Night, the camp was quiet.
The sentries around the camp stood alert, carefully observing any movement in the darkness.
Inside the camp, Yuxie leaned against a simple bed, his eyes tightly shut.
Next door to him, in the adjacent tent, were where Makoto and Chiyo rested.
It had been several days since they arrived at the battlefield. Thanks to the efforts of the troops, the situation was currently favorable.
There were no significant casualties, and the hunt for the magical beasts was proceeding steadily.
At this rate, it was just a matter of time before the war would end.
But Yuxie couldn't shake the feeling of unease.
He didn't know when the moment would come—the moment when Makoto would be in danger again.
The sound of wind blowing outside the tent reached his ears, the rustling of the canvas filling the air.
Suddenly, urgent footsteps echoed, stopping outside the tent.
"Commander, there's an unusual figure outside the camp. It's moving at an incredible speed—like a magical beast."
Yuxie opened his eyes, quickly getting out of bed and heading outside the tent, glancing back toward where Makoto and Chiyo were resting.
"Send the elite of First Division to guard the general's tent. I'll go take a look."
"Yes, sir!"
Yuxie made his way to the outskirts of the camp, where he saw the sentries standing with grim expressions.
"Commander!" When they saw Yuxie, all the soldiers immediately saluted.
Yuxie raised his hand, signaling them to relax. He spoke, his voice steady.
"What's going on?"
"Report, Commander. About ten minutes ago, a large, unusual figure appeared to the west. It seemed humanoid and moved incredibly fast—faster than any of the magical beasts we've encountered. We suspect it's a high-level humanoid magical beast keeping an eye on the camp."
"To the west..." Yuxie walked up to a lookout tower and peered westward.
In the deep darkness of the night, nothing could be seen with the naked eye.
But Yuxie felt something lurking in the shadows, something that emanated an intensely repulsive aura.
The word "Abyss" inexplicably flashed in his mind.
"Creatures from the Abyss—these things cannot be allowed to exist. If they do, many innocent people will die." Makoto's voice suddenly rang out, and she and Chiyo had arrived.
"Shogun!" All the soldiers bowed respectfully.
"Abyss..." Yuxie descended from the lookout tower. "First Division, go keep an eye on the creature to the west. Maintain a safe distance for now, do not engage unless I give the order. Everyone else, be ready for combat at any time."
"Understood!"
At Yuxie's command, the soldiers immediately sprang into action.
These soldiers had undergone rigorous training, and their efficiency was top-tier.
Yuxie walked up to Makoto and Chiyo, his sense of foreboding growing stronger.
If the Archons were to fall, it wouldn't be by ordinary means. The Abyss... had the power to do this.
He had to be fully alert.
"Yuxie, you don't look well. Are you alright?" Makoto noticed Yuxie's unusually serious expression and asked with concern.
Yuxie took a deep breath, his gaze lingering on Makoto.
Before he could speak, the ground suddenly shook, and the sound of thunderous footsteps filled the air, reverberating through the entire camp.
The footsteps came from the west, like the pounding of a giant's feet—almost as if the earth itself trembled.
Without time to think further, Yuxie drew his sword, Cloud Cutter, in an instant.
The moon broke through the clouds at that moment, casting a pale light across the camp.
A massive creature, humanoid but with the head of a bird, was charging toward the camp with full force. The members of First Division, who had just left the camp, were struggling to keep up with the creature's speed.
"This guy has gone mad! Everyone, stay clear!" a member of the First Division shouted as they hurried toward the camp.
Yuxie and Chiyo exchanged no words, but moved forward in perfect sync.
Cloud Cutter was drawn under the moonlight, flashing with a cold gleam.
Chiyo's long sword also cut through the air, tracing a chilling arc under the pale light.
A sharp clash of metal rang out as Yuxie and Chiyo's figures passed by the creature.
The creature's steps halted just outside the camp.
It slowly lowered its head, looking down at the abdomen that had been struck by Yuxie and Chiyo.
Two terrifying gashes marred the hardened skin of its abdomen, but the internal organs remained unharmed.
Yuxie and Chiyo landed gracefully, swords in hand, their gazes sharp and unwavering.
The other soldiers, seeing this, quickly readied their spears to join the fight, but Yuxie immediately shouted for them to stop.
"Stay back! You can't handle this thing. Everyone, stand by and protect the general!"
The soldiers hesitated briefly but quickly followed orders, forming an impenetrable defensive line around Makoto.
Moonlight bathed the battlefield, causing the dust on the ground to stir lightly.
The bird-headed humanoid creature emitted an aura far more unnatural than any ordinary magical beast—likely the distinct scent of the Abyss.
Its body was covered in a tough, armor-like skin, almost as if it were wearing a suit of armor.
In the short time since they had struck, the two wounds Yuxie and Chiyo inflicted had already healed completely.
Yuxie and Chiyo could tell—this was no ordinary opponent.
....
Sasayuri stepped over the corpse of a magical beast, pulling his sword free.
He glanced back. Behind him, a mass of fallen monsters lay scattered, and soldiers were busy clearing the battlefield.
In recent days, the number of beasts attacking Inazuma had grown. What started as occasional sightings had now turned into swarms.
Even outside the battlefield, such situations have already occurred. What about inside the battlefield?
Sasayuri glanced toward the direction where the army had left, a trace of concern flickering in his eyes.
"Report: After counting, fifty-seven magical beasts have been exterminated!" A soldier came to report to Sasayuri.
"Make sure to clean up the area," Sasayuri instructed.
"Roger!"
As the soldier left, Kitsune Saiguu appeared beside him.
The night wind ruffled her short white hair, and her fox ears twitched slightly.
"The situation on Narukami Island is not looking good," Kitsune Saiguu said. Her voice sounded calm, yet there was an undercurrent of worry for the future. "If the disaster continues to escalate, we may have to resort to some special measures."
"Special measures?" Sasayuri asked, puzzled. "I've known you for so long, but I've never heard you mention anything about special measures before."
"Let's hope we never have to use those special measures," Kitsune Saiguu said, her gaze lifting to the night sky. The stars still twinkled, but they no longer shone as brightly as when friends reunited.
.....
Narukami Shrine.
Yae Miko, sitting atop the roof, stared silently into the vast night sky.
The night wind brushed past her, bringing a chill.
She shifted her posture, hugging her knees.
She found herself missing the fried tofu that Yuxie used to make. When he comes back, she'll definitely make him cook a batch for her.
Then, they could all go out to the countryside to enjoy the flowers. Although the cherry blossoms had already faded, as long as they could be together, what was there to worry about? There would be beautiful sights to behold.
The war would end soon. Everything would get better.
.....
Meanwhile, in the Tenshukaku, Ei received the news of the victories from Sasayuri and Kitsune Saiguu. But for some reason, her heart seemed to flutter with an inexplicable sense of unease.
She went up to the high platform and looked toward the battlefield in Khaenriah. Her purple eyes rippled with something, as though disturbed by an unknown feeling.
End of chapter
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