At this moment, Rakshasa Oni likewise realized that this was the point of wagering his life. At this distance, the firearm in his hand offered him only a single chance.
Spider Demon understood this just as clearly. He began circling rapidly to Rakshasa Oni's left and right, closing in while using irregular movement to disrupt his opponent's judgment.
"It seems we both underestimated you, Spider Demon..."
Rakshasa Oni's eyeballs swayed left and right, following the man's movements.
In a daze, a strange illusion even appeared before his eyes—the man before him was no longer human, but a spider wearing human skin, darting left and right on nimble jointed limbs, his gaze locked on his prey at all times, waiting only for the instant it relaxed.
Piercing pain gradually surged from the severed arm. This was the body's emergency response failing—the fading adrenaline allowed Rakshasa Oni's brain to finally receive the nerve feedback from the amputation.
His clenched teeth rattled with clack, clack sounds, the pressure of imminent death falling toward the back of his neck like a massive guillotine blade.
His breathing grew weak and rapid, his face drained pale from blood loss. A bead of sweat the size of a bean slid down his eyelid and flowed directly into his eye.
—An opening!
Spider Demon never once took his attention off Rakshasa Oni's condition. Seizing the instant the sweat entered his opponent's eye, he suddenly closed the distance. Yet instead of charging recklessly, he hurled the katana in his hand straight toward Rakshasa Oni.
What happened next far exceeded Spider Demon's expectations.
At the very last instant before the blade reached his body, Rakshasa Oni dodged—by a hair's breadth!
In that moment, the outcome was decided.
Rakshasa Oni leveled the firearm at the now-unarmed Spider Demon. His sweat-soaked eye did not even blink as he looked at Spider Demon's face, twisted in disbelief.
"You've lost, Spider Demon."
Bang—
With the piercing gunshot, Spider Demon's body jerked. Driven back by the force of the shot, he staggered two steps backward—right to the edge of the cliff.
Instinctively, he lowered his gaze to his abdomen.
There, a grotesque, trumpet-shaped cavity had opened—a horrific wound characteristic of a low-velocity lead bullet.
The firearm Rakshasa Oni used fired lead rounds. Lead was relatively soft; upon striking the human body, it released nearly all its kinetic energy at once. Lacking sufficient penetration, the bullet did not pass through but instead deformed violently—or even shattered—upon impact.
Regardless of whether such a wound was fatal, the pain inflicted far exceeded that of an ordinary piercing injury like an arrow.
Spider Demon lifted his head in disbelief, staring at Rakshasa Oni, his lips moving as if trying to say something.
But all his strength had been stolen away by that single lead bullet. Forget speaking—even maintaining his breathing under the searing pain had become difficult.
In the end, this bandit of boundless ambition managed only to cast a pleading glance toward the distant Kikyo before tumbling off the cliff.
...
"You've earned yourself a chance to live."
Satsuki raised one hand. The power of Yin–Yang Release condensed into a sphere in her palm, then shot straight into Rakshasa Oni's body.
The spherical Yin–Yang Release wrapped around the severed stump of his arm and spread outward. In the blink of an eye, a brand-new arm grew back in its place.
"What is this?!"
This scene of limb regeneration was even more shocking than the earlier, world-shattering punch. Even Kikyo, upon witnessing this miracle-like sight, revealed an expression of astonishment she had never shown before.
Satsuki merely said indifferently, "Try it. See if it works. If it doesn't, cut it off and grow another one."
Ah... this...
Moving his arm, Rakshasa Oni discovered in shock that the newly grown limb was no different from his original one—its strength even surpassed that of his remaining arm.
He had originally harbored thoughts of seizing the chance to ambush the two shrine maidens with his firearm, but this godlike display completely shattered that notion.
"Is that black-haired, black-robed figure really a shrine maiden? No... not even gods could do something like this—if gods truly exist in this world at all."
Clatter—
Rakshasa Oni released his grip on the firearm and dropped to his knees before Satsuki. He bowed his head, his trembling body pressed flat against the ground, hysterical wails bursting from his sobbing mouth.
"Why... why couldn't someone like you appear sooner, my lady?"
"I didn't want to kill. I didn't want to do evil. But I had to survive—I wanted to live!"
"If you don't bully others, you get bullied. Show kindness, and you're treated as weak. Without the power to fight back, you can only become prey to slaughter. What choice did I have?"
...
These were questions with no easy answers.
Satsuki remained silent, listening calmly, while Kikyo beside her felt her heart grow even more conflicted.
This shrine maiden—who had taken it upon herself to protect the people of the world—walked over to Rakshasa Oni and began treating the bandit who, just moments earlier, had wanted to take her life, using her spiritual power.
"Why are you doing this?"
Satsuki suddenly asked.
"Why...?"
Kikyo herself did not know how to answer.
As a young shrine maiden traveling the land, most of her life had been spent within shrines and sacred grounds. Aside from accepting commissions to deal with yōkai, she rarely interacted with ordinary people.
Yet what she was doing now felt like an instinctive reaction. She subconsciously wanted to save everyone before her, regardless of what they might do afterward. She did not wish to think about that—perhaps when the time came, she would simply kill them with her own hands. But for now, she only wanted to save the person before her.
"Lady Satsuki, perhaps someone like me truly is foolish. Even knowing the other party is a vicious criminal, I would still lend a hand. As long as I encounter them, I cannot ignore those who need saving..."
Kikyo spoke with her back to Satsuki. Beneath her shrine maiden robes, her figure appeared graceful and pure. "That... is my answer."
As those words fell, Kikyo's spiritual power began to surge rapidly. Never before had Satsuki seen a shrine maiden's spiritual energy grow so explosively.
Golden eyes studied Kikyo's profile in silence.
What a pity—a person who had fallen into demonic deviation through goodness.
Still... she had some value.
With that thought, Satsuki pointed toward the abyss below.
"Then the bandit beneath the cliff needs your help even more. Will you go save him?"
At that very instant, visible to the naked eye, Satsuki's Tenseigan saw the [Karma] thread around Kikyo suddenly swell.
It had already taken on substance, tightly binding itself around this ill-fated shrine maiden.
Is Spider Demon dead?
—Of course not. Such a rare research specimen was something Satsuki would never allow to die so easily.
The [Karma] entwining Kikyo and Spider Demon was an exceptionally unique power. It was the embryonic form of fate itself—a force so complex that even authority-level [State Manipulation] could not fully record it in a short period of time.
Moreover, while this power was strong, how exactly it took effect, and how it would develop afterward, remained unknown.
These were all questions.
And if Satsuki wanted to grasp this power, the only way was to conduct experiments on Kikyo and Spider Demon themselves.
Turning away along the cliff, Satsuki prepared to leave together with Kikyo. As for Rakshasa Oni?
Whether that man lived or died was utterly inconsequential to her. He was nothing more than a chess piece she had casually nudged.
As a bandit, he appeared strong, yet in essence he was merely a weakling praying for salvation from others.
Deep within his heart, he still yearned for a nonexistent [Savior] to rescue him.
That was weakness, pure and simple.
Satsuki was the Demon Buddha [Māra]. She had never been a good person, nor anyone's savior.
There was no savior in this world—not even the [Awakened One: Śākyamuni] could save all beings without resorting to such extreme means as unified reincarnation. Let alone her.
Only oneself could ever save oneself.
In this regard, Kikyo, Spider Demon, and Rakshasa Oni were all the same.
Man was a thinking reed, and it was thought that determined the direction in which one bent.
Standing above the realm itself, Satsuki coldly observed everything from a superior vantage point. These few individuals were all trapped within different whirlpools of obsession—some utterly unaware, others indulging in it willingly.
All sentient beings did indeed possess the potential for awakening, but that did not mean everyone could achieve enlightenment.
The vast majority lacked the wisdom to perceive their own nature.
Those of highest capacity could attain realization through self-awakening.
Those of middling capacity could gain fragments through chanting scriptures and constant exposure.
As for those of the lowest capacity—they would remain mired in ignorance forever, never once glimpsing truth in their entire lives.
...
Within the Kamo Estate.
Kamo no Tadayuki sat upright before a long table, leisurely sipping tea. Even the formal hunting robes an onmyōji was meant to wear had been set aside, and his black hat was nowhere to be seen.
Ever since meeting Satsuki that day, he had fallen into this half-idling state.
But while the tree might wish for stillness, the wind would not cease.
Footsteps rustled outside. Soon, a figure hurried over—it was the family junior he valued most: Kamo no Yasunori.
At this moment, the young man was already wearing the robes of an Assistant Onmyōji. Alongside the recently risen Hanakain Fū, the two had become the most eye-catching juniors in the Onmyō Bureau, enthusiastically dubbed the next-generation [Seimei] and [Dōman].
However, despite his bright prospects, the young onmyōji did not look relaxed.
He stopped at his grandfather's doorway, adjusted his attire, and politely asked, "Grandfather, are you inside?"
Kamo no Tadayuki set down his teacup and replied calmly, "Come in. The tea is still warm."
Only then did Yasunori gently push the door open. After bowing, he sat down in a kneeling posture.
He solemnly lifted the tea before him and took a light sip.
"Grandfather, His Majesty the Emperor has personally declared that Shinto will be established as the state religion. Most of our colleagues within the Onmyō Bureau are dissatisfied with Lord Seimei's decision. They are currently gathered at the estate gates, hoping you will step out and give them a fair word…"
"Let them wait," Kamo no Tadayuki said.
"Is… is that appropriate?"
Yasunori was still young. Despite rigorous family training and etiquette, at critical moments he was like most youths—prone to impatience, unable to see the situation from a higher vantage point.
"There's nothing inappropriate about it," Kamo no Tadayuki replied. "I can hear them shouting loudly enough at the gate. Let them shout for a few more days."
As he spoke, the oldest onmyōji in Kyoto calmly poured himself another cup of tea.
At that moment, a servant of the Kamo clan appeared behind a folding screen and reported, "My lord, news has arrived. Six members of the Seven-Man Squad were killed on the outskirts of Kyoto by Shrine Maiden Satsuki's personal guards. The scene was utter chaos. The leader of the Seven-Man Squad has disappeared without a trace."
The old onmyōji nodded. "That was two days ago. Any leads on the whereabouts of the band's leader?"
"Reporting—this subordinate is incompetent. No information regarding Bankotsu has been found."
"Mm… that's only natural," Kamo no Tadayuki said calmly. "If even my onmyō arts cannot foresee it, and you still managed to find him, then I would have to question your identity."
The servant was shocked pale. "My lord, this lowly one harbors absolutely no disloyalty toward the Kamo clan!"
"I believe so," Kamo no Tadayuki replied.
He said nothing more.
A short while later, another servant appeared outside the room and reported, "My lord, latest intelligence: the Seven-Man Squad acted under the orders of Lady Hagoromo Gitsune when they went to provoke Kurotsuki Ihime (Satsuki)."
"Heh. Hagoromo Gitsune—a reincarnated yōkai now strutting into the halls of power… and even addressed as 'Lady,'" Kamo no Tadayuki said, his expression still unperturbed.
—Perhaps letting all these relics of the old era disappear was the true form of salvation.
His thoughts once again drifted back to his conversation with that [Arehitome no Kurotsuki Kuntowatari no Ihime].
To speak such words—the other party's identity was certainly not simple. She was undoubtedly connected to the Lunar Palace.
And Ashiya Dōman's intrusion into the Lunar Palace had brought back a great deal of information.
Among it all, the most striking detail was their objective—"to remake this world."
For an organization like the Lunar Palace to say such words meant no one could afford to ignore them.
Yet to this day, not a single organization had openly declared opposition to the Lunar Palace.
Despite rumors that the Western Lands' Tōga had been killed by the Lunar Palace.
Despite the Shikon Jewel being seized from Katōri Shrine in full public view by the Lunar Palace.
Despite the restoration of the Spiral Seal still being carried out with frantic urgency.
Even so, not one organization had openly stepped forward to become the Lunar Palace's enemy.
Why?
The answer was simple—the strength the Lunar Palace had displayed was far too overwhelming.
The four great lords were slain at will. The four grand shrines were breached at will.
No one wanted to be the bird that stuck its head out.
Even many gods standing behind the shrines harbored deep wariness toward the Lunar Palace.
What needed to be done now was to consolidate all available forces. And the most critical matter at present was that the Amatsukami and the Kunitsukami had finally found a chance for reconciliation.
Designating Shinto as the state religion was the concession Seimei made so that those two towering forces could stand at the forefront.
Yet the fools outside his gate could not see any of this. They only knew to wail here over their petty, short-term interests.
Hmph.
If this were him in his youth, he would have already sent his shikigami to throw those embarrassing fools straight out of Kyoto.