Long Live Money in Anime Crossover

They were completely confused and didn't understand the situation.

The kneeling of the Tenma and the Great Tengu nearly drove them to a rage, but their remaining rationality told them they had to obey their orders. How could the Tengu dare to attack Yakumo Yukari without their command?

Moreover, the Tenma and the five Great Tengu are right next to Yakumo Yukari. If an accidental injury were to occur, it would be a responsibility that none of the Tengu could bear.

Seeing this, almost everyone realized that what happened today was far more complicated than they had imagined.

Two people seemed oblivious to all of this.

One of them was Mo Mo. After glancing at the current situation of Yakumo Yukari, Tenma, and Ootengu, he seemed to be attracted by the Tengu clan's scepter and began to study the token that Tenma had thrown over with great interest.

The other one, of course, is Yakumo Yukari.

She glanced at the Tengu who rushed over but dared not move, and at Mo Mo who didn't seem to care much about her situation, before turning her gaze back to the Tenmo and Great Tengu kneeling on the ground.

"You are all really something. You are already my shikigami, yet you still defy my will and even try to betray me. Don't you know that as your master, I can make you vanish and be annihilated in an instant?"

Yukari Yakumo's voice was very flat, but there was a chilling quality to it, as if her voice had become a little high-pitched, giving people a creepy feeling.

When questioned by Yakumo Yukari, the Tenma and the Great Tengu did not answer or raise their heads. It wasn't that they had nothing to say, nor that they didn't want to pay attention to Yakumo Yukari; the reason they remained kneeling was simply because Yakumo Yukari had not given them any orders, and they had no choice but to remain kneeling.

Even though they had countless things they wanted to say to Yakumo Yukari, they could only remain kneeling, and even though the anger and hatred in their hearts were roaring and surging, it was all in vain.

This is the power dynamic between master and shikigami, the strictest version of the master-servant agreement, and the agreement that Yakumo Yukari forcibly concluded with the Tenma and Ōtengu. With this agreement, the Tenma and Ōtengu have virtually no chance of disobeying Yakumo Yukari's orders.

“I naively thought that you were all long-lived monsters who could understand my good intentions and will and would not try to disobey me. That’s why I gave you orders but did not impose any other restrictions on you.”

"But now it seems you are destined not to understand me, not to comprehend the current crisis and needs of Gensokyo. I overestimated you, I was wrong, so I will not make that mistake again. From now on, besides carrying out my orders, you can treat yourselves as puppets."

The explicit words and chilling tone of Yukari Yakumo filled the faces of almost every member of the Tengu clan with a frenzied rage, yet none dared to utter a sound. Their highest rank had now become, in effect, Yukari Yakumo's servants.

Because of Yukari Yakumo's words, all the guests who still held onto memories of her from the past stared at her with unfamiliar and fearful eyes. Now everyone knew that Yukari Yakumo had changed—a change that was unknown and frightening.

"And you," Yakumo Yukari continued, addressing all the tengu around her, "surrender. You have only one choice. Otherwise, I will consider any betrayal by any of you as disloyalty to your Tengu."

"Perhaps you can try it out and see what kind of pain your betrayal will bring to the Heavenly Demon."

The sinister tone had a significant effect, as if the enraged tengu had been doused with cold water. They stared at Yakumo Yukari in silence, and after a long while, led by several white wolf tengu acting as guards, all the tengu abandoned their tense stance.

However, the tengu did not choose to kneel. They were watching, watching Yakumo Yukari, and also watching their own tenma and great tengu.

Clearly, they need someone to take charge, someone to point them in the right direction. Unfortunately, the Heavenly Demons and the Great Tengu are destined to be unable to do so, because they will not be allowed to speak.

"Clap clap."

At that moment, a sound that was neither metal nor wood suddenly reached the ears of all the Tengu clan members. They subconsciously looked over, and a flicker of vitality appeared on their usually silent faces. For they saw that the staff, which symbolized the highest authority of the Tengu clan, was being played with by Momo.

At this moment, Momo was gently tapping the Tengu clan's tin staff on his wrist, seemingly trying to determine its material. Momo appeared very curious, wondering why this staff symbolized the Tengu clan's authority—was it imbued with some strange power?

"that……"

At this moment, Mo Mo also noticed the unanimous gazes of the Tengu clan. Influenced by the Tengu clan, almost everyone turned their attention to Mo Mo, who was playing with the tin staff.

But Mo Mo said something that left everyone speechless, both amused and exasperated.

"You guys continue, don't worry about me for now. I need to figure out what's so strange about this staff... Hmm, the structure seems pretty ordinary. How about we use a chainsaw to cut it open and take a look?"

Momo's mutterings caused the Tengu clan to erupt in chaos almost instantly. The bridesmaids who had just faced Momo rushed forward again, and the one who called herself the strategist almost ran to Momo's side and hugged the tin staff in his hand to her own arms.

"Hey, hey," Mo Mo quickly dodged when he saw this, saying, "Who gave you permission to take it? This was given to me by Lord Tianmo. You all heard it, everyone here can testify, this staff is mine now, and none of you can take it!"

Mo Mo's words nearly enraged the Tengu clan again, but a few quick-witted individuals immediately realized that this might be an opportunity.

The shrewd bridesmaid immediately rushed to Mo Mo and said, "Mo Mo, now that you're holding the staff of our Tengu clan, you're the representative of the Tengu clan's power. Now... what do you think we should do?"

The girl instinctively wanted to tell Momo to give the order directly. But what came out of her mouth was to ask Momo for his opinion.

Mo Mo naturally noticed this change in tone, but he didn't seem to care and said, "I don't know what you should do."

Mo Mo's words made the bridesmaids' faces turn even paler, and they became even angrier.

"After all, I don't know what problem you and Yakumo Yukari have, so naturally I don't know how to solve it. I don't even know what your Tengu clan is thinking or what you're thinking, so how can I give you advice?"

"Since you're not offering any suggestions," the tall bridesmaid said angrily, reaching out to Mo Mo, "then return the Tengu clan's scepter to us. It represents the Tengu clan's power and cannot fall into the hands of an outsider like you!"

But Momo nimbly dodged again. Before the tall girl could question Momo about why she did this, she said, "Stop it, stop it. This was given to me by Lord Tianmo. It's mine now. How can you take my things just because you disagree? If you want it back, you can have Lord Tianmo ask me for it himself. Then I'll take it as Lord Tianmo changing his mind and you can consider it."

The girls were dumbfounded. Only then did they realize that Mo Mo was planning to hack the Tengu clan's scepter. This scepter held absolute symbolic significance in the Tengu clan, just like the imperial seal of the human empire, and was something held by the Heavenly Demon.

Now, Momo is hoarding it and has no intention of returning it?

How could they possibly tolerate this?

"Mo Mo, stop fooling around!"

The shorter bridesmaid couldn't help but speak up, saying, "This is a symbol of our Tengu clan's power. Right now, our Tengu clan needs it as a token of unity. You must exchange it with us, otherwise..."

"Otherwise, instead of attacking Yakumo Yukari, you'll attack me first?"

Mo Mo interrupted the girl, her sharp retort forcing her to swallow her threat. She looked at Mo Mo with confusion; clearly, Mo Mo understood all this, so why was she choosing to be unreasonable now?

Mo Mo immediately offered his explanation, saying, "As you yourself have said, this is merely a token of authority for the Tengu clan, possessing only symbolic significance and lacking any powerful function in uniting the Tengu clan. In that case, whether you are united or not depends on the Tengu clan itself; whether you have this token or not is of little importance."

Such words naturally failed to gain the approval of the four girls, who wanted to say something more. Mo Mo, however, twirled the staff in his hand, pointed the tip at the four girls, and said, "Just like I now hold the power of the Tengu clan, ordering you to trust me, join me, or even marry me, would you agree?"

How could they agree to that?

The four girls subconsciously shook their heads. Even though Mo Mo held the staff, he was still an outsider. Their Tengu clan wouldn't stoop so low as to foolishly believe in a staff and completely abandon their minds.

"So you really don't believe me. So even if this staff was given to me by your Heavenly Demon himself, and you made me your master, you still won't choose to be completely loyal to me, right?"

The four girls hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded firmly.

Normally, no one would disobey the orders of the Heavenly Demon, even if they believed the orders were wrong; they would still carry them out out of loyalty. However, the Heavenly Demon's current situation is far too unusual; he is completely controlled by Yakumo Yukari. In this state, his orders no longer need to be obeyed completely.

Especially since it involved the life and death of the entire Tengu clan, no one dared to easily believe the words of the Tenma. After all, who knew if this was at the behest of Yakumo Yukari, who had now become the Tenma's master?

"Now it's clear."

Mo Mo grinned and said, "The scepter is not decisive, and the words of the Heavenly Demon Lord have lost their absolute authority. The fate of the Heavenly Dog Clan is something you need to consider yourselves. You cannot rely on me, nor can you rely on the current Heavenly Demon Lord."

"So, Tengu warriors, what are you afraid of? What are you hesitating about? What are you wavering about? Don't you already know very well what you need to do?"

Mo Mo's words brought a jolt to the eyes of every member of the Tengu clan. His words were like a guiding light; though they didn't explicitly tell the Tengu clan how to deal with the current situation, they had a profound, enlightening effect, calming everyone and allowing them to see the path ahead.

Yes, the Tengu clan ultimately relies on itself, and ultimately believes in itself. The scepter falling into outsiders' hands is unreliable, the Tenma and the Great Tengu falling into enemy hands is unreliable, so the Tengu clan can only believe in their own convictions and power, can't they?

In an instant, the Tengu clan sprang into action again, inching closer to Yakumo Yukari's direction. Seeing this, the kneeling Tenma managed a strained, comforting smile.

Unfortunately, the Heavenly Demon's laughter soon ceased.

Yakumo Yukari placed her hand on her neck.

224 Yukari Yakumo: I'm not going to be a youkai sage anymore!

Yukari Yakumo's seemingly gentle movements made people subconsciously believe that this was just a small, intimate act between her and Tenma, and that it couldn't possibly contain any malice.

But this very action brought all the Tengu clan members present to an almost instantaneous halt. All the guests watching felt their necks begin to glow.

Those hands, which looked gentle and fair, seemed to evoke the image of the Grim Reaper's scythe.

The smile on Tianmo's face vanished, and she could only watch silently. Just moments before, she had been excited that Momo had inspired the Tengu clan's courage, but Yakumo Yukari's small action instantly dampened her spirits, making her realize that the Tengu clan, accustomed to being ruled and led by Tianmo and the Great Tengu, would still fall apart even with their strength once they were no longer under their guidance.

At this moment, the Heavenly Demon could only sigh.

The Tengu clan's current power and achievements are largely due to the strict hierarchical system they established. This allowed the already strong individual Tengu to coalesce into a force that could not be ignored, even becoming so powerful that they broke free from the era of enslavement by the Oni race and became the strongest force in Gensokyo.

However, precisely because of this rigid system, the lower-level Tengu have almost forgotten how to act independently or how to deal with complex situations. They have become accustomed to waiting for the guidance of the Great Tengu and contributing their strength to the Tengu clan according to the Great Tengu's orders.

Without the leadership of the Heavenly Demon and the Great Tengu, the Tengu clan is like an insectoid race without its mother insect; the remaining Tengu have no choice but to remain silent in their madness.

Especially now, Yukari Yakumo's act of placing her hand on Tenma's neck is clearly a blatant threat. The Tengu clan, already bewildered and helpless without a leader, would never dare to take any action, even if they were filled with rage, upon seeing Tenma threatened by Yukari Yakumo.

This was not the situation the Heavenly Demon wanted to see. She looked at Mo Mo with an angry and resentful gaze, as if she hated his lack of ambition.

At this moment, Mo Mo noticed the look in Tianmo's eyes. Seemingly understanding everything, he shrugged helplessly and said, "Your Tengu clan has confirmed it several times. This scepter is just a token without any real meaning. Perhaps you and the Great Tengu died at the hands of Yakumo Yukari, and I can use this scepter to consolidate the power of the Tengu clan."

"But right now, you're still in Yakumo Yukari's hands. Do you really think it's possible for me to use a mere token to make the Tengu clan forget their respect and loyalty to you, and instead turn against you, their old leaders?"

Mo Mo's words were simple, and he didn't offer any further explanation. But upon hearing Mo Mo's words, the resentment on Tianmo's face vanished, replaced by dejection. Because what Mo Mo said made perfect sense; if Tianmo calmed down and thought about it, he would inevitably reach the same conclusion.

Unfortunately, when faced with a decision, even a straw can be seen as a lifeline, let alone Momo, a seemingly powerful outsider who could go toe-to-toe with Yakumo Yukari. It was only natural for Tenmo to place her bet on Momo, but unfortunately, she realized at this moment that she seemed to have overestimated Momo, or perhaps she had mistaken Momo for a savior.

In this world, only you can save yourself; there is no savior.

The hope in the helpless Tenma's eyes gradually faded. Without Yakumo Yukari's orders, she could neither move nor speak, only able to make subtle changes in her facial expressions. These changes were seen by the Tengu clan members not far from them, chilling their hearts as well.

Even the Heavenly Demon has yielded, so what else can they do?

Just as Mo Mo said, even if pledging allegiance to Mo Mo is the true thought and desire of the Heavenly Demon, how could these Tengu people possibly turn their blades against the Heavenly Demon and the Great Tengu?

"It seems everyone has finally calmed down. Heavenly Demon, it's time for you to make the announcement."

Yukari Yakumo's fingers traced the face of the Tenma, helping her to her feet. A deep rage resurfaced on the Tenma's face, but she couldn't disobey Yukari's command. She could only say in a hoarse voice, "In the name of the Tenma, I issue this order: From this day forward, the Tengu clan will be completely loyal to Yukari Yakumo, becoming her servants. Every member of the Tengu clan will henceforth sign a contract with Yukari Yakumo, becoming her shikigami."

Tenma's words left all the Tengu clan members completely incredulous, but they immediately realized that Tenma's order was actually Yakumo Yukari's order... But so what?

They instinctively obeyed the Heavenly Demon's orders, even though these orders were likely given under the Heavenly Demon's control. But such orders and blindly pledging allegiance to Yakumo Yukari were much easier to accept than pledging allegiance to Momo, a clueless outsider, and wielding a sword against the Heavenly Demon.

A helpless choice, or rather, the Tengu clan had no other choice. One by one, the Tengu began to move with difficulty, flapping their wings. Gradually, the Tengu quickened their pace, forming a neat line, and knelt on one knee before Yakumo Yukari.

Seeing this, Yukari Yakumo's somewhat chilling smile finally blossomed into a radiant one. She looked down at Mo Mo, at his seemingly unchanging zombie-like smile, and said, "Outsider, can you now return the Tengu clan's scepter to them? Everything that just happened was merely a misunderstanding."

By saying this, Yukari Yakumo was clearly trying to provoke or mock Momo. The Tengu had clearly acknowledged Momo and entrusted the entire Tengu clan to him. Yet, just three minutes later, Momo was to personally hand over the staff to Yukari Yakumo. Wouldn't anyone feel humiliated by such a scene?

But Mo Mo was different. He didn't care at all about the value of the staff in his hand and simply threw it to Yakumo Yukari in the distance. Yakumo Yukari was slightly surprised, but without any hesitation, she caught the staff and didn't return it to the Heavenly Demon.

She slowly raised her staff and said, "From today onwards, I am your new master. The Tengu clan will strive for the peace of Gensokyo, and I will continue to live in harmony with them. After all, you are a force that Gensokyo needs to rely on!"

Yakumo Yukari's voice was sincere, but its somewhat hoarse and sinister tone made the young tengu of the clan want to flee the moment she spoke. They all knew that Yakumo Yukari was just talking. Was this how she obtained peace and effort?

No one responded to Yakumo Yukari, no one answered her, yet this seemed to be the scene she wanted to see. After speaking of the Tengu clan's fate, she turned to Mo Mo and said, "Outsider, how about I, as the head of the Tengu clan, continue to officiate your wedding?"

Upon hearing this, the calm atmosphere was instantly disrupted, as if a pebble had been thrown in. Everyone stared in astonishment at Yakumo Yukari and Momo; what were they up to now?

Yakumo Yukari recruited the entire Tengu clan under her command in a less-than-honorable manner. Isn't she afraid of a counterattack from Momo, this powerful outsider? After all, everyone just witnessed Momo's strength and wisdom. Why would Yakumo Yukari want to deal with such a person?

"It's rare that you're in such an interest, but don't you think weddings are such a trivial matter? I'm curious, how come a sage of monsters has become interested in acting as a master of ceremonies?"

Mo Mo also watched Yakumo Yukari with great interest, after all, this was the first time Mo Mo had ever seen Yakumo Yukari in this state. The dark and gorgeous clothes accentuated Yakumo Yukari's beauty, but every word and action of Yakumo Yukari's was unsettling, and it was all sublimating this dark beauty.

"I may skip other people's weddings, but I absolutely must attend yours. So, stranger, aren't you moved to tears by this wedding gift I'm giving you?"

Yukari Yakumo's voice was filled with undisguised sarcasm, but Mo Mo ignored it and said, "Of course you're welcome. To be honest, I'm more surprised by your appearance than by what you've done. Did you prepare this elaborate outfit to act as the master of ceremonies? Honestly, it's very beautiful, with a breathtaking beauty."

"There's no point in trying to please me, Momo. Right now, instead of looking at me, isn't there something you want to ask more, something you need to ask more?"