The Maou household began the day like any other — Ragna flipping omelets midair with demonic flair, Sakura scrolling through her cursed work emails, and Lily humming while brushing her teeth with a wand.
But by noon, everything had changed.
A glowing sigil burned through the kitchen wall — a lotus wrapped in ethereal flame. It shimmered silently before vanishing, leaving behind a scroll bound in silver threads.
Sakura recognized it instantly.
"Spirit-Fang," she muttered, her eyes hardening.
Ragna looked up from his sizzling pan. "That old Order of yours? The ones who used to put blessings on your sword and make you do push-ups over lava?"
She gave a stiff nod. "They never contact unless it's... monumental."
Ragna arched a brow. "Worse than the Nine Rings trying to cook us alive last week?"
Sakura didn't answer. She was already suiting up.
The Spirit-Fang Division met within an invisible chamber floating between Kyoto's mountains — a temple of timeless fog, lined with blade spirits, suspended bridges, and koi ponds that shimmered with memory.
Sakura stepped onto sacred ground, greeted by silence… and tension.
Old warriors stood waiting. Many she recognized. Some bowed. Others glared.
But only one figure stepped forward with deliberate grace.
A tall woman in silver armor, her hair braided with spirit runes, her eyes cold as glaciers.
"Suzuki Sakura," she said. "You look soft."
Sakura bowed stiffly. "Master Hoshimi. It's been a while."
"Too long," Hoshimi replied. "Long enough for you to marry the King of Hell and bear his spawn."
The room went silent.
Sakura straightened. "I'm still a hero."
"So you say. But now, we require proof."
Outside the temple, Ragna leaned on a tree stump, arms crossed. A few of the junior Spirit-Fang guards gave him side-eyes as they walked past.
One whispered, "That's him, right? The one who used to burn cities."
"I heard he ate a dragon whole."
"No, he dated a dragon. Then ate her."
Ragna groaned and muttered, "I can hear you, idiots."
A Spirit hound sniffed at his leg and whimpered.
Ragna sighed. "Yeah, I miss being feared for something cool."
Inside, Hoshimi laid out a celestial map, showing multiversal cracks spreading near Earth's ley lines.
"The Nine Rings have begun stabilizing their rifts. If they finish, they can teleport battalions directly into Tokyo."
Another member, a stooped old man with translucent eyes, spoke gravely. "We require the Hero to return. Not the office worker. Not the housewife. The warrior."
Sakura clenched her jaw.
"Then I suggest you start respecting my entire self — not just the pieces you like."
Meanwhile, Lily, bored and slightly annoyed that her parents left her in a waiting room full of ancient artifacts, decided to explore.
"Totally not sneaking," she whispered, tiptoeing past a floating spirit librarian.
Down a twisting hallway of soul mirrors, she found a small room glowing with magic glyphs.
The moment she stepped inside, her aura reacted.
A whoosh of light burst from her chest — radiant red and gold flames spiraling around her like a miniature nova.
Spirit alarms blared.
Doors slammed open. Warriors poured in. A shrine guardian fainted.
Lily stood blinking in the epicenter, sparks still crackling from her hair.
"Oops."
Back in the meeting, one of the Spirit-Fang scribes burst in, breathless. "The child… she just… she lit up the entire east wing!"
Sakura's blood drained from her face.
Master Hoshimi turned slowly. "What."
Outside, Ragna felt the pulse. He teleported mid-run, storming into the courtyard.
Lily stood unharmed, surrounded by stunned warriors who dared not approach.
Sakura arrived moments later, panting. "Lily!"
Lily held out her hands. "I didn't mean to! I just touched this really old door and then—boom."
Master Hoshimi emerged from the shadows.
Her voice was low.
"That child carries the energy of opposing realms. Her awakening will rupture the veil."
Ragna pulled Lily close. "Touch her again and I'll rupture you."
Sakura stepped forward, shielding them both.
"You asked for proof that I'm still a hero. Here it is. This is who I protect. And no order, no prophecy, and no ghost of my past will come between that."
As the Spirit-Fang murmured and dispersed, Master Hoshimi lingered.
She approached Sakura alone.
"Your path will lead to fire. And betrayal."
Sakura met her eyes. "Then we'll walk through it together."
Hoshimi turned.
"I pray you're strong enough."
That night, as the Maou family flew home on a summoned cloud, Lily sat between her parents, hands in theirs.
"I didn't mean to mess things up," she said.
Ragna chuckled. "You didn't mess anything up. You just reminded the world why they should be scared of a little girl with sparkles."
Sakura kissed her forehead. "We've got you. Always."
Above the stars, far beyond the temple, another sigil glowed in the sky — an eye of violet flame.
The war had noticed her.