Tomoe Gozen, whose birth and death dates were unknown, was a female general of the late Heian and early Kamakura periods. She had once attained the rank of Seii Taishogun and possessed enough arm strength to twist off a human head with her bare hands.
Legend had it that Oda Hachiro Shigemasa, an enemy general famed for his immense strength, was the unlucky fellow whose head she had effortlessly twisted off.
Furthermore, according to Volume Nine, "The Death of Kiso," in the Kakuichi version of The Tale of the Heike, she was described as "fair-skinned, long-haired, and exceptionally beautiful. She was skilled with a powerful bow; whether mounted or on foot, every shot struck true. Gods and demons alike feared her, and she was a hero capable of facing a thousand alone."
Those distinctive traits, along with that familiar face, allowed Samael to recognize the Heroic Spirit before him at a glance.
Yet contrary to the records, Tomoe Gozen should have been quiet by nature, someone who disliked fighting with others and preferred gentle breezes and bright moonlight. But now, every movement she made was filled with brutality and murderous intent, like an oni-born demon wreathed in blazing flames.
"Kill!"
At the same time, Tomoe Gozen leaped down from the eaves and swung her naginata in a savage downward chop at her target. The air filled with the scorching heat of flames.
As the gale rushed toward him, Samael advanced rather than retreated. He slid sideways and forward, and the naginata fell past the edge of his clothes by less than an inch.
However, before the force of the strike could fully run its course, red light flickered in Tomoe Gozen's crimson eyes. She twisted her wrist, abruptly turning the downward chop into a horizontal slash that carved toward his