The Heian Era had somehow become even more chaotic.
Takeru had vanished for a while—
and returned like he had just gone grocery shopping.
Except instead of groceries...
He was leading people.
Young Yorozu.
Young Angel.
Young Kashimo.
Young Uro.
Young Ryu.
Behind him.
Everyone froze.
The older versions stared.
The younger versions stared.
Then both sides stared harder.
Silence.
Kashimo slowly pointed.
"…Why am I looking at me."
Young Kashimo pointed back.
"…Why am I looking at me."
Ryu blinked.
"…My hair looked like that?"
Young Ryu blinked.
"…My hair becomes that?"
Yorozu stared at her younger self.
Her younger self stared back.
"…Huh."
"…Huh."
Hana looked between Angel and young Angel.
"…Okay this is weird."
Takeru stretched.
"Found 'em."
Then—
his body stopped.
Just slightly.
A sensation.
Cold.
Sharp.
Wrong.
His eyes widened a fraction.
Behind.
BOOOOM.
Something slammed into him from the back.
The ground shattered outward.
Dust exploded.
Trees bent from the shockwave.
Yuji's voice echoed in the distance.
"TAKERU!!"
The younger versions immediately jumped back.
The older ones turned instantly.
And from the dust—
a figure emerged.
Tamamo-no-Mae.
Silence.
Takeru stood there.
Still standing.
But breathing a little heavier now.
A little more tired.
He slowly turned.
"…Really?"
No joking.
No grin.
Just exhausted annoyance.
Then—
heat gathered.
Fire formed in his hand.
Not wildly.
Not explosively.
Controlled.
Focused.
A bow appeared.
Made completely of flame.
Then an arrow.
The air distorted around it.
The grass beneath him began turning black.
Everyone stared.
Sukuna's eyes narrowed.
"…No way."
Takeru pulled the string back.
Further.
Further.
The world became quiet.
Then he looked directly at Tamamo-no-Mae.
And spoke.
"フーガ." ("Fūga.")
The arrow released.
For one split second—
nothing happened.
Then the sky lit up.