But Shinji honestly didn't really want to save Tsubaki.
Who was Tsubaki? The dark shrine maiden from the original story. A villain who fell because of her jealousy toward Kikyō.
Letting her die here might even be a good thing.
One less future problem.
However, even if he didn't want to save her, Kikyō would never stand by and do nothing.
Plus…
[The Shikon Jewel's pure spirit says it hates this smell. It hopes you can deal with it.]
That was enough to get Shinji moving.
The purifying arrow shot from the top of the watchtower.
That streak of white light tore through the night sky, more dazzling than the moon, crossing hundreds of meters to directly pierce the monster's chest.
Flesh exploded.
Its upper body was torn apart.
Tsubaki was splattered with warm liquid, but she didn't care about the disgust. She just stared blankly at that figure in white and red in the distance.
Kikyō.
She had come.
Finally… Tsubaki's legs gave way. She nearly collapsed.
But her relief lasted only a moment.
Maybe because Tsubaki was too close, Kikyō held back to avoid affecting her or maybe for some other reason, the monster actually survived.
"Hee hee hee…" A laugh came from the remains.
Its torn chest was healing at a visible rate. Flesh writhed, bones regenerated, skin covered over.
In less than three breaths.
The monster had restored itself.
Even more hideous than before.
Tsubaki was terrified again.
In the distance, Kikyō paused slightly, a little surprised.
"A spiritual arrow… hurts… but it's useless against me… I'm not some low-class demon like those…" It licked its lips, its crimson pupils fixed on Kikyō in the distance.
"That woman's blood must be even sweeter…"
"But before that, I'll eat you first!"
"!?"
The purifying arrow, though it instantly shredded it, didn't seem to suppress its near-immortal regeneration.
It wasn't that strong…
This thing… wasn't suppressed by the purifying arrow. It wasn't a demon!
And clearly, relying on purely physical damage, Kikyō couldn't destroy it with a single shot.
As it spoke,
It lunged at Tsubaki again.
Faster than before.
Tsubaki's pupils contracted.
This time, she couldn't even move.
That fear had completely suppressed her will.
In the distance, Kikyō nocked another arrow, incredibly fast, less than a tenth of a second to swap arrows, but she seemed too slow
Because it was too far.
And because, it didn't matter.
"Clang!"
A metallic ring echoed.
A grey figure appeared before Tsubaki, Muramasa held horizontally, blocking the monster's claws.
Shinji.
He was slower than Kikyō's arrow, but not by much. Crossing several hundred meters in ten seconds wasn't difficult.
He had already charged here, his blade meeting the monster's claws, sparks flying.
"Get out of the way—!" The monster roared, its other claw reaching for Shinji's neck.
Shinji didn't dodge.
He didn't need to.
Because the moment those claws touched his skin—
Crack, crack, crack!
A white bone spur erupted from the hand holding his sword, stabbing directly into the monster's palm.
"Ow—!" The monster screamed and retreated, its palm pierced by the bone spur, black blood gushing.
Tsubaki was stunned.
She saw the grey-clad figure changing.
Something was surging beneath his skin. Like countless tiny snakes writhing.
Pale bone, growing.
From his arms. From his shoulders. From his back.
One after another.
White. Sharp. Gleaming coldly in the moonlight.
Those bone spurs kept changing.
Curving, Forking and Interweaving.
Forming complex patterns.
Like blooming flowers.
"This is…" Tsubaki's voice trembled.
She had never seen such a sight. The bone spurs continued to grow, emerging from every part of Shinji's body, forming a huge thicket of bone.
A forest of pale bones stood, completely blocking the monster.
"Twang!"
At the same time.
Another arrow.
Kikyō's second purifying arrow shot forth, passing through the gaps in the bone spurs, striking the monster's chest again.
This time, the monster was blasted away, crashing through three large trees before stopping.
But it still didn't die. It still regenerated.
And it really didn't seem to be a demon. It wasn't suppressed or weakened by the purifying arrow.
"Damn it…" It climbed up from the ground, its wounds healing at a visible rate.
"You… all of you… will die—!"
It lunged again.
This time, it ignored Tsubaki and went straight for Shinji, as if sensing that this thing covered in bone spurs was the real threat.
Shinji's lips curved.
This was what he was waiting for.
"Come on," he murmured.
Then
Those bone spurs began to contract.
Not disappear, but layering onto his body.
Forming a new layer of armor.
White bone armor, covering the original red demon armor beneath.
Red and white intertwined.
Demonic aura and Bone Soul fused.
In that instant, Shinji's presence shifted.
More ferocious. More intimidating.
His demon mask changed too. White bone patterns appeared on the original crimson face.
Like a true demon god's visage.
Tsubaki watched this scene, not just stunned, but frozen.
This wasn't a demon.
This was
"A demon god…" she murmured.
Moonlight poured down. Shinji stood within that thicket of bone, his red and white armor gleaming with an eerie light in the moon.
The abnormality, the fact that abnormality must indicate a demon!
On that crimson demon face, his eyes gazed through the gaps in the bone patterns at the charging monster.
That gaze was cold. Detached.
Tsubaki suddenly understood.
Why Kikyō would bring a demon.
Why that demon dared to call himself her shikigami.
Because
This existence was worth it.
Shinji felt the new layer of armor on his body.
The Bone Soul Transformation was indeed very useful.
This bone armor not only increased defense, but also made his attack methods more diverse.
He could grow bone spurs from any part of his body.
Could change the shape of those spurs at will.
Could form a bone barrier in an instant.
It really was like Kimimaro from Naruto.
That guy was a ninja who could manipulate his bones.
His fighting style was elegant and deadly.
Like a dance.
Right now, Shinji felt he could try that too!
"Then" Shinji gripped Muramasa tightly. "Let me show you."
"What it means. The Dance of Bones."
He charged toward the monster, bone spurs erupting from the soles of his feet, launching him forward.
His speed more than doubled.
The monster's claws swung at him.
Shinji sidestepped, simultaneously growing a bone blade from his elbow, slicing across the monster's wrist.
Black blood sprayed.
The monster screamed. Its other claw reached for him.
Shinji leaned back, two bone spurs growing from his back to support him, then spun, sweeping his legs out.
The bones in his legs thickened, hardened in that instant.
Like two iron rods.
"Boom!"
The monster was swept away, crashing into a large tree. But it immediately got up, its wounds already healing.
Shinji didn't give it a chance to breathe.
He was already upon it. Muramasa and his bone blade swung simultaneously.
One sword, one blade, slashing in a cross.
The monster's left arm was severed. Its right shoulder was pierced by the bone blade.
"Owww—!"
It roared madly, opening its massive mouth to bite Shinji.
Shinji took a step back.
Then, from his chest, a huge bone spur erupted.
Piercing directly through the monster's lower jaw.
Pinning it to the ground.
"Guh—!"
The monster's roar came to an abrupt stop.
It was pinned. Unable to move.
And Shinji still stood there.
Crimson demon armor. White bone armor.
Under the moonlight, that figure looked like an Asura emerging from hell.
Tsubaki watched this scene.
Only one thought remained in her mind.
This man, this demon, this demon warrior.
What kind of monster was he?
Too strong.
Too much, too desirable to possess!