“It’s… this child…” When Aoi first saw the small Tengu lying on the ground, still unconscious, a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes, and her voice was filled with astonishment.
“What? Is there something special about this child?” Miketsu, standing nearby, keenly caught the unnatural expression on Aoi’s face.
“No, nothing, it’s just that I saw him in the mountains not long ago. When I heard he had been captured by humans, I was quite worried. Seeing him safe now, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief,” Aoi continued, though Miketsu could discern an unnatural glint in her eyes.
“The mastermind behind this placed a warning Jutsu-shiki on him to track his movements. Once the curse is broken, they will be alerted. That’s why I called you here; I hope you can handle it,” Miketsu said, ignoring Aoi’s peculiarity and instead directly stating her warning.
“If the final truth truly is as you say, and we’ve all been manipulated by a hidden mastermind whose whereabouts are unknown, then I will immediately inform the Great Clan Leader to clear up the misunderstanding with the Onmyoryo, leaving no opening for them to exploit.” Aoi said confidently, listening to Miketsu’s words. Seeing her resolve, Miketsu nodded, then turned her gaze to Seimei.
“Then, I’ll leave it to you now, young Onmyoji.”
Hearing Miketsu’s words, Seimei smiled faintly. After folding and putting away his small fan, he sat cross-legged beside the small Tengu.
Seimei formed hand seals and silently chanted incantations. A pale blue spiritual power surged from his body, emitting a soft glow around him. Simultaneously, the small Tengu lying on the ground underwent a sudden transformation: countless dark characters appeared on his skin, moving in segments all over his body.
Seimei’s spiritual power began to envelop the small Tengu. As the incantations were recited faster and faster, the characters on the small Tengu’s body also moved with increasing speed, eventually reaching a critical point.
“Break!”
With Seimei’s command, the dark characters on the small Tengu’s body transformed into wisps of black smoke and were expelled, and Seimei’s spiritual power dissipated.
“It’s done.”
Seimei murmured softly, then rose from the ground. The small Tengu’s eyelids began to tremble slightly, and soon after, they slowly opened.
“Ugh… Where am I?”
Covering his head with a hand, the small Tengu sat up, rubbing his eyes with soft whimpers. He looked around confusedly, his eyes darting in bewilderment from one figure to another, finally landing on Aoi. Immediately, his emotions surged. “Captain Aoi… it’s Captain Aoi! I have something to tell you!” The small Tengu struggled to stand, but his legs gave out from the recent awakening, and he tumbled directly into Aoi’s arms.
“Slow down, child. Tell us calmly what happened to you.” Aoi comforted the small Tengu in her arms. Once he had settled down a little, the small Tengu spoke words that shocked Aoi.
“Roku… it’s Roku, Roku betrayed us! He led people to ambush us, he betrayed Sugo Ungo! He wants to incite rebellion! Captain Aoi, please quickly inform the Clan Leader! Danger lurks right beside him!”
…
Within a dark canyon in Sugo Ungo, the Karasu-tengu Roku was holding another secret meeting with his allies from Heian-kyo. Just as the meeting was about to conclude and Roku prepared to depart, the Shikigami crow controlled by Minamoto no Yorimasa let out a cry of alarm.
“Damn it, the curse I placed on that brat has been broken!” Minamoto no Yorimasa’s words echoed through the crow, his tone clearly betraying intense disbelief.
“Broken? You mean that brat is awake now?” Hearing Minamoto no Yorimasa’s words, Roku was startled, then he frowned deeply and continued, his voice sharp.
“Didn’t you say your curse was powerful? How could it be broken so easily?”
“I’m not entirely sure… Owl is clearly just a yokai, how could she possibly break a Junior Secretary’s Jutsu-shiki?!” Minamoto no Yorimasa’s words were filled with utter disbelief. Although he had set up a warning Jutsu-shiki as a precaution, it was only meant to prevent the small Tengu from falling into the Onmyoryo’s hands. He had never imagined that Owl would possess the means to break a sleeping curse.
Looking at the crow before him, Roku’s eyes held not only his initial anger but also a hint of disdain. While thinking that humans truly couldn’t be relied upon, he continued to speak aloud.
“Since that brat has awakened, my involvement will surely be exposed. The immediate priority is to find a way to prevent them from relaying this information back to Sugo Ungo!”
“I understand that. If Owl wants to send a message to Sugo Ungo, the best way would be to contact the Karasu-tengu corps still near Heian-kyo. I’ll figure out a way to wipe them all out now.” Faced with the sudden turn of events, Minamoto no Yorimasa racked his brain for a countermeasure.
“Wipe out the Black Crow Corps entirely? Hmph, can you even do that? Aoi is no weak yokai general.” Roku scoffed contemptuously at Minamoto no Yorimasa’s suggestion.
“I can try to provoke the Onmyoryo into acting, or secretly use those ‘Beasts’ from my clan. In any case, it’s best to eliminate him completely before Owl can contact the Black Crow Corps…”
“Ignore them.”
Just as Minamoto no Yorimasa continued to speak, a sinister voice echoed simultaneously in the minds of both Minamoto no Yorimasa and Roku. Hearing this voice, their expressions instantly turned solemn; all other emotions vanished from their faces. Roku even dropped directly to his knees.
“Divine Messenger…”
“Your plan has too many complications. Cut the frills; act directly now.” The voice continued to resonate in Minamoto no Yorimasa’s and Roku’s minds, bringing expressions of astonishment to their eyes.
“But Kakuhanbo hasn’t yet given the order to attack Heian-kyo… He and his many loyal Tengu are still in Sugo Ungo. If we act now, I’m afraid…” Roku said with some unease, listening to the voice in his mind.
“Your target is only the Great Tengu. Ignore everything else. It’s a shame we can’t lure the Tengu forces to launch a surprise attack on the Land of the Four Gods, but I no longer wish to see any more unforeseen incidents.”
The voice in Roku’s and Minamoto no Yorimasa’s minds spoke with certainty. Faced with such a tone, neither Roku nor Minamoto no Yorimasa dared to say anything more.
“Yes…”
Hearing Minamoto no Yorimasa’s and Roku’s replies, the voice continued without pause.
“I have already arrived in Sugo Ungo, believer of the Tengu. You now need to assist me in dealing with the Great Tengu…
“For the sake of the divine lord, Kakuhanbo must fall…”
Rate on N.U.
