14-1
" Mountain Funaoka "
Blossom: "Strange, there's no sign of any ruins around here."
Suddenly, a decrepit temple appeared before the girls. The roof was covered in vines and fallen leaves, and there were burn marks everywhere, indicating it had once caught fire.
The faded wooden plaque bore the name "Genrin Temple" in large characters. The surroundings were overgrown with weeds and in disarray, making it look like a haunted house.
"We've been searching for so long and found nothing. How about we go inside and take a look?" Bubbles suggested.
"There might be some clues inside," Buttercup agreed.
"Alright..." Blossom reluctantly said.
"Excuse me, is anyone here?" The Powerpuff Girls called out several times but heard no response from inside the temple.
"Is there really no one here?" Buttercup, losing patience, started preparing to break in.
" Bubbles, Blossom, you two step aside! I'm going to break down the door!" Buttercup kicked at the wooden door. With a "bang," the flimsy wooden door couldn't withstand the force and flew open.
Inside the ruined temple, it was filled with cobwebs and dust. A monk dressed in black clothes and a black headband was sitting on the dirty floor, meditating with his eyes closed. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. "Little girls, this is not a place for you to be!"
Blossom, feeling a bit annoyed, said, "Since you're inside, at least respond to us!"
Bubbles quickly explained their intentions, "Sorry, we mean no harm. We just want to ask about the whereabouts of the pearls."
"Stone Blade!" Suddenly, dozens of sharp stones flew toward the Powerpuff Girls at lightning speed. The girls quickly dodged.
Blossom, angry at the monk's sudden attack, shouted, "Hey! That was dangerous!"
"That attack was just a greeting. You should leave now!" The monk's eyes now gleamed with malice, a stark contrast to his earlier demeanor.
"Could it be that you are...?" Bubbles asked cautiously, trying to guess his identity.
"That's right, I am one of the Four Gods, Genbu," the monk introduced himself, then said, "You should leave now. I will not hand over the black pearl!"
" Kamo River"
Boomer stared at the old well before her, speculating, "Could one of the Four Gods be inside this dried-up well?"
"Anyway, I've been searching around Kamo River for so long. I might as well check it out!"
Boomer leaped into the well.
"There's an entire world down here!" The space below the well was spacious, with a door at the end. Without hesitation, Boomer pushed the door open, revealing a stone chamber with a man dressed in a deep blue kimono, a katana at his waist, standing in the center.
"Are you here for the pearl?" the man seemed to read Boomer's mind.
Boomer straightforwardly expressed her purpose, "I am Kagami Midou, and I wish to borrow the blue pearl!"
"You can, but only if you defeat me! I am one of the Four Gods, Seiryuu!" As soon as the man finished speaking, the entire stone chamber began to freeze.
"Sanin "
Butch had almost searched the entire mountain when he suddenly came upon an abandoned mine. In front of the mine's entrance, "There might be some clues inside," Butch thought, deciding to enter the abandoned mine.
Suddenly, the tunnel was illuminated with bright lights, white candles burning everywhere. A long-haired man dressed in white stood before Butch.
A bolt of lightning suddenly grazed Butch's hair, severing the hair tie holding his ponytail. His hair fell loose around him, and Butch stood there, shocked.
The long-haired man warned Butch, "Next time, I won't miss! Leave now!"
Butch, unfazed, instead smiled, the bloodlust within him slowly boiling. "I'm not going anywhere until I get the pearl!"
"I do not kill nameless people. What is your name?" the long-haired man asked Butch.
"Butch," Butch replied.
"I am one of the Four Gods, Byakko," the long-haired man introduced himself, gathering silver-white lightning in his palm. Both sides readied themselves, and in the next second, they charged at each other.
" Ogura Ike "
I searched left and right but couldn't find where the pearl might be placed. As I walked, I saw something resembling a building. Its presence was so striking, it seemed to have a kind of magic; once I laid eyes on it, I couldn't focus on anything else.
I figured it must be some ancient ruin. Without hesitation, I smashed the stone door at the entrance with a punch and walked in.
As expected, inside was a stone chamber. A beautiful woman with fiery red hair, looking like a queen, sat on a stone chair. Apart from the red robe she wore, which was completely out of place in this era, her sweet appearance was on par with top actresses on TV.
"Your goal is the red pearl I possess, isn't it?" the woman asked me cautiously.
"Exactly!" I replied succinctly.
"Then let me give you a piece of advice: if you don't want to die, get lost!" Her tone was forceful, totally at odds with her beautiful appearance. She looked so cute but spoke so harshly!
"Sorry, I don't want to die, but I also don't want to leave empty-handed!" My response made it clear that I wouldn't leave willingly.
"I am Suzaku, the leader of the Four Gods. Don't say I didn't warn you!" Suzaku said, then took out a wooden flute and started to play.
What a strange person, warning me and then playing the flute. What is she trying to do?
The beautiful melody gradually mesmerized me, but suddenly, the stone wall behind me shattered completely.
"What the...?!"
"With this flute, called the Discordant Sound, its music can transform into invisible shockwaves. Next time, I won't miss!" Suzaku's tone was full of menace.
"Too bad! I must get the pearl!" Realizing that peaceful negotiation was impossible, I drew my kendama and declared war on Suzaku.
" Mountain Funaoka "
"Are you really not going to leave? I don't want to harm those with pure hearts!" Genbu warned the Powerpuff Girls, his eyes glinting with menace.
"We just want to borrow the pearl to stop Jagu from being resurrected!" Blossom explained to Genbu.
"No point in talking! Let's fight!" Buttercup, impatient as always, chose the most direct method.
"Sorry, but I can't let you interfere with my mission to save the world!" Genbu made it clear that he would not hand over the black pearl.
"If you help resurrect Jagu, not only Japan but the entire world could be destroyed! How is that saving the world?!" Blossom shouted, questioning Genbu loudly.
"So what? Destruction and annihilation are the first steps to salvation," Genbu replied as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"What do you mean...?" Bubbles was confused by Genbu's words.
"Listen, you might think saving people from suffering is 'salvation.' I used to think that too, but reality is different! This world is full of unworthy, selfish cowards who cling to life! Those wicked beings with human faces and beastly hearts have stolen the future from the pure-hearted people who truly deserve salvation. This is the corrupt world we live in! Now is the time to bring divine punishment to those unworthy of salvation!"
"And so, I became the embodiment of wrath and punishment—Fudo Myo-o! Saving the good, punishing the wicked, destroying everything in this world to bring it back to nothingness. Do you understand, little girls? That is true salvation!"
"I don't get it! You bald monk! I'm not a Buddhist!" Buttercup shouted as she swung her giant iron hammer at Genbu.
"We don't agree with your twisted idea of 'salvation'!" Blossom and Bubbles both drew their yo-yo and bubble rod, ready for battle.
"Even if you don't agree with my ideas, I won't let you stop me!" Genbu's body was suddenly surrounded by numerous stones of various sizes.
" Kamo River"
"Frozen Spirit Fist!" Seiryuu swung his fist, unleashing a chilling wind. Boomer quickly used Shukuchi to dodge, and the spot he had just been standing on instantly froze. "Let's see how long you can keep dodging."
Seiryuu continued to punch relentlessly, and within a minute, the entire stone chamber had turned into an icy cellar.
"Got you!" Seiryuu aimed another punch at the gap where Boomer had dodged the freezing wind. As Boomer landed, his right foot began to freeze, and he was about to slip. "Damn it!"
"This is the final blow!" Seiryu launched another Frozen Spirit Fist. "Fooled you! This level of ice is nothing to me!" Boomer smiled as the ice on his foot instantly melted, allowing him to evade Seiryuu's punch.
"It seems I underestimated you. You're not someone who can be defeated with just punches. From now on, I'll put away my pride and seriously fight you!" Seiryuu drew the katana hanging from his belt.
"You're finally getting serious!" Boomer smiled instead of being angry.
"Watch out! The katana is far beyond the Frozen Spirit Fist!" Seiryu plunged his katana, glowing with a cold blue light, into the ground. "Ice Dance!" Suddenly, massive and sharp ice pillars erupted from the floor, rapidly advancing toward Boomer!
"Sanin Mine"
Butch and Byakko charged at each other, one wielding lightning, the other controlling wind. Their fists collided with a deafening "boom" that echoed throughout the abandoned mine!
The force of the impact sent both Butch and Byakko flying to opposite corners of the cavern.
"You can control the wind? How interesting!" Byakko remarked.
"Since ancient times, wind and lightning have been the two most feared natural forces. But which is stronger has never been decided. Today, let's find out!" Byakko climbed out of the pile of rocks, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
It was the smile of a warrior who had found an opponent of equal strength, a smile that signaled a desire for battle.
"I couldn't ask for more!" Butch accepted Byakko's challenge. "Thunder Roar Bomb!" Byakko's hands transformed the electricity into several silver-white energy bombs that flew at Butch with blinding speed!
"I love this world—flowers, trees, land, mountains, and rivers, everything except for humans! They are the ones who wantonly destroy nature and slaughter the weak. This once beautiful world has been tainted by humanity and needs to be 'purified.' That's why I won't let you interfere with Jagu's resurrection, to annihilate mankind." Suzaku said before our battle began.
"Your idea of 'purification' is to wipe out all humanity?!" I was shocked by Suzaku's words.
"Is it so surprising? Just as humans kill mosquitoes and ants without a second thought, humans themselves have no inherent value. They're just foolish creatures who destroy the environment with their so-called intelligence. We must let Jagu destroy everything so that the world can be saved." Suzaku's tone was calm and cold.
"Don't spout such nonsense to me!" I loudly rebuked Suzaku's twisted logic.
"It seems continuing this conversation is a waste of time!" Suzaku put the flute to her lips.
" Dirge of Destruction!" Suzaku began to play, and invisible, transparent shockwaves followed in quick succession. My only option now was to rely on instinct to dodge them.
No matter how complex the music, there is always a fixed melody, and the melody is the pattern of the shockwaves.
The problem is... I can't read musical notes at all!
I excel in every subject except the arts, especially music. I am a complete musical illiterate, often having to beg Momoko to let me copy her music homework or help me practice singing to avoid failing the exams.
Last time when the six of us played "Senbonzakura" together, I already admitted I'm tone-deaf! That's why I chose the triangle, a relatively simple instrument. Even remembering the timing to strike was a struggle for me!
As I was thinking this, another shockwave came. Damn, if this continues, I'll be hit sooner or later! Besides relying on sound, how else can I decipher Suzaku's attack patterns? Otherwise, I stand no chance of winning!
Those with musical talent must have very nimble fingers to be able to play such beautiful music. Suddenly, an idea flashed in my mind.
"Die!" Suzaku played a deadly note, and I already knew which direction the shockwave would come from. I dodged all the shockwaves and instantly appeared in front of Suzaku.
"I'm going to punch you!" I swung a fist at Suzaku's face, and she quickly tilted her head to dodge. I rapidly swung both fists, and at such a close distance, Suzaku couldn't avoid them. She had to use her left hand to grip the flute and her right arm to deflect my punches.
"So fast! I can't find an opening to attack him!" Suzaku thought, and in that moment, she exposed a gap in her defense. I seized the opportunity and punched the flute in her left hand, causing her to drop it. The wooden flute flew into the air above us.
"Damn!" Suzaku exclaimed.
"Watch me destroy your flute!" I jumped up, ready to seize the dangerous flute.
"No way!" Suzaku leaped from my side and punched me hard in the face. As I was sent flying, I quickly took out my kendama and swung it forward. The ball and string wrapped around Suzaku's left ankle.
"Wah!" I pulled hard, dragging Suzaku, who was in mid-air trying to retrieve the flute, down to the ground. She crashed heavily to the floor.
I successfully grabbed the flute, and without hesitation, I snapped it in two and threw the pieces onto the ground.
Suzaku stood up again and asked me, "How did you see through the shockwave's movements? Could it be that you understand my music?"
"Fool! I didn't understand your music at all from start to finish. I judged it using another method, which is - your fingers!" I replied to her question disdainfully.
Suzaku chuckled bitterly, "I see, so there's such a method."
I urged Suzaku to surrender in a gentlemanly manner, "Hand over the pearl, Suzaku! I don't want to resort to violence against a defenseless woman!"
"You say I'm defenseless? You're the fool who hasn't figured out the situation, aren't you? Hehe~" Suzaku laughed as she spoke.
I asked Suzaku with some annoyance, "What's so funny?!"
The next moment, I froze. A flaming red bow suddenly appeared in Suzaku's hand, made entirely of flames.
"Sunfire Bow, it's been a while since I've seriously used it!" Suzaku held the bow of flames in one hand and a flame arrow in the other, aiming the arrowhead at me!
14-2
"Rock Blade Storm!" Hundreds of sharp pebbles flew toward the Powerpuff Girls Z prepared to attack!
"Bubble Capture Net!" Bubbles blew out many bubbles, attempting to envelop these stones, but not only did it fail, the stones pierced through all the bubbles, some sharp stones scraping across the girls' arms and clothes, causing quite a few scratches.
"Are you two okay? Bubbles, Buttercup?"Blossom, the captain, asked, holding her injured arm.
"We're fine, just a few scratches..." Bubbles reluctantly replied.
"The point is, this guy's attacks can actually tear through our sturdy clothes!" Buttercup exclaimed in surprise.
"Let's go! Manju Shot!"Blossom threw a yo-yo, "Explosive Bubble Attack!" Bubbles swung her bubble stick, "Sonic Swinging Hammer Strike!" Buttercup swung a green gas cloud with her hammer.
All three attacks were aimed at Genbu. "Earthen Flow Shield!" Genbu slammed his hands onto the ground, and a thick wall of earth suddenly grew from the floor, blocking all the girls' attacks.
"Earthen Ridge Mound!" Suddenly, a huge chunk of earth appeared in Genbu's hand, smashing toward the girls.
"No big deal! Million Hammer Strike!" Buttercup used a large iron hammer to smash the earth into pieces, but...
"What is this?!" The floor beneath the three girls suddenly turned into a quagmire, causing their bodies to gradually sink down. "Damn, why can't we fly out of here?" Blossom tried to fly out of the quagmire but failed.
"I laid down a barrier in this temple long ago. Within this barrier, anyone except me will be restricted in their movements!" Genbu answered Blossom's question.
"If you can, please tell us, why are you so eager to 'save the world'?" Bubbles suddenly asked Genbu, immediately receiving a barrage of saliva from the other two:
Blossom: "Bubbles, what time is it? You're still chatting with the enemy!"
Buttercup: "We're barely holding on to ourselves!"
"Anyway, you'll eventually be swallowed by the Mire, so I'll tell you..." Genbu took out a black rectangular object from his Daoist robe.
Blossom felt surprised but very curious as she asked, "A spirit tablet...?!"
"This is the soul of those who couldn't find redemption..." Genbu looked at the spirit tablet, his originally fierce expression turning into one of sadness.
"Storm Barrier!" Just at the critical moment, the tornado wall deflected all the Thunder Roar Bomb. When Butch relaxed a bit, Byakko suddenly leaped towards the center of the tornado!
"Thunder Fist!" The electricity gathered in Byakko's hand struck down accurately, hitting Butch without fail.
"Ah~ ah~ ah~!" Butch fell to the ground, letting out a heart-wrenching scream. The pain felt as if a high-voltage current instantly coursed through every part of his body.
"This is an energy wave formed by the fusion of the 'Aura' within me and electricity. A normal person would be turned into a pile of black charcoal just by grazing it, yet you still have consciousness?!" Byakko said with some surprise and a mocking tone.
"Ugh..." Butch struggled to stand up.
"You can still stand up!" Byakko was again taken aback.
Butch thought to himself at this moment: "If I don't find a way to counter his Thunder Fist, there's no way I can win!"
So he took off his sneakers and put them on his hands.
"Do you think you can prevent electrocution with those old shoes? Haha~ how stupid can you be!" Byakko couldn't help but laugh at Butch's ridiculous move.
"Stop yapping, if you're so confident, then stop talking and come at me!" Butch outright taunted Byakko.
"Since you're so eager to die, I'll grant your wish. Thunder Fist!" Byakko gathered lightning in his hand and charged at Butch again. Butch temporarily blocked Byakko's attack with his sneakers, but in the next second, the shoes gradually turned to charcoal. Just as he was about to be struck, "Wind Fist!" Butch mimicked Byakko, gathering the flowing air into his palm to counter the attack.
"Bang! Boom!"
The two clashed again, the explosion far louder than their initial tentative exchange.
Byakko suddenly lost his balance, and Butch's fist struck his cheek, sending him flying with the force of a strong wind.
"You gathered wind in your fists for defense and deflected my lightning. Those shoes were just a cover to hide the wind gathering in your hands!" Byakko was astonished that Butch possessed such power.
Butch clenched his fist and said to Byakko, "Don't underestimate me!"
Facing the massive, sharp ice pillars, Boomer could only dodge. Soon, the floor of the entire room was covered with ice spikes.
"You managed to evade even the Ice Dance... but how about this?" As Seiryuu finished speaking, a sudden chill came from underfoot, and Boomer's legs instantly became frozen solid.
"See you in the next life!" Seiryuu swung his katana towards Boomer's head. With a "clang," Boomer hurriedly blocked the strike with his scabbard, causing the ice on his legs to instantly melt. Concentrating electricity in his right leg, Boomer lifted it and delivered a powerful kick to Seiryuu's lower body.
"Ugh!" Seiryuu was kicked away by Boomer, spitting out a mouthful of blood. "You pretended to be immobilized by my ice to lure me in, then hit me with a heavy blow. You really are a wolf in sheep's clothing!"
Boomer smiled wryly, "It was just a coincidence. I merely applied the kenjutsu I had learned before."
"Then try this!" Seiryuu's right hand suddenly gathered thousands of glowing ice shards.
"Ice Crystal Shot!" Seiryuu blew on the particles in his hand, sending thousands of ice bullets shooting towards Boomer!
Genbu looked at the spirit tablet and said earnestly, "The source of all this began 150 years ago with the Haibutsu kishaku."
"150 years ago?" Buttercup, who was poor in history, did not understand the implication in Genbu's words.
"Haibutsu kishaku?" Blossom was also confused.
"Bubbles explained to Blossom and Buttercup, "It refers to the policies during the first year of the Meiji era that suppressed Buddhism and promoted Shintoism!"
"At that time, on a whim, I came down from Takamagahara to the mortal world and encountered a group of orphaned children. The moment I saw them, I was moved with compassion and decided to take care of them.
So, I shaved my head and became a monk, giving myself the Dharma name 'Cinian.' I lived with them in an abandoned old temple, taking care of their daily needs. Those days were the happiest of my life."
"Next, I will directly transmit the scenes to your consciousness."
Then, the girls' vision shifted back to the time 150 years ago...
The First Year of the Meiji Era, Kyoto, Funaoka
"Haha! You can't get it!" A boy held a bamboo dragonfly high above a shorter boy. Suddenly,"Ouch!" The boy's head swelled with a bump.
"Taijou! Don't bully Goro! And you haven't fetched the water yet!" The oldest girl among the orphans scolded the boy as she hit him on the head.
"Got it, Kotsue!" The two boys quickly ran toward the well.
"I told you, Monk Cinian, you need to be stern when you get angry. Being gentle and spoiling them all the time won't do!" The girl pointed at Genbu.
"But I'm not good at getting angry." Genbu scratched his head and smiled. Such a kind smile was a stark contrast to his fierce demeanor when fighting the Powerpuff Girls.
"What the heck... Your appearance already tells others that you are easy to bully! How can you manage without being a little fierce?"
"Ah, sorry!" Genbu apologized to the girl.
"Listen carefully... your parents have gone to a faraway place, but Buddha will always protect you," Genbu said to the four orphans behind him.
"Really?" a little girl asked.
"Yes! He will surely hear your prayers!" Genbu gave them a gentle smile.
One day, three people arrived at the temple. The Powerpuff Girls instinctively felt that they were not good people from the look on their faces.
"You want to demolish this temple?" Genbu asked the village chief in a surprised tone.
"You should know about the Meiji government's policy of persecuting Buddhism and destroying Buddhist statues, right? So, after receiving the order, everyone decided to demolish this temple," the village chief said calmly.
Genbu looked worried. "I don't mind, but those children's parents died in the war. They have nowhere else to go!"
A samurai next to the village chief said, "Hmph, those brats are just the village's misfortune!"
The village chief continued, "Their parents served the Bakufu during the Boshin War, causing our village to still be seen as a thorn in the Meiji government's side."
Another samurai guarding the village chief spoke, "It's because of those brats that we never receive any money!"
"Please leave this village immediately!" the village chief said firmly.
"Cinian Monk... will this temple be torn down?"
"We've prayed so hard..."
"Will we be kicked out?"
The children spoke with sadness in their voices.
Seeing the children on the verge of tears, Genbu hurried to comfort them, "Don't be sad. I know your parents sacrificed themselves to bring peace to this era!"
"Since we can't stay here, how about we all move to a new place together tomorrow?"
"Wow!" "That's great!"
The children's gloomy faces turned into excited ones.
That night
Genbu went alone to the nearby deep mountains, stood under a cold waterfall, clasped his hands together, and silently chanted Buddha's name.
Suddenly, he saw an orange glow redden the sky. He hurriedly ran to the mountaintop to look and was shocked to see the temple on fire!
Genbu quickly ran back to the temple, shouting the orphans' names, "Kotsue, Taijou, Koyuki, Goro, everyone!"
Just as he reached the gate, he was suddenly slashed from behind, and his body fell to the ground.
"That takes care of it. Who told you not to get lost quickly!"
"Anyway, no one cares about the lives of those brats. Hehe, now we can gain favor from the Meiji government!"
The voices belonged to the two samurai who had accompanied the village chief during the day.
"Damn bastards!" Buttercup swung her big hammer in rage, attacking the two, but it was like hitting air, and she missed.
"Since this is just an image, there's nothing we can do!" Blossom grabbed her yoyo in agitation.
"Do we just have to watch quietly?!" Bubbles's eyes were already red with tears.
The scene swiftly transitioned to the next morning. When Genbu regained consciousness, he was greeted by the sight of a ruin engulfed in flames and the charred, unrecognizable remains of four bodies...
"Waaahhhh!" Seeing their tragic deaths, Genbu was utterly devastated!
"Why... why... these children... they prayed to You so devoutly, yet..." In his grief and anger, Genbu struck the stone Buddha statue with his fist, instantly reducing it to a pile of dust.
Genbu took out a white cloth from his pocket and began to wipe the children's remains. The white cloth quickly turned black from the ashes. He then tied the black cloth around his head, his gaze becoming fierce.
The scene abruptly changed again, to a moonless, windy night.
The two samurai who had set the fire lay on the ground, bleeding from all seven orifices...
"I'm sorry, I was wrong before! Please, spare my life!" The village chief, who had orchestrated the arson, knelt before Genbu, begging for mercy. But Genbu's expression was ferocious, like an Asura from hell. He grabbed the frail village chief with one hand.
"Aaaah!" The village chief screamed once before collapsing motionless to the ground.
Genbu, his hands covered in blood, clasped them together and chanted, "Namo Amitabha Buddha...(Rest in peace)"
Suzaku pulled the bowstring, the sharp arrowhead aimed at me. With a release, the arrow whizzed towards me. I quickly jumped aside, and the fiery arrow, dodged by me, pierced through the stone wall behind me, leaving a gaping hole.
I stared dumbfoundedly at the wall with a large hole, momentarily stunned.
"This is the Flame Arrow that materializes 'Aura,' capable of easily destroying even diamonds," Suzaku said, her tone mocking my ignorance. "I no longer wish to waste time with you. I'll finish you off in one go."
Suzaku finished speaking, forming a seal with her hands, closing her eyes, completely focused.
"What is she up to?" I watched Suzaku's strange actions, and the next moment, my breath almost stopped.
Around her body as the center point, her figure gradually appeared—six in total.
Wait, including the central one, there were seven Suzakus in total!
I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn't seeing things.
"Surprised? This is the highest difficulty spell of dividing oneself into seven—'Seven-Man Formation!' Originally, I wanted you to guess who the real one is, but I can tell you, these aren't illusions or shadows. All of them are me, conscious individuals!" the seven Suzakus said smugly in unison.
This is bad. Dealing with just one is troublesome enough, and now I have to deal with seven?!
Doesn't this situation mean I'm being sent to my doom?!
Just as I thought that, the six clones of Suzaku leaped into the air, pulling their fire bows taut, all aiming at me, the living target.
"Six Flame Arrows!" Six arrows flew towards me!
