As the cherry blossoms fall Rikuo steps into the night and meets his night form sitting in the tree who asks him if he wants to be strong.
A carriage arrives while Kubinashi sweeps outside so he runs in announcing that Zen of the Zen Ippa group has arrived, after being greeted Zen speaks with Rikuo’s grandfather and Gyuuki about Rikuo’s succession and appears to support him.
Rikuo arrives home from school and sees some of the youkai eating sweets, at first he thinks that his grandfather had stolen them while doing what he does as the Nurarihyon but after Natto explains that Zen gave the sweets to them he runs off to meet him.
He meets up with his old friend again and while some of the youkai watch on one explains that Zen is like a brother to Rikuo. Yuki Onna brings them some tea but spills it on Rikuo, she tries to cool him down and Zen yells at her for this, once he’s defrosted Rikuo and Zen talk with Zen speaking about how he can’t wait until he succeeds his grandfather. However Rikuo doesn’t intend to succeed him since he’s human so Zen snaps and sends out his poisonous feathers, but the stress from this is too much and he starts coughing.
On his way out Zen and his retainer Hibidayo pass Gyuuki and Kana meets a sudden gust of wind as they depart.
Karasu Tengu explains that the type of youkai that Zen are bird types that specialise in medicine and poison but their bodies are incredibly fragile so they’re not known to live long lives, and due to this Rikuo asks why his grandfather called him from so far knowing this. His grandfather replies that he won’t be able to inherit the clan with that attitude, leaving Karasu Tengu to explain how the Nura clan and the Nurarihyon protects the weaker clans in it’s territory.
While they pass through the bamboo Hebidayu advises that they break away from the Nura clan but Zen refuses as his clan is indebted to the Nura clan and the Nurarihyon. As he speaks of how the Nura clan may be coming to an end Hebidayu turns on him.
Since he wants to apologise Rikuo and Karasu Tengu run to catch up to Zen. Meanwhile Hebidayu has attacked Zen so to weaken the faction supporting Rikuo. Rikuo and Karasu Tengu catch up just in time to see this as Hebidayu explains his own reasons for this, due to Zen placing the Nura clan first.
He lunges towards him and Karasu Tengu blocks it, and Rikuo runs up to apologise to Zen. He steps up as Hebidayu attacks again and draws his blade in his nightform, slicing Hebidayu in two.
Both Zen and Karasu Tengu are speechless at his transformation, they decide to drink and Zen asks to exchange Sakazuki with him so that he can serve him with what little life he has left. After he heads back, Rikuo announces his intention to succeed his grandfather to Karasu Tengu leaving him pitying that he will have forgotten it by the time he wakes up tomorrow.
The next morning Rikuo feels as if something had happened the night before and meets Kana in the hallway, Kiyotsugu and Shima catch up with him about the youkai that were in the old school building. Yuki Onna in disguise as their classmate, Tsurara asks them about it, after they’ve left she hands Rikuo his lunch and he pulls her aside. Where he requests that she stops referring to him so formerly, she agrees on the condition that he calls her Tsurara. Kana feels as if she’s seen her before.
A new student, Yura Keikan transfers to Rikuo’s school from Kyoto.