[241] A Bigger Picture Than What Meets the Eye

[241] A Bigger Picture Than What Meets the Eye

Chapter 241: A Bigger Picture Than What Meets the Eye

—

A sudden shift in the air signaled our arrival in Kyoto as we stepped out of the cut in space-time. We found ourselves in the middle of a warzone.

“Oh...!” I held back a whistle while Akane gasped behind me, her eyes wide with shock at the chaotic battlefield that sprawled before us. I stepped forward to position myself between her and any possible threat, my senses already on high alert.

The city was a perfect copy, a pocket dimension made to resemble Kyoto, but it was clear the energy here had warped it. The sky above rumbled, casting a dark shadow over the streets. The copy of this bustling city was empty, its roads cracked and littered with debris from powerful clashes. Buildings stood, but they looked wrong and twisted, as reality itself bent under the sheer power of the forces clashing here.

“Is this... really Kyoto?” Akane’s voice wavered as she stepped closer to me, clutching my sleeve. Her eyes darted around nervously, trying to make sense of the destruction.

“It is. But not the real one,” I muttered, eyes scanning the scene. “A pocket dimension. Remember our incident in Mount Fuji? Similar to that.”

“Ah, I see.”

Before either of us could say more, a loud crash drew our attention upward. There, in the center of the chaos, was a titanic figure—Yasaka, the Nine-Tailed Fox, locked in fierce combat with a gigantic oni demon. I believe I recognized that from folklore.

I guess this was why Mai called me?

“Shuten Doji?” Even Akane recognized him based on his description. The massive Oni towered over the landscape, his hulking form wielding a colossal club. Dark power radiated from him, corrupting everything it touched.

But Yasaka wasn’t backing down. Her nine fiery tails lashed out like streaks of molten gold, slamming against the Oni’s attacks with raw power. The air screamed with the force of their strikes, each collision sending shockwaves that rattled the streets beneath us.

“She’s holding her own,” I muttered, mostly to myself. That was the leader of the Yokais, she was no lightweight—she was 10th ranked in this world’s Touki System. From the looks of it, although they were almost evenly matched, she was strong enough to take on Shuten Doji by herself. So why the hell did Mai call me in?

Before I could voice my confusion, Mai appeared, rushing toward us, her face tight with urgency. She must have noticed us from nearby. She had her rabbit ears and tail out, as she hopped toward us. Surprisingly, her mother was with her. The older bunny girl’s curves danced as she trailed behind her daughter. I glanced at them both briefly but didn’t focus too long.

“Aqua!” Mai called, stopping in front of me, slightly out of breath. “Thank you for coming on such short notice. We had come to Kyoto for some yokai-related incident, and then this happened.”

“Hey, don’t thank me, why won’t I come when you call?” I said as she jumped at me, hugging me tightly with her eyes shut. She wasn’t the clingy type, so it meant she was really scared. I patted her back, and she calmed down, looking at Akane.

“Ah, you were with her...”

“Yeah, we met up after months. Hey Mai,” Akane said, waving at her. Mai’s mother looked at her daughter’s rival but didn’t say anything.

The older woman looked at me and said, “Sorry, but let’s not waste time with greetings. It’s not just Shuten Doji!”

“Not just him?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as Mai pulled back from the hug.

Mai quickly nodded, her eyes filled with concern. “There’s more. The other seals are weakening too. We’ve got a bigger problem on our hands.”

Her mother nodded, confirming her words with a grave expression. “Let me explain quickly. In the past, three powerful Daiyoukai were sealed away: Shuten Doji, Otakemaru, and Tamamo-no-Mae. Each one strong enough to destroy Japan.” She paused, taking a breath. “They were defeated and sealed in the Uji Treasure House by the Five Principal Clans. But now... for some reason, the seals are breaking. Shuten Doji is only one of the three to break out so far, but others might break out soon.”

I glanced back at the battle between Yasaka and Shuten Doji. Yasaka wasn’t losing, not yet. But if Otakemaru and Tamamo-no-Mae were set to break free, things wouldn’t be funny.

“How the hell are the seals breaking now?” I muttered under my breath, scanning the area for any signs of the other two demons.

Before Mai or her mother could respond, the ground beneath us shook violently.

My head snapped toward the source just in time to see a massive figure emerge from the earth—another Oni, just as powerful as Shuten Doji, if not more. I think that was Otakemaru. His roar tore through the air as he leaped toward Yasaka, his monstrous form charging headfirst into the battle.

Shuten was still locked in combat with Yasaka, though she was clearly worse for wear. Blood dripped from her fur, her once-fiery aura dimming with each passing second. Noticing me, Shuten grinned at me, his eyes gleaming with malice as he raised his club, preparing to deliver the final blow.

“Not happening.” I unleashed a burst of divine power—Soulfire—a wave of energy so intense it separated Shuten from Yasaka, giving her the chance to stumble back and catch her breath.

“Little human punk!” The Oni’s voice exploded in frustration as he turned his attention toward me, his massive form charging forward with reckless abandon.

I met him head-on, clashing with sparks flying around us, as my fists collided with his weapon. His strikes were powerful, enough to flatten a mountain, but I was faster. My movements blurred, and I dove and weaved through his attacks with ease. He was strong, sure—but strength meant nothing against my powers.

My fists ignited once more as I called upon the full might of the Darkest Sun. A surge of energy roared through me as I unleashed an ultimate technique, “Solar Judgment: Sun-Splitting Fist!” I shouted, putting my Sage’s authority into the words. My fists became engulfed in a brilliant, blinding light as I slammed them into Shuten Doji’s chest.

“Arghhhh!” The Oni’s eyes widened in shock as the power tore through him, ripping his very essence apart.

His massive body shuddered, and for a moment, he looked like he was about to retaliate. I was ready to slam him back home. But then, just like Otakemaru, he began to crumble into dust, his form disintegrating into nothingness.

With both Oni defeated, the battlefield fell silent. That ended fast since I didn’t have to worry about damaging the area, and more importantly, they weren’t really that strong.

The once chaotic dimension began to stabilize, shattering apart to reveal the normal world. Yasaka—now having returned to her human form—collapsed toward the earth, coughing as she tried to catch her breath, unable to stop her fall.

Before she could hit the ground, I was already there, catching her in my arms as we landed in an oddly beautiful garden. I sensed many Yokais around the area, so I guessed this was her castle garden.

“Careful,” I said softly as I placed her on the grass and helped her sit upright. She winced, her body still trembling from the battle, but she managed a tired nod in response.

Spoiler



[collapse]

Despite the victory, there was no sense of relief on her face. Instead, her eyes slowly went wide with horror.

“No...” she muttered, her voice shaking, as she used me to try to stand up. “No, I need to check on Mizuki! They must have gotten their hands on her!”

“Mizuki?” I asked, confused.

Before Yasaka could answer, Mai, Akane, and Mai’s mother appeared, rushing over to us. Mai’s mom jogged to a stop, breathing heavily as she explained, “Mizuki is a Nure-onna Yokai,” she said quickly. I recalled from folklore that a Nure-onna was a vampire-like snake-woman yokai. “Recently, she awakened a piece of Demon God Balor in the form of a Sacred Gear... and a group wielding other pieces of Balor Gears attacked us, trying to take it away.”

My frown deepened. “Demon God Balor?” So the same group going after Gasper? I thought for a moment, and soon it made sense—there was more at play here than just some random Oni breaking free from their seals. They were just distractions.

Before the conversation could continue, one of Yasaka’s guards, a wolf Yokai came running toward us, his face pale with fear and shame. He stopped in front of us, bowing low to Yasaka as he spoke in a trembling voice.

“My lady, it’s terrible!” he stammered. “Lady Mizuki... Lady Mizuki’s been killed!”

The words left his mouth, and for a moment, everyone paused. A short silence filled the garden as the announcement settled in, and then Yasaka’s face drained of color. Her eyes widened in shock as she stumbled back, shaking her head in disbelief.

“No... no...” she whispered, her voice cracking, her hands clutching my shirt tightly. “Dammit!”

**

**

**

Come read the next chapter, as well as the entire month’s worth in my Patreon. Best time to join as it’s the first week of the month!

Link: /Master4thWall