C91
“This… this must be the very last of them,” Shion murmured, enduring the searing pain in her arms and body. She gritted her teeth, her gaze sharpening as she focused intently on the last few evil spirits confronting her.
A timely burst of flame always seemed to arrive precisely when Shion found herself embroiled in a fierce struggle. From a nearby, unseen source, a ball of fire would invariably strike an evil spirit. Shion sensed this was no mundane blaze; it pulsed with talismans or perhaps… something akin to magic. Though common flames could scorch evil spirits, their effect was too weak; otherwise, Shion’s specialized exorcism wouldn’t be necessary.
This meant someone was aiding her in the fight; she wasn’t battling in solitude.
Yet, the identity of her benefactor remained a mystery; she only knew she had an ally. While their flames inflicted but a paltry scratch upon these formidable evil spirits, for Shion, already bolstered by system enhancements, even a fleeting distraction proved invaluable, granting her precious moments.
For those of true strength, victory or defeat often hinged on a single, fleeting moment.
Ah, but of course, Shion still considered herself utterly green. Having witnessed the white-haired maiden of the shrine from a century past—how she moved with the steps of a Kagura Dance (TL Note: A traditional Japanese ritual dance performed by miko or shrine maidens for purification and blessing), wielding the Spirit Cutter before a myriad of evil spirits, felling hundreds with a single flash of her blade—Shion couldn’t help but feel she was hopelessly unskilled.
Still, it had to be said… these evil spirits were, in comparison to Shion, significantly weaker. Her only hope now was that the final boss wouldn’t prove impossibly strong.
From yet another unexpected angle, three fireballs erupted from the clandestine shadows.
Shion had initially planned to seize this chance, to launch another offensive and eradicate the remaining evil spirits in one fell swoop. Alas, her wounds were now too grievous to mount such a swift, proactive assault. Her only recourse was to wait for the evil spirits to attack, then strike back with a defensive counter.
Yet, the remaining evil spirit soldiers stood unyielding. Despite the fireballs crashing against them, their formless, black masses, barely resembling faces, remained stubbornly fixed on Shion.
Shion, too, held her ground, scrutinizing the evil spirits’ responses. When the soldiers no longer diverted their attention to the fireballs, her fists instinctively tightened.
These creatures, it seemed, had indeed grown cunning. Evidently, these evil spirits weren’t simply guided by primal instinct; they possessed a discernible degree of intelligence.
Shion drew a deep breath. She observed, with a flicker of surprise, that the wounds on her body seemed to be mending at a perceptible pace. The oppressive spiritual aura within her was also being suppressed by her Spirit Suppressing Constitution (TL Note: A unique physical trait that naturally suppresses and repels evil or spiritual energy).
‘Ha, her level-up had apparently boosted her self-healing capabilities. Though agonizingly slow, if she could prolong the battle, she might just regain a fraction of her strength. At that point, a single, decisive strike would be all it took…’
From the parts of the remaining evil spirits that served as eyes, a repulsive, crimson glow abruptly emanated.
A sudden, profound chill enveloped Shion, far more intense than any she had felt from the other evil spirits.
These were not merely the few lingering evil spirits; they were the mightiest among them!
The evil spirits, perhaps realizing they could no longer afford to tarry, converged. They stood shoulder to shoulder, weaving together like a tangle of dark shadows.
Shion merely rubbed her eyes, only to discover the evil spirits had begun to coalesce. The four remaining entities instantly fused, as though four distinct shadows had melded into a singular, ominous mass.
From the ground, a crouched samurai began to rise, clutching a long-handled blade forged from condensed black aura. As the evil spirit samurai fully straightened, an overwhelming sense of dread washed over Shion. The samurai towered nearly three times the height of an ordinary evil spirit soldier, forcing Shion to crane her neck just to take in its full, terrifying form.
A cold sweat beaded on Shion’s forehead, and the Spirit Cutter in her hand began to tremble uncontrollably.
‘Can I truly exorcise this evil spirit?’ she thought, a tremor running through her. ‘It’s utterly unbeatable…’
Shion, mustering all her remaining strength, swung the Spirit Cutter once more, unleashing a flash of silver. Yet, the blade’s light merely grazed the evil spirit samurai, leaving nothing more than a shallow, insignificant gash.
It inflicted virtually no damage at all!
Just as Shion prepared to unleash another swing of the Spirit Cutter, the evil spirit samurai retaliated, its black blade arcing directly towards her face.
As the black, destructive aura descended upon her, Shion understood with chilling clarity that this was an insurmountable force. She willed her legs to move, to retreat swiftly, only to realize, with a fresh wave of agony, that her legs had already been severely wounded by the preceding evil spirit soldiers. Any movement now brought agonizing pain.
Gritting her teeth, Shion still managed to force herself back two steps. The black blade narrowly missed her nose, carving a deep gouge into the earth. A single strand of white hair drifted down, catching her eye as it fell.
Only then did the chilling realization dawn on her: had she hesitated for even an instant, her life would have been forfeit.
‘No, no, no…’
Another fireball shot forth from the shadows. Yet, the colossal evil spirit samurai, despite its seemingly ponderous movements, effortlessly swatted the flame aside. Immediately, a tendril of black energy lashed out towards the source of the fireball.
The wielder of the fireballs seemed to sense the danger; with a flicker of light, Shion perceived their presence swiftly receding.
A strange sense of relief, however, now settled within her. She knew her ally’s strength was significantly less than her own, and the thought of them escaping safely brought a quiet comfort to Shion’s heart.
Yet, when the evil spirit samurai turned its gaze back to her, Shion’s heart plummeted with a silent cry of ‘This is bad!’
The black blade swung once more, vast swathes of impenetrable darkness now eclipsing the moon. Not even a sliver of moonlight touched Shion’s face; only an unnerving gloom, a terrifying void that threatened to snuff out her very life force, pressed in.
For the first time, Shion confronted the stark realization that she might genuinely be incapable of exorcising this evil spirit, or even of escaping with her life…
Shion raised her arm, positioning the Spirit Cutter horizontally before her, a desperate, futile attempt to parry the impending blow.
Her legs had become utterly unresponsive. Gushing blood streamed from her once pristine thighs, dyeing her wooden clogs (TL Note: Traditional Japanese footwear) a gruesome black-red. Every slightest movement sent searing waves of agony through her.
Time itself seemed to stretch, drawing out the agonizing moments.
In the very next instant, a streak of white light tore through the air. The white Sword of Damocles, blazing with ethereal energy, instantly pierced the evil spirit samurai’s colossal form.
The colossal black body disintegrated in a flash.
Shion stared, utterly incredulous, at the sudden, breathtaking turn of events.
****
“What? What… what was that?” The red-haired girl, now safely concealed in a secluded corner, stared in stunned disbelief at the unfolding spectacle.
****
Beneath the torii (TL Note: A traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine) of Hoshimori Shrine, the white light within Ayane’s eyes receded. She sighed softly, leaning against the sacred archway, and cast her gaze upon the boundless night sky.