Chapter 74
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Chapter 74: Title
Monster.
Yes, this entity resembling Yamata no Orochi was deemed a monstrosity by Fūsāng. Clad in black-green scales with eight heads and eight tails, its thirty-meter frame towered ominously, obliterating all obstacles in its path with each earth-shaking movement.
Though nearly identical to the mythical Yamata no Orochi, none dared name it as such—for legends declared the original beast slain by Susanoo long ago.
—Not that all considered myths infallible. These tales, after all, are but fragmented whispers distorted through millennia of retelling.
Take the disputed claim of Amaterasu being male—a notion thoroughly discredited since the deity’s manifestation.
Moreover, this creature bore only superficial resemblance. The fabled Yamata no Orochi possessed lantern-like crimson eyes, a moss-encrusted body sprouting pines and cedars, and a tumor-riddled belly of festering scarlet—traits wholly absent in the abomination now ravaging their shores.
Within Fūsāng’s government meeting room, the faces of all present were etched with grave solemnity.
The catastrophe couldn’t be concealed. Coastal citizens had already flooded networks with footage of the colossus emerging from the waves—its mountainous silhouette dwarfing harbor defenses. High officials stared in horrified disbelief; such titanic lifeforms belonged to Blue Star’s oceanic depths, not solid ground.
Origins? Their investigation pointed conclusively to the vanished gray cracks along the primordial border.
"Onmyoji Abe Masanari, Chief Shaman, and Priestess Reiko approach."
The Prime Minister’s balding head snapped up at the announcement. Relief washed over him as Fūsāng’s paramount extraordinary individuals entered—the Yin-Yang Path master, Shinto spiritual leaders, and the divine archer.
Abe Masanari commanded particular attention. Whispers surrounded his rumored companion: a bewitching woman with vulpine ears and nine snow-white tails—an unmistakable echo of Tamamo no Mae, the nine-tailed fox who once ensnared an emperor’s heart.
"Honored Prime Minister." The Onmyoji’s fan snapped shut in precise salute. Behind him lingered a striking figure in Heian-period robes—Abe no Seimei, the legendary fox-blooded Onmyoji, whose beauty transcended gender.
"You know why you’re here." The Prime Minister gestured to the projection screen behind him, where a chilling image materialized. "This thing advances inland. Identify it. Destroy it."
Abe Masanari’s fan trembled imperceptibly. The ghostly voice of his ancestor still echoed in his mind: *A Yamata no Orochi corrupted by malevolent energy.* What dark force could twist an ancient myth into this aberration?
The Chief Shaman studied the enhanced imagery, sharper than the blurred snapshots circulating online. Beside him, Priestess Reiko stood composed—her divine festival-bestowed power evident. The SR-ranked Shikigami she’d pierced with demon-dispelling arrows testified to capabilities born from the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons hierarchy.
That classification system flashed through the Prime Minister’s thoughts: N, R, SR, SSR. The latter existed only in fleeting overlaps with the realm of the dead—entities like Qíngxíng Dēng, nightmare incarnate to ordinary people yet trivial to extraordinary individuals.
But this… this defied all categories.
"It doesn’t seem intent on taking any action," Priestess Reiko murmured, her brow furrowed deeply. The instinct to draw her demon-dispelling bow tensed her fingers – this abomination of darkness and corruption violated every fiber of her being as a shrine maiden.
"It appears to be heading toward a specific destination," the shaman observed.
Abe Masanari remained silent, his gaze locked on the satellite feed displaying the creature’s massive form. The precious time they’d squandered in debate had allowed the monstrosity to surge deeper inland, its gargantuan body plowing through concrete jungles with terrifying efficiency.
The contradiction chilled them all – such immense bulk shouldn’t possess such horrifying velocity.
Panicked citizens had long fled its path. News of Japan’s colossal invader dominated global headlines, dwarfing other sporadic monster sightings in sheer scale. Abe no Seimei materialized beside his descendant, translucent fingers tracing the creature’s silhouette on the screen.
"You must prevent Yamata no Orochi from reaching its objective," the legendary Onmyoji intoned, his voice like frost on glass. "Should it succeed, the resulting carnage will make the Heian period’s chaos seem quaint."
The current uneasy truce between humans and yōkai paled in comparison to ancient terrors. Modern protocols and rapid response teams maintained fragile order, but this…
Prime Minister’s eyes sought Abe Masanari. "Your assessment?"
"Destination irrelevant." The modern Onmyoji’s knuckles whitened on the table’s edge. "Every moment’s delay brings catastrophe. I feel…" He swallowed the truth about their ancestral guardian’s warnings. "I feel impending disaster."
With Japan’s foremost spiritual authorities nodding grim agreement, the decision crystallized. Self-Defense Forces helicopters buzzed toward the threat while ground teams raced to intercept. Calculations pointed to Mount Fuji – dormant volcano, sacred icon, and potential powder keg.
"We can’t possibly…" A junior officer’s whisper died as the monster’s shadow swallowed a city block on the monitors.
"Shouldn’t we invoke Amaterasu’s aid?" another ventured, desperation tinging his voice.
The chief shaman’s ceremonial staff struck marble. "My presence here is divine providence!" Yet his private prayers received only static – an ominous silence from the heavens.
As Japan mobilized, Zhongxia’s Special Bureau achieved their breakthrough – Emperor Qin awakening with the Jiuzhou barrier’s Imperial Seal. Three hours became the world’s countdown.
Sweat dripped onto ancient scrolls as Abe Masanari channeled spiritual energy, Abe no Seimei’s ghostly fingers guiding his through forgotten sigils. The sealing technique’s complexity defied modern comprehension, its patterns glowing beneath the Orochi’s bulk as Priestess Reiko and the shaman danced through poisoned air to distract it.
Something festered in the shaman’s soul – dark impulses foreign to his sacred office. He bit through his lip to stay focused.
"Final glyph!" Abe Masanari’s cry coincided with the shaman’s scream.
The explosion of dark energy shattered half the formation, sending the Onmyoji sprawling with blood-flecked lips. "What… interfered…" he rasped.
Yamata no Orochi’s triumphant roar shook the mountains as its tail swept both spiritual warriors aside. The failed seal’s energy coiled around its scales, granting terrible new luster to ancient malice.
