Volume 11 - Yamata no Orochi: Chapter 8 – Death Of A Confidant

Volume 11 - Yamata no Orochi: Chapter 8 – Death Of A Confidant

In the relentless drizzle of autumn, Cherry Blossom Valley remained oblivious to the sinister aura of the encroaching army, cloaked by the bleak weather.

Ayaka, ensconced in her quarters, pondered the profound transformations she had experienced since her paths crossed with Lily. “Who am I?” she mused, a sense of enigma surrounding her identity. “Why am I privy to the celestial maiden’s pure water secret, and how can my dance invoke the rain to bless the earth?” These innate abilities were as natural to her as breathing, yet trying to pinpoint their origins invariably led to crippling headaches. Gêtt the latest chapters on no/velbin(.)com

“Lady Ayaka, Lyn-hime requests your immediate presence,” a female ninja informed her, breaking her contemplation.

Upon arriving at Lily’s residence, Ayaka found herself among the familiar faces of Rei, Kimiko, Haihime, Kotoko, and the other sisters.

“Sister Ayaka, we’ve assessed the strength of Yoritomo’s army that threatens Cherry Blossom Valley,” Lily disclosed gravely. “His Kamakura clone has arrived in person. Since my little raccoon dispatched this information, it has not returned.”

The mention of the ‘Kamakura clone’ weighed heavily on Ayaka. Although the clone was merely at the quadruple-soul Big Dipper Stage, nearing quintuple, they were, after all, confronting Minamoto no Yoritomo himself—a foe likely to have devised countless inconceivable strategies, knowing their capabilities.

Lily continued, “Portions of Suno’s populace and demons have retreated to our valley. Though defensible, our terrain advantage is negligible to someone like Minamoto no Yoritomo. If the maze falls and war reaches the valley, the destruction would be catastrophic, regardless of the victor.”

“Minamoto no Yoritomo is devious. He may not typically resort to it, but he might leverage the residents and our sisters as pawns against Lily. Caution is imperative,” Haihime interjected.

Facing her sisters, Lily resolved, “We must extend the battlefield beyond the valley. It shall serve as our final bastion.”

Ayaka, forthright as ever, declared, “Facing Minamoto no Yoritomo, there’s no merit in deploying ordinary female cavalry or less formidable sisters. Lily, I shall accompany you.”

“No, Sister Ayaka, I must confront him alone. You’ll regain your strength within a month; we cannot risk further injury. My plan is to engage him within the illusion,” Lily countered.

“Very well. I’ll remain close to the illusion, ready to intervene at a moment’s notice should the need arise,” Ayaka consented, understanding the prudence in Lily’s strategy.

The two had been comrades in arms for quite some time; however, caution was imperative. With Ayaka’s strength anticipated to fully return in a month, the formidable Yoritomo wouldn’t be as intimidating. Even stripped of her treasures, Ayaka’s command of half of Kimiko’s artifacts ensured her capabilities remained robust. Her combat arsenal, barring formation materials, had notably expanded.

“Lily, how may I assist?” inquired Rei, her might akin to that of a Throned Saint, yet insufficient for a direct clash with Yoritomo. Meanwhile, Shimizu remained in isolation.

“Please defend Cherry Blossom Valley,” Lily responded.

“But I want to fight!” Rei protested with the fervor of a warrior denied the battlefield. It was at this moment that Kimiko stepped forward, her tail animatedly swaying. She revealed a dark golden treasure box. “Herein are 56 puppet cavalrymen, each necessitating a skilled cavalryman’s consciousness for control, operable up to three hundred kilometers.”

Kimiko handed the treasure box to Rei, “Miss Uesugi, you excel at leading cavalry into battle, but your female cavalry lacks the strength to fight alongside you at the moment. These 56 cavalrymen possess invincible combat power at the Throned Monarch level and, being puppets, their resilience is formidable. Crafted from ninth-grade metal and adorned with various gemstones and ancient spell inscriptions, they boast durability on par with a single-soul Big Dipper expert, surpassing even yours.”

“56 puppet cavalrymen?” Rei echoed, taking the box with a mixture of awe and responsibility.

“The constraint lies in the necessity for one person to manipulate each cavalryman. Miss Uesugi, you must promptly select suitable candidates from your female cavalry for training—it’s a straightforward process. Once trained, you can deploy these 56 cavalrymen within the illusion to bolster Lily and Ayaka’s efforts,” Kimiko’s eyes gleamed with tactical foresight. Despite her simple nature, lacking in guile, her analysis was acutely astute and actionable.

“What is that thing?” another queried in panic.

The creature was a whirlwind of destruction, severing the head of a ghoul onmyoji in a single, swift bite before the onlookers could even comprehend its form.

“Where did this demon come from? Why is it attacking its own kind?” The confusion spread like wildfire among the group.

“Lord Kato, ah—” the cry was cut short.

In a flurry of ferocity, the beast lunged, tearing and biting. It sowed chaos among the onmyojis, swiftly claiming the lives of more than a dozen in a brutal display of power.

“This beast isn’t from our army!” Kato Keiren declared as he arrived astride his black steed. “Kill it!”

The initial chaos quickly transformed into orchestrated retaliation. The beast, their unexpected adversary, faced a barrage of spells from the onmyojis. Meanwhile, a wave of black-armored soldiers surged from the valley to confront the threat.

Despite the onslaught of spells and blades that wounded it, the beast, merely a painted projection, fought without regard for its own injuries. It exuded thick inky smoke, and in its injured state, it continued to carve a path of destruction through Kato’s forces.

“Why is this demon turning against us? Could it be another Yomi demon that surfaced from below?” Kato’s face contorted with bewilderment, struggling to grasp the creature’s origins.

The demons of Yomi, not bound to Yoritomo’s will, were agents of chaos, locked in a vicious cycle of slaughter and consumption, a battle for dominance that birthed true monstrosities. If one such demon had indeed emerged into the human realm autonomously, its hostility toward its kin would hardly be surprising.

“This inky black smoke... it’s familiar...” Kato’s memory ignited, a realization striking him. “It’s a painted projection!”

The battlefield at the execution grounds flashed before his eyes—those Yomi projections had been present there, and he had faced them in combat.

Only one person in this realm could wield such projections against them.

“Lord Kato, have you been well?” Lily’s tone, tinged with frost, sounded from behind the unwitting Kato.

“You are...” Kato began, the recognition dawning too late.

Before he could alert his forces, it was over. Lily’s Dojigiri-Yasutsuna, in her hands, was relentless and unforgiving. Kato, merely a Throned Saint, stood no chance; the blade cut through him as easily as it would through air, its cursed edge striking true.

“Kagami Lily... She’s really here... in Cherry Blossom Valley...” These thoughts were Kato’s last, his strength ebbing away before he could voice them.

Kato Keiren, once a trusted lieutenant in Minamoto no Yoritomo’s ranks, now lay defeated. His years of loyalty and his practice of demonic methods could not save him from this end.

Footnotes:

Robinxen: I forgot she refilled her paintings with all the demons that one time.