With Monk Shinsen sent flying, nothing stood in Tendō Midoriko's way.
Her gaze fixed on the sealing stone. Without hesitation, she brought the Savage Dragon Sword down in a decisive arc.
A radiant blade of light, infused with shrine maiden spiritual power, tore through the air and struck the seal head-on.
A blinding flash erupted,
Then, with a thunderous crack, the sacred rope barrier exploded. The massive stone shattered apart, fragments scattering in every direction.
The instant the seal broke, the earth split open.
Flames surged upward from the fissures, twisting the air with unbearable heat.
Midoriko stood unmoving within the inferno. Around her, an invisible force pulsed outward, repelling every flame that dared approach.
"Not good… the seal has been broken!" Monk Shinsen staggered to his feet. Seeing the towering flames, his face turned grim as he rushed toward the shrine.
"BOOM,!"
The shattered seal erupted again, a column of fire blasting skyward.
A deep, beast-like roar echoed through the mountains,not the cry of a horse, but something far more savage.
The flames converged… then parted.
From within them emerged a magnificent white steed.
Its mane and tail burned crimson like wildfire. Flames danced beneath its hooves as it hovered in the air, its blood-red eyes coldly scanning the scene below.
This was Entei.
Midoriko looked up at it, the faintest smile touching her lips.
With a casual swing of her blade, the lingering flames around her were blown away.
"Entei. I've broken your seal," she said calmly, her voice carrying absolute authority. "Submit… or die."
The demon horse glanced at her,and let out a harsh, disdainful neigh.
"Hee,!"
Ignoring her completely, it turned and dove straight toward Monk Shinsen, murderous intent blazing in its eyes.
"Damn it!" The monk braced himself, raising his vajra as a barrier of spiritual power formed around him.
"Hmph."
A cold snort echoed.
A crescent blade of light shot skyward, intercepting Entei mid-dive.
The spiritual power within it forced the demon horse to veer away instinctively. The attack grazed past its face before streaking into the sky.
"Such power…" Monk Shinsen's eyes widened in shock.
Only now did he truly register it,the figure before him was dressed as a shrine maiden.
A powerful one at that.
Then why… release Entei? he thought, utterly baffled.
Midoriko paid him no mind.
Her focus remained entirely on Entei.
If it refused to submit, she would simply kill it and convert its corpse into a summon for the Animal Path.
Either way, she would have it.
At the same time, this was the perfect chance to refine her control over spiritual power.
Against demons steeped in malice, spiritual energy was far more effective than brute force alone.
"Hee-hee-hee!"
Entei suddenly reared back, flames gathering in its maw.
The next instant, a blazing pillar of fire erupted toward her.
Midoriko didn't flinch.
With a single swing, her blade split the inferno cleanly in two,its momentum carrying the attack straight toward Entei.
The demon horse darted aside with incredible speed.
"Fast," she murmured.
Three more slashes followed in rapid succession, forming a triangular barrage,
All of which Entei evaded with ease.
A faint gleam of interest appeared in her eyes.
"Good. Worth taking."
High above, Entei halted. Its demonic aura surged violently as a brilliant glow condensed in its mouth,a finishing attack.
"…Too slow."
Midoriko raised her hand.
"Banshō Ten'in."
A massive gravitational force erupted.
A nearby boulder was torn free from the mountainside and dragged into the air.
Her gesture shifted instantly.
"Shinra Tensei."
The suspended boulder shot forward like a cannonball.
Forced to react, Entei unleashed its charged attack prematurely.
The beam collided with the boulder,and exploded.
A blinding sphere of light expanded outward, roaring with destructive force.
Entei tried to escape,
"Banshō Ten'in."
Too late.
The invisible pull seized it midair, dragging it straight into the heart of the explosion.
"BOOM,!"
The sky detonated.
Shockwaves tore through the forest below, snapping trees and scattering debris across the mountainside.
Midoriko stood untouched, her repulsive barrier shielding her completely.
When the dust settled, the shrine lay in ruins.
Broken stone and splintered wood littered the ground.
Nearby, Monk Shinsen remained standing behind his barrier,silent, wary, unwilling to interfere any further.
A pained cry echoed.
"Hee,!"
From the wreckage, Entei struggled to rise.
Its once-pristine white body was scorched and bloodied. The flames at its hooves flickered weakly.
The backlash from its own attack had left it severely wounded.
Fear flickered in its crimson eyes.
Without hesitation, it turned to flee.
"Banshō Ten'in."
The force seized it again.
Dragged back through the air, it barely had time to react,
"Bang!"
The massive blade struck it like a hammer, sending it crashing into a nearby boulder.
"Boom!"
Dust and debris exploded outward.
Step by step, Midoriko approached.
Her blade rose once more, glowing with cold spiritual power.
Her ripple-patterned eyes locked onto the fallen beast.
"Submit… or die."
Entei met her gaze.
And understood.
This was no empty threat.
Slowly… reluctantly…
It lowered its head.
Then, with a soft motion, it nudged her leg in surrender.