36. The Dancing Veil
In the quiet Izumo Inn late at night, the soft sounds of breathing filled the air, telling tales of beautiful dreams.
Due to his injury, Sora could no longer sleep with Tsukiumi and the others. Lying alone in bed, he tossed and turned. Although it was a bit lonely, there was a sense of long-lost tranquility.
He was almost fully healed, but Sora didn't mind enjoying a few more nights like this. After all, he was going to be a man of the harem king; such days would be few and far between.
"Hmm?" Just as Sora, who had finally fallen asleep after some tossing and turning, suddenly opened his eyes, frowning slightly.
He got up, dressed, and gently opened the door, stepping outside.
"Sora, it's time to sleep. Where are you going?"
Under the moonlight, a purple figure appeared before Sora like a gentle breeze. Her stunning face wore a captivating smile, and the haziness of the night added a touch of mysterious beauty, as if she were a goddess descending from the heavens.
With a helpless smile, Sora knew that nothing in Izumo Inn could escape this woman's perception. He had barely stepped outside when he was blocked.
Knowing that she wouldn't let him go without the truth, and that he had nothing to hide from her, Sora decided to be straightforward and answered directly:
"Miya, the battle has begun. Some Sekirei have had their functions stopped, and I need to go recover them."
"Don't worry, my injury is completely healed, and my strength has recovered about fifty to sixty percent. Besides, there are other Sekirei protecting me, so there won't be any danger. Moreover, we are only responsible for recovering the defeated Sekirei; there won't be any fighting."
A hint of sadness crossed Miya's face as she nodded in understanding.
"In that case, you should go. Sora, please take care of those poor children."
Sora was touched by Miya's understanding; he walked over and gently embraced her before disappearing in a flash.
Watching the direction in which Sora vanished, a gentle expression appeared on Miya's face, as if she could melt the night itself…
The Shinto Teito was much quieter at night than during the day. A few streetlights stood on either side of the road, casting dim light, and even the occasional distant honk could be heard far away.
In the darkness, Sora's figure descended from the sky, landing softly on top of a tall building.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Three figures appeared beside Sora.
"Master!"
"Master (×2)!"
Seeing the three girls he hadn't seen for several days, Sora wore a charming smile.
One of the girls was dressed in traditional shrine maiden attire, a white top and red skirt, with long hair flowing and a ceremonial dagger on her back—this was No. 87, Kaho.
Another girl wore a black and white short dress, petite and cute, wielding a scythe—this was No. 43, Yomi.
The last girl wore simple clothing, tall and slender, with a graceful figure that exuded a faint chill—this was No. 7, Akitsuki.
Stepping forward, Sora embraced and kissed each of the three girls, who looked both shy and delighted.
"Alright, my little cuties, I'll comfort you later. It's time to work now!"
With that, Sora and the three girls transformed into shadows, disappearing into the night.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In a remote area of the Shinto Teito, an intense battle was unfolding.
Two agile women were continuously colliding with each other. One of them was wrapped in white veils, even her forehead concealed beneath the fabric, making her face unrecognizable.
Countless veils extended from behind the woman, and under her control, they danced in the air like tentacles, wrapping and swirling around.
Although veils were typically soft and used as decorations for women, these flying veils were incredibly flexible and sharp, tearing apart anything they ensnared.
The girl battling the veil-wielding woman had short hair reminiscent of a boy's, and her face bore an expression of determination.
Unlike the hidden woman, the girl wore a tight blue sports outfit, exposing her waist and navel without an ounce of excess fat. Her slender waist seemed delicate, yet it was filled with incredible strength.
The two had been fighting for some time, but neither had managed to gain the upper hand. The girl seemed to be growing anxious; she suddenly darted away from the veil-wielding woman, and several throwing knives appeared in her hand, shooting toward her opponent with incredible speed.
The countless flying veils quickly returned to defend in front of the woman. Although all the knives embedded themselves in the veils, they could not penetrate any further.
Seeing that her opponent had fallen silent, the short-haired girl let out a sigh of relief.
However, the next moment, when the veils that had been struck by the knives fell to the ground, the girl couldn't help but be shocked!
A sudden sound of wind broke through, and as the girl looked up in the direction of the sound, her pupils involuntarily constricted. The woman in the gauze veil had appeared above her head without her noticing!
Countless white scarves rushed in from all directions, continuously wrapping around and spinning, resembling a hurricane!
"Ah!!!" Unable to evade, the girl was cut by numerous wounds, immediately letting out a series of tragic cries.
"Lord Ashikabi…" The heavily injured girl's eyes were dazed, her face pale, as she struggled to reach out toward a certain direction, as if something very important to her was there.
Ignoring the girl's struggles, the woman in the gauze veil slowly walked over, extending a finger to point at the Sekirei pattern on the girl's back:
"By the oath of my veil, I dispel the nightmare of Ashikabi."
A blinding light burst forth from the girl, and the Sekirei pattern that was pointed at gradually disappeared, leaving the girl's eyes devoid of life.
Casting a faint glance at the direction the girl had wanted to approach before her functions ceased, the woman revealed a hint of disgust on her face. Standing up, she prepared to leave.
However, just then—
"Hey? You're the one who keeps attacking other Sekireis, huh? How interesting! Very interesting!"
A voice, a familiar voice that carried a teasing tone but was well-known to the woman.
Although part of his face was covered by a veil, the surprise on the woman's face was unmistakable. She never expected this person to appear here!
The owner of the voice was, of course, Sora.
If it were someone else, he might not have shown himself, waiting until the other party left before reclaiming the Sekirei whose functions had stopped. But since he had encountered an old acquaintance, he was interested in playing a bit.
Sora slowly stepped out from under the shade of the tree, followed by three girls: Kaho, Yomi, and Akitsu.
If the woman was surprised to hear Sora's voice, she was shocked to see the three Sekireis beside him.
However, despite her shock, the woman remained silent. Although she wanted to leave immediately, since the other party had shown up, it was unlikely they would let her go, so she simply stood still.
"Leaving your dying opponent behind and disregarding basic etiquette, I absolutely cannot condone your actions! Now, let me, No. 87 Kaho, be your opponent!"
Having been watching the battle from the side with Sora for a while, Kaho had no good feelings toward the woman in the gauze veil, who constantly attacked other Sekireis without caring for their lives. She stepped forward with a furious expression, gripping her long-handled pheasant knife.
With a hint of a playful smile, Sora did not stop her.
It was just right; he wanted to see who was stronger, Kaho or the woman in the gauze veil.
Since the other party had declared war, the woman in the gauze veil was not one to back down either, directly controlling countless white scarves to attack.
With a strong fighting spirit in her eyes, Kaho swung her knife and slashed forward.
Boom!!!
Countless air blades collided with the white scarves, producing a deafening sound, and a violent shockwave rapidly exploded outward.
"Master, that woman is very strong. Should I help Kaho?" Yomi, watching Kaho, who was subtly at a disadvantage after one exchange, said with some concern.
Shaking his head, Sora replied:
"Not for now. This is an opportunity for Kaho to grow; the more she fights against strong opponents, the stronger she will become!"
"Hehe, let's first resolve the situation here."
Giving Yomi a glance, after forming the King's Contract, Yomi could now communicate with Sora's thoughts, so she immediately understood his meaning. Nodding, she walked toward the girl whose functions had stopped.
Glancing at the girl lying on the ground, Sora did not linger and walked with Akitsu to another side.
"Hey, buddy, your Sekirei has already had its functions stopped. You should at least say something!" Sora said, looking at the young man trembling behind the tree trunk, feeling somewhat speechless.
"Ah! Don't kill me! Don't kill me!" The young man's face was filled with terror, his expression extremely agitated, as he clung tightly to the tree trunk.
Shaking his head, Sora truly did not understand how that little knife-throwing Sekirei had chosen such a cowardly Ashikabi. Not to mention being timid, he was also incredibly ungrateful; even in the last moments, the Sekirei still thought of him, and he should at least act like a man!!!
"Akitsu!" Sora, tired of talking to such a coward who did not cherish his Sekirei, directly called out to Akitsu.
"Yes, Master!" Understanding Sora's intention, Akitsu activated her ability, instantly freezing the young man in place under his horrified gaze.
Returning to the open space with Akitsu, Yomi had already brought the Sekirei whose functions had stopped and laid it flat on the ground. Sora glanced at it but did not pay it much attention.
Choosing a spot to sit down, he embraced Yomi, inhaling the fragrance of the girl's body, while his hands began to wander. Akitsu, who had been trained by Sora multiple times, also stepped forward, her slightly cold hands gently massaging his shoulders.
With a look of enjoyment on his face, Sora watched the two women engaged in a fierce battle on the battlefield.
The woman in the gauze veil was very powerful, and her ability was quite unique; those soft scarves danced in her hands, flipping up and down like sacred treasures that could ensnare lives.
However, Kaho was not to be underestimated either; to defeat Yume, she had undergone countless training sessions since childhood.
Her long knife was swift and precise, and the scarves she sliced into pieces scattered everywhere, filling the battlefield with a violent artistic beauty!
Such a scene was rare; two beautiful women were performing so vigorously, while he held a little beauty in his arms to squeeze, and behind him was an icy beauty serving him. Sora felt nothing but joy.
Boom!!!
It was already unclear how many times they had collided; the scarves on the woman seemed endless, as no matter how many Kaho cut, they would reappear.
They obstructed her vision and hindered her movements, and if she made contact, they were quite harmful. For a moment, Kaho was at a loss on how to deal with these annoying scarves.
Moreover, the opponent knew her knife was sharp, so she never fought her openly, always hiding her figure beneath the scarves and launching sneak attacks.
For a while, it was manageable, but as time passed, Kaho began to pant and showed signs of fatigue.
Feeling that the time was about right, although Kaho was not a match for the woman in the gauze veil, she had a lower number and no special abilities, so achieving this much was already quite impressive. Therefore, Sora did not intend to let her continue fighting.
He exchanged glances with Akitsu, looking at the woman in the gauze veil who was battling Kaho, and a mysterious smile appeared on his lips.
"Get back, Kaho." Akitsu's voice was not loud, but it was clear enough for both fighters on the battlefield to hear.
Although somewhat reluctant, Kaho, already somewhat exhausted, quickly dodged back upon hearing the voice. The woman in the gauze veil also looked over, and upon seeing the ice spears flying toward her, she was startled!
She controlled several scarves to block in front of her, and with a leap to the side, she watched as the scarves hit by the ice spears turned into blocks of ice, feeling both frightened and secretly relieved.
However, the next moment, a sudden chill enveloped her, and to her horror, the ground she stood on rapidly sprouted countless ice blocks, freezing her to the ground!
Releasing the already breathless and flushed Yomi, Sora walked forward with a charming smile, lifting the gauze veil from the woman's forehead, revealing a familiar face:
"Yo, Uzume, good evening!"