Activating the Array

In the darkness of Heian-kyo, within the dense forest not far from where Tsuchigumo raged, the Onmyoji and yokai from the Onmyoryo were intercepted by shikigami controlled by Minamoto no Yorimasa. The two sides clashed, and the resulting struggle severely delayed the Onmyoji's plan to form an array, leaving everyone involved consumed by anxiety.

"Tsk... Dammit, these things are never-ending! How much longer is this going to take?!" Nura Rihyon spat, catching his breath after slashing back countless yokai.

"We can't afford to stay tangled with them. We have to set the array immediately. I can see Young Lord Fujiwara and the others won't be able to hold out much longer!" Riding atop his Yosuzume shikigami, Kamo no Yasunori’s expression was fraught with urgency.

"There's no other way... these shikigami have little sentience and no fear of death or injury. We have to go all out just to clear them, but it's too slow..." Seimei muttered, clutching a talisman, his brow furrowed. These yokai were meticulously crafted by the Minamoto Clan; they were no mere fodder.

The situation was critical, yet Nura Rihyon and Seimei could find no immediate solution. But just as the situation threatened to spiral out of control, something unexpected happened.

The yokai they were fighting suddenly grew even more frenzied, turning on one another in a blind rage. They tore at each other's throats and struck at vital points with lethal intent, completely abandoning any pretense of defense. Even with the sinister power granting them regeneration, they were dying in droves under this mass suicidal slaughter. The sudden turn left Nura Rihyon and the others stunned.

"What... what's happening? Why are they killing each other? Did something go wrong?" Nura Rihyon gripped his blade, his face etched with bewilderment.

"This... it's likely something happened to the one controlling them. It's possible their control was seized, and the new master ordered them to self-destruct..." Seimei said solemnly after a moment of reflection.

"Control was seized? You mean that gloomy bastard was ambushed? Who did it?" Nura Rihyon realized that even a man like Yorimasa, who always lurked in the shadows, had been blindsided.

"Never mind that for now. The path is clear. Everyone, get into position and activate the array!" Yasunori shouted, turning his gaze toward the surrounding Onmyoji.

...

On the small hillside overlooking the Tsuchigumo battlefield, the spot where Yorimasa had been hiding was now a scene of carnage. The ground was littered with the neatly sliced remains of yokai, interspersed with the bodies of men dressed in black—the Minamoto shadow guards, Yorimasa's subordinates.

Minamoto no Yorimitsu stood amidst the corpses, flanked by Onikiri. He held two large handfuls of demon control tokens. He watched impassively as the faint luster of spiritual power flowing through the tokens gradually dimmed, turning them back into ordinary wooden plaques.

Yorimitsu opened his hands, letting the tokens clatter to the ground. He didn't spare the mundane objects another glance. Nearby, Yorimasa was pinned to a tree stump by two tachi driven through his shoulder blades. He sat slumped on the ground, his clothes soaked in blood, gasping for air as he glared at Yorimitsu.

"Ha... ha... You certainly have... nerve, Brother. To discard and execute so many shikigami at once... Aren't you afraid Father and the elders will hold you accountable?! They didn't send you just to deal with me... they wanted the stolen shikigami back."

"I don't have the time, energy, or spiritual power to spare for controlling so many shikigami for complex tasks. Ordering them to die was the simplest and fastest choice. As for Father and the elders... let them ask. What can they actually do to me in the end? If Tsuchigumo enters Heian-kyo, even our clan won't escape unscathed. It's a simple matter of priorities." Yorimitsu looked down at the dying Yorimasa, his expression cold. The mass execution of his own clan's shikigami hadn't caused him the slightest flicker of regret.

"Ha... Heian-kyo? It's a pity everything you've done is ultimately futile. Heian-kyo will not escape its fate tonight! Brother, I advise you to run while you still can. Run like a rat! Otherwise, you won't get another chance... Argh!" Yorimasa continued to wheeze, but as he spat insults at Yorimitsu, Onikiri gripped one of the blades in his shoulder and twisted, the agony cutting his words short.

"Shut your mouth and wait for the clan's judgment, Yorimasa. Now, stay here and watch... the power of the Onmyoji." With that, Yorimitsu turned his gaze toward the Tsuchigumo battlefield. He could feel a massive surge of spiritual power converging there.

...

Within the forest surrounding Tsuchigumo, countless Onmyoji lay in wait. They stood in groups of four or five, chanting and forming hand seals. These groups were spread out, forming a vast circle that encompassed the rampaging Tsuchigumo.

There were eight groups in total, arranged according to the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams in eight different directions. As they chanted, magical arrays manifested beneath their feet, releasing a torrent of spiritual power.

"All nodes are in place! Everyone... activate the array!" Seimei, stationed at the Qian position, sensed the timing was right and shouted. He poured a surge of spiritual energy into his array, and the Onmyoji at the other seven positions followed suit.

Suddenly, the eight separate arrays linked together. Complex incantations and engravings manifested across the earth, forming a giant circular formation. A translucent white barrier rose from the edge of the grand array, forcibly separating Tsuchigumo from the outside world and imprisoning it within. The immense pressure brought by the terrifying spiritual power bore down on the titan, visibly slowing its movements.

Accompanied by a shrill, piercing screech, the massive array exerted its full weight, pinning the colossal Tsuchigumo to the spot. Its steps became labored and slow, nearly grinding to a halt.

"Ha! Those guys are finally useful for something. I've been waiting for this! Mask yokai, it's time we finished this damn spider!" Flying through the air amidst a shroud of flames, Mokou let out a light laugh and shouted. She turned her gaze toward Menreiki, who was hovering in the distance, catching her breath.

In the sky, Menreiki stared silently at Tsuchigumo, now suppressed by the powerful array. She nodded slowly and began to gather her demonic power, the broken masks around her glowing with a seven-colored radiance.