When Kanbe Hikaru set out from Kaede Village, he already had an idea in his heart.
As a demon, he was naturally able to perceive the existence of Demonic Qi; this was an instinct, as natural as humans being able to see light or hear sound.
And the [Spiritual Perception] talent obtained from conquering the shikon no tama: naohi made his sensitivity to changes in spiritual power reach the extreme.
Demonic Qi and spiritual power, one turbid and one clear, were inherently opposing existences.
When he advanced in the direction of the Imagawa Clan, that dense Demonic Qi and its repulsion of the surrounding spiritual power were like a bonfire in the dark night; it was difficult not to notice.
The lightning-attribute Demonic Qi presented itself in his perception as a blinding purple light.
Leaping, flickering, restless.
It was hidden beneath the main castle of the Imagawa Clan.
This was also the reliance that gave him the courage to come out alone.
He could see the enemy, but the enemy could not see him.
Information asymmetry is always the greatest advantage in a battle.
...
But at this moment, Kanbe Hikaru still really wanted to complain.
How did Imagawa Yoshimoto in this world become a woman?
And—
Young.
Too young.
Looking about sixteen or seventeen, wearing a gorgeous twelve-layered kimono, with layers upon layers of fabric wrapping her petite body.
Deep brown long hair hung down to her waist, glowing with a soft luster under the candlelight.
She was a genuine, authentic long-haired straight-styled beautiful girl.
In this world, even the Sengoku daimyo are freaking girls?
Is this a gender-bent Sengoku period?
Next time, will I see that Oda Nobunaga is also a loli?
But although he complained in his heart, Kanbe Hikaru appeared calm and indifferent from beginning to end, even though the Imagawa Yoshimoto before him actually fit his aesthetic quite well... she was a black-haired, straight-styled beauty just like Kikyo.
But now was not the time to consider those things.
Imagawa Yoshimoto looked at the demon who called himself Kanbe Hikaru before her, her mind struggling to process it.
What did this guy just say?
He wants to help her resolve that thunder? And borrow her castle?
What kind of operation is borrowing a castle?
"You—"
She had just spoken.
Boom—!
The sky exploded with sound.
A clap of thunder, more violent than any time before, seemed as if it wanted to overturn the entire Tenshukaku.
Imagawa Yoshimoto's expression changed.
She rushed to the window.
What met her eyes was purple lightning, gathering in the sky.
Not one bolt.
It was a dozen, dozens.
Like countless purple snakes swimming in the clouds, and then—
Falling.
The target was the Tenshukaku.
It was the room where she was.
"Oh no—"
Imagawa Yoshimoto wanted to run.
But she knew it was too late.
The speed of that thunder was too fast, so fast that she didn't even have time to turn around.
And then.
She heard a sound.
Very light, yet clear as if it rang right beside her ear.
It was the sound of the demon's footsteps.
Kanbe Hikaru had already walked to the sword rack.
He reached out and grasped the hilt of the Sōza Samonji.
That famous sword passed down through the Imagawa Clan, which was once the imperial sword of the Ashikaga Shogun family, was incomparably sharp, cutting through iron like mud.
The blade was long and slender, the edge shimmering with cold light.
The hilt was wrapped with a red knot, feeling steady in the hand.
Kanbe Hikaru drew the sword.
Clang—
The sound of the sword ringing echoed in the room.
The sound was very special; it did not sound like metal friction, but more like a living thing whispering.
[Conquerable target detected]
[Famous Sword: Sōza Samonji]
[Quality: Superior (Mortal Weapon)]
[Current Favorability: 0 (Stranger)]
[Evaluation: A sword that has been treasured for too long; it misses the taste of the battlefield.]
Kanbe Hikaru looked at the prompt on the panel.
Not surprised at all.
Famous swords are also objects, and objects can be conquered.
But now is not the time to grind for favorability.
He looked up; the thunder had already torn through the roof.
The purple lightning, carrying an aura of destruction, plummeted straight down.
Imagawa Yoshimoto closed her eyes.
She knew she couldn't escape.
However, the excruciating pain she anticipated did not arrive.
She only heard a soft sound.
Like something being sliced open.
Followed by the crackling sound of lightning dissipating.
She opened her eyes.
Kanbe Hikaru stood before her, holding the sword in his right hand, the blade pointing obliquely at the sky.
And all those purple thunderbolts had been severed.
Yes, not blocked, but severed.
The trajectory of the sword light still lingered in the air; it was an extremely smooth arc.
The thunder was split in two, brushing past both sides of Kanbe Hikaru and hitting the ground.
Boom!
The floor shattered, and charred traces spread out.
But the location where Kanbe Hikaru and Imagawa Yoshimoto were remained unscathed.
Imagawa Yoshimoto was stunned; this scene was truly exactly the same as the scene in her dream.
Pale long hair, crimson eyes.
Holding a long sword, severing the thunder.
"You..."
Her voice was trembling.
"Are you really..."
Kanbe Hikaru looked back at her.
"Probably."
He said it very casually.
It also seemed he was not surprised that Imagawa Yoshimoto seemed to recognize this appearance of his.
After all.
"The shikon no tama: naohi sometimes does some strange things."
"For example, sending dreams."
Yes.
Although the Shikon Jewel was still with Kikyo, it was still exerting its power.
Kanbe Hikaru could also sense the handiwork of the shikon no tama: naohi through the [Spiritual Perception] talent.
This was even more of a'support' from Kikyo for him.
Imagawa Yoshimoto, however, was left with a face full of confusion.
"What Shikon Jewel? What naohi?"
She had absolutely no idea what he was talking about.
But now was not the time to dwell on that.
Because the lightning was still falling.
One bolt after another, as dense as a torrential downpour.
Kanbe Hikaru did not speak again.
He simply adjusted his grip on his blade.
Then—he moved.
Horizontal slash.
The blade's light swept from left to right, severing the lightning bolt descending from the sky at its waist.
Vertical cleave.
From top to bottom, another bolt of lightning was split down the middle.
Diagonal cut.
The blade curved, shattering three lightning bolts falling simultaneously.
Every strike was fast.
Every strike was also incredibly lethal.
Imagawa Yoshimoto watched, stunned.
Yoshimoto was naturally no stranger to swordsmanship. Even if she herself did not know it, nor did she need to, the Imagawa Clan kept many samurai, each one a veteran survivor of a hundred battles.
But compared to the monster before her, those people's swordsmanship—
Was on an entirely different level.
Even if the opponent seemed to have no technique, speed, precision, and ruthlessness were enough.
This was not swordsmanship.
This was art.
It was a miracle.
And even more, it was sorcery.
It was absolute power and speed, and even more, absolute speed, precision, and ruthlessness!
Although Kanbe Hikaru had indeed never systematically learned blade techniques or swordsmanship, in the nearly half a year since he transmigrated to the present, he had been swinging his blade every single day, fighting every single day.
The essence of technique was simply usage.
And between life and death, he had long since carved how to use a blade and a sword into his very bones.
Thus, here.
All lightning was severed, all thunder was extinguished.
"Enough?"
Kanbe Hikaru suddenly spoke.
He did not look at Imagawa Yoshimoto, but instead looked at the ground.
As soon as he appeared, the lightning came, clearly aimed at him—not Yoshimoto.
However, that did not matter.
He had come, after all, to slay the opponent!
"Hiding underground, only daring to release lightning."
"Scared to this extent, yet you dare call yourself a monster leader, a vanguard?"
His voice was not loud, but it had immense penetrating power, as if it could pierce through the floor and reach deep underground.
Responding to him was even more violent lightning.
This time, it was not just descending from the sky.
There was also lightning drilling out from underground.
Purple electric light surged from the cracks in the floor, like countless venomous snakes.
Imagawa Yoshimoto screamed and retreated.
But Kanbe Hikaru remained standing in place.
He simply sheathed his blade.
Then—
His left hand pressed against the Muramasa at his waist.
"I said, I'm borrowing your castle."
He said to Imagawa Yoshimoto, "It might get a bit chaotic next."
As soon as he finished speaking.
Kanbe Hikaru's body began to change.
Blood mist seeped out from under his skin, spreading into the air with him as the center, extending in all directions.
[Blood Transformation] activated.
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