Kidōmaru vanished.
Not invisibility.
Not illusion.
Pure speed.
In that instant, Kikyō's spiritual perception lost its target. That aged, cold demonic aura seemed as if it had never existed, completely evaporating from her perception range.
"Where—"
Before she could finish, a gust of wind came from her right.
Kikyō instinctively dodged to the side, simultaneously drawing and releasing her bow.
The purifying arrow shot out as a streak of white light, aimed straight at the source of the wind.
Boom!
The arrow struck something, erupting in a blinding white flash.
But the flash lasted only a moment before it was split in two by a dark blade.
"Good reflexes." Kidōmaru's voice came from the left.
Kikyō spun again, her bowstring pulled taut.
Nothing there.
"Pity" The voice came from behind again. "Too slow."
Kikyō whipped around, her arrow pointing at the source of the voice.
Still nothing.
Only that aged laughter, seeming to come from all directions at once.
"Your arrows are indeed powerful." Kidōmaru finally appeared, standing just ten yards from Kikyō. A scorch mark marred his kimono, the mark left by that arrow.
"If one landed, even I would suffer some damage. Most likely, I would be heavily wounded, even exorcised."
He raised his hand, pointing to the scorch mark.
"But the problem is...." He vanished.
When he reappeared, it was to Kikyō's left. "You can't aim."
Kikyō's pupils contracted sharply.
She could see Kidōmaru's movements. She could sense his demonic aura.
But her arrows couldn't keep up with his speed.
This was the terror of speed transformation.
Not just faster physical movement but creating a difference in time flow between himself and his surroundings.
In Kidōmaru's subjective experience, Kikyō's movements were like slow-motion playback.
In Kikyō's perception, Kidōmaru's movement was like teleportation.
This gap couldn't be bridged by skill.
"Humans. So fragile."
"The best among you can contend with great demons. But a single injury could be fatal."
Kidōmaru's tone seemed almost wistful.
But he pressed closer.
"Barrier." Kikyō spoke the word softly. She was not shaken by Kidōmaru's words, even though what he said was true.
The next second,
White light burst from her body, forming a spherical barrier three yards in radius.
This was her strongest defensive barrier, capable of blocking most demons, even a great demon's attack for an instant.
The next moment.
Clang!
Blade and barrier collided, the sound of metal ringing.
Kidōmaru's blade tip stopped at the barrier's surface, glowing with an eerie blue light.
"A barrier?" He didn't retreat, just tilted his head slightly. "Interesting."
He withdrew his blade.
Then
Struck again.
In Kikyō's perception, it was just a lifting of his hand. But twenty cuts had already appeared on the barrier.
Crack.
Cracks began to spread.
"Your barrier is strong." Kidōmaru withdrew again. "But its strength is fixed. My attacks can stack infinitely."
He struck again.
This time, Kikyō couldn't even count.
She only saw a blur.
Then—
Boom!
The barrier shattered.
White light scattered like broken glass.
Kikyō pushed off with her toes, her body retreating rapidly.
At the same time, her right hand drew the bow repeatedly, firing multiple arrows simultaneously to block Kidōmaru's pursuit.
Streaks of white light tore through the night, aiming for his head, chest, and abdomen, multiple vital points.
But the aged figure merely swayed slightly.
All three arrows missed.
"Futile." Kidōmaru's voice sounded in Kikyō's ear.
He had somehow circled behind her.
His blade was at her throat.
But only for an instant. Even Kidōmaru didn't react in time as Kikyō's figure faded.
Like melting snow. Like dissipating mist.
Spatial displacement.
One of the secret techniques she had mastered as the strongest shrine maiden.
Fading from her original position and moving to a distant one, against ordinary demons, this technique was almost unbeatable.
Offense, defense, speed.
Kikyō had truly achieved near-omnicompetence.
If it were any other demon, even one on the same level as Kidōmaru, unless their specialty was speed and agility, she might have already exorcised them.
"Oh?" Kidōmaru's blade cut through empty air. He turned to look at the white figure reappearing ten yards away.
"Spatial displacement… interesting."
Kikyō didn't respond.
Her longbow was already drawn to its full extent, the arrowhead gathering a blinding white light.
A purifying arrow.
A single shot that could shatter most demons.
But this time, Kidōmaru didn't dodge. He didn't attack again.
He simply… smiled.
"I see."
"You weren't running. You were luring me away."
He turned to look toward the shrine's barrier.
There, where scattered lights marked Kaede Village.
By now, they had clearly left their original battle zone, gradually moving away from Kaede Village.
But Kidōmaru stopped here.
He had realized something.
"That village… how many people are in it?" Kidōmaru's aged voice grew playful. "A hundred? Two hundred?"
Kikyō's expression tightened.
"You—"
"Your arrows can't hit me. I can't harm you either. The title of strongest shrine maiden is well deserved. Even the current generation of the Tsuchimikado and Kadoin Clan, who take turns leading the Kyoto Onmyōryō, cannot match you." Kidōmaru cut her off. "But, shrine maiden, the villagers you protect… they don't have your agility, or your powerful spiritual power."
He raised his blade, pointing it toward the shrine's barrier, toward the village.
"How many of my strikes can that barrier you set up withstand?"
Kikyō's pupils contracted sharply.
She wanted to rush forward and stop him, but she knew her speed was insufficient.
Kidōmaru was faster than her.
If she charged, he could easily dodge and then attack the barrier directly.
If she didn't charge, he could attack the barrier anyway.
It was a dead end.
"Hand over the Shikon Jewel," Kidōmaru's voice was calm. "Or..."
"Watch your village be destroyed."
Kikyō's expression turned cold.
This old demon, using such methods
"Choose," Kidōmaru said. "I'll give you three breaths."
"One…"
Kikyō's hand rested on the Shikon Jewel in her robe.
"Two…"
She closed her eyes.
"Three—"
After three seconds, Kikyō opened her eyes.
And let go of the Shikon Jewel.
Kidōmaru smiled coldly and moved to strike but suddenly noticed light shining beneath his feet.
"Evil Sealing Array."
An instant cast spell.
Kikyō lowered her longbow. She had never needed to choose. Every move had been a feint. "Not a strong seal, but trapping you for an instant is enough."
What could be done in an instant?
Kidōmaru's gaze tightened. Simultaneously, he heard it.
Boom—!
Lightning suddenly fell from the sky.
That purple bolt came without warning, striking directly at Kidōmaru's head.
"What—" Kidōmaru's form retreated rapidly. The Evil Sealing Array shattered beneath him in an instant.
In that critical moment, his speed was still great, but it had been delayed just an instant.
And that lightning came fierce.
In that delayed instant, the purple electric arc grazed his shoulder, leaving a scorched mark.
"Who!" Kidōmaru growled.
He looked up at the sky. Under the moonlight, a figure was approaching from the distance.
Grey robes flapping in the wind. White hair stark in the night.
And that crimson demon mask, under the moon like an Asura emerging from hell.
His left hand held a purple horn.
Lightning still surged.
Though his demonic aura was not strong, in battle between demons, aura was only part of it. Transformations and the strength of one's body played equally important roles.
The arriving figure, judged by his demonic aura, was merely a lesser demon.
But his physical strength, the momentum he carried, was clearly not below that of ordinary high-tier demons, or demon leaders!
"Kikyō." The figure landed before the shrine maiden, his voice calm.
"I'm back."
Kikyō looked at that back.
White hair obscured her view, but she knew beneath that demon mask was likely his usual calm expression.
The shrine maiden's white robes swayed, and she revealed a very beautiful smile.
"Mm." She nodded. "Welcome back."
Shinji turned to face Kidōmaru.
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