Volume 3
Chapter 13
Part 4
Reverse the
Spiritual Path, Follow it to the Sanctuary 4
Translator : PolterGlast
The torii gate of
Mitsuzu-Torii Mountain, which leads to the spiritual path of Aioi, rumbled
loudly in front of Nurarihyon.
―He's getting away.
Akira's feet were
kicking the ground faster than he could intuit it.
Only remnants of
Shuka's divine energy were left in Akira's body.
Rousing all of it,
Akira once again gained his momentum.
Kihoin-style Spirit
Technique, Chuden, ―Hayabusa-gake
The lingering flame
left a trail across the ground, time ticking by at a speed of a few steps.
―Instanty, Shuka's divine energy was exhausted, and in
the blink of an eye, fire power was extinguished from Akira's feet.
His distance to
Nurarihyon, ― only 12 feet left.
Facing such a hopeless
distance, however, Akira's twin eyes showed no sign of resignation.
The effect of
Aragamioroshi was still smoldering in his body.
It is nothing more
than complacency to say that all means have been exhausted, compared to the
predicament he has been in.
His unwavering
offensive step stomped on the ground and forcefully crossed the 12 feet gap.
The speed was so fast
that one might think the ground was shrinking. The crystallization of the gait
technique, the sublimation of the shrinking grounds.
An explosion of flames
colored Akira's feet, and the final acceleration pushed his body forward.
He brandished his
spirit weapon from overhead.
It was not a spirit
technique. It was not even sword technique, but just a clumsy, struggling ― but
still a sharp slash.
"Seeeiii~!!"
The blow, released
with a yell, ended with only a spark on the surface of the Noh mask.
Before he had time to
deliver the next blow, the loud, ear-splitting laughter disappeared behind the
torii gate.
What remained was an
eerie silence filled with a sense of defeat.
"Damn it!"
"Calm down,
Akira-kun. We know where he is headed,
―It's not that hard to track him down."
As Akira vented his
sense of defeat at having allowed his opponent to slip through his fingers,
Kojou, while pressing down on his own right shoulder, calmed Akira down.
Rather than stopping
the bleeding, it was a consideration to prevent Kagura from looking directly at
the wound.
A few drops of fresh
blood were seen dripping from the gap between his fingers.
"Yuge-sama, are
you all right?"
"The wound is not
that serious. But the miasma has penetrated deep into it.
If we want to heal it,
we need to reopen the wound."
As if to prove his
words, miasma overflowed from the wound.
The poison of the
everlasting world, which stains all things in this world, stirred in the depths
of Kojou, even after Nurarihyon had disappeared.
He muttered to
himself, without showing the slightest hint of the pain he was feeling from the
direct assault within his body.
But the pain he felt
was unimaginable. Akira could imagine that Kjou would inevitably drop out of
the fighting force.
"Let's call it a
miasma technique, instead of a spirit technique.
He sure used some
pretty vicious techniques."
"―But at the very
last moment when he entered the spiritual path, he used his own divine energy.
Since divine energy is
incompatible with miasma, he must have discarded all of the miasma here.
Take that as good news
and go after him."
Kojou's words were
followed by a voice echoing from the entrance to Mitsuzu-Torii Mountain.
Before one knew it, a
woman of around 18 years of age was standing at its entrance.
A pure-white beauty,
who looked almost identical to Kagura, was smiling by the torii gate.
She was Tsukishiro,
the Divine Pillar of the Hakudo Province. At the sight of her, Kagura's voice
reached Akira's ears, beaming with joy.
"Shiro-sama!"
"Is it no problem
for Her Eminence to come out of the main shrine?"
The voice of a girl
who was a direct descendant of Jinroin and her father's voice overlapped.
The pure white girl
nodded her head in affirmation to Koujo's question.
"Since he entered
through the spiritual path of the metal element, the final destination of his
pilgrimage is sure to be Mount Mitsuzu-Torii. Protecting this spiritual path is
of higher priority than the main shrine.
―You have done well, Kagura. You may proudly tell your
mother about it.”
There was no
impatience in her voice as she praised Kagura, and only a gentle tone returned
to the girl.
Then, the pure
white-golden gaze shifted to Akira.
"To think that
Kanna-no-Mikura would really be resurrected in this generation. Let us
celebrate the lifting of heaven's wrath after four hundred years."
"Four hundred
years?"
"Exactly. It was
started by the civil war that I and Aome, who claimed to be my sister, were
involved in.
―Well, the details aren't important. For now, let's
just focus on tracking that guy down."
"Nurarihyon.
―Where did he go?"
"There are two
major pilgrimage routes that lead to the sanctuary of Takamikura-sama. To
travel along the spiritual paths of Aioi, or to travel along the spiritual
paths of Soukoku. Now that the spiritual paths of Soukoku have fallen, the path
that Nurarihyon takes must be Aioi."
Starting from
Mitsuzu-Torii (the metal element), Shōrō
(the earth element), Kugatachi (the fire element), Himorogi (the wood
element), and Kayanowa (the water element). Pilgrimage is a primordial ritual,
in which one travels around the five tripods in order and returns to the
original spiritual path.
The moment when the
circle connects, the Great Divine Pillar of Central Province is forced to
confront the fallen divine pillar.
Since it was Aioi, the
next place Nurarihyon would appear would be at Mt. Shōrō
"Since
Takamikura-sama has returned to the Central Capital's sanctuary, we cannot
expect them to defend Mount Shōrō.
Also, in consideration
of Kanna-no-Mikura's divine blessing, I think we should focus our attention on Mount
Kugatachi instead."
"Thank you for
your consideration."
"Very well. If
you wish to thank me for the favor, please visit the Hakudō Province's sacred
precincts sometime later.
......Kagura will be
waiting for you as well."
“When the time and permission coincide.
―So, how do we get to Mt. Kugatachi?"
Taken by surprise, the
girl next to Akira looked up and nodded eagerly.
Akira's reply to
Tsukishiro's words was vague, and his gaze swept over Yuge Kojou.
That's right. A
shortcut to Mt. Kugatachi was the reason why Akira and the others were heading
for Mitsuzu-Torii Mountain.
He was hoping for a
quicker way to get to Mount Kugatachi than Nurarihyon, to which Kojou replied
with a wry smile.
"Oh, don't worry.
Since Nurarihyon is using the spiritual path to enter the five-element
pilgrimage, all we have to do is make the same move to compete with him.
Can you please help
him with that, Shiro-sama?"
"Of course. If it
is Mikura's wish, then by all means.
My divine artifact,
namely Rin'ne Eigou, is my great achievement that connects a place that once
was with a place that will eventually be. By releasing its divine attributes,
even the spiritual paths of Soukoku that have been severed can be passed
through.
―Isn't that right, Kagura?"
"Yes,
Shiro-sama."
Kagura, who was
holding Rin'ne Eigou in her arms, nodded her head in agreement with
Tsukishiro's words.
Under the unending
blessings from the divine realm, the mirror shone with pure white radiance.
The commotion behind
Akira and the others grew even louder.
Beyond their backs,
they saw Nakiri Jin and Kuga Ryota, who had just finished defeating the Ogres,
heading toward them.
"Looks like Jin
and the others are done, too.
―As long as Kagura cannot move, what can be sent by the
divine attributes is one-way passage with the Mitsuzu-Torii Mountain as the
starting point.
And since the number
of our forces is limited, concentrating the forces to a single point is the
basic tactic......"
As Kojou's gaze
drifted to the other side, Tsukishiro shook her divination stick.
Wisdom, strategy.
Tsukishiro's favorite method of divination, if read correctly, can perfectly
predict the current situation.
With it, they could
allocate their forces more efficiently than they could with the conventional
method.
"Let's see. ―Hmm,
this is interesting."
The sticks scattered
on the ground pointed in unexpected directions, and the pure-white girl
muttered while squinting her golden eyes.
♢
Vermillion gold divine
energy shot through the precincts of the small shrine. At that moment, Saki
could clearly feel the barrier protecting the Central Capital shaking along as
a scream rang out.
The screams of the
land god tortured Saki's ears.
Suppressing the anger
and agitation that welled up within her, Saki glared at Yamamoto Gorozaemon,
who stood at the end of her line of sight.
The potency of
purification that filled the Central Capital would not disappear instantly even
if the Five Elemental Barrier disappeared.
Anything enhanced by
miasma would be subjected to purification from the moment of its use.
That is exactly why he
is Yamamoto Gorozaemon.
He was a genuine
swordsman, a monster who could cross swords with the guardians using only his
natural physical abilities.
Pointing the tip of
her naginata (Shōjinbina) at his back, which seemed to be full of openings,
Saki kneaded up as much spirit power as she could.
Kihoin-style
Spirit Technique, Finisher Move―
"Ishiwari
Tonbi!"
With flames rising
from the tip of the blade, the violet-colored spirit light swiftly blasted its
way to the master swordsman from the past.
―It did not intend to be a certain hit.
Cracks in the ground
centering on the protruding earth deprived the swordsman of his escape routes.
A blow that cannot be evaded is the true essence of this spirit technique.
This time, Saki's
finishing move took shape and aimed at Yamamoto Gorozaemon.
"―Slow.
It's because you little
girls reached for the swords so ineptly that everything ends
half-heartedly."
The sneering Yamamoto
Gorozaemon repositioned his stance and precisely placed the newly drawn kodachi
into the belly of the naginata's blade.
The effect of the
Ishiwari-Tonbi disappeared in the blink of an eye as the blade bounced back.
It was a secret
technique for killing guardians that only Yamamoto Gorozaemon could use, which
he had developed in order to cross swords with them on equal terms.
With her spirit
technique neutralized, Saki's torso became defenseless, and Yamamoto
Gorozaemon's returning blade was aimed at it.
The girl's petite
physique was imbued with an even stronger spirit light.
―Just as she had intended.
She pulled her
naginata back, not resisting the momentum of being repelled, and channeled the
same amount of spirit power she had infused into Ishiwari-Tonbi.
A fire prior to the
activation of a spirit technique swelled up and scattered flames wildly.
"Haaa!"
"Hohou~!?"
―Boom.
Saki's exhalation and
the master swordsman's exclamation overlapped.
The impact produced by
the mere fire, which neither converged nor controlled. The power itself was not
that great.
The flames produced
were only enough to cause blisters on the opponent.
Even if it looks
flashy at first glance, it is not a spirit technique and a waste of spirit
power.
―Therefore, Saki's objective was something else.
Living creatures will
instinctively try to avoid flashy flames.
No matter how
well-trained they are, there is no way to suppress the feelings of fear that
arise momentarily.
Saki dived under
Yamamoto Gorozaemon's arms who was blinded by the flashy flames that rose up.
Taking advantage of
her small stature, she did not kill her falling momentum.
Two, three rolls.
After rolling on the cobblestone pavement, she leaped to her feet.
―She held the divine artifact Pārijāta in her hand and
inserted it deeply into the belt at her waist.
"I see, you're
prioritizing taking back the divine artifact under the pretense of defeating
me.
Impressive. I
apologize for foolishly underestimating you as a mere little girl."
"It's fine. You
should just keep underestimating me until you die."
From the sacred
artifact she had regained in her hand, she could feel the confusion of the
distant divine pillar.
Saki, while appeasing
it with her own spirit power, readjusted her Shojinbina.
"No, no. You may
look like a little girl, but you're definitely a fine woman.
―Strong and composed. Ready to finish off a man without
letting her guard down."
“Wouldn't it be a blemish on a master swordsman's
reputation such as yourself to be serious against a young girl?”
―Don't notice, keep looking this way.
Saki uttered a
provocation to get the swordsman's attention.
High above Yamamoto Gorozaemon's
head, who was confronting Saki with a sneer, Saki's companion Sonomi swung her
tachi down, bathed in a spirit light.
Gioin-style
Spirit Technique, Chuden, ―Seigetsu-no-Kagami.
Multiple shockwaves
were generated, avalanching down along the trajectory of the blade.
Seigetsu-no-Kagami is
a spirit technique that casts a wide-area attack that is difficult to counter.
No matter how skilled
the opponent may be, it is unlikely that he would be able to get away without
being caught by an attack that was so saturated that it became impossible to
avoid it.
―But the man turned around and looked up at Sonomi,
there was not the slightest hint of impatience in his gaze.
"I know that
spirit technique. It is difficult to deal with, but the power is not that great."
There was no
hesitation at all in the direction of the blade that intercepted them.
The kodachi plunged
into the core of the shockwaves, and Yamamoto Gorozaemon wrenched the spirit
technique with every blow.
In the midst of the
shock of the random bursts, Sonomi's and Yamamoto Gorozaemon's blades clashed
and scattered sparks.
"―See. If you do
it like this, it's nothing but a troublesome spirit technique."
"Yeah. I knew
this would happen."
The sneering
Gorozaemon Yamamoto's gaze crossed with the slightly scoffing Sonomi's gaze.
The spirit power
surrounding the girl's body visibly swelled.
Gioin-style
Spirit Technique, Shoden, ―Aragamioroshi.
From the very
beginning, she knew that the spirit technique would not work.
Sonomi's aim was to
bring him into a sword clash like this.
In principle, brute
sword fights tend to be avoided.
Because it shortens
one's sword's durability, and for another reason.
―It doesn't require any skill.
Victory or defeat in a
sword clash is determined purely by the difference in physical ability.
No matter how
well-trained or how formidable a swordsman he may be, Aragamioroshi will always
be able to overturn the disadvantage of one's physique.
In a contest of
strength, there was no way Yamamoto Gorozaemon could win, even against a small
girl.
"Nn~, this
is..."
"It's over, you
pseudo swordsman!"
Sweat broke out on
Yamamoto Gorozaemon's forehead, perhaps from the overwhelming difference in
physical strength.
He could not withdraw
his blade and run away.
He knew that neither
Saki nor Sonomi was an easy opponent enough to allow such an opening.
―However,
"You can never
have too much preparation when it comes to fighting the guardians!"
"!!"
With a sneer, the
swordsman brushed off his sleeve.
At the same time, some
gravel flew from within the sleeve, and Sonomi's momentum was slightly
weakened.
The swordsman,
concentrating all his strength in a single stroke, regained the upper hand and
tried to push through, when,
“―Seeiii!!”
With a fiery voice,
Saki intervened between the swordsman and Sonomi.
Her dancing gait
brought her closer to Yamamoto Gorozaemon, and her continuous slashes
repeatedly struck without giving him time to breathe.
Saki's naginata was
met with a single kodachi in the swordsman's hand.
The difference in the
number of blows was so overwhelming that he had no time to adjust his stance.
Eventually, one of Saki's countless blows flashed.
―A red line appeared on Yamamoto Gorozaemon's cheek.
"!”
A kick flew out and
pushed Saki away as she tried to step in for a follow-up attack.
Yamamoto Gorozaemon,
who had retreated, laughed thinly while feeling a slight pain.
He opened his mouth as
if he were trying to reestablish himself.
―At that moment, a pale flame rose from the wound on
his cheek.
The flame, which
showed no sign of extinguishing even when slapped with his hand, was the
purifying flame that Saki and the others knew so well.
The miasma that was
the essence of Yamamoto Gorozaemon spread from the wound, a sign of
purification.
"......I see. So
this is the reason why I was given strict orders by my Lord to never allow even
a single wound until I had achieved my goal."
The swordsman looked
down at the burning scars calmly and without a hint of impatience in front of
Saki and Sonomi, who were closing the gap without letting their guard down.
The body of Yamamoto
Gorozaemon, protected by a thin layer of skin, was likely being purified by the
power of purification remaining in the Central Capital.
"Ha. ha. Painful,
so painful. I have only a few moments left to rampage, I see.
―Well, despite being young girls, you two are indeed
first-rate guardians. It would be wonderful if you could accompany me to the
underworld!"
"Sonomi-san!"
“―Can't you just stay still and let yourself disappear?"
With the pale flames
still burning, Yamamoto Gorozaemon's feet kicked the ground.
From slow to fast. It
was difficult to catch up with the sudden acceleration, and the two initial
movements were lagging behind the swordsman.
The kodachi was
slashed horizontally, and Sonomi's barely fortified defenses were knocked away.
Saki's initial
movement barely caught up with the deviating target, and her horizontal cleave
closed in on the swordsman's neck.
If it were an ordinary
person, it would have been a killing blow. ―However, the swordsman's slash,
which slashed from above to below, cut through the very core of the naginata
and parried it away.
The core was severed
and her spiritual power dissipated.
Yamamoto Gorozaemon's
loud laughter echoed gently, and the blade's trajectory heading toward Saki's
neck was clearly visible in her vision.
―Defeated.
Saki could only gnash
her teeth, out of anger more than anything else.
A spirit weapon is an
indispensable item for a protector. Once it, the lifeblood of a protector, has
been lost, there is no chance for a comeback.
Faced with a lethal
blade that would bring death, Saki simply raised her spirit power in order to
resist.
―Saki.
A voice echoed. Was it
an imagination? It was so clear that one might mistake it for such.
Somewhere far away. A
clear intention fell from a far-off height that has yet to be reached.
Take an oath.
Even in death, you must fulfill it.
Between the chasm of
memory, tear-soaked crimson eyes looked at Saki.
―You must definitely fulfill it. Bring Lanka's daughter
back to the main island, where it belongs.
"―I swear."
Saki's lips trembled
with determination.
It was a vow she would
fulfill at any rate.
With that answer, the
girl went to pray to the divine pillar of salvation.
She pulled out the
Pārijāta that had been inserted into her belt and surpassed the swordsman's
slash.
―Scatter.
Sparks carved a trail
into the void, then fleetingly scattered and disappeared.
"Hou?"
The master swordsman,
who had the right half of his body transformed into a pale flame, exclaimed in
admiration.
Perhaps amused, he
shot slashes several times, all of which disappeared along with the sparks.
―The divine pillar has yet to be manifested. I only
wish for the end of Nayuta.
The girl danced
gently. Prayers of salvation poured down, solely for Saki.
[Your spirit is still
holding on.
Very well, I'll bestow
a concept on you. Though, it's a gamble as to whether or not you can hold out.]
"―Ku."
Affectionate eyes
reached out to Ezuka Hime, who dwelled in the depths of Saki's being.
An unreasonable
pressure poured into the depths of Saki's soul. As it poured into the part that
could not be spared, Ezuka Hime let out a silent scream.
"There's still
plenty of time. Let's see who can last longer."
More slashes were
released, aiming at all of Saki's vital spots.
―Multiple consecutive slashes. Although it seemed
extraordinary, it was merely a human technique after all.
There was only one arm
to use, and only one technique to unleash. If so, there would be no way for him
to compete against a divine artifact like this.
Saki exhaled and
focused on the trajectory of the slashes.
It was already in her
hand.
―It is a thorn that brings chaos. A guide of the
creation world that sticks out of the ocean of milk.
"Do guide ― the
thorn that guides the ocean of milk!!"
The power of the stake
is to manipulate the flow of water.
As a weapon, it is not
particularly terrifying, but its power is still remarkable.
The slash that was
about to reach Saki's neck changed direction just before it hit.
Without impact or
resistance, the tip of the blade turned toward another direction. Yamamoto
Gorozaemon's pupils dilated in astonishment.
Without stopping, a
series of slashes were continuously delivered,
―All of them, following a surefire trajectory, ended
without ever reaching Saki.
"Hou.
......This is the
divine artifact's power, I presume?"
"Yes. You may be
proud of yourself, Yamamoto Gorozaemon.
―A mere human is able to make a guardian take out a
divine artifact."
Saki replied to the
swordsman who had asked the question while holding up a white stake no bigger
than a girl's upper arm.
The swordsman gasped
when he saw that her eyes were beginning to change color.
Endlessly deep, and
endlessly pure.
Every time Ezuka Hime
screamed in pain, the violet-colored spirit light went further and further up
to a higher level.
Faintly, as if to
embrace Saki, a young girl revealed herself.
She appeared to be the
same age as Saki. She wore a saree
and ghungroo that gave the impression
of being from a foreign land,
―The eyes of the girl and Saki, both of whom had been
through a grueling time, were tinted with the same crimson glow.
[Saki, it's all right
now.]
"Un. So am
I."
Sweet whisper. The
still inarticulate whispers made Saki's ears tremble.
―I want a weapon.
She looked downward at
the divine artifact. Pārijāta is versatile in defense, but weak as a weapon.
The white stake in
Saki's hand overlapped with the shadow of Shōjin-bina.
A single throb. The
stake divine artifact changed its form and sculpted out the shape of a
naginata.
Yamamoto Gorozaemon
never stopped, incessantly slashing while being burned and purified.
Turning the countless
lethal blows into naught, Saki lightly swung the Pārijāta that had taken on the
form of a naginata.
The tip of the
Pārijāta turned into a violet glow.
Slash. An enormous
firestorm of divine energy blasted along the trajectory of the naginata and
severed the master swordsman's body in the midline.
The Noh mask, roasted
by the divine energy surging high above, cracked open from the center and let
out a final loud laughter.
"Kaka! Amazing!
What a great battle..."
Saki swung the white
divine artifact, which was a stake, only once toward the fading remnants of the
master swordsman.
The wind pressure
generated purged even the residue into a thousand fragments,
―The new divine spirit user girl turned her crimson
eyes to the sky along with her spirit.
"......I swear to
you, Sita.
I will deliver your wish
to your homeland."
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