Chapter 212: Suzaku Himejima / Chapter 212
Although the guards were defeated, Yasaka was the strongest demon in the Kyoto Youkai World.
Having cultivated in Kyoto for thousands of years, her strength is comparable to that of the Dragon King of the Dragon Clan.
Yasaka is not warlike; her demonic power is constantly spreading outwards as she searches for a way to escape the barrier.
However, upon hearing what Ren said next, her delicate body trembled as if struck by lightning.
"Madam, if you want your men to live, then surrender. Besides, you don't want anything to happen to your daughter, do you?"
Even though Ren was now within arm's reach of Yasaka still stared at him in disbelief.
At this moment, Ren, wearing a mask, was no different from a demon in her eyes.
This isn't some kind of Hero Faction, it's clearly a demon!
No, even demons nowadays seek peace, yet these humans are using her daughter to blackmail her.
In the end, Yasaka dissipated the golden fox tail that had gathered demonic power, and his hands hung limply at his sides.
"I can go with you, but... you must guarantee my daughter's safety."
When he looked up again, Yasaka's eyes were already brimming with tears.
Her daughter, Kunou, was everything to her.
Now that he has unified the Kyoto Youkai World, he is pursuing peace everywhere, partly for the sake of other demons, and partly in the hope of providing his daughter with a stable and peaceful environment to live in.
Having lived for thousands of years, she knows best how cruel war can be.
"If you, Madam, are obedient, I will naturally not do anything to your daughter."
Ren's voice changed slightly under the influence of magic, and the laughter coming from under the mask was also somewhat chilling.
Looking at Ren's retreating figure, if Jeanne hadn't known that Ren was acting, she probably would have thought he was a ruthless person who would stop at nothing.
But Ren's performance was so realistic that even she began to doubt whether Ren had really kidnapped Yasaka's daughter.
Regardless, after surrendering, Yasaka's demonic power was sealed by an item given to him by Georg, and he fell into a deep sleep.
After temporarily handing over Yasaka to the female members of the team, Ren's image in the eyes of others has undergone a complete transformation.
Noticing the fearful looks others were giving him, Ren asked Jeanne with some surprise what was going on.
"I don't know. Maybe it's because your fighting style just now shocked them too much. Of course, I personally think the main reason is the way you threatened this general earlier, using someone else's daughter as leverage, it was just too... you know."
"Despicable and shameless?"
I asked Ren asked.
Jeanne did not speak, but she nodded slightly.
She clearly thinks so too.
Upon hearing this, Ren felt extremely uncomfortable.
While it's certainly despicable to blackmail someone's daughter, the fact that someone with Hero Faction style can stand on moral high ground to mock him is just the pot calling the kettle black.
Moreover, Ren was merely using the pretense of Kunou to deceive Yasaka into obeying him.
Moreover, he and Kunou could be considered friends.
With the plot now completely ruined, his actions actually help protect Yasaka from harm.
Anyway, all he needs to do next is hand over Yasaka, and he'll be able to complete the mission.
If Cao Cao and his men really intend to harm Yasaka, then we can just backstab them. Maybe we can even get a new mission from Yasaka.
"By the way, did you really kidnap her daughter?"
On the way back, Jeanne asked curiously.
Ren didn't say anything, he just rolled his eyes.
Then, he glanced at something behind him.
Immediately afterwards, a figure completely hidden in the void felt a sense of dread, as if being stared at by a ferocious beast.
He immediately left his original position, and it wasn't until he had flown several kilometers away that his rapidly beating heart finally calmed down.
"Impossible. Even Lord Cao Cao had difficulty detecting me with my invisibility ability. How did that newcomer notice me? No... it could also be a coincidence."
He calmed himself down on the spot.
After regaining his composure, he quickly relayed the news that Yasaka had been successfully captured to Cao Cao and his men, who were operating elsewhere.
At the same time.
Georg, who was near the Inner Shrine of the Five Great Houses, received the message and then relayed it to Cao Cao, who was fighting against the Inner Shrine guards.
"Hehe, the most important part has been completed."
Cao Cao looked at the group of young men and women who were his enemies and a faint smile appeared on his face.
At the same time, he swung his holy spear, and a single point of cold light instantly swept away all the spells and attacks from the spirit beasts flying towards him, looking incredibly relaxed and effortless.
"The most crucial link? What exactly are you planning to do, Cao Cao!"
Among those confronting Cao Cao, the leader was a girl wearing a crimson uniform, with her long black hair tied in a ponytail, and who bore an eight or nine-tenths resemblance to Akeno Himejima.
The girl's name is Suzaku Himejima, the successor head of the Himejima Family, one of the Five Great Houses.
During this time, she and the successor of the Tōmon Family had been training in the Inner Shrine, but they never expected to be attacked by a terrorist organization that claimed to be the Hero Faction.
Cao Cao, as the leader of the Hero Faction, was indeed a formidable opponent that astonished them. However, compared to that, Suzaku Himejima was more concerned about what the so-called "crucial link" referred to.
Georg used the Longinus to create an even denser fog.
A thick, viscous fog enveloped Cao Cao and his men, but his voice still rang out.
"Tomorrow night, we will be conducting a special experiment in the unique city of Kyoto, together with the Nine-Tails, the leader of the yokai. Therefore, we request that you Five Great Houses attend this grand event to prevent it."
The fog thickened until even Suzaku Himejima and the others were enveloped in it.
After the fog dissipated, they had returned to the real Inner Shrine.
Chapter 212 Suzaku Himejima
Chapter 212
Looking at the silent, unaffected Inner Shrine, Suzaku Himejima and the other Inner Shrine sorcerer guards all felt a sense of unreality.
Since the last combined attack by the Fallen Angels, Witch's Night, the Void Cicada Organization, and the monsters, the barrier of Inner Shrine has been strengthened several times over. Even if such an attack were to occur again, the barrier would definitely not be breached by the enemy so quickly.
But the enemies they encountered tonight easily passed through the barrier, using dense fog to transport their people to another, false world.
And after provoking them, they disappeared from their sight using the thick fog.
It truly is a trip where you can come and go as you please.
What kind of place is the Inner Shrine of the Five Great Houses? A public toilet?
What angered them even more was that the Hero Faction brazenly announced their criminal activities.
"Based on Kyoto and the Nine-Tails, a special experiment will be conducted..."
Although Suzaku Himejima didn't know what the Hero Faction was planning, she didn't want to see them no matter what it was.
"Immediately notify all members of the Five Great Houses of this matter and launch a city-wide manhunt. Whatever the Hero Faction intends to do, we must thwart their conspiracy!"
Suzaku Himejima calmly gave the order.
The others also sprang into action immediately.
Within minutes, the members of the Five Great Houses learned of the matter, and the current head of the Himejima Family immediately summoned all the high-ranking members to the main hall for an overnight meeting.
When Suzaku Himejima appeared here, he noticed that everyone had a serious expression on their face.
She walked to the front and stood still.
There was complete silence.
Then, a man of about fifty years old, sitting on a high chair in the main hall, spoke in a low voice, "I didn't expect such a thing to happen. The Yokai World also sent an envoy just now, saying that their leader has been kidnapped by an organization that calls itself the Hero Faction, and they asked us not to interfere with their search operation in the Kyoto."
"Don't interfere? Do those monsters really think they're the masters of Kyoto?"
Some people below were indignant.
Suzaku Himejima looked over and saw that it was an elderly man.
At a time like this, you're still worried about such a trivial matter?
However, she didn't say much. After all, the Five Great Houses, especially the oldest Himejima Family, have always been like this. If they want to make changes, they need to wait for time to wash everything away.
As the successor to the Himejima Family headship, she harbored a strong desire to reform the Himejima Family.
This is also true for most of the younger generation in the Himejima Family.
If things succeed in the future, I suppose what happened to Akeno won't happen again.
At this moment, the current sect leader Himejima Suou, continued, "Of course I will not agree to this, but the Hero Faction has indeed caused us some losses. More importantly, if we cannot bring those self-proclaimed heroes and terrorists to justice, where will the dignity of the Himejima Family be?"
"Last time, our Himejima Family became a laughingstock in front of the outside world. This time, it's time for us to thoroughly settle our scores with them."
Upon hearing this, Suzaku Himejima looked up in surprise and asked, "Uncle, shouldn't we discuss this with the other main families? If the Nine-Tails is truly missing, it will inevitably affect Kyoto's climate and air currents. Cooperating with the yokai wouldn't be inappropriate."
"Moreover, before this, the chief god from Norse Mythology also went to Tokyo to negotiate with the other gods, and it is said that the god-king left Takamagahara with a smile."
"So shouldn't we also establish peaceful and mutually supportive relations with some external forces?"
Suzaku Himejima's words resonated with many of the younger generation.
However, some elderly people looked at her with strange eyes.
After listening, Himejima Suou took out several pieces of paper from her sleeve, on which were written in a special script.
"These documents are contracts from the Vatican, Black Wing, and the demons requesting peace with us."
After saying that, Himejima Suou lit a flame in her right hand and burned the three documents to ashes.
After the special paper was burned, it turned to ashes and vanished with the night breeze blowing in through the window.
"At this point, there's no need for us to improve relations with any foreign powers. Ensuring those who possess Sacred Gear can live peacefully in Kyoto is already the limit. As for the others, they're all just swindlers like Azazel, or even more so."
Upon hearing this, Suzaku Himejima remained silent.
"White Wings, Black Wing, and demons have formed a peace pact? What a ridiculous phrase. They must have other schemes in the shadows. But I can say with certainty that no matter who they are, as long as evil demons and rakshasas bring calamity to the island nation's land, turning them to ashes is our mission."
Upon hearing this, the others in the audience nodded in agreement.
After speaking, Himejima Suou looked at the girl indifferently.
"Vermilion Bird, as the most outstanding genius and successor of the Himejima Family, you should refrain from saying anything that is detrimental to unity from now on."
"Yes."
Suzaku Himejima nodded.
"Regarding those evil spirits and heretics who have invaded Kyoto's lands, I would like to ask you, as the successor sect leader, to be the vanguard and have our clan, whose names contain the character 'Zhu,' display the Flame Dance."
Upon hearing this, Suzaku Himejima bowed deeply.
"My daughter would be more than happy to oblige, Uncle."
Upon hearing this, Himejima Suou nodded quietly.
The meeting has adjourned.
After leaving the main hall, Suzaku Himejima gazed at the sky filled with dark clouds, her feelings a complex mix.
Soon, cold raindrops pattered on her face.
The heavy rain of the dark night gradually enveloped the entire Kyoto.
The Five Great Houses acted in similar ways, but since they had formed an alliance, they cooperated in their actions, though their cooperation was only superficial.
In contrast to the Five Great Houses still scheming against each other, the Kyoto Youkai World mobilized its entire force, searching for any trace of the Nine-Tails throughout the Kyoto.
Although the demons and the Five Great Houses are currently coexisting peacefully, there are still many frictions that occur during such a large-scale event.
The situation in Kyoto is extremely precarious, slowly sliding towards the brink of spiraling out of control.
The shadow of war gradually loomed over the entire Kyoto.
Meanwhile, the remaining members of the Void Cicada organization resurfaced after becoming aware of this.