Unmei Force Shattered Heroes: Faded Divinity
Chapter 2: Enter Nuwa!
As the group began to walk through the new region, Kaguya then noticed that there was the head of a river nearby, as she could see it in a crevice between sandy hills.
"Hm, that Mermaid did say that her friends were upstream over there…" Kaguya remarked. "I think that we should head over there. What about the rest of you?"
"If you will free my brethren… then let me assist." Mermaid stated with a nod.
"Alright, let's see who is responsible for this curse!" High Pixie exclaimed with her hands clenched into fists.
The group then began to walk through the crevice between hills, before they found a sizable lake, as they saw the Mermaids that wandered it, as there was a red aura around their heads, and blank looks on their faces. As a result, Kaguya's Mermaid was shocked beyond words, as she felt horrified at what happened to her kin.
"Over there!" Kaguya exclaimed, before pointing at a winged humanoid demon with a lion's head, who was watching the cursed mermaids with a gleeful look on its face. "That's got to be someone who is related to this mess!"
Kaguya's Mermaid calmed herself, before a determined look appeared on her face, as the group walked forward to confront the demon who is possibly responsible for the curse.
"Come, fair maidens. Let my winds cast you into servitude, and bow before your master." The demon chuckled darkly, before noticing the group approaching their territory. "Hm? And who are you, to come with a Mermaid of your own?"
"I'm here to make you turn that curse of yours off. If you won't do that, taking your head will suffice." Kaguya remarked, brandishing her naginata.
"Foul demon, let my sisters go!" Kaguya's Mermaid exclaimed with anger.
"So you've come at the behest of the mermaid who escaped. Do you think yourself a exorcist? Have you come to expel my curse?" The demon remarked, before it then scoffed. "Even at the end of my claws, you still claim you will save the mermaids? Even knowing you will be gnashed to pieces by my fangs, you still oppose me?"
"You don't scare us, you overgrown pussy-cat!" High Pixie mocked back. "We just beat the demon of the Tower, and if we can take it on easily, we can beat you, no matter what tricks you throw!"
"Such insolence! Your gallantry shall be your folly, as this is where you shall all die! I shall take that Mermaid for myself!" The demon roared, before then flying down.
"Bring it on! And here's a little trick I got for myself since my last battle!" Kaguya remarked, before she then twirled her naginata around. "Bufu!"
She then fired off a large icicle much like Azumi did, as the attack hit the demon head-on, causing it to flinch, before Mermaid then began to use her signature skill, as ice began to rain down on the beastly demon once again. Azumi himself decided to forgo magical combat, and began to use his strength to tear into the demon's body with his own claws.
"Just you wait, this is going to shock the life out of you!" High Pixie stated, as she began to charge her magic again.
"What's the matter, can't back your earlier talk?" Kaguya mocked the demon, before she then cast another Bufu to knock the demon further down.
"You…!" The demon growled, before then throwing its hand forward, as a dark aura began to form around Kaguya, as she noticed what was going to happen, as she immediately dodged out of the way, just as a dark blast hit where she stood. "...What!?"
"I ain't taking another of those again!" Kaguya exclaimed. "High Pixie, you got this!"
"Boom!" High Pixie exclaimed, before she then hit the demon with a empowered Zio, which caused it to arch forward in pain, before being hit by Mermaid's barrage of ice attacks, and then knocked down by both Azumi and Kaguya throwing Bufus onto it.
"Urgh…" The demon growled, before Kaguya then finished it off with a Hama right through the entire body, as it collapsed. "Heheheh… What power. To have clipped such radiant wings."
"Okay, fun's over, undo the curse. You're going to die, so have the dignity to take your shit with you." Kaguya growled.
"Oh, poor woman. You may have slain me, but the curse will not fade so easily." The demon declared, as its body began to turn glowing red, indicating its dying state. "My cursed winds… shall never… die…"
The demon then exploded into red particles, as Kaguya looked back at the Mermaids in the lake, as they were still cursed, which caused her to sigh.
"...Damnit, it seems that the problem is more complex than it seems." Kaguya cursed. "We'll have to tell Mermaid the bad news… Hopefully we will find a solution to this soon enough. And speaking of solutions…"
Kaguya then produced a pair of written letters, as she handed them to High Pixie and Azumi.
"High Pixie, could you give this letter to Leanan Sidhe?" Kaguya asked. "And you, Azumi, can you pass this letter to the goddess that you will find at the cavern in Shiba?"
"Sure, hopefully it isn't something insulting…" High Pixie stated.
"It's not. I promise you both that." Kaguya answered back. "I'm sure that both of you can handle yourselves. After all, the demons on the territory along the way back are weak enough to be a cinch to handle… and even then, you guys know how to avoid a confrontation. Mermaid and I will pay a visit to that other Mermaid."
"As you wish." Azumi stated, before the two demons temporarily left the party.
Kaguya and Mermaid made their way to where the other Mermaid was, as they began to explain what happened before and after the fight with the demon who made the curse.
"No… so the curse can't be lifted…" The Mermaid remarked with sorrow at the situation.
"We are truly sorry that we couldn't find a way to fix this…" Kaguya's Mermaid answered back.
"It is not your fault." The Mermaid answered back. "Nevertheless, I'm at least glad to know you defeated the one responsible. I think I'll stay here and look into things a bit more. There has to be a way to lift the curse… and I think I have someone who could do just that."
"Who?" Kaguya asked back.
"Anahita, the ancient Persian goddess of water." The Mermaid answered back. "They say that her purifying waters are strong enough to banish any evil. Her power just might be able to lift that curse. If I could ask for your assistance once more, I'd like you to help me find Anahita."
"No problems, in for a penny, in for a pound." Kaguya smirked. "You have any ideas where this goddess would be?"
"They say Anahita is known to appear by the water source at the mountain's peak. I'm not certain where that is exactly, but it certainly sounds like some place a goddess would appear…"
"In that case, we'll give you the good news, once we find this goddess." Kaguya assured the Mermaid, before leaving.
After trekking through the sandy landscape, she reached a small open spot, where both High Pixie and Azumi were waiting for them.
"It's done." High Pixie stated. "They both got the letter. What now?"
"Now? We wait." Kaguya stated, before she began to sit on the sand itself, as the rest of the demons were confused for a moment, before they then did the same.
Eventually, both Leanan Sidhe and Apsaras arrived before the group, as they had some of their followers with them, as specified on the letter. As soon as they saw each other, the two faction leaders looked at each other.
"You!?" Apsaras and Leanan Sidhe exclaimed, their composure lost at the fact that they were face to face, before they turned to Kaguya, who stood up.
"Glad you made it, both of you." Kaguya stated. "I was hoping that you wouldn't end up meeting anywhere else but here. It would be problematic if you two start fighting before I could have a chance to explain things."
"What joke is this?" Leanan Sidhe growled at Kaguya. "Did you bring me here to finish me off for Apsaras? I thought better of you, woman."
"If you needed my help, you would have only just needed to ask. Why did you have to bring me here without telling me such things?" Apsaras stated.
"Because I'm here to put an end to this conflict once and for all." Kaguya responded back. "You're both in the right, but neither of you are willing to accept each other's view. So that's why I intend to correct that immediately."
"You… Don't tell me you intend to let her do what she pleases!?" Apsara exclaimed with shock.
"I doubt that your own means are any better than mine." Leanne Sidhe growled. "So what if I took a light price from their life-force to give them power to fulfill their dreams? I did not take so much from them, and it's a far lesser price than having your own independence taken from your hands unwittingly!"
"You lie!" Apsaras retorted back. "All I seek is to give sanctuary to those who are weak. The weak that you seek to exploit for your own gains!"
"That's exactly the problem. You both focus on each other's problems, but you don't consider each other's benefits." Kaguya stated, as Apsaras and Leanne Sidhe ceased bickering and turned to Kaguya. "It's not as mutually exclusive as you think. Just because you seek a common audience with your own methods to help, doesn't mean that there can only be one way to help someone."
"Explain, please." Apsaras remarked neutrally.
"Apsaras, Leanan Sidhe was telling the truth when she said that her price was fairly light compared to what she did. This Ippon-Datara that accompanies her was someone who was once considered weak. He met her, and became a legendary craftsman by having his talent amplified. She draws talents from other people for a meager price of some lifespan or life force." Kaguya stated, facing Apsaras first, and then turning to Leanan Sidhe. "And Leanan Sidhe, Apsaras never had any genuine intentions to forge her own circle of gods. She merely wishes to give protection to those who seek shelter with the strong, something that is the only option for those might not even have the talents to even amplify in the first place. Perhaps they could grow up under the care of Apsaras, and learn to become strong enough on their own. Apsaras never had intent to force people to follow her teachings. It was always a willing and fair choice, much like yours."
"Then what do you suggest then, to break this stalemate?" Leanan Sidhe asked back.
"I know that this will not be likely in the near future, but I think that if you both worked together, you will be far more effective than what you have been individually." Kaguya suggested. "I considered your methods for treating outsiders, and to be fair, I think that instead of being conflicting with each other, they're actually possibly able to work together. Apsaras can serve as a shelter for the down-trodden and the weak, and Leanan Sidhe can serve as a means for those who wish to become stronger with the assistance of a fair trade. That way, more demons who do not deserve their terrible fates can be saved, and they will be able to choose their futures, whether to live in comfort, or strive for greatness. Would that not be an ideal solution? If you both cannot accept this, then I ask at the very least that you both stop being so hostile to each other. You both do the right things, and ruining each other can negatively impact your own goals."
Apsaras and Leanan Sidhe were silent for a moment, before they then looked towards each other. After some time, they then looked towards Kaguya together, before they shook their heads.'
"...Perhaps you were right, we cannot accept this so readily…" Leanan Sidhe stated. "But after hearing Apsaras' side of the story… I believe that there is no fault in it. My misconceptions have been mostly cleared, and I am willing to have peace with her, if she will return it."
"...Then I will apologize for my wrongs as well, Leanan Sidhe." Apsaras answered back. "I have believed you to be a manipulative monster who saw people as merely food to sustain yourself. But it was far more noble and fair than I expected. Alas, I cannot accept your cooperation readily, but your peace… I accept it firmly."
"See, you both don't have to fight. Everything can work out fine between you both." Kaguya smiled.
"I suppose that you at least deserve a reward for your efforts." Leanan Sidhe stated, before she then created an orb of her Essence. "Take this, you will find use for it on your travels. I may not be able to join you… but I think that this will help you greatly."
"As shall I." Apsaras stated, giving Kaguya her Essence as well. "...I, and perhaps Leanan Sidhe as well, will have to take time to consider your words. But you did something far kinder than I expected. Instead of seeking conflict… you sought peace. I'm glad that you stopped me from requesting something that I might regret."
"No problems. The fact that this is resolved neatly is enough for me, but your Essences are a welcome reward. Take care." Kaguya stated, as both parties left the area.
"So, what now, princess?" High Pixie asked Kaguya.
"We find ourselves a water goddess, and some more demons to help out." Kaguya remarked.
Kaguya and her party of demons began to wander through the entire area, as they managed to fulfill several requests of the local non-hostile demons, which netted them several more talismans, before they found their water goddess, Anahita, a human-like woman with water flying from her head in pure aqua blue, like a stream from a river acting as her own hair, as some of the pure water flowed down to cover her extremities, and her yellow eyes regarded Kaguya with interest in her eyes, as several golden rectangular panels manifested behind like as if they were her makeshift wings
"Oh? Who are you? Just out for a stroll in the middle of nowhere, are we?" Anahita asked Kaguya. "I can tell already that you're no simple mortal, nor are you a demon from the Netherworld. No, it would be more apt to call you a nascent goddess, enough to be called a fellow to myself."
"You flatter me." Kaguya nodded back. "So, judging from the directions that the Mermaid gave me, you are the water goddess, Anahita, correct?"
"Indeed. I am her." Anahita answered back. "So, what do you request of me?"
"Grant me your power to purify the Mermaid's kin. A vengeful Pazuzu left a lasting curse of mind upon them, and his defeat did not disperse it." Kaguya simply stated. "For the sake of her own brethren, I request your aid, and I will do whatever you ask in return for the task."
"My, you are indeed an eager soul." Anahita answered back. "Very well, in that case… I love the thrill of the fight, as fate would have it, though it's an unfortunate flaw in my personality."
"Eep, that's worrying…" High Pixie remarked.
"So if I beat you, you'll do what I need?" Kaguya answered back. "Then I accept the challenge. Prepare yourself, and we begin as soon as you are ready."
"How confident. I am already prepared." Anahita remarked, as she flexed her body, as the panels flew to shoulder length. "I won't be holding back, just so you are aware. Let's see how long you can withstand my raging cascades!"
"First, eat this!" Kaguya remarked, before she then casted Rakunda, weakening Anahita's defenses.
"And some of this too!" High Pixie exclaimed, as she cast Sukunda, weakening Anahita's abilities further down.
Aitvaras, one of the additions to the party, immediately attacked Anahita, with a unique attack of its own, as the chimeric creature, with a rooster's head, a dragon's serpentine body, and the lion's hindpaws, immediately creating a ball of fire, before volleying it right into Anahita with a sharp kick, as the attack managed to hit Anahita with considerable damage.
Mokoi, another of Kaguya's new summons, immediately joined in the attack, as the blue clay-doll-like creature summoned a Zio blast that managed to rattle Anahita considerably, leaving her more vulnerable to further attacks.
"For a goddess of the water, you don't seem to take the heat well!" Kaguya remarked, as she immediately threw an Agi right at Anahita, causing the water goddess to yelp slightly.
"Hold on, I'm going to give my spell some oomph!" High Pixie remarked, as she began to gather magical power for a severe blow.
"Oh, I am already seeing the fun in this…" Anahita remarked, before she then began to send her panels right towards Kaguya, who managed to block several of the panels, before being clocked in the body by the others, before she then began to gather Magatsuhi. "Since you've been throwing attack after attack on me, wouldn't it be fair if I returned an attack of my own?"
"Well, then I'll just have to wail more onto you before we huddle up for that, shall we!?" Kaguya exclaimed back, before she then used Agi again, as it managed to delay Anahita's attack slightly.
"One big Zio coming right up!" High Pixie remarked, before she then threw her Zio spell right onto Anahita, causing her to flinch some more, before Aitvaras and Mokoi threw their own attacks in, before Anahita was about to unleash her attack, to which the group instinctively guarded.
"Taste the rushing waters of my fury!" Anahita exclaimed, before she then immediately drew water from the area around her, in between her panels, before firing a massive burst of water that exploded into a massive explosion of icy energy, which buffeted the entire group, moreso for Aitvaras, who was knocked into a loop.
"Still standing!" Kaguya remarked, before she then unleashed another Rakunda to weaken Anahita further, before High Pixie followed up with another Sukunda to slow Anahita down more.
Aitvaras, fairly miffed about being batted about, began to charge another shot, before landing it right onto Anahita's head, which managed to do serious damage to her, evident from her cry of surprise, before she recovered slightly, although her focus seemed to be split, as Mokoi zapped her with a Zio to stun her slightly.
Kaguya wasted no time in following up with a Zio of her own, which managed to hit Anahita for considerable damage, while High Pixie began to charge her magic again.
"You naughty bird, time for your punishment!" Anahita remarked, before she sent her panel flying, only to hit nothing. "...What?"
"And that's your last mistake, Anahita! Time to go down!" Kaguya remarked, before she then activated her inner Magatsuhi, empowering her party, as they unleashed their attacks as one, as the combined force of their attacks floored Anahita, leaving her sprawling on the ground.
"Oh… I've never been knocked down before like this…" Anahita remarked, before she then began to chuckle, as she slowly rose up. "You're strong indeed. I must say I've taken quite a liking to you. A promise is a promise. As the victor, you've earned it. I'll go ahead and wash away the Mermaid's curse for you."
Anahita then swept her hand across the entire front, as a golden glow danced from her fingers, as it flew away.
"...There, everything should be fine now. The curse has been lifted entirely." Anahita stated. "Now then, I think it's time I return home. I greatly enjoyed our time together, little goddess. Should you ever end up desiring my power. You need simply call on me. As long as it's for you. I'd be more than happy to help. Anytime. Before I go, I would like your name."
"Kaguya. Kaguya Houraisen." Kaguya answered back.
"Kaguya… such a good name. I'll see you later then." Anahita remarked, before she then disappeared in a vortex of water.
Kaguya then immediately headed back to where the Mermaid was, as she turned to them with a smile on her face.
"Hey! My friends came back to their senses! You must have talked to Anahita, right?" The Mermaid asked. "Ah, you're amazing!"
"Well, I sort of earned her respect as a bonus." Kaguya lightly stated.
"Thanks to you, everyone has returned to normal." Mermaid answered back. "Now we can go back to tempting sailors and dragging them to their doom!"
"Uh…" High Pixie muttered, confused on how to feel.
"You do you. I'm glad that your friends are fine." Kaguya nodded. "Take care, won't you?"
"I will. I'll see you later. Thanks for your help!" The Mermaid answered back, before diving into the water to swim to her kin.
Kaguya's group then continued back on their journey to find the Tokyo Diet building, as they bumped into one of the Angels, who looked at Kaguya with suspicion.
"I don't believe I've ever seen a demon like you before. What business do you have with a servant of Bethel?" The angel asked Kaguya.
"I seek the Tokyo Diet building. And this is why." Kaguya remarked, before revealing Omoikane.
"You…?" The Angel remarked.
"Indeed, this one, whose name is Kaguya, is someone who seeks the same goals as us. I ask that you grant her directions and passage. She is a compassionate soul that would do good in Bethel." Omoikane answered back.
"Very well. The Diet Building is just beyond the path in this direction." The angel stated, gesturing towards one of the passages ahead. "Speaking of the unfamiliar… I just recently saw one of my brethren carrying what I'm fairly certain was a human. It is quite rare to see a human in these parts."
"Yeah, thanks." Kaguya stated, before walking past the angel, down the path.
"Now that we have our directions, we should head for the Tokyo Diet Building at once." Omoikane stated.
"The Diet Building, huh…? Y'know, it'd sure be nice if I could find my soulmate there." Amanozako piped in.
"Perhaps." Kaguya stated.
"On another note. Yuzuru is attempting to communicate with you." Omoikane stated. "I've opened up a channel through my telecommunicator. All you have to do is speak towards me. My body is built to reduce background noise whenever you speak."
"Got it." Kaguya remarked.
"Hello? So, how's the search going on your end?" Yuzuru asked Kaguya.
"Not too good. I got the gist of where one of your classmates might be, but no-one else. Could be Johei, could be another one." Kaguya answered back. "And you?"
"Unfortunately, I've yet to gain any new information." Yuzuru stated.
"Then head for the Tokyo Diet Building. That's where Bethel is located." Kaguya stated. "We're heading there right now."
"All right, I'm on my way there now. Once you get there yourself, take a look around, see if you can find either Dazai, or Johei." Yuzuru stated, before closing the call.
As Kaguya began to traverse the path, she cleared another Abscess, and managed to gather more demons, even managing to fuse her own Apsaras and Leanan Sidhe for battle, as they were about to continue towards the Tokyo Diet Building, only to be stopped by a pair of angels.
"Hold there, this path leads to the Tokyo Diet Building, which is under control of Bethel." One of the angels declared. "Suspicious individuals shall not pass."
"And you think I'm suspicious?" Kaguya asked back. "I have Omoikane with me. He's Bethel and he can vouch for me."
"Indeed. Let this human through. She is a formidable warrior, and she is capable of many things that will benefit Bethel." Omoikane stated.
"I see. But how am I to know you're telling the truth, and that this is the true Omoikane?" The other angel asked. "We were attacked by the legion of chaos just the other day. Prove to us you're not one of them."
"Let's make a deal." The first angel suggested. "Even as we speak, those of chaos lie in wait, eagerly seeking another opportunity to strike. Should you finish them off, we will in turn recognise you as allies of Bethel. I ask that you defeat those demons in our stead."
"A fair deal. Where are they?" Kaguya huffed.
"You will know when you sense their malicious aura." The second angel stated.
"Well, thanks for that." Kaguya scowled, as they began to search the area for the Chaos remnants, before Kaguya managed to scale a cliff-side, before Omoikane sensed a powerful presence.
"Watch out. I'm detecting a powerful demon ahead. We should proceed with caution." Omoikane declared.
"I don't need caution unless it's something at the level of the Hydra." Kaguya remarked, before she then stepped forth, and confronted the remnants of chaos, which consisted of a pair of red-skinned owl-winged and owl-headed humanoids, and a large red knight with horns and a furred red cape, riding a dark horse. "Well, it seems that you've been hiding quite well, aren't you?"
"Who are you?" The knight demon remarked with a gravelly voice. "Ah, you're with Bethel, aren't you? I suspected they might dispatch an assassin, though I didn't expect one so small as you."
"Hey, you take that back! We beat way bigger demons than you, red!" High Pixie retorted back.
"Oh, and you think I don't stand at the same level as you?" Kaguya remarked with a raised eyebrow.
"Hmm, with a closer look, there is indeed something about you that is different from other demons…" The knight remarked. "Very well. Perhaps you can serve as a little warm-up then!"
"Bring it on!" Kaguya remarked, before she then immediately cast a Mazio on her enemies, as the thunderbolts hit the trio of hostile demons, hurting them considerably.
"I'll make you regret looking down on us!" High Pixie remarked, before she then began to charge her magic.
"My, I think that you should have some more tact towards women, no?" Leanan Sidhe remarked, before she then cast a charm spell right on one of the Andras, the owl-headed demons, as it was seduced by the spell.
"Be still." Apsaras remarked, before she then immediately cast a spell on Eligor, the knight demon, who felt his strength being sapped from her own chant.
"And another!" Kaguya remarked, before she then zapped the enemies with Mazio again.
"Take this!" High Pixie remarked, before she targeted the un-charmed Andras, crushing it with a single bolt of lightning.
The Andras immediately then turned on its master, launching a series of rapid strikes, which managed to do slight damage to Eligor, still afflicted by the charm.
"Hmph!" Eligor remarked, before he then immediately rushed towards Kaguya, and swung his lance in a wide arc, as the attack managed to damage Kaguya slightly.
"Keep weakening him, he won't do much with his minions under our control!" Kaguya remarked, as she cast a Rakunda to weaken Eligor's defenses, while High Pixie used the chance to launch a Zio spell to keep Eligor at bay, as Leanan Sidhe cast Mudo on her enemy, creating a ball of darkness right where Eligor was, dealing slight damage, as the demon seemed to shrug off her attack, while Apsaras weakened Eligor further with a Tarunda.
The charmed Andras immediately attacked Eligor again, this time with a swinging wave, which hit Eligor for considerable damage, before it then snapped out of its trance, looking fairly miffed for being controlled by Leanan Sidhe, who merely chuckled.
Eligor went for a swinging strike again, only for it to head towards Apsaras, who gracefully danced over the blade, evading the attack completely, and leaving Eligor open.
"You're wide open!" Kaguya exclaimed, before she then cast a Mazio to shock Eligor and the remaining Andras, before Pixie followed up with a Zio of her own, and Leanan Sidhe used a directed Mudo Spell to finish off the Andras, and Apsaras weakened Eligor one final time with Tarunda.
"Urgh… what sorcery is this…? Why is my strength sapped so that I can't even wield my spear right…?" Eligor groaned.
"The kind of sorcery that deals with bastards like you." Kaguya remarked, before Kaguya zapped Eligor with a directed Zio spell, before High Pixie used the remaining time to charge her next Zio spell.
"No… NO! I will not be defeated by the likes of you!" Eligor roared, before firing a more powerful version of Agi, as it turned the fire-ball into a massive pillar of fire that hit Kaguya for considerable damage, before absorbing the residual Magatsuhi for a powerful attack.
"Too bad! It's over!" Kaguya remarked, before she then unleashed her Magatsuhi, as she immediately cast a Zio spell powerful enough to stun Eligor, while Apsaras used her Bufu spell to lock his mount's legs in place, and Leanan Sidhe applied her Mudo directly with a palm to the helmet visor, and High Pixie finished the fight with a empowered Zio that shocked the knight critically, as he slumped forward, smoke emanating from his charred armor.
"How does Bethel have such a demon in their employ…? I greatly underestimated you. " Eligor wheezed. "I must warn you, though. Even with Lord Lucifer in hiding, the forces of chaos are beginning to rally. Take heed, Bethel's annihilation is at hand. It shall… come…"
Eligor then disappeared in a mist of Magatsuhi, before Kaguya explored the area, before finding a familiar Essence nearby from a floating chest just down the side of the cliff.
"Hey, Omoikane. This is another of your Essences?" Kaguya asked, holding the blue orb of Essence up.
"Hm, indeed. This seems to be related to me." Omoikane remarked, before pressing the orb to his chest, as it absorbed it, before he then seized up for a moment. "Hrgh…!?"
"...Hm? You're that boy who has been going around the human village, doing menial chores."
"Ah, yes. That is kind of me at the time. Sorry, if you were expecting more from me. I'm just a simple resident of this humble village."
"And yet you were present in not one but two of the incidents that spread across this entire land. You are far too modest."
"Well… I didn't expect that someone regal would be looking for me in such a way. Again, apologies for not meeting your expectations."
"Hm… I think that I would like to get to know you a little."
"Oh? What would a princess like you like to know about me?"
"About what kind of person you are. About what kind of powers you would have to face the trials to come."
"Hm, I guess that's fair. We can become acquaintances. Honestly… I wouldn't mind having company from someone like you;. In fact, I was going to ask if I could get to know you in return."
"Hmhmhm, such an interesting man you are. Tell me your name, and I shall remember it."
"My name is Richard. Richard Liu, if you want to be more formal. And you are?"
"Kaguya Houraisen, princess of a long-forgotten land, and the mistress of Eientei. Glad to meet you, Richard Liu."
'Ka… guya…" Omoikane remarked distantly, as if his mind was wandering, as Kaguya noticed the slip of tongue.
"Omoikane? Did you say something?" Kaguya asked, before Omoikane recovered, and shook his head.
"...Did I say something? I… I cannot recall." Omoikane stated, as his voice betrayed some emotion.
"You called my name." Kaguya stated. "And the way you said it… it feels like that it's a name that you long forgotten."
Omoikane remained silent, as Kaguya hoped that this would awaken some trace of Richard in the artificial god, only to be disappointed, when Omoikane shook his head.
"I cannot recall such a thing. Let us continue." Omoikane answered back.
Kaguya then headed back, before she then noticed that the two angels were gone.
"Huh, so they kept their word." Kaguya remarked.
"I find this concerning. If they were posted here, then something must have happened to cause their disappearance. I do not like the implications. Take caution, Kaguya. There are more dangers ahead."
"In that case… Amanozako. Do you think you can take care of yourself?" Kaguya asked.
"Psh, who do you think I am? I can do that. You do what you need to do. I'll find somewhere to go, and get back to you when you're done." Amanozako remarked, before departing.
Kaguya immediately used the power of the leyline fount to recover her strength, before spending some time growing stronger with her demons, even fusing some of them to become yet stronger ones, as one of them even turned out to be Yoshitsune.
"Hm, a fellow mythic summons me." Yoshitsune remarked, before a smile graced his face. "Kaguya-no-hime. To fight by your side would be an honor that I am proud to take."
"Same here." Kaguya nodded back. "I think that you and I will be fighting together for quite some time."
At the same time, Kaguya immediately used her new Essence to empower herself, learning a new skill that she felt was going to be vital for her battles to come, and even imparted some of the skills from the other Essences she had acquired in her journey.
Once she was done with her preparations, she took a party of Aitvaras, Yoshitsune, and High Pixie along with her, as they managed to reach the doorstep of the Tokyo Diet Building, as Kaguya slowly pushed the doors open.
What greeted her was the scene of a massacre, as the entire building was strewn with the body of countless Angel demons, ranging from the simple Angel, to the blue-masked and blonde-haired Dominions, and the red-armored Powers, their corpses leaking a fog of red Magatsuhi.
"Oh… Oh, that's not good…" High Pixie remarked with a horrified expression.
"It seems that a slaughter has occurred here." Yoshitsune remarked, looking around. "The scene is fresh. Their Magatsuhi is recent, much like the still-wet blood of slain foes."
"Slain angels… my omen is proven…" Omoikane remarked, before he then detected a powerful energy signature. "Kaguya, I'm detecting a demon. A demon that is not recorded in the database."
"Where?" Kaguya remarked, as she raised her naginata, before she turned towards the sound of footsteps, as a woman with silk-smooth skin, with a red oriental robe that covered her upper torso and her waist, with her legs and shoulders exposed, with her black hair tied into loops, with a pearl-crown on her head that had flowers of gold on the sides, and a large plate on the top, and a pair of spiral-earrings hanging from her ears. From the moment that Kaguya's eyes meet the serpentine yellow eyes of the woman, the princess knew that she was facing a demon.
"Bethel's reinforcements, I presume?" The woman spoke with a harmonious voice.
"Come again?" Kaguya remarked, before looking around. "Hey, I just got here. What makes you think that I'm their ally?"
"You have one of their artificial creatures with you." The woman answered back, pointing at Omoikane. "Regardless, it seems your timing was a tad off."
"Kaguya. This demon is far stronger than even the Hydra. Her power is no less powerful than the ancient demon we encountered." Omoikane warned Kaguya.
"Well, thanks for the vote of confidence." Kaguya sarcastically stated.
"Ah, so Kaguya is your name." The female demon stated, as she faintly smirked. "The angels that infested this area are now dead. And I daresay they could use some company. Unless you wish to relinquish that artificial god? After all, he is complicit with Bethel."
Omoikane remained silently, before Kaguya stepped forward.
"Over my dead body you will." Kaguya stated. "I owe him for being able to do a lot of things for me, and he has something that I want. So, you want him? Try and beat me first."
"A shame." The woman answered back, placing a finger under her chin, contemplating Kaguya and Omoikane. "Then I shall spare you a few final moments to curse your fate."
The woman then raised her arms, as the angels immediately melted into a mist of Magatsuhi that flowed into the demon, as she twirled around, and leaned back, before she then began to glow, as the crown from her head was blasted off, clattering to the ground, as Kaguya's team immediately readied themselves for battle.
Suddenly, serpents began to snake from the woman's sleeves, while her skin began to become scaly, with the snakes wrapping around her wrists, while her hair began to untie itself, before turning into a massive serpentine tail that coiled underneath her, before she then seated herself on her tail, levitating mid-air and cross-legged.
"My name is Nuwa. Prepare to die." Nuwa declared.
Formidable Target Detected
Nuwa
Chinese Goddess of Creation
Kaguya immediately cast Rakunda on Nuwa, as the mother goddess immediately felt the effects with a slight flinch, before Aitvaras began to charge its power, as Pixie used Sukunda to slow Nuwa down slightly.
"It does not please me to fight a goddess, but I have my duty." Yoshitsune remarked, before raising his katana, as he then launched a powerful thrust strike that managed to deal some damage to Nuwa and punch through her defenses.
"Playing the long game, are you?" Nuwa stated, as if the attack did little to hurt her, and the weakening spells on her were typical for her. "It feels that you underestimate me. Perhaps some demonstration will make you consider my threat seriously."
Nuwa then immediately cast Mazio, as the entire group were bracketed by the thunderbolts, damaging the group slightly, before throwing a more powerful Zan right at High Pixie, who resisted the attacks, thanks to her affinity to it.
"Oh please, you'll see where that 'long game' leads to!" Kaguya remarked, before she then made a repeat of the same spell that Eligor used against her, as Nuwa was hit by the fire pillar, who managed to shake her stance greatly, before Aitvaras followed up with a powerful fire-ball to Nuwa's head, causing it to be knocked back, while High Pixie cast Sukunda to slow Nuwa some more, while Yoshitsune drew his blade, before disappearing in a flash, and cutting through Nuwa several times in succession in red slash-streaks, which managed to draw some blood from Nuwa.
"Hm. I take back what I said. You weakened me to finish this quickly with a full assault." Nuwa stated, as her tone hid a tone of interest in it.
"That's right. And we'll smash you down as many times as it takes for you to go down." Kaguya smirked, before she then cast Rakunda once again, while Aitvaras charged its magic again.
"How confident. I suppose that I should show you my full power then, if that's how you want it." Nuwa stated, before she then cast another Zan Spell, aimed at Kaguya, which managed to hurt her fairly, before she then gathered her Magatsuhi for a powerful attack.
Kaguya wasted no time, as she immediately raised her naginata, as a blue glow emanated from the blade, before she then flipped into the air.
"Ochitsuki!" Kaguya remarked, as she slammed the empowered naginata right into Nuwa's body, hitting her squarely with the attack, as it damaged her own scaly skin from the force of the attack.
Aitvaras wasted no time in launching its signature attack again, as it managed to hit Nuwa on the chest, as the attack also managed to weaken Nuwa's aim, with her own eyes blinking rapidly as if she was trying to remove some sort of illusion on herself. Yoshitsune quickly struck her with another piercing strike, before raising his blade to guard, as the rest of the group did the same.
"I must admit, it's been a long time since someone managed to afflict me. But it will not matter for my own attack." Nuwa remarked, before she then swung her sleeve-resting serpent around, as it spat out globs of clay that hit the ground, before reforming into small hole-faced terracotta dolls. "Now, kill!"
The group immediately prepared for the attack, as the dolls rushed towards them from various angles, exploding upon reaching their target, as Kaguya was hit by a large number of them, while Yoshitsune danced around the attacks, and High Pixie flew away high enough to avoid the attacks, while Aitvaras was almost blasted away by the clay-dolls, as both of the hurt members felt their strength being sapped.
"I gotta admit, that was a nice trick you had there…" Kaguya remarked. "But it's not enough to take us down. Now's our turn to show you what we got!"
Kaguya then unleashed the Magatsuhi, before she then began to synchronize with Yoshitsune, while Aitvaras stockpiled its power, as the two of them used their abilities at the same time, with Kaguya leaping high into the air, and Yoshitsune cutting rapidly through Nuwa at high speeds.
As soon as Kaguya landed, Aitvaras threw its fireball forward, as Kaguya caught it with her naginata, turning it into a furious red, before she then cut down on Nuwa with it, creating a massive pillar of fire that toppled the mother goddess off her own tail.
"How's that? Think you can kill us now?" Kaguya remarked with a hint of arrogance in her voice. "I bet that you can't take many hits like that!"
"Heh. Hmhmhm…" Nuwa chuckled lightly, before she then slowly rose up. "I never thought that I would be able to find someone who is able to fight me to this standard. You… Kaguya, are not human, aren't you?"
"Does it matter? What matters is that I'm neither demon or angel. I'm just a Hourai Immortal." Kaguya stated. "So don't make excuses about me having some sort of divine power to win this battle."
"Immortal? Divine power?" Nuwa remarked, genuinely curious for what is being said. "...This is interesting indeed-"
"Kaguya!" Yoshitsune warned, sensing that there was an intruder in their fight.
Kaguya quickly noticed the incoming attack, as she raised her naginata to parry the attack, as katana met naginata, before both parties pushed against each other, as Kaguya took a good look at her assailant, which was a man dressed like a Japanese army officer, complete with army beret, and black army jacket, and a large flowing cape on his back.
"Oh boy, someone's in the footsteps of a certain demon-slayer." Kaguya remarked at the appearance of her new enemy.
"I thought you'd be cleaning up the stragglers… but she looks like no angel I've seen." The man spoke.
"Yakumo…" Nuwa remarked.
"My name is Shohei Yakumo, exterminator of demons." The man declared, before pointing his katana at Kaguya. "Take solace in our meeting, girl. I'll make your death a painless one."
"Then come on." Kaguya stated, with a scoff, and leveled her own naginata in response."I beat your fellow demon down on the ground without much effort. Adding you to the equation won't change much. You'll have to have some more demons to be able to make this a fight that you'll win, I'll tell you this."
"Come now, Yakumo. Surely you can hold your hand for a moment more." Nuwa stated.
"Another of your whims…?" Yakumo grunted, before slowly lowering his blade, as Nuwa reverted back to normal.
"Well, I've never seen someone be able to stand up against me to this degree. No fear, only determination in her voice and eyes." Nuwa stated, resting a hand on Yakumo, who sheathed his blade. "And she is neither demon or angel. I can tell that much from how she fights. She inherits their powers, but she fights much like you, Yakumo. In fact, I daresay that she is more human than anyone in this realm."
"Bad luck, girl. It seems fate has something more painful in mind for you." Nuwa stated.
"Yeah, sure. We'll see about that, Yakumo." Kaguya stated. "Alright, now that we're not swinging blades and hurling spells at each other… Who the hell are you both?'
"I am the goddess Nuwa, creator of the mortals and inhabitant of the ethereal chasm between heaven and earth. The man beside me is Yakumo… I suppose one could say he's my other half." Nuwa declared.
"Other half…" Kaguya remarked, digesting the information. "Alright, fine. What's your beef with Bethel, and what does it have to do with Omoikane? From what I know, he's out of the loop with that organization you hate so much."
"The God of Law has warred with the other gods since time immemorial. However, the God of Law gained the upper hand when He robbed the other gods of their Knowledge, debasing them into their current states." Nuwa answered back. "Both God and his cronies in Bethel have absolute faith in the rule of law, and His armies continue to meddle in this realm to protect order. Such zealotry cannot be permitted. Ergo, these angels were dealt with accordingly. Which is not to say those who rebel against the God of Law are any better, of course. Opportunistic cretins, for the most part, seeking chaos to fulfill their own selfish desires."
"That's why my duty is to slay both the disciples of Bethel and the ancient, desecrated beings known as demons." Yakumo declared flatly. "And this point is what finally brings me to my own question: do you believe God's order is just? That it is necessary for this world?"
"Hmph. Well, let me set the record straight." Kaguya declared, taking a deep breath. "No matter what Omoikane is, I have no intentions of working with Bethel with their holier-than-thou crap. The only reason I'm going to Bethel is because they have a lead on what Omoikane is missing. And what Omoikane is missing is related to what I'm looking for. And as for the answer to that question? Fuck God's order, but also fuck the assholes who think it gives them the right to use that reason to ruin other lives. I've seen demons who are decent enough to not cause shit, and I respect them. But in the end, I want to make sure that this world is one that no-one who ain't prepared for it won't end up thrown inside of."
"How interesting. You forsake both order and chaos for your own goals." Nuwa hummed. "I must admit, that is an opinion I rarely hear. If I were you, I would abide by those words. For they carry no small weight in the end."
Nuwa and Yakumo then turned to leave, before Yakumo then turned his head back to speak with Kaguya.
"Further within is a transportation device, the same design as the one Bethel's trying to use." Yakumo stated. "Use it to head to Tokyo, where you may find those answers. And you'll see the truth there, see gods and demons alike fighting over humanity… and Tokyo caught in the crossfire."
"Until we meet again." Nuwa smiled, before they then disappeared into the passage ahead, as Kaguya remained silent.
"...Kaguya, do you hold Bethel in such a low opinion, truly?" Omoikane stated.
"I saw enough from that one vision you gave me." Kaguya answered back. "They may be the ones who created you, but I'm not going to let them tell me where to go and what to do, unless it's resolving this entire mess. And even then, I'm keeping the right to make my own choices, their intentions be damned."
Omoikane remained silent, before the group then moved forward, noticing the calcified demons decorating the halls, before Kaguya pushed a set of doors open, to reveal another hallway, and a yellow cap poking out the side of one of the demons.
"Hm? Someone's there." Kaguya remarked, as she temporarily un-summoned her demons, before she then approached the statue, before a teenage boy with freckles, blonde hair under his yellow cap, which had the word 'SUCKER' written on the front of it, wearing a blue blazer with white flower marks, and a yellow hoodie underneath it, and plaid long pants with one leg rolled, and yellow sneakers.
"Eee! Not another one!" The boy panicked, clutching his head, before Kaguya rolled his eyes, and waited for him to calm down, before lifting his head up. "...Wait, you're not one of the demons, are you?"
"What do you think, blondie?" Kaguya smiled slightly, which unnerved the boy, as he gulped. "Chill out, won't you. I'm not one of those bloodthirsty demons. I'm the one who cleared most of them out… and got some to fight alongside me."
"Um… thanks, I guess?" The boy answered back. "I'm glad that I'm saved by someone like you. You're a real looker, you know that?"
As Kaguya gave the boy a withering glare, someone approached the two of them, as it was a boy with black hair and glasses, dressed in the same flowery blue blazer, with a white shirt underneath, and the same plaid pants, and leather shoes.
"It seems that we meet face to face, Kaguya." The boy spoke with the same voice that contacted Kaguya before, Yuzuru. "Now that I have seen you for myself, your claims of being a iteration of Kaguya-no-hime hold far more significance."
"WHA!?" The other boy exclaimed.
"Yeah, now you believe?" Kaguya stated, as she crossed her arms with a smug smirk.
"Good to see you and Dazai are fine as well." Yuzuru added.
"So this dope is Dazai?" Kaguya remarked, gesturing at the boy with a thumb. "...Yeah, that tracks. Not like there were any other humans along the way… Oh wait, I suppose Johei is still missing. Any luck on that?"
"...Unfortunately, no. I can only hope he has survived." Yuzuru stated. "...But as time passes… my hopes on that are decreasing."
"Wait, Atsuta? Yuzuru Atsuta?" Dazai blurted out.
"I was in the tunnel as well, Dazai. With Johei too. Same as you. It's a relief to see that at least you're okay. Now that we are reunited, I'll leave it to Kaguya to decide our next move."
"S-Seriously?" Dazai asked, before looking at Kaguya and her presence, before relenting. "...Alright, lead the way."
"First priority, getting you both home. A little bird told me that just ahead is a transportation device that will take all of us back to your Tokyo." Kaguya stated. "Follow me."
They soon crossed the hallway, before entering a circular room, with a large pillar-like structure that Kaguya recognised, as she smiled.
"Well, guess soldier-boy's not the only blast from the past here." Kaguya smiled.
"Let me communicate." Omoikane stated, before closing his eyes. "This is Omoikane from the Bethel Japanese branch, do you copy?"
"Omoikane? As in the unit from way back then?" A male voice rang from the other side, filled with authority.
"I have been successfully reactivated. Returning to base." Omoikane answered back.
"I'm going to report this, but you're clear to come through. Touching the terminal should bring you straight here." The voice stated, before the call ended.
"Looks like we'll be able to head back to the Tokyo we call home." Atsuta stated.
"Well, let's hope it's a pleasant reunion, with my presence there." Kaguya remarked, before she then touched the terminal, which glowed, as the layers began to spin, creating a pulse of blue energy that exploded, engulfing the group, teleporting them out of the Netherworld.
Proto Omoikane (Waxing Crescent)
Elemental Resistances: Ice, Light, Lightning, Force
Elemental Weaknesses: Fire, Dark
Notable Skills: Charge, Ochitsuki
Ochitsuki (lit. Fallen Moon): Weak Physical Attack with high crit rate and higher critical hit damage multiplier