In the depths of space, Miketsu applied her Celestial Maiden power to counter the demonic energy backlash of the Demonic Fang Blade, hurtling forward at high speeds. Before her, the Earth—soon to be dyed pitch black—was already very close, yet a significant distance still remained. It would take some time to reach the planet's orbit.
At this moment, Miketsu’s heart was filled with urgency. She knew that if the entire globe was completely shrouded in darkness under the influence of the Moon Feather Princess, it would only be a matter of moments before Kaguya and the others were discovered. It was highly likely that before she could even arrive, the Moon Feather Princess would have already seized Kaguya’s body. Regardless of which Kaguya was taken, Chang'e would fully revive, and the entire world would face total annihilation.
As she flew, Miketsu took out a paper crane. The person this paper crane connected to was none other than Suwako and Mokou.
"Hey, Suwako, are you all alright?!"
"Ah... we're fine for now, but I don't think that'll last much longer! How exactly are you fighting this war?! How did that Chang'e person get out?!" Through the paper crane came the sound of whistling wind and Suwako’s angry shouting.
"You’ll have to ask Tsukuyomi’s dear subjects—the lunarians—about that. Victory was within our grasp, but who knew they had such a suicidal trump card... Enough, now is not the time for complaints. Where are you now? What’s the situation?" Miketsu spoke to Suwako in a serious tone, and Suwako answered immediately.
"We are currently evading the canopy created by Chang'e, trying to stay out of her sight. We’ve been flying at full speed from Ezochi toward the northwest... We’ve probably reached the northernmost wilderness of the Central Plains by now!"
The northernmost wilderness of the Central Plains... so they’ve reached Eastern Siberia? Miketsu briefly scanned the map in her mind. After gaining a general idea of Suwako’s location, she continued.
"Just hold on a little longer. I’m almost there."
"I’m afraid... we might not be able to hold on... The speed at which that thing’s canopy is shrouding the world is terrifying..." Suwako’s response from the other end of the paper crane sounded somewhat helpless.
...
On Earth, the pitch-black sky was rapidly blanketing the land. Most of the Earth's surface had already fallen into a state of eternal night with a blood moon hanging high. Only a few regions remained under a normal sky, and the freezing air above Eastern Siberia was one of them.
The endless forest was clad in silver. Amidst the swirling snow, a massive stone was flying at high speed, skimming low across the ground. Four figures rode upon the stone: Kaguya and Princess Kaguya, along with Suwako and Mokou. They were currently hurtling through the biting cold wind, with Mokou using a barrier of jetting flames to block the incoming ice and snow.
"Hey... Frog God, we’ve run this far and we still haven't escaped? What exactly are we hiding from?" Mokou shouted to Suwako.
"Not yet... It’s impossible for us to truly escape that thing. We’re just stalling for time right now! I can’t explain exactly what that thing is in such a short time, but you just need to know it’s a powerful existence that transcends heavenly gods, and its target is the Kaguyas!" Suwako spoke bluntly. Hearing Suwako’s words, Mokou couldn't help but look back. On the stone platform behind them, Kaguya and Princess Kaguya sat together, gazing at the sky with abnormal expressions.
"She... she is up there. She is looking for us..."
"Ah... I can feel it. She wants us to fulfill our duty..."
When Chang'e began covering the earth with the canopy of eternal night, Suwako immediately sensed her power. Thus, she used a trace of divine power from the divine stone Miketsu had borrowed from the Hinanawi Shrine to lift the giant rock, using it as a transport to flee the pursuit of the dark canopy. In this manner, they had been chased all the way from Hokkaido to Eastern Siberia.
However, just as Suwako said, they could never truly outrun Chang'e’s canopy; they were merely delaying the inevitable. And now, that delay had reached its end. The last few regions on Earth were now completely covered by the False Canopy.
The canopy of eternal night swept rapidly over Suwako and the others. Day turned to night in an instant. The blood moon suspended in the center of the sky looked down upon all living beings at this moment, and the Kaguyas were exposed beneath it. In that instant, a sharp pain flashed through both Kaguyas' minds.
"She... she found us!"
In low Earth orbit, the Moon Feather Princess, who had been floating in stasis, turned her gaze. Looking through the dark canopy toward the North Asian continent, she lightly flicked her finger. A silver light shot down, piercing through the canopy and stabbing straight toward the earth.
"It’s coming!"
Feeling the approach of a familiar power from above, Suwako decelerated and swerved sharply. Immediately after, a thick beam of light, dozens of meters in diameter, pierced through heaven and earth before them. The giant rock Suwako was piloting was grazed by the edge of the beam and a third of it was instantly annihilated. The entire rock shattered, and everyone on it was thrown into the forest below by the powerful inertia.
Kaguya protected Princess Kaguya at the critical moment. Suwako urgently turned the frozen ground below into sand, and the group fell into a thick pile of it. Afterward, Suwako immediately manipulated the sand to rescue everyone.
"Cough, cough, cough!! Ptooey... Phew... Frog God, that light just now... what the hell was that!?" Mokou asked Suwako as she emerged from the sand, spitting out a mouthful of grit. Suwako, however, was staring intently at the sky.
"It’s the enemy we’ve been trying to avoid. She’s found us now... and... she’s coming down!!"
In space, the Moon Feather Princess gazed at her targets on the ground. Vibrating the wings on her back, she leaned forward and began to accelerate toward the targets. Her massive three-hundred-meter-tall form plummeted rapidly from orbit, plunging into the atmosphere.
"That thing... she actually intends to charge down directly..."
Sensing the change in the aura high above, Suwako, who possessed experience fighting ancient gods, immediately understood what the Moon Feather Princess intended to do. If she crashed down directly with all that momentum and power, everything within at least a hundred kilometers would be completely destroyed in one go. There would be no escape.
Clearly, the Moon Feather Princess had realized that one of the two Kaguyas had been transplanted with her own Indestructible Nature. Therefore, she was not worried that the vessel would be destroyed.
"She’s coming down? You mean that thing is coming down from the sky? In that case, watch me block her!" Looking at the sky, Mokou stood up, flaming wings igniting on her back.
"It’s useless. You can't stop—" Suwako was about to say she couldn't stop it, but then she remembered that since Miketsu had specifically left her here to protect the Kaguyas, it must mean Mokou possessed at least some level of strength.
"Then go! Toward that direction! Charge up with the greatest power you can achieve in this life! Don't hold anything back!" As Suwako spoke, she used sand to erect several long pillars pointing toward the horizon.
"Even if you can only slow her down a little, it will help. Remember... if she crashes down directly without hindrance, everyone will die! Even immortals won't be spared!"
Suwako spoke solemnly. Mokou glanced at her, nodded, and then looked toward Princess Kaguya on the other side.
"Ah, the greatest power of this life? I understand..."
With those words, Mokou’s wings of fire surged violently. She charged straight up in the direction pointed by the sand pillars, a streak of fire piercing toward the heavens. Princess Kaguya watched the receding Mokou with worry, involuntarily clutching the Kaguya beside her.
"Uncle Aka... please stay safe..."
Within the rapidly rising fire, Mokou recalled the words Miketsu had entrusted to her earlier.
"Listen, the enemy we face this time is very unusual. We cannot guarantee the plan will be one hundred percent successful. As insurance, you are to guard the Kaguyas. Remember... if any accident occurs, please use all your power to protect them!"
"All my power... Heh, if that’s the case..."
While speaking, Mokou formed a hand seal. As the spiritual power around her body surged, a crimson bird mark appeared on her forehead.
"Vermilion Bird Seal... Activate!!"
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