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The underground passage stretched out in gloom, its dim light swallowed by a thick haze of demonic energy that clung to the shattered walls like mist in a dense forest.
"Spirit Light Talisman!"
Benio Adashino let out a soft breath and flicked a white talisman forward.
In an instant, a glowing orb shimmered into existence before the trio, its warm light cutting through the heavy darkness.
Yuto, blessed with the body of a red dragon, didn't need the talisman. His sharp night vision let him scan the surroundings with ease.
He looked around curiously. This demonic energy felt off, far stronger than what a typical demon should carry. It pulsed with a deep malice, laced with traces of human sins: pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony and lust.
The sensation felt familiar.
Yuto and Yomi Isayama glanced up at the same moment, their voices overlapping. "It's the Killing Stone!"
Yomi's expression hardened, her long black hair framing a serious face. "Someone deliberately used the Killing Stone to taint the Ushi-oni."
The Killing Stone, a crystal forged from the demonic power of a nine-tailed fox, sealed away by onmyoji a thousand years ago. When embedded in a living being, it grants near-limitless strength, but at a cost. The victim's soul would erode, consumed by the stone's power until it burned out, leaving behind a vengeful spirit.
It was a cruel and a calculated move. Whoever did this knew exactly how the stone worked.
'This feels like something that villain would pull,' Yuto frowned.
He thought back to the original story, a troublemaking kid named Mitogawa Kazuhiro, who'd once used the Killing Stone to alter his right eye. Experimenting on demons wasn't a stretch for someone like that.
The mist thickened, draping the passage like a heavy curtain. Yuto summoned his Sword of Promised Victory, its faint glow steady in his grip, and stepped cautiously into the overturned wreckage of a train car.
He was about to move deeper when he noticed something odd. The sound of footsteps beside him had dropped from two to one.
"Hold on, where's Benio?"
.....
Benio darted through the empty underground passage, her heart pounding.
"Damn it, someone set up a trap here!"
Without Yuto nearby, that comforting sense of safety was gone. Her eyes darted around as unease gnawed at her.
"I've got to find Yuto and Yomi so we can regroup!"
Steeling herself, Benio pushed forward, the light from her talisman piercing the fog ahead.
"This mist…..it's throwing off my sense of direction..."
Just as frustration crept in, a familiar tingle brushed her senses, an impurity she knew too well.
"Is Magano breaking through?"
Sure enough, at the heart of the swirling mist, gray-black gases pulsed with corruption.
"Gate Opening Talisman!."
She'd been wandering too long. Rather than stumble around aimlessly, it was time to take a risk and dive into Magano to figure this out.
The talisman shattered, and a decayed aura spilled from the gate that appeared. Benio clenched her jaw, channeled her cursed energy, and charged inside.
The other side mirrored the real-world subway station, except the broken train stood whole.
"Up we go."
Before stepping in, Benio slapped protective talismans across her body, then entered the carriage.
The train was ancient, likely from the Showa era. Its gray-white walls bore faded ads, and a flickering black-and-white screen buzzed faintly. Under the red-tinged mist, everything felt unsettling.
"Seems clear enough."
The moment she let her guard slip, a sudden jolt rocked the carriage.
Boom!
The tremor spread like a wave, shaking the entire train.
"Damn it!"
Benio wawa startled but with her sharp reflexes, she quickly jumped up, driving her legs into the carriage's shell like spikes, anchoring herself as it lurched violently.
Boom!
Before she could catch her breath, a massive shadow loomed overhead.
It was a twisted, hulking beast, a giant cow-headed spider, its upper body filling the jagged hole in the train's roof. Its eyes glinted with cold malice, radiating a murderous intent that chilled her to the bone.
"Roar!"
The instant it spotted her, the Ushi-oni's jagged teeth and claws ripped through the steel plating, tearing a gaping wound in the carriage. Its head thrust inside, filling the space as its fangs snapped at her dangling form.
Just as Benio felt cornered, a graceful voice cut through the chaos from behind.
"Heh, little Benio, looks like you've got yourself in a bind."
"Master?"
Hanging upside down, Benio twisted awkwardly to see her rescuer.
A striking woman stood there, Subaru Mitejima, her mentor. She wore a wide-brimmed white hat and a flowing European-style dress that hugged her curves. Her long legs, clad in pristine white heels, added an air of elegance to her presence.
Benio blinked, stunned.
She hadn't expected to run into the woman who'd raised her like a mother in a place like this. Subaru had taught her everything: combat, values, survival because of which Benio held her in deep respect.
"Roar!"
The Ushi-oni's furious bellow shattered the moment.
Its massive arms swung down like battering rams, aiming for Benio's small frame. A direct hit would leave her broken, if not dead.
Subaru wasn't about to let that happen.
"Saint Empress Manifestation Talisman!"
The blonde woman chanted, channeling cursed energy into her fan. In a flash, it morphed into a machine gun, her unique cursed gear, capable of transforming into a firearm.
Bang bang bang!
A wild grin spread across Subaru's face as she unleashed a torrent of bullets at the Ushi-oni.
"Roar!"
Caught off guard, the demon took the full brunt of the barrage, shrieking in pain. The sound grated like nails on glass, unbearable.
The violent demonic energy continued to spread, and the blast's shockwave left the creature bloodied and staggering. Its huge form reeled under the onslaught.
Benio seized the chance, kicking off the ceiling to land smoothly beside Subaru.
"Let's move. My cursed energy is limited and this thing's too tough for me to do much damage."
"Don't worry. I'm on duty with Lord Kouchin today," Subaru said with a confident smile. "His cursed gear, Starquake Manifestation, Kouchin Throne, is an earth-based hammer that draws power from the ground. This Ushi-oni doesn't stand a chance against us."
As one of the Twelve Guardians, Subaru trusted her partner's strength. She grabbed Benio's hand, leading her forward without hesitation.
The wounded Ushi-oni roared in fury, charging after them.
As they neared the front, the sound of clashing weapons ahead made them pause.
"What's going on? Is there another fight over there?"
Emerging from the last carriage, Benio and Subaru exchanged a quick glance before rushing out of the station.
What they saw stopped them cold.
Beneath a blood-red sky, a blue-haired boy in cursed gear smirked as he drove his fist through a dark-skinned, blonde-haired old man.
"Ugh... you!"
The old man stared at his pierced chest, disbelief etched on his face as life faded from his eyes.
"Narumi Ioroi!" Subaru cried out, her voice breaking as she watched her fellow Guardian fall.
"That's Lord Kouchin of the Twelve Guardians! How could this happen?" Benio's voice trembled.
She looked up and froze.
"T-That's my brother! Why is he here?"
Benio rubbed her eyes, struggling to believe it. Even after double-checking, the truth sank in: the killer was her own brother, Ijika.
"My foolish sister."
Ijika's gaze landed on her, but instead of warmth, his lips curled into a venomous sneer.
Boom!
He crushed Narumi's body underfoot and flashed toward Benio like a shooting star.
"Brother, is it really you? It's me, Benio, I've been searching for you all these years... Are you okay?"
Although the doubts lingered, seeing her long-lost sibling overwhelmed her making her subconsciousness overlook danger.
"Fool!"
Ijika's sneer deepened. Without warning, he swung a fist at her.
"What!?"
The sudden attack caught her off guard. Pain shot through her as she flew back, crashing into a wall and slumping to the ground.
"That's how I remember you, weak and useless, just like our parents."
Ijika's voice was cold as he spoke of their past. His corrupted claws pierced her collarbone, pinning her to the wall.
Benio screamed, tears spilling down her cheeks. Through blurry eyes, she stared at the brother she'd grown up with and choked out, "W-Why?"
"No reason, it's simply because I hate you. You're a weakling who dreams too big."
Ijika seemed to savor her despair. His claws tightened, ready to rip her apart.
Then, a storm of bullets erupted from behind.
"Let go of my apprentice, you monster!"
Subaru gripped her gun, its barrel glowing red-hot as cursed bullets poured out in a cascade.
"Hmph, almost forgot about you, irritating woman."
IIjika snorted, unfazed. Relying on his enhanced physique he strode forward against the hail of gunfire.
As a human who'd mastered corrupted arts, Ijika had shed his humanity, becoming a vessel of impurity. Beyond his normal form, he wielded two others: black impurity and white impurity, each boosting his power.
"Your attacks mean nothing!"
Boom!
His body tore through the air, a sonic boom ringing out. He struck Subaru's stomach, sending her flying with a cry. Her cursed gear reverted to a fan, clattering to the ground.
In moments, two Guardians lay broken, and Benio slipped into unconsciousness from blood loss.
As the main villain among the Twin Star Exorcists, Ijika's strength was undeniable.
"Time to end this."
He lifted Subaru's limp form and approached Benio.
"You two can die together. That should be enough."
"What are you doing to my people?"
A voice thick with anger rang out behind him.
"What—!"
Ijika's expression shifted, shock flickering across his face.
Who was this? He hadn't sensed anyone approaching.
Boom!
A heavy punch sliced through the air, rippling with force. Before Ijika could react, it smashed into him, bursting him into a cloud of blood.
Crack, crack!
The ground split beneath the impact, a thin fracture spider webbing outward. Soon, the cracks multiplied, triggering a small quake.
Who could cause an earthquake with one strike?
Subaru clutched her chest, her wide eyes locked on the tall figure overhead, awe and disbelief mingling in her gaze.
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