Cooperation

Under the moonlit night of Heian-kyo, within the Onmyoryo, the three Onmyo Taiyu from the Kamo, Fujiwara, and Minamoto clans were gathered in the meeting hall. Kamo no Tadayuki, Fujiwara no Saneyori, and Minamoto no Mitsunaka—all three now partially incapacitated—sat together around a small table. Upon the table lay a bronze mirror, its surface reflecting a bird's-eye view of the distant battlefield where Onmyoji and yokai were clashing with Tsuchigumo.

This was a treasure of the Fujiwara Clan, brought out by Fujiwara no Saneyori to serve as a tool for relaying the situation on the front lines. Although the three Onmyo Taiyu were temporarily unable to return to the fray, they had been instrumental in commanding the Onmyoji through this artifact. It was largely thanks to their guidance that the Onmyoji had been able to coordinate so quickly, organizing the grand arrays that suppressed Tsuchigumo.

When Mokou, Menreiki, and the others finally succeeded in dealing with Tsuchigumo, the three of them breathed a collective sigh of relief. While marvelling at the strength of the Fujiwara ancestor and the yokai generals under Owl’s command, they also began to actively discuss the aftermath. They prepared to enter the White Tiger Altar to execute the intruders and reclaim the White Tiger Seal. In their eyes, Tsuchigumo had been the greatest threat; with it gone, the remaining enemies were hardly worth worrying about... or so they thought until the unthinkable happened.

On the streets of Heian-kyo, the flesh and blood of countless yokai suddenly transformed into a crimson mist, drifting toward the battlefield. This mist, combined with the blood from Tsuchigumo, condensed into a floating river of blood that flowed toward the White Tiger Altar and poured downward. This scene left them utterly aghast. Even with the vast experience of three Onmyo Taiyu, they had never witnessed such a bizarre phenomenon.

"Such a sinister, unholy power... what on earth is that river of blood!?" Minamoto no Mitsunaka stared at the bronze mirror, his voice thick with disbelief. He was answered by the white-haired Kamo no Tadayuki, who spoke with a heavy sigh.

"It is a Blood Sacrifice..."

"A Blood Sacrifice? The secret art of the leopard cat yokai from Harima?" Fujiwara no Saneyori asked, surprised. As Onmyo Taiyu, they naturally possessed a certain level of knowledge regarding the Leopard Cat Clan's famous secret techniques.

"Yes... the Blood Sacrifice..." Kamo no Tadayuki said, touching his withered skin. "When I was young, I travelled to Harima for training and encountered their leader, Oyakata. I could never mistake this power."

"leopard cat yokai? Does that mean the intruder is one of Oyakata's people?" Minamoto no Mitsunaka jumped to a conclusion, but Tadayuki immediately shook his head.

"No... it cannot be those Leopard Cats. Oyakata's version of the Blood Sacrifice is amateurish compared to this. He could never sacrifice a yokai of Tsuchigumo's caliber."

"If it's not Oyakata's people... then who is this thief? To be able to perform a Blood Sacrifice of this magnitude?" Fujiwara no Saneyori asked in shock. Kamo no Tadayuki responded with another long sigh.

"Alas... that is a question none of us can answer for now. All we can be certain of is that the truth hidden behind this matter likely exceeds our wildest imaginations..."

After Tadayuki finished speaking, the room fell into a heavy silence. Minamoto no Mitsunaka frowned, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.

Just then, a thunderous boom echoed from the distance. The ground shook violently as if a massive earthquake had struck, only to settle back into place a moment later. Several items on the table were knocked over by the tremor.

Once the shaking stopped, the three men looked at one another. After a long pause, Fujiwara no Saneyori was the first to speak.

"That just now... could it have been the power of the White Tiger Seal? Has the thief already usurped the power of the Four Symbols?"

"No... that wasn't the power of the Four Symbols. What erupted just now was not spiritual power..." Kamo no Tadayuki replied, his face grim. On the other side, Minamoto no Mitsunaka clenched his fists and spoke up immediately.

"Regardless of what it was, the problem lies with that thief. We must send men to the White Tiger Altar at once!"

As Mitsunaka spoke, and just as Tadayuki and Saneyori were about to agree, a paper crane shikigami flew through the window and into the meeting hall. Under the watchful eyes of the three Onmyo Taiyu, it landed on the table between them. Mitsunaka started to call for guards to strike down the unknown shikigami, but Saneyori stopped him. The reason was simple: he was familiar with the spiritual power attached to it.

"To the leaders of the Three Great Clans, I am Asakura Hao..." The paper shikigami spoke, its voice causing both Mitsunaka and Tadayuki to start in surprise.

Asakura Hao? This genius Onmyoji had not been seen since the yokai escaped the dungeon and raided Heian-kyo. Why would she suddenly send a shikigami here now?

"Asakura Hao... have you come because of the situation at the White Tiger Altar?" Kamo no Tadayuki asked sternly, staring at the paper crane.

"Indeed. This disaster threatening Heian-kyo involves forces you have no way of understanding. Do not act rashly. I foresaw the arrival of this catastrophe long ago and have already made the necessary preparations. To combat this threat, I hope you will cooperate with me."

...

In the dense forest west of Heian-kyo, the underground space where the White Tiger Altar once stood had completely collapsed. The ground above had shattered and sunken over a vast area, with countless cracks and fissures crisscrossing the surface, turning the region into a wasteland.

Suddenly, a slight tremor rippled through the ruined earth. The vibrations grew stronger, shaking the stones until they danced across the ground. Finally, with a deafening roar, a section of the earth exploded outward. The massive body of the Great Snake, composed of flesh and bone, burst from the depths with a piercing hiss, emerging onto the surface.

Its body, hundreds of meters long, slithered out of the cavern and coiled upon the ground. At this moment, its frame consisted of a pristine skeleton covered in tattered internal organs that were rapidly regenerating. The previous explosion had not only destroyed the White Tiger Altar but had also caught the snake in its blast, tearing away much of its newly formed flesh. Now, it relied on the remaining blood from the sacrifice to restore itself.

As the blood from the sacrifice surged up through the gaps in the earth and converged upon the Great Snake, it began to add new flesh after repairing the damage. Soon, the majority of its body was reborn, and in many places, scales began to grow in large patches.

During this rapid process of rebirth, the Great Snake raised its head high, looking toward the distant Heian-kyo. A raspy, guttural voice escaped its throat.

"Blood... Sacrifice..."