Chapter 133: Shōko Appears
Rustle, rustle.
The sound of countless footsteps approached from the distance.
A large group of figures in kariginu emerged through the ruined temple grounds, their silhouettes cutting through the lingering haze of Yin energy and dust.
They were the Onmyoji who had retreated in disarray from Shōkoku-ji.
Led by Tsuchimikado Arima, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi, Kurahashi Genji, Keikain Hidemoto, and the other higher-ups of Onmyōdō, the battered Onmyoji finally arrived at Kinkaku-ji.
Like Shōkoku-ji, this place had already become a field of ruins.
Most of them carried injuries.
Some had torn sleeves stained with blood.
Some leaned on their companions.
Others stared at the destroyed temple grounds in silence, their eyes hollow.
The disastrous defeats on both front lines, Shōkoku-ji and Kinkaku-ji, had struck them hard. Many of the Onmyoji, already disheveled and exhausted, now wore expressions of confusion and desolation.
Their morale had nearly collapsed.
Seeing this, Tsuchimikado Arima, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi, Kurahashi Genji, Keikain Hidemoto, and the others could only sigh inwardly.
If this had been before the Mount Fuji Incident, Hagoromo Gitsune's Night Parade of One Hundred Demons would still have been extremely difficult to handle. After all, it contained six Great Yokai-level existences.
But it would not have been so hopelessly overwhelming.
The difference would not have been this painful.
The Mount Fuji Incident had simply wounded the Onmyōdō world too deeply.
Trying to recover to its former peak in such a short time was nothing more than a dream.
"This Crimson Lotus divine power is definitely Ro's."
Among the Onmyo Alliance's [Twelve Heavenly Generals], [Empress] Subaru Mitejima used her Spirit Insight Power to examine the traces of scorching divine power still lingering in the air.
Within the Onmyo Alliance, no one was more familiar with Ro than Subaru Mitejima.
The two of them had been almost inseparable.
Ever since Ro left the Onmyo Alliance to search for that lord, the absence of her partner over the past few days had made Subaru feel faintly uncomfortable.
"Aside from Ro's Crimson Lotus divine power," Tsuchimikado Arima said, "the other lingering divine power is the same as the one that appeared during the battle at Shinomiya Manor."
He looked toward the center of the ruins.
"That lord really has come."
At once, Tsuchimikado Arima, Keikain Hidemoto, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi, Kurahashi Genji, and the others turned toward a corner of Kinkaku-ji.
There, lying among the rubble and newly sprouted grass, was a demon's head.
Nearly half of it had been burned away by Crimson Lotus flames.
Its eyes still carried the despairing stillness of death.
Yaksha Oni.
Another Great Yokai had died at that lord's hands.
Just thinking about it was enough to chill the heart.
Since Gin Tsumugi appeared openly in the world of Onmyōdō, four Great Yokai had already fallen because of him.
And the Kyoto Incident had only just begun.
Whether more Great Yokai would continue to die in the future was still hard to say.
But at this moment, the tension in the hearts of Tsuchimikado Arima, Kurahashi Genji, and the others finally eased a little.
Since that lord had arrived, their once-desperate situation had gained room to turn around.
Their chances against Hagoromo Gitsune had grown much higher.
"I'm sorry."
At that moment, Otomo Jin dragged his severely injured body over to Tsuchimikado Arima and the others.
His face was pale, and self-blame filled his eyes.
"The plan failed. It almost caused everyone here to be buried with it. This was my dereliction of duty."
"This matter is not your fault," Keikain Hidemoto said, shaking his head.
When he saw that Keikain Yūra, Keikain Ryūji, and Keikain Akifusa, the outstanding younger members of the Keikain Clan, were still alive, the worry pressing on his heart finally eased.
But then his gaze shifted to the ground.
The corpses of the Keikain clansmen and disciples lay beneath the grass that had grown under the nourishment of Azure Wood divine power.
The old man's white-haired face turned unbearably sorrowful.
They had all been members of the Keikain Clan.
And they had all been buried here in a single battle.
"Sigh..."
Kurahashi Genji could not help sighing as well.
The casualties suffered by the Keikain Clan were far heavier than any of them had expected.
"Otomo Jin," Kurahashi Genji said, "you do not need to blame yourself too much. No one wanted to see this happen."
He looked toward the remains of Yaksha Oni.
"Moreover, Yaksha Oni's appearance was a completely unexpected factor. Who could have known Hagoromo Gitsune still had such a move hidden?"
The others nodded.
Indeed.
Counting Yaksha Oni, who had already been subjugated and eliminated by Gin Tsumugi, the Yokai side had possessed seven Great Yokai-level combatants.
It was only one more than expected, but at that level, one additional combatant was enough to influence the entire battlefield.
"Yaksha Oni was likely not one of Hagoromo Gitsune's subordinates."
A voice suddenly spoke.
It was the Thirteenth Generation Keikain Hidemoto.
"Not Hagoromo Gitsune's subordinate?"
Tsuchimikado Arima, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi, Kurahashi Genji, Keikain Hidemoto, and the other high-ranking Onmyoji all looked stunned.
They did not immediately understand what this genius Onmyoji from four hundred years ago meant.
The Thirteenth Generation Hidemoto then recounted what had happened at Kinkaku-ji.
The cause.
The process.
Yaksha Oni's master.
The massacre of the imperial lineage a thousand years ago.
And certain details of battles from the past.
A while later, after digesting the information provided by the Thirteenth Generation Hidemoto, Tsuchimikado Arima could not help rubbing his forehead.
"Another existence who is not inferior to Hagoromo Gitsune in strength and influence."
His voice carried visible exhaustion.
"These terrifying beings keep appearing one after another. It is truly overwhelming."
"However," Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi said with a frown, "regarding that person massacring the imperial lineage, I have no recollection of such an event."
He glanced toward Arima.
"There are also no related records within the Tsuchimikado Clan."
Tsuchimikado Arima nodded, confirming his words.
"It seems there are many secrets we do not know," the Thirteenth Generation Hidemoto analyzed. "Either that, or someone with ulterior motives deliberately altered and concealed that part of history."
After all, in the era he had lived through, there had been no clear trace of it.
This speculation was undoubtedly the most likely.
As for the so-called person with ulterior motives, there were many possibilities.
Someone involved in the incident.
Someone from the Imperial family.
Someone from the old Onmyōryō.
Whether it was to cover up shame or to achieve some other purpose, all of them were suspicious.
"Now is not the time to discuss this."
Amami Daizen suddenly spoke.
"Where did that brat run off to?"
The corners of several mouths stiffened.
In the current world of Onmyōdō, aside from Amami Daizen, one of the Omnyo Agency's Twelve Divine Generals, no one else dared call Gin Tsumugi "that brat" so casually.
Even Miyoshi Tōgo, who had a good relationship with Gin, no longer dared address him in such an offhand way.
"That person left after dealing with Yaksha Oni," Otomo Jin said.
"Is he planning to act alone?" Amami Daizen asked.
Then, without warning, a voice entered everyone's ears.
"I advise you not to place too much hope on him."
The voice was cold and clear, like an ice lotus blooming on a snowy mountain.
"Based on my understanding of him, he is definitely plotting something."
"Who's there?!"
Keikain Hidemoto, Kurahashi Genji, and the others instantly turned toward the source of the voice.
What entered their sight was a young girl.
A girl as holy as a true goddess.
She had a fair oval face, delicate skin, and elegant features. Her shrine maiden robes were white and gold, gorgeous and solemn, wrapping her in an aura of sacred inviolability.
What chilled them most was not her beauty.
It was the fact that so many National Level Onmyoji present had failed to notice how she appeared.
She stood there as though she had always been there.
As though everyone had simply forgotten her existence until she chose to speak.
"That is divine power?"
The Thirteenth Generation Hidemoto stared at the girl who had appeared without warning.
"I did not expect that in this era, aside from the Twelve Divine Generals, such a powerful deity would still remain."
His gaze sharpened.
"Who are you?"
"Are you friend or foe?"
The others immediately grew vigilant.
At a time like this, a strange deity appearing out of nowhere was not something they could treat lightly.
The girl looked at them.
Her expression was calm, holy, and distant.
"I am Shōko."
Her voice was cold and clear.
"Imperial Princess Shōshi."
A faint divine light seemed to ripple around her.
"You may also call me Shōko Saio."
Then her gaze moved across the gathered Onmyoji.
"I am also the sole survivor of the imperial lineage you mentioned being slaughtered."
.....
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