Resistance

In the sky above Heian-kyo, dark clouds of resentment were held at bay by a divine radiance. Countless people looked up in astonishment at this bizarre celestial phenomenon. Among them were Seimei and Minamoto no Hiromasa, standing outside the courtyard on Tsuchimikado Avenue.

"This sky... what is happening?" Minamoto no Hiromasa, dressed in his warrior attire and clutching a longbow, spoke with a heavy expression. It was the first time he had ever seen the sky look as if it had been sliced cleanly in two by a giant blade.

"Heian-kyo is facing an extremely grave crisis. Lady Inari has already intervened..." Seimei said, closing his folding fan with a solemn look. He had encountered the power currently enveloping and protecting Heian-kyo once before. When he had woken up on Mount Hei with no memory, the Shadow of Radiance that appeared before him possessed a power that felt exactly like this.

"Lady Inari... have things truly become that serious? These black clouds—do they have anything to do with those vengeful spirits we just drove off?" Hiromasa scratched his head, a hint of confusion in his voice.

"We don't know for certain yet... Regardless, Lord Hiromasa, I must thank you once again for your assistance this time..." Seimei thanked him again.

"It was nothing. I only came here because I heard some rumors at the Onmyoryo and wanted to see for myself... But I never expected... that it would actually..."

Hiromasa's voice trailed off as he looked into the distance with a complicated expression. There, Kagura stood in a daze, staring at the dark clouds on the horizon. Her gaze seemed to pierce through the darkness, seeing the very source of all that resentment.

"They... they are in so much pain... I can feel it. The root of their hatred..." Kagura murmured to herself, pressing a hand to her chest.

"They hate everything. They long for release... I... I was once one of them..."

At the entrance of the Onmyoryo's Grand Hall, a group of onmyoji gathered, staring in shock at the anomaly before them.

At the front of the crowd, Yura's brow was furrowed as she watched the thick black clouds stalled in the distance. As a veteran onmyoji, she knew exactly what was contained within those clouds and who was currently shielding Heian-kyo.

"Notify the Boundary Bureau! Activate the Heian-kyo Guardian Array immediately to help lighten the burden on Lady Inari!" With a wave of her hand, several onmyoji received their orders and left the crowd, rushing to their posts.

"Furthermore, summon every onmyoji in the bureau. Prepare to enter the resentment zone and head for the origin! Remember, prepare as many purification jutsu-shiki as possible!"

Under the command of the Great Onmyoji Ashiya Doman, the Onmyoryo began to operate at high speed. Meanwhile, within the Minamoto Residence in the Upper Capital District, Minamoto no Yorimitsu stood in silence, gazing at the distant clouds as countless thoughts raced through his mind.

"Are those fellows... prepared to drag us down with them in a desperate final struggle?"

On Mount Inari, Miketsu had quickly returned to the Inari Shrine and hurried to the edge of the Secret Realm. Kikyo and Tsuruha were already there, waiting for her.

"Lady Uka..." With a soft word, Tsuruha transformed into her divine fox form. At that same moment, Miketsu's hair turned pale white and her pupils glowed a deep vermilion. Her kariginu was consumed in a burst of light and flame, replaced by the raiment of a deity.

Gripping the divine bow transformed from the Blade of the Three Realms, Miketsu mounted the divine fox, preparing to take to the sky.

"Lady Uka!" Kikyo suddenly called out, stopping her. Miketsu turned her gaze toward Kikyo, who looked somewhat hesitant.

"Is something the matter, Kikyo?"

"Um... it's nothing. I just wanted to ask... Lady Uka, are you going to deal with the vengeful spirits of those miko?"

"Yes. They are the root cause of this incident, after all. It must be resolved." Miketsu spoke plainly, noticing the strange look on Kikyo's face.

"Then... Lady Uka, can you save them?" Kikyo asked, looking Miketsu directly in the eyes while clutching her own chest.

"I don't know why they called me 'sister'... I don't know what they went through to become like that... and they even tried to hurt me before... But for some reason, I can feel the struggle and despair in their hearts... So, if it is possible, please save them." Kikyo pleaded in a prayer-like tone. Miketsu remained silent for a moment before letting out a soft sigh.

"I will do my best..."

With those words, Miketsu soared into the air atop Tsuruha, flying straight toward the black clouds on the horizon.

Miketsu had used the divine power released from the various settlements around Heian-kyo to form a barrier, blocking the spread of the black clouds from multiple directions. The clouds of resentment were expanding from a single point, and by using her shrines to block them at different points, she could triangulate the origin. Now, Miketsu was flying directly toward that focal point.

As she flew beneath the heavy, dark clouds, Miketsu still felt a lingering doubt. Based on all the current intelligence, the culprits behind this incident were the collective vengeful spirits of the miko sacrificed to the Great Snake. However, logically, when a miko with spiritual power is sacrificed to the Great Snake, her soul should be completely devoured by Him. How could they have the chance to slowly accumulate, merge, and resonate their resentment to form such a powerful collective spirit?

Could it be that the Great Snake did not devour the souls sacrificed to Him? If He didn't devour them, why did He demand sacrifices in the first place? Was He simply a sadistic pleasure-seeker who enjoyed the process of the miko being sacrificed? From His previous behavior, that didn't seem likely.

Amidst these many doubts, Miketsu rapidly approached the origin of the hatred. Beneath the gloomy sky, a Seven-Story Pagoda radiating overwhelming resentment gradually emerged in the distance.

"So this is... the Minamoto forbidden grounds..." Hovering in the sky, Miketsu looked down at the secret complex nestled in the mountain valley. She could clearly see the corpses of onmyoji and warriors scattered everywhere. One look told her that the Minamoto clan members stationed here had likely all been slaughtered by the rampaging miko spirits.

Seeing this, Miketsu let out a small breath. She then turned her attention to the Seven-Story Pagoda at the center of the altar. Countless skeletal miko spirits were still drifting relentlessly around the tower. The moment they sensed Miketsu's arrival, they turned in unison to look at her atop Tsuruha. With a piercing shriek, the spirits circling the tower flew straight toward her.

Facing this, Miketsu opened her mouth and began to chant the Scripture of Rebirth. The space vibrated with the resonance of divine chants. Against these vengeful spirits, Miketsu employed the most standard method for dealing with spectral enemies: she would guide them to peace!

Influenced by Miketsu's scripture, the incoming spirits faltered slightly in mid-air. After a moment of daze, their bodies shuddered, and they simultaneously let out ear-piercing screams. Their spectral forms did not dissipate!

To Miketsu's shock, her Scripture of Rebirth had failed! These vengeful miko spirits were actually able to resist her purification!