"No way," Ordyntsev was adamant. "I'm not going to crawl into creepy underground caves where an equally terrifying great spirit of your mentor is sealed."

"She's not terrifying!" Kaede protested, looking down at Stas, who had settled back onto the futon. "She's kind and understanding. And very, very smart!"

"That doesn't change the fact that I'll be caught ten times over before I ever reach those caves!" Ordyntsev countered. "I've just made progress with joining the Sumada. I don't want all my efforts to go to waste."

"Please, Shi-i-iro," the yokai whined, poking him in the shoulder, but the man was unyielding. "Don't be so stubborn, come on! I can create illusions, so I'll try to hide you."

"Can you guarantee that I won't be noticed at all?" Stas asked, but seeing the nervous darting of his interlocutor's eyes, he just shook his head.

"Kaede-san," Stas allowed himself a weary sigh. "Thanks to everything that binds us, I trust you. You helped me in a difficult moment, and for that, I'm very grateful..."

"Exactly, grateful," the spirit girl brightened. "You owe me, so let's hurry up to Minoru-sama."

"However," Stas hadn't finished yet. "Your mentor is an ancient yokai whose mind may differ not only from mine but even from yours. What if she decides that one human life is more necessary for her right now? Neither you nor I can stop her there. It would be a sad day if she devours me before I fulfill my promise to provide a suitable home to you."

Kaede opened her mouth to speak but then immediately closed it, turning gloomy. Finally, she gave in.

"Alright, Minoru-sama wins again."

"Hm?" These words caught the earthling's attention.

"She said you wouldn't go down, and I hoped you were not like that!" the yokai pointed an accusing finger at him. "I hoped you still had the spirit of adventure in you. Now I'll have to repeat that silly and complex illusion as many times as she says..."

Stas remained silent, reassessing the danger of this unknown "mentor." Evidently, if Kaede combined both cruelty and childlike naivety due to her young age for a spirit, then the Nure-onna clearly had long passed that period.

"The mentor gave me a part of her." The yokai took off and showed Stas a small necklace, which, instead of pearls, had green scales. "I'll partially summon her now so you can talk here."

"Wait," the earthling stopped her with a hand gesture. "I need to prepare something."

'Leviathan, come back home immediately.' The mental message went into the void, but Stas knew his pet would hear him.

Their bond, as it turned out, was not limited to telepathic speech within direct sight.

After about five minutes, the "little" snake swiftly emerged from under the ground. A second of silent pause, after which Kaede, laughing, began to roll around playing with Levi, who pretended to strangle the guest.

It was their favorite game, only before the snake was smaller. Now, however, it didn't look like a game. Rather, it was more like "a man-eating snake tries to devour an innocent girl."

Stas noted with interest that if Kaede teleported away before, this time, she simply pushed Leviathan away. Considering that note about no difference between them, it was thought-provoking.

'Levi, check the area for eavesdropping.'

Once assured there was none, Stas also activated the amulet given by Jishin.

"Now, can I summon the mentor?" Kaede grumbled irritably, tired of waiting.

"Of course, I'm ready."

The necklace landed on the floor as Kaede spread her hands above it and muttered something.

Responding to her whisper, the scales trembled and then began to dissolve into green smoke, quickly filling the room and forming a long figure that wrapped its body around the entire room.

Stas, keeping his emotions off his face, carefully examined the snake's tail that smoothly transitioned into a human half.

Kaede's mentor looked... impressive. Her upper half, especially the considerable "assets" covered only by long black hair, drew even the restrained Ordyntsev's gaze.

Finally, fully formed, Minoru opened her dark eyes and stared directly at the earthling standing in the center of the room.

"So this is what you look like," Ordyntsev remained tense, even though he saw the Nure-onna's tail pass through solid objects.

She was, in a way, a hologram or phantom. And that meant he was most likely safe.

Suddenly, the ancient yokai's eyes shifted, and she stared curiously at Leviathan.

"How interesting," the water spirit leaned down and brought her hand close to Levi, who licked it with her tongue. "I feel a strange energy in you."

Then the Nure-onna recoiled, and Stas barely resisted hitting her with a technique.

"I can feel chaos emanations in you! Why have you come to this world?! Who are you?! Are you demonic emissaries?" Although there was only a fraction of her power here, the earthling still felt her displeasure and wrath.

It didn't press like bloodthirst, but it was hardly pleasant. Like an inaudible whisper that starts to screw right into your brain.

"No-no-no," Stas quickly rattled off, immediately cutting off any accusations against him. "We're just victims of circumstance. A random portal - and we were unexpectedly transported very far from our homeland."

Stas saw no reason to reveal all his cards.

"You're lying. There can't be random portals," Minoru countered, looking at them suspiciously. "The great spirits and onmyoji made sure no one could roam into our world and out of it."

"But it was precisely a random portal," Stas got a little angry. It was rare for him to utter almost the absolute truth, and yet he was called a liar. "If you don't believe me, check us and see that I'm right."

Minoru frowned, doing nothing, then began to wave her hands, circling around Ordyntsev and his pet.

"There's no chaos in you," the verdict was followed by a relieved sigh from Kaede, who was afraid to breathe during the procedure. "As for you, young yokai, we'll have a talk later." Minoru shot a piercing look at her charge, making her freeze in fear. "I won't believe you didn't immediately realize who he was."

Stas, however, was thankful for his foresight in deciding not to venture into the Nure-onna's cave. There, she had every chance to kill him, simply not having time to or not bothering to figure out what was going on.

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But it was time to take matters into his own hands. Ordyntsev was thoroughly annoyed by those contemptuous glances with which this half-snake had been throwing at him.

After all, he had obligations to Kaede, but certainly not to this haughty ancient spirit.

And if she had any problems with him, let her find someone else for her errands.

"First," Ordyntsev's voice was as cold as possible, causing Kaede to look at him in surprise. She had never seen Shiro-kun so angry and sarcastic. "I'd like to know who I have the pleasure of speaking with. In respectable circles, people introduce themselves. I'm sure you've forgotten about this little thing in your caves, so I'll set an example for you. My name is Shiro."

"How dare you, puny human?!" In a second, the hologram's face was dangerously close to the earthling. "You're like an ant in front of a dragon! You're weak, so know your place when talking to someone who stands immeasurably above you!"

"Mentor, Shiro, please don't argue." Kaede bustled anxiously, but no one paid her any attention.

"I may be weak," Stas agreed, each of his words dripping with venom. "Only unlike some, I stand here free, not chained in the deepest and darkest cave one could find."

"Really?" The Nure-onna almost hissed the words. "Free? That's easy to fix! I have enough power to tell the Sumada who you are and what you are. I'm sure they'll be interested."

"Possibly," Ordyntsev took the heavy blow with honor. "But if I'm caught and killed, who will help you then? How long have you been waiting there? A hundred years? A couple of hundred? I'm sure after a few thousand more, you'll reconsider your decision."

"The Sumada will never last that long!" The Nure-onna flared up, stung by Stas's words. The ancient spirit was horrified by the possibility that her captivity would last so long.

"Want to take that risk?" Ordyntsev casually inquired, leaning back. He was met with heavy silence.

"You can call me Minoru, human."

"Pleased to meet you, spirit. Or should I say yokai?" Stas asked for clarification. After all, he never refused the chance to learn something new.

"I am an embodied yokai, as is Kaede. If she wants to, she can tell you what that means. I don't want to waste time on useless conversations."

"Alright, Minoru-san," Stas emphasized the suffix to indicate a shift to polite address. "Why did you want to talk to me?"

"I want to ask you, Shiro-san, for a favor," the ancient yokai understood the hint and decided to maintain civility. At least for now. "I want you to help me leave my prison."

"Hmm," Stas pondered. "In general, if you give me a guarantee that you won't harm me or the Sumada clan, I'm willing to agree to this."

"What does that cursed clan have to do with it? They're strangers to you," the yokai's eyes flared with anger. "I've been waiting for hundreds of years to exact revenge. How can you take away my right?! First Kaede, now you. How much longer must I endure?"

"Minoru-san, I understand," Ordyntsev spoke soothingly. Now, he didn't see the point in heating up the situation since they had moved on to negotiations. "But let's be honest. Those who imprisoned you are long dead. Moreover, even their relatives are dead many generations ahead, aren't they? Among those currently living, I'm sure there are few who even remember you."

"And besides," the Nure-onna's voice became ironic. "You want to gain from them, don't you, Shiro-san? Why cut off the chicken's head now if it can give you so many tasty eggs?"

"And that too," Ordyntsev was not embarrassed at all. "Therefore, I would like to clarify right away that there will be no revenge against the warmasters. Moreover, as far as I know, it's the onmyoji who act against yokai, right? Take revenge on them. If they still have descendants."

"I accept your condition," Minoru finally squeezed out, but she clearly didn't like it. "If that's all..."

But the yokai clearly underestimated Ordyntsev if she thought it would all end so quickly.

"But before we continue discussing the terms, I'd like to know what exactly I should do to help you get out?"

It was clear that Minoru didn't want to talk, but she had no choice.

"Special plaques and scrolls are embedded in the walls and floor, creating a network of onmyodo spells that keep me down there and drain my power. I want you to remove these plaques, thus breaking the structure of the spell."

"And how will I find them?" Stas expressed doubt. "I doubt they operate on prana."

"You're right, they work on spiritual energy. I will help you develop it and master it just enough for you to feel it."

"I have a suggestion," Stas politely interrupted her speech. "I'd like to introduce my pet, Leviathan. She's a magical snake and very smart. She can also pass through stone, and if anyone can discreetly destroy the sought-after plaques, it's her."

"And?"

"I would like you to try to teach her to sense spiritual energy as well."

"It's not as easy as you think," the Nure-onna pondered. "I will have to form a special bond. And two at once... Fine, I'll see what can be done."

"Well, and finally, the most important thing," Stas smiled unpleasantly. "Why has this mission not been completed so far? I don't believe I'm the first person you've approached. What's the real problem?"

"The main sources of the spell are located in the dwellings of the strongest Sumada warmasters and their clan quarters."

"And the secondary ones?" Ordyntsev noted an important point.

"They can be just in some corridors."

"Let's summarize," Ordyntsev shook his head under the watchful eye of the ancient yokai. "I must carry out a deadly high-level mission, for only a true professional can infiltrate the private chambers and floors of the main branch and destroy what are the main keys to the spell? Is that correct?"

"Yes." The Nure-onna intensified her suspicion, watching how, unexpectedly, the human had just accepted it.

"Well, since we've sorted that out, let's move on to what I'll get if I agree to take on this job."

"Such familiar words," disdain returned to the voice of the lamia. "You humans are all the same. In your short life, you want to grab as much as possible. You don't care about the price others are willing to pay. Just to drag more with you into the grave. And what exactly do you want, human? Gold? Power? Secrets? Techniques?"

"My tastes are very s-s-specific," the corners of Ordyntsev's mouth hinted at a serpentine smile. "I gather you know the techniques of the warmasters?"

"Yes," the snake woman shrugged indifferently. "At some point, I was interested in this when I fought with your kind. I have accumulated many secrets that will interest you, human. What elements are you interested in? I know very powerful techniques that will raise you to the very top."

"I don't need elements," Ordyntsev cut her off, making the yokai freeze. "From the first day I began to master prana, only one thought has been haunting me. Immortality. The energy that flows in us is capable of incredible things. Healing, regeneration, and even rejuvenation. I'm willing to help you get out of this prison if you teach me something that will help me achieve my dream. If you don't have anything like that, then I agree to healing techniques."

The Nure-onna looked at the human standing before her with a completely different gaze.

She was wrong. He was not a typical warmaster ready to kill and betray for power.

He was worse. Much worse. In front of the ancient being flashed images and faces of those who, hundreds of years ago, also desired immortality.

A clan of warmasters ready to give everything, up to their souls, for immortality.

And they found those who were ready to give it to them.

A group of powerful spirits, harboring a grudge against humanity, resolved to aid this clan in achieving their desires, defying all prohibitions. They gave them power and knowledge of spiritual essence, then combined it with prana.

Thus was born one of the most forbidden arts of this world.

When the clan gained such immense power, they started a war, seeking to take their rightful place. The vengeful spirits rejoiced as the humans killed each other.

However, it all ended quite quickly and sadly.

The spirits who committed such a large offense were defeated by onmyoji, united with their enemies, the yokai.

Partially, the conspirators were disintegrated, and partially, they were imprisoned.

Needless to say, Minoru was one of those who went against the great treaty, starting to pass on spiritual techniques to warmasters, blending them with prana.

She didn't lie to naive Kaede. People did come to her lands and killed her followers.

But the war against them she did not start alone, but in the company of other spirits and the clan they chose together. And it all started significantly later.

"Yes, I can teach you the art you so desire," the lamia began slowly. "But remember this, human. Some knowledge can be so dark and corrupting that once touched, you will never be able to wash it away. Are you still ready to step into this river?"

"Of course," Ordyntsev didn't hesitate for a second. "If, thanks to this knowledge, I can achieve immortality, then I'm ready."

"Good, I'll give you the knowledge and techniques of one of the most terrible clans of this world. Their skills are cursed, but they came closest to the secret of immortality."

Minoru smiled sadly.

"Originally, they were strong and proud people, boldly looking ahead. They, like you, craved what a human cannot possess. And when they got what they wanted, this knowledge twisted them. Now I understand how deadly that path was and what a mistake everyone made in creating it. You will have to promise me that you will not share it with anyone else."

"Sharing immortality?" Stas smirked. "Let them find their own. I promise."

Minoru solemnly nodded.

"Several hundred years ago, this clan was called Kuchisagine, which translated as 'Those who seek knowledge for the good of the world,' but now, after centuries, they have a different, much more fitting name: 'Deathbringers'."

And looking into those serpentine eyes, Minoru, with some frightening realization, understood that perhaps the man standing before her was precisely the one who should never have heard this offer.

End of the third book.