-2067- No backing down

Rozen remained eerily calm as he chanted his incantation, while Souma Takiko's expression grew increasingly pained, and her spiritual energy became more and more erratic. Kurahashi Genji could no longer maintain his composure.

Despite the fierce attacks from Miyachi Iwao's flame and the relentless assaults from the Kurahashi family's two guardian shikigami, Rozen remained untouched. With Kinu and Gyokuto standing guard, none of the attacks managed to reach him, let alone stop him.

Kurahashi Genji attempted several times to break free and personally intervene, only to be repeatedly stopped by Kyouko, forcing him back.

Meanwhile, Kagami Reiji showed no intention of assisting. He remained locked in fierce combat with Natsume and Suzuka, while even his Shikigami, Shaver, focused solely on attacking Kakugyouki. His attention only shifted briefly, and when it did, it was towards Suzuka rather than the broader battlefield. This disregard for the unfolding situation caused even Kurahashi Genji's usually steady composure to waver.

Worse still, with Miyachi Iwao, as well as Byakua and Kurobou, shifting their focus to Rozen, Tsuchimikado Harutora and Hishamaru were left unimpeded.

"This is our chance!"

Harutora's eyes lit up. He seized the opportunity, spreading the hem of his raven's wing and gliding towards the altar like a descending raven.

Clearly, his goal remained unchanged—to stop the ritual.

Even if Rozen had his own plans, Harutora refused to pin all his hopes on them. More importantly, he could not stand idly by and watch the ritual succeed.

Having once failed to stop this very ritual, leading to a catastrophe for the world, Harutora was determined to prevent its completion this time.

Seeing this, Kurahashi Genji panicked.

"————"

Without hesitation, he abandoned defending against the two Yaksha attacking him and instead unleashed the Immovable Golden Chain spell towards Harutora. Chanting at the fastest speed possible, he formed a hand seal, sending an jujutsu restraint hurtling toward Harutora.

However, Harutora did not even glance back. He focused solely on rushing toward the altar.

As for the chains, someone else would deal with it.

"—!"

In a flash, Hishamaru appeared behind Harutora and chanted the sacred mantra of Mahāvidyā Acala, a mantra that suppresses inner turmoil and repels external enemies.

The power of the mantra radiated outward like a shockwave, shattering the incoming restraint spell into nothingness.

Thanks to this, Harutora finally reached the altar.

"This is it!"

With just two meters between himself and Souma Takiko, Harutora's face lit up with excitement as he extended his hand toward her.

In that instant—

"Watch out!"

Hishamaru's rare, urgent warning rang out.

But by the time the warning came, it was already too late.

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

Two figures shot toward him from the left and right sides of the altar at lightning speed.

"...!"

Harutora's face changed dramatically.

In his vision, two Shikigami had closed in on him.

Yashamaru.

Kumomaru.

Souma Takiko's Shikigami—two Yase Doji.

"Hah!"

"Hah!"

Without hesitation, Yashamaru and Kumomaru struck with jutsuryoku-infused fists.

Their sheer power was overwhelming. If a mere human were to take such a direct hit, they would suffer severe injuries, or possibly even death.

And Harutora had no time to react.

Even as Yakou's reincarnation, even as the father of modern jujutsu, Harutora was still just a mortal. No matter his mastery of jujutsu, his physical abilities could not match those of a Shikigami—let alone Yase Doji.

But before the strikes could land, it was not Harutora who responded, but his cloak.

"Whoosh!"

Like Kinu itself, the hem of the cloak suddenly flared outward, sweeping around Harutora like a dark veil.

"Boom!"

Yashamaru and Kumomaru's fists slammed into the fabric, sending Harutora flying off the altar. He tumbled through the air before coming to a halt, suspended in midair.

Black feathers drifted down like falling leaves.

"Damn it!"

Harutora, finally regaining his senses, felt a surge of frustration.

He had been so close—just one step away from stopping the ritual—only to fail again.

Yet, compared to Harutora, it was Yashamaru and Kumomaru who were truly shocked and furious.

"Princess!"

"Princess!"

Both Shikigami turned to Souma Takiko, whose expression was twisted with pain, her spiritual energy trembling violently. Their faces filled with alarm and fury.

As Souma Takiko's Shikigami—and as Yase Doji sworn to serve the bloodline of Taira no Masakado—Yashamaru and Kumomaru had been supporting her in the Divine Descent Ritual. Their assistance was crucial in ensuring the ceremony proceeded smoothly. But now, sensing Takiko's distress, they had no choice but to abandon the ritual and intervene.

They had tried to halt Rozen's jutsuryoku from flowing into Takiko, but his power was fused with the spiritual veins. To stop it, they would have to sever the veins entirely—yet doing so would render the entire Greater Ritual Altar useless. Without the full altar, the Tensou Jifu Ritual would fail.

Thus, with no other option, Yashamaru and Kumomaru had left the ritual and turned their attention to Rozen.

"So we were outplayed after all…"

Yashamaru's voice was eerily cold.

"To think you would attempt to subjugate a god… You must be insane. But considering you've already successfully summoned gods, made them your Shikigami, and even commanded the Hyakki Yagyo, it might actually be possible."

He didn't know whether to admire Rozen's mastery or be enraged by it.

"Director! We must stop him!"

Unlike Yashamaru, Kumomaru was entirely focused on Souma Takiko. His voice carried a sense of urgency, rather than grudging respect.

"I know."

Yashamaru, too, had no intention of letting Rozen succeed.

As a descendant of the Souma bloodline—albeit from a branch family, having married into the Dairenji clan and changed his surname—this Divine Descent Ritual was a thousand-year-old grand design of his lineage. Failure was not an option.

"————"

The Fire Realm Incantation .

"————"

The Water Heaven Art.

Yashamaru and Kumomaru chanted flame arts and water arts, summoning a dragon of fire and a dragon of water. The two divine beasts roared as they charged toward Rozen.

"Not good!"

Harutora's heart clenched, and he instinctively moved to intervene—only to realize there was no need.

After all, Rozen had no shortage of protectors.

Even with his Hyakki Yagyo elsewhere and his allies—Natsume, Suzuka, and Kyouko—engaged in battle, he still had his most powerful Shikigami at his side.

"ROAR!"

With a sound that shook the air, a majestic dragon emerged from behind Rozen, unleashing a freezing dragon's breath.

The icy breath collided with the fire dragon, generating a massive steam explosion that snuffed out the flames. It then struck the water dragon, freezing it into countless shards of ice before shattering it into a sparkling frostfall.

"ROAR!"

The golden dragon bellowed in fury.

Faced with its awe-inspiring presence, everyone present felt their pupils contract in shock.