Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou (WN)

Chapter 411 Abyss Lord Chapter Three Woaow, Little Girl So Stroong

Going back slightly in time.

After the lord and Hinata rushed to the main residence, the site where the enemies were being held beck also descended into a chaotic and intense melee.

「Kuh, so troublesome!」

The one who subconsciously cursed was Tsuchimikado Tsubaki.

The great wall that blocked the path was already gone, in exchange that mass grew many legs right away like a soft bodied creature――if a comparison had to be made, it was like the earth had the shape of a kraken going into a great rampage.

The fluid earth legs that were thick like log mowed above the ground or struck the ground powerfully. Each time the impact would shake the ground.

Its aim was the black silhouettes flying around at the surrounding. Of course,

『『『Fuhahah!! Too naïve! It’s so sweetly naïve like soft drink that has run out of all it carbonate boiled down until only the sugar left!!』』』

『『『Fuhahah!! I who have survived a battle against fluid metal has no blind spot!』』』

『『『Fuhahah!! I can’t have fun at all against something this easy――guhea!?』』』

They were the lord’s clones.

Their number were twelves. Even if they were crushed, pulverized, or swallowed, new clones would crawl out from hiding places if even one of them remained. They were like the black pieces of sh*t of the kitchen.

No, perhaps it was rude to compare them to this. Because, they were quiet. Compared to these clones,

『Fuh, where are you looking at?』

『Fuh, that’s just an image.』

『Fuh, you are ten years too early to cat――gohah!?』

Like that, they were always sighing while saying something. They were extremely noisy & annoying. Even more so because if there was a chance they would make an embarrassingly cool pose, or pushed up their sunglasses, or making a splendid turn, and so on.

But, even though they were acting like they were screwing around like that,

『You won’t pass through here. I should have told you that already, “dazzlingly cursed white camellia of destruction”!』

「Tsu, another one got overlooked-」

Their strength could only be described as abnormal. When she noticed they would have already closed the distance and an attack that made her innards went cold would come flying.

Even now a clone was somehow jumping using earth grain scattering in the air as foothold and kicked at Tsubaki.

That attack was blocked by an arm that grew from the earth under her feet. But, right after that the shout of Abyss Style Wind Tonjutsu whatever could be heard. Wind cannonball was created and the earth arm was blown up.

Even while feeling like the inside of her stomach was going to hurl, she shaped the earth behind her to cushion her body.

She didn’t get seriously injured but she was being pushed back. The same thing had been repeated many times since before.

She tried to forcefully head toward the main residence, but the trait of splitting more no matter how many were defeated and the peculiarity of attack coming from outside her perception when she realized were holding her here no matter what.

To think that their sense of presence would be this thin without a mark like Hinata accompanying them……

No, they had presence in a different kind of sense though……

『Fuh, know that it’s impossible to get away from us, “dazzlingly cursed white camellia of destruction”.』

「Can you stop already with calling me using a strange name like that-」

『Mu? Then is it better to use something simple like “bountiful white flower Camelia”?』

「Go reinvestigate what is the meaning of simple-!」

Really, even though he was so annoying that he couldn’t be ignored, he had no presence at all. Even though every single action and word that came from him were touching her nerves, he would already be outside of her mind when she noticed. Geez, geez-, this joke existence made her reallllly wanted to stamp her feet in frustration.

It seemed that the inside of Tsubaki’s heart was filled to the brim with irritation. She desperately applied self-suggestion to herself 「Calm down, just calm down me. Be cool! Don’t get dragged into the opponent’s pace!」.

She increased the precision of her earth control and tried to regain her calm by taking an overview of the battlefield for the time being.

There were much more lumps of earth rolling around. They were unmoving in various shapes like avant-garde art because all of them had been frozen. Naturally the cause was the clones’ ice tonjutsu.

The battlefield was transformed into an exhibition of weird statues that consisted of many earth lumps of indeterminate shapes. Kiyotake and his men were fighting around ten-odd clones there. The shikigamis “Orochi” and “Oomukade” couldn’t be seen anymore. It seemed they had been defeated.

(There is no sign of the clones increasing any more than this. Should I see it as their limit……)

Although, she couldn’t be optimistic. What was troublesome unexpectedly wasn’t just the young man before her.

「Endou-saaann! Perhaps I’ll become just a hindrance here, so can I run awayyy!?」

Fukube’s complaining words echoed through the battlefield where angry yells and mantras flew around.

『Sure thing!』

「Eh!? Really!?」

『That is if you wish to be cursed and taken hostage by yourself! Fuhahah』

「Of course it is! The safe area is at your side! I want to cry!」

The middle-aged man’s eyebrows curled down with a tone and expression that looked like he wanted to cry. He looked truly pathetic. If one only looked at that scene, anyone would reflexively sent a gaze as though they found a pigeon sh*t dropped on their thing toward that level of patheticness, guaranteed.

However, his action was in a complete contrast to that.

「Hiih, I’ll dieee!?」

Even while screaming like that, Fukube’s movement was terrific. Sometimes he showed a sharpness like a wind, and sometimes he showed a smoothness like water flow.

Even now, a shiki with the shape of an armored samurai was swinging down its sword powerfully, but Fukube dodged by shifting his body to the side while stepping forward, then without pause he easily reached the samurai with the sword swishing right beside him.

「Kuh, you’re just a mere policeman!」

It seemed the onmyoujis of Tsuchimikado weren’t just mere caster, all of them had been training in a type of ancient martial art.

Judging that he wouldn’t make in time using jutsu with how swift Fukube was approaching, he squeezed a talisman while sending out a punch. The fist’s thrust was truly masterful. Against an opponent who only dabbled some in martial art would be knocked out with one punch by the sharp attack.

But,

「Guah!?」

The one who screamed wasn’t Fukube but the man. Since the start of the battle it always had been the casters of Tsuchimikado who ended up like that.

The one hit kill fist blow was brushed away with the right hand holding a handgun with the easiness of brushing away a leaf that was blown by wind, and then without any pause the palm of his left hand struck up the jaw of the opponent.

The man’s eyes rolled back and he fainted with just that. Strength left his knees and he crumpled down.

In addition, as Fukube brushed away the fist, he also fired his handgun twice in succession without even looking at where he aimed.

The two rubber bullets flew as though they were guided to strike the solar plexus of two casters that Fukube aimed at. The two of them were taken off their feet.

One fainted from the impact. The other one crouched while holding his stomach, unable to even make any voice due to his convulsing diaphragm.

『Umu, as expected from a government official of Japan! Excellent & Beautifuuul!』

「It’s all thanks to the super overwork labor they put me through! It’s the bad tradition of Japan!」

Even while making such lighthearted (?) exchange, another one caster at the back was made to faint with a precision shooting that weaved through the gaps of the shikis.

When only one bullet remained in the chamber, Fukube made a sweeping gesture to throw out the magazine using the centrifugal force, dodged a white bird that attacked from the sky with a swaying minimum movement while finishing his reload already when she realized.

In addition he stamped on a white snake shiki that attacked him to seal its movement, then with a superb timing he rotated his body to allow a white monkey that charged at him to rush passed.

Naturally, there was a white snake under his pivot leg so it got trampled. It was pulped and returned back to being a scrap of paper. At the same time he fired and two other casters fell.

(Fuh. What a terrifying man. It’s like seeing our demon king-dono as a normal human!)

The three clones that were position around Fukube reflexively shared that thought inside their heart.

Body movement that pursued rationality to the extreme and precision shooting with peerless accuracy.

It sounded bad to call him as an inferior version, but Fukube’s combat strength far surpassed the lord’s expectation to a degree that the image of a certain brutal gunner superior crossed the lord’s mind.

He couldn’t help but evaluate him to be at the same level or perhaps even higher than a certain comedian support agent of Britain. In other words, he was a first class fighter outside of the special people like the returnees.

Perhaps because he was having such needless thought, an apparition “Ushiki” displayed a leap that didn’t suit its huge body to jump over the clones and landed in front of Fukube.

Just its landing caused a thunderous sound and impact. Fukube went 「!?」 with his eyes opened wide. The lord unintentionally reverted back to Kousuke blurting 「Ah crap」.

The arm of “Ushiki” that was thick like a log was held up and its fist that was like a rock lunged――the moment it happened,

「Don’t pick on old mannn!」

Even while yelling such thing, Fukube immediately discarded his handgun and stepped toward the powerful arm on his own. And then he took the arm by winding his arms around it and turned over his body while bending his posture forward.

It was obvious that the height difference wouldn’t allow him to throw it with judo technique. That must be why. Fukube didn’t shoulder and throw the apparition, he somersaulted forward to produce rotational power that dragged it――

『Oo!? What a magnificent shoulder throw!』

The muscularly huge three meters tall body floated in the air. The thick legs left the ground like a joke and headed to the sky.

That sight was so splendid that the lord reflexively praised it, so even the casters of Tsuchimikado were startled with their mouths hanging open.

A beat later, *zun* there was an impact sound together with a tremor when the huge body of “Ushiki” hit the ground.

It was a sight that was an example of “the soft controlled the hard”. Surely even Minamoto no Yorimitsu who was called as the strongest monster killer would clap and cheer if he was present in this place, no doubt about it.

In addition, Fukube who fell on the thick chest of “Ushiki” didn’t pause and smoothly pulled a knife from his waist back and stabbed it into its eye socket.

That move was most likely a reflexive action that came from desperation, but the extremely murderous movement was enough to send a chill into the guts of the Tsuchimikado.

In addition, although it was pointless to destroy the brain because it was an apparition, by chance it seemed the core of shikigami summoning――the vessel talisman was located there, so “Ushiki” convulsed for a moment before it vanished.

「I-impossible……my Ushiki, against a mere ordinary person……」

Its master Kiyotake was shaken and backed away.

『Splendid! How brilliant! Well done o oni slayer Fukube!』

The tension of the clones rose to the max and clapped thunderously.

Fukube exposed a pale expression and scratched his hair roughly with trembling hand while standing up. And then,

「……Endou-san, can you do your work?」

Expressionless face, nihilistic gaze, and monotone voice. Fukube sent a criticizing sentence toward the lord with condition that was like a salary man who had been a corporate slave in a black company to the extreme.

He was angry. Extremely so. It was an adult reaction from Fukube without losing his emotion, but on the contrary it made it scarier.

Of course it would. It was more or less unspoken, but they had agreed that lord would be in charge of the shikigamis.

“Ushiki” managed to evade the clones and closed in at Fukube was definitely a blunder of the lord. From the perspective of Fukube who almost got turned into minced meat, it was only natural for him to want to give one or two reprimands. He had also run out of stomach medicine right now, there was no doubt that his stress was at limit break.

And so Fukube-san reflexively made an expression that seemed like wanted to say 「Don’t look down on adult’s job kid……」. In respond to that,

『『『Ah, yes. Sorry.』』』]

The clones returned to their base act and apologized.

A clone picked up the handgun and offered it with a bowed head. Fukube-san wordlessly and expressionlessly took it and quickly checked whether there was any damage to it.

Even the Tsuchimikado’s casters felt a strange pressure weighing down on them and stopped moving.

In a sense, it was something that couldn’t be helped.

After all, in a sense this was the first campaign for most of the casters of Tsuchimikado. This was the first time they fought seriously using this many shiki and jutsu. It was only natural because they had only regained their power a few months ago.

In contrast, although his appearance only looked like a worn out salary man, most likely Fukube was a veteran.

The number of casters of Tsuchimikado who fell was already more than forty. The majority of them were taken down by Fukube.

On top of that he even defeated an oni type apparition just now. If he changed from his pathetic look into a figure that exuded anger after that, it couldn’t be helped that everyone there gulped.

Thanks to the unexpected true strength of Fukube, even the plan to take him hostage to stop the movement of the clones didn’t look like it could be carried out.

「What are you all doing just standing in a daze! Don’t stop with the curses-」

Tsubaki called the shikigamis “Jubusen no Kikai” and “Kamaitachi” to her and added assaults of flame and whirlwind in waves to the attacks of the earth lump to hold back the twelve clones. She couldn’t bear to see the situation and raised her voice angrily.

Kiyotake and others returned to their senses with gasps and casted their jutsu simultaneously.

The remaining shikigamis “three tailed spirit fox”, “Raijuu”, and “Inugami”, and then the various type of shikis. They all attacked the clones and Fukube with the support of the casters.

「How much longer-, Endou-san!」

Fukube fired twice and dodged a shiki while asking with a bitter expression. His spare bullets almost ran out.

And more than that, actually Fukube himself was at his limit already.

No matter what the situation, Fukube basically would always act frivolous without showing his actual feeling. He exuded a menacing aura just now was also proof that his self control was lagging behind.

The cause was that was because of his physical fatigue, but more than that there was also the accumulation of curses that were piling up on him bit by bit as each second passed.

The jutsu from Kiyotake and others would immediately get halted with the rubber bullets he shot and the attacks of the clones. And even if they managed to activate their jutsu, the curse on Fukube would get dispelled if a clone touched him.

But, the effect of curses on Fukube that worked for several seconds before they got cancelled was definitely tiring him out bit by bit.

On the other hand, the lords were also in the same predicament.

『The main body already arrived! Just a bit more! This can stop after a bit more!』

There was a fearless grin on his face, but his voice was slightly shaking. Not only that, around ten clones vanished all at once.

It wasn’t hard to imagine that it was getting hard for the main body to spare some strength for this side.

「Endou-san!?」

『No problem!』

The clone answered reassuringly toward the agitated Fukube, but there was no denying that the number of people holding back the earth and Tsubaki had decreased.

What couldn’t be forgotten here was that the earth lump’s trait was infinite propagation.

「So you are finally at your limit!」

Tsubaki formed a hand seal with both her hands.The clones attacked to stop her from doing anything, but it seemed the concentration of the main body wasn’t half-assed, so the combat strength of the clones here got halved, and on top of that even their movement turned slightly dull.

Therefore, the earth kraken as well as “Jubusen no Kikai” and “Kamaitachi” shikigamis managed to stop them with their fierce attacks. The clones were just a step late to stop the jutsu’s completion.

「――Sokujou Mansei Zoudai (Tthousand Spirits Magnificatio) Chikai Juuman (Earth Boundary Permetation) Toyoto Kengen (Bountiful Earth Manifestation) Kyuukyuu Nyoritsuryou (Carry Out With Great Haste)-」

The “jutsu for accelerating the propagation of the earth lump” that she had been prevented from casting all this time because of the clones’ hindrances was finally completed.

Earth lump burst out from the ground of the surrounding area like volcano eruption. It was like a great waterfall that was falling in reverse.

『Fuh, not bad!』

『But, the word of defeat doesn’t exist in the dictionary of us abyss!』

『『『Abyss Style Maximum Combination Ice and Water Tonjutsu-――Shin’en no Hyougoku (Absolute Cocytus)!!』』』(Note: Ice Prison of Abyss)

The remaining clones sometimes also wanted to use western language for their technique name. They formed a circle around Fukube to protect him and stabbed the ground with their sword in a splendid synchronization.

Raging streams burst out to all direction and changed the earth lumps into mud while sealing their movement at the same time by freezing them.

But, they had no leeway to block the curses from Kiyotake and his men and the attacks from the shikigamis. Fukube’s bullets also immediately ran out. The clones fell one by one.

Of course, they immediately created new clones as replacement but……

『Nuuh, this lump of earth is really endless!』

More than anything, the earth lump was just abnormal. The lord was beaten at propagation battle that could even be said as his specialty. This thing’s ability was obviously at legendary level that deviated from the framework of mere apparition.

「E-Endou-san, everything is alright isn’t it?」

『No, I’m out of my depth here!』

「Eh!?」

『I’m originally not good with wide range extermination battle. So it’s inevitable! I’m an assassin after all!!』

I’m not good with shapeless enemy! The lord said that to the dumbfounded Fukube while laughing. Right after that, the clone got hit by a suicidal attack of the “Raijuu” that flew at him and vanished.

Right after that, another clone finished off the apparition with a kunai but……

The clone that just vanished finally didn’t have replacement.

It didn’t stop there, the rest of the clones except one vanished on their own while leaving lifeless sound *poof* behind.

「Fufu, it looks like we don’t even need to head to the ritual site.」

『Looks like it.』

Oh? The clone looked……

The clone even stopped with his ice technique. Fighting spirit rapidly receded from him and in exchange an aura like a completely exhausted old man drifted out from him. Tsubaki and others also stopped moving seeing that.

And then, they must have felt convinced of their victory.

Kiyotake and others laughed with their teeth bared. Tsubaki was looking down condescendingly from above her earth lump with an act of superiority.

「Oh my, are you already so exhausted that you can’t even stand anymore?」

『Yes, I’m at my limit. Mentally.』

The clone started going limp and sat down on the ground while hugging his knees. He didn’t stop there,

『Hics, why is a heart something that can easily die?』

He started to cry. Tsubaki and others unconsciously felt shaken and exchanged gazes with each other seeing their opponent genuinely sobbing.

『It was awful, awfuull. I got too high that even myself got creeped out. I was laughing like Nagumo in his MAD mode you knowww. It was embarassingggg. If there is a hole then I want to enter insideee』

「Aa~, umm, Endou-san?」

『It’s even more painful because Hinata-chan saw everything you knoww. A little girl like that thought that I need to go to a psychiatrist……fufufu, it’s strange isn’t it?』

「Yes, right now you’re really strange.」

Fukube ran his gaze at the casters and shikigamis that were completely surrounding them. He looked up to the sky and moaned 「I want to drink stomach medicine, one last time at the end……」. It seemed that he had given up everything after looking at the clone’s condition.

Tsubaki and others were very surprised by their drastic change compared to the beginning of the battle, but looking at the clone’s transformation that was like someone whose life had fallen into abyss made them confused 「T-this guy’s mind is too unstable isn’t it?」 and didn’t know of what to do.

Although, they didn’t want to accompany this kind of hard to describe blasphemous creature that shaved off their sanity point as naturally as breathing any longer than this.

「……Cough. The ritual is completed. This is our victory. Surrender peacefully. If you do that then we will at least spare your life.」

*Rin* There was a bell’s sound. Tsubaki also spoke out with a gentle voice.

But, the young man whose heart should have broken from defeat put on a smile even though it looked very painful. And then,

『Newest technique――”Spreading the mental agony of the main body by making the clone depressed”』

He muttered such thing.

Ha? Tsubaki and others got question marks floating above their head, but the clone popped out before they could ask him what he said――

「――Banki Koufuku (All Minds Capitulation)」

「Wha-!?」

The giant kraken was enveloped by a light and crumbled together with the lovely voice of a girl.

There was no reaction even when she tried to summon it again. It was as though the apparition had completely returned to just a normal earth.

「Mother!」

Kiyotake hurriedly sent a white bird shiki flying before grabbing Tsubaki’s arm and softened the impact of her fall.

There a voice resounded once more.

「Your words before this, allow me to give them back in my own way.」

The voice echoed dignifiedly. Everyone there gasped and turned their gazes to where the voice came from. There they saw Hinata being carried on the arm of Kousuke whose eyes looked dead.

「The ritual failed. This is your defeat. I ask all of you to surrender peacefully.」

Hinata was slowly put down by Kousuke who looked like a salary man who was told to stay overnight in the office for the third day. Then she declared that with awe-inspiring stature as she stood on the ground. It gave a realization to Tsubaki and others.

「Don’t tell me, Jii-san and others were defeated……」

Kiyotake shook his head in denial of the reality. The other casters also had their eyes opened wide like saucers.

And then Tsubaki also looked at Hinata and to the direction of the ritual site in a daze. A beat later.

「……Not yet! Sokujou-」

She called to the earth once more and waved her hand. New earth lumps burst out from the surrounding ground. They rushed toward Fukube who was completely surrounded by Tsuchimikado clan.

She must be planning to take Fukube hostage.

「No, it’s over. ――”Fuumetsu (Sealing Destruction)”!!」

With just a single word. Just that destroyed the shape of the giant snake. The words of the current Hinata who was faintly clad in pure white light were all words of power that contained strength in them.

Perhaps because they knew that, the shikigamis were pressured and backed away even though they weren’t the target.

「Tsk. What are you all doing just standing around! Secure the princess! Are you all fine with the dearest wish of Tsuchimikado ending here!?」

*Rin* Another sound of bell. Kiyotake and others took their fighting stance. It was as though they were awakened from their dream, no, as though they were dragged into a dream. Their eyes were clouded.

Hinata narrowed her eyes at that. At the same time, Kousuke returned in a flash at Hinata’s side with Fukube who was princess carried by him without anyone realizing it. It seemed that he had recovered Fukube amidst the commotion.

「Endou-san, I might fall in love with you.」

「Sorry Fukube-san. Right now my mind can’t go along with that kind of joke……」

「Looks like it. Your eyes are dead.」

Hinata smiled wryly at that conversation while forming a sword hand seal.

「Endou-sama. Can you protect me for just a bit more?」

「I want to be allowed to sleep like the dead physically and mentally and make it like nothing has happened but, I’ll do my best.」

「Though insignificant, I’ll also hold out for just a bit more. However Fujiwara-san, do we have any prospect of victory?」

Hinata smiled gracefully at Fukube’s question.

It was a wordless affirmation. Confidence was overflowing from it.

It was then proved by the peerless trampling right after that.

Her left foot took a step forward while inside her heart she chanted Tenpou. (AN: Tenpou is an astrological sign in Onmyouji. There are nines of them.)

「――Shikashikuma Tsurusemino Itomoretooru Arishifuwe Tsumihitono Noroitoku!」

That was the secret chant of repelling back a curse. The curses applied on Kousuke and Fukube were completely dispelled, in addition, the curses that Kiyotake and others unleashed right at this moment were also completely reflected back on them.

They screamed from the pain in their chest, fell from receiving binding on their body, or fell on their knees from high fever. It would take them some time to dispel their own curses on themselves.

With just a single move nearly eighty percent of the opponents were driven to be unable to fight. People like Kiyotake who managed to escape or defend the curse rebound made horrified expressions.

The shikigami users desperately sent their order with terrified looks. “Jubusen no Kikai”, “Inugami”, “three tailed spirit fox”, and then the “Kamaitachi” rapidly closed the distance.

「Getting straight to the point, this is impossible for me. Endou-san, I’ll leave them to you.」

「Come at me you bastardsss」

「Are you regressing mentally!?」

「Fufu, then perhaps I should increase our allies. ―― Shinshi Yuuchoku (Divine Messenger With Imperial) Kaiko Kyoufuku (All Foxes Commandment) Kyuukyuu Nyoritsuryou!」

Tennai - Tenshou. Hinata’s right leg stepped forward and carefully matched its position with the left leg while making her words of power “This is the edict of white fox (Kuzunoha)-sama, our divine messenger. All foxes shall obey swiftly” to resound. With that, there was no way the “three-tailed spirit fox” could resist.

――Kuoooonn

It gave a single cry before launching a surprise attack of extra large fox fire at “Jubusen no Kikai” flying beside it. The apparition dodged in panic.

The original summoner of the “three-tailed spirit fox”, a man at his prime of life was shaken「My binding is stolen!?」. He desperately tried to regain the connection, but the spirit fox in question followed Hinata’s order to subjugate the oni monster while looking somewhat happy. It kept attacking.

And then, if the opponent was just two shikigamis, then just Kousuke and Fukube, no, even if it was just the current Kousuke who was weighed down by fatigue and heart grief then he could easily manage.

Kousuke made steel wires to soundlessly flutter around him and constructed an improvised spider net. The “Kamaitachi” was getting restrained. At the same time he slipped through the claws of the approaching “Inugami” and countered with a direct hit of a spinning kick!

「She even regained her memories completely-……those useless fools-」

「Is that your true nature? Your vulgar inner self has been leaking out since some time ago you know?」

Tenpo - Tenkin - Tenshin. She also took firm forward steps with each chanting with her right leg, left leg, and right leg again.

Tsubaki went into frenzy from Hinata’s straightforward gaze. She summoned a muddy stream of eartth and at the same time she formed sword handseal with an angry yell.

Coincidentally the same chanting echoed at the same time with hers.

「Naumaku Samanda Bazara Dan Kan-」

「Naumaku Samanda Bazara Dan Kan!」

Any believer in Shintoism or Buddhaism had definitely heard that chanting for the god who ruled over destruction and rebirth, annihilation of evil, and every kind of divine grace――the mantra of praying in supplication for the assistance of Acala activated at the same time.

However, the result was produced in an instant and in an undeniable shape.

The muddy stream of earth was enveloped in white flame and lost its strength. Tsubaki fell powerlessly on her knees with both her arms pulled toward her own body. It was a binding jutsu that Taisei used on Hinata at the highway, but this one seemed to be far more powerful.

A curse 「Dammittt」 that sounded far removed from her graceful image leaked out from Tsubaki. Even though the mantras were the same, Tsubaki’s mantra didn’t work at all. It showed to her the difference in their status.

「Mother! I’ll dispel it right away-」

「Do it quickly-」

Tsubaki replied back in irritation at Kiyotake and others while still struggling even now.

「On Mayura Kirandei Sowaka! Kanehana Neko (Metal Flower Cat) Juuon Byouku (Cursed Grudge Sickness Agony) Kongou Kaijuu (Mixture All Curses) Kyukyu Nyoritsuryou-!!」

Mist was formed around Hinata. Water vapor that emitted ominous aura enveloped Hinata and co. Fukube felt like he was going to fall on his knees from the sudden high fever and fierce lethargy that assaulted him, while Kousuke was giving out a listless 「Nnaa~」 agonized voice (?)――

「On Kurodaya Un Jaku Sowaka」

Hinata recited Tenchuu while taking one more step forward with her left leg and recited her mantra.

Those were words begging for the assistance of Ucchusma who devoured and purified impurity altogether. The power to burn off the filth of that person cleared away the sickness bringing water.

But, they managed to buy time with that. Kiyotake and others managed to dispel the restrain and Tsubaki stood up while yelling to summon the earth lump again.

「Stop the princess no matter what!」

The forest area that was some distance away from here rumbled. From there the earth approached like an avalanche. As expected, this Tsuchimikado mountain forest itself had been taken over by the earth apparition.

Kiyotake and others mustered their final attacks in order to buy time until the earth arrived here.

「This is crazy. There is really no end to it!」

Fukube was soaked in cold sweat like someone who despaired when faced with flooding river. He pressed his hands on his stomach. As expected he wanted to drink stomach medicine.

「Hinata-chan!」

Kousuke looked back across his shoulder to suggest that they escaped.

「No, let’s stay here. Just take care of the shikis please.」

Hinata showed no agitation at all.

In her small body, there was a great backbone. Her eyes were tranquil like a spring in the forest, while at the same time there was burning will in there. She really didn’t look like a girl who hadn’t even reached ten years old yet. She even looked like a divine existence that surpassed human.

「I got it. I’ll absolutely protect you, so just do whatever you like.」

「Fufu, thank you very much Endou-sama. As I thought, it’s very unfortunate that you are a human.」

「Why!?」

「If you are some type of demon or spirit, I’ll be able to appoint you as my Zenki (Front Oni).」

「You treated me as nonhuman because you want to turn me into your shikigami!?」

She shouldn’t have any memory before this, so she must be aiming for that in her subconscious.

Strange. Her smiling expression felt vaguely terrifying……

Kousuke decided that he didn’t see anything and returned his focus to intercept the approaching shikis.

He engaged the rushing white birds with kunai and shuriken, while Fukube held back the white dogs with martial art and a knife to not allow them to disturb Hinata.

「No matter how prodigious you are, my Sokujou is endless! It’s impossible for you to destroy the mountain itself! Stop with your useless resistance!」

「It’s possible for me!」

Tsubaki went 「Eh?」 with a stupid look at how easily Hinata replied.

「Tenchuu――you, are possessed by something aren’t you?」

「W-what are you, no, more importantly just what did you mutter just now……」

「Tennin――I too, am good at possessing.」

「Tsu, those words, don’t tell me!」

Hinata only moved her right leg to take a step forward. With that Tsubaki finally noticed something and showed agitation.

She obviously looked fretful that some kind of jutsu was going to be activated but……it was already too late.

「Ten’ei.」

The last step. Her left leg neatly stepped right beside her right leg that had been moved beforehand. It stamped on the ground.

Immediately, pure white light surged at the footprints that Hinata’s steps left behind. The footprints radiated light and connected to each other in a line. Like that what surfaced was the shape of the Big Dipper with two more stars.

「……Uho!?」(Note: Uho, a ceremony performed by a sorcerer to protect a noble setting out on a trip)

Its other name was “Kyuusei Henpai”. It was a ritualistic magic that was performed by walking. It brought about tranquility and purity to the area. Putting it another way, the ritual formed a sanctuary in the area around Hinata.

The place not only purified enmity that wished harm to the caster, it also purified every curse. This place became a kind sacred ceremonial site.

The shikis were destroyed, the shikigamis――the apparitions were forcefully sent back, and every curse from the onmyoujis were denied and dispersed.

It also arranged the place to be more than enough to invite exalted existence.

「I humbly beseech.」

「Stop-. Don’t let her call it!!」

Tsubaki ordered with a scream. Kiyotake and others hurriedly obeyed her.

But, as expected they couldn’t use any curse. Even the earth lump that they relied on couldn’t enter the radius of fifty meters around Hinata. With no other option, they yelled and charged forward. They planned to use martial art to directly subdue Hinata.

Of course,

「I won’t allow any of you to touch a single hair of the princess.」

「Oh? Is the lord showing out again?」

「……」

There was no way Kousuke and Fukube would allow them. If it was close quarter combat then the two of them were overwhelmingly superior.

「With respect and sincerity this lowly one implore earnestly to Uka no Mitama no Kami」

Pure white light flowed out from Hinata. Air that was terrifyingly clear and fresh was filling the whole area.

「If I am allowed to offer an invitation for the divine, I beseech thee to dispatch the first divine messenger, the origin of mine bloodline.」

The way she was clad in radiance while praying toward a sacred existence with her whole heart and soul looked more like a sacred shrine priestess rather than an onmyouji.

There, a woman’s voice resounded. It was an unfamiliar voice.

「Hinata! It’s Okaa-sama! Please, stop it! There is a circumstance for this!」

Kousuke, Fukube, and even Kiyotake and others turned there. They showed expression of bewilderment and surprise toward the voice’s owner.

Tsubaki removed the white cloth that was hiding her face.

Her face was beautiful with stiff tenseness in it. Kousuke even reflexively muttered 「An adult Hinata-chan?」 seeing her. Her face closely resembled a matured face of Hinata.

Fujiwara Chikgae, Hinata’s mother was there.

Kousuke and others turned their gazes toward Hinata in astonishment. She too was surely shaken up――

「I offer mine body, to strike and purify every misfortune, every sin!」

She wasn’t shaken up at all! Even though the enemy’s true identity was her mother, her eyes and her voice weren’t shaken at the slightest!

Chikage’s face twisted and a tsk slipped out of her mouth. At the same time the secret ceremony that was only allowed for Hinata alone in the whole clan was completed.

「Descend from high on heaven following the invitation. Mine protector, the god of noble white holiness, thy name is――Kuzunoha!!」

A shrill cry shook the air.

Light converged behind Hinata. It became a sphere of light and before long the sphere formed a shape.

It became a white fox that was clad in divine radiance.

It was the white fox that guided Kousuke and Hinata in that other world. The eyes of that white fox were looking at hinata with extraordinary kindness.

Right after that, the fox’s shape crumbled once more before it was sucked into Hinata and vanished.

With that, the same thing like that time happened.

Hinata’s long black hair slowly turned white. Fox ears and tail bounced out. Her eyes were shining silver.

And then,

「With the grand invocation of ritual prayer to the imperial heavens add, add, engulf I ask for purification, I ask for exorcism!!」

Hinata gave a prayer’s clapping that resounded pleasantly. Waves of light were spreading in many layers on and on with Hinata at the center.

To the sky, to the earth, to the trees of the forest.

The pure white ripples penetrated through everything and purified and quelled any filth, returning them to nature.

There wasn’t any ground for resistance there. The earth lumps that encroached through the whole mountain forest stopped moving as though theyf ell asleep. The practitioners of Tsuchimikado clan were also losing strength and fell on their knees.

But, there was no agony there. Rather it was as though they had been splashed with cool and clear mountain water. They were in a daze from the pleasantness that they felt.

Except one person.

「aAAAAAAAAAAAH!?」

Only Chikage, no, her form was flickering back into the form of Tsubaki wearing a veil. She was writhing while scratching on her chest.

It was unknown how long that miraculous and divine spectacle continued.

Kousuke and Fukube were also watching it with an entranced look before the light finally receded after some time passed.

The fox ears and tail vanished like a mirage from hinata. Her pure white hair also returned to its original black color. Hinata’s body swayed and almost fell before Kousuke hurriedly caught her.

「Hinata-chan, you alright?」

「u, I-I’m fine. I’m feeling a bit tired though……」

Her complexion was a bit bad. She didn’t look like she was lying from her relaxed smile, but it seemed that she had finally reached her limit.

But, she had displayed her strength as this generation’s strongest onmyouji to her heart’s content.

She was truly peerless. The other onmyoujis and even apparitions weren’t her match at all.

Fukube was keeping his eyes vigilantly on Kiyotake and others, but they only looked very confused and showed no sign of moving. And most of all, they didn’t even look like they could move.

Kousuke breathed out in relieve and exchanged a relieved smile with Hinata. But, it was then,

「Soku, jou-, Sokujouuu-, answer-, Sokujou!!」

A hysteric voice resounded.

Looking there, Tsubaki was crouching. She continued calling for her greatest and strongest trump card that was the endless earth ground but there wasn’t the slightest answer coming back to her.

「No way, how can that be. A single mountain really got purified? Impossible-」

As though to deny the reality, Tsubaki was still trying to do something even now while writhing. Her abnormal degree of obsession and refusal to give up were filled with eeriness.

Hinata started walking toward her resolutely without any fear.

She stopped in front of Tsubaki and chanted a small mantra to bind her before tearing away her white cloth that was covering her face.

The face beneath didn’t bear the slightest resemblance with Chikage. Far from that, the woman’s face could only be described as plain, rather her lack of any trait could be said as her most conspicuous trait.

The woman glared fiercely. Her eyes were showing rage, hatred, and then fear that couldn’t be hidden at all.

Hinata narrowed her eyes toward that woman and spoke with a voice that carried through well.

「Who are you?」

Kousuke and Fukube looked at Hinata questioningly.

Didn’t she call herself Tsuchimikado Tsubaki, they asked with their eyes.

「What are you saying? I am Tsuchimikado Tsubaki――」

「That won’t work with me.」

There was no sound of bell, perhaps because she was restrained.

「You are not Tsubaki-sama by any means. There is no way.」

「What are you――」

「After all, Tsubaki-sama had passed away before I was even born.」

Isn’t that right, Kiyotake-san? Hinata addressed Kiyotake. The young man jerked and trembled in response.

「Eh, no, mother is……sh*t-, what in the world……she died? If I recall correctly, but, the woman there……」

As though drawn by Kiyotake’s horrible confusion, the other members of Tsuchimikado clan were also showing confusion.

But, the binding that was applied to them had been already purified by Hinata.

Therefore, after a little bit of time, Kiyotake looked at the woman who introduced herself as Tsubaki and muttered.

「You……who are you?」

While everyone was in confusion, Hinata formed a sword hand seal and thrust it straight toward the woman who called herself Tsubaki.

「I ask you one more time. You who led Tsuchimikado clan astray and attempted to drag Fujiwara, no, this country into chaos, who can you possibly be?」

She absolutely wouldn’t allow this woman to lie, deceive, or even staying silent.

Before the girl’s eyes that were filled with blazing will, the mysterious woman stayed silent for a second before her lips widened and laughed.

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