Time was passing quickly as I talked to Kikyo, so the moment dusk began to appear on the horizon, we gave up trying to come to a consensus among ourselves and began to prepare for whatever was to come.
"Sword, ready. Fake papers, ready. Fan, ready. I don't think I'm missing anything and I see you're ready."
Finishing getting everything ready and even smoothing out my beautiful wardrobe, I look towards Kikyo who has her eyes fixed on my waist, more exactly on Clouded Fang.
"Are you going to use that sword again?"
Giving her a slight look of surprise at her concern, she quickly changed it to a smile before reassuring Dr. Kikyo.
"The plan is no, but better to have it and not use it, than not have it and want to use it. Though rest assured after last time, I'm not going to use it lightly, healer Kikyo."
Looking at me with her brown eyes for a few moments as if she doesn't know what I'm talking about, then she nods slightly in understanding, as if she had thought about it. What a strange situation that was... Maybe she's not saying it as a doctor... Nah.
Ignoring all this, we move out of the room and out into the long corridors of the castle. After a few minutes we arrive outside towards the inner walls, if you can call them that. Here the other monks, some soldiers and the feudal lord are already here, all of them looking down at the city carefully.
"Look carefully down below, although night has not yet taken center stage, those vile demons are beginning to take prominence anyway."
"Oh, Buddha..."
*mumbles* *mumbles* *mumbles*
With the feudal lord's words, we all approach the edges of the walls to look out towards the city that is in complete silence.
From every edge, nook, cranny and corner, beings that can only be described as demonic begin to appear throughout the city.
There were goblins, yokais in the shapes of animals, ones that would fall into the category of ogres and even larger than a house. The only thing that was the same among all of them was their black skin color and their deep red eyes.
"Can you feel anything?"
"Nothing, everything is the same. The presence is still divided, except it went from the shadows of the buildings to the bodies of those demons."
Listening to Kikyo's answer, who gently tenses the bowstring continuously, as a test, some thoughts appear in my mind.
Erasing the distractions, I remove the fan inside my suit and fan myself slowly. Followed by that, I pick up a few talismans between my fingers, finishing my whole look for the current battle.
"Are you going to go through with this?"
"Of course I am. From now on I'm the Onmyōji Asahiko and I also want to test the waters from afar."
Accepting the reason for my strange actions, even though I really just want to look good as Onmyōji... Yeah, I quite liked this outfit.
"Release the arrows!"
With the sound of the air being cut by the arrows, I end the conversation with Kikyo and turn my attention towards the yokais running towards this direction with nothing else in mind.
The newly launched arrows were extremely ineffective, as they hit his skin they bounced to the sides, others broke due to the impact and many others failed to hit anything.
His charge seemed unalterable and for every second that passed, a depressing aura seemed to hang over everyone watching. Their luck soon runs out though, thanks to Kikyo springing into action, firing one of her arrows and obliterating a large portion of the cluster of demons.
"This is strange... I can't feel it."
"Would you like to share the information, Oh Amaterasu-sama... Eh Fire!"
Asking Kikyo to share what she is feeling, I bring my left hand forward to my face, then chant a half strange mantra and throw the lit talismans into my flames, causing a few demons to burn at my touch.
"My arrows have only removed the physical body, the spiritual part was not affected and I can confirm that because I could not feel the purification of any being."
Finishing his explanation, he extends his arm back and withdraws an arrow that he slowly places in his bow, before it takes on a light pink color.
Upon being released this new shot wipes out another abysmal amount of yokais, although honoring those who warned us during dinner, these continue to arrive to replenish their lines and in a few minutes they reach a barrier that is erected around the castle.
*Boom* *Boom* *Boom* *Boom*.
Pounding the barrier continuously with their dark bodies, the yokais attempt to force their way inside the castle's territory, though the barrier shows no signs of damage, breaking or shaking, almost as if their strength is a bad joke.
Seeing Kikyo prepare to launch another of her arrows, I stop her with my gaze and set my fan ablaze, then release them into the crowd of raging yokais, creating an inferno of flames outside the barrier.
"We are safe!"
"The lord was right to trust the Onmyōji practitioners - now the demons are over!"
Watching them celebrate in an emotional manner, going so far as to have one burst into tears on the ground, I turned my face and spoke to Kikyo.
"You see Kikyo, I told you they were a bunch of weak and unskilled people."
"Look straight ahead."
Considering if she is a sore loser, I follow her instructions and look around in detail, to see how many have noticed the anomaly.
Obviously the first face to change is Kikyo's, followed by a few monks, at the same time as mine as I notice how serious the situation is.
Our concern is justified because in a few moments, the ashes that were flying freely are attracted to a common point and come together to form a completely new being.
*Roar
Letting out a roar full of power that makes the barrier tremble slightly, an imitation of an oriental dragon with a serpentine body, whiskers and four strong limbs at its ends, makes its appearance from the ashen remains, leaving everyone speechless.