Long and thick claws grew at Eunchong, in just a few seconds she took on the appearance of some kind of huge feline. She began to breathe heavily, she sounded like a rabid animal. Cea's eyes widened, she had spoken too quickly. She thought the situation was already complex, but was getting worse.
– But what is...
– What's up ? Chungseong asked as he got into an attack stance.
"It's not Patin," Cea breathed, dumbfounded. It's a... Shaku!
– Shaku... You mean a scepter?
"Yes, she turned to the guards, you! Go as far as possible, don't come back, we'll meet you on the way!
But they hardly moved, until their leader repeated the order vehemently. Chungseong felt obliged, since the beginning of the attacks he had never seen the samurai so alerted so the situation must be serious. General Kang, during his many travels had vaguely heard of these Shaku or sceptres, but he had never come across one. It must have been for this precise reason that this kind of gangsinsul was cursed, and therefore forbidden to the public. But those people who had attacked them, were so badly intentioned that they didn't hesitate to condemn his little sister for harboring such a demonic creature inside her. Chungseong began to shake in anger.
– Calm down, these demons feed on the negative noudo, stay clear.
"Good," he replied, calming down a bit.
Cea she began to reflect on the sequence of previous events.
For sure, even if it is strong, the banished noudo cannot be enough to draw such a circle. It is not an invocation, it is a possession, it is necessary to lock up the soul of the holder of the body in order to deposit a diabolical creature there, it is not black magic. Witchcraft? Are there wizards here? This man in a Kabuki mask... Was it him?
Céa didn't go any further in her reflection than Eunchong jumped on her, claws forward. The samurai barely dodged them, but she brushed against his arm, tearing his coat. The impact literally cut the trees behind her, these attacks were of a rare violence. Eunchong growled like an animal and attacked Cea, only her. It was as if she was guided not by sight, but presumably by everyone's gangsinsul. If it was only the noudo, Chungseong far surpassed her, at least from what he felt.
It was actually a bad guess, in fact, Cea was hiding her noudo so as not to be noticed but she couldn't do the same with Muteki's gangsinsul unfortunately. However, this Tingu might be able to sense his real noudo and that's why he wanted to eliminate it first. She literally machine-gunned Cea with her claws and kicks, each faster and stronger than the last. Cea did her best to dodge the majority, but when they did touch her, her attacks were devastating. Out of breath, Cea spotted a gigantic tree, she decided to take refuge there for a moment.
– Uh, she intoned as she clung to the tree, a helping hand would be appreciated, thank you!
Chungseong came out of his silence. Eunchong was trying to slice the tree with his claws in order to pick up the young girl above; who clung with all his might. This Tingu was hounding her, but these men wanted Lord Chungseong, she didn't understand a thing.
– Poor me who is nothing to anyone, now I'm going to be shredded by a werewolf!
– Pay attention !
The trunk of the weapon gave way, the tree began to sway as Cea tried to jump. She screamed at the top of her lungs, and ended her run in the arms of her new comrade in arms. In record time, Chungseong managed to leave the if he to catch up with the young woman in full flight. He then landed on the ground, the two looked at each other, flabbergasted. Chungseong regained his senses, outraged, he dropped Cea on the floor without zeal.
– Ouch! So you have no tact?
– Yes, with the ladies!
Before their conversation went any further, Eunchong rushed to his brother. Sword raised, he managed to protect himself in time. Now it was his turn to be attacked by the beast, Cea finally had the opportunity to breathe. But Chungseong, was far too involved in the situation to be able to defend himself effectively, he was trying to resonate with her when she simply wanted to kill him. Céa distanced herself, with the weather going on, it was impossible for her to prepare, so she advised.
– I appeal to the Heavenly God, so that with his hand, I restore justice through the essences of earth, water, wind and flame. I become an artifact of good to defeat evil, of all walking, flying and crawling beings. Come to me, Cea said, twisting the hilt of her katana, Mizu!
It was as if Cea had opened a breach in space, there was a blinding white light then it gave way to a man. He was dressed in royal clothes, sparkling with pure blue. He looked young, his face milky and neat, his eyes filled with weariness. The so-called Mizu was accompanied by a whip, folded in his right hand, it was as clear as water.
"You woke me up from my nap," he said to Cea.
– Yes, I know, but it's a case of extreme urgency, believe me.
Cea pointed at this Chungseong who was struggling to counter the violent claw attacks, he turned to them.
– A helping hand would not be refused, I can say!
Mizu sighed, then he walked towards the fighters. Eunchong took her attention away from her opponent and turned to the newcomer, she attacked him too. But more than Cea and Chungseong, he resisted Eunchong. Mizu dodged the blows with flexibility and ease, as if he saw them in advance. Then, he unrolled his whip, raised it and as soon as it fell, he was as if electrified. The whip then started to move on its own, Mizu just swung it back and forth. One of them touched her, he electrocuted the girl, who fell to the ground. His brother wanted to run to his rescue, but Cea didn't stop him. Then, the whip came to circle around her, as Eunchong lay unconscious on the ground, binding her tightly.
"It's whenever you want," he pointed out to Cea.
She turned to the nearby water source, a godsend. She plunged the end of her katana into it and began to wave it around, effectively tracing a circle on the water. Cea then lifted the blade, taking with it a long thread of water, it was mind-boggling to watch.
– Water Confinement!
The wire split into several others and all headed for Eunchong, Chungseong was afraid that she would be injured but the Water Lockup as its name indicated, only served to imprison her in a prison with fine and unbreakable bars. of water. It looked a bit like that whirlpool Chungseong's men had been caught in earlier in the day but this time it was made from water, so that was how the samurai did it. It was thanks to the ability of one of these invocations that she was able to activate these particular prisons. Chungseong had never heard of a weapon summon, this was a big first. He moved closer to the man who was gazing at his sister in the prison.
– What ?
– Are you a scepter, or a spirit? Chungseong asked him, he also noted his character resemblance to Cea.
– No, he replied calmly, I am a god and I do not tolerate being confused with weak beings. Apologize now, human.
But as much as Mizu didn't appreciate this kind of comparison, as much as Chungseong didn't like to take orders, he also rebelled.
– Excuse me? But who do you take me for, I am General Kang Chungseong, I could never apologize to a being like you...
– Decidedly, these humans. I never understood his Highness; wanting to save beings as primary as you is useless since you yourself are drawing the wrath of heaven.
Chungseong's blood was just a trick, besides ridiculing him, this man was putting him down like this. He brandished his sword, and Mizu's whip lit up, as if electrified, but Cea intervened like this; trying to calm down, lowered each weapon and smiled.
– Calm down children, for the moment, we have to find the solution to save Lady Kang, okay?
The men stared at each other, staring each other in search of who would flinch first. And it was Mizu who gave up, it was far too tiring to stand up to these brainless beings that are humans, he capitulated and turned to prison.
– It's a Shaku.
– Yes, answered Cea, I thought it was an enchantment, but it was a possession.
Surprisingly, when they began to discuss Eunchong's case, the two regained their seriousness. This worried Chungseong even more, it meant it was very serious maybe.
– Humans capable of forming this kind of magic circles, it's unprecedented and above all very dangerous.
– Yes, adds Cea anxiously, and with such scope. They were ninjas from Asuza, but strange thing... They were accompanied by a guy wearing a Kabuki mask, that of Hannya. Do you know a clan with this kind of character?
Mizu remained unanswered, he refrained from giving an answer at the risk of plunging Cea into a black anger.
"We have to free her before it's too late," Mizu said finally.
Cea pouted.
– Hey, you're avoiding my question, that's rude! Well, fine, I'll ask Sizen then, he'll tell me.
– Well, we can start, I'm sleepy.
"You're still sleepy," Cea gasped, then looked at Chungseong. Hey, take your distance a little, it's going to heat up around here.
"Yes, but don't hurt my sister.
– Yeah yeah. I understood, you tell me that every time I lift a finger.
Chungseong obeyed anyway, he walked away. She placed her hands on the barrier, Mizu did the same. Both closed their eyes, there was a long silence. Then, a strong wind emanated directly from the barrier and blew on them. The prison began to glow. Inside Eunchong became agitated, and even unleashed, she wanted to get out.
"Light taming darkness," Muzi began to quote, good triumphing over evil.
– The divine hand tearing from hell, Cea finished, I call on the celestial force to defeat the scepters of evil, Celestial Unleashing!
The light only grew stronger, blinding for miles, Chungseong covered his eyes. He saw his sister outside the prison. Eunchong was thrown from it, freed from the foreign body in her.
In the place between the meshes of water, there was now a huge monster covered with hair with claws and sharp teeth, it was indeed a nocturnal wolf in flesh and blood. Chungseong couldn't believe what was before his eyes, a scepter. A real sceptre.
– Take your sister away, Cea yelled at her, quick!
As fast as he could, Chungseong ran and carried his sister. But before leaving, a strange feeling crossed him, he felt like he was abandoning one of his men, he would never do that.
– And you ?
– Do not worry about me...
But before Cea could finish her sentence, she coughed and expelled a tremendous amount of blood. She collapsed on her knees, keeping her hands on the barrier. Chungseong wanted to help him but Mizu stopped him.
– If you approach, it will be even worse so leave.
Chungseong hesitated, but with a heavy heart, he carried his sister on his shoulder and ran away. Cea watched him go, Mizu had never seen so much concern in his eyes. Guess she wasn't so heartless, he told himself. Cea got up, voluntarily, she spat black blood on the barrier. He touched the animal, its thick coat began to smoke, like an effect of nitric acid. It's now or never.
– Mizu!
– Yes !
Mizu neutralized the beast with her whip so that it wouldn't break the barrier; his blows began to shake it. By knocking her in a last attempt, the scepter touched the young girl who collapsed on the ground, Céa got up immediately, leaning on her katana.
– Nasty animal ! Divine Flame!
Celestial Unleashing was a technique reserved for the gods in order to overcome demons, scepters and all other evil forms. To this, the use of Celestial Unleashing was also acquired by the holder of the Katana Muteki, but this was not without consequence. As for Divine Flame as its name indicated, it was a Divine Flame that completely consumed the demon.
A bluish fire with orange reflections began to burn the beast in the barrier from head to toe, he writhed in pain, uttering shrill cries which frightened the inhabitants of the neighboring villages to the forest. Then the flame evaporated, leaving no more ashes that the prison took with it when it faded. Once everything ended once and for all, Cea fell on all fours and began to vomit blood.
– Hey, do you feel?
– What ?
"Smells like braised pork," Cea said before finally fainting in Mizu's arms.
He looked at her, and stroked her flyaway locks.
"You are really putting yourself out for nothing, Your Highness.
Suddenly, Mizu extended steps, he put his guard up but quickly lowered them when saw that it was Chungseong. Obviously, he had come back to look for Cea. He rushed to her rescue.
– He is fine ?
– He?..., Mizu looked at her, holy Cea. Yes, he is just passed out, this gangsinsul draws a lot from the core of the noudo, rest will be enough.
"Help me put him on my back," Chungseong said, turning around.
Mizu was surprised. Most of the men she saved abandoned her without looking back, but he, in addition to coming back, also wanted to help Cea. Mizu picked up Cea and put her on Chungseong's back, who found her particularly light for such a strong man.
– Shall we go?
"Oh no, am I going to have to walk? It's so tiring, I'll wait at least a day before she wakes up, complained Mizu following them, the slow step. A night and a day with a bunch of humans, what hell!
Like Cea, Mizu chattered all the way to the new camp that Chungseong's men had established a few miles away. On the way, Chungseong therefore took the opportunity to feed his curiosity about this mysterious samurai, he was his companion so he necessarily knew things about him.