MAO

Kiba Nanoka is a third-year middle school student living in the Reiwa era. One day, after passing through an entrance, she unexpectedly finds herself in a strange, unfamiliar world, where she meets a young man named Mao. After driving away an Ayakashi that attacks her, Mao asks, "You're a demon, aren't you?"

Nanoka recalls encountering a monster after an accident in first grade and realizes that the door at Fifth Street Shopping leads to the Taisho era. Mao learns of a headless murder case possibly tied to the curse of Byoki that haunts him and heads to a mansion to investigate.

Since Nanoka survives even after coming into contact with Mao's the sword of Hagunsei, the latter guesses that she may have been cursed after being exposed to Byoki's blood in childhood. Nanoka then returns to the modern era and starts looking into the accident from eight years earlier.

Nanoka and Otoya secretly infiltrate Shorinkyo, a sect suspected to be connected to Byoki. Although they find a handwritten manuscript of spells in the basement, it contains no method for controlling human lifespan. At that moment, Shorinkyo's leader, Priestess Shoko, locks them inside.

Frequent earthquakes strike the Fifth District during the Taisho era. Mao and Otoya hear from a Ayakashi, who had gone to check the landslide in the foothills, that a mysterious Western-style building has appeared near the keystone that once suppressed the quakes. The two head there and discover a church that wasn't there before.

Nanoka tells Mao and Otoya that she comes from a world a hundred years in the future, but they don't believe her. After returning to the present, Nanoka takes the antidote Mao gave her and suddenly recalls what happened on the day of the accident eight years ago. Troubled by her doubts, she goes back to the Taisho era to seek answers from Mao.

In the Taisho era, Nanoka sees her younger self from eight years ago. Byoki eventually grabs the young Nanoka and flees through the Fifth Street Shopping gate into the Reiwa era. Half-transformed into a beast, Mao urgently orders his guardian shikigami to follow them into the modern world to protect young Nanoka before collapsing unconscious.

Mao and his companions come under attack from Hyakka, a senior apprentice. Although Hyakka suddenly dies during the battle, he immediately comes back to life, and the group later learns he has also lived for 900 years. Through Hyakka, Mao discovers that their master once summoned his five senior apprentices to Five-Sided Temple 900 years ago.

Tanehiko Ibaraki, who specifically targets young girls, runs Tenko over and knocks her unconscious. After hearing the news, Mao and the others rush to rescue her. At the same time, a man named Kuchinawa arrives under Master Tanehiko's orders. Using Onmyo spells of the Wood Element, Kuchinawa is later revealed to be Mao's senior apprentice, Kamon.

Mao tricks the attacking shikigami into swallowing a talisman, hoping to lure out the sorcerer controlling it. Just then, a giant made of fish and water appears. As it closes in, it insists that Mao teach it the art of Taizanhukun, the highest secret of Onmyoudou and a technique capable of manipulating human life spans.

A boy named Shigeru falls ill, and his mom seeks help from Mao, asking him to treat her son. Mao immediately goes to see Shigeru, but it turns out to be a trap to lure him out. Once inside the house, he's ambushed by a shikigami that controls water and attempts to take him away.

After being attacked by a shikigami that controls water, Mao is reminded of the most powerful water sorcerer from the Goko Treasure House during the Heian era. Still, he doubts that the sorcerer is behind the assassination attempt, leaving him puzzled. Meanwhile, Kamon travels to an offshore stronghold rumored to house Goko Treasure House sorcerers, where he meets Shiranui once again.

Byoki, who appears in the Reiwa era, asks Nanoka to deliver a message to Mao. Nanoka immediately travels to the Taisho era, only to discover that Kamon and Hyakka are also at Mao's clinic. Later, Kamon tells Mao that the water sorcerer who has been deceiving people with a supposed life-extending technique is actually Shiranui.

Rumors spread across the capital about a sorcerer from the Goko Treasure House who can extend people's lives. At the same time, Yurako begins appearing at social gatherings attended by political and business elites. Believing Yurako works for Shiranui, Kamon teams up with Mao to track her down. However, the instant Mao catches sight of Yurako, he's left in shock.

Shiranui appears before Mao and reveals the bond they have shared since the Heian era. He demands that Mao hand over the Secret Spell of Taizanfukun, which controls lifespan. But after learning that Yurako, the woman who looks exactly like Sana, is Shiranui's subordinate, Mao can no longer contain his anger and tries to force Shiranui to reveal the truth.

The man behind the iron mask is revealed to be Hakubi, Mao's senior from the Goko Treasure House. Like Hyakka and Kamon, Hakubi is summoned to Five-Sided Temple during the Heian era. Believing Mao to be the Goko Treasure House's sworn enemy, Hakubi unleashes a relentless attack with his shikigami that controls metal. Badly injured, Mao transforms into his beast form and loses control.

After his battle with Hakubi, Mao falls into a deep sleep from sheer exhaustion. Just then, countless Ayakashi arrive at his clinic seeking treatment, leaving Nanoka, Otoya, and Hyakka to handle them on their own. Back in the present day, Nanoka and Shiraha begin investigating the connection between Onmyoudou and cats.

Natsuno, Daigo's senior from the Goko Treasure House, suddenly appears before Mao and Nanoka. She tells them about Daigo and Sana's past. Meanwhile, Kamon and Mao perform a soul-summoning ritual to uncover whose hair is rising from the undersea shrine.

With Natsuno's help, Mao and the others make their way to the undersea shrine. There, Shiranui reveals the truth behind Masago's death. Though Kamon is filled with regret, he still steps forward to fight, only to be driven into a corner by Shiranui's sorcery.

Kamon vows to take back Masago's remains from Shiranui. Meanwhile, Natsuno tells Mao and the others that the black evil energy Yurako released is the same as the one that took Sana's heart 900 years ago.

After Ichima Kagami commits random killings, Ichima Kagami's heart is devoured by the beast sealed inside the bodies of the Kagami clan's former heads. After battling his brother Ichima, Soma is seriously injured. Mao eventually takes him to a clinic for treatment, but Soma secretly escapes while Mao isn't watching.

Soma uses the puppet needle Kagari gave him on Mao, stabbing it into his back and transforming him into a savage beast. Hyakka, Nanoka, and Otoya arrive at the scene. Under the needle's curse, Mao, controlled by Hakubi, attacks the three of them.

One patient refuses to eat anything and sneaks out of the hospital every night. Curious about what he's up to, Mao, Nanoka, and Otoya follow him, only to witness him eating soil from a grave and then vomiting it all back up. Mao is shocked by the strength of the curse and Onmyo spells of the Earth Element involved. Just then, Natsuno appears.

To find out whether the rumor that a village disappears after a certain rural theater troupe performs is true, Natsuno goes to investigate the site herself. here, she discovers a village buried by a landslide. Suddenly, a group of strange Ayakashi attacks her. After barely escaping, Natsuno decides to ask Kamon for help.