Chapter 377: Team Snake, the Third Party
The body of the black-haired woman belonged to the Heroic Spirit once known as Mochizuki Chiyome, but the one holding the right to control her actions at this moment was the Great Myojin, Yamata no Orochi.
Because the white god had initiated a massive revolution where mystery would no longer exist in the world, the Counter Force would no longer be needed, the Throne of Heroes would no longer be needed, and all magic, magecraft, and mystery would be erased—leaving humanity to rely entirely on themselves—many existences hidden behind the scenes in various domains were becoming restless.
Yamata no Orochi was no exception. She had originally intended to use the resentment of this world to strengthen her own soul, plotting to perfectly recombine with her original body. However, Shirou and Illya had opened the seal a step ahead of her, causing her plan to fall through at the final hurdle. Consequently, her soul failed to return smoothly into her body. Even so, due to the presence of the Heroic Spirit s, there happened to be many existences in this place who shared a connection with her.
This allowed her physical body to be reshaped, but its interior was already in tatters, and her soul's defenses were practically defenseless. As a shrine maiden serving the Great Myojin, Mochizuki Chiyome could be said to be the best possible material for possession.
Without facing any resistance, Yamata no Orochi easily occupied the body of the female ninja.
Then, she began to seek out the descendants in this world who shared a bloodline relationship with her—namely, the existences of the Oni. Of course, not all Oni were her descendants. For instance, a certain six-million-HP blonde brat who called herself the leader of Mount Oe, as well as the Hundred Demons under her command, had no direct blood relation to Orochi.
However, Shuten-Douji, who possessed the bloodline of Orochi, naturally received the respect of the entire Oni race. It was just that her influence over this country was simply too immense, and her bloodline's inheritance was also the most resilient.
Since the battle of Mount Oe, Minamoto no Raikou had led the Four Heavenly Kings in a life-and-death struggle against the Oni race. Shuten-Douji was tricked by Kintoki into drinking poisoned sake and was subsequently decapitated by Raikou's blade. Aside from Ibaraki-Douji, who managed to escape, the other members of the Oni race on the mountain were slaughtered to the last.
After that, the human race flourished. The only Oni who could survive in Wa country were the strongest among the strong, and basically all of them were descendants of Orochi.
Moreover, the descendants of Orochi were, in fact, not limited to this single clan. Dragons are naturally lustful, and there were other types present in Wa country.
Specifically speaking, the Oni of this world could be roughly divided into three types.
The first type consisted of the most famous Oni of this island nation—heretics with bloodlines and concepts completely different from humans, outcasts of the gods, and alien races that refused to obey discipline. Among them, Shuten-Douji, who inherited the blood of Yamata no Orochi—the one who rebelled against Takamagahara—stood supreme. In the West, there were also vampires who were abandoned by God.
Over in China, such existences were more commonly referred to as 'Yaoguai' (Demons/Monsters). For instance, when he first broke out from the stone, the divine monkey was called a naturally born spiritual being by the Heavenly Court; but the moment he offended the Heavenly Court, he became a demon.
The second type consisted of existences possessing strength and supernatural abilities far exceeding ordinary humans—the anomalies among humanity. They might be half-bloods mixed with other bloodlines, individuals who had awakened their Origin, or those afflicted by mental pollution. They could be mutants who used various means to alter their constitutions or even their races, or unconventional, out-of-their-mind artists in human skin, and killer fiends possessed by homicidal impulses.
The third type consisted of ghosts and spirits, which were more universally common throughout the world. They were incorporeal spiritual bodies without physical forms, yet they possessed all sorts of bizarre and wondrous abilities. For example, those who confined themselves inside a mansion, forbidding any living being from entering.
Those who were more proactive might make phone calls in the dead of night, spread death curses via videotapes, or crawl directly out of television sets. These were the so-called vengeful spirits and evil spirits; because they suffered injustices during their lifetimes and died with unclosed eyes, their intense obsessions prevented them from passing on, causing them to remain in the human world. However, upon turning into ghostly entities, they also lost their sanity, doing nothing but hysterically executing curses and vengeance.
What Yamata no Orochi sought were the descendants carrying her bloodline. Aside from the first and second types, there were even those of the third type. In this world, within Shimousa Province of the Kanto region, such existences were unexpectedly numerous.
"Let's go. We shall gather all of our compatriots," the black-haired young woman possessed by Orochi said in a profound voice.
"Yes! However, Ancestor, is there no need to deal with that puppet hiding behind us? Allow me to go and drive her away," Tomoe Gozen suddenly spoke up, glancing at the bushes a hundred meters behind them.
At this moment, Danzou, who was hiding in the bushes a hundred meters away, and the red-haired youth shivered almost simultaneously.
Danzou was a mechanical puppet—or rather, a mechanical girl. She was a puppet girl created through the joint efforts of a Sengoku period sorcerer and the first-generation leader of the
Fuma clan. Although their technology had not yet reached a level identical to a living human, by virtue of a body far surpassing humans and exquisite ninjutsu, Danzou was granted a powerful combat capacity close to that of a Servant.
She seemed to have lost her power source due to being in disrepair for many years. Afterward, she was reactivated by Ashiya Douman, which led her to recognize him as her new master, subsequently performing the task of accompanying and assisting the Heroic Spirit s for him.
After Yamata no Orochi awakened and Mochizuki Chiyome vanished, Ashiya Douman had ordered her to monitor and investigate the situation over here.
Kato Danzou secretly thought to herself that things had gone awry. Although she had already suppressed all signs of life from her unit and carefully avoided making any sound, she was still easily discovered.
With her golden snake pupils flashing, Tomoe Gozen directly picked up her precious bow. Her right hand fitted an arrow to the string and unleashed magical energy; immediately, the entire arrow was ignited, turning into a raging blaze. She discharged a single arrow straight toward the bushes.
Her current state was a hundred times better than when she was helpless under the control of the Heroic Spirit state. However, because of Orochi's blessing, the Oni blood within her body was completely boiling, causing her to become even more overbearing in her conduct.
The burning arrow shot toward that direction exactly like a missile propelled forward by a jet of flame, exploding with a loud crash the moment it struck the bushes. A large crater was blasted into the ground, and the surrounding vegetation was either burned to ashes or blown away until it vanished. That entire area turned into a barren stretch of black, scorched earth.
Of course, Tomoe Gozen did not intend to kill the opponent; she merely wanted to force her out. Although she harbored a grudge against the Sorcerer and Ashiya Douman, who had implanted the karma into her, she would not vent her anger on a ninja who was merely loyal to her master.
A dark shadow leaped high into the air, thrillingly evading the explosion. Kato Danzou's tied-up ponytail fluttered high under the wind pressure of the blast as she leaped out just a moment before being engulfed by the explosion.
However, by doing this, she also completely exposed her figure.
"Oh my, so it turns out you aren't human?" Orochi looked with great interest at the female ninja who had sprung out from the bushes.
When Danzou was gazed upon by those golden vertical pupils, the detectors on her body turned entirely red, continuously blaring the highest level of warning. Facing such an enemy, even if she turned around to flee right now, it was already too late.
"Please wait, Ancestor! She is not an enemy, please spare her," Fuma Kotarou shouted nervously. Although the Danzou here did not recognize him, to him, Danzou was an indispensable and dear family member.
"..." Danzou looked at Kotarou in confusion, unable to understand why this youth, whom she had never met before, would speak up on her behalf. But what was even more peculiar was that upon seeing the youth, she actually experienced an indescribable sense of closeness.
"No need to be so tense, Kotarou. I will not harm humans related to you, your kinsmen, or your friends. Nor do I harbor any interest in Chaldea's Master," Orochi said, reassuring the red-haired youth.
"Thank you, Ancestor," the red-haired youth, Fuma Kotarou, said with a bow. He was actually a Servant from Chaldea, but before he could find Gudako, he was drawn to the ice mountain by the calling of his bloodline. He met the female ninja possessed by Orochi and was willing to aid his ancestor.
In return, Yamata no Orochi had also promised him that she would not harm Gudako. Although she was a brutal and bloodthirsty ferocious beast, Orochi was still extremely tolerant and generous toward her own descendants.
"Ah, yes. My only enemies are those deities—the deities of Takamagahara who sealed me. Do not think that you can hide just because you left this place. Once I reclaim my body, I will find them sooner or later, charge over, and devour them all! Furthermore, that white god who wishes to make me disappear cannot be let off either!" As Orochi spoke, she glared fiercely at the sky once more, a highly violent and ferocious light flashing in her eyes, looking as though she wanted to pierce through the heavens.
"Yes, I will become your strength, Ancestor," Kotarou complied.
"Me too!" Tomoe Gozen agreed.
"There is no need to be formal. You are my descendants, which means you are my family. Come to think of it, speaking of mixed-blood children like you, I once had a son who stayed in Shimousa Province named Kojirou," Orochi said.
"Kojirou?" Tomoe Gozen blinked her eyes in confusion, involuntarily recalling the blue-haired swordsman she had seen in the estate, who flirted with women indiscriminately and possessed a rather talkative mouth.
"Yes, it's Kojirou. He was a child I gave birth to with a human on a whim, and he even became a castle lord here in Shimousa Province," Orochi said reminiscently.
"Well, let's not talk about him for now. Hey~! Puppet over there, since my descendant has shielded you, you may do as you please. Whether you leave this place or follow behind us, it's entirely up to you," Yamata no Orochi said proudly.
"Thank you for your generosity, Great Myojin. And thank you, Lord Kotarou," Danzou said. Although she did not fear death, she did not wish to die here in vain either. She bowed to Orochi, then looked toward the red-haired youth beside her and bowed her head once more.
"No, please... you are too polite," Kotarou didn't dare accept the gesture and hastily bowed in return.
"Then please allow me to accompany your side," Kato Danzou requested earnestly. She was still faithfully executing the task given to her by her master, and she always felt very concerned about the red-haired youth, wishing to stay by his side a bit longer.
"You are really being too reckless, please go back," Kotarou urged anxiously.
Orochi spoke up, saying: "No matter, just let her follow. As long as that bunch of Heroic Spirit s don't clash with us, we'll leave them be for now. In any case, whether it is hell or the human world, it makes no difference to us. First, we will gather our forces, and then we will deal with that annoying human brat and that little brat of a deity."
"Yes!"
"Well then, let us go. Let us head off to receive my daughter. Come to think of it, I haven't seen her for a long time since her death," Orochi said leisurely.
Thus, the new group of three individuals with golden pupils, followed by a black-haired female ninja, walked in the direction of a certain mountain.
.
.
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In a dark estate on the other side, Caster was currently utilizing his sorcery to monitor every single move of the Heroic Spirit s who had gone out.
As a type of spiritual body, Heroic Spirits had left behind stories that deeply touched human hearts due to their past achievements. Some people were moved by them, while others were inspired; thus, they were sublimated onto the Throne, becoming guardians of humanity. However, the current Heroic Spirit s were perhaps closer to vengeful spirits.
Implanted with the karma to slaughter everything, it became the sole guide for their actions.
Because of this, Hozouin Inshun, a Buddhist monk harboring deep compassion, became a demon who massacred villages;
Tomoe Gozen, who originally possessed a gentle personality and detested conflict, could turn everywhere she passed into scorched earth;
The broken Heroic Spirit s were difficult to control even for the summoners. For this reason, Caster, the subordinate of the Sorcerer, would dispatch all sorts of magical creatures to conduct surveillance on these Heroic Spirit s.
At this moment, Caster, who was sitting in the rear, was watching Minamoto no Raikou holding her sword expressionlessly, walking step by step toward the front of the little girl she had taken hostage.
"Hmm..." Right after that, only a flash of sword light was seen passing before his eyes. The magical creature he used for surveillance was hacked into pieces by Minamoto no Raikou, and the Onmyouji let out a muffled groan.
"Caster? Has some problem arisen?" The Sorcerer had also noticed that some strange mutation had occurred by now. Ever since a problem arose with the Assassin of the Heroic Spirit s, the progress of events was deviating further and further from their plan.
"No, Master. It is merely the routine rampage of the Black Rope Hell. As a Rider, she acts more like a Berserker," the long-haired man known as Caster said, revealing his usual mysterious and sinister smile. "Although Assassin has departed, as long as Saber remains on our side, there will not be any issues with the plan."
The Sorcerer nodded slightly and said: "That is true. Even if he once served as a dog of the Tokugawa, by relying on strategy and methods, he still rose from being the leader of a small sword faction to becoming the Governor of Tajima Province, becoming a figure who ruled over a region."
The man known as Caster said: "Yes. No matter how one looks at it, Heroic Spirits are extremely proud existences. It is not a major issue for there to be some lingering obsessions struggling against the karma inside them. As long as they still bear the technique passed down by Lord Satan upon their bodies, they will be unable to resist your plan. Please rest assured on this point, Master."
"As long as that is the case. The Demonic Castle of the Defiled Land of the Weary World must descend upon this world," the Sorcerer said profoundly.
"Yes, please leave it to me with peace of mind," Caster agreed, bowing slightly.
"Mm," the Sorcerer nodded, staying no longer as he turned and departed from the area.
Caster smiled gloomily and said: "Hehehe, Chaldea's Master, Miyamoto Musashi, come. Under the guidance of my Lord Satan, whether it be Chaldea or the Human Order itself, all shall surely be destroyed."
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