〜Afterword〜〜

Mammon-Mammon: “Former enemy making a dramatic ally entrance—so hype, mammon-mammon!”

Ginko: “Then we’ve gotta bring you to Kyoto, right?!”

Mammon-Mammon: “Mammon? …Wait, Natsuki Yura’s not here, mammon-mammon?!”