***Place— Rooftop***

"Is it done yet?" Tamamo-no-Mae asked Malina, who hovered gracefully in the night sky, her legs crossed and her hands resting gently on her knees, palms facing upward. Her posture was serene and steady. A gentle, purple aura flowed around her like a soft, luminous cocoon. "It's already been 30 minutes."

"It takes time to see through everything, unveiling every magical protection this place has without destroying them," Malina replied in a calm and serious tone, her eyes closed in deep concentration. "Or do you want them to become aware of our presence?"

Tamamo-no-Mae didn't answer and remained silent before letting out a weary breath.

"Well, at least we are back in our original forms. I was feeling suffocated in that other form of mine."

She then flew over to the rooftop entrance, lay down, and looked at the night sky.

The moon gleaming softly amidst drifting dark clouds, casting intermittent shadows across the rooftop.

"The moon... I still remember how much Konoe loved gazing at it, wanting it to be within his grasp..."

*Flashback*

The night sky was clear, and the palace was bathed in a serene glow. Tamamo-no-Mae and Emperor Konoe sat by the window, gazing at the luminous moon.

Tamamo-no-Mae was elegantly dressed in a black kimono, its inner lining shimmering with hints of gold. The belt was silver, and around her waist, a rich crimson sash was tied with a darker shade of crimson. Beside her, Emperor Konoe wore a dignified outfit of black with a red inner layer, complemented by loose white pants.

"Tamamo, the moon looks wonderful, doesn't it?" Emperor Konoe remarked, his hand reaching out as if to touch it.

"It truly is," she replied softly.

"If only I had the power, I would capture this gleaming gem and place it in my treasury, guarding it forever, never letting it escape my sight," Konoe mused, his hand slowly clenching as if to grasp the moon.

"My emperor, is your love for the moon deeper than your love for me?" Tamamo-no-Mae asked, her voice a tender whisper.

"What if it is?" Konoe responded playfully, a teasing smile on his lips.

Tamamo-no-Mae pouted, turning her face away.

"Relax, I am just kidding. I love you more than the moon," Konoe said, gently holding her chin and bringing her face close to his. "Besides, even if I could capture it, I doubt Lord Tsukiyomi would permit it."

He leaned in and kissed her on the lips, catching her by surprise and causing her cheeks to flush red.

"Oh my, you are quite bold, aren't you?" she said, hiding her blushing face with her sleeve. "Kissing me in the open like this, for an emperor, that's quite shameless."

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"I can be even more shameless if you give me permission, my dear empress," Konoe replied with a mischievous smile.

"Hey, don't tease me!"

Tamamo-no-Mae pouted once again, her heart fluttering with a mix of love and embarrassment.

*Flashback Ends*

A tear slid down Tamamo-no-Mae's cheek. She gently wiped it away and glanced over at Malina, who remained suspended in the air. Turning back to the moon, she traced a wavering line in the air with her index finger. As she did, dark clouds rolled across the sky, hiding the moon from view.

Looking at the moon always brought back painful memories and deep sorrow for Tamamo-no-Mae, memories she struggled to hide.

Even after centuries had passed, her past held her tightly. Day after day, reminders of those painful memories haunted her, filling her heart with agony, hatred, and seething rage towards the one responsible for it all.

If only she could uncover the truth behind the greatest tragedy of her life—the one who cursed her beloved Konoe.

She turned her gaze back to Malina, who had just landed on the ground and was now standing, looking visibly exhausted.

Tamamo-no-Mae descended as well and walked over to her.

"So, what did you see?" Tamamo-no-Mae asked, placing a hand gently on Malina's shoulder.

Malina let out a heavy breath and began to recount, "I saw a dark space beneath this hotel, just a few dozen feet underground. It was filled with at least 50 Satanists and about 100 children trapped in small cages under terrible conditions. The area was covered in blood and guts, and there was a large demon summoning circle set up for a ritual."

"Are we going to raid the place now?" Tamamo-no-Mae asked.

"No, not yet. There's a problem with that," Malina replied, gently moving Tamamo-no-Mae's hand from her shoulder and walking over to the railing, where she gripped it with both hands.

"And what's that?"

"While I was seeing through the protection barriers, I sensed someone using very powerful spells below. The figure was blurry and unclear. Nearby, there were four dead bodies of security guards, with one in better condition than the others. A woman, also a security guard, was pinned down by whatever was there, and they were discussing something."

"That sounds troubling. It's a shame your abilities don't let you hear what they're saying—it would have been useful to know," Tamamo-no-Mae said. "Did you find out anything else?"

"No. That thing sensed my presence and turned my gaze away," Malina explained. "However, I noticed that the rings worn by the security guards were similar to those worn by the two Satanists, David and Johnson."

"So, this entity might be against the Satanists?" Tamamo-no-Mae considered.

Malina paused briefly before responding, "I'm not sure. It's possible, or it might not be. This isn't the first time we've seen Satanists killing their own."

It was common for Satanists to violently clash with those from rival factions. Despite some factions sharing common goals, their differing ideologies and personal grievances often made them bitter enemies.

"What should we do now?" Tamamo-no-Mae asked.

"For now, let's wait," Malina suggested. "Whatever that entity is, there's a high chance it will come looking for me. It's likely one of the two powerful presences we sensed."

"I see," Tamamo-no-Mae nodded, her mind racing with concern.

Malina was an upper mid-level super elite class monster, whose power eclipsed Tamamo-no-Mae's. To avoid Malina's gaze, one would need to be nearly as powerful or stronger.

"Don't worry too much. This isn't the first time we've fought someone stronger than me. Remember my brother Albedo? He was a high-low super elite class monster, and we managed to defeat him," Malina said, turning back to Tamamo-no-Mae.

"That was also by sheer luck. Still, I never understood why your brother hid his true strength. He was a super elite monster, but he told everyone he was just an elite class."

"I don't know why he did that, nor will I ever know. He's gone now," Malina said sadly. "His soul is trapped in purgatory, and I don't have the means to resurrect him."

"I understand the pain of losing someone close," Tamamo-no-Mae said. "Your brother was a good man. He helped many people. I remember him storming into a Yakuza base and rescuing hundreds of human women who were being forced into prostitution."

"And I will honour his memory," Malina replied. "But first, we need to deal with the situation at hand. We can't let them continue their actions. It was my mother's last wish."

"And I will stand by you until the end," Tamamo-no-Mae said.

The sound of the rooftop door creaking open filled the air.

Tamamo-no-Mae and Malina tensed. If a normal human entered, there would be no issue since they were invisible. If it was a Satanist, it wouldn't be a problem either. But if it was that entity, there could be trouble.

To their surprise, a woman in a security guard uniform stepped through the door. Her brown hair was styled in neat, intertwined sections, and her name tag read "Haruki."

"I recognise her; she was with that entity," Malina telepathical to Tamamo-no-Mae.

"What's she doing here?" Tamamo-no-Mae wondered.

They watched in silence as Haruki walked to the railing. Quietly, they moved aside. Haruki grasped the railing, glanced down, and jumped, plunging to her death.

"What just happened? Why did she end her own life?" Tamamo-no-Mae asked, stunned.

"I don't know... Let's go back to our room. We can discuss it there. It will be quite the scene here soon," Malina suggested.

Tamamo-no-Mae nodded, and they teleported back to their room.

At that moment, as they left, Satan appeared on the rooftop. He approached the railing and surveyed the scene below, where people were gathering around Haruki's fallen body.

'This entire island is rotten to its core. Perhaps it would be better to sink it into the ocean.'

The wind picked up, darkening the sky. Satan's cape billowed, and his hair rustled.

He looked at the darkening sky, then at the dead woman one last time.

'I did say I'd let you go if you told me everything, but I didn't specify how.'

He snapped his fingers.

The hotel shook with a loud explosion, and chaos erupted.