chapter 49

"It's over Ryuzen. You and your accomplices surrender peacefully and we won't have to use excessive force." Ritsu ordered as he brought out a pair of magic cancelling cuffs.

Ryuzen looked at the group in front of him and assessed his options and knew he wasn't in a favourable position especially with the shogun of lightning and the strongest Imperial soldier. He wondered where the boy from all the reports was but it quickly hit him that there was a high possibility that he was in the base. He quickly mentally communicated with the shadow shinobi to alert the professor quickly and return to him.

He suddenly felt Blakesley magic power leak out and he saw that she had kept her eyes on the woman with similar looks to herself but with only shorter hair. But looking at the both of them they felt like the same person yet different at the same time.

"Now~ Now what kind of look is that little sis? It's been five years since we've seen each other. The least you can do is give your beautiful big sister a lovely hug hello~." mocked Morrigan while opening her arms for a hug.

"It has been six years and four days to be exact. It seems like age is finally getting to you, Morrigan." Blakesley mocked back though she had a blank expression on her face.

"Oh you're even counting the days for little old me. I'm touched that I still hold a special place in your heart Blake. Why are you even here dear sister I know this isn't your type of spot or is this man who reeks of demons your new boy toy~?"

"Tsk as crude as ever. Maybe you should pay less attention to me and more attention to your captives." She pointed out the Ebon Legion members who began to glow, getting everyone including Ryuzen by surprise.

Before any of them could act there bodies disappeared in light rays and entered the Cerberus it let out a terrifying roar and magic power which cracked the windows of the large room and the whole forest began to shake as it began to throw a kind of metamorphosis.

Harumi didn't waste any more time as she went for the Cerberus with lightning speeds before things got really bad but Ryuzen acted quickly as well as dark markings formed on his forearm and neck. In a burst of lightning as well he was in between the Cerberus and Harumi blocking the devil slayers attack with a club. The clash caused the floor beneath them to crack immensely.

The others were about to jump in to assist but the floor was covered in a huge shadow paralysing them all in place.

"I-I can't move!" Kagura struggled hard against the spell with little success but the magic felt a tad bit familiar.

"W-What is t-this." Ritsu gritted his teeth as he tried to move.

"How interesting~." Morrigan commented as she looked at the spell with interest.

"S-Shadow possession!?" Harumi muttered as she remembered the technique. She remembered Kagura told her the man called her Harumi-sensei when he gave the warning but the only person who called her that was dead or so she believed.

Ryuzen smirked at his paralyzed opponent and as she was stuck in place he used the opportunity to quickly clot his club with a black cloud which was cracking purple lightning. He struck Haruimi hard to the stomach causing a huge burst of wind in form of a sonic boom and sending skidding back 5 metres away from him but she kept on her feet but was still paralysed.

The light disappeared from the Cerberus and was now standing on two legs, a large muscular humanoid figure, it was clutched demonic armour with its shoulders sending out its hell fire and all its heads still present on one shoulder.

'Battle mode shift!'

The Cerberus heads lit in hell fire and launched a breath at the group but they were blocked by a darkness shield courtesy of Morrigan but she was surprised by the amount of power behind the attack and saw why it gave Marella a hard time. Good thing it stopped the attack as she couldn't keep the shield up any longer.

'These things just keep on getting more and more bizarre. I'm going to have a long chat with Salem about some of them.' She thought to herself as she brought down the shield . 

"Get ready you three." She then began to suck in the whole shadow binding spell until it was completely gone. "Blegh what's with this mechanical taste." She gagged at the taste.

"So you're an umbra god slayer I heard about." Ryuzen spoke as analysed Morrigan.

"Take a picture, it will last longer." She rolled her eyes and she turned to where Blakesley was only to find that she had pulled her vanishing act but knew she would see her again once this was all over.

The beast in front of her was strong enough to take on two wizard saints and even though their power level can be a bit vague but Meralla was no slouch and if she needed help with another saint to finish to properly combat it. Not to make it worse, according to her friend this thing got even stronger ever since their last battle so playing around with it was not an option.

The bad thing would probably cause a little too much devastation which wasn't an option either due to her kid being here and if something happened to Kagura and she had something to do with it Meralla would never let her hear the end of it.

"Harumi." She called out the devil slayer. "You know how to find us." She said with a smirk as dug her feet in the floor making a small crack and with speeds barely anyone could track she was in above of the Cerberus. "How about we go outside for a walk~." 

"ABYSS OPEN!" A large shadowy vortex below the Cerberus then enlarges her arm then dives down delivering a heavy punch to the demon sinking it into the vortex making the both disappear from the base.

Immediately after this happened a shadow crept under Kagura and the shadow ninja jumped out of it very silently aiming his black katana at the back of the girl's neck but much to his surprise she managed to evade the attack. Then with a strong sword thrust Kagura hit the ninja square to the stomach sending him back some metres but he landed on his feet.

"Wow you're quite aware of your surroundings aren't you." He smirked beneath his mask and his blank eyes made Kagura feel a bit uneasy.

"You." She glared heavily as she got in the wind cutter stance.

"K-kage how?" Harumi muttered as she looked at the shinobi in disbelief .

"It's nice to meet you again Harumi-sensei. I see you're still looking as radiant as ever." He commented as then removed his mask and hood revealing the handsome young man with black hair but there was off about his skin.

Ryuzen seeing the devil slayer was distracted he quickly attacked her with his club aiming for a 'killing' blow towards her head. Ritsu thwarted this by moving quickly and blocked the attack with his golden katana and gritted his teeth as he tried desperately to hold back the attack. His blade then lit on golden fire making Ryuzen jump back.

"Hmph, one of the sacred weapons I see." Ryuzen clicked his tongue as he stared at the blade oozing out phoenix fire. "We will meet again Shogun of Lightning but the results of that meeting will end tragically if you don't take my offer." He started as a black cloud wrapped around him which then rocketed out of the room.

"Raiden-dono I understand that you must have personal history with that man but we need you to stay focused on the mission at hand!" He lectured her, snapping her out of her daze.

"Right, sorry about that." She shook her head as she saw Kagura battle what was. "Ritsu you go assist Kagura-san with Kage I'll go help Morrigan-san with the Cerberus." She instructed him.

"No!" Kagura yelled, getting their attention as she was engaged in a struggle with Kage. "I can handle this Ritsu-san can go after the dark guild master."

Harumi was just about to deny but she saw the young mage's determined expression and sighed and accepted. "Alright Ritsu-san you go after Ryuzen and I'll assist Morrigan." She than gave him right lacrima balls and a talisman. "Ryuzen has a contract with the demon king of the east but he can't assess more power than when I fought him 20 years ago. for some reason he seems to be weaker than that time, so if you do engage in combat with him or any demon these lacrimas contain my devil slayer lightning and the talisman contains a sealing spell to give you an advantage."

Ritsu saluted and took after the dark guild master.

"So you're just going to leave sensei just lik-…"

"Enough." She quickly raised her arm, cutting him off. "I don't how they managed to do all this but I personally buried the 'REAL' Kage in my estate so who or whatever you are seizing this nonsense." She spoke coldly, making him grit his teeth in anger.

"I AM THE REAL KAGE!" He charged at her but blocked his path and they're weapons clashed. "GET OUT OF MY WAY LITTLE GIRL!"

"Not a chance shinobi. Your battle is with me and the outcome turns out like last time." She glared at him and turned towards Harumi giving her a nod which the older female returned than disappeared in a stream of lightning. "So sure we begin our rematch?"While the two jumped back to gain some space and got in their stances.

"Hehe alright I like your spunk little girl. Let's see what you can do." He smirked and Kagura noticed that he had an odd case of conflicting personalities as well the markings of his blade were glowing.

They gave each other fierce stares then dash towards one another beginning their battle.

Author's Note

First wanted I apologise if this chapter was too short and I didn't include a fight scene but u promise it won't be the same for others.

Secondly this isn't the final show down of this arc but I promise I won't drag it own for long as I wanted to finish this arc in the next 7-9 chapters.