The Great Onmyoji's True Name

T/N: Apparently it's the end of the Volume

.....

Red flames burned on Shuten Douji and Ian's bodies.

One person and one oni were swallowed in the heat, and their figures could not be identified.

Because it happened so suddenly, Minamoto no Yorimitsu took a while to realize what was happening in front of her.

The oni named Shuten Douji engulfed Ian in flames!

"No—!"

The warrior let out a scream, and then tried to use Hizamaru to extinguish the flames burning in front of her.

But unlike the other five-element traps set by Shuten Douji in Mount Oe.

The flames in front of her were not something "borrowed" from somewhere.

Instead, it was the "heat" released by Shuten Douji herself.

Because this "heat" was too powerful, it gave birth to flames and created this sea of fire.

This was something that only oni of her level could do.

Minamoto no Yorimitsu's eyes gradually lost their color.

But she and the famous sword Hizamaru were still trying to extinguish the flames.

However—

What Minamoto no Yorimitsu didn't know was.

On the inside of the flames, something completely unimaginable was happening.

In the sea of fire.

Shuten Douji was looking at Ian in surprise.

Not only was this man not swallowed by the flames he released, but he still maintained a calm look.

It seemed that what was burning beside him was not flames, but some unimportant clutter.

Shuten Douji couldn't believe this.

She asked:

"Mister! What did you do again?!"

"I didn't do anything."

Ian looked directly at the oni in front of him, who was petite like a child, and answered truthfully.

"Impossible!"

"Absolutely impossible!"

Shuten Douji tried her best to deny what the person in front of her said.

"I specially prepared the 'extremely hot sea of fire' for your arrival!"

"I was originally going to roast you into meat slices!"

"How could it not hurt you!"

"..."

[You realized that your and Minamoto no Yorimitsu's guesses were correct.]

[From the moment you stepped into Mount Oe, you two were targeted by Shuten Douji.]

[She watched your actions the whole time.]

[She planned to use you as food at the banquet to prove the power of "oni."]

[But it seems that all of this cannot be realized.]

Listening to Shuten Douji's words, Ian suddenly realized a problem.

"So—"

"You called Kintoki here, are you planning to eat him?"

"Kintoki?"

Hearing this unfamiliar name, Shuten Douji was not confused.

Because the "gold" in the name was too eye-catching.

"Is that golden-haired kid?"

"No." Shuten Douji waved her hand. "I don't plan to kill this guy."

"After all, this guy seems quite interesting."

"Now I just think you're more interesting, so I decided to play with you."

"How is it?"

Shuten Douji spread her hands, looking very arrogant.

"The five-element traps I imitated are very powerful, right?!"

Looking at the other party's eager look for her evaluation, Ian sneered.

"Heh."

"My evaluation is, clumsy imitation."

"The so-called five elements are not used separately like you."

"There are many connections between them that you haven't noticed."

As soon as the voice fell.

Shuten Douji felt the ground under her feet begin to shake violently.

It was the same ground vibration as last time.

As an onmyoji, Ian had this magical power to control the five elements.

And this time, what he controlled also included the flames Shuten Douji had just created.

Objectively speaking.

Shuten Douji was somewhat surprised.

After being proud in Mount Oe for so long, this was the first time she had encountered someone with this ability.

However—

This was her territory!

If she let an onmyoji set up a scene casually, wouldn't that be a laughing stock?!

[Shuten Douji was not easily hit by you like last time—this means that this time she is the real body.]

[She and you began to compete for control of the ground and flames under your feet.]

[You realized that her power was comparable to yours.]

[This was the first time you had encountered such an opponent since you became an onmyoji.]

[For some reason, you felt a subtle feeling in your heart.]

"It seems you must have done a lot of bad things usually."

Ian looked at Shuten Douji, who was evenly matched with him, with a bit of sharpness in his eyes.

And the other party answered without showing weakness.

"Then in that case—"

"Did you usually do a lot of good deeds to become like this?"

"I don't believe there is such a thing."

"But at least I'm standing in front of you now, aren't I?"

Ian did not hide his thoughts.

"Shuten Douji, those oni in Heian-kyo, were they all sent by you?"

"Yes."

Shuten Douji admitted it bluntly.

For her, this kind of behavior of letting her oni harm one side was a great achievement.

"Some oni are bored in Mount Oe, I can't stop them from moving their muscles."

"I am a very reasonable oni."

Sure enough.

Only powerful oni like Shuten Douji were qualified to reorganize a "grand scene" of a hundred oni wandering.

This was already doomed.

So Ian was not surprised at all.

"So in that case—"

The great onmyoji looked at Shuten Douji in front of him.

"Did you also kill Watanabe no Tsuna's family?"

"Watanabe no Tsuna?"

Shuten Douji pretended to be thinking seriously.

Then she grinned.

"I don't know."

"Don't know?"

"Yes!" Shuten Douji showed a playful smile. "There are so many people killed by my oni every day, how can I remember them all?"

"Besides—"

She crossed her arms, showing an indifferent look.

"If you die, you die."

"What's the big deal?"

Shuten Douji knew very well how to anger the person she was talking to with one sentence.

Hearing this idea of treating human life like grass, Ian was furious.

As a great onmyoji, what he could not accept most was this idea that oni did not take people seriously.

[You didn't say any more.]

[You picked up your katana.]

[It was a weapon that you had killed countless oni, and it was also a treasure used to train Minamoto no Yorimitsu and the four adopted sons.]

[This was a close combat.]

[But Shuten Douji was not afraid at all.]

[Petite, she picked up the wine bowl and fought you.]

[It has to be admitted that she was indeed capable.]

[Even if your swordsmanship was as powerful as you were, you had no way to gain an advantage in this hand-to-hand fight.]

[This was an evenly matched battle.]

"Oh my."

Shuten Douji looked at Ian in front of her, with a bit of appreciation in her purple eyes.

"I originally thought you were only accomplished in onmyoji techniques."

"I didn't expect swordsmanship to be so good."

"You don't need to praise me."

Ian was not distracted by Shuten Douji's words.

"I will definitely kill you here today!"

"So arrogant~"

Shuten Douji put her hands on her waist.

Her petite figure did not show any fierceness when she made such a move, but instead looked a bit childish.

"Then I have to take out something more interesting."

As soon as the voice fell, Shuten Douji's body began to emit a faint wine fragrance.

[Talent Great Onmyoji++ activated: You realized that this wine fragrance was just a disguised illusion.]

[Shuten Douji wanted to confuse you in this way.]

"I have also tasted all the wines of this Heian era."

Shuten Douji gently exhaled her breath.

"So as long as I project it like this, I can reproduce all kinds of fine wines."

"Hey~ mister, have a bowl."

"A person as interesting as you is boring without getting drunk."

Saying this, Shuten Douji blew all the wine breath towards Ian.

It was a highly concentrated fragrance.

The oni king of Mount Oe was sure that Ian would be drunk as mud the moment he touched it.

However—

The reality was not like this.

In the flames, the wine breath did blow towards Ian like wind.

This was a fierce and swift attack.

But Ian was still calm at this moment.

No matter how fierce the wine breath attacked him, it would not work.

"Is this what you call interesting?"

Feeling the sweetness in the air, Ian frowned.

"It's just some wine smell that makes people feel uncomfortable, right?"

"..."

Shuten Douji became a little uneasy.

Because this wine wind was not something she released casually.

Its name was the fragrance of the 'Suika' fruit wine.

She had used this skill on humans many times, and she knew that it could easily make a person drunk.

As long as she could get humans drunk, she could choose to kill or cut them as she pleased.

If not, keeping them as toys was also a good choice.

But this onmyoji in front of her not only did not get drunk, but also clearly identified the concept of "wine."

This meant one thing—he was not affected at all!

How could this be?!

As a human, there should be no possibility of resisting this wine fragrance!

Shuten Douji forced herself to think about all this quickly.

Suddenly, she realized a possibility.

Indeed.

Humans can't resist.

But—

What if the other party is not human at all?

There's no way that's true, right?!

Shuten Douji stared wide-eyed, scanning him over and over again.

No.

She couldn't tell.

This appearance looked like a person from the capital.

But the wine breath could not deceive her.

Then—

There was only one way to verify it.

Thump.

Thump.

Shuten Douji's heart was beating violently.

Her eyes turned blood red, and her whole body exuded a heat that was no less than the surrounding flames.

This was the state she showed when her body was activated as an oni.

[Shuten Douji rushed towards you at an unimaginable speed.]

[This was unexpected.]

[She bit your shoulder.]

[Blood immediately flowed from the wound.]

It was an illusion of skin being torn.

Ian felt as if two spears had pierced his body.

As an oni, Shuten Douji's teeth, even if they were just teeth, carried a strong oni aura.

But he did not surrender.

When she came close to bite him, it also meant that he came close to her.

Enduring the pain on one shoulder, the great onmyoji raised the weapon in his hand.

He knew he had to kill Shuten Douji.

This was for the safety of Minamoto no Yorimitsu's Heian-kyo, and also for his adopted son Watanabe no Tsuna.

But unexpected things happened.

Before Ian could insert his knife into Shuten Douji's body, she let go.

The oni raised her head and looked at him with an incredible look.

"What are you?"

"What?!"

Ian didn't react for a moment.

And Shuten Douji took the opportunity to leave him quickly.

She took a few steps back subconsciously and said in an incredible tone:

"You guy, you have neither human aura."

"Nor are you an oni."

"What kind of monster are you?"

"What are you talking about?!"

Ian looked at Shuten Douji in front of him, feeling that she was talking nonsense.

"I am—"

Before he could finish speaking, the great onmyoji felt something was triggered in his body by Shuten Douji's bite.

Thousands of images began to flash back in his mind.

A large amount of memory appeared before his eyes.

Words that had not been heard for a long time were completed at this moment.

"Your name is—"

"Abe no Taishin."

"I'm sorry... but for the Minamoto clan, you have to bear these."

A man looked at Ian and said apologetically.

Who was that?

What was he talking about?!

Ian felt his head was about to be filled, and another glance would cause it to explode.

With a clang.

The blade in his hand fell to the ground.

Ian knelt on the ground, clutching his head and screaming.

The great onmyoji, who was still high-spirited a second ago, turned into such a haggard state in the next second.

This should have been a scene that made Shuten Douji ecstatic.

But the taste lingering on her mouth at this moment made her unable to be happy.

This great onmyoji was strange!

He absolutely could not be left alive!

He had to die here!

For her Mount Oe!

Restraining the fear in her heart, Shuten Douji prepared to kill Ian.

But at this moment, she heard the thunder that shook the entire Mount Oe.

The next moment.

A loud shout came without explanation.

"Give me back my husband!"

Boom!

The thunder fell.

The sea of fire that originally enveloped the two was cut open by lightning in an instant.

A purple figure appeared there.

With a flick of the wrist.

Red and black blood spurted from Shuten Douji's neck.

Glug glug.

A head rolled to Minamoto no Yorimitsu's feet.

In the moment of closing her eyes, the oni king of Mount Oe heard a series of whispers.

"No one can take my husband away from me..."

"No one can..."

"No one can ever..."

The fate of the warrior seemed to turn again.

The divine ox and the wise fox.