The Demon Castle of Filthy Earth / The Sorcerer's Curse

The group chatted and laughed as they descended the mountain.

On the remaining battlefield on the mountain, a black-haired female ninja with golden vertical pupils arrived with her retinue and descendants.

The black-haired woman looked towards the spot where Shuten-doji had disappeared and said, "You saw me coming, and you're not going to say anything?"

"That's outrageous! It's because of you that I can't even completely disappear after death!" Shuten-doji said.

Originally, since his Spirit Origin had been severed by Musashi, he should have left this world, leaving only a few traces of his presence. However, due to the existence of Orochi, it will take some time for Shuten-doji, who received the blessing, to completely disappear.

"Are you really that unwilling to stay and help me?" The black-haired woman looked down at the dissipated, now transparent, remnant soul of Shuten-doji with the gaze one would give an unfilial son.

"Strong and healthy adults, please do your best. I'm already dead, and besides, there's never been a rule about being filial to parents in the first place. It's too shameful to rely on descendants for everything. Besides, I'm already tired of this world. Berserkers and those boring, vengeful Master just don't suit my aesthetics." Shuten-doji said lazily. At this moment, she had been freed from the influence of the Heroic Spirit Swordmaster's Karma, but she had also completely lost her physical body to move in this world.

Shuten-doji, who should have left this world like Minamoto no Raikō, was spared because of Yamata no Orochi's favor. Even so, she didn't seem to intend to get involved in Yamata no Orochi's actions.

"Hmph, do as you please. I'm just here to make a meeting. Even without you, humans can't stop me." The black-haired woman opened her majestic golden vertical pupils and said in a deep voice.

Shuten-doji then looked at Fuma Kotaro and Tomoe Gozen, pointed at them, and said, "You two are the same. Since you're demons, you don't need to worry too much about trivial things like respecting your ancestors."

"No, my ancestor resurrected me, so naturally I must fulfill my duty," Tomoe Gozen replied politely.

"My ancestor promised me many things, that he wouldn't harm my Master, nor my... no, Miss Kato, so now I am a ninja serving the Great God." The red-haired boy looked at the doll-like girl behind him and said with a slightly flushed face.

"Is that so? Then I'll head back now. What a boring dream. Compared to this monotonous hell, the human world, where I can enjoy myself to the fullest, is much more suitable for a demon's life," Shuten-doji- dōji muttered to himself.

When Shirou carried Afeng and Tsuke on his back, along with Musashi and Gudako, they returned to their home in the village. Lying on the bed, he slept soundly through the night.

A bright sun rose over the mountaintop, casting brilliant golden rays that tinged the surrounding clouds with a beautiful gold. The sky was a deep, serene blue, with drifting white clouds that swirled and changed into fascinating shapes. Such a beautiful day—just gazing upon it could make one forget all worries, seemingly sweeping away the recent gloom.

They were unaware that this was merely the calm before the storm, and that something far worse was about to happen the next morning.

Chapter 380 Demon Castle 'Gando-Naraku

Today is a rare beautiful day, with a refreshing breeze blowing and a clear blue sky dotted with a sea of white clouds drifting slowly by.

Exhausted from their labor, the girls, fast asleep in the village's thatched huts, had not yet woken up.

In her sleep, the pink-haired girl was practicing, wielding a sword and launching attacks. Even in her sleep, she didn't forget to practice.

In order to transcend the 'uniform' sword and reach the realm of emptiness, she has already given up far too much.

It is precisely because of this lofty goal that they are willing to give everything they have to achieve it. If this world doesn't have it, they will cross over to another world, as if there is no end in sight.

She possesses both a desire for money and material possessions and unwavering principles. She is ruthless in her pursuit of victory and sometimes will not hesitate to flee. Yet, she also upholds the dignity of a swordsman and will never let villains escape. Miyamoto Musashi is such a person; a wanderer of the world, she cannot and will not stay in one place forever, nor can she leave even a trace behind.

The Flower of Heavenly Origin, in order to reach the realm of emptiness, travels to different worlds, constantly drifting until it finds the perfect answer.

In the dream, Musashi, within the castle, seemed possessed by a martial god, easily defeating the Heroic Spirit Swordmaster, and then stepped onto the Gil throne...

"Musashi..." Just then, a voice called from above.

The pink-haired woman raised her head and saw a pair of enormous hands resting on the city wall. Then, a colossal figure appeared outside—a familiar yet incredibly gigantic woman. Her demonic eyes saw that she hadn't struck; perhaps it was just luck.

"Musashi, wake up!" Gudako sat on the pink-haired girl's lap, tugging at Musashi's collar and calling out.

The pink-haired girl opened her eyes. "Ah... it was just a dream."

"What's wrong, Musashi- chan?" Gudako looked at the woman beneath her with a puzzled expression.

Musashi laughed and said, "No, it's nothing, ahaha, I just had a very strange dream. But that giant in the dream, surprisingly, seems quite suitable for Gudako..."

"Hmm?" Gudako tilted her head in confusion.

At that moment, the door opened again, and little Afeng said, "Good morning, Musashi- neechan, Chaldea- neechan. It's almost time to get up. Could you help look after Tsuke? Afeng is going to help Grandpa prepare breakfast."

"Good morning, little Afeng, okay?" Musashi replied with a smile. She then turned to Gudako above her and said, "Alright, Gudako, stop pressing down on me. Let's go down and have breakfast."

"Mmm~!" Gudako readily agreed, jumping off Musashi's body.

So Musashi and Gudako picked up Tsuke and watched as Afeng and Shirou made breakfast together.

Before long, the food was served. After a long and stressful day, being able to eat these dishes was a real treat. Shirou, having considered this, put in his best effort, which made the girls look delighted.

After breakfast, everyone discussed their plans for the day.

"So, Musashi and Gudako go into the city first. I'll go meet Illya first, and then we'll go deal with the remaining monsters together," Shirou said.

"Okay." Musashi nodded to Gudako.

"Grandpa, where are Axiong and Tiansuke?" the little girl asked doubtfully, and the baby she was holding also opened her eyes wide.

"No need to ask anymore, you guys stay here and watch the house," Shirou agreed.

"Hey, Afeng and Tian-Zhu are clearly fine," the little girl said, dissatisfied.

"That's true, but you won't be so lucky next time. Do you want to be kidnapped again and have everyone come to rescue you? This time, you'd better stay in the village." Shirou said firmly.

"Yes..." Afeng could only lower her little head and obediently agree.

"Yes, let's finish this one. There are only two Sword Servant left!" Musashi said with great fighting spirit.

"Yes! As long as we defeat them, this world should be able to return to normal!" Gudako said, clenching her fist.

Seeing the two excited individuals, Shirou calmly reminded them, "No, it's best to be careful. Illya is still out investigating the Yamata no Orochi issue. I plan to go and meet up with her first to see what's going on, and that's why."

"Don't worry, Shirou-senpai, we'll come to help you after we defeat the Heroic Spirit Swordmaster," Gudako said, patting her chest.

"I hope it goes that smoothly," Shirou sighed.

Inside a city built in the style of the Warring States period, the scene was completely different from its name, bustling with life and activity. People were out walking around in the market, and shops on both sides of the street were hawking their goods.

An elderly man sat leisurely on a chair in the teahouse, observing the passersby.

The virtuous wife was looking for good fabric in the fabric shop, thinking about making new kimonos for her family.

Children were chasing each other on the street, only stopping when they saw colorful little windmills spinning by, or when the teahouses were selling candied apples and strings of colorful glutinous rice balls.

Some shops are filled with a rich aroma of fried tofu, a very popular dish, but the most popular snack and appetizer is still edamame.

On the streets, there are often magicians performing tricks or beautiful dancers singing and dancing. Whenever there is a wonderful performance, it will elicit wave after wave of enthusiastic applause.

Everywhere was a scene of prosperity and flourishing.

This is the last few years of the Sengoku period, the era of Tokugawa family Iemitsu, the third shogun, who ruled Japan. This place is called Shimousa, but it is actually a product of an anomaly, and differs from the correct history. In Shirou and Gudako's original world, this should actually be the Kazusa region.

It all began when that sorcerer came into this world.

The sorcerer, seeking revenge, drifts through endless parallel worlds, but the timeline is already set, and neither the rise of the Tokugawa family nor the destruction of the Christian followers Shimabara Rebellion can be changed.

The sorcerer was furious, resentful, and screamed hysterically, but he couldn't accept the reality.

Just then, a huge Black Shadow appeared in front of him.

That was the noble man who called himself Lucifer, the devil. He had some methods and told the sorcerer how to take revenge.

Yes, if history is already defined by the timeline, then destroying the world along with the timeline would be the solution.

The sorcerer received Satan's blessing and, under Satan's guidance, came to this world to begin his scheme. He planned to summon the Demon Realm's castle to this world, and then use this demon castle to crash into Chaldea, destroying countless parallel worlds and timelines until Human Order collapsed.

At this moment, the sorcerer who had been hiding in the Tsuchi-ki Castle suddenly appeared on the main street.

He gazed at the surrounding scenery: the neatly arranged buildings of the shopping street, the crowds of people coming and going, and the buildings and the city lord's mansion not far away, a cruel and twisted smile spreading across his face.

"The deaths of Black Rope Hell and Heavens' Hell weren't in vain; at least they bought us enough time to prepare. There are no troublemakers in the city. Now, let's move out, Caster!!"

The Onmyoji beside him smiled and bowed, replying, "As you command, Master. With the power of Lord Satan, I will manifest Hell here! Sink, sink, you who illuminate the earth..."

Caster's name is Ashiya Douman, the only top-tier Onmyoji) of the Heian period who could rival Abe no Seimei. However, in the story, he is more often portrayed as a villainous mastermind who casts curses to harm people, but is always defeated by Seimei.

As the dark and handsome man described by a certain fox dancer, Abe no Seimei would naturally not let this opponent go. In the end, Doman was defeated and exiled to Harima Province in the east, which made Abe no Seimei's name famous. In later generations, there was even a saying among the people, "If you don't know Minamoto no Yoshitsune, you only know Lord Seimei."

In Chinese parlance, it would be something like, "I don't know Huo Qubing, but I know Zhuge Liang."

Although Ashiya Douman was defeated, as an evil Onmyoji recognized as capable of rivaling Seimei, his strength should not be underestimated. He and the sorcerer seem to have obtained terrifying power from a mysterious being known as 'Satan' in another world.

The sorcerer then began chanting. "Darkness, come forth! Devour all living things in this world, with the souls of the Heroic Spirit Swordmaster who died in regret, the wronged spirits of the slaughtered civilians, the living sacrifices we made with Satan of Lucifer have been fulfilled, have been filled. Reveal! Our Holy Grail, our Gando-Naraku!"

"Its true name is -- the majestic city that guides mountains of corpses and seas of blood, the magnificent Enri-eido Castle!!!"

As Ashiya Douman and the sorcerer chanted their incantations, the world underwent a strange transformation. A place resembling Inherent Domain was solidified by the immense magical power, forcibly connecting this world to the Demon Realm.

The brilliant sun that had hung high in the azure sky suddenly vanished. The sky was covered by a layer of black, and then a blood moon appeared. Under the eerie red light, a red and black demonic city suddenly descended on the site where the original Tsuchi-ki Castle had been, with long black thorn vines standing all around it, writhing as if they were alive.

The sorcerer, his crimson eyes wide, roared with laughter, "Hahahaha! My long-cherished wish can finally be fulfilled! I will use this Enri-eido Castle to quell the resentment that has accumulated over countless years during my travels through countless worlds! I will destroy all worlds! First and foremost, the people of this city who submit to Tokugawa!"

"Waaaaah!!" A series of screams echoed through the city.

"What happened? Your... your body?"

"Aaaaaah, my head! My hand!"

The residents of the original city screamed in agony as strange changes began to occur. Some of the people with the aptitude developed swollen lumps on their heads and bodies, which swelled up like balloons until they finally burst open with a bang.

It revealed a monstrous appearance. Its nails and teeth became long and sharp, and the transformed person was no longer human. It opened its fangs and claws and pounced directly at the person next to it.

Neighbors? Friends? Family? None of these are considered anymore, and we no longer speak the same language.

"Ho ho ah ah!" They were no longer human beings, but new residents of this hell world, and they bit the throats of their loved ones without hesitation.

At this point, even Servant would find it difficult to resist the forced transformation. Ordinary humans, who had no Magic Resistance whatsoever, were powerless to resist, and their bodies and souls were forcibly altered and replaced.

Under the glow of the blood moon, in the pitch-black hell, humans were transformed into black monsters. At this moment, the city had become a true hell.

Thump, thump, thump! The sound of hurried footsteps echoed on the wooden floor.

At the city lord's mansion, a servant rushed in and shouted.

"Your Princess! Your Princess! Something terrible has happened! We must run!"

"No, this is a city ruled by my family. Of course I won't abandon my people and run away. Besides, the whole city is in this state. Where can we escape to?" The girl in the gorgeous kimono looked at the red moon outside and said softly.

"Oh ho, that saves me some trouble." At that moment Yagyu Dan no Kami walked in from outside the door at a leisurely pace.

"Your Highness Yagyu! Please wait! Even if you are a famous and important person, you cannot casually step into our Princess's boudoir! You should know this most basic etiquette!" the servant shouted.

Yagyu Dan no Kami, his right hand resting on the hilt of his sword, continued walking in and said, "Well, that's how it should be, but I don't need those things anymore. I just want to duel and fight to my heart's content with my sword."

"You rude fellow! Even if you are the great swordsman of the Shinkage-ryu! I will defend my master's dignity with my life!" The servant stood up angrily, drew his sword, and blocked Yagyu Dan no Kami's path.

Sizzle!

Without even seeing how the sword was drawn, the servant only felt a sharp pain in his throat.

"Ugh..." The servant clutched his throat in disbelief, but blood continued to gush out.

"So, you were a spy from the beginning, which is why the troops that came to request reinforcements have all disappeared. Is this how you serve the shogun? Is this how you show loyalty to the Matsudaira family?!" Kiyohime sternly questioned Yagyu Dan no Kami -no-kami.

"Those are just too weak. If you want to walk the path of the sword, you must be prepared to become a demon. I did indeed serve the Matsudaira family and did my utmost for the shogun, making great contributions. That's why the shogun bestowed upon me such a high position Danjō."

But now I'm determined to pursue the ultimate sword path as a sword demon, so I no longer care about worldly skills. Alright, Princess, please come with me to see someone."Yagyu Dan no Kami said calmly.

Chapter 381 The Curse of the Sorcerer

The sorcerer's goal is to use Princess Kiyohime, who possesses Tokugawa family blood, as a human sacrifice to unleash a massive curse upon the entire Tokugawa family, a curse that can even affect parallel worlds. Any world ruled by the Tokugawa family will be corrupted by the Enri-eido Castle, turning those worlds into a hellish place overrun by monsters.

The closer the blood relationship between the target of this curse and the head of the Tokugawa family, the better. Although Princess Kiyohime is from a branch family, the Tokugawa family has only been in its third generation, and it hasn't been many years since the first Tokugawa family died. She is only the second generation of the branch family, and her bloodline is still very close. She may even be a relative of the Shogun.

Just as Yagyu Dan no Kami was about to walk up to Princess Kiyohime and reach out to grab her.

"Wait!"

A delicate shout came from afar.

A streak of ice crystal arrow flew straight towards us.

With a single swing of his sword, he deflected the arrow. However, his arm was also covered in a layer of frost.

She has been working with the fox dancer these past few days, investigating methods to seal the giant serpent.

Although the serpent's body was still asleep in the sunken valley, traces of its activity in other places were discovered. The dense demonic aura seemed to be a powerful clone, or a part of its soul outside its body.

However, it was precisely because of this that she rushed back to the lord's mansion immediately, which allowed her to fire the crucial arrow before Yagyu Dan no Kami could capture Kiyohime.

"Hmm? The clothing of the Emishi?" Yagyu Dan no Kami ignored his hands, which had turned cold and discolored, and coldly glanced at the girl on the wall of the castle lord's mansion.

"To be precise, it should be the Ainu people!" Illya stood on the wall, still holding the precious bow in her hand, and corrected her.

Yagyu Dan no Kami snorted coldly, "Hmph, these things don't matter! Our Yamato, not only the Emishi, but also Guam, are destined to be invaded, slaughtered, conquered, annexed, and assimilated by Yamato! We will turn barbarians into Yamato people, and wherever our army touches, there will only be one Yamato people."

Illya frowned, raised her bow, and said, "Old men like you, clinging to the idea that island nations have only ever had Yamato and one race, completely oblivious to reality, are truly annoying. Release Kiyohime, or even if you're human, I'll freeze you into an ice sculpture!"

"Heh heh heh, a goddess reduced to Servant, couldn't she even sense my state? In that case, let my sword strike her down. Even if she is the goddess in her true form, my sword, which has reached the highest heavens, can still kill her." Yagyu said with a cold laugh. He held the hilt of his sword with his thumb pressing against the guard, and slightly raised it, revealing the silver blade above the scabbard, flashing a cold light.

As an elf fused with the goddess, the Great White Bear appeared before the girl, unleashing the absolute speed of a predator hunting at the top of the food chain.

However, Yagyu Dan no Kami calm and composed. He gripped his sword with both hands, blades facing upwards, assuming a stance ready to strike at any moment. His entire aura was contained, like a sword about to be drawn from its sheath.