Gathering of the Yokai

In Heian-kyo, the moon hung cold and the wind blew sharp. Demons prowled the streets as countless yokai, tainted by a sinister aura, surged from the holes in the ground. They lunged in a frantic frenzy in all directions, attacking every living thing they encountered, and casualties quickly began to mount.

Because the Minamoto clan's massive dungeon had been breached by burrowing yokai, a deluge of Yin energy geysered from the depths. This, combined with the dense concentration of gathered yokai, caused the city's Yin energy levels to skyrocket. As the temperature plummeted, Heian-kyo was successfully transformed into a literal demon realm. This meant the barriers of the boundary could no longer effectively protect ordinary people; even relatively weak yokai could now slaughter mortals. The severity of the crisis intensified as many commoners were devoured the very first time they laid eyes on a monster.

Even before official reports reached him, Kamo no Tadayuki of the Onmyoryo issued an immediate order for all stationary forces to deploy. He also sent urgent word to all Onmyo clans, commanding them to mobilize their strength and cooperate with the Onmyoryo's actions. In an instant, the city's supernatural forces were galvanized to meet this sudden catastrophe, and every corner of the capital descended into a chaotic melee.

Due to the suddenness of the event and the sheer number and wide distribution of the monsters, the Onmyoji's response was far from smooth. They suffered heavy casualties in the initial stages, and for now, the Onmyoji remained on the defensive against this demonic calamity.

The battles between the Onmyoji and the frenzied yokai unfolded throughout the markets and alleys of Heian-kyo. Among these, the fighting was most intense on Suzaku Avenue, the city's central axis. Several breaches had opened there simultaneously, drawing the largest concentration of yokai and turning the avenue into the primary theater of war.

At the intersection of Suzaku Avenue and Shijo Avenue, dozens of Onmyoji, Onmyo-sei, and samurai from the Onmyoryo and various clans had congregated. Seven or eight of them formed a circle, collectively maintaining a gloomy, spectral magical array. From the four directions of Suzaku Avenue and Shijo Avenue, mindless, raging yokai continuously poured in, rushing toward the array. Around the perimeter, the remaining Onmyoji, Onmyo-sei, and samurai formed a defensive line, using talismans, blades, and shikigami to incinerate the yokai that swarmed like moths to a flame.

This magical array was a Yokai-Gathering Array, designed to instinctively draw the attention of yokai and lure them toward its center. Normally, such an array only served as a guide for ordinary yokai; the clearer a creature's will, the better it could resist the influence. However, on this night, the monsters rampaging through the capital had all been maddened by the sinister power. Their primal instincts were greatly amplified, causing the array’s pull to strengthen significantly and drawing vast numbers of them from across Heian-kyo.

Because the yokai were scattered and difficult to subjugate individually, the Onmyoryo adopted this method to lure them into clusters and eliminate them with concentrated force. This strategy saved time spent hunting individual creatures, allowed for efficient combat with fewer casualties, and concentrated the battlefield in one place to minimize destruction to the city and keep the monsters away from civilians.

Several such defensive positions had been established throughout Heian-kyo, and this was the largest. It was an undeniably effective method; under the lure of the Yokai-Gathering Array, mindless yokai threw themselves toward their doom in droves.

"Those people in the Onmyoryo do have a few tricks up their sleeves, don't they?"

In the dark shadows of a nearby rooftop, a figure in black watched the fierce battle. Judging by his tone, he was quite displeased with the success of the Onmyoji's tactics.

"However, I can't let you continue like this. Lord Yorimasa desires a Heian-kyo that is even more chaotic and bloody."

As he spoke, the black-clad man produced a wooden token from his robes. The name carved upon it was glowing with a faint spiritual light.

...

"Crush it! Tanrou!"

Accompanied by a gender-neutral voice, the blue giant wolf shikigami lunged forward, snapping a mountain ape in two with its massive jaws. It then quickly returned to its master's side, joining the other shikigami to maintain the defensive line.

Yura, dressed in her Onmyo-sei robes, stood at the very forefront of the line. Her three shikigami—Tanrou, Rokuzon, and Wuqu: a wolf, a deer, and a warrior—stood beside her, their expressions grim as they faced the incoming enemies.

As an Onmyo-sei of the Onmyoryo, Yura had joined the fray and was currently in the thick of the fiercest fighting. Commanding such powerful shikigami, she had already achieved a record of kills that most ordinary Onmyoji could only dream of. She was currently holding down an entire sector on her own, a feat even many a Junior Assistant might struggle to replicate.

"Phew... it's just never-ending. How can there be so many yokai in Heian-kyo, where all the Onmyo clans are gathered?" Yura panted during a brief lull, speaking slowly to catch her breath.

"But it’s fine. They're a bit stubborn and hard to kill, but if it's just small fry like this, I can handle them. Come on, next..."

BOOM!

Before Yura could finish, the ground beneath her feet suddenly jolted. A thunderous roar erupted from behind her. In the very center of the Onmyoji's formation, the earth burst open once more. Onmyo-sei and samurai nearby were sent flying by the force. A gargantuan creature erupted from the pit; upon closer inspection, it was a massive centipede covered in demonic masks.

"The—the Demon-Faced Centipede! No way!" Yura cried out in terror at the familiar sight. She had encountered this monster over six months ago and had been forced to flee, utterly helpless against it. She never expected to meet it again, especially right in the middle of their own ranks.

While everyone was focused on the enemies in front of them, no one had expected such a powerful yokai to launch a surprise attack from the center of their formation. Based on prior experience, the Onmyoji believed these monsters were merely mindless beasts driven by an unknown power to charge recklessly; they didn't think there was any strategy involved. Consequently, they had neglected the defense of the array’s center.

However, under conscious human control, the Demon-Faced Centipede had ambushed the Onmyoji from underground. The surprise attack caught them completely off guard. Its massive body thrashed back and forth, causing heavy casualties in an instant. Panic immediately set in as the entire position fell into chaos, leaving them unable to deal with the other yokai still charging toward them.

In an instant, the Onmyoji's defensive line became a slaughterhouse. The Demon-Faced Centipede twisted its body in a wild, violent dance while other yokai joined the carnage. Human losses were catastrophic, and the scales of battle tipped instantly toward the demons.