Chapter 78: Double "Surprise"
The appearance of the "Fox God" made the villagers of Yae Village crazy.
In a corner, Mei also saw this huge fox, but she certainly would not recognize it as the so-called "fox god."
She silently asked another self in her heart:
"Is that... the Herrscher of Corruption's true form?"
"Yes, it is indeed a Herrscher-level Honkai reaction."
As the Herrscher, the other personality gave a positive answer.
However, although the fox possesses the nature of a Herrscher, it currently does not have the total amount of Honkai energy that can truly match that of a Herrscher.
Only when it completely takes over the host's body can it exert its full power as a Herrscher.
"But, if this world is really created and controlled by it..."
Mei always felt that something was wrong.
There is absolutely no need for it to go to such great lengths to make the story develop according to history and to wait until the last moment to appear.
Moreover, it had no intention of restricting the various actions of her and Kirataka, or rather, it did not have the ability to restrict them?
"…Maybe the answer is half and half."
"Um?"
"The control of this stigmata space... should be held in half by Yae Sakura and the Herrscher of Corruption. That thing can't completely occupy and control everything here, so it has to find a way to corrode Yae Sakura's heart to gain complete control of this place."
The inner voice speculated.
This is also related to the fact that she herself is Mei's stigmata will, so she can vaguely perceive the situation in this space and make reasonable inferences.
This place does not entirely belong to Yae Sakura, nor does it entirely belong to that fox.
The Stigmata personality continued, "Anyway, let's go up and help."
Mei nodded, drew her sword, and jumped onto the ceremony platform.
......
"…"
Facing the appearance of Higokumaru, Yae Sakura recalled many things.
As her heart changed, the originally amiable villagers turned into zombies. Although their appearances were different, they all had a uniform knife scar on their chest.
Well, it felt like someone had stabbed them from behind, and the technique was exactly the same.
"Do you remember now, Yae Sakura? You are an executioner, a demon, and you killed the villagers you were supposed to protect with your own hands..."
Higokumaru's voice whispered into the Sakura-colored girl's ear, causing her to recall past events.
Five hundred years ago, after Rin died in a sacrificial ceremony, she buried her under the cherry tree on the back mountain with her own hands. However, the blooming cherry blossoms accompany the dead Rin every year.
She spent several years diligently practicing her swordsmanship. No matter how powerful the monster was, she could kill it with her sword.
The villagers praised her as the best among all the Yae's Miko of all generations, but she was no longer happy about such praise.
But the girl who longed to become a shrine maiden to protect the village had long since disappeared. She had been buried that night along with her sister. All that was left was an empty shell with only the obsession for revenge.
Later, the black box brought by the nun from Europe sensed the hatred in her heart and extended an olive branch to her, willing to grant her supreme power.
Yae Sakura accepted the deal and gained the power to kill everyone.
And she did it. Yae Village had already been completely destroyed and became Rin's belated companion in death.
She even did not let her father go. She always remembered that day when Sakura Fubuki's beautiful crimson blade pierced the heart of God, and the blood dyed the blade even more red.
The spiritual sword Sakura Fubuki became the demon sword Akazen Sakura from that moment on.
While she fell silent, the fiery red giant fox had already approached Yae Rin.
The vast majority of the villagers in Yae Village were created based on Yae Sakura's memories, but the girl in front of her was not included.
It didn't know where she came from, but as long as it could recreate the events of that night, bite off Yae Rin's arm, and take her life once again, it would be able to completely immerse Yae Sakura's heart in darkness.
In this way, it will be able to completely control the Miko again.
Of course, it also knows that things will not be that simple.
The two outsiders who came to this stigmata space, Kirataka and Raiden Mei, have not been dealt with yet.
Rather, the young man among them was also one of its targets.
Although it was very moved by the body of Raiden Mei, the Third Herrscher, even now it could vaguely sense another will surging in the heart of the purple-haired girl.
After observing for a period of time at St. Freya's Academy, it has been learned that the Herrscher of Thunder's personality rarely appears in the outside world.
Therefore, if possible, it doesn't want to force her to appear.
Although this is Yae Sakura's stigmata space, and it is fighting at home, if it provokes the other party, it will be difficult for it to gain any advantage in front of the real Herrscher since it cannot fully exert its full strength.
As long as Mei's life is not endangered, the Herrscher probably won't appear - this is what Higokumaru hopes.
But its real target is another person, a man named Kirataka.
Higokumaru has always felt that he might have some strange power, and his adaptability to Honkai energy can be considered to be relatively good. If it can occupy his body, it can also better destroy human civilization.
Looking at Mei who jumped up and approached here, Higokumaru spit out flames from its mouth and sprayed out several fireballs to block her approach. At the same time, the villagers who were like zombies began to rush to the ceremony platform like a lost person and surrounded the girls.
Mei slashed through the fireball with a katana in her hand, and after an explosion, she landed next to Yae Sakura and Yae Rin.
Looking at the girl who had fallen into silence and was somewhat dazed, she had no choice but to pick up her weapon to defend herself against the villagers coming from all directions.
There were too many of them, and even with Mei's skills, she was caught in a tough fight for a while and found it difficult to take care of her sisters behind her.
And Higokumaru took this opportunity to get closer to Yae Rin.
This is the stigmata space between it and Yae Sakura. As long as it still occupies a part of the dominance here, it can use as many monsters as it wants to besiege Raiden Mei. After all, they are just virtual data.
However, just when it was about to touch the girl's delicate body, its claws seemed to be bounced away by something and it was unable to get close.
"...Humph, you are on top of her indeed."
Higokumaru growled and looked at the girl in front of it, but its eyes did not fall on Yae Rin.
Then, a kitten emerged from the girl's clothes. It landed on the open ground, looked up at the Higokumaru, who was dozens of times bigger than itself, and said:
"After all, she is the key to your victory over Yae Sakura."
Ever since that group of villagers came to the Yae family's mansion and wanted to cut Rin's tendons, he has been staying by the girl's side without leaving.
Of course, in order to allow the development of this memory to continue completely to the sacrificial ceremony, he still asked Rin to come here obediently, and he hid in her clothes for the time being.
Well, being small has its advantages. None of the villagers noticed that it was hidden on Rin's body, not even Himegamaru noticed it.
It's just that he didn't expect that this guy would directly replace the "Fox God" in the Yae Village legend. It was a bit unexpected.
Foxfire and Thunder confronted each other, and it was difficult to tell who was better for a while.
Higokumaru was very puzzled.
When Kirataka entered Yae Sakura's stigmata space, it had already made some moves, using the power of corruption to rewrite his form, turning him from a human into a cat, so that it could take action at the right time.
Logically speaking, this change in form would also suppress his use of Honkai energy and weaken his strength, but for some reason, Kirataka in front of him was still able to exert the power to control lightning, and there was no sign of weakening.
Kirataka also realized the power of Higokumaru.
It has considerable advantages playing at home, and it is not an easy task to defeat it.
Kirataka judged that the next step should be to use the methods he had prepared.
"Rin, Sakura is relying on you."
He turned around and spoke to the girl behind him.
The cherry-haired girl nodded slightly, her eyes becoming firm:
"little Shiro... I understand."
——She was not the real Yae Rin, so after Yae Sakura recalled those tragedies, she also recalled the related things and knew that her real self was dead.
But she is also Yae Rin, or in other words, she is the projection of the younger sister who accompanies Yae Sakura day and night in this stigmata space, absolutely true.
There is an old Chinese saying that goes, 'The person who tied the bell must be the one to untie it.'
It was the death of Yae Rin that led Yae Sakura astray, so the person who wants to enlighten her and help her let go of her past has to be Yae Rin.
His and Mei's mission is to resist these guys who want to do bad things.
Well, let Mei deal with those villagers outside who look like dead men. He... will deal with Higokumaru, the mastermind behind the scenes.
In addition to solving Yae Sakura's problem once and for all, Kirataka has another hope.
——If possible, Kirataka still wants to complete the twelfth Divine Key, Jizo Mitama, now and have it in his own hands.
If there is really a need to have a life-and-death battle with the Bishop of Schicksal in the future, then the power of the Key of Corruption will be extremely important.
Only by mastering the Divine Key: Jizo Mitama did he have the real ability to threaten Otto's life, rather than being persecuted unilaterally by him.
This is quite important.
With a light breath, Kirataka dispersed the thunder and paused the confrontation with Higokumaru.
He chuckled, began to release another power of his, and said:
"Higokumaru, I have prepared a surprise for you. Believe me, you will like it."
Projection magic, activated.
The method he was going to use to trap the Herrscher of Corruption again was very simple, and could even be described as 'repeating an old trick.'
As the image of something emerged in Kirataka's mind, a dark shadow spread out from under his feet and quickly constructed a territory.
It was like a barrier, only containing him and Higokumaru, while the Yae sisters, Mei, and others were isolated outside.
"You...!"
Higokumaru had recognized what it was and tried to move, to jump out of the barrier.
Unfortunately, it was still a step too late. The dark shadow had completely enclosed it and it had nowhere to escape.
With no way to go, it turned around, and the flames on its body burned even more vigorously, symbolizing its anger.
The pair of scarlet fox eyes stared at Kirataka viciously, as if wanting to eat him alive.
Although it has always held anger and hatred in its heart, now it is angrier than ever before.
——Because, the barrier-like thing created by Kirataka was exactly the one that sealed it up 50,000 years ago...
Black box!
Impossible. The original black box had problems five hundred years ago. Where did humans of this era get the technology to remake a new sealing tool?
There is no way out. After being sealed for 50,000 years, it no longer wants to see this black box again.
Kirataka smiled and asked:
'Don't worry about how you got here. Anyway, how does it feel to be sealed away again?'
'Kirataka, I'm going to kill you!!!'
Anger completely clouded Higokumaru's mind. It pounced forward without hesitation and attacked Kirataka with all its might.
——It has changed its mind. It doesn't want to occupy Kirataka's body. It wants him to die here, right now.
However, a familiar cross suddenly stood in front of Kirataka, blocking Higokumaru's sharp claws.
"This one looks familiar to you too."
As Kirataka spoke, he manipulated the cross to unfold, revealing the many spiritual spears hidden within.
Mei was still at the scene just now, so it was inconvenient for him to show his ability to project Judah. Now there are only him and Higokumaru in the small space formed by the black box, and he can use his ability without any scruples from now on.
At the same time, after touching the Oath of Judah, his changed body returned to its original state because of the power of the Binding attached to it.
"ah~ the human body is better."
Kirataka stretched his fists and feet.
Although the kitten's body is very popular with beautiful girls, it is better to be a human being.
"…"
Feeling the familiar breath of the cross, Higokumaru's rage escalated even further.
Of course, it recognized it, this is the [Oath of Judah]!
The weapon of the Fateful Nun who ruined its plans and sealed Yae Sakura with her own hands five hundred years ago!
Hate... so much hate!
The black box plus the Oath of Judah, Kirataka can be said to have taken out the two things it hates the most.
Taking out a spiritual spear from Judas, Kirataka hooked his finger at the big fox in front of him and said:
"Come on, Higokumaru, let's end this."
(TL: Hey there! If you're enjoying this fanfic and want to get early access to more chapters or explore some of my other works, feel free to swing by my Patreon. You'll find plenty of advanced updates and maybe even some exclusive content waiting for you~
link: patreon.com/Elysia_Husband)