Even though Rhodes had made contact with the mages of Oz as a member of the Hero Faction, he could feel that he was being treated as little more than cannon fodder. Whether he survived the coming battle would depend entirely on his own strength. Of course, Rhodes had no intention of actually being cannon fodder; he would simply wait until both sides were locked in combat and then stir up some trouble. In the chaos of a battlefield, it was unlikely anyone would pay much attention to him.
Night fell.
The mages of Oz traveled to Nara Prefecture via a teleportation array. This was because within the borders of Nara lay a special existence known as the "Okunoin" (Inner Sanctuary). Although the headquarters of the Five Principal Clans were in Tokyo, their ancestors' origins were in Nara. Therefore, a vital stronghold established jointly by the Clans existed here. Many important figures resided in this location.
Members of the Utsusemi organization were already lurking nearby, and the Yokai forces had also completed their assembly. Rhodes stood inconspicuously at the back of the group, putting on the "Superman's Glasses." Sure enough, once he put them on, his presence became extremely faint. The mages, preoccupied with the impending battle, had no time to spare for him. In their eyes, even if he had ill intentions, what could one person possibly achieve?
The geographical location of the Okunoin wasn't particularly special. It sat in a deserted forest, and with the presence of a "repelling barrier," the only people who ever set foot here were those associated with the Five Principal Clans. The reason this stronghold was discovered was due to information leaked by the exiled members of the Utsusemi.
Rhodes waited at the very back of the line. Soon, accompanied by a massive roar, the ground where the Okunoin was located suddenly shook violently. Everyone's hearts jumped; the battle had begun.
Just as Walburga had said, the ones leading the charge were the local Yokai forces who had been clashing with the Five Principal Clans for ages. However, they were not the Yasaka faction Rhodes was familiar with, but the famous Yokai group from the Shikoku region that had existed since ancient times: the Eight Hundred and Eight Tanuki.
Unlike the cute tanuki in photos, these Yokai stood nearly two meters tall. These beast-like aberrations crawled rapidly on all fours, tearing through roads and forests at high speed, emitting a foul aura of demonic energy. However, like ancient soldiers charging in a banzai rush, the Yokai slammed into an invisible wall. That wall was the barrier protecting the Okunoin.
As far as Rhodes knew, there were five layers of barriers protecting the Okunoin, and each layer was stronger than the last. Even a Fallen Angel leader would find it difficult to break them easily. But Yokai were clearly not the intellectual type. Seeing that the underlings were blocked by the first layer, a massive monster appeared following a thunderous roar.
It stood about twenty meters tall, its body covered in short fur. Its muscles were bulging and knotted, and its entire being radiated a flame-like demonic energy that was terrifying to behold. The monster then spat a massive ball of fire from its mouth. The first layer of the barrier soon cracked and shattered under the intense heat. The fire even reached the second layer, causing it to shake violently.
At that moment, another Yokai force rushed out of the forest. They looked like hairless gorillas, taller than the tanuki, standing three meters tall. Their skin was blue or red, and they were heavily muscled. They wore simple armor or cloth and wielded crude weapons. Their leader was a monster nearly six or seven meters tall with two horns on its head, gripping a club that radiated an ominous aura.
The appearance of this Yokai helped the Tanuki Commander, Inugami Gyobu, shatter the second layer of the Okunoin's barrier. With blood-curdling screams, several exorcists were sent flying by the terrifying force, crashing heavily into distant buildings and losing their lives instantly. The war had officially begun.
At the same time, the system's voice rang in Rhodes' mind.
[Optional Mission: Defeat the Great Yokai Inugami Gyobu and Ura. Rewards will be based on the damage dealt by the host; the higher the damage, the richer the reward!] *[Optional Mission: Assist the Yokai in breaking the five-layer barrier of the Okunoin. Random Reward 1.]
Currently, all the exorcists of the Okunoin were entirely focused on these two formidable Yokai forces. The exorcists immediately chanted incantations, formed hand seals, or used staves to launch spells at the approaching Yokai. Flames, water jets, and earth walls struck the monsters. Although many small fries were blown away, the sheer number of Yokai meant the losses were negligible.
Rhodes remained at the rear, observing the battle. He noticed that the mages of Oz and the Utsusemi members hadn't moved yet, and the traitor Sathanael was nowhere to be seen.
The Yokai forces soon engaged in close-quarters combat with the Okunoin's exorcists. Although the Yokai were initially unstoppable, the tide began to turn as several successor clan heads holding the power of Spirit Beasts and several Sacred Gear users joined the fray.
The high-level combatants of the Okunoin included the hosts of the "Four Gods" Spirit Beasts and four users of the "Four Fiends" Sacred Gears. Although it was a mystery why these four Sacred Gear users hadn't been exiled by the Five Principal Clans, their presence was certainly bad news for the Yokai.
Rhodes wasn't particularly familiar with the supporting characters from the spin-offs, but since even someone like Muzan existed in this world, minor deviations were insignificant.
As the number of Yokai minions rapidly dwindled under the combined efforts of the Four Gods and Four Fiends, the mages of Oz and the Utsusemi finally lost their patience. They emerged from their hiding places one after another, joining the massive free-for-all.
"Inugami Gyobu, and Ura—why would Great Yokai of your caliber attempt to attack this place? I want to know the reason!" Himejima Suzaku, whom Rhodes had met before, said coldly.
This attack was premeditated. Outside the Okunoin's private grounds, there was a layer of barrier that cut off all communication, likely the work of the disruptive witches.
Hearing this, the tall Tanuki leader laughed hoarsely. "You dare ask for a reason? The number of Yokai who harbor grudges against the Five Principal Clans is uncountable! How many of us have been wiped out, or sealed away by you? We only held back because we were in an era where it was inconvenient to attack. Now that an opportunity has appeared, we will take the initiative!"
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High School DxD : Reincarnated into the Multiverse, but it's High School DxD (74 Chapters – Ongoing)
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