As the nature of the Heretic God gradually revived, golden light began to radiate from the Monkey Divine Lord's eyes.
As the Dragon God's blood awakened the power within him, a savage instinct that had slumbered for a hundred years stirred in his heart. Meanwhile, under the influence of the Dragon-Slaying Blade in her hand, Hikari's expression grew increasingly vacant.
"The Path of Blood is the path of father and mother. When the Path of Blood ceases, life ceases. O God of the Path of Blood..."
With reverence, Hikari raised the Dragon-Slaying Blade high, pouring her calamity-purging spiritual power into it. Then—
"Divine Dragon-Slaying Blade, clear the way for the gods!"
The treasured blade infused with calamity-purging spiritual power became a curse-breaking edge. The instant it was brought down upon the petrified Monkey Divine Lord, the barrier of Bimawen was finally shattered.
Crack... crack...
Countless fractures spread across the stone encasing the Monkey Divine Lord, extending from his head downward until cracks covered his neck, shoulders, waist, and legs.
Golden divine light leaked from the fissures. The entire Netherworld trembled violently under the revival of that power. The structure that had once served as the divine stable began to decay at a visible rate. The heavenly steeds within neighed in terror, kicking wildly as they fled the dangerous place.
The seal of Bimawen was extraordinarily complex. It was linked to the Netherworld ley lines of this region and to the seal of the Western Heaven Palace in the outside world. When it was broken, immense changes reverberated through both locations.
The impending birth of the Stone Monkey triggered a celestial anomaly. Just as the emergence of a Heretic God would naturally influence the surrounding environment according to its divine nature, so too did this phenomenon unfold.
In the stratosphere above Candle Nine Yin's dragon body, vast thunderclouds materialized in the void.
Crackle—boom!
Lightning struck downward incessantly. Yet Candle Nine Yin's colossal body was far too immense. Her existence nearly blotted out the sky itself, completely obstructing the heavenly anomaly.
"The release of divine power has altered the heavens. It seems the seal has been broken smoothly," the girl standing atop Candle Nine Yin's head remarked, glancing upward. "However, judging by the progress, I will need to maintain this state for a while longer..."
Half of the stone encasing the Monkey Divine Lord had already shattered. The divine light of his Fiery Golden Eyes became twin beams of gold. As his head swayed left and right, they pierced straight through the Nine Hells and Three Realms like two high-powered searchlights.
The essence of the God of Steel was awakening...
At the same time, as the Monkey Divine Lord was being released, the Authorities within Erica and Luo Hao resonated with the aura of a God, activating on their own.
"According to plan, the monkey's true body is about to revive. Prepare yourself. Whether you can obtain a new Authority will depend on you," Satsuki's voice echoed by Erica's ear.
The golden-haired Demon King nodded knowingly, though her tone carried a hint of curiosity. "Honestly, after preparing such an elaborate setup, we still have to settle things with blades in the end."
"He is not the one I care about—so whether he lives or dies depends on fate."
On the other side, Luo Hao focused her attention on the Monkey Divine Lord, whose stone seal was now three-quarters shattered. Even so, she did not forget to issue instructions to her disciple beside her.
"Ying'er, there is nothing more for you to do here. Leave."
"Yes, Master. This disciple obeys."
Lu Yinghua had developed a conditioned reflex toward his beautiful master, like a mouse seeing a cat. He straightened respectfully, lowering his head in obedience.
After stiffly nodding in Erica and Satsuki's direction, he swiftly dashed toward the expanding square opening.
It was no ordinary sprint, but the mystical art Erica and Liliana called "lightness skill." Like flying through the air, he utilized extraordinary leg strength and jumping ability to run at speeds comparable to beasts and motorcycles.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the turbulent Netherworld.
"Yuri, take Hikari and leave the Western Heaven Palace area."
Satsuki's Tenseigan allowed her to see Yuri observing in spirit form nearby. The words were spoken deliberately for her.
Yuri's spirit nodded toward Satsuki.
In the next instant, the brilliance of Amenotejikara flashed within Satsuki's eyes. Hikari's figure disappeared instantly. Satsuki had swapped her position with the sacred shimenawa rope outside the sealing barrier. In the blink of an eye, Hikari was expelled from the Netherworld.
She fell into Yuri's waiting arms. Beside them, Lily immediately urged, "Yuri, hurry and leave."
The origins of that Monkey Divine Lord seemed familiar to Satsuki. As a support who could see through the essence of divine power, Yuri's abilities would be limited here. Moreover, Hikari had fallen unconscious from excessive use of spiritual power and needed a safe place to recover.
Thus Yuri did not refuse Lily's suggestion.
What remained were Erica, Satsuki, Candle Nine Yin in the sky, Luo Hao—and the Monkey Divine Lord.
"At last... freedom approaches."
The stone seal had shattered down to his feet. The Monkey Divine Lord's once-flippant expression gradually faded. The divine light in his eyes receded as he looked at those before him.
"Oh? Only you few remain? Planning to fight me right here?"
"That would be ideal," Erica replied, red curse power flaring around her. Her clothes shifted into her usual battle attire, and her beloved sword Lion's Heart appeared in her hand. "If you escape outside, it will cause quite a commotion. Then my so-called subordinates will be busy calming public opinion again and complaining that their 'Campione' lacks consideration."
Luo Hao closed her folding fan and stood barehanded, her cold gaze brimming with killing intent as she faced the God of Steel.
"Ha! Interesting... But once I restore my rebellious body, I will leave this Netherworld at lightning speed. Can you stop me?"
As he spoke, the final mass of stone at his feet shattered.
"Ha! This Old Sun is off~"
His body transformed into a streak of golden light, shooting toward the boundary passage in the distance.
But someone had anticipated this.
"The ability to traverse one hundred and eight thousand li with a single somersault, now reduced to stepping into the realm of divine speed? Hardly original."
Just as the golden streak was about to enter the passage, a gigantic hand that blotted out heaven and earth suddenly interposed itself between them.
The hand was not a physical entity, but formed from glazed Buddhist light and twisted scriptures. The moment it appeared, the entire Netherworld space froze in time.
Looking around, the scenery transformed instantly. The original landscape and the clustered divine palaces vanished without a trace. Everywhere the eye could see was layer upon layer of glazed crystal infused with sinister Buddhist radiance, forming boundless expanses that stretched endlessly upward and downward. Countless scriptures flowed along the infinite outer walls of this glazed space. The entire heaven and earth were filled with Buddhist light and mandala petals.
Not only that—everyone, even Candle Nine Yin, found their bodies rapidly shrinking. Or rather, the hand used as reference was expanding hundreds, thousands of times.
The boundary between life and death was replaced. Before their eyes remained only the distinction between reality and illusion.
Even Luo Hao, who reigned at the pinnacle of martial might, could not help but change expression. With her vast knowledge, she recognized the divine technique in an instant.
—"The Buddha Kingdom in the Palm!?"
"Cult Leader Luo Hao's insight is truly impressive. This is indeed a spatial technique similar to the Buddha Kingdom in the Palm."
The only one who remained calm amid the upheaval of heaven and earth was Satsuki—because she herself was the source of it.
Though the surroundings appeared to be the Black Domain Buddhakṣetra, in truth it was merely a projection created through power. Thus, to those present, it felt only like an independent space.
The true Black Domain Buddhakṣetra was still in the Inuyasha world, in the midst of fusing worlds together. For that reason, the pressure it exerted upon those present was not yet particularly overwhelming.
"Are you trying to trap us?"
Luo Hao's expression was cold and wary. Even if this was not the long-lost ancient divine art of the Buddha Kingdom in the Palm, it was still a spatial divine ability not to be underestimated.
She tentatively attempted to activate her divine speed technique. Yet within this space, her movement could not locate any coordinates beyond it.
Inside this realm filled with glazed Buddhist light, there was no concept of "origin" or "destination." It was as though one existed within an endless cycle of reincarnation. Within this expanse of luminous crystal, even the concepts of "life" and "undying" seemed to have been erased.
In response to Luo Hao's question, Satsuki answered indifferently, "I simply do not wish for my family's Campione to encounter unnecessary complications. After all, that one is hardly the type to behave obediently."
High above, the enormous form of Candle Nine Yin vanished. The mysterious horned girl reappeared at Satsuki's side.
Glancing at the Monkey Divine Lord—now transformed into a streak of golden light, attempting to pierce through the colossal palm overhead—she asked softly, "My lord, is there truly no need for me to act?"
Candle Nine Yin had only just awakened from her slumber. Thanks to Satsuki's preparations in the Inuyasha world and the divine core of Divine Ancestor Angela, she had been revived in the form of the Candle Dragon. She was eager to prove her worth before Satsuki.
"No. You have other matters to attend to..."
With a raised hand, Satsuki opened a passage of Yomotsu Hirasaka beside Candle Nine Yin.
"With the Bimawen seal broken, the gods who laid it will be alerted. If they intervene, Lily and Yuri can at most issue a warning—they cannot stop them. I will need you to handle it."
"You mean those who cast the seal?" The youthful Candle Nine Yin nodded. "I understand."
With that, she stepped through the Yomotsu Hirasaka summoned by Satsuki and vanished.
After several failed attempts to break through the massive palm sealing the Netherworld passage, the Monkey Divine Lord finally realized he would not be leaving so easily.
Enraged, he manifested his true body. A powerful surge of divine power shot upward from his crown, transforming into a crimson torrent that rushed toward the glazed Buddhist sky.
"So you have finally awakened, Monkey King?"
Luo Hao clenched her fists, battle intent blazing as she stared at the figure whose appearance had utterly changed.
No—perhaps that title was no longer accurate. The being before them was now called Sun Wukong.
The Great Sage Equal to Heaven—Sun Wukong.
Though he offered no introduction, both Satsuki and Luo Hao understood.
Red clouds like flames coiled around his body, forming auspicious radiance that wrapped around him and transformed into a peculiar set of attire. Two peacock feathers adorned his head. He wore Ascension Boots upon his feet, a Heaven-Conquering Armor upon his body, and over it all a crimson cloak that seemed capable of covering the sky.
Golden brilliance blazed from his eyes as he looked down upon those below. One hand reached into his ear and retrieved something. In the next instant, a golden staff appeared in his grasp.
It was no longer merely a divine instrument, but a supreme artifact of heaven and earth—more formidable even than the Kusanagi no Tsurugi.
The Ruyi Jingu Bang.
His face was no longer that of the comical yet faintly grotesque monkey from before. It now bore the solemn majesty befitting a god.
"What a nuisance. I've only just regained my freedom, and already I must fight troublesome foes. I still wanted to return to Flower-Fruit Mountain to see my monkey subjects."
In that instant, Luo Hao's figure flashed beside the transformed Sun Wukong. She seized his shoulder with one hand.
Her beautiful face radiated icy authority.
"If you are a vile monkey, then vanish here. If you are a peerless hero, then step upon the dragon's corpse and reopen your path of wreaking havoc in Heaven."
"That's why I said—even if we're from the same homeland, you're truly a self-righteous nuisance."
In the next moment, Luo Hao swung her arm domineeringly. The tremendous force stirred the air into a violent gale, hurling Sun Wukong—who did not deliberately resist—into the glazed starry sky above. She leapt upward in pursuit.
Erica followed as well.
She held no particular sentiment toward this God of Steel. Yet as a Godslayer, her blood carried an instinctive impulse to purge gods. Moreover, this had originally been a gift Satsuki prepared for her. To let such an opportunity pass without action would be an unforgivable waste.
...
Tokyo Metropolis, Chiyoda Ward, Sanban Street—Sayanomiya Family Annex.
Ena Seishuuin, who had been undergoing physical rehabilitation training, suddenly widened her eyes.
Her expression changed. An unusually serious look appeared on her face as she lifted her head toward the snow-white ceiling, as though listening to something.
Then Ena took out her phone and brought it to her ear and mouth.
Speaking to a phone that was switched off, she began chatting casually.
"Hello, hello... Grandpa, did something happen? Don't you know I'm currently on medical leave?"
The anomaly here naturally did not escape the notice of Sayanomiya Kaoru, who was likewise a Hime-Miko. Through surveillance cameras, she could grasp the general sequence of events. Keen observation and sharp intellect were strengths of the cross-dressing Hime-Miko.
Of course, it also helped that the other party had made no attempt to conceal anything.
After listening to Ena's report following the end of her communication, Kaoru gained a clearer understanding of the situation.
The elegant beauty in men's attire took out her phone and called her not-entirely-loyal but highly capable subordinate.
"Hello, Mr. Amakasu. How is your business trip to Nikkō? I had a feeling something troublesome might occur, so I decided to call you."
"Does the training of a Hime-Miko also include clairvoyance? If so, please share the secret with me. It would save me from traveling all over the country in the future."
Admitting that an unexpected incident had occurred, Touma Amakasu replied,
"I was just about to call and report to you. Something major has happened in Nikkō..."
After listening to her subordinate's briefing for nearly ten minutes, Sayanomiya Kaoru learned of the anomaly at Mount Nikkō.
As expected, the Western Heaven Palace within Mount Nikkō had indeed sealed a god.
More troubling still, even that violent woman had intervened this time. She had broken the Bimawen seal restraining the god, alarming the elders who lived in seclusion within the Netherworld.
And the one who had just contacted Ena was most likely that old gentleman.
At that thought, Kaoru let out a sigh.
"Looks like I'll be working overtime again."