In the days that followed Kagome's ascension, the Kamisato Clan underwent a silent storm of transformation.
For years, under Ayato and Ayaka, the clan had maintained a delicate neutrality—voicing opposition to oppressive decrees like the Vision Hunt and Shokoku, while carefully avoiding direct rebellion. Ayato worked tirelessly to sway the Kujou and Hiiragi clans, seeking balance and peace.
But once Kagome took command, that fragile neutrality shattered.
Both Ayato and Ayaka were stripped of all official duties. Their voices—once symbols of grace and restraint—were silenced. In their place, Kagome reorganized the clan from the ground up. Traditions were rewritten. Hierarchies reset. The Kamisato name no longer stood apart from the Shogunate.
Instead, Kagome embraced the decrees, forming alliances with the Kujou and Hiiragi clans. Together, their influence soared. Money poured in. The clan's political voice grew louder than ever before.
To the elders and upper retainers, the results were undeniable: increased power, prestige, wealth. But those with clearer eyes saw the cost.
The people—those who had once loved the Kamisato Clan for their compassion—now looked upon them with suspicion and fear.
But none dared question Kagome. Not after the duel. Not after the sword.
And certainly not now.
Inside a moonlit courtyard, Kagome stood beneath the shadows of the great camphor trees, watching the kneeling figures before her.
The Shuumatsuban—Inazuma's most secretive force—had assembled.
Dozens of masked shinobi knelt silently, clad in black, their faces hidden, their presence cloaked. All waited for their new master's command.
"I'm glad to see the famous Shuumatsuban is still strong," Kagome said softly, her voice calm yet absolute. "Over the years, you've worked from the shadows to protect Inazuma. But no one remembers shadows. No one thanks the unseen."
She stepped forward slowly.
"That ends now. From this moment on, you answer only to me. And your purpose will be to secure the future of the Kamisato Clan. That begins… with finding Vision users. I want reports on every one of them—names, locations, allegiances. All of it. We will deliver results to the Shogunate. Let them know we are their sharpest fang."
There was silence.
Until a small voice spoke.
"But we're already busy… investigating the other clans, searching for ways to stop the rebellion. If we shift focus now, we'll—"
The voice belonged to a petite girl with sleepy eyes and a soft voice. Sayu, despite being 16 years old, still looked as if she were barely thirteen. Her body had grown little, her presence still childlike—something that had always caused others to underestimate her.
Kagome turned her gaze slowly. "Do you dare to question my orders?"
Her tone hadn't changed—but the air did.
A crushing pressure, suffocating and sharp, spread from her presence. The leaves trembled. The masked shinobi stiffened.
"M-my apologies, I just meant—!"
But she never finished.
Flash.
A blur of motion—too fast for even the veterans to follow. A single, elegant slash.
Blood splattered the stone.
Sayu dropped lifelessly to the ground, a deep red wound across her chest.
The pool beneath her grew quickly, silently.
"I expect loyalty," Kagome said, turning back to the rest. "I do not tolerate insubordination. You are tools. You exist to serve."
None spoke. None moved.
And yet—many felt a silent, burning outrage beneath their masks.
But they were tools. And tools do not protest.
One by one, they bowed—and disappeared into the night.
Kagome remained alone.
She turned back toward Sayu's body and knelt beside it.
"I can hear your heartbeat, Sayu. You can stand up now."
Silence.
The body didn't twitch.
Kagome's eyes narrowed slightly. "As you wish."
She raised her blade once more, this time with full killing intent.
"Sorry! Sorry! Don't kill me!" Sayu suddenly cried, springing up into a panicked dogeza. "I'm alive! I'm totally alive!"
The killing aura vanished instantly.
"I won't kill you," Kagome said, smiling gently now. "But you should never voice disobedience in public. If you must oppose something, do it in silence. Never give others the chance to follow your defiance."
"O-okay…" Sayu nodded quickly, still shaking. Her heart pounded in her chest like a drum.
'What is wrong with her?!' she thought. 'She's crazy! She's destroying everything Ayaka and Ayato worked for… and she nearly killed me!'
But Kagome only knelt beside her, patting her head like nothing had happened.
"From now on, you'll remain officially dead. No one must know. You'll work only for me, Sayu—off the record."
"I won't!" Sayu puffed out her cheeks. "You hurt everything they built! I'm quitting the Shuumatsuban!"
"Hah. It's one thing that your body refuses to grow," Kagome sighed,"but did your brain have to stay the same size too?" Kagome flicked her forehead. "If you truly want to quit, don't say it out loud, idiot. Just lie, then escape."
"Uuu! What's wrong with you?!"
"At least you remembered one thing," Kagome said, smiling. "If you ever face someone you can't beat—go down. Fake death. Wait until you're alone. That lesson can keep you alive."
"Lesson…?" Sayu blinked. "Wait a second… those were Allen's words. He taught me that!"
"That's right," Kagome said, releasing the Delusion.
In an instant, Allen stood before her, his real form now exposed beneath the moonlight.
"Allen?! W-what?! H-how?! Why?! You're… you're hurting Ayaka!"
"I know," Allen said quietly. "But this is necessary. I won't let any harm fall on her. Please, Sayu—help me. I need someone I can trust. Someone fast, unseen, clever. Someone who's already dead."
Sayu stared at him in disbelief—but then slowly, hesitantly… she nodded.
"O-okay. What do you need me to do?"
Allen offered her a folded scroll.
"Everything starts here. I need you to investigate…"
…
"You've returned, darling," Kokomi giggled as Allen entered her office. She immediately clung to his arm, pressing herself warmly against him.
"We're alone," Allen said coldly. "No need to act like that."
Sensing his harsh tone and tense expression, Kokomi gently released him and returned to her seat with poise. "Something happened, didn't it? You're more irritated than usual. For something to rattle the ever-cold, ever-calculating Allen… it must be important."
She eyed him carefully. Then her lips curled. "Could it have been Ayaka?"
"Kokomi," Allen snapped. "Don't test my patience. I'm not in the mood for your games right now."
"Fine, fine," she said, raising her hands in mock surrender. "But you've just answered me without meaning to. I know she's important to you, Allen—but remember, we're playing with the fate of a nation. Keep your priorities straight."
She turned back to the documents spread across her desk, the smile never quite leaving her face.
"But really," Kokomi continued, "wherever you found that 'Kagome', you picked well. She's done a masterful job. The Kamisato Clan used to be a safe haven—a symbolic resistance inside the Shogunate. But now? The people have lost that sanctuary. And when there's nowhere left to look, they turn to us. Our support has surged. Our forces grow daily."
"I have my ways," Allen replied curtly as he browsed the newest updates—troop movements, influence maps, and noble house shifts.
Now that he had established his authority and reshaped the Kamisato Clan through the persona of Kagome, he no longer needed to remain in that form constantly. Using Alina's Vision, she now assumed Kagome's image in public. While she couldn't dance or fight like Kagome, her role was simple—appear, wave, command. That was enough for now.
"Take this." Allen handed Kokomi a scroll. "Compiled intelligence on Vision users. Several will be captured soon. Once the people see that hiding is futile, they'll be far easier to recruit. Fear always makes negotiation easier."
Kokomi's eyes lit up as she opened the scroll. "Your contributions never disappoint."
Allen stepped to the window. "So? How long until everything collapses?"
"You're always so blunt," Kokomi chuckled. "Two months. That's our timeline. Within that, Inazuma's delicate balance will tip. The pressure will become too much. The Three Commissions will have no choice but to report to the Shogun—and once she learns the truth, she will act."
"I see…" Allen's eyes darkened with thought. "It's short… but more time wouldn't change much. This just means I'll need to accelerate my next phase."
"And what's your approach?" Allen asked as he sealed the scroll.
"A war," she said, smiling. "I'll escalate everythin. I'll provoke the Shogun's appearance, and once she arrives and act, I'll call for a draw—make it look like a balanced confrontation. My groundwork is mostly laid."
"And you'll resign as head of Watatsumi to gain leverage in negotiations," Allen said knowingly. "That's your plan, isn't it? You never liked ruling anyway."
"Exactly." Kokomi grinned. "I prefer maneuvering from the shadows. But the real uncertainty lies with you, Allen."
Her expression shifted, serious now. "Can you stop the Shogun? I don't mean defeat her—I mean survive. Hold her. Stall her. Because if you can, even briefly, we'll gain enormous leverage."
"I can't guarantee anything," Allen said. "But I'll try. If I'm not ready when the time comes, proceed with your plan without me."
Kokomi studied him for a moment.
"Allen," she said, her voice quieter. "What is it that you really want? If your goal was influence for Snezhnaya, you've done more than enough. Both sides owe you, and neither side knows who you really support. You've already won."
Allen looked away.
"I suppose… I'm aiming for what only gods pursue."
He turned back to her, expression firm.
"I want the Electro Gnosis."
Kokomi stared for a moment—and then laughed softly. "Of course you do. I can't help you with that. It's all on you. I wish you luck."
She met his eyes.
"Show me how far you're willing to go and how far you can reach."
Allen's voice was calm, but resolute.
"I will."