Without a divine artifact, without a god, in this upcoming war where incarnations of gods and buddhas would run rampant, she was just a piece of fat meat waiting to be slaughtered. She knew this better than anyone.
Kanbe Hikaru was exploiting her fear, exploiting her having nothing. This was a sky-high demand. It was also an undisguised manipulation.
One step, two steps, three steps. Half of Kanbe Hikaru's figure had already submerged into the thick fog.
Imagawa Yoshimoto's expression finally changed; she stood in place, gripping the folding fan in her hand with slight force. She watched that back that was leaving without a hint of reluctance.
Flashing through her mind, however, were the scenes of misery under the iron hooves of the Takeda Red Corps, and the unstoppable sharpness of Uesugi Kenshin's banner bearing the character 'Bishamon' as described by her scouts.
And the image of herself, sitting in a magnificent palanquin, yet as powerless as a clown.
She was unwilling to accept this.
Truly unwilling.
She, Imagawa Yoshimoto, was someone destined to march on the capital and unite the world!
How could she fall here?
"Wait—!"
Imagawa Yoshimoto's voice finally rang out again, and this time, it couldn't help but carry a note of panic: "I... I can agree to your terms."
Even though her voice wasn't loud.
She had used almost all her strength to shout those words.
All the elegance of a noble court lady she usually possessed was completely gone.
Kanbe Hikaru's footsteps stopped accordingly.
He didn't turn back, just turned his body slightly, the corner of his mouth visible beneath the demon mask curling upward—arrogant and triumphant, causing Imagawa Yoshimoto to grit her teeth.
"Everything?"
"Everything!"
Imagawa Yoshimoto gritted her teeth, her pretty face flushed red, yet she remained firm and decisive, as if afraid she might regret it.
"The military command is yours, and this group... this group of little monsters, I will support them too. I agree to all your conditions!"
The wind blew across the battlefield.
Lifting the hem of her complex and magnificent twelve-layered kimono.
After pausing, Kanbe Hikaru turned around again.
The blood mist dissipated, and he stood in her line of sight once more.
He looked at the young girl, who was trembling with rage.
The afternoon sun shone on her; the layered collars tightly bound her slender neck, and her chest heaved with heavy panting. Beneath the luxurious fabric, the young girl's petite frame seemed to be under pressure that threatened to snap it.
Disheveled, yet real.
"Deal."
Kanbe Hikaru's smile remained unchanged.
Success in manipulating her—
Imagawa Yoshimoto let out a long breath, as if her spine had been pulled out, her body swaying, almost collapsing to the ground.
She glared fiercely at Kanbe Hikaru.
That look held both the annoyance of wanting to bite him and a sense of relief from surviving a disaster.
"...You bastard demon god."
She cursed softly, turned around, and faced away from him, not wanting him to see her current expression.
"Back to camp!"
She roared at the surrounding samurai and Ashigaru who had long been stunned into silence:
"What are you all standing around for? Prepare to return to Suruga!"
"And prepare for me, offerings in all four directions; build'shrines' throughout Suruga."
...
That night.
On a small hill near the battlefield.
Moonlight like water spilled onto the forest clearing at the top of the hill.
The Twenty-three Demons formed a circle, kneeling on the ground.
Kanbe Hikaru sat on a large bluestone in the center, removed his demon mask, and revealed his pale, handsome, and heroic face.
In his hand, he held the dark purple poison jiao scale, but his gaze fell upon these creatures before him.
They looked more spirited than before.
Perhaps it was because they knew they had a place to settle, a backer, and were even about to possess a'status' they had never dared to imagine.
The leading Tanuki Spirit knelt at the very front, holding the tattered banner with both paws, head bowed to the ground, rear end stuck high in the air, tail flicking excitedly.
"My Lord... no, Master!"
The Tanuki Spirit's voice was trembling, carrying a fervor bordering on worship:
"Are you really... really letting us go and become those humans'... gods?"
"Not gods; you will not receive true faith."
Kanbe Hikaru corrected, his voice sounding clear in the night:
"You will only receive 'Awe'—the combination of respect and fear."
He stood up and walked over to the Tanuki Spirit.
"I have found you a place and given you an identity. The Imagawa Clan will build momentum for you; humans will respect and fear you because of the legends and offer you sacrifices."
"Those 'Awe' will become your source of power."
"You will become stronger."
"But this isn't free."
His gaze swept over every demon present.
The Hitotsume-kozo, the Fox-eared Girl, the Giant Rat with a broken leg... all those eyes filled with fear and worship.
"In exchange, your lives belong to me."
"Your eyes will watch this world for me, and your ears will listen to the movements of the world for me."
"When I want you to kill, even if the target is a believer who offers you sacrifices, you must not hesitate."
"Do you understand?"
"Understood!"
The Twenty-three Demons answered in unison.
The sound was not loud, even a bit uneven, but in the silent forest, it carried a firmness they had never possessed before, unprecedented.
They were originally the dregs abandoned by the world, the bottom of this era, the weak.
It was Kanbe Hikaru who gave them a way to live, and more importantly, a dignity they had never imagined.
For this, sacrificing everything was only natural.
Following their oath.
Kanbe Hikaru felt a strange aura.
Rising from these twenty-three little demons, it was a faint, grayish-white Demonic Qi.
Very weak.
Like a candle flame about to be extinguished in the wind.
But they gathered together, forming a thin stream that flowed slowly and firmly toward Kanbe Hikaru.
Merging into his body.
Kanbe Hikaru closed his eyes, feeling that new power.
Although it was still very weak, the nature of this power was different from any power he had possessed before.
It seemed to be the 'core' of a force field formed collectively by the twenty-three little demons before him.
It was also like a status or rank.
A Ruler.
From this day forth.
He was no longer a wandering ghost.
He was—
The true master of The Twenty-three Demons' Night Parade.
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Rexlent
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"