Luring the snake out of its hole
Rain pattered on the eaves, the pattering sound making one feel drowsy. Chiyome opened her eyes and saw the familiar ceiling—it was her room.
Am I not dead?
As she stood up, Chiyome noticed that her slender waist was wrapped in a thick layer of white gauze, and the refreshing medicinal fragrance filled her nostrils, giving her a familiar feeling.
She pinched her flat stomach, which had no excess fat, and felt no pain in her internal organs, not even a trace of bruising. Just as she was about to get up, the door opened, and Mochizuki Mo, carrying medicine, saw that Chiyome had woken up and hurried over.
"Leader, you're awake. Don't move around. We were terrified when we saw that huge bruise on your lower abdomen."
Upon seeing Mochizuki Mo, Chiyome quickly asked:
"Shu, how many of those children are still alive? Have the enemy retreated? What has the Takeda Clan done? What losses have we suffered..."
A barrage of questions left Mochizuki Mo somewhat bewildered, a hint of reluctance flickering in her eyes. She quickly put on a smiling face and said:
"It's alright, Chief. The children are all unharmed. Not a single one is injured, not even a cold. Uesugi has already evacuated, and Takeda is currently busy cleaning up the battlefield. As for the losses... aside from some valuables, there's nothing else."
Upon hearing Mochizuki Mo's report, Chiyome gave her a look that said, "Are you kidding me?" Mochizuki Mo gave a wry smile and explained:
"It's true. How could I joke about something like this with you? I don't know the specifics either; you'll have to ask him yourself later."
"Ask him? Who?"
Chiyome was somewhat confused. According to what Sumire said, she could probably guess that someone had saved the children of her clan in the chaos of war, and at the same time saved her from being cleaved in two by Uesugi Kenshin.
But who has that ability?
Upon hearing this question, Mochizuki Mo stuck out her tongue and said:
He told us not to spread rumors, saying that continuing to spread them would only cause us trouble. He said he would come to you after he figured things out.
"More importantly, leader, you should take your medicine first, or you'll get cold."
With a sense of doubt, Chiyome drank the medicinal soup that Sumi handed her. As soon as the medicine entered her mouth, Chiyome's hand paused, and a few drops of the yellowish-brown liquid fell onto the clean white bed.
The medicine was clearly freshly prepared, specifically for his injuries, and it even had a familiar smell.
It had a sweet taste that wasn't part of the bitterness of herbs, and among all the doctors Chiyome knew, only one added this sweetness to make the medicine less bitter and unpalatable.
Before anyone knew it, Mochizuki Mo had quietly left. Inside the room, Chiyome lay on the bed, listening to the rain outside the window, and couldn't help but feel a sense of leisurely relaxation.
How long has it been since I felt this relaxed?
Gently stroking the gauze on her lower abdomen, feeling a warmth, the girl smiled, closed her eyes, and fell into a deep sleep.
A gust of wind swept through the buildings of Kyoto and into the Emperor's palace, causing him to shiver. He got up, closed the window, rubbed the back of his neck, and then continued writing his calligraphy and paintings.
Completely unaware, someone was standing right behind him, watching him.
Bai Mo looked at the Emperor before him. After obtaining the clue about the Imperial Palace from the Onmyoji, he had come here without stopping. In such a short time, he had already searched the entire place, inside and out.
Apart from a few third-rate Onmyoji with no real skills, there were none else.
After inspecting the palace one last time, Bai Mo left behind a few Rune Runes and departed.
"Let's go check with Oda Nobunaga. Keeping an Onmyoji isn't cheap; this guy probably can't afford it. If Oda Nobunaga doesn't have one either, then he's probably a guy with quite a bit of ambition."
Bai Mo pondered to himself.
If neither side has it, then the Onmyoji behind this is probably up to something else. If the Onmyoji are kept by these two, then what they're asking for is just a tiny place Japan.
But if not, then this person probably has much bigger ambitions. The remnants of the system are mostly in him. There are no strong souls in this world, and the only possessor of the Source of Power is Chiyome. Apart from this reason, Bai Mo really can't think of any other reason why the other party wants to find Chiyome.
As time passed, Bai Mo looked at Oda Nobunaga, who was fast asleep on the tatami mat, and shook his head helplessly.
This was the last room; he had already searched the entire Nijō Imperial Palace. There were no clues, not even a hint of anything that didn't belong to this world.
With that in mind, Bai Mo simply left a Rune Runes on Oda Nobunaga's head. If the Onmyoji needed financial support, he would be exposed as soon as he met Oda Nobunaga.
After setting up the runes within the city, Bai Mo withdrew and disappeared.
After an unknown amount of time, a figure emerged from the shadows in a tunnel within the Nijō Imperial Palace. The newcomer was a man dressed in black and green, with black and white hair intertwined on his head. Looking at the runes not far away, he raised his hand, and a wisp of smoke obscured them.
"What a patient person. Setting up so many runes will be a tough task to resolve. Without returning the memories, we can't get help from Nobunaga. Troublesome, very troublesome."
Just as he stepped out of the dungeon, he was suddenly struck as if by lightning. Looking up, he saw a cold glint flash by, and then his head fell off like a ball.
"So that's how it is. They laid out such a dense array of runes, never expecting to find this humble monk in the first place, but rather to create the illusion that you had already left."
What a brilliant scheme! This humble monk has been defeated by you this time.
The fallen head was still speaking. Bai Mo, holding the head in his hand, frowned and said:
"A familiar... no, is it an avatar of Heroic Spirit?"
"Well, this humble monk has indeed died many times. It seems I've fallen into your hands this time. But we shall meet again, outsider. When the time comes, I, Abe no Seimei, will certainly reward you with a grand feast."
Listening to the words of the severed head in his hand, Bai Mo narrowed his eyes, then raised his finger and wrote a rune on the head. At the same time, the Electric Current Push the head like a shark with its jaws wide open, constantly gnawing at the head in front of him.
The Rune Runes shone brightly, but the head in his hand had a darkened expression, as if someone were picking at his toenails with pliers.
"I hope you keep your word, Ashiya Dōman, the Onmyoji who doesn't even dare to utter his real name."
Bai Mo held the severed head, his fingers slightly bent. Hearing Bai Mo's words, the severed head's expression darkened, and he coldly said:
"Heh, you people with the power to read minds are really no fun to be around."
With a crisp sound, Bai Mo turned the head in his hand into powder, and the headless corpse also turned into a rain of light and dissipated. A scarlet paper figure remained in the heart. Bai Mo stepped on it, and an electric current surged. The paper figure vanished instantly, and only a faint wail could be heard from it.
Is it him?
Bai Mo asked, and then a positive answer came to his mind.
In some unknown space, Ashiya Dōman lay sprawled on the ground, his body disheveled, one hand pressed tightly against his heart, his sharp nails almost piercing his flesh.
"Phew, I got tricked. It was a clone that housed part of the Spirit Origin, not the main body. I was careless. This won't do. But it seems that the guy is only displaying power comparable to Chiyome, just more skilled at it."
Obtaining this information is enough. The plan doesn't need to be changed; this humble monk still holds an absolute advantage.
As he spoke, a sinister, semi-transparent little snake slowly crawled up Ashiya Dōman's forearm, flicking out its scarlet tongue.