On the pitch-black streets of Tokyo, an ethereal clacking sound suddenly echoed through the air.
In an instant, Gen Chisei sensed malice. His grip tightened around his ancient alchemical blade, Spider Cutter. His eyes, sharp like a hawk's, scanned the end of the street where the sound originated.
Crackle… crackle…
The streetlights on both sides flickered and buzzed with an ear-piercing sound, like a short-circuiting wire.
The inky darkness of the night surged forward like a tidal wave, carrying with it an oppressive and unsettling atmosphere. It felt as though some monstrous presence lurked within the shadows.
"Boss... Boss?"
Yasha swallowed nervously, his eyes darting around in alarm. He lowered his voice and said, "Something feels... off."
"No kidding. Did you think we'd need you to point that out?"
Crow licked his dry lips, his expression tense and grim.
Though Gen Chisei could hear the murmurs of the two behind him, his mind was entirely focused. His attention remained fixed on the end of the street.
The hand gripping Spider Cutter had gone pale from the force of his hold, veins bulging visibly on his forehead as a cold, lethal intent brewed within him.
The faint clacking sound drew closer, slow and monotonous, yet strangely haunting—like an iron hammer striking at the core of their hearts.
An invisible pressure spread out, heavy and suffocating, like a tide washing over them.
At the far end of the pitch-black street, the scene suddenly seemed to stutter, as if a few seconds had been cut out. Without warning, a figure appeared.
The person wore a ghostly-white Noh mask, their face twisted into a chilling smile. Dressed in a black feathered robe, they held a small clapper in one hand, tapping it steadily.
"Gen Chisei, is this one of your guests?"
Adam turned to Gen Chisei and asked.
"Uninvited visitors," Gen Chisei replied, his tone icy, "are never called guests."
Gen Chisei's delicate, feminine face showed an unusual seriousness. His right hand subtly gripped the hilt of his sword, as if ready to strike at any moment.
"There's no need to be so tense, my friends."
The elderly man wearing a noble mask stopped about ten meters away from them.
Standing tall like a mountain, he looked down on them with an imposing presence. The black shadows stretched under the moonlight, resembling a monster that loomed over everyone.
An uneasy feeling grew and spread within Gen Chisei's heart.
From the moment the old man appeared, the atmosphere had turned heavy and terrifying. It felt as if something invisible gripped his heart and squeezed, forcing the blood out of his veins, making him feel deeply unsettled.
"Are you... from the Oni Clan?" Gen Chisei's muscles tensed like a bowstring pulled tight. His eyes flared with bloodlust, glowing with a fierce, golden gaze.
The conflict between the Yamata no Orochi and the Oni Clan had reached an irreconcilable point.
Just the day before, Mr. Tachibana Masamune, who led the Yamata no Orochi, had officially ordered preparations for an all-out war to break the curse that had lasted for thousands of years.
The Oni Clan, once hidden in the shadows, now dared to show themselves in front of him, the young head of the Gen family. Did they have a death wish?
No, the Oni Clan always had a purpose. They wouldn't appear here without a reason!
At that moment, the old man with the noble mask slowly spread his arms wide. With a proud stance, he exhaled a stream of white mist. The eerie, pale mask twisted into a chilling grin as his raspy voice echoed: "You may call me... 'Osho.'"
Osho?!
In an instant, Gen Chisei's heart skipped a beat. His golden eyes shrank in shock.
The elderly man with the noble mask was none other than the leader of the Oni Clan, the greatest threat to the Yamata no Orochi—'Osho,' known for his cruelty and brutality.
Before this, Gen Chisei had suspected something, but never imagined it was 'Osho.' He had thought it was just someone else from the Oni Clan.
Now, facing the true leader, Gen Chisei's unease grew even stronger.
Crow and Yasha, faces set with determination, drew their swords and weapons.
Upon hearing the name of their enemy, the leader of the Oni Clan, 'Osho,' they had already made their peace. They were ready to sacrifice their lives for their family.
Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Uesugi Erii stepped past Sakura's obstruction and positioned herself directly in front of Adam. Her deep rose-red eyes fixed firmly on "Osho" while she spread her slender arms, resembling a mother hen fiercely protecting her chicks.
"Osho" noticed this and let out a light laugh, his eyes wandering between the two with a meaningful look.
"The leader of the Oni Clan would never come here without reason, right?"
Gen Chisei coldly stared at the "Osho" and unsheathed his ancient sword, Spider Cutter. The cold, sharp killing intent flowed along the blade, creating a chill as pure as moonlight.
"I'm here on behalf of the Oni Clan to formally declare war on the 'Yamata no Orochi'."
The elderly nobleman, wearing a black haori, spoke with a calm tone that seemed to hide a terrifying madness beneath it.
At that moment, his aura felt like a raging storm, a violent pressure threatening to crush everything in its path. Anyone standing in his way could feel the cruel, violent air, giving off a chilling aura of death and destruction.
Upon hearing this, Gen Chisei, as well as Crow, Yasha, and Sakura, were all shocked.
None of them had expected that the leader of the Oni Clan would suddenly appear in front of them and openly declare war on the Yamata no Orochi!
"What's wrong? Judging by your expressions, you all seem surprised?"
Through the eerie smile on the nobleman's mask, everyone could almost feel the smile under it, as if he was looking at them with a smile that wasn't quite a smile:
"Isn't this exactly what you wanted? Since you've decided to bury the 'Japanese trench' once and for all, we have no choice but to declare war."
"Shut up!"
Gen Chisei's golden eyes burned hotter, like a blazing flame, yet there was a deep shock mixed in.
Yes, he didn't expect the leader of the Oni Clan to suddenly appear and declare war at this moment!
Just days ago, Mr. Masamune Tachibana had made a plan to destroy the 'Japanese trench' with the help of an envoy from Cassel, cutting off the Oni Clan' path to the Dragon Clan. The goal was to start a bloody battle and destroy the cancer that had plagued them.
But how did the Oni Clan find out about this plan?
It was clear—there must be a traitor in the Yamata no Orochi who leaked Mr. Tachibana's plan!
"Osho, don't think that just because you knew the plan in advance, you've already won!"
Gen Chisei took a deep breath. As the future leader of the Yamata no Orochi, he quickly regained his composure and continued, "Whether you declare war or not, the outcome has already been decided."
"You're right. I agree with that," Osho said with a smile, nodding lightly. "The outcome was indeed decided long ago, but unfortunately, you are not the one who will write the ending."
"Osho, your biggest mistake was appearing here tonight!"
Gen Chisei's eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke in a low voice: "As long as I kill you here, everything will end!"
"Is that so?"
Osho chuckled lightly, spreading his arms wide. "Then, come and try!"
"Erii!"
Gen Chisei's voice suddenly rang out.
Long, wine-red hair fluttered in the wind, and Erii, dressed in a miko outfit, looked like a divine being. Her delicate, fair fingers came together and waved gently in front of her.
In the next moment, 'Osho', wearing a nobleman's mask, was suddenly torn apart at the forehead.
A powerful force, containing absolute 'will', struck with divine authority, splitting the hundred-meter-long street in two as if it were a divine decree.
"Now, who has won?"
Gen Chisei's gaze remained calm as he looked at the fallen 'Osho'. He walked over and removed the mask.
However, beneath the mask, which had a disturbing smile, was an ordinary young face. This person seemed familiar to him, as if he had seen him before.
"Quite an impressive Word Soul, but unfortunately... she can't kill me."
At that moment, 'Osho's' voice echoed again from all directions, emerging from the shadows.
"Did you ever consider..."
"The dragons buried at the bottom of the sea by the high and mighty Yamata no Orochi, enduring thousands of years of loneliness and betrayal—what do you think will happen if they ever return to the land?"
Gen Chisei's pupils contracted sharply, and a bone-chilling cold swept through his body. "What exactly have you done?!"
"I've merely awakened some things from the deep sea."
The 'Osho's' voice carried a hint of madness, sending a chill down one's spine. "The eight million dragon corpses have returned to this world, and I'm quite curious… will your Yamata no Orochi' 'Amaterasu' and 'Tsukuyomi' be able to save this land again, just like your ancestors did?"
Beep! Beep! Beep!
A loud, shrill noise came from his cellphone.
Gen Chisei answered the phone, and the tired but angry voice of his most respected father, Tachibana Masamune, came through.
"Chisei... something has happened at the Japanese trench."
"Just now, Kaguya detected a large wave of life energy—something buried beneath the 'Japanese trench' has awakened! The dragon corpses has come back to life!"
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