Mist gathered in the air, before a loud explosion followed, freezing all the rubble of the floating pagoda into small ice particles, contrasting deeply with the sound.
Tsukino raised a brow, as she watched Ichino step out from the ice particles, her nieces and daughter in hand.
Her green eyes locked onto the person who had caused all this.
"You violent girl!" She spat, throwing the three fainting girls in her arms to the side, "I never thought you would dare to attack me!"
The fury in her voice intensified, "Not only that, but you took down the pride of the Atsuki Clan! My ancestors spent decades building the floating pagoda, yet you didn't hesitate to take it down!"
The black-haired girl returned the disdainful stare at Ichino, her hands finding their way to the pockets of her armor-coat.
"It's quite meaningless how you people put your pride in items. Just the same as loving dolls and flowers: they will just burn away in a fire. One shouldn't have pride you know: in oneself or the things of this world. Stay humble; it's good for your soul."
"You're the one to talk," Ichino snorted in reply, ice shards gathering up above her head, reading to attack, "Would a humble person act the way you did?"
Tsukino smiled denying, "They won't, but..."
Whoosh!
The young girl didn't get to finish her words.
Ice shards were spent hurtling toward her location at light speed, but she blinked into the primordial space back and forth, coming out without a single scratch.
For a war veteran like Ichino, it seemed like the girl moved faster than her eyes could catch up to, prompting her to halt her assault momentarily.
Ignoring her shock, Tsukino continued, "I'm a very humble girl, but once you cross Shoji-sama, and Lucien-sama I won't stay humble anymore."
"My future husband is my Lord. Yes, he might make a lot of stupid choices. Even so, I still respect him with all my heart; agreeing with him all the time, without even arguing, but I just don't show it or he would be prideful to the point it gets annoying."
"Lucien-sama is my boss; as his servant, it's only natural that 'I' do what he wishes, and what is best for him, even if he didn't order it."
She pointed at Ichino with her left index finger, "You're not someone who will do good for both my Lords and so, I have to make sure you're loyal to Yurei or you're out of Yurei's path."
Ichino laughed at Tsukino's words like they were coming out of the mouth of a madwoman.
"Are you mental?! In this world where women rule over men who dare call their boyfriends 'Lord'?! That's being stupid, and a sign that something is wrong with your head."
Tsukino clicked her tongue in disdain a few times, before snorting.
"That's why your husband left you for a maid with no social status."
"You!" The blond-haired woman roared as a cyclone of ice started to dance above her head, but Tsukino didn't even put it to mind.
"If you had given your husband the respect he needed, then he wouldn't have found comfort in the arms of another female. You're a feminist! You thought your life was better without a man, so he left you! But look at you now! You spend every night with different men trying to find comfort, but you don't because you think you don't need a man!"
"Shut up! You don't know anything about me!" Ichino sent the cyclone of ice rushing toward Tsukino, gathering up a pillar of snow in the process, "I don't need relationship advice from someone who is still a virgin!"
The young girl from Yurei ignored her, teleporting into the primordial space to evade the cyclone, before coming back, yelling, "Being a virgin is great because I am still fresh on the market: unlike a public market cabbage like you who was touched by everyone in this district!"
Ichino's face turned red from rage. Tsukino's words were on the spot; she had indeed spent a night or two with the men in her district the world laws permitted her to be with.
However, recently she figured out that she was just chasing a bliss she would never enjoy for the rest of her miserable life.
Tsukino added with a faint smile: "My mother used to tell me a story about a man and woman who lived in an enchanted garden that hosted a forbidden fruit. One day a serpent came and seduced the woman to eat the forbidden fruit, which the woman later gave to the husband."
She spat, mockingly, "In the story you fit no one else but the serpent! If you had listened to your husband, then all those men you pay thousands of Kojin to spend the night with would have married happily! You need to be baptized in holy water at one of the temples!"
Ichino's face turned crimson to the point she melted the snowflakes falling over her.
The fury in her intensified: Tsukino had far crossed the boundary, from asking for an apology to evading her personal life she was too embarrassed to put on her tombstone.
Infusing Rei into one of her Tama, mist started to gather around her adversary. The moment it thickened, she yelled, "Katsu!!"
Boom!
A huge explosion sound occurred where Tsukino was standing, but Ichino didn't dare to put her guard down, as she watched the ice shards fall to the ground.
After a few minutes, Tsukino came out from Yurei's primordial space mocking, "No wonder why all the males who fought you always came out with praises after defeat: the evil spirit of prostitution in you must have seduced them before battle."
Ichino wanted to yell in rage, but she suddenly realized something.
Taking a deep breath, she asked, "It was Sachiko, wasn't it? She is the one who told you all about that."
Tsukino maintained her silence, it was indeed true. After using force a little force Sachiko did let her mouth run loose about the deeds of her Daimyo.
Ichino didn't wait for an answer and looked at the collapsed girl with a murderous glint in her eyes, but before she could act, a loud shout came from behind her.
"Tetsujin no Kōsei!"