Mitsuko awoke the next morning, the first thing her eyes laid upon as she wakes up is the sword that is only centimetres from her eyes. She gasped as she tried to move back in shock however she quickly remembered she went to sleep in a small corner as she bangs her head on the wall. She winces slightly and rubs the back of her head as she stands up. She wondered what was up with the sword as she grasps the handle and carries it with her left hand along with her scythe on the right. She exits the room and strolls towards the front of the building where to her surprise there is a bag of coins on the worn out desk with the old man tending the building nowhere to be seen. She wondered what happened however she thought that maybe if there's no one here maybe this was a gift to say sorry. She didn't know for certain but the thought tempted her too much as she attached the pouch of coins to her sash and walked out the building. She was surprised to see the village absolutely deserted and the sun higher than she is used to as she wakes up. She looked down and saw a few splatters of blood near her position she wondered what happened when she hears a familiar voice spoke behind her.

'They were slain by a group of bandits that arrived in the night. They put up a rather futile resistance against them but eventually they were all slain. I believe the corpses were taken to be food for the wild animals.' Mitsuko looked behind him to see Dodomeki with his arms crossed and leaning on the wall of the building she just exited.

'If that's the case why would they leave me alive?'

'Who truly knows? Maybe they just felt sorry for you or thought you were already dead I don't truly know.' Dodomeki shrugged his shoulders however Mitsuko though there was something a little off with this situation.

'If that's the case why did I spot a sword in front of my face when I woke up? They could've made sure I died. ' She expected an answer from Dodomeki straight away like he always did except this time he hesitated for a small while. Almost like he forgot about the sword.

'Well I may or may not have had anything to do with that. However do note I may not be able to do anything like that again, they could've killed you. You will need to be more careful in the future especially isolated in foreign lands you have no idea what people are like…or how desperate they might be.' Mitsuko looked down at the ground. Partly in shame for not realising this sooner however she started to understand how things worked. She can't keep trusting everybody she comes across and just hope that nothing will happen to her. She should've kept her guard up, however she didn't hear or feel anything at all so it was difficult for her…however maybe she shouldn't be too quick to fall asleep if that's the case at least if she's alone.

'Thanks I'll keep that in mind.' She replied as she looked up at him.

'And thanks for saving me I appreciate it a lot.'

'Tch don't worry about it. Just be more cautious in the future.'

'I will do not worry…wait didn't you say I'd be able to see the alliance army from here? I can't see them at all.' Mitsuko stated as she walks towards the entrance and tries to spot the alliance army but to no avail.

'That is probably because it is a few hours after dawn.' Mitsuko couldn't believe it. No wonder the sun was abnormally higher than usual.

'What!? Damnit I missed them, I don't normally sleep this late what happened!?' She yelled out loud, Dodomeki regretted putting that much strength into his sleep charm but he didn't know how well she would take it.

'Don't worry you know where they're going don't you?'

'Yeah Si Shui gate.' She stated.

'You also know where it is don't you?'

'Yeah…wait how do I know where it is!?' She questioned.

'More than likely you took a few trips to the gate itself during the time skip aswell as a scouting some of the terrain…maybe you even visited this village who truly knows.' Dodomeki shrugs his shoulders as Mitsuko looks forward.

'How long will it take for me to get there?' She asks knowing he had the answer.

'One or two days. If you leave now you may be able to get there before the actual battle starts. If not you should still have some people to slay regardless.' He chuckles as Mitsuko sighs. A part of her feels tired of the travelling lately and the feeling of being alone. Her mind briefly thinks about the white haired girl she saw the first time she was posted on guard duty. She didn't understand it but she really wanted to see her again, its not like they ever had any contact or anything. However to Mitsuko something about her made her want to get to know her better, she couldn't explain the feeling properly or at least in words and she wasn't sure if she liked it or not. She tightened her hold of her scythe and exhales as she puts the sword in her uniform out of sight but reachable in case she needed it but she didn't think she would.

'Well in that case I better get a move on. I'm not sure why your lord wanted me of all people to be here but I'm grateful that you saved me…even if you didn't want to.'

'What makes you think I didn't want to? Didn't I tell you that I was what you would consider a friend the first time we met in person?' He questions as Mitsuko opened her eyes in shock as she looks outwards of the village.

'I may have my reasons for saving you but that didn't mean I want to on a personal level, I may not be human but please give me some credit Mitsuko.' He chuckles slightly as Mitsuko smirks slightly.

'And I suppose you have other business to attend to so you can't travel with me or anything right?'

'That and it would bring more attention to you if there are in fact demons travelling with you its best for me to stay in the shadows for the time being but who knows what may happen in the future.' He rhetorically questions as Mitsuko smirk grew a little wider. Dodomeki senses the change of her eye colour to purple for a split second.

'I suppose so, well I better be off if I want to get there in time hopefully we'll meet each other again. See you later.' Mitsuko puts her left hand up in the air to say farewell as she starts travelling away from Dodomeki. When her and the village had adequate distance from each other Dodomeki stopped leaning on the building and went behind it where Gyuki was hiding.

'Ok you can come out now.' Gyuki exhales a huge sigh of relief.

'Oh thank goodness I didn't know how long I could actually keep holding my breath.'

'That's why I told you to wait in the barn you damn oaf!' He scolds Gyuki.

'But I wanted to hear our lady's voice! I haven't listened to it before.' He whined as Dodomeki sighs while he shakes his head.

'Well...what did you think of it?' Curiousity overtaking him.

'I liked it, she sounded cute!' Dodomeki sighs again.

'Well in any case she seems to be getting stronger, that's a good sign. She'll be ready soon enough, just a little longer and we won't have to stay in the shadows.'

'That's good I'm not really good at this being sneaky thing. However I wonder if she'll be all right.'

'Of course she will be, the mystics shouldn't have any more info so for the moment she has the room to breathe and develop before they notice her. Then of course it will be too late.'

'That's not really what I meant, she sounded lonely I wonder if she will find friends.' He stated.

'Don't worry about that she will find loyal companions to her eventually.' He attempted to assure Gyuki.

'Ok if you say so.'

'Besides even if she doesn't once she becomes a leader we will stay by her side. Now come on we have to follow her and make sure no more mystics interrupt her development anymore.' He tells him as he starts to go in the same direction as Mitsuko with Gyuki following closely behind him.

For the next two days travels in the familiar direction towards Si Shui Gate. She still wasn't sure how exactly she knew where it was but she was grateful that she could otherwise she would be lost with nowhere left to go. While travelling her thoughts go towards Dodomeki and his motives. She was taught that demons were all evil but he didn't seem that way to Mitsuko. In fact a part of her felt like they had a connection of some kind but that was impossible...or was it? She travelled for a few more days towards Si Shui gate as she remembers faint memories of herself travelling with the emperor in his carriage. She can't remember the reason for this but she didn't care for it now since she went solo again. She looked up at the sky on the dawn of the second day of travelling and saw it start to snow. She sighs since she knows she won't be able to keep warm that well with her current attire however she kept on going, knowing if she stops she wouldn't reach the alliance at Si Shui gate in time. Part of her would hate to miss it, she needs some form of entertainment to make sure she isn't too bored. Eventually she sees the gate off in the distance. She smiles and feels excited to get back into the fray again. She gets anxious as she gets prepared to rush there as fast as she can. However something stops her. The constant snowfall gave the ground a white blanket and because of that she heard footsteps suddenly behind her. She turns around to see what seems to be a 33 year old man with a goatee, wearing a teal soldier uniform and armed with a razor sharp sword.

'Can I...help you?' She questioned as she raises an eyebrow at him, unsure of his intentions.

'Kind of, you see my lady during my travels I couldn't help but notice that someone like you is walking all alone. It looks like you need a companion.' He answers as he smirks, Mitsuko had a bad feeling about this man. Her left eye became red and her right one became purple.

'Thanks but I'll be all right by myself.' His smirk grew wider however.

'What a shame, if I can't have you as a friend I will have to settle for being enemies then.' He suddenly lunged forwards and strikes with his sword. He Lunged so fast Mitsuko had barely any time to react as she barely manages to block the strike with the pole of her scythe. After failing to land a blow on her he jumps back and smiles.

'Not many people can actually block an attack with speed like that. Which confirms my suspicions you're the 8th reincarnation.'

'8th Reincarnation? What are you talking about?' Mitsuko questioned. As that happened Dodomeki and Gyuki stops moving across higher ground as they spotted her close by below. Dodomeki hunches over the edge to try and identify her opponent. His eye widens as he realises who it is.

'Another mystic!? Just how many of them have infiltrated this realm?' Dodomeki yells as he sees Gyuki getting agitated.

'Don't even think about inteferring Gyuki.'

'But we have to do something surely? She may not be ready to handle a mystic.' Gyuki pleaded.

'Then that is the way it will be Gyuki. There is nothing we can do about it, if she fails she wasn't the one we needed.' Dodomeki responded however it did take much of his conscious effort to prevent himself from interfering. He didn't understand why he felt strongly about this though, he didn't before with the incarnations so why was this one different? This was such an alien feeling for him, nevertheless he still wanted to obey his orders...however he has never been this conflicted before. Gyuki saw the way he was restraining himself as he anxiously observes the duel.

'You truly don't know? Well what a shame you'll just have to die without anything being explained. Just know that this is nothing personal by any means and I do regret having to kill a young lady such as yourself, however it is unavoidable if we want this realm free from your influence.' He lunges forward again with an overhead slash. He moved fast however Mitsuko still could Slash her scythe at him in time. The mystic jumps on the scythe and flip jumps over Mitsuko's head. As he gets behind her when his arm is at its highest point in the jump he turns around and strikes from overhead. Mitsuko barely had enough time to block it. She struggled to keep standing due to the extra strength he put into it however she remained on her feet pushing his sword away to the left.

As she did this she raised the bladed end of the scythe and attempts to strike him overhead in one motion. The mystic seemingly effortlessly sidesteps to the right and runs past her attempting to strike at her waist. She barely had enough to block the attack as he runs past her a couple of steps and turns to slash her back. Mitsuko barely manages to turn around in time for another strike. Their blades deadlock, the crescent blade of the scythe almost reaching the mystics eye as he gets closer to the deadlock putting all of his strength into it aswell as Mitsuko. They stare into each others eyes and the mystic notices something. This wasn't just a normal reincarnation as he sees within her Orochi's influence but yet...something else was there. Another presence that was just as strong. Mitsuko's eyes hasn't changed colour yet this was the longest time that they haven't returned to their original colours.

They both jump back and immediately charge forward yet again. When he's in range Mitsuko attacks diagonally hoping to catch him off guard. He slides on his knees as he bends his back backwards narrowly missing the crescent blade and strikes at her right thigh. She winces in pain as she goes down on her right knee. She never actually had any wounds before so she wasn't used to any amount of pain like this. Blood pours from her newly formed wound. The mystic walks towards Mitusko and attempts another overhead slash at her forcing her to turn and block just in time. However his strength was a little too much for Mitsuko and her other leg buckled with under it. She went down on both knees as the mystic continued pushing her down with his arrogant smile, something Mitsuko detested with people was their arrogance. She loses hope as she glances but then opens her eyes in shock as she discovers the hilt of the sword she found that morning in to her side hidden in plain sight. This maybe the opportunity she's looking for. She lets go from her left hand her weaker hand, she was surprised to find herself fall on her back under his strength. She didn't think she was that weak. He puts left foot on her wrist to prevent her from using it.

'Once again this is nothing personal...I apologise my lady.' He raises his sword in a vertical position hovering above her abdomen. He arrogantly smirks again, he didn't see the hilt as Mitsuko grabs it and slashes his body horizontally as she pulls at it in one motion. He stops and drops the sword as it stops as Mitsuko's armour and crashes to her side. Blood fills his mouth while his wound on his abdomen begins to bleed profusely. He staggered backwards as Mitsuko managed to get up on her feet even if her right leg is not 100%. She smiles sadistically without her knowledge and raises her scythe in the air. The mystic could only watch the crescent blade descend upon him like a guillotine sent from a god...or a demon. The blade cuts him down the middle not splitting him in two halves however there is a huge line down the middle of his body. Blood begins to pour out of his open wound as he begins to crash to the ground, he lands on his back as he sees the sun high in the sky and a looming shadow begins to cover it. He sees the crescent blade once again shining as it the sunlight touches it, he frowns and whispers to himself.

'I'm sorry everyone...I-blrg' his voice is interrupted by a clean cut of the throat making his throat fill with blood while flowing out of the wound. He makes a gurgling sound as he looks upon Mitsuko who still wore a sadistic smile on her face as her eyes Changes from Red/purple to Black, back to their normal colours and back again, almost like her eyes are a machine that is suffering from a glitch. As the darkness consumed his vision Mitsuko's eyes turned back to normal and she quickly went to one knee remembering her wound on her leg wincing from this new painful experience. However she didn't cry she thought herself as too strong for something like that over such a little cut by now. Her thoughts briefly return to her 'normal' time period at school when everytime she would get hurt she would run off and cry.

'Not anymore!' She toldherself as a small tear manages to escape her right eye. She quickly wipes it away and kept on going.

'I'm not going to be weak anymore!' Unbeknownst to her as she put the sword back in her uniform hidden is that it a small reptilian head similar to a snake appears at the bottom of the blade coloured in black. As she attempts to walk away from the corpse her right leg couldn't hold all of her weight at the moment and limped instead. This annoyed Mitsuko as it reminds her that at this moment she thinks herself as a little too weak yet. She limps on towards the gate as she finds herself leaning on her scythe too much for her liking. She hopes that the leg would get better in time and hope it doesn't get infected.

Meanwhile not too far away Dodomeki exhales a sigh of relief as he turns towards Gyuki also seems to be relieved.

'See I told you it was going to be fine, you worry too much Gyuki she proved her strength and she emerges victorious.' He boasts.

'It looked like you were even more worried than I was though.'

'Tch please, as I said before if she was weak she would not be what we required and I was just curious of the outcome that's all. Come on we can catch up to her in due time.'

'Will she be ok she seems injured?' Gyuki asks with concern.

'Of course she will be, that is nothing compared to taking down her first mystic who wasn't exactly a slouch either.' Dodomeki smirks but he can't help but glance at Mitsuko every chance he got to make sure she isn't too badly injured.