The so-called "descent"

Staring at Mokona, who looked like a child scared of being scolded for a mistake, with a pitiful and cautious yet adorable expression, Kurama’s initial shock paused for a moment. Then, almost at once, the fox demon’s face softened into a gentle, reassuring smile.

“It’s all right, Mokona,” he said, rubbing the fluffy white creature’s head in a tender voice. “The ability to travel through time and space isn’t exclusive to you, Mokona. And if someone as skilled as you can’t control the direction of a time-space jump, then it’s likely the other party can’t either. So, when two travelers who can’t steer their own or each other’s course cross paths during a journey like this, it’s only natural there might be a collision.”

“So there’s no need to be so anxious.” Seeing the little one’s nerves settle under his comfort, Kurama leaned in and kissed Mokona’s cheek with a smile. “The worst that could happen is that we or the other party miss our intended destination because of this collision and end up in another world. For travelers who can’t control where they land anyway, it’s hardly a serious matter—‘a mischievous kiss’ that ‘topples’ even geniuses.”

Of course, if by chance the worlds they would have reached were each other’s intended targets, the consequences might be more significant. But Kurama would never mention such negative possibilities when trying to ease his companion’s mind.

With Kurama’s devoted reassurance, Mokona soon broke into a smile again. “Even the silver-haired Kurama is still Kurama,” he mumbled softly. “—Still so gentle.”

Hearing this, Kurama pinched Mokona’s little belly, making the white fluff yelp in surprise, before pulling his hand away with a smile.

“Well, Mokona has reminded me—it wouldn’t do to always remain in this state…” As he spoke, a dense mist swirled around them once more.

When the fog cleared, Mokona realized that the person holding him had changed back from a beautiful young man with silver hair and golden eyes, to a handsome youth with red hair and emerald eyes.

Stroking his chin, the white fluff concluded, “Mmm, Mokona likes every version of Kurama! Each is beautiful in their own way!”

Kurama was right, though—unless there were special circumstances in the world or personal reasons, it was generally safer to remain in human form. The fox demon’s true form was too outlandish, and the human Kurama’s beauty was far gentler and less aggressive than the fox, making him almost irresistibly captivating at a single glance…

Of course, Kurama had no idea that Mokona had secretly awarded such high praise to his fox form. He simply looked calmly around, then showed a smile that could be called either relieved or helpless. “Twice in a row we've landed in forests. Compared to the first time, our luck’s improved, hasn’t it?”

Even luckier, it was nighttime in this forest. Whether it was truly an untouched wilderness or a modern forest within reach of human activity, the darkness shrouded their landing, hiding both sound and shape, reducing the chance of an accident to the barest minimum.

From the forest environment alone, Kurama couldn’t deduce much else, so he immediately sent his demon realm dandelions out to scout, and decided to make camp and set up a tent for the night right where they were.

Yet just as he took out the tent components, before he could even begin assembling them, he suddenly felt a sharp pain on the back of his hand. Before he could look to see what had happened, an instant later, a message came from the dandelions he was linked to—they had already found the edge of the forest and discovered a sizable human settlement not far away.

With their fledgling intelligence, the dandelions judged that the town’s technological level was not much different from that of Kurama’s home world, and the script in use seemed to be ordinary Japanese. This suggested that, unlike the previous alternate world of the Hunters, this was a “relatively normal” parallel world.

Kurama’s mind raced with analysis even as his hands deftly packed away the camping gear he’d just taken out.

“We’ve found signs of a town,” he explained to Mokona. “That means we can taste cakes with new flavors—are you excited, Mokona?”

The white fluff answered Kurama’s announcement with a cheer, pouncing on the “ancestor of snakes.”

With everything packed, Kurama, carrying Mokona, quickly set off in the direction of the town. And strangely, he seemed to have entirely forgotten the strange pain that had just occurred on the back of his hand.

The fox demon did not yet realize that, unnoticed, something had begun subtly infiltrating his mind, quietly influencing his thoughts and judgment…

***

Just as the dandelions had reported, it took Kurama only a few minutes at full speed to emerge from the forest onto a broad, smooth road.

To the east, the glow of city lights plainly marked the presence of a nearby town.

Kurama slowed his pace, carrying Mokona as he walked toward the city. Still unsure whether this world held any unknown supernatural forces, the fox demon decided caution was best.

Quickly blending into everyday life and gradually investigating were his current priorities—especially after Mokona determined, “The density of energy here doesn’t match the Hunter world, and might even be less than the world of Home Tutor.”

Of course, using Mokona’s sense of ambient energy to measure a world’s danger wasn’t infallible. Sometimes, only when those with special powers appeared or were nearby did the air thicken with energy particles. That was the true norm. Worlds like the Hunter’s, where energy was abundant everywhere, were the real anomalies.

Thinking of the Hunter world inevitably brought to mind Illumi and Ging, and the way he’d left without much warning. He wondered how Illumi might react after receiving his letter and “gift”…

Kurama couldn’t help but laugh softly.

He wondered… would they ever meet again?

And the message he’d asked Illumi to pass to Ging…

Shaking his head, Kurama tried to dispel such thoughts, realizing he’d invested more emotion than was wise and had formed new “bonds.”

“Perhaps…I never do learn,” he said with a self-mocking chuckle.

Rubbing his face against Mokona, who turned to him in confusion, Kurama shook his head to show he was fine.

“I just realized I’m not as strong as I always thought.”

Though the comment seemed to come from nowhere, Mokona instantly understood. The white fluff leaned in, patted Kurama’s cheek with a soft paw, and said sweetly, “No one is so strong they don’t need support from others, nor so complete they don’t need feelings. There’s nothing wrong with you, Kurama.”

The fox demon gave a low, gentle laugh. “Mm, just a passing thought. I’m not blaming myself. Thank you, Mokona.”

Mokona grinned, nuzzling into the fox’s gentle hand.

“You’re welcome, Kurama~”

So, the two continued their leisurely conversation as they strolled toward the city—seeming close, but actually a surprisingly long walk.

From shortly after nightfall until the depths of night, Kurama finally entered the outskirts of the city.

Gradually, more buildings appeared along the street. The area seemed to be built on a gently sloping hillside, a whole section of the city with striking architectural styles—either traditional Japanese houses reminiscent of martial arts dojos, or distinctly Western-style mansions.

Such sights were not unusual in the small towns of modern Japan in Kurama’s home world, so he didn’t pay them much attention at first. Only when he happened to catch the name of this area—“Miyama Town”—did a vague notion cross his mind. But since he couldn’t recall anything special about it, he decided not to dwell on it.

It was only the first day in this new world after all—there was no need for haste.

Kurama decided his next step was to find an inn for himself and Mokona, and then consider whether to settle here or move to a larger city, like Tokyo.

In worlds set in Japan, the metropolis of Tokyo was usually where major events took place; perhaps there, he might find clues to this world’s peculiarities.

That was his plan.

However, before he could stroll into the city center and locate a hotel among the high rises, the white fluff on his shoulder suddenly tensed.

“Kurama!”

“What is it, Mokona?”

Even without being called, Kurama had sensed something amiss. He stopped and looked at Mokona perched on his shoulder.

Mokona pointed toward a patch of woods on the hillside not far away.

“There! There’s an immense energy surge—right now!”

Without hesitation, Kurama swept Mokona from his shoulder into his arms. Instantly, the red-haired fox demon became a blur, darting straight into the forest!

***

“…Proclaim! Let thine ears attend my call; entrust my fate to thy sword. By the summons of the Holy Grail, if thou wouldst comply with this will, with this reason, then answer—”

In the dark tangle of trees, a massive magic circle drawn in chicken blood blazed with a fierce crimson light.

A frail, black-haired youth dressed in black stood before the circle, teeth clenched against obvious pain as he chanted a long, arcane incantation.

Guided by Mokona, Kurama arrived at the heart of the woods and beheld this scene. In that instant, something boomed in his mind, as if an invisible barrier within him had been shattered…

“So it’s…”

He raised his left hand, which had ached so sharply before but had then, inexplicably, been forgotten. Unsurprisingly, he now found a strange, vivid blood-red sigil on its back—formed of three interlocking shapes, like wings or leaves.

“A Command Seal.”

As Kurama softly uttered this name, even the tremendous energy that erupted from the magic circle as the black-haired youth completed his chant, and the sudden appearance of the tall, red-haired kingly figure within it, could not divert his gaze.

“So… it’s this world…”

At the same moment Kurama’s quiet words faded into the night, the booming voice of the towering man rang out—

“I ask of you: Are you my Master?”

—Thus, at this moment, the Heroic Spirit descended.