The sound of footsteps hitting the grass broke the silence of the night. And the following sounds of grunting and screaming completely shattered whatever serenity the forests of Mount Benizakura had left.
Shin ducked underneath a stroke of a sword before dashing forward and driving the hilt of Hirume into the man's midsection.
The man stumbled back, briefly stunned by the attack. And it was all Shin needed. He fired a shot from Failnacht, piercing through his abdomen. He swiped Hirume, sending the blood splattering across the grass.
"There's going to be more the closer we get to them," Kureha said, taking her boot off a woman's throat.
"What are we going to do once we get there, Shin? Do you even have a plan?" Ravel asked, wiping her hands clean of blood.
"I-"
"He doesn't." Vivi manifested herself and hovered over them.
Shin pursed his lips in annoyance and gave Vivi a half-hearted glare.
She held her hands in response. "Don't look at me like that. I'm just stating the obvious."
"I know. This is kind of last minute. Can you maybe scout for us? Mori can track Asia because of the Black Talisman. Maybe you can follow her and pick out the numbers for us," Shin said.
"There's no time," Mori said. "We're going to have to go in there head-on. The ritual they're using. It's a blood sacrifice. The longer we wait, the chances of us finding Asia live is going to be very slim."
"Blood sacrifice? I haven't heard those words in a few centuries," Vivi said.
Shin pondered her statement for a few seconds before nodding. "Looks like we have to do this the old-fashioned way."
"And that is?" Ravel asked.
Shin's grin nearly split his face in half. Kureha's eyes brightened, recognizing the smile on his face. She twirled her pistols and gave Ravel a sideways glance. "It means we're doing this Rambo style. Going in guns blazing."
She awoke to a pain in her torso. But she didn't care. Pain was nothing new to her. Her entire life up until now had been nothing but a myriad of physical and emotional pain. Her green eyes focused on the rocky ceiling above them. A damp, dark, and musty cavern that was dimly lit with standing torches that lined the walls of the cave.
Asia tried to move her arms to no avail. She turned her head to see her hands being bound to whatever she was laying on by violet, esoteric bands of magic. She lifted her head and saw the same for her legs.
"You're awake. Good. It would be a shame to do this while you're asleep."
The hairs on her neck stood. Her head snapped to the right to see Yasuo looking down at her. His black exorcist robes appeared grander than what he worn back at the manor. There was an eboshi on his head. His eyes glinted with a hint of madness as the flames flickered ominously around them.
Asia glared fiercely. "Where am I?"
"Where? Why you're in a cave," Yasuo said, trailing his hands along the altar.
Asia bristled at the mocking tone of his statement. She closed her eyes and tried to channel whatever energy she could through her body. Her halo flickered weakly above her head before dispersing.
"Ah. Yes, you might be wondering why you can't bring out your angelic powers. You see, right now, you're under the influence of powerful binding magic born from the powers of the Divine Dragon Moryo," Yasuo said, holding his arms out. "Not even the powers of a foreign heaven can save you here."
Asia tried once more, letting loose a burst of divine power that shook the altar slightly.
"Oh? Perhaps I was wrong. Maybe you can use a small bit of power. But that is of no concern. Soon, with your sacrifice, the Divine Dragon will be satiated and freed and we can have our revenge against the Five Principle Clans and the Tsuchimikado Clan," Yasuo said.
"Sacrifice?" Asia asked.
"Have you ever wondered why those missing people were never found?" Yasuo asked.
Asia's eyes widened as she put two and two together. "You're a-"
"Before you can come to any conclusions, would you care to listen to a tale?" Yasuo asked.
"A tale…?" she asked tentatively.
"So rarely does an outsider get to hear the auspicious tale of our village. Its founding and of its rich history. Tell me, have you heard of the woman, Akatsuki Furude?" Yasuo asked.
"The founder of the Furude Family. She's my brother and sister's ancestor and the inventor of the Onigari-Ryu," Asia said.
"Ah, I see that even outsider filth such as yourself is aware of her. Well, then allow me to spin you a tale. You see, it is true that Akatsuki Furude was the founder of the Furude Clan. She was from a small village in this region that had been leveled by a wandering demon named Ryuun. To avenge those that she lost. Her father. She wandered the lands, honing the sword skills her father had taught her as a child. Battle after battle. Absorbing technique and after technique until she had gained enough strength to slay the demon that had robbed her of everything.
"Doing so earned her the respect of the Exorcists of the time and she became subject to Ashiya Douman, the rival of Abe-no-Seimei. She joined as one of his twelve disciples, earning the name Vajra after one of the Twelve Guardians. During that time, she met and clashed with the Dragon, Moryo. Her defeat of the dragon earned her the dragon's loyalty and thus, she became the First Shikigami of the Furude Clan, and their combined power created the First Mystic Gear," Yasuo said.
"This is something I already know. Her Mystic Gear is called Ryuou," Asia said.
Yasuo paused for a second before turning to her.
"Then are you aware of what lies beneath this mountain?" he asked.
"Everyone does. This is where Akatsuki slew her friend. The friend that had stayed with her after her husband was killed during a conflict between Douman and Seimei. This is where she slew Moryo," she answered.
Yasuo blinked before placing his hand on his brow. His body trembled and he threw his head back, letting out an arrogant laugh.
Asia's eyes narrowed and she bit back a retort.
Yasuo wiped a tear from his eye and turned to face her. Without warning, he stabbed a knife in between her legs, eliciting a yelp of fear from her.
Asia stared, wide-eyed, at the knife between her legs, her breathing increasing out of instinctual fear.
"All lies!" Yasuo shouted.
Asia flinched at the volume of his voice.
"All of it. Lies meant to hide the truth of the Divine Ancestor. You see this valley. Everything around us. The stories you were told. It was all a lie perpetuated by her very own daughter. A history meant to hide the truth of what happened that day," Yasuo said.
He grinned maniacally and turned to face her.
"The Divine Dragon, Moryo, was never slain but rather sealed. Sealed beneath this very mountain by her daughter, Ouka Furude. The accounts were found in hidden texts guarded by the Head of the Furudes for generations," Yasuo said. "I happened upon it one night. The revelations it showed me. With this knowledge, I began delving into breaking seals so that we may reclaim our place amongst the Exorcist Clans. To repay the humiliation we suffered at the hands of the Himejima for centuries."
Yasuo clenched his fists before spreading his arms. "And after that, we can even eradicate the Tsuchimikado Clan in Kyoto. With the power of the Divine Dragon, Serikawa and its families of Furude, Amawaka, and Mitejima will claim their places as the apex of the clans within Japan!"
"You're insane. Do you think this will change anything? The only thing that it will bring is the death of countless people," Asia argued.
"And rightfully deserved. Do you understand the humiliation that our families have had to endure for centuries, girl? The Five Principal Clans who robbed us of everything. Even the position that the Himejima Clan enjoys now was nothing but a stolen position. Suzaku chose them in the end over the Divine Ancestor and her daughter, merely because of her status as the student of Ashiya Douman. But now, with you, your angelic power, and blood, we can free the Divine Dragon. This is a chance at redemption for us. A second chance at attaining all the power and influence in Japan," Yasuo said. "And it will all begin with you and your sacrifice. With this, you might be remembered in the future as a true child of Akatsuki."
Asia began to frantically struggle against her bindings with increased fervor, having witnessed the complete and total insanity of the man before her.
Yasuo regarded her struggles with indifference and instead grabbed the blade he had stabbed into the stone altar. He traced a hand up her leg, brushing against her inner thigh.
The mere caress of his fingers sent waves of disgust through Asia's body. A few tears escaped her eyes as she closed her eyes, expecting the worst.
But nothing came. She slowly opened her eye to see Yasuo with his back to her, staring off into the opening of the cave.
"The night is still young. Once the moon is at the height of its journey through the night sky, we will begin the sacrifice. Be honored, girl. You will be the saving grace of this clan. Your new family will forever be grateful for your sacrifice," Yasuo said.
Asia glared at the back of his head as he began to leave the ritual chamber.
Leaves crunched underneath Shin's shoes as they came to a stop on a small overlook. Mori had led them to an opening at the base of Mount Benizakura. The air felt heavy and the feeling of intense revulsion welled up within him as if every negative emotion in his body threatened to rip him apart from the inside out. He felt a hand squeeze his shoulder. Divine power flowed into his body, calming him down.
He glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw Vivi nodding.
"This is it?" Kureha asked, scanning the entrance.
Two guards were posted at the mouth of the cave. A patrol of three cultists walked the grounds and bade the two guards a good evening as they passed by.
"There are a lot of people here," Kureha whispered, spotting a group of five cultists coming out of the cave.
"And there's probably more inside," Ravel said.
"I wish Sophia were here. She can gauge the entire cavern with her freaky soul eyes," Shin lamented.
"I can go in if you want. I can become invisible and see what's going on-"
"Wait." Shin interrupted Vivi's suggestion. He narrowed his eyes when he saw Yasuo come out with an entourage of 15 cultists. He held his hand out and fired a black bolt of lightning into the air.
Almost immediately, like moths to a flame, a group of cultists began emerging from the woods. Footsteps were heard behind them and the group pressed their bodies to the ground. Vivi and Mori faded from view, becoming invisible to everyone around them. The sound of boots hitting the dirt and hushed conversations passed them by as they held their breaths, not wanting even the most minuscule sound to be heard.
After a few minutes, they raised their heads to see dozens upon dozens of robed figures standing at the mouth of the cave.
"Shin, there's too many. We need to go back," Vivi said.
It's too late to go back. If we move, then we get caught and they know these woods better than we do, he replied.
Vivi bit her lip and nodded.
"I think he's about to give a speech," Kureha said.
Shin strained his ears but found that he did not need to. Yasuo spoke in a voice loud enough for them to hear from his position.
"My fellow children. Brothers and sisters. Tonight, we stand upon the precipice of glory. For too long, we have wallowed in our humiliation for far too long. A humiliation that spans over eight centuries. We hide within these mountains like a prison, as if we have been confined by the Tsuchimikado and Five Principle Clans. But my will, your will, all of our wills have been inherited from our ancestors. A will that we shall carry out.
A chance to reclaim our positions. Restore the respect and glory our clan had. Glory and honor that had been robbed from us by the Five Principle Clans and the Tsuchimikado Clan on their high horse in Kyoto. Tonight, when the Moon has reached its peak, we shall offer it the final offering and with it, the Divine Dragon will be let loose from its shackles beneath the mountain!" Yasuo proclaimed.
"Divine… dragon?" Shin asked.
"No way… does that mean that…" Kureha said.
"What?" he asked.
"There's… There's an old rumor. I heard from Grandpa once that the mountain doesn't house a dead dragon but a sleeping one. I always thought that was just a story mom and our grandparents told to keep us in check but…" Kureha trailed off and bit her lip.
"The offerings and the people going missing. He's using lives to awaken… whatever is sleeping beneath this mountain," Ravel said.
"Moryo," Kureha whispered.
"With the Divine Dragon, we shall march upon Serikawa and finish its cleansing. Then, we march upon Kyoto to the seat of the Five Principle Families and finally take the seat of power for ourselves. Are you with me, brothers and sisters? Are you ready to take your power back from those who have stolen everything from us?" Yasuo said.
To the people before him, Yasuo's words carried a sweet, tantalizing future of glory and prestige. The mere thought of trampling upon a family which generation upon generation of built-up resentment and hate had finally pushed them over the edge. The crowd erupted in a sea of cheers.
Calls for blood and shouts for the return to the purity of the village evolved from cheers into deafening roars. Yasuo's smile twisted maliciously.
"We need to go now. The moon's apex means that he plans to do it at midnight which means that we…" Shin looked toward the Moon's place in the sky. He grimaced and watched as the crowd's rowdiness began to simmer down.
"We're almost out of time," he said.
"How do you want to do this? Guns blazing like we mentioned earlier?" Kureha asked.
"Look at this number. Do you really think all of us together can take them out?" Ravel asked.
"It's not really that difficult for me. I am a Genius Loci, meaning that my power is equal to that of a minor god. I can assist you in battle but…" Vivi's eyes drifted toward the mountain. "Whatever they have hidden down there is going to take a little more firepower."
"I can help as well. My Master is there and I won't hold back," Mori said.
A red light began to shine from her eyes.
"Alright, then… gather around." Shin grabbed a stick and began drawing in the dirt. "Here's what we're going to do."
The night had gone by and the Moon was reaching its apex in the sky. The cultists had dispersed to various locations. Though, some of them had to stay outside. After all, a ceremony of utter importance should not be left unattended. In a way, the guards outside justified their missing of history by allowing that history to be born. A chance to quell the hunger and hatred of generational wrath that spanned centuries, all the way back to the times of Abe no Seimei and Ashiya Douman.
A guard yawned as he stood at the mouth of the cave. His partner had been dozing off every now and then. The youkai did not come to this place. It did not matter whether the youkai was of an Ayakashi class or not, the base of the mountain was too much even for them.
"I wanted to be inside," his partner finally said.
"I'm fine with being out here. If this is our duty, then so be it. At least from here, rather than making history, we are defending it," he said.
A faint rustling suddenly caught their attention. The guard pulled out a talisman from his pocket and turned in the direction of the sound. Both guards held their talismans, prepared to cast a spell on whoever it is that would exit.
Or so they thought, instead, two hooded figures walked out with tags obscuring their faces from view. They recognized the character on the tags immediately.
"Anything on your end?" the guard asked.
"Yeah. But we need a second visual confirmation so we came back to ask if one of you would come with us," the hooded man said.
The two guards exchanged glances before nodding.
He followed the hooded man away, leaving the second hooded figure and the guard at the mouth of the cave.
As the remaining guard was about to speak, his vision was filled with a high-speed dark object. The object struck his skull with such force and precision that he was instantly knocked unconscious.
The hooded figure twirled a sleek black and violet pistol in their hands before flipping off their hood. Kureha let out a sigh before waving over to the treeline.
Shin came out, dragging the unconscious man by the back of his collar.
"Ravel," Shin said.
"I gotcha." A soft sound hit the forest floor and Ravel walked out of the treeline.
Kureha summoned a talisman to her hand and placed it on the unconscious man. She held two fingers up. A poof of smoke swallowed the robes, leaving the unconscious guard nearly naked.
"Come on. Let's go tie them up while Ravel changes into her new clothes," Kureha said, handing the talisman to Ravel.
"I know a good spot where they won't be found," Shin said.
After dragging the knocked-out guards into the forest, Shin and Kureha tied them up and imprisoned them within a Perfect Cube. The two walked back out and saw Ravel dressed in robes with a tag over her face.
"Looks good. Let's go in now-" Shin's words were interrupted by Kureha.
"Wait," Kureha said, holding her hand up before they could proceed. "Use magic to temporarily change your hair color. Blonde stands out too much. Make sure you set it to either purple, black, or green."
"Green?" Ravel raised an eyebrow as she temporarily changed her hair color with magic. "Done. You two ready?"
The three walked out of the treeline, walking into the cavern. The walls were lined with torches, giving the entire place an eerie, discomforting atmosphere. There were various crates filled with empty talismans and unenchanted charm blades. Scratch marks lined the wall and a trail of fresh, yet dried blood lined the walls and floor. Whatever had been dragged down here had been recent and with all the cultists that they had seen, the three were warier of their surroundings than ever.
Shin looked around, wondering where the cultists were. He felt a spark of paranoia scratching deep within the recesses of his mind. It bothered him.
"Where is everyone?" he asked.
Kureha looked around. "That's weird…"
"The air here is heavy. Heavier than normal," Ravel said.
"We're in a cave. It's only natural," Shin said.
"No, she's right. There are lots of caves here in Serikawa Valley and I've been inside most of them but this one is different," Kureha said.
"It's Moryo." Mori's body manifested above them partially. She was still somewhat translucent and could be faintly seen by the light of the torches. "Moryo's body is here."
"And you know that how?" Kureha asked.
[I can feel it as well.]
Kureha blinked before smirking. "You lazy piece of shit. You finally woke up. I've been trying to reach you for days."
"Who woke up?" Ravel asked.
Shin glanced at Kureha, who just shrugged in response. "Kureha has a Sacred Gear. It's one of the pieces of Vritra's line. She possesses the Sacred Gear, Blaze Black Flare."
"You have the power of a Dragon King?" Ravel asked.
Kureha smiled. "Though…" her eyes narrowed. "I don't know if he'll be much help if Mori and he are correct about what's down here."
[The power beneath this mountain. It's ancient and powerful yet at the same time, there's an interference muffling its presence.] Vritra said.
"He said something's interfering with this place but… Mori, are we?" Kureha asked.
Mori nodded, pointing them down the tunnel. "I don't sense many people. After that speech, a lot of them moved and the rest are scattered throughout the forest."
"But… this place is more empty than I imagined it to be," he replied.
"It is odd that we haven't seen anyone. Are they all starting?" Ravel asked.
"If they are, then we need to hurry." Shin picked up the pace, moving faster than ever.
Ravel and Kureha walked after him, keeping pace with his stride. After a few minutes and a few pointers from Mori, the three saw a rather decent-sized crowd all gathered within a single space. Shin and Kureha exchanged eye contact for a brief moment before walking up to the crowd. The three made their way, pushing through the sea of excited and cheerful cultists. Odd, profane chants were heard as the three shoved their way through. After sliding through an ocean of writhing, cheering people, Shin, Ravel, and Kureha managed to place themselves in a good position that allowed them to see the altar.
"Asi-"
"Shhh!" Shin placed his hand around Kureha's mouth, eliciting a glare from his cousin. He shook his head and Kureha sighed into his hand.
He let go of her and the three watched the altar.
Asia was strapped down to a circular stone altar on a raised portion of the cave. The altar had several collecting cups located on all sides of the hexagram. Each cup fed into a single channel that extended into the further darkness of the cavern behind. The altar was surrounded by a hexagram ring with eight torches that were alit with violet flames. The hexagram ring was reminiscent of that of an eight trigrams formation that could commonly be seen in much of eastern philosophy. A symbol that had various uses in medicine and divination was now a symbol used for bloodshed and perversity.
Shin's fists clenched as he watched Asia struggle against her binds, amidst an increasingly fervorous crowd of cultists that called for her blood to flow freely.
"When do we move?" Kureha whispered.
Shin's lips thinned into a line. "I need you two to go out and cause a commotion once the ritual starts."
"What? What about you?" Ravel asked.
"When the cultists are scattered, Vivi, Ran, and I will get Asia in the confusion," Shin said.
"And me?" he heard Mori's voice next to his ear.
"You stay by Asia in case we have to stay behind and fight them off. You two need to run back to the village and get help," Shin said.
He felt Mori's presence fade.
"How are you going to get up there with Yasuo standing guard over Asia when the ritual starts?" Kureha said.
"I got my ways. Besides, I can make an entire arsenal of weapons. I think I got enough in terms of firepower," he jokingly replied.
"If push comes to shove, Vritra and I are using the Balance Breaker to cause a cave in. Vivi can just get us out with Teleportation Magic," Kureha said.
"Everyone knows what they're doing?" Shin asked.
"Kureha and I will get the outside," Ravel said.
"Good. Now, all we have to do is wait for the ritual to start and then get Asia back," he said.
"He's here," Kureha said.
Shin turned to see Yasuo walking out of the darkness of the cave. He was accompanied by two other cultists, though it was easy to distinguish the difference in rank from how grand their robes were.
"Go." was all Shin said. With that, Ravel and Kureha slipped back into the crowd, making their way out into the tunnel.
Yasuo stepped behind the altar. Asia began to struggle more intensely when she saw Yasuo's head above her own.
"At this moment. At this hour, we stand on the edge of our clan's long struggle to reclaim the honor we have been robbed of. Our purity of blood was ruined by the half breeds and they even dared to give the sacred name of the Great Ancestor, Akatsuki Furude, to a filthy outsider. But with her death, we shall be redeemed and we shall purify the rest of the village as the Divine Dragon's chosen."
Yasuo gestured to the crowd, eliciting bloodthirsty cheers from them.
"Sire."
He turned around and accepted the katana that was offered to him by one of his attendants.
"Asia Argento. An outsider. A filthy child who wormed her way into the heart of one of the pure children. Tonight, we shall offer her life to quench the wrath of the Divine Dragon and awaken it from its slumber," Yasuo chanted.
"Come on, Ravel. Kureha," Shin muttered.
"Let us begin by offering the rites," Yasuo said. He held his arms out in a grand gesture, causing the crowd to fall into a tense hush. Only when he spoke did the others speak.
"We offer this impure life to the Divine Dragon of Serikawa!" he chanted.
"We offer this impure life to the Divine Dragon of Serikawa!"
Shin's hands twitched as Failnacht slowly constructed itself in his left hand.
"May this soul quench thy wrath and offer unto us…"
"May this soul quench thy wrath and offer unto us…"
Yasuo raised the katana over his head.
Asia closed her eyes tightly, tears streaking down her face.
"The Divine Providence of our Ancestor!"
"The Divine Providence of our Ancestor!"
Yasuo prepared to bring the katana down into Asia's chest when a loud explosion rang from outside the ritual chamber. The cavern shook and the cultists began to clamor amongst themselves. As Yasuo prepared to send someone, a second explosion echoed, sending a wave of violet flames into the cavern.
The cultists closest to the cavern entrance were instantly consumed. Their flesh instantly being devoured by the flames. Their agonizing screams filled the cavern with a horrendous cacophony of human suffering and death.
"What the-" A shot rang out, striking the katana from his hand. He stumbled back, stunned by the sudden turn of events.
A second shot rang, piercing through his shoulder and knocking him over.
"Asia!"
"Master!"
Through the sea of panicked and confused cultists, Shin ran through them and made his way to the altar.
The standing cultist, who noticed him tried to intercept him, however, Shin dodged his attack and rushed past him with Hirume drawn.
"Y- You! How did you-" Yasuo's sentence was cut off as his instincts urged him to move. A violet beam of energy incinerated the area where he once lay. "What?"
He looked up and saw a violet-haired girl hovering above them. Around him, he heard the sounds of battle and the screams of his underlings. His eyes swiveled to the crowd, who were supposed to protect the sanctity of the ritual being torn apart by a whirlwind of blades and flames.
"Mori! Free Asia!" Shin said, running to the altar.
"Right!" Mori flew down to where her master was bound.
"I shall do this. She is my master and you need to keep that man off us," Mori said.
Shin lowered his blade and glanced at Yasuo, who was beginning to come out of his shock-induced stupor.
"Mori, can you…?"
Mori did not answer him and instead raised her hand above Asia. A faint violet light came out of her palm, causing the chains around her wrists and ankles to fall apart and sliced perfectly in half.
"Asia, let's go," Shin said, helping her up.
"You…. FILTHY HALF-BREED!" Yasuo roared. His body disappeared and reappeared above Shin. He swung his katana downward only to have his attack being held back by Mori.
"Go!" Mori yelled.
Shin nodded and grabbed Asia, running off the platform.
"Onii, you came," Asia said.
"Of course. You're my baby sis. I'm always going to come and save you," Shin said.
"Stop them!" Yasuo yelled.
"Keep running and stay close to me," Shin said.
Asia nodded and kept close to Shin.
He sheathed his blade while maintaining his current stride. "Setsudan!" Shin ejected Hirume from its sheath, shooting forward with intense speed and leaving a trail of slashes in his wake.
The cultists fell apart like piles of meat, landing on the floor with a wet slap.
"Asia!" Shin said.
"Right!" Asia continued to keep pace as the two ran to the cavern's exit.
A pillar of violet flames to her right and a barrage of pressurized water to her left. The sounds of screams from the cultists and flesh being torn and incinerated seeped into her ears. Asia tried her damndest not to vomit. The memories of the man she had killed earlier came back, slithering in from the darkest recesses of her mind.
"Asia, focus!" Shin yelled, shooting another cultist.
Asia clenched her fist and nodded. A fierce look graced her normally serene features. She raised her finger up, pointing at a cultist that was about to attack Shin's unprotected flank.
"Void Rending Bullet! Come forth at once!" she chanted.
Yellow divine power condensed the air in front of her finger into a pressurized ball of swirling wind. It fired forth, drilling through the man's skin with the force of a cannonball.
The man flew back at intense speeds, slamming into the cave wall with a sickening crunch as all his ribs broke along with his spine and the back of his skull.
"Thanks for that," Shin said.
The two kept running, decimating scores of cultists. However, their numbers only grew. For every one they cut down, two more took their place. Shin and Asia were nearly up to their neck in corpses and living bodies that wanted them dead.
A cultist jumped and tried to cut Asia down when a ball of golden flames slammed into him. Around them, a vortex of black and violet flames engulfed a majority of the crowd before dying down.
"Sorry we're late!" Ravel said, landing in front of Shin.
"We were preoccupied by their goons," Kureha said.
"No time, let's go-"
A bolt of lightning slammed into the cavern ceiling overhead. The rubble came down, threatening to squash them like insects.
However, the rubble was sliced into pieces by a flash of violet light. The pieces of rubble hovered momentarily in the air before being compressed together to a single spot. The orb of rock then shot from its spot, plowing through some of the remaining cultists.
"Mori!" Asia said.
Mori manifested above them, holding a black sword. Her eyes were a blazing shade of red as she glared at the cultists.
"Mori, behind you!" Asia yelled.
Mori turned around and saw several blazing orbs rocketing in her direction. She raised her hand, summoning a rotating star before her. "Aimo."
The fireballs halted, slowing down until they fizzled out as if they had been extinguished.
"Diminishing Cycle? She can use it too?" Shin asked as he ducked underneath the attack of a cultist and retaliated with one of his own.
Yasuo watched as his fellow believers began to drop one by one. Their numbers were thinning with each passing second. "I will not have myself be ruined by a bunch of brats!" Yasuo snarled.
"Sire, what do we do?" the cultist next to him asked.
Yasuo glanced at the hooded man before grabbing the katana.
"I guess… we will need to make the ultimate sacrifice…" he muttered.
"Ultimate sacrifi-" his eyes widened. He shakily looked down and saw the katana embedded in his chest, going straight through and piercing his heart. The cultist gave Yasuo a look of utter betrayal as he weakly struggled against him.
Yasuo said nothing and grabbed the cultist by the throat and tossed him onto the altar, allowing his blood to flow freely into the channels.
"I offer this impure life to the Divine Dragon of Serikawa…"
"He's trying to finish the ritual!" Shin yelled. He broke from the group and began sprinting toward Yasuo at full speed, dodging and weaving through the remaining cultists.
Several of them got in his way to try and block him but an onslaught of black flames and golden energy bullets pierced through them, knocking them down instantly.
Shin held Hirume at his waist and rested his thumb on the bottom of its hilt. He jumped into the air and unsheathed his blade, bringing it down on Yasuo.
The blade sliced through his flesh, sending blood spraying everywhere. Yasuo gasped and stumbled forward, turning slightly.
"It's too late…" he rasped. Yasuo raised his hand to try and attack Shin but his arm dropped. He walked forward, falling to one knee. Blood flowed profusely from his wound as he glanced over his shoulder to the altar.
"It's over," Shin said, leveling Hirume at Yasuo.
"No. It's not… hahahaha…" his eyes glinted maniacally.
"Wha-"
"Get back you idiot!"
He felt Vivi grab him before a violet tendril could reduce him to a blood stain on the cold stony surface.
Vivi and Shin landed in front of Asia and the others. Their gazes were fixed on the altar and the pathway that extended deeper into the mountain.
Yasuo shakily got to his feet, raising his arms up.
"May this soul quench thy wrath and offer unto us… the Divine Providence of our Ancestor… Dragon of Fragments, MORYO!" Yasuo chanted.
The mountain shook violently, causing rubble to fall from the ceiling.
"We need to get out of here now!" Shin said.
The seven began to sprint toward the cave entrance, leaving Yasuo behind in the altar chamber.
"Ahahaha! You can run all you want but… nothing can stop this now! The Divine Dragon is free and the land shall be purified again into a paradise for those who are descended from the Great Ancestor!" Yasuo said as the tendrils enveloped him, each one finding every orifice in his body and making their way inside.
This is the power of the Divine Dragon… he thought in his madness as the cave came down around him.
"Asia!" Shin yelled. He grabbed her hand and pulled her forward, allowing her to keep pace with the others.
In a few minutes, they had broken through to the entrance of the cave, making it out as the entire mountain began to crumble around them. After a few more seconds of running, they turned around to see the cave entrance had completely collapsed, killing and trapping any of the remaining cultists inside.
"Is it… Is it over?" Kureha asked.
[No. Keep your guard up. Something else is coming.]Vritra warned.
"Shin," Vivi said.
He nodded and gripped Hirume and Failnacht tightly.
The mountain suddenly ruptured, shaking the entire landscape. Clouds gathered in the sky above and buffeting winds began to rip through the land. Lightning crashed around them, setting trees on fire and leveling parts of the surrounding landscape. Every living animal, whether they be youkai or not, fled from the forest, fearing whatever apex predator had awakened.
And for the group who had stayed behind, they could not help but fight the waves of fear that had begun to creep into their bodies.
A pillar of violet light shot into the sky, illuminating the entire night as if day had suddenly come.
"Purification… with this, purification of this fragmented bloodline shall now begin…" a voice called out from within the light.
"Is that…?" Ravel asked.
Shin narrowed his eyes.
Yasuo hovered above them, clad in dark robes. A pair of curved horns extended from the sides of his head and his normally dark hair now had streaks of violet. His Mystic Gear had evolved, no longer bearing the same appearance. They were now sleek black gauntlets with menacing talons that glinted in the violet light.
Yasuo opened his eyes, revealing a pair of blazing red irises.
"At this very moment…" Yasuo raised his hand into the air, fracturing the world around him into shards of glass. "This land, this country, this world shall belong to the blood descendants of Akatsuki Furude!"
I tried. Sorry, my work schedule prevented me from uploading last month haha. Before you say something, yes, Ouka Furude is a reference to Ouka Furude from Higurashi... just like this entire village is a reference to Ouka Furude. And yes, while this arc is an original arc, the events of this arc will have effects on some future arcs... maybe something something Kyoto Arc *wink wink nudge nudge*.
Regarding Blaze Black Flare, Kureha will not die to give that to Saji mainly because she's going to be a recurring character in this series who will pop back up. So Saji will never ever get the entire set of Vritra's Sacred Gears. Why? Because I said so and Saji is irrelevant to this fanfic. And if you're wondering if this was random, Kureha mentioned that she had a Sacred Gear and Mori said she had the power of a Dragon King so no, she already had this.
Anyway, see you guys in the next chapter.