Breakthrough

Blown away by the intense demonic energy storm, Kamo no Yasunori fell heavily to the ground. As he struggled to his feet, he coughed up a mouthful of blood. This wasn't due to hitting anything when he fell, but because the magical array he had been maintaining with all his might was suddenly broken, causing a severe backlash and disruption in his spiritual power.

"W-why... why can't he be contained..."

With blood at the corner of his mouth, Kamo no Yasunori looked at Miketsu, who was furiously releasing demonic energy in the distance, and spoke with extreme confusion, realizing their attacks had no effect on her.

What's the reason? Is she completely immune to their demon-subduing spells? Impossible! All demonic entities from the demon realm should be suppressed by these spells. There's only one explanation for the current situation: her demonic power is incredibly strong, so strong that spells of their level cannot suppress her at all.

At this thought, Kamo no Yasunori trembled. A yokai of this level appearing near Heian-kyo must be reported to the Onmyoryo immediately. However, he was injured and couldn't move; she could crush him with ease.

Just as Kamo no Yasunori despaired, he noticed that the yokai, entirely cloaked in a black robe, didn't make any further moves after breaking the array. Instead, after glancing at him, she continued forward.

After confirming that the onmyoji were still alive, Miketsu continued towards the manor. Just as she reached the high platform of the manor, a voice, accompanied by a warning from her crisis lines, descended from the sky.

"Yokai, prepare to die!"

Miketsu raised her great blade, blocking an attack from the air. It was a samurai wearing armor and a mask. Miketsu recognized the armor; it belonged to Taira no Kageyori!

During the clash of weapons, Taira no Kageyori gripped his blade and pushed forward, directly forcing Miketsu's great blade back. Miketsu, having received an early warning, skillfully adjusted the angle of her blade, deflecting Taira no Kageyori's strike elsewhere. The deflected strike cleaved a large rock beside them.

What immense strength... Is this power a human can possess?

Miketsu was startled by Taira no Kageyori's strike, and at that moment, his next attack arrived. He would not give his enemy a moment to breathe.

Seeing through Taira no Kageyori's moves with her threads of causality, Miketsu dodged his strike, then raised her great blade and brought it down directly at the opening that appeared after his attack. With no time to activate her ice blade to freeze him, Miketsu intended to simply chop off the hand holding his sword.

"Clang!"

The sound of steel clashing echoed. Miketsu's demonic blade, imbued with demonic energy, cut through Taira no Kageyori's armor, but when it reached his arm, it made the sound of steel striking steel. Miketsu couldn't cut through!

The causality of danger returned, and Miketsu withdrew her blade, dodging repeatedly. Taira no Kageyori didn't land a single blow.

At this moment, Miketsu also saw what was beneath the armor she had damaged. It wasn't human skin, but pale green scales, piece by piece. It was these scales that had blocked her strike!

"You... aren't fully human?" Miketsu said in Owl's deep voice, looking at the attacking Taira no Kageyori.

"Enough talk... Die, yokai!"

Relying on her causality vision, Miketsu and Taira no Kageyori engaged in close combat. One couldn't land a blow, while the other found it difficult to break through defenses. For a short time, neither could gain an advantage.

However, Miketsu didn't want to keep wasting time with him. Since he was so tough, she might as well be more ruthless.

Injecting divine power into her demonic blade, a large amount of demonic energy gathered within the sword. In the next clash of weapons, Miketsu released this demonic energy.

"Wind Scar!"

A storm of demonic energy erupted, directly blowing Taira no Kageyori, who was in close proximity, far away and carving a deep gully into the ground.

The blown-away Taira no Kageyori quickly rose from the ground. Much of his armor was now destroyed, and large areas of his flesh, covered in pale green scales, were exposed. Apart from a few white marks, there was almost no damage, even after taking a direct Wind Scar at close range.

Leaning on his sword, Taira no Kageyori stood up again. Just as he prepared to re-engage in battle, he noticed a large amount of demonic energy gathering in front of him, far greater than the blast that had sent him flying earlier. Intense demonic energy swirled around the blade, making Miketsu's black robe rustle.

How much demonic power does this guy have?! Taira no Kageyori thought blankly, watching this scene.

"Explosive Current Wave!"

Swinging her demonic blade straight down, the raging demonic energy conjured a horizontal tornado, engulfing Taira no Kageyori. Within the demonic energy tornado, countless demonic energy wind blades continuously assailed and cut his body from all directions. He let out pained howls as the scales on his body slowly shattered under the incessant cutting, and bloodstains continuously appeared on Taira no Kageyori's body. He was thus carried away by the tornado, in an environment akin to death by a thousand cuts, flying into the distance.

...

"No... this is bad, Lord Gonnosuke, the invading yokai from outside the city has breached the defenses and is heading this way. Lord Taira no Kageyori has already intercepted her outside the manor, but whether he can defeat that yokai is unknown!"

A merchant's attendant rushed in from outside the manor, anxiously speaking to Gonnosuke. Gonnosuke was clearly startled by this news.

"Ah! Weren't there supposed to be onmyoji and samurai? How could this happen!?"

"That yokai is simply too strong; no one could stop her. Only Lord Taira no Kageyori personally intervened to temporarily hold her off." The attendant said, wiping sweat, facing Gonnosuke's panicked questions.

"Heiya... How could this happen... No! We can't rely on those warriors anymore, we need to leave now! Take Itsumaden and go!" Gonnosuke slapped his hand, his flushed face filled with urgency.

"But, Your Lordship, to leave the city, we must first leave the manor! But this manor is built on a high platform, and the only way out is down the main stairs. And that yokai is blocking them right now!" The attendant continued, flustered. They were now trapped inside the manor.

"This, what are we to do! Isn't this a dead end?! Who built this city?!" Hearing the attendant's words, Gonnosuke jumped up in a panic. At that moment, the samurai captain, who had been specifically ordered by Taira no Kageyori to guard this place, thought for a moment and quickly said.

"Don't worry, Your Lordship, this manor is not a dead end. Beneath the manor, there is a dungeon, and within this dungeon, a secret passage leads directly outside the city. Your Lordship can escape through the secret passage first."

Upon hearing the samurai captain's words, Gonnosuke's face lit up with joy.

"A secret passage? Why didn't you say so sooner! Quickly, take me there! Bring Itsumaden! Hurry!"