She searched her memories, but no one came to mind.
Maybe it was just a false sense of familiarity. After all, people often experience déjà vu in moments like these.
Just then, several exorcists from the Himejima clan approached.
Suzaku quickly composed herself, now was no time for rest. She gave clear orders:
"Gather all the wounded and move them to a safe area. Be on alert for any counterattacks from the remnants. And send word to the Five Great Clans immediately. They need to know everything that happened here."
The exorcists obeyed swiftly.
Without their leaders, the remnants of Cicada group and the youkai forces were soon suppressed. Walburga's witch faction, seeing the tides turn, retreated just as fast.
The sealing barrier over the Oku-no-In faded.
Soon after, the battle was declared over.
After some treatment, Suzaku regained a measure of her strength.
She gazed upon the Oku-no-In, the proud, shared sanctuary of the Five Great Clans, now reduced to rubble. All around, expressions were grim and complex.
"After this incident… who knows what measures the clan leaders will take?"
"The alliance between Cicada, the witches, and the Fallen, maybe they'll respond with even more extreme tactics."
"But won't that just drive more people into groups like Cicada?"
"And what about that man? The power he used clearly wasn't from any of the clans… but if it weren't for him, the Oku-no-In, and all of us, might not have survived."
"Don't forget the 'Treasure of Uji.' I checked the altar, it's gone."
"What?! The items that sealed the three great youkai were taken?"
"I examined Satanael's remains. The treasure wasn't on him."
Suzaku gave a bitter smile.
What puzzled her wasn't just the missing treasure, Satanael's cursed sword had also vanished without a trace.
Considering the timing of that man's appearance, perhaps the truth behind this incident was not so simple.
...
And indeed, her guess was spot on.
The Treasure of Uji had been looted by Rod. Satanael's magic sword? Auto-looted into his inventory.
[Weapon Acquired: Demon Sword – The Lake's Untarnished Radiance]
[Also known as Arondight. Once wielded by Lancelot of the Round Table in Arthurian legend, this blade, like Excalibur, was forged by the Lady of the Lake. Though originally a holy sword of divine radiance, it lost its sanctity and became a demon sword. Lost during the Three-Faction War, it was secretly recovered by the Grigori Organization, then stolen by Satanael after his betrayal. Bonus: Increased damage against dragon-type enemies.]
"A classic."
Rod already had the Lake Sword from a previous random reward.
He took both blades out for comparison.
One gleamed with divine light; the other pulsed with sinister black mist.
"Guess I can alternate. Or try dual-wielding."
With a shrug, Rod tossed both into his storage.
Having exited the Oku-no-In perimeter, he removed his Superman Glasses and opened his system map, time to check in on the witches.
Because of the disguise, even though the witches knew Satanael was dead, they had no idea it was Rod who'd done the deed.
Their marker on the map still showed green.
About ten kilometers from the Oku-no-In…
A once-lush forest was now a wasteland.
The ground and trees were coated in icy frost, and strangely, purple flames flickered on some frozen patches.
The trees were snapped, the ground cracked and cratered, rivers dried to a stop. The forest's original shape was unrecognizable.
The atmosphere was beyond bizarre.
Ten meters back, it was below freezing. Ten meters forward? A blistering forty to fifty degrees Celsius.
In short, it was a mess.
Still, Rod made it through unimpeded and quickly located Walburga and her Ozian witches.
All of them were injured. Apart from Walburga's usual unnerving grin, the others looked grim.
Who could've predicted that, just when everything was going their way, some random interloper would wipe out their strongest allies?
Still, there was one last fight to be had.
As long as their leader, Purple Flame Magus Augusta, won, this outcome would be acceptable.
Noticing Rod's arrival, several witches turned his way.
Walburga waved at him cheerily. "Rod, I'm shocked you're still alive!"
Rod was still wearing the same outfit, but without the Superman Glasses, no one could recognize him.
"Charming greeting," Rod quipped. "What's the situation?"
"So far, Master's in the lead," Walburga replied with a chipper lilt. "That Ice Princess is about to lose~"
As she spoke, Rod looked up and saw two figures locked in an aerial clash above the mountains.
Countless magic circles spun around them, one white, one violet, unleashing devastating spells.
Not just ice and fire. Lightning, wind blades, holy light, water pillars, the full arsenal of elemental magic rained across the sky like confetti.
One side was an old woman, Augusta, the fire magus of purple flame.
The other, a striking blonde girl who looked barely twenty, clad in pristine white mage robes. A tall, pointy witch hat adorned her head.
[Name: Lavinia Reni]
[Alias: Ice Princess]
[Status: Injured]
Rod didn't recall her from the main storyline.
Still, she left an impression now.
Not many mages fought atop Mount Fuji in spell-enhanced, side-slit robes that looked suspiciously like fetish cosplay.
Sure, it was more "themed attire" than practical gear, but Lavinia's combat ability was the real deal.
What really drew Rod's eye, though, were the two colossal avatars clashing before them.
Before Lavinia stood a majestic Ice Princess formed of crystalline frost, surrounded by dancing snowflakes.
Before Augusta? A giant fire titan cloaked in purple flames, the heat rolling off it so intense even Rod could feel it from a distance.
Both combatants noticed Rod and the others arriving.
Augusta smiled.
Lavinia's expression tightened.
"My, sounds like things at the Oku-no-In are already resolved," Augusta called.
"Nope. Satanael's dead," Rod shouted back.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Support my other Fic!
Read 40 Advanced Chapters
p(a)treon.com/Shalltearr
Drop some POWERSTONES to push the story forward!