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"That speed's insane…"
Shimon Ikaruga (Crimson Phoenix) stared at Yuto's easy smile making his face tight. Taking out Tenma, the top Divine General, in one hit—'who was this guy?'
Then the masked Tatara moved. As a shikigami, he used the Tengu's curse gear—a force that could destroy anything, friend or foe.
He morphed into a huge half-man, half-snake beast, hurling purple-black energy orbs at Yuto.
Yuto raised Rho Aias, a petal-shaped shield. It blocked the attack with ease, his magic making it tougher than the legends.
After blocking the attack, Yuto took a deep breath and chanted with a calm tone :
"I am the bone of my sword."
"Steel is my body, and fire is my blood."
"I have created over a thousand blades."
"Unaware of loss…"
"Nor aware of gain."
"Withstood Pain to create Weapons, Waiting for one's Arrival."
"I have no Regrets. This is the only Path."
"My whole life was—"
"My Unlimited Blade Works!"
As the final words of the incantation rang out, an overwhelming torrent of magic erupted, shredding the world around him—cracking the sky and shattering the earth.
Boom!
In the blink of an eye, reality shifted.
The world stretched into a boundless wasteland. Swords littered the barren ground with time frozen in an eternal dusk beneath a swirling, crimson sky. Flames flickered along the horizon, while massive gears groaned in the darkened heavens above. This was a realm of blades.
With a flick of his wrist, a storm of Noble Phantasms rained down. The Tengu didn't even grunt before crashing next to Tenma, downed in a flash.
Two of the strongest Divine Generals, gone in seconds.
Shimon clenched his jaw and threw his last card—the Suzaku Mirror Talisman. "Suzaku, stain your feathers, act now!"
His sword flared with fiery energy, metal feathers sprouting from his gear, wings blazing.
"Golden-Winged Bird: Extreme Blazing Feathers!"
He charged like a flaming comet.
"Crane Wing Three Realm!"
Yuto projected Kanshou and Bakuya, twin swords. He tossed them in a curving arc, slicing past Shimon's shocked face and dropping him on his knees.
"Yuto, please don't hurt them" Arima rushed over, pleading.
"Whatever. I'm done anyway," Yuto said, shrugging. He grabbed Benio and left.
Behind him, the Onmyoji masters who'd mocked him lay dead, their disrespect repaid.
Arima rubbed his face, tired. Yuto really fits the title 'tyrant', but the old guard had it coming. They were few, often ignored his orders, and caused trouble. Yuto had done him a favor by cleaning the house for him.
The supernatural world was restless. Big demons hid in the dark, Yakou's followers and the Twin Horn Syndicate schemed, and the Onmyoji Agency fought the Supernatural Countermeasures Office. Inside, betrayal and infighting brewed. The Killing Stone, born from the nine-tailed fox, threatened everything.
In times like this, picking a fight with someone like Yuto was dumb. He was better as a friend than an enemy.
......….
As Yuto and Benio walked off, that silly marriage idea faded away. But Yuto wondered what Benio thought of him now.
"You did good, Yuto," Benio said, catching him off guard. "Those old relics are hated in the modern Onmyoji world. A lot of them misuse their power to push people around."
She nodded, her big eyes shining with respect.
Yuto stopped at a vending machine, slid in some coins, and grabbed two orange sodas. He handed one to Benio, popped his open, and took a long drink.
"Ahh… so good!"
On a hot summer day, cold soda hit the spot, especially after a fight. The breeze swayed the trees, cicadas buzzing, giving it that summer feel.
"Um, Yuto, what do you think of Arima's marriage thing?" Benio asked, her cheeks pink, voice soft.
"I hate being used," Yuto said, finishing his soda. He twisted the can into a knot and tossed it in the trash. "I think you feel the same."
"Being treated like tools for someone else's plans...I can't stand it. To me, liking someone is my call, not something fate decides"
"Yeah, same here," Benio said, tucking her hair behind her ear. She peeked at him, her heart skipping.
Under the summer sun, they talked freely, like they'd found someone who understood.
Benio mentioned she had nowhere to stay. She'd come to Tokyo to find her lost brother, Yuto Ishiguro.
"My brother… we got split up when I was little. I've been looking for him all this time, but nothing," she said, her face clouding over.
Yuto knew the truth: Ishiguro was a cold, ruthless guy who saw her as dead weight. In the original story, he'd broken her legs without a second thought. If she found him, it'd break her.
'Better she never finds him than end up hurt.' Yuto thought.
......…..
In a quiet Japanese house. Cherry blossoms bloomed nearby, petals drifting into a pond—a peaceful, pretty sight.
Then blue lights flickered in the air. A few at first, then hundreds, turning into glowing butterflies. They swirled together, forming a white-haired boy who floated down.
Kazuhiro Santouga, a villain from Ga-Rei. He'd died in a plane crash at 13 and turned into a bitter spirit, hating humans. He'd planted the Killing Stone in Yomi and Mitsuha Isayama, ruining their lives.
Dressed in a black kimono, his pale face didn't match his young look. He walked toward an old man under a cherry tree.
"Lord Ashiya Douman, how's it feel to be back from the dead?" Kazuhiro asked, smiling.
"Pretty good," the old man said, his voice young and lively despite his wrinkled face. "I don't usually deal with spirits like you. What do you want?"
"Haha," Kazuhiro laughed. "I'm here for the country's shadow ruler. They've got a job for you."
"The shadow ruler? What do they want with me?" Douman asked, his face blank.
Once a rival to Abe no Seimei, he'd seen it all. He wasn't easy to sway.
"They want you, me, and every resource we've got to kill 'that man,'" Kazuhiro said, his voice tempting.
"'That man'?" Douman raised an eyebrow. Fresh from revival, he was clueless.
"Yes, Yuto, the strongest around. He is a cocky one who ignores the government. He recently took down two Special Grades and some big-name demons."
"Tch, they're just scared of his strength," Douman sneered. "Only the weak complain about the strong."
"But you've got my attention. Tell me more." Kazuhiro spilled Yuto's deeds, and Douman's casual air faded.
"Hmmm...If that's true, he's a rare one," Douman said. "I'm curious about how he handles curse and spiritual energy. And you say he's got powers this world's never seen? That's interesting. If I could catch him and dig out his tricks, my Onmyoji arts would jump ahead."
Douman wasn't a good guy, right and wrong didn't matter to him. Yuto's power interested him.
"Lord Douman, he's not simple. He has a tough body, weird abilities and he summons weapons from nowhere," Kazuhiro warned. "We need the perfect shot."
Douman nodded. After centuries, caution was in his bones. He wouldn't rush in blind.
"Lately, I've been watching the Nura clan kid. He is half-demon with tons of potential. I want him as my shikigami."
"If your bosses mean business, grab him. Then I'll help with Yuto."
'Sly old fox,' Kazuhiro thought, annoyed. But Douman's skill was real. He wasn't someone to underestimate.
"Fine, I'll kidnap Nura Rikuo like you want," Kazuhiro said, nodding.
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