In Search of a Place to Go (
Short Summary[]
Kazuma stays with Yato and the other after being excommunicated by Bishamonten. Aiha and Kugaha coordinate an attack to kidnap Hiyori and Kazuma.
Extended Summary[]
At the Ha-clan estate in Takama-ga-hara, Bishamonten's shinki express disbelief and regret about Kazuma's banishment. Karuha and Kazuha explain that Kazuma helped with their aim, and Yugiha adds that Kazuma helps him maintain a borderline so he doesn't damage the Near Shore. Kugaha arrives and tells them to no longer concern themselves about Kazuma. Tsuguha asks exactly what happened between Bishamon and Yato, but Kuraha explains that no one knows the details except Bishamon and Kazuma.
Kugaha later meets with the Stray and informs her that he will officially become Bishamon's guide once he successfully replaces her by forcing her reincarnation. The Stray comments that she likes that he seems to be having fun, and agrees to tell him the information he wants to know.
At Kofuku's house, Daikoku and Yato discuss Yukine, who is feeling upset about Suzuha and guilty about Kazuma. Daikoku then asks why Kazuma is chose to stay with them here, to which Kazuma replies that he has nowhere else to go. Kazuma, overcome with guilt over "allowing" Suzuha to die, has no appetite for the food offered to him. Yato reassures him that it wasn't his fault that Suzuha was killed, and says to stop lamenting over it lest his feelings start to affect Bishamon. Kazuma then accepts the food, and Yato apologizes for the Ablution. Kazuma explains that he doesn't regret helping him, having known that Bishamon would find out eventually. Kofuku mentions that Kazuma still has his name, which means that he could eventually return to Bishamon. Kazuma disagrees, but also says he doesn't plan to become a stray.
Kazuma then points out his surprise at finding Yato here, since this was the location Bishamonten last saw him and therefore wasn't safe for him to stay. Hiyori then comes downstairs to inform them that Yukine is still crying, and Kazuma thinks to himself that he understands why Yato hasn't gone somewhere else by now.
Back at Bishamon's estate, Kugaha notices blight on the back of Bishamon's neck and offers to prepare more medicine for her.
Days pass; Yukine continues to stay in his room. While on a walk discussing this, Yato and Hiyori encounter Aiha, who introduces herself as Bishamon's shini and attacks them using a cursed byakujō staff. Yato and Hiyori engage her in battle, and just as Yato appears to overtake her, they're ambushed by a swarm of spider-like, curse-controlled ayakashi. While Yato is drawing a group of them away, one ayakashi uses spider-thread to bind and capture Hiyori. Kugaha arrives, and Aiha tells him to hurry before Yato comes back.
Just then, Kazuma arrives and attempts to use Bakufu on Kugaha and Aiha. He then frees Hiyori by cutting the thread up with borderlines. He demands to know where they even acquired the cursed ayakashi, scolding them for using something that would blight their master. He looks to Kugaha and immediately repeats the Bakufu spell once he notices that Kugaha is somehow moving. To his bewilderment, the spell fails, and Kugaha continues walking toward him.
Kugaha expresses delight that Kazuma was banished rather than excommunicated, because he wouldn't be able to cast a spell on him if he no longer had a name. Just as Kazuma silently realizes that Kugaha must be a stray, Kugaha uses Rakusui on him.
Yato later returns to find no one but Hiyori's unconscious body.
Characters[]
Character Debuts[]
No new characters debuted in this chapter.