Since the three strongest individuals present had already reached a consensus, all that remained for the others was to carry it out.
Hikari followed the young man from the Kuhōzuka family to retrieve the treasured blade capable of weakening the "ritual formula" from the depths of the shrine. Because the ritual required changing into miko attire, and as a precaution, both sides sent representatives to accompany them—Liliana Kranjčar, Yuri Mariya, Lu Yinghua, and several others.
While waiting, Satsuki spoke up. "Cult Leader, you mentioned earlier that undoing the Bimawen seal requires the manifestation of dragon-serpent divinity. What connection is there between the dragon-serpent seal and the god who is sealed?"
"You, who captured the Divine Ancestor Angela alive, do not know?"
Luo Hao cast Satsuki a curious glance with her sharp eyes. "The Monkey Divine Lord sealed here is not his complete true body. His true essence belongs to the faction of Steel, a being born under the stars to conquer dragons and serpents. Thus, whenever he encounters a deity of dragon or serpent lineage, their blood and divine power will stimulate his original strength and nature. The one I, Luo Hao, wish to defeat is a complete god. Naturally, he must be restored to his complete state."
"So it only requires blood and divine power? That gave this old one quite a fright. I thought I would have to fall into slumber again right after appearing in this world..."
The voice echoed from all directions. Though it was clearly the pleasant voice of a young girl, it carried an oddly incongruous sense of age.
As the voice sounded, a spatial passage of Yomotsu Hirasaka opened beside Satsuki. From within stepped forth a peculiar existence.
She was a beautiful young girl with an arrogant expression and eyes that shimmered like starlight. Golden hair flowed down her back, narrowing at her waist before falling further. She appeared only slightly older than Hikari, yet her face was incomparably beautiful and noble, her entire being radiating an indescribable majesty.
She wore an off-shoulder dress, draped with a translucent shawl adorned with numerous gemstones. White stockings and crystal shoes completed her attire. Though her figure was not voluptuous, her proportions were tall and flawless. Beneath the sunlight filtering through the shrine, her skin glowed with a soft, pearly luster, like a star who could exist only through cinematic special effects.
Yet what drew the eye most was not her appearance, but the dragon horns flickering with divine power upon her forehead—and the tail swaying behind her.
In comparison, the fact that her face was identical to that of the Divine Ancestor Angela seemed almost insignificant.
"Divine Ancestor Angela... no... this aura and divine power are far stronger than the Serpent of Deviation that day...?"
Erica looked at Satsuki in surprise, while Luo Hao likewise assumed a guarded stance, watching the suddenly appearing girl.
"To possess such divine power and pressure... you are not a serpent god, but a dragon god, are you?"
"You two are quite perceptive, to not mistake this old one for that pitiful little snake..." The girl cast Erica and Luo Hao a look as if to say, "Not bad, youngsters." Then she obediently walked to Satsuki's side. "This old one is Satsuki-sama's summoned beast. You may call me Candle Nine Yin. As for the little snake you mentioned, regrettably, she is already dead."
Erica stared blankly at the girl, then at Satsuki.
"Satsuki, what is going on with this girl?"
"In terms you can understand, she is a former subordinate of mine, revived using the body of the Divine Ancestor Angela," Satsuki replied concisely.
Only then did Erica realize why Satsuki had secluded herself these past few days—it had been to resurrect this dragon.
Luo Hao merely frowned slightly and said nothing further.
For this self-sovereign Godslayer, as long as Candle Nine Yin was willing to provide blood and divine power to undo the seal, she cared little about Angela's life or death.
Touma Amakasu, long ignored and never regarded, was drenched in sweat. After offering a respectful salute with his eyes, he quietly withdrew. Though he was a member of the History Compilation Committee, every matter before him had clearly surpassed anything he could influence or interfere with. Merely standing before these four top-tier powerhouses was a tremendous challenge for him.
"Sorry to keep everyone waiting! ...Eh? And who might this be?"
A short while later, Hikari returned with the Kuhōzuka youth and their companions, having changed clothes. Naturally, their gazes fell upon Candle Nine Yin.
With Satsuki's permission, Candle Nine Yin introduced herself. "A pleasure to meet you. This old one is Candle Nine Yin, Satsuki-sama's summoned beast, and the so-called 'enemy of dragon-serpents' required to undo this seal."
"Are you a deity, perhaps?" Yuri Mariya asked curiously.
"Hehe, this old one is not a god. Strictly speaking, I am an immortal," Candle Nine Yin replied with a smile.
Satsuki, meanwhile, looked toward the short blade cradled in Hikari's arms. Its scabbard and hilt were both white wood, clearly an ancient and venerable weapon.
"Is that the blade capable of weakening the ritual formula?"
"Yes. This blade is called the Dragon-Slaying Blade. If we are to meet the Divine Lord, we must bring this with us," the Kuhōzuka youth answered respectfully. By now, he had realized that the best way to ensure his survival before these formidable figures was to serve as a competent tool.
"The shrine must first have the Hime-Miko weaken the seal of 'Bimawen.' Only after entering the interior can the seal be opened from within."
After speaking, Mikihiko Kuhōzuka turned his gaze toward Hikari.
"Miss Hikari, please proceed as I instructed earlier."
He stepped back, removing the sacred shimenawa rope encircling the small shrine.
"Y-Yes..."
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Hikari placed her hand upon the rope.
The thick straw rope fell to the ground, and the curse power scattered around it vanished completely.
"Just like that, the shrine is open?" the Fairy Knight Liliana asked curiously.
"Impossible. This is a barrier capable of sealing a god. Hikari's ability merely weakens the sorcery temporarily. She is far from capable of erasing the seal entirely. Once the duration expires, it will naturally recover," Satsuki explained.
Through the Tenseigan, she could see clearly that the vast curse power had only had its immense flow temporarily suppressed, as though frozen in motion. Before long, that power would begin circulating of its own accord once more.
Satsuki had once considered using her own Vipralopa power to forcibly break the seal. However, considering that it might also erase the passage leading to the Netherworld beyond, she had deemed it safer to rely on Hikari's ability.
"Th-Then... I'm opening it...!"
Hikari declared with trembling resolve as she pulled open the lattice door of the small shrine.
Though the interior remained dim, a passage leading to the Netherworld had appeared within.
"Is that the passage leading to the god's seal?"
Satsuki's Tenseigan pierced through the corridor, carefully inspecting the passage itself.
After her previous experience, Satsuki had gained a concrete understanding of the Netherworld.
The Netherworld was the boundary between life and undying, a void realm between the human world and the divine realm. In Japan, it was also known as the rift world of Yomotsu Hirasaka. Campiones or those whose strength had reached a certain level could endure its environment, but ordinary humans would feel extreme discomfort within it.
However, the creator of this passage had clearly considered that issue. The corridor carved out within was isolated from the surrounding Netherworld by a protective force, shielding all who passed through it from direct erosion by the Netherworld's power.
After all, to further undo the seal, Hikari would need to enter the Netherworld. Satsuki's inspection was simply to ensure that the Netherworld would not harm the Hime-Miko.
"This old one senses a powerful presence within that passage. It should be the Monkey Divine Lord sealed here," Candle Nine Yin said.
As an immortal who had reincarnated as a dragon god, her perception was now even sharper than in her former state, allowing her to sense that existence across realms.
Acting dutifully as a tool, Mikihiko Kuhōzuka explained, "The Monkey Divine Lord himself shares a peculiar bond with dragons. It is not surprising that you would sense him so distinctly."
Luo Hao, however, had already grown impatient. "Enter quickly. The calamity-purging effect will not last long. We have little time to waste."
Hikari cast a fearful glance at Luo Hao. Though the Cult Leader was a peerless beauty, Hikari constantly sensed from her a danger akin to a ferocious beast.
"Yuri, you and Lily remain outside and observe. Satsuki and I will protect Hikari," Erica instructed.
"How can that be...? As a knight, how can I retreat at the critical moment?" the silver-haired sword princess protested. Her gaze repeatedly flickered between Lu Yinghua and Luo Hao, clearly showing her distrust of the two.
"I as well... As her older sister, I will never allow Hikari to step into such a dangerous place alone," Yuri Mariya said. Though her voice was weak, her resolve was firm.
Satsuki spoke bluntly. "Your entering the Netherworld does not make Hikari safer. Though you are among the finest knights and shrine maidens among ordinary humans, before a god your presence merely increases the number of people we must protect."
"That..."
Yuri and Liliana had both witnessed firsthand the power of a Heretic God. Confronted by Satsuki's direct words, they were momentarily at a loss for a reply.
Seeing them fall silent, Satsuki continued, "Moreover, the liberation of this one will likely be sensed by certain Japanese deities. To prevent them from making any irrational moves, I need you outside to maintain vigilance and to prevent outsiders from interfering with what is happening here. That responsibility is even more important."
Earlier, Touma Amakasu had mentioned that the Bimawen seal was connected to recluses of the Japanese Netherworld. Satsuki's concern was therefore well-founded.
Liliana and Yuri exchanged glances before finally nodding in agreement to remain outside as guards.
The group stepped into the dark corridor of the shrine.
At the very front walked Erica and Luo Hao. As Campiones, neither would easily expose her back to the other.
Behind them came Hikari, clutching the short blade, followed by Satsuki and Candle Nine Yin. Lu Yinghua brought up the rear.
The darkness posed little difficulty to those present. After walking for some time, they finally saw ahead, within the darkness, a square opening not far away. The only light source shone through that aperture. From within it emanated an increasingly dense divine aura—it must be the place where the Monkey Divine Lord was confined.
Passing through the square opening, they entered a new world.
Before them stood a dilapidated stable, much like the one they had seen earlier at Tōshō-gū.
In the distance rose magnificent structures. Calling them houses would be wholly inaccurate. They were more like a city or palace. Their style was not Japanese, but rather a grand Chinese palace reminiscent of the Forbidden City. This stable was merely part of the palace grounds.
"An illusion of the Heavenly Court?" Satsuki glanced once and reached that conclusion. The Netherworld was a conduit between the divine realm and the human world. This place was likely already within the divine domain.
"...Ah, there's a monkey over there."
Hikari pointed toward a pile of hay in the corner of the stable.
There, reclining atop the hay, lay a monkey.
It had long, rounded eyes and prominent ears. Its face was not red, and its fur shone brightly—a golden hue tinged with orange. Its body measured no more than eighty centimeters in length.
"Welcome to my palace. It has been a long time since I had guests. And to have two Godslayers and a dragon arrive at once—today is truly lively!"
The monkey rose as he spoke in a resonant voice. With nimble, agile movements, he flipped lightly off the haystack. His appearance was far from handsome, but after shifting posture, he was at least no longer frightening.
"Um... are you the Monkey Divine Lord?" Hikari asked, seeming to forget her fear out of curiosity.
"The ones who locked me here call me that. But I seem to recall having a far more imposing title. It has been sealed away, however." The monkey scratched his head. "Still, this time the guests seem well prepared. Even through the corridor, I sensed that you brought the means to undo the Bimawen seal. That was your idea, was it not?"
The Monkey Divine Lord cast a troubled look at the silent Luo Hao.
"I recall that the last time, when we dealt with the earth dragon, we had a dispute. That battle ended without a victor because my time to return to my lair had arrived. At the time, were you not attempting to destroy the shrine's gate?"
"Indeed. I believed doing so would grant me access to your dwelling," Luo Hao replied indifferently. "In the end, I blew the shrine and the surrounding sanctuary into the air, yet could not enter the corridor... By our reckoning of time, that was a hundred years ago. But your divine technique—the art of subduing the dragon god that reduced Tokyo to chaos—remains fresh in my memory."
"So this time, not only have you broken through the shrine's seal to reach this place, you have also prepared the necessary conditions to undo the Bimawen seal. Do you intend to restore me to my deviant form and then battle me?"
"Though you appear quite wretched, sealed within a stable, you grasp your circumstances quickly. That makes matters simpler."
Like issuing a decree to the world, Luo Hao proclaimed:
"Next, in order to revive you, I shall remove the binding curse of Bimawen. Then I will ask you a question. That answer will determine whether we fight—or make peace."