"Now all of Kanto is buzzing with rumors, calling Kanbe Hikaru things like 'Lightning-Slashing Ghost', 'Shura of the Pure Land', 'Kishin'—"
"Anyway, he's got all sorts of titles!"
Rihan fell silent.
He put away his pipe and looked toward the western sky.
In the direction of Musashi Province.
"Interesting."
He murmured.
"That fellow... is even more interesting than I thought."
He stood up, his golden hair fluttering in the wind, tracing a scythe-like shape.
"It seems I need to pick up my pace as well."
"Otherwise—"
"I won't be qualified to try and recruit him anymore."
...
On the other side.
To the west of Musashi Province, nearing the direction of Kyoto, a high tower stood within a shrine courtyard.
Tahoto.
This was where Tsubaki's sect was located.
It was said that beneath this tower, an extremely powerful and eerie monster was suppressed.
And at this moment.
Inside the rear hall of the shrine, Tsubaki sat kneeling on the tatami mats.
Before her sat two young priestesses.
The one on the left looked about fourteen or fifteen, wearing a white robe and red hakama similar to Tsubaki's. Her jet-black hair was tied in a ponytail, her face was delicate, and though her expression seemed indifferent, her eyes held a touch of innocence.
Her name was Momiji.
The one on the right was even younger, appearing to be only twelve or thirteen. Also dressed as a priestess, her round face still had some baby fat, and her large eyes were full of admiration.
Her name was Botan.
Both were Tsubaki's junior sisters and the youngest disciples in the shrine.
"Senior Sister, did something happen for you to return this time?"
Momiji spoke first, her voice tinged with concern.
"Yeah, yeah!"
Botan also leaned in. "Master said you went to exorcise demons, why are you back so soon?"
Tsubaki lowered her head, a "painful" expression appearing on her face.
She played the part well.
"I..."
Her voice trembled slightly. "I encountered a very terrifying enemy."
"An enemy?"
Momiji and Botan exchanged a glance, both showing surprised expressions.
In their impression, their Senior Sister was a powerhouse second only to their Master.
How terrifying must an enemy be to make her feel afraid?
"It's a priestess named Kikyo."
Tsubaki bit her lip, as if recalling something horrifying.
"Kikyo?"
Momiji frowned. "I think I've heard that name... Is she a priestess from Musashi Province?"
"Yes."
Tsubaki nodded, a flash of ruthlessness in her eyes—but before her two junior sisters, she quickly resumed her victimized expression.
"She... she is a fallen priestess."
"Fallen?"
Botan's eyes widened. "Can priestesses fall too?"
"They can."
Tsubaki's voice turned low.
"She has that evil object called the Shikon Jewel in her possession. It can grant any wish, but it also corrupts the human heart."
"Kikyo has been corrupted by that jewel; she is no longer a normal priestess."
Momiji and Botan listened intently.
They were young and inexperienced, unable to distinguish truth from lies in Tsubaki's words.
"Not only that..."
Tsubaki continued to weave her lies. "She even tamed a ferocious demon to be her shikigami."
"That demon is called Kanbe Hikaru. He can grow Bone Spikes all over his body and kills without blinking an eye."
"When I went there, I saw him with my own eyes..."
She paused for a moment, putting on an expression as if she couldn't bear to recall the memory.
"He killed so many people."
"The entire village was slaughtered by him."
"And Kikyo just stood by and watched, doing nothing at all."
"This—"
Momiji's expression changed.
"How could there be such a shrine maiden!"
"Exactly!"
Botan also clenched her fists: "Aren't shrine maidens supposed to protect humans and exorcise demons? How can she kill people together with a monster!"
Tsubaki sneered inwardly.
These two little girls were indeed easy to fool.
"So..."
She raised her head, her eyes shining with "grief and indignation."
"I want to ask my two junior sisters to help me."
"Help you?"
Momiji was taken aback: "Senior sister, what do you want us to do?"
"I want to crusade against Kikyo."
Tsubaki's voice became firm.
"But my strength alone is not enough; I need your help."
"Momiji, you are skilled in Barrier techniques, you can seal the movements of that monster."
"Botan, although your Shikigami techniques are not yet mature, they should be enough to restrain the opponent."
"As long as the three of us join forces—"
"We will definitely be able to bring that fallen shrine maiden to justice!"
Momiji and Botan looked at each other.
In their eyes, flames of justice were ignited.
"Alright!"
Momiji stood up first: "Senior sister, I will help you!"
"I will help too!"
Botan also jumped up: "We cannot let the bad guys get away with it!"
The corners of Tsubaki's mouth curled into an imperceptible arc.
"Thank you both."
She stood up and patted both of their shoulders.
"Then we will set off tomorrow."
"To Musashi Province."
"To find that—Kikyo."
Her eyes hid a sinister look.
Of course, she did not tell her two junior sisters her true purpose.
What she wanted was not Kikyo.
What she wanted—was Kanbe Hikaru.
As long as she created chaos during the battle and took the opportunity to snatch that monster away... right, those ghosts she encountered earlier, it wouldn't be impossible to utilize them too...
Tsubaki already had a plan in her mind.
As for the safety of her two junior sisters?
She didn't care.
As long as she could obtain that monster, what did sacrificing a few junior sisters matter?
I don't know how much time had passed, but Kanbe Hikaru woke up.
What met his eyes was a hazy play of light and shadow.
Moonlight spilled through the shrine's window, casting mottled silver on the tatami mats. The air was permeated with the scent of incense, mixed with a soft, comforting fragrance.
It was like wildflowers in the mountains, and also like morning dew.
It was not strong, nor was it vibrant; it couldn't give one a sense of being stunning, but it was very clean.
Kanbe Hikaru knew that this was Kikyo's scent.
"You're awake."
A cold, clear voice came from above.
Kanbe Hikaru blinked, his vision gradually focusing, and the image became clear.
Then, he saw Kikyo's face.
That face was right above him, black hair falling like a waterfall, obscuring part of the moonlight.
Her pitch-black eyes were looking down at him, her expression calm, yet carrying a certain indescribable tranquility and gentleness.
Kanbe Hikaru's body stiffened.
He realized his current posture.
This posture, this angle; at this very moment, his head was, without a doubt, resting on Kikyo's lap.
Those legs, wrapped in red hakama pants, were soft and warm, and even through the fabric, he could feel that sensation that made his heart flutter.
"..."
But Kanbe Hikaru did not get up immediately.
He just quietly looked at the cold, clear face above him.
"How long have I been lying here?"
As a monster, he did not need to sleep, but as he was essentially a ghost, once his Demonic Qi was completely exhausted, he would fall into a state of temporary immobility, unable to even maintain consciousness, effectively comatose.
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