Crossing Illusion: Reflection (Book 1) #Wattys2017

Chapter 53: Kyoto Inferno

(NOTE: Translation of the Japanese texts is in the author's note)

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It's still winter, exactly on the last week before new year. Rarely ever the parade of thousand night occurs in this date, and almost never the creatures dare to go anywhere near the fabled temple of thousand fireflies.

However, the inevitable time finally come...

Urahime Masakura, the 105th leader of Daisenkou, that's been guarding the sacred shrine for more than a century, now must faced he who they called as the leader of the youkai in Japan, that is the mischievous and mysterious Nurarihyon.

The two outstanding force that clashing above the mountain of Kyoto is so overwhelming that the surrounding valley shaken. Even the trees are in awe, as the leaves sways, as if praising and commemorating for a holy ceremony that about to begin, when the two collide.

Between the glaring old priestess and the snickering old drunkard, the red giant still struggles to stand back. Shuten-Doji that were seemingly impervious, invulnerable and unbeatable just a moment ago, forced to its knees, unable to lift even a finger, as if a mere peasant meant to bow down to the queen. Not only the ogre, but many spirits, ghost and demons, mortals or not, stare in awe, speechless, and afraid.

Among them, the daughter of the priestess been watching, until she the voice of her mother spoken into her mind. An ethereal, otherworldly message, while noises from the outside seems to dampen down. She turn to everyone else, with looks of uncertainty, perhaps doubtful.

"My mom told us to leave this to her. She said, if we're here, we'll only hold her back. Beside, she can't fight while protecting peoples." Said Tomo to her allies, and they seems to unanimously agreed. This is beyond their caliber, and so they entrust the duty to the one in authority of the place.

"Alright, you heard her! Get your legs moving!' Fahmir shouted, and everyone responded at once. Both the young generation and the senior of the team rushing down from the hill together, and their presence attracts the apparition. In front of them is darkness of the night, the snowy forest where demons roams. Blue flames, shiny eyes, the pale dreadful face of the dead, all turned to the living.

Against the dreadful threat, Tomo stare back as glimmers of light began to shroud her. In a swing of her hands, the woods cloven into clean cuts of logs, as her guardian spirit sheathes its sword. The ethereal swordsman has materialized and challenged by thousands of opponents at once, ghost and ogre, hideous apparition here and there, screaming and laughing. The last thing that they heard is the clanking melody of the blade, before the samurai slice them down, leaving a softly glowing afterimage in the path, while blood and corpses scatters. 

The scene cleared, but there's more down the slope. The youkai parade has been disturbed, and huge waves of monsters comes to their way.

"Damn! There's many more ahead!" Noir turned to the hills around the valley. These creatures pouring down like ants into candies.

"It seems like they didn't want us to escape!" Almerich said, and the rest felt the same.

Just when they thought it couldn't get worse, a massive footsteps heard from behind. As they turned back, the massive aberration in red has returned. Shuten-Doji heavily marches as he desperately tries to catch up with his prey, however he's still burdened by the tremendous influence of the great priestess.