"Master Shinsen , look over here!"
The disciple's voice suddenly rang out from ahead.
Monk Shinsen hurried over and immediately spotted a clear hoofprint impressed into the ground, its edges surrounded by scorched marks.
"This… this is Entei's footprint!"
The lingering demonic aura was unmistakable. Recognition struck him instantly, and his expression shifted.
"Could it be… the priestess who took Entei returned and broke Rengokuki's seal as well?"
Moments later, his gaze sharpened again.
Not far from the hoofprint, he noticed a patch of dark red staining the earth.
The soil near the sealing site had long been tainted by ghostly energy, turning it a dull, blackish-brown. The blood had seeped deep into it, making it difficult to distinguish at first glance,but once noticed, it was impossible to ignore.
Shinsen crouched down, pressing his fingertip into the stained soil before lifting it to his nose.
A foul, pungent stench hit him immediately, thick with lingering malevolent energy.
"This… is Rengokuki's blood."
Looking at the wide area soaked with it, realization dawned in his eyes.
"It wasn't released… it was slain. And even its corpse was taken."
"…!"
Suddenly, his expression changed.
He snapped his head toward the depths of the forest, his grip tightening around his prayer beads.
"Master Shinsen ? What's wrong?" the disciple asked, startled.
"Can't you feel it?" Shinsen 's voice dropped, heavy with warning. "Something… something wicked is approaching us."
His tone turned urgent.
"Hide. Now,behind that rock!"
"Yes!"
The disciple didn't hesitate, scrambling behind a nearby boulder.
"Who's there?!" Shinsen shouted toward the trees, spiritual power already beginning to surge around him.
"Oh? You're more perceptive than the others."
A clear yet chilling female voice drifted through the forest.
A moment later, a graceful figure stepped out from behind the trees,
It was Kagura.
Unlike before, she now carried a white-haired infant in her arms.
The baby's face was soft and innocent,but its eyes…
Cold. Hollow. Wrong.
"You're the one who's been slaughtering monks and priests?" Shinsen fixed his gaze on her, expression grim. "I'd heard rumors of a woman carrying a child… I didn't expect you to come for me personally."
"Hehe… perhaps this old monk really can see the boundary between life and death."
The infant suddenly spoke.
Its voice was childish,but soaked in eerie malice.
Its pale purple eyes seemed to pierce straight through him.
"Kagura," it said calmly, "finish this. Don't waste time."
Kagura frowned slightly, glancing down at the baby in her arms with visible irritation.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Honestly…"
Before her words even finished,
Snap!
Her folding fan opened.
"Dance of the Wind Blades!"
A storm of razor-sharp wind blades tore through the air, raining down toward Shinsen .
"Run! Don't look back!" Shinsen roared.
At the same time, he poured all his spiritual power into his prayer beads. A translucent barrier erupted around him, intercepting the barrage.
"Master Shinsen !" the disciple cried out from behind the rock.
"Go!" Shinsen barked, veins bulging at his temples.
He could feel it,clearly.
The infant in Kagura's arms was far more dangerous than the woman herself.
Without preparation, he had no chance.
"Yes!"
The disciple wiped his tears, clenched his teeth, and fled as fast as he could.
Kagura glanced briefly at the retreating figure,but made no move to pursue.
He wasn't her target.
Seeing that, Shinsen let out a silent breath of relief and focused entirely on maintaining the barrier.
"Huff… huff…"
When the storm finally subsided, he stood there, breathing heavily, eyes locked on Kagura.
"What… do you want?"
He already knew.
He wouldn't survive this.
Yet strangely, a trace of relief stirred in his heart.
At least… Entei and Rengokuki were already gone.
Even if he died here, they wouldn't be unleashed again upon the world.
Still,
Before dying, he wanted answers.
Kagura tilted her head slightly.
"Not bad," she said lightly, though she made no effort to respond.
At that moment, the infant cast her a cold glance.
Kagura clicked her tongue.
"…Fine."
Her demonic aura surged violently.
"Dance of the Dragon Serpent!"
Four massive tornadoes roared into existence, spiraling violently as they tore through the forest. Branches, leaves, and debris were swept up into their currents, shrieking as they spun.
Shinsen 's expression hardened.
He abandoned any thought of counterattack.
Every ounce of spiritual power he had left poured into his beads,
The barrier flared brilliantly, pushed to its absolute limit.
The tornadoes struck.
"Ha,!"
With a roar, Shinsen forced his power to its peak.
The barrier clashed against the raging storm,
Crack!
A sharp, brittle sound echoed.
The prayer beads in his hand shattered.
The barrier collapsed instantly.
"Ahhh,!"
The tornadoes tore through him.
Wind blades shredded his robes, carving deep into flesh. Blood sprayed, staining his garments crimson as his body was thrown violently to the ground.
When the storm faded, he lay there,barely breathing, on the edge of death.
Kagura lowered her fan, a faint smile curving her lips as the winds died down.
She had deliberately held back.
Killing him outright wasn't the point.
Carrying the infant, she walked slowly toward him.
What she didn't notice,
,or perhaps simply didn't care about,
was Shinsen 's trembling hand slipping into his robes.
His fingers closed tightly around a hidden golden vajra.
The last of his spiritual power gathered in his palm.
Waiting.
"Let me see… what lies within your heart."
The infant's cold voice rang out again.
Kagura bent down and placed it gently on Shinsen 's chest.
The baby lay still, as if listening.
Kagura stood off to the side, arms crossed, impatience clear on her face.
Then,A flash of brilliant light.
Slash!
The infant was split cleanly in half.
Vertically.
Before it could even react.
Its tiny body fell apart onto the ground.
Kagura froze.
Her pink eyes widened in shock as she stared at the severed halves lying before her,
Her expression filled with disbelief.