Chapter 125. Under Shuten-douji's Manipulation, Ooeyama is Dangerous!
Demons are born from all kinds of "evil thoughts."
And these "thoughts" have a clear influence on the environment surrounding their existence.
For example, where there are "Kodama," the air will be filled with a solemn fragrance emanating from trees that have attained spiritual awareness.
Or in a house haunted by "Yanari," one would hear the eerie creaking of wooden planks with every step taken inside.
In a way, these so-called "thoughts" can actually be considered a unique trait bestowed upon the places they inhabit.
A skilled Onmyoji would be able to recognize this anomaly with just a glance.
And right before them stood Ooeyama—
Ian's gaze fell upon the deep, dark mountain entrance, his expression turning solemn.
Not only were countless "thoughts" intertwined in this place, but even the mountain itself was wrapped in an overwhelming number of lingering obsessions.
Rather than calling it by its true name,
It would be more accurate to refer to it as the "Mountain of Demons."
In an environment like this, the abilities of demons would likely be significantly enhanced, with each one becoming many times stronger than before.
Minamoto no Raikou, standing beside Ian, quickly noticed his change in demeanor and directly voiced her concern:
"Danna-sama."
"From the way you look, this place seems far more dangerous than we expected?"
"Indeed."
Ian had no intention of hiding anything.
"My lady, we should have them prepare in advance."
"Understood."
The coordination between the husband and wife had always been succinct and precise.
Minamoto no Raikou turned back and commanded her four sworn sons with an authoritative tone:
"Tsuna, Sadamitsu, Suetake, and Kintoki."
"Proceed immediately as per my previous instructions."
"Understood!"
["Grand Onmyoji++" has been activated: The talismans you prepared for this demon purge begin to take effect.]
[This is the most fundamental spell for controlling demons.]
[It does not directly exterminate them—but instead, makes them aware that a powerful Onmyoji is watching over everything.]
[With this, the demons who understand the situation will naturally refrain from reckless actions.]
[As for those who do not, they will be relatively easier to deal with.]
[This is something you specially prepared for this journey.]
[However, you are well aware that this alone is far from sufficient.]
[There is no way Shuten-douji wouldn't have a countermeasure for this kind of magecraft.]
[And your premonition quickly became reality.]
A thick mist began to rise.
Just moments ago, the mountain had been clear, yet now, an inexplicable dense fog enveloped the surroundings.
Ian didn't even need to dismount to confirm that this mist was the work of Shuten-douji.
Fortunately, he and Minamoto no Raikou had maintained close proximity to each other.
No matter how thick the fog became, they could still sense each other's presence.
"My lady, can you hear me?"
"Yes, I can still see you, danna-sama."
Minamoto no Raikou's response was short but provided all the necessary information.
This was the coordination between the two.
Ian quickly analyzed the situation.
This was merely mist transported from elsewhere in the mountain, rather than an illusion created through demonic powers.
That made it much easier to handle.
Ian raised his hand and attuned himself to the surrounding environment.
Within moments, a flame appeared in his palm.
Instantly, it ignited at a terrifying speed, rapidly spreading outward.
Sizzle—
The moisture in the air burned away, producing sharp crackling sounds.
In just a brief moment, Ian had completely evaporated the fog around them.
"Danna-sama."
Watching as the surroundings cleared, a flicker of doubt arose in Minamoto no Raikou's heart.
"If I recall correctly, last time, you used an oil lamp in the corridor, didn't you?"
"So this time, why did the fire appear so effortlessly in your hand?"
Ian did not hesitate and explained directly.
"There is a banquet being held nearby."
"A banquet?"
Minamoto no Raikou heard a word that, at this time and in this place, was almost impossible to appear.
She was about to ask for clarification when she suddenly realized—
That's right.
For "humans," hosting a banquet at this time and in this place was indeed impossible.
But what if—
It was the "demons"?
For the demons of Ooeyama,
Watching a group of reckless humans charge straight into their domain and fall into their trap was surely an amusing spectacle.
Perhaps, at this very moment, they were watching everything from somewhere, observing and laughing as they enjoyed the show.
After carefully considering the situation, Minamoto no Raikou turned to Ian and found that he was already looking at her.
Their eyes met, and without the need for words, they understood each other's thoughts.
"Are they toying with us?"
Minamoto no Raikou tightened her grip on the famous blade Hizamaru, her expression showing a trace of anger.
As the eldest legitimate daughter of the Seiwa Genji lineage, this was the first time she had been treated this way.
"I think so."
Ian looked ahead at the path before them.
"And… I fear it's not just this mist."
"Not just the mist?"
"Correct." Ian nodded.
"My lady, we are no longer standing where we originally were."
Observing the slight changes in their surroundings, Minamoto no Raikou did not doubt Ian's words.
But at the same time, a question arose in her mind.
"But Danna-sama, haven't we remained completely still?"
"That's right."
"We haven't moved at all."
As he spoke, Ian pulled out his small knife.
"But that doesn't mean we haven't been moved."
"...I don't quite understand." Minamoto no Raikou admitted bluntly.
"Let me put it this way, my lady."
"If a board is filled with game pieces, and you wish to change their positions without touching them, how would you do it?"
"..."
Sensing that Ian was using this question to guide her thinking, Minamoto no Raikou began to contemplate seriously.
Suddenly, realization struck her.
"Danna-sama, could it be that instead of moving the pieces, someone rotated the entire board?"
"As expected, my lady is truly perceptive."
Ian smiled at Minamoto no Raikou beside him, his gaze filled with satisfaction.
This was something many players often overlooked.
It wasn't only the pieces that could move.
The board itself could also change—though usually restricted by the rules.
But in this case, Shuten-douji might have directly altered the position of the ground beneath them.
"Danna-sama, this demon seems quite formidable, doesn't it?"
"Are you afraid, my lady?"
"Not at all."
Minamoto no Raikou looked straight ahead, her eyes resolute.
"On the contrary, this is the first demon I have faced that truly lives up to the title of powerful."
"Then we cannot afford to lose to it."
"As expected, you think the same way as I do."
Ian smiled confidently.
"An Onmyoji cannot simply allow demons to toy with them without retaliation."
[You absolutely cannot let Shuten-douji make a fool of you.]
[You decide to break through.]
["Grand Onmyoji++" activated: You discern that Shuten-douji's sorcery is linked to light and the ground.]
This was one possible approach.
The shifting ground had altered the landscape,
Causing those within to become disoriented.
Then—
If they could find something other than the ground to use as a reference point, they should be able to continue forward, right?
Something like that existed nearby.
Ian turned his gaze to the surrounding trees.
"My lady, we will advance using the direction of the trees."
[Your judgment is correct.]
[No matter how much the ground moves,]
[The trees maintain their relative positions.]
[This means that by navigating according to the trees, the shifting ground will not interfere with your and Minamoto no Raikou's sense of direction.]
[And reality proved your reasoning right.]
[The two of you quickly escaped from the area where the ground constantly shifted—it seemed that Shuten-douji hadn't placed all of Ooeyama into this state of transformation.]
[But you realize that this is far from over.]
"Danna-sama, the horse refuses to move forward."
"It's probably afraid."
"That makes sense—"
Minamoto no Raikou dismounted.
"For accompanying us this far, it has already shown enough perseverance."
"Indeed."
Ian also jumped down from his horse.
"My lady, we will continue on foot."
"Umu."
Ian and Minamoto no Raikou supported each other as they walked forward, their steps cautious.
After all, their opponent was a demon capable of manipulating all of Ooeyama at will.
"By the way—"
"With Ooeyama being this treacherous, do you think Tsuna and the others might be in danger?"
Minamoto no Raikou asked with some concern.
"My lady, have faith in them. They have been learning Onmyodo under me for three years now."
"Besides—"
Ian observed the surrounding scenery.
"Don't you realize that Shuten Douji's entire focus is on us?"
"Umu, that does seem to be the case."
Minamoto no Raikou nodded, tightening her grip on her sword.
"For example, these vines ahead—surely they are also her doing?"
Just as Minamoto no Raikou had said,
As soon as they escaped from the shifting terrain, they were immediately attacked by a mass of vines.
"How utterly underwhelming."
"To think she wants to stop me and Danna-sama with mere vines?!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Minamoto no Raikou gripped Hizamaru tightly and swung her sword at the incoming vines.
As Ian's foremost disciple, she understood well—when fighting demons, one must eradicate them completely.
And so—
The moment her blade touched the vines, a light flickered in Minamoto no Raikou's violet eyes.
Immediately after, lightning surged from Hizamaru's edge.
With a single slash,
Thunder coursed along the vines.
There was no audible thunderclap, yet its overwhelming power was undeniable.
Light flashed;
The vines withered;
In an instant, the vines that had been attacking them were reduced to blackened ash, scattering to the ground.
Ian was slightly surprised.
After all, he had never seen Minamoto no Raikou use such power before.
"My lady, when did you learn this sword technique?"
"I'm not sure myself."
Minamoto no Raikou glanced down at Hizamaru in her hands.
"At first, I could only release small sparks of lightning."
"But after becoming more familiar with it, it simply became like this."
"This is—"
Ian chuckled.
"It seems that beyond continuously refining yourself as a 'wife' and a 'mother,' my lady has never neglected her swordsmanship either."
Minamoto no Raikou blushed slightly, her gaze toward Ian now filled with tender affection.
"And hasn't Danna-sama also never abandoned his path of exorcism?"
"At this moment—"
"Danna-sama, don't you feel that Shuten Douji is arranging everything according to the Five Elements?"
[After all, she is your true disciple—Minamoto no Raikou's thoughts align closely with yours when it comes to demon extermination.]
[The initial mist was 'Water'.]
[The shifting ground was 'Earth'.]
[The attacking vines were 'Wood'.]
[You realize that Shuten Douji is, in fact, still toying with the two of you—she is 'testing' you both by following the sequence of the Five Elements in Onmyodo.]
"What a wicked demon."
Realizing this, Ian couldn't help but make such a remark.
"It doesn't matter."
Minamoto no Raikou tightened her grip on Hizamaru.
"No matter what tricks Shuten Douji plays, as long as Danna-sama and I are together, none of it means anything."
"Because we will overcome them all!"
"Umu… my lady is absolutely right."
[You and Minamoto no Raikou continue deeper into Ooeyama.]
[Just as expected, Shuten Douji is indeed "testing" you two using the Five Elements of Onmyodo.]
[The next challenge you face is a rain of masterless arrows descending from above.]
[This represents 'Metal'.]
[But just as Minamoto no Raikou said—]
[As long as you are together, no trial is insurmountable.]
["Strange Coupe+" has been replaced with "One Heart for Two+": When you and Minamoto no Raikou are together, both of you can continuously provide power to each other.]
[Blades clashed, arrows shattered and fell to the ground.]
[You feel as if something miraculous is happening.]
[But at the same time, you know now is not the time to dwell on such thoughts.]
[What needs to be done is to find Shuten Douji, the one who dared to provoke you both.]
But—
Ian and Minamoto no Raikou had been walking this path in Ooeyama for quite some time, yet they still had not encountered the final trial of the Five Elements.
This wasn't the kind of trap that would be difficult to set up.
Among the five elements, 'Fire' was certainly the easiest to use compared to the others.
Ian didn't believe Shuten Douji would overlook this.
After all, if she had devised this Five Elements trial, there was no way she would leave a single element out.
They needed to be careful.
She was definitely plotting something.
However, despite staying on high alert for a long while, they encountered no obstacles.
On the contrary, they had stepped out of the dark forest.
And at that moment, something unexpected occurred.
At the end of the mountain path, perched atop a massive tree, Shuten Douji sat lazily on a thick branch, a cup of sake in hand.
She was slightly drunk, gazing down at the two below. She hiccuped, then spoke:
"Are~."
"There was nothing ahead, yet it took you so long to get here."
"The banquet is over."
"But it's fine—"
Shuten Douji downed the sake in her cup.
"I know you two are still wondering about the 'Fire' trial, aren't you?"
"I'm very kind—so I'll give you the answer now."
The moment she finished speaking, Shuten Douji vanished from the tree branch.
In the next instant—
She appeared right in front of Ian.
"I am the final trial of 'Fire'."
Boom!
Right before Minamoto no Raikou's eyes, flames erupted from Shuten Douji's lips.
A blazing red light engulfed both her and Ian!