The Obstruction

To the west of Heian-kyo, within the forest stretching above the White Tiger Altar, the colossal Tsuchigumo thrashed its massive chelicerae in a frenzy. It sought to swat away the annoying "flies" buzzing around it, but its efforts were in vain. Instead of hitting its marks, the monster’s rampaging limbs leveled the surrounding trees, tearing up earth and vegetation until only a pockmarked, rocky clearing remained.

Miketsu, Menreiki, and Makoto flew swiftly through the air, weaving through the relentless sweeps of the Tsuchigumo’s limbs. Miketsu seized every opening to launch an Explosive Current Wave or a demonic energy barrage, but the results were disheartening. The creature's carapace was far thicker than anticipated; both the Explosive Current Wave and Menreiki's demonic energy barrage left only faint scratches on its surface. Makoto’s claw strikes were entirely ineffective.

"This thing... its defense is monstrous. We can't land a blow that actually matters..." Miketsu muttered, her brow furrowed with concern. This Tsuchigumo was easily the most resilient yokai she had ever encountered; nearly every attack her team mustered was essentially shrugged off.

Diving once more to avoid a horizontal sweep of a massive limb, Miketsu’s expression hardened. She spotted an opening and lunged toward the monster. Her target was the joint of one of the giant chelicerae—the weakest point in its armor!

Closing the distance, Miketsu bypassed her ranged spells. Instead, she channeled her Kishin power, gripped her massive Demonic Fang Blade, and delivered a heavy strike. She knew her physical cleaves carried more raw destructive power than her projectile techniques.

The joints were not entirely unprotected, covered in thick, scale-like keratin. However, it wasn't enough to stop Miketsu’s strike. With a sickening rending sound, she carved a deep gash into the limb's joint. Yet, the limb did not fall. The Tsuchigumo was simply too massive, and its joints were incredibly thick. Though Miketsu’s blade had bitten deep and severed everything in its path, the wound paled in comparison to the sheer scale of the limb’s overall bulk.

"Tsk... it's still too shallow..."

Miketsu cursed under her breath as she watched the sinister energy within the spider knit the wound shut at a visible speed. Even with her superhuman strength and the sharpness of the Demonic Fang Blade, the resulting damage was insufficient. The spider's regenerative factor far outpaced the rate at which she could dismantle its massive frame.

Fortunately, while the Tsuchigumo was incredibly powerful, it was primarily a physical combatant. Aside from releasing its Servant Spirits, it relied almost exclusively on its limbs to sweep and crush enemies. It lacked ranged attacks involving demonic energy, which, combined with its gargantuan size, left its anti-air capabilities severely lacking. This was likely because the sinister energy had driven it into a mindless frenzy, causing it to fight on raw instinct rather than using sophisticated techniques.

This lack of ranged options allowed Miketsu, Menreiki, and Makoto to use their superior aerial mobility to pin the beast down. By constantly harrying it, they kept the Tsuchigumo occupied in a frantic game of "swat the mosquito," preventing it from leaving the area. This kept it far from Heian-kyo and the main battlefield where the Onmyoji and yokai were clashing with the Servant Spirits.

Miketsu knew that given the Tsuchigumo's size, defense, and destructive power, the consequences would be catastrophic if it joined the main fray. It would become an unstoppable engine of ruin, leveling everything in Heian-kyo like a rampaging titan.

Using their high-speed flight, the three of them found it relatively easy to contain the beast without much risk to themselves, but Miketsu was unwilling to let the situation stagnate.

The reason was simple: she hadn't seen the ancient warrior anywhere. He possessed formidable combat strength yet refused to take the field, choosing instead to manipulate others to fight in his stead. It was highly irregular.

Clearly, that warrior was plotting something. There was a high probability he was still within the White Tiger Altar, using the power of the Four Symbols Array for some grand scheme. Miketsu’s intuition screamed at her to stop him immediately, but she feared that if she left, Menreiki and Makoto alone would not be enough to hold the Tsuchigumo back.

In truth, Miketsu wasn't the only one who wanted to break the stalemate. On a small hill not far from the Tsuchigumo’s rampage, Minamoto no Yorimasa stood with several of his men in black. They watched the spectacular battlefield from afar. They had been specifically dispatched by the Divine Messenger to clear obstacles and ensure the Tsuchigumo advanced toward Heian-kyo.

"Owl... today, you'll learn the price of meddling!" Yorimasa spat. Simultaneously, he and his subordinates activated the demon control tokens in their hands. Around them, the yokai they had brought from the Minamoto dungeon began to stir. Several flying yokai launched themselves directly at Miketsu and her companions.

Whether by design or coincidence, just as Yorimasa’s monsters attacked, the Tsuchigumo let out a terrifying, bone-chilling roar. The shockwave of the roar, saturated with demonic power, hit Makoto and Menreiki at close range, severely disorienting their senses. In that moment of vulnerability, Yorimasa’s shikigami lunged at them from behind.

One was a Wanyudo—a flaming wheel with a human face that spun rapidly through the air. The other was an Onmora-gaki, a monstrous bird shrouded in countless ghosts and eerie foxfire!

"Watch out!"

Miketsu swung the Demonic Fang Blade, unleashing an Explosive Current Wave that knocked the Wanyudo out of the sky. But as the Onmora-gaki closed in and Miketsu struggled to ready a second strike, a massive firebird streaked in from the side with a piercing cry. It slammed into the Onmora-gaki, the ensuing explosion tearing the monster to shreds. In the wake of the blast, a familiar figure with wings of flame appeared before Miketsu.

"Mokou..." Miketsu whispered, her eyes brightening at the sight of her friend.

"Tsk... these gloomy bastards should just go to hell already. Hey, you two, pay attention to your surroundings. Don't let things like this sneak up on you again..." Mokou said, dusting off her clothes as she looked at the dazed Makoto and Menreiki.

"Uh... thank you..." Makoto replied blankly, staring at the powerful human before her, unsure if they were a boy or a girl. Just as Mokou was about to say more, Owl’s voice rang out from nearby.

"Fujiwara no Mokou!"

"Huh... a yokai who knows my name?!" Mokou was slightly taken-aback as the black-robed figure flew toward her. Before she could process the surprise, Miketsu spoke urgently.

"Fujiwara no Mokou, I need you to take my place here and fight the Tsuchigumo with them. I have to find the mastermind behind all of this and stop him!"