"Do—not—run!!"
The piercing shriek viciously assaulted Miko Yotsuya's eardrums.
She shot up in bed, drenched in cold sweat. Her pajamas clung to her skin, sending waves of chill through her body.
"Hah... hah... hah..."
Miko gasped heavily, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.
The familiar ceiling of her bedroom greeted her eyes, but the three eerie foxes from her dream and their ominous malice still lingered.
"Miko? What's wrong?"
Hana, who was sleeping over tonight, was awakened by the commotion and rubbed her sleepy eyes.
"Did you have a nightmare?"
"I..." Miko swallowed hard, her throat dry and aching. "I dreamed about the Three Fox Shrine."
She told Hana about the threat in her dream. Terrified, Hana notified the others before dawn even broke.
Kyoko and Yuria's faces instantly turned deathly pale.
"That shrine is definitely bad news!" Yuria hugged her rabbit plushie, her voice trembling. She had actually wanted to visit that shrine before.
"Three Fox Shrine?"
Tomie looked at Miko.
"Is that the place you mentioned before, the one that protected you once?"
"Yeah." Miko nodded.
"Hah?"
Tomie paused for a moment before a surge of anger rose within her.
"A mere local trash evil god! And it dares to threaten us?!"
*Bang!*
She kicked over the table in front of her. The "Star Hammer" skin in her hand instantly switched, reverting to the ferocious and brutal Holy Light Spiked Club!
"Let's smash it!"
With a backhand grab, the six-barrel Gatling gun appeared out of thin air, and she slammed it heavily onto the ground.
"I'm going to flatten that broken-down temple right now!"
"I'm going to twist those stinking foxes' heads off and kick them like balls!"
Murderous intent radiating from her, Tomie hefted the Gatling gun and prepared to charge out.
"Calm down, Tomie."
Yang Yi blocked her path with one hand.
"Do you even know where it is? Just rushing off like that!"
"Uh... no." Tomie scratched her head awkwardly.
"Besides, this is a good opportunity."
"Your 'Jujutsu Girl Squad' was just formed, and we haven't had a proper team-building activity."
"Isn't this the perfect live-combat drill?"
"A drill?" Tomie blinked, the madness in her eyes quickly replaced by excitement.
"Ohoho! I get it! We're going on a 'subjugation' quest, right!"
"Exactly."
Yang Yi lowered his hand and glanced around at the shivering girls.
"Miko, Hana, Yuria, are you still scared?"
The three girls subconsciously gripped their weapons tighter. Though they didn't speak, their tense bodies said it all.
"It's fine. All fear stems from a lack of firepower."
"Since that's the case, before the 'drill' begins, let's do an equipment upgrade."
As soon as he spoke, he waved his hand. Several powerful weapons, exuding a cold metallic luster and a heavy, oppressive presence, appeared before them.
They were domineering, ferociously serrated Chainswords.
Alongside them were several Emperor's Bolters—heavy, ornate firearms that looked like works of art yet radiated an aura of absolute destruction.
Finally, there were a few palm-sized, dark gold sachets embroidered with a double-headed eagle motif.
"Inside the sachets are 'Emperor's Fart Cushion' amulets. Here, one for each of you."
Miko, Hana, and Yuria each received a set.
The girls stroked the cold weapons, their faces filled with confusion.
Was this... was this really something they could handle? Just gripping the gunstock made their arms tremble slightly.
"Don't underestimate yourselves."
Yang Yi saw right through their doubts.
"Now, gather around."
Yang Yi sat cross-legged, gesturing for the girls to form a circle and place their new weapons in front of them.
"We are going to perform the 'Machine Spirit Prayer' ritual."
"Huh?" Yuria looked utterly bewildered. "Master, what kind of chunibyo..."
She didn't dare finish her sentence, for Yang Yi's expression was unprecedentedly solemn and dignified.
Tomie also dropped her playful demeanor and sat properly, mimicking Yang Yi.
The atmosphere instantly became sacred.
Yang Yi began to burn incense, then chanted in a low, solemn tone:
"Ring the great bell once!"
His voice seemed to carry an echo.
"Activate the pistons and pumps!"
The girls couldn't help but softly repeat after him.
"Ring the great bell twice!"
"Ignite the turbines, infuse them with life!"
"Ring the great bell three times!"
"Sing in unison! Praise the Omnissiah!"
"Praise the Omnissiah!!"
The moment the prayer ended, a sudden change occurred!
*Vrr—vrr—vrr—*
The Chainswords before them, as if activated by invisible hands, actually began to hum on their own!
Indicator lights on the blades lit up one by one, emitting soft *beep-beep* sounds.
Immediately after!
*VROOOM—!!!*
Four deep, melodious roars erupted simultaneously as the ferocious serrated teeth began to spin at high speed!
At the same time, the exquisite runes on the heavy Emperor's Bolters lit up one after another, radiating a gentle spiritual light.
The once cold and heavy weapons seemed to come alive at this moment!
The girls reached out in shock.
When their fingertips touched the gun barrels and sword hilts again, an indescribable sense of intimacy and a warm current surged up their arms and into their bodies.
The weapons seemed to be cheering, accepting them.
The fear of the Three Fox Shrine and the dread of the unknown from just moments ago were completely swept away by this warm power!
"Wow..." Hana stroked the warm barrel of her Bolter. "It feels like it's acting spoiled with me."
"My sword... it's singing!" Yuria gripped the hilt of her Chainsword, the roar of the chainsaw actually carrying a wondrous melody.
Miko gripped the heavy hilt tightly, a heroic sense of fearlessness filling her heart.
She was no longer that girl who could only shiver in fear!
"Everyone, arm yourselves."
Yang Yi stood up and issued the command.
"Target: Three Fox Shrine."
"Move out!"
*Vrr—VROOOM—!!!*
Yang Yi slammed the gas pedal to the floor. The black Batmobile let out a roar even more furious than the Chainswords, its tires leaving blinding sparks on the ground as it rapidly surged onto the streets of Tokyo.
This ferocious steel behemoth ignored all traffic laws, running red lights, driving against traffic, and speeding wildly down the sidewalks.
(Who said there was a traffic jam? Isn't this sidewalk plenty spacious?)
*Woo—woo—!!*
Soon, piercing police sirens wailed from all directions.
"To the black... car ahead! Pull over immediately! Pull over immediately!"
"Bwahahahaha! Come catch me! Idiots!"
Tomie excitedly opened the Batmobile's sunroof and leaned her entire upper body out, letting the fierce wind whip her long hair into a wild dance.
She brazenly flipped her middle fingers at the relentlessly pursuing police cars behind them.
"Bring it on! You bunch of trash!"
She even pulled out a few smoke bombs and tossed them at the cruisers.
*Bang! Bang!*
Thick smoke instantly blanketed the street. The police cars behind them fell into chaos, resulting in a pileup and a chorus of screeching brakes.
"Hahahahahaha!!" Tomie's morbidly gleeful, maniacal laughter echoed through the traffic.
In the backseat, Miko and Hana hugged each other in terror, their faces deathly pale.
"Master! We're speeding! We ran red lights! We assaulted the police!!" Miko let out a despairing scream.
"Don't be afraid." Yang Yi gripped the steering wheel, his expression remaining calm. "They can't catch us. The wanted stars will fade in a bit."
"What?! What are you talking about!!"
"Attention ahead! The road ahead is blocked! Repeat! A multi-car pileup has occurred on the Rainbow Bridge! The road is completely sealed off!"
Anxious shouts came through the police communicators.
Up ahead, countless vehicles jammed the bridge, completely cutting off their path forward.
"It's over, the road is blocked. We're going to get caught!" Yuria closed her eyes in despair.
However, amidst the girls' screams, Yang Yi didn't slow down at all; instead, he yanked the steering wheel hard.
*CRASH—!!!*
The Batmobile smashed right through the bridge's guardrail. Under the horrified gazes of countless police officers and drivers, the vehicle plunged toward the pitch-black ocean below!
"Ahhh—!!!"
*Clack! Ka-chunk! Shhhk—!!!*
Right in mid-air as they fell, mechanical sounds rang out.
The Batmobile's outer shell peeled back layer by layer, flipping and reconfiguring.
Two massive black wings unfolded from the sides of the chassis.
The tires retracted inward, and the tail end blasted out two streams of spectral blue plasma fire.
A few seconds later, the sports car had astonishingly transformed into the Batwing.
The downward plummet came to an abrupt halt. A powerful G-force pressed them into their seats as the jet pulled up sharply, soaring into the clouds!
"Waaaaahhh—!!"
There was no fear in Tomie's screams, only pure, unadulterated joy.
The jet tore through the sky, flying toward the shrine radiating an ominous aura on the distant hill.
Gripping the flight stick, Yang Yi sent the jet into a direct dive toward the Three Fox Shrine.
He had absolutely no intention of slowing down.
In front of the shrine, the three stone fox statues seemed to sense something. A hint of human-like terror actually surfaced in their carved stone eyes—*What the hell is this?!*
*BOOM—!!*
Under the terrified "gazes" of the foxes, the Batwing violently crashed into the shrine's ancient, rotting gates.
Amidst the deafening explosion, the entire hill trembled!
Wood splinters and crushed stone blasted into the sky!
The shrine's gates, which had stood for hundreds of years, were completely obliterated.
Smoke and dust filled the air.
"Cough... cough, cough..."
The jet's hatch popped open, and a few coughs sounded from inside.
Yang Yi stepped out first. He dusted off his Daoist robes, completely unscathed.
Following closely behind, Tomie, Miko, Hana, Yuria, and Kyoko stepped out one by one.
Under the protection of the "Emperor's Fart Cushion" amulets, they were equally unharmed.
In their hands, they tightly gripped their Chainswords and Emperor's Bolters.
*Hiss—*
Behind the shattered altar, the three massive fox statues suddenly cracked open.
Two shocking trails of bloody tears flowed from the stone statues' eyes.
*ROAR—!!!*
A piercing shriek erupted from within the statues.
Behind the leading, massive fox statue, a gigantic fox stood up. Its tightly shut mouth slowly opened.
A monster composed of countless twisted limbs, agonized faces, and slimy tentacles crawled out from inside it.
This was its true form!
"Ah!"
Seeing the monster's appearance clearly, Miko couldn't help but take a step back.
That face, cobbled together from countless visages, was incomparably hideous and terrifying.
A wave of delayed fear surged into her heart.
She was incredibly thankful that she hadn't actually accepted this thing's protection three times.
"Heretic!"
A furious shout broke the standoff.
Tomie stepped forward, perfectly immersing herself in the role of the "Space Marine" that Yang Yi had once described.
She raised the roaring Chainsword high, the chainsaw's bellow echoing through the ruined shrine.
She pointed the tip of the blade directly at the ugly monstrosity.
"Filthy Warp scum!"
"How dare you lay a finger on the Emperor's citizens!"
"Here and now, this shall be your grave!"