[241] A Bigger Picture Than What Meets the Eye

Chapter 241: A Bigger Picture Than What Meets the Eye

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A sudden shift in the air signaled our arrival in Kyoto as we stepped out of the cut in space-time. We found ourselves in the middle of a warzone.

“Oh…!” I held back a whistle while Akane gasped behind me, her eyes wide with shock at the chaotic battlefield that sprawled before us. I stepped forward to position myself between her and any possible threat, my senses already on high alert.

The city was a perfect copy, a pocket dimension made to resemble Kyoto, but it was clear the energy here had warped it. The sky above rumbled, casting a dark shadow over the streets. The copy of this bustling city was empty, its roads cracked and littered with debris from powerful clashes. Buildings stood, but they looked wrong and twisted, as reality itself bent under the sheer power of the forces clashing here.

“Is this… really Kyoto?” Akane’s voice wavered as she stepped closer to me, clutching my sleeve. Her eyes darted around nervously, trying to make sense of the destruction.

“It is. But not the real one,” I muttered, eyes scanning the scene. “A pocket dimension. Remember our incident in Mount Fuji? Similar to that.”

“Ah, I see.”

Before either of us could say more, a loud crash drew our attention upward. There, in the center of the chaos, was a titanic figure—Yasaka, the Nine-Tailed Fox, locked in fierce combat with a gigantic oni demon. I believe I recognized that from folklore.

I guess this was why Mai called me?

“Shuten Doji?” Even Akane recognized him based on his description. The massive Oni towered over the landscape, his hulking form wielding a colossal club. Dark power radiated from him, corrupting everything it touched.

But Yasaka wasn’t backing down. Her nine fiery tails lashed out like streaks of molten gold, slamming against the Oni’s attacks with raw power. The air screamed with the force of their strikes, each collision sending shockwaves that rattled the streets beneath us.

“She’s holding her own,” I muttered, mostly to myself. That was the leader of the Yokais, she was no lightweight—she was 10th ranked in this world’s Touki System. From the looks of it, although they were almost evenly matched, she was strong enough to take on Shuten Doji by herself. So why the hell did Mai call me in?

Before I could voice my confusion, Mai appeared, rushing toward us, her face tight with urgency. She must have noticed us from nearby. She had her rabbit ears and tail out, as she hopped toward us. Surprisingly, her mother was with her. The older bunny girl’s curves danced as she trailed behind her daughter. I glanced at them both briefly but didn’t focus too long.

“Aqua!” Mai called, stopping in front of me, slightly out of breath. “Thank you for coming on such short notice. We had come to Kyoto for some yokai-related incident, and then this happened.”

“Hey, don’t thank me, why won’t I come when you call?” I said as she jumped at me, hugging me tightly with her eyes shut. She wasn’t the clingy type, so it meant she was really scared. I patted her back, and she calmed down, looking at Akane.

“Ah, you were with her…”

“Yeah, we met up after months. Hey Mai,” Akane said, waving at her. Mai’s mother looked at her daughter’s rival but didn’t say anything.

The older woman looked at me and said, “Sorry, but let’s not waste time with greetings. It’s not just Shuten Doji!”

“Not just him?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as Mai pulled back from the hug.

Mai quickly nodded, her eyes filled with concern. “There’s more. The other seals are weakening too. We’ve got a bigger problem on our hands.”

Her mother nodded, confirming her words with a grave expression. “Let me explain quickly. In the past, three powerful Daiyoukai were sealed away: Shuten Doji, Otakemaru, and Tamamo-no-Mae. Each one strong enough to destroy Japan.” She paused, taking a breath. “They were defeated and sealed in the Uji Treasure House by the Five Principal Clans. But now… for some reason, the seals are breaking. Shuten Doji is only one of the three to break out so far, but others might break out soon.”

I glanced back at the battle between Yasaka and Shuten Doji. Yasaka wasn’t losing, not yet. But if Otakemaru and Tamamo-no-Mae were set to break free, things wouldn’t be funny.

“How the hell are the seals breaking now?” I muttered under my breath, scanning the area for any signs of the other two demons.

Before Mai or her mother could respond, the ground beneath us shook violently.

My head snapped toward the source just in time to see a massive figure emerge from the earth—another Oni, just as powerful as Shuten Doji, if not more. I think that was Otakemaru. His roar tore through the air as he leaped toward Yasaka, his monstrous form charging headfirst into the battle.

For a split second, everything seemed to freeze. Yasaka’s eyes widened as she noticed the new threat. The titanic Oni lunged at her with terrifying speed, his massive form radiating a dark, malicious aura that corrupted the air around him.

He wielded an enormous, jagged blade that sliced through the sky like a streak of shadow. It was an odd thing to watch; a demonic weapon. Yasaka barely had time to react, her tails whipping around to block the strike, but the impact was brutal. “Argh!”

The collision of their powers sent out a shockwave that rattled the entire dimension, cracks spreading through the streets and buildings as if the very fabric of this world was starting to unravel. Yasaka staggered back, her nine tails flickering under the force of the blow, and a hiss of frustration escaped her lips. She had been holding her own against Shuten Doji, but with Otakemaru joining in, the tide of the battle shifted instantly.

Shuten Doji wasted no time taking advantage of the situation. With a sadistic grin on his face, the hulking Oni swung his colossal club at Yasaka’s side. She managed to dodge, but only barely, the edges of his club grazing her fur, sending golden sparks flying into the air. Yasaka snarled, her tails lashing out in retaliation, but she was already starting to slow down, her movements less fluid than before.

Otakemaru lunged again, this time from the opposite side. His blade came down with terrifying force, aiming straight for Yasaka’s exposed flank. She barely managed to block it with one of her tails, but the sheer power of the attack forced her to her knees, her breath coming out in ragged gasps. The ground beneath her cracked, unable to withstand the weight of the Oni’s monstrous strength.

“Shit, this is not good!” Mai’s mother bit her lips, and I could understand why.

With both Oni attacking in unison, Yasaka was being forced into a defensive position. She was powerful, sure—her flames still burned brightly, and her tails lashed out with the same ferocity—but the strain of fighting two ancient demons at once was taking its toll. Every time she blocked one of Otakemaru’s strikes, Shuten Doji was there with his crushing blows. The rhythm of their attacks was relentless, pushing her back with each clash.

In a swift motion, Shuten Doji leaped into the air, raising his club high above his head. Yasaka's tails coiled around her body defensively, but as Otakemaru’s blade came crashing down from the other side, she couldn’t guard against both. The impact sent her sprawling across the battlefield, her massive form crashing into the side of a building, reducing it to rubble.

"Yasaka!" Mai shouted from beside me, her voice laced with panic. How was she calling her queen by name? I suppose they got really close since that cooking show before B-Komachi’s launch.

I watched as the Nine-Tailed Fox struggled to rise, her body trembling from the dual assault. Her golden fur was matted with dirt and blood, and her fiery aura flickered, weaker than before. The Oni were closing in on her, their laughter echoing through the warped cityscape.

Shuten Doji swung his club again, aiming for Yasaka's head, but she rolled out of the way just in time. Even so, she was clearly starting to lose ground.

Her strikes were slower, her tails sluggish, the weight of the battle beginning to wear her down. Otakemaru lunged forward, thrusting his blade at her, and this time she wasn't fast enough. The blade grazed her side, leaving a deep gash that caused her to let out a pained snarl.

The battlefield had transformed into a nightmare. The Oni were overwhelming her, as each of their attacks landed harder, each of Yasaka’s defenses faltered more.

I sighed, watching the scene unfold. Yasaka tried to rise again but failed. She was strong, but even she couldn’t handle both of them alone.

“Aqua!” Mai’s voice was pleading now as she turned to me, her hand clutching my arm. “We need your help. P-please… If they both overpower Yasaka, Kyoto—hell, maybe even all of Japan—could be wiped out.”

I let out another deep sigh, running a hand through my hair. I had hoped to avoid getting involved in another pantheon’s mess so soon, but there wasn’t much of a choice now. “Fine,” I muttered, glancing back at Akane, who looked nervous although not scared.

“Stay close to them, Akane,” I said and then turned toward the titanic demi-gods. I barely registered her nod and, with a burst of power, launched myself into the air, shooting toward the battle.

“Hurgh?” Otakemaru was the first to notice me, his massive form turning just in time to catch my fist slamming into his face. The air boomed. The impact cracked through the sky, sending shockwaves through the pocket dimension. His enormous body went hurtling backward, crashing into the ground with a force that sent chunks of debris flying in all directions.

I didn't give him a chance to recover. Before he could even regain his footing, I was already closing in on him, fists blazing with power.

His city-sized blade came down in a wide arc, aiming to cleave me in two. I deflected it with a shield of Dark Solar Qi, the impact reverberating through my arm as a shockwave tore through the air, rattling the dimension around us.

“Not bad,” I muttered, eyes narrowing as I felt the weight behind the Oni’s strike. He was strong, that much was clear. But so was I. Strength alone wasn’t going to win him this fight.

I raised my palm to face him, summoning the dark fire of the Path of the Darkest Sun, channeling its energy into a blazing beam of solar fire. The sky darkened as the beam roared toward Otakemaru, engulfing him in flames. His screams of agony tore through the battlefield as the searing heat charred his massive body, burning through his thick, demonic hide.

But even that wasn’t enough to stop him. Oni like him didn’t just die. They returned, weaker maybe, but they never truly died. I could sense it. The bastard was immortal in a way, tied to his seal, but I wasn’t done yet.

“Block this then,” without wasting any time, I rushed in close. My fists ignited once again, one coated in solar energy, the other crackling with lightning.

Then, I moved. I didn’t hold back. I threw punches that plummeted into his body with the force of a meteor. The entire city was filled with the sound of flesh being torn and bones cracking as I pummeled him, each strike tearing away at his physical form.

The final punch landed squarely in the center of his chest, sending out a shockwave so powerful it shattered the ground beneath us. Otakemaru let out one last howl of rage before his massive form crumbled into fiery dust, disintegrating and vanishing. Probably back into the seal.

“One down…” I muttered, breathing out as I turned my gaze toward Shuten Doji.

Shuten was still locked in combat with Yasaka, though she was clearly worse for wear. Blood dripped from her fur, her once-fiery aura dimming with each passing second. Noticing me, Shuten grinned at me, his eyes gleaming with malice as he raised his club, preparing to deliver the final blow.

“Not happening.” I unleashed a burst of divine power—Soulfire—a wave of energy so intense it separated Shuten from Yasaka, giving her the chance to stumble back and catch her breath.

“Little human punk!” The Oni’s voice exploded in frustration as he turned his attention toward me, his massive form charging forward with reckless abandon.

I met him head-on, clashing with sparks flying around us, as my fists collided with his weapon. His strikes were powerful, enough to flatten a mountain, but I was faster. My movements blurred, and I dove and weaved through his attacks with ease. He was strong, sure—but strength meant nothing against my powers.

My fists ignited once more as I called upon the full might of the Darkest Sun. A surge of energy roared through me as I unleashed an ultimate technique, “Solar Judgment: Sun-Splitting Fist!” I shouted, putting my Sage’s authority into the words. My fists became engulfed in a brilliant, blinding light as I slammed them into Shuten Doji’s chest.

“Arghhhh!” The Oni’s eyes widened in shock as the power tore through him, ripping his very essence apart.

His massive body shuddered, and for a moment, he looked like he was about to retaliate. I was ready to slam him back home. But then, just like Otakemaru, he began to crumble into dust, his form disintegrating into nothingness.

With both Oni defeated, the battlefield fell silent. That ended fast since I didn’t have to worry about damaging the area, and more importantly, they weren’t really that strong.

The once chaotic dimension began to stabilize, shattering apart to reveal the normal world. Yasaka—now having returned to her human form—collapsed toward the earth, coughing as she tried to catch her breath, unable to stop her fall.

Before she could hit the ground, I was already there, catching her in my arms as we landed in an oddly beautiful garden. I sensed many Yokais around the area, so I guessed this was her castle garden.

“Careful,” I said softly as I placed her on the grass and helped her sit upright. She winced, her body still trembling from the battle, but she managed a tired nod in response.

Despite the victory, there was no sense of relief on her face. Instead, her eyes slowly went wide with horror.

“No…” she muttered, her voice shaking, as she used me to try to stand up. “No, I need to check on Mizuki! They must have gotten their hands on her!”

“Mizuki?” I asked, confused.

Before Yasaka could answer, Mai, Akane, and Mai’s mother appeared, rushing over to us. Mai’s mom jogged to a stop, breathing heavily as she explained, “Mizuki is a Nure-onna Yokai,” she said quickly. I recalled from folklore that a Nure-onna was a vampire-like snake-woman yokai. “Recently, she awakened a piece of Demon God Balor in the form of a Sacred Gear… and a group wielding other pieces of Balor Gears attacked us, trying to take it away.”

My frown deepened. “Demon God Balor?” So the same group going after Gasper? I thought for a moment, and soon it made sense—there was more at play here than just some random Oni breaking free from their seals. They were just distractions.

Before the conversation could continue, one of Yasaka’s guards, a wolf Yokai came running toward us, his face pale with fear and shame. He stopped in front of us, bowing low to Yasaka as he spoke in a trembling voice.

“My lady, it’s terrible!” he stammered. “Lady Mizuki… Lady Mizuki’s been killed!”

The words left his mouth, and for a moment, everyone paused. A short silence filled the garden as the announcement settled in, and then Yasaka’s face drained of color. Her eyes widened in shock as she stumbled back, shaking her head in disbelief.

“No… no…” she whispered, her voice cracking, her hands clutching my shirt tightly. “Dammit!”

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