Ryougi Raku sighed softly. He had been gathering his strength for a long time and had executed the Shinmei-ryu technique in the form of a quick-draw strike. His strength and speed were excellent. His intention had been to kill Kamo no Meihin with a single blow, but he had unexpectedly failed.
Since you didn't die from the first strike, let's see your Onmyoji magic!
Seeing that his opponent could create a barrier in that situation, it seemed they were both prepared to strike first. Ryougi Raku felt a flicker of admiration, but he did not relax. This man might seem foolish, but how could anyone who survived and thrived in this world be simple?
The power of the sword energy had frightened Kamo no Meihin into a cold sweat. If he had reacted even a moment slower, he would have been slain.
"Oh aboriginal born! Nyorai! Daigan! Musōkyo! Shobosatsu!" He chanted the mantra rapidly to purify his body and mind, calming himself.
Ryougi Raku had no time for regret. Taking advantage of the dust and smoke in the hall, he rushed towards the spot where Kamo no Meihin had just dodged.
"Kaeri! Jitsu, jitsu! Kongōheki! Kyōbō! Kudaku!" The rapid chanting sounded again. With the aid of spells and talismans, Kamo no Meihin quickly took protective measures.
A sword slash descended, striking the barrier with a sound like metal clashing.
Ryougi Raku was not annoyed. Seeing Kamo no Meihin retreating quickly, he swung his sword rapidly. The power of Origin infused his body, and with immense force, he shattered the barrier in just a few strokes.
Seeing his barrier broken, Kamo no Meihin was terrified. He knew full well the defensive power of the barrier fortified by his spiritual words. He had thought it could hold, buying him more time to employ other means, but he never expected it to be so fragile.
Seeing there was some distance between himself and Ryougi Raku, Kamo no Meihin felt slightly relieved.
"Fuku! Ken, ken! Kongō, kongō! Kenjuken!... Aaaaaah!!!!" His lips moved up and down, rapidly chanting the mantra, but a sudden scream erupted...
Ryougi Raku broke the barrier and saw Kamo no Meihin about to chant another spell. He sneered, and in an instant, delivered a slash that left a massive wound from his opponent's waist to his chest!
Kamo no Meihin knew this was a critical moment; a single misstep would cost him his life. Enduring the severe pain, the calming mantra he had chanted earlier still had some effect. "...Soku, soku! Kyōbō! Kudaku!!" With a loud roar, he finally finished the mantra.
Ryougi Raku felt a pushing force—the barrier expanding outward from within, forcing him back. This barrier was no longer large but took the form of a three-dimensional triangle, protecting Kamo no Meihin from all sides.
Simultaneously, Ryougi Raku felt that as he approached the barrier, his speed decreased, and even swinging his sword felt like moving through deep water, extremely sluggish.
Ryougi Raku's eyes lit up. This barrier finally seemed somewhat substantial. He channeled the power of Origin into his left hand, igniting a blood-red flame, and swung it towards the barrier.
Without a sound, the blood-flame simply burned quietly on the barrier's surface.
Kamo no Meihin was frightened. Seeing the blood-flame in Ryougi Raku's hand, he instinctively sensed something wrong, but what happened next made him hesitate. The blood-flame seemed mysterious and terrifying, yet aside from burning silently on the barrier, it had no other effect. He could even feel that the barrier hadn't weakened.
With no time to ponder, Kamo no Meihin quickly used Onmyoji magic to partially heal his wounds, then began to activate the talismans prepared and posted throughout the hall. These talismans were originally set up for emergencies, but everything had happened too fast earlier, leaving him no time to use them.
The blood-flame Ryougi Raku used was simply to attach to the barrier, allowing his soul to analyze and completely decipher it. This was part of his plan for the future, in case he encountered Onmyoji enemies. Judging by this barrier, its caster must be quite advanced. Now that he had fully deciphered it, any future encounters with Onmyoji would render most of their barriers meaningless. Compared to the boundless concepts of nature, this barrier was truly insignificant; it could be quickly analyzed through feedback.
The incantation finished quickly, and countless talismans on the hall's walls lit up. The next moment, numerous Inugami and floating spirits appeared! These shikigami, driven by the Onmyoji, were very useful for both swarming and obstructing enemies. Although their individual strength was low, their numbers made them extremely troublesome!
A floating spirit took the lead, charging at Ryougi Raku. These spirits were the souls of the deceased who either refused to believe they were dead or clung to attachments in the mortal world, easily subdued and turned into shikigami by Onmyoji. Facing the ethereal humanoid figure, Ryougi Raku cleaved it in two with a single strike. A shrill scream echoed as the figure dissipated into puffs of green smoke.
This scream was like a signal. The shikigami surged forward, surrounding Ryougi Raku and attacking frantically. For a moment, sword light flashed everywhere, and screams continued incessantly, as if the hall had become a cave of ghosts!
"Sowaka! Gōriki! Fudō Myōō! Karura! Shōsu! Shōsu! Shōriki! Fudō! Kasyō!" Kamo no Meihin certainly knew these shikigami couldn't kill Ryougi Raku; they were merely meant to entangle him with numbers, buying time for his ultimate move!
As the spell finished, a mass of crimson flame floated before Kamo no Meihin. Its color was deep, like the fire of a red lotus. "Hahahahaha! Brat, go to hell!!" Frowning from the pain of his wound, Kamo no Meihin shouted madly, his eyes bloodshot.
He swung his hands rapidly, and the red lotus-like flame shot from stillness into motion, straight towards Ryougi Raku, who was surrounded by shikigami!
"Boom!" A thunderous explosion erupted. A wall of the main hall was struck by the flaming path, blasted open a huge breach. The fiery blast continued for dozens of meters, destroying everything in its path. More than half of the shikigami were annihilated by this indiscriminate attack!
"Ha, ha~~!" Kamo no Meihin panted heavily, his body swaying as if he might collapse at any moment. He had used this technique under great duress. If not for his barrier still being active, the shockwaves from the flames alone would have worsened his injuries.
But it was all worth it. Looking at the charred, dark path burned by the flames, green smoke rising from the ground with a sizzle, the figure that had been wielding the sword had vanished without a trace.
"Hahaha~ha~ha, you brat, this is what happens when you oppose me." His voice was hoarse and unpleasant, but his excitement was palpable. This time, he had been careless, letting this kid seize the initiative, beaten so badly he nearly lost his life. Fortunately, fortunately, he was the ultimate victor!
"What are you laughing at? Idiot!" A faint, mocking voice came from above.
"Gack!" Like a strangled duck, the unpleasant laughter cut off abruptly. Kamo no Meihin stared blankly upward to see Ryougi Raku standing upside down on the roof beam, feet planted firmly like a nocturnal bat.
The moment the flame was unleashed, Ryougi Raku had instantly leaped upward. Although the spell was powerful, it was insufficient against someone with extreme speed!
Of course, even if the spell had hit him, he was well aware of his own regenerative abilities; it wouldn't have been fatal, though it would have caused some physical pain.
"Alright, the game is over. Prepare to die," Ryougi Raku said coldly.
A sense of completion arose from within; the barrier had finally been fully analyzed.
Hmph, if I hadn't wanted to witness the power of Onmyoji magic to broaden my horizons, I would have killed you long ago. Now that I've seen it and fully deciphered the barrier, you are no longer of any use!
As this thought crossed his mind, he willed it into action!
Under Kamo no Meihin's astonished gaze, the blood-red flames burning on the barrier spread rapidly, covering its entire surface in less than an instant. The next moment, the flames vanished silently as if they had never existed. Simultaneously, the three-sided barrier, which he believed to be highly protective, also disappeared!
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"What? What's happening?!" Seeing the barrier protecting him disappear mysteriously, Kamo no Meihin shouted in panic.
The barrier was gone, and the enemy was not far away. Kamo no Meihin's heart turned cold. Now, with his spiritual power exhausted, he was barely stronger than an ordinary person. He stood there trembling.
"Is... is there any other way? There must be another way?!" His mind raced, desperate to find an escape from this deadly situation.
"Oh, that thing! But..." After a moment's hesitation, Kamo no Meihin hardened his heart. "Ancestors, this is a critical moment for the Kamo family. For the sake of our lineage, I have no choice but to do this..."
Having decided, Kamo no Meihin turned and ran towards the back of the hall without a second glance. At the same time, he continued summoning shikigami, hoping they could still play a role and buy him some time!
Ryougi Raku saw him turn and run, his back wide open. Given the distance between them, he could easily kill him with a single strike!
Just as he was about to draw his sword for the kill, he suddenly remembered the mission Aoyama Yaha had mentioned—slay a demon and kill a person. The person was right in front of him, but where was the demon?
Recalling the old man's immense power, he wouldn't make such a mistake, and his words were never without purpose. It seemed the task still centered on Kamo no Meihin. Seeing him run so decisively in one direction, it appeared he had some last resort. Ryougi Raku thought this was likely part of the trial the old man had set for him.
With this in mind, Ryougi Raku abandoned the idea of an immediate kill and let him escape. As for what Kamo no Meihin would do next, while he would take it seriously, he wasn't overly concerned.
During his over a year of training, Ryougi Raku had felt an increasing thirst for battle. Every time he faced a strong enemy, his blood would boil with excitement. From initial fights with wild beasts to extreme training where death seemed imminent, what he felt was not fear or panic, but fervor. Every battle gave him a pleasure akin to drugs, and it seemed a voice in his heart urged him to defeat, to surpass!
At first, Ryougi Raku was shocked by this inner transformation. In his previous life as a harmless homebody, freed from societal constraints, he could unleash such madness—something he'd never dared imagine! He suspected his origins were unconsciously assimilating him, but after searching his soul, he felt relieved. His soul clearly told him this change was a joyful yearning. So, he let it be!
Ryougi Raku gave up killing Kamo no Meihin immediately. For him, Aoyama Yaha's mission was only part of it; the bigger reason was his desire to face a powerful enemy, to enjoy the battle and the pleasure it brought!
…
The talismans on the hall walls lit up again, and shikigami began to appear one by one, though their numbers were much fewer than before. It seemed because part of the wall was destroyed by Kamo no Meihin's earlier attack, rendering many talismans ineffective.
Ryougi Raku strolled leisurely among the shikigami as if playing, and with every step, several shikigami howled and died. He paid no mind to these weaklings but sensed that Kamo no Meihin had already put some distance between them. Calculating that it was about time, he stopped playing around.
"Shinmei-ryu Secret Technique: Hundred Fierce Cherry Blossoms Slash!" Ryougi Raku swung his katana, sending countless blade energies scattering in all directions. These tiny blade energies resembled falling cherry blossoms, and paired with the young man's sword dance amidst them, any witness would admire the sight. But within this picturesque beauty lay the most brutal slaughter!
The cherry blossoms drifted, seeming slow yet fast, spinning rapidly around Ryougi Raku with him as the center. In an instant, they formed a tornado of sword energy and cherry blossoms. Ryougi Raku, in the eye of the storm, remained untouched, his clothes unmoving, while the shikigami couldn't withstand it for a moment. The floating spirits screamed, and the Inugami howled.
The storm continued to spread, engulfing the entire hall. The walls couldn't endure the violent tearing; the talismans on them extinguished. The entire hall was as if caught in a shredder, torn to pieces by the endless cherry blossom-shaped blade energies! The only sounds were the roar of the wind and the scattered creaking of destruction!
The storm gradually subsided. At some point, the dark clouds had dispersed, and moonlight shone once more. Except for the spot where Ryougi Raku stood, which remained relatively clean, the surroundings were littered with broken bricks and tiles. This hall, so important to the Kamo family, had completely vanished.