I don't need a successor, only willing hands to accept the torch for a new generation.


"You dare disobey me, the great Orochi?"

"Yes. I. Shall. I shall be the one to defeat you."

"Foolish child… very well. I shall offer what you desire. A fight to the death. Harumph. I shall win."

Keiko shrugged, and looked the the pools of water. As she watched, they began to fill with a pure gold liquid. Miya leaped around, making sure the ponds were filled.

"Keiko! Now! He's got a drinking problem!" Miya called. The front head roared, and found the sake leaped into his mouth. Keiko smiled. He dodged, making Orochi drink sake. As he took his sixth collective gulp, he dropped. Keiko climbed to his bell, and…

*BOOM*

Slip of Exorcism. Never fails. And now… now it was time for the battle against Yamata-No-Orochi.

The fire head, his front side, was first. The sake or a healthy gust of wind could blow out the fire. Intoxicate and attack.

The earth head. He hit his head on the ground, creating shockwaves. He tended to knock himself out, making it easy to slip in a few glugs.

The poison head. He launched poisonous clouds that came to nothing in the Galestorm.

The light head. Using the Infinity Judge as a shield, Keiko could block the attacks.

The lightning head. He was a doofus, opposite the fire head. Nevertheless, it was tricky to avoid the lightning, or even intoxicate him. Keiko knocked him over the head. That did the trick.

The water head. He was dumb. A flood? Even giving Water Lilies? What was this guy, a pansy? He couldn't even stop the sake.

The wind head. He blew gusts of wind that could be blocked by… Galestorm? How did that work?

The dark head. Opposite the light head. Clever. He launched flowers that needed Blooming, else they'd drain Keiko's ink.


"Keiko… thank you. But now it is my turn." Tetsu walked up behind them. She pulled out her sword, and pointed it down Orochi's nose. "I am Tetsu, daughter of Susano, descendant of Nagi. And you are going to die."

"Oh, am I? How, with no moon?" The moon appeared in the sky, as Miya had covertly shown Keiko Yumigami's skill she had spotted atop Orochi's back.

"GOOD!" Tetsu chopped off the earth head, with Keiko's assistance.

"WILL!" The poison head was next to the chopping block.

"NEVER!" The thunder head was diced.

"GIVE!" The light head was decapitated.

"IN!" The wind head was blown away.

"TO!" The water head was no more.

"EVIL!" The dark head was blindsided and blinded.

The fire head tried one final attack. Tetsu leaped skywards, coming back down straight into the fire head.

*SLICE*

The two sides of the neck fell to the ground.


Tetsu returned to Kamiki Village riding atop Keiko, amidst storms of cheers from the citizens. Kuni, Tetsu's older brother, congratulated her with a pat on the back, and then convinced the citizens to give her some room, leaving only him, her, Keiko, Miya, Susano and Kushi (the latter two who wouldn't leave anyway)

"Oh, Tetsu, I am so proud."

"You have lived up to the reputation I have set before you. To be honest, I expected Kuni to make me say that before you did."

"That's why I did everything I could to make you proud first, father. The sword belongs in my hand."

"And… correct me if I'm wrong, but are those Amaterasu's markings on that wolf?"

"Huh? Oh… I've never noticed. But now that I look closely, it really feels like it."

(Wait, markings? Miya?)

"I thought you knew…"

(…Whatever.)

"Tetsu… can you stay with me? Please? I want to learn the ways of the sword…"

"Kuni, really?"

"I could never grasp the sword with Father's help. With yours, though…"

"Oh… but…"

(Don't worry about me. Go, pass on what you've learned.)

"Well… I guess this is goodbye."

(It sure is, Tetsu. But how about one final scratch behind the ears?) Tetsu obliged.

"By the way, I have a friend named Rika in Taka Pass. She may be of use to you in your quest."

(Rika… I'll remember the name.)

"And… take this. It's an old heirloom from when father took down Orochi." It was the glaive Tsumagari.

Now who was expecting Tetsu to leave? Those of you answering 'Not me' should be ashamed of yourselves.

Galestorm and Crescent were intended for Taka Pass, but got moved so they could be used against Orochi. You may be able to beat Orochi without Galestorm (or maybe not), but you need Crescent explicitly. I screwed up, and now those two were a little more contrived. I will admit Galestorm was interesting in the Demon Market, but still...

And is Orochi a good boss in text form? If not, feel grateful I don't have to do it again unlike Okami, who had three Orochi fights (it's awesome, but three is a little too much), or Okamiden, which had two spectated. If so... wha?

Leap before you think!