Meeting Ushi-Gozen, the Secret of Minamoto no Yorimitsu's Past

An appearance identical to Minamoto no Yorimitsu?

Ian, upon hearing this, suddenly realized something.

He looked at Ibaraki Douji before him, hesitated for a moment, and continued to ask:

"Then—"

"Where is she?"

"Where... where?"

Ibaraki Douji's expression was somewhat complex.

She couldn't understand why this ordinary human, who claimed to be Shuten Douji's "servant," wanted to find that woman who was wandering around the island, slaying oni with a sword.

No.

To be precise, it wasn't just slaying oni.

It was inciting oni to do evil first, for the sake of slaying them.

The huge red oni that had been chasing her earlier was released by her in an unknown way.

This was something Ibaraki Douji couldn't understand at all.

She was at a loss for a moment and had to secretly look at Shuten Douji, trying to get some advice from her.

Shuten Douji hesitated for a while and finally nodded in response.

This was an "instruction" to "follow his lead."

"Over there."

Having received a response, Ibaraki Douji pointed to the highest cliff on Oni Island.

"She often appears there."

"Alright, I understand."

Ian walked past the two oni with a serious expression and headed straight for the cliff.

"Shuten..."

Ibaraki Douji pointed at Ian's departing figure and asked worriedly:

"Is he going to see that woman?"

"..."

Shuten Douji looked at Ian's back, a hint of confusion in her purple eyes.

"I don't know either."

"After all—"

"I'm not human."

[You temporarily left Shuten Douji and Ibaraki Douji.]

[You walked past the corpse of the giant red oni.]

[You climbed the cliff pointed to by Ibaraki Douji.]

[You saw a familiar figure.]

[Talent Great Onmyoji++ activated: You confirm that the scene before you is not caused by oni external forces, but a real figure.]

[You walked towards her.]

"Yorimitsu?"

Ian looked at the familiar figure gazing at the sea and asked:

"Is that you?"

Hearing the voice, the figure paused and slowly turned around.

At the moment of eye contact, Ian felt every inch of his skin trembling.

The person before him had an almost identical face to Minamoto no Yorimitsu, the only difference being that her eyes had almost lost all color.

Everything was as Ibaraki Douji had said earlier.

"She" had a strong oni aura.

Of course, this wasn't the feeling she exuded—but because the blade in her hand was stained with too much "thought" after the death of oni, which affected her.

However, "she" didn't seem to care about this at all.

"Why is it you?"

"She" raised the sword in her hand and pointed it at Ian.

"My letter wasn't addressed to you, was it?"

"..."

With just this sentence, Ian quickly confirmed the identity of the person before him.

After all, apart from himself and Shuten Douji, there was only one name left who knew about the letter.

"Ushi-Gozen, is that you?"

"Yes, it's me." The other party answered directly.

Ian had to admit.

Although she looked almost identical to Minamoto no Yorimitsu, Ushi-Gozen exuded an extremely cold attitude.

Her blade flashed white light under the lightning.

Normal people would probably be scared when they saw such a scene and worry about being beheaded.

But Ian wasn't worried about these.

He just wanted to figure everything out.

"Why do you look like Yorimitsu?"

"Because I am her, and she is me."

Ushi-Gozen answered Ian's question expressionlessly.

"Since we are one, we will naturally have the same appearance."

[You realize that this may be related to the battle of Mount Oe.]

[Perhaps it was Minamoto no Yorimitsu's choice at that time that led to the birth of Ushi-Gozen.]

[But how exactly was this done?]

[You don't know.]

"So, you are Yorimitsu?"

Ushi-Gozen shook her head.

"Not exactly."

"She can become me, but I won't turn back into her."

"What do you mean?"

Ian looked at Ushi-Gozen before him, his expression becoming serious.

"That's none of your business."

Ushi-Gozen returned Ian's gaze with her eyes, without a trace of emotion.

"The one I want to see is Minamoto no Yorimitsu, not you."

"Tell her to come see me."

"..."

Ian was silent for a while and shook his head.

"No, I can't."

"Why?" Ushi-Gozen looked at the man before her. "I clearly told her in the letter to come to Oni Island, right?"

"But I didn't tell her."

Ian stated the reason directly.

"So she didn't come here with me."

"..."

Ushi-Gozen looked at the man before her, finally showing some change in her face.

It was just an unhappy expression.

"Abe, do you know what you're doing?"

"I know." Ian was not afraid of Ushi-Gozen's angry tone.

"I chose to hide it from her and come here because I didn't want Yorimitsu to come here."

"Ushi-Gozen, tell me everything."

"Why do you know so much about Heian-kyo? And why did you call Yorimitsu here?"

"Tell me everything."

[Ushi-Gozen is looking at you.]

[Although she has an almost identical appearance to Minamoto no Yorimitsu, you can clearly feel the difference between her and her.]

[Perhaps, as Ushi-Gozen herself said.]

[There is some kind of inseparable but completely different connection between her and Minamoto no Yorimitsu, right?]

"..."

Ushi-Gozen was silent for a long time.

She seemed to be considering whether to tell Ian something.

Finally, she spoke:

"Although my cognition tells me that I shouldn't tell you these things."

"But since you chose to come here, I think you have the right to listen to all of this."

"You—"

Ushi-Gozen looked at Ian before her.

"You should still remember the reason why Minamoto no Yorimitsu came to find you in the first place, right?"

"Learn the art of slaying oni and revitalize the Minamoto clan."

Ian didn't hesitate at all and answered Ushi-Gozen's question directly.

He still remembered the way Minamoto no Yorimitsu threatened him with a sword.

To be honest.

She was the only one who dared to do this.

Although the result was useless, at least the performance was full.

So to this day, Ian still remembers Minamoto no Yorimitsu's purpose—and in fact, she is indeed working hard for all of this.

Now she is the pillar of the entire Minamoto clan.

Ian was naturally very happy about this.

"Yes, you really remember everything, just like she remembered."

Ushi-Gozen changed the subject.

"But if I say—"

"This revitalization comes at a price?"

[You are silent.]

[In fact, you have already noticed some clues.]

[After all, as Minamoto no Yorimitsu's teacher, you can feel her swordsmanship gradually changing.]

[The most obvious of these is the power of lightning.]

[That level should definitely not be something that can be used under normal circumstances.]

"So Ushi-Gozen, what exactly is the price?" Ian confirmed again.

"I've already said it—"

Ushi-Gozen's eyes returned to their ruthless look.

"It's to become me."

"Whether it's Minamoto no Yorimitsu or me."

"We are all the messengers of Gozu Tennō—something that the Minamoto clan had to summon to maintain the prosperity of the family."

"Minamoto no Yorimitsu will get closer and closer to me, until everything is irreversible, and finally become an existence that only knows how to slay oni."

[You realize the purpose of Oni Island.]

[This is a manifestation of Ushi-Gozen's slaughter of oni.]

[She has been killing these oni here day after day, until you came here.]

[You know this is an endless torment.]

"But—"

Ian looked at Ushi-Gozen before him.

"If this is the case, why did you send oni to Heian-kyo?"

Hearing this, Ushi-Gozen looked at the sea in the thunder.

"I want her to realize that something was wrong and get her attention."

"But from what I see now—my idea doesn't seem to have achieved its intended effect."

"So you wrote a letter to Yorimitsu later?"

"Yes."

"Because of Minamoto no Yorimitsu, I have complete memories of Kyoto." Ushi-Gozen continued to explain everything, "So doing these things is not difficult."

[You have a further understanding of Ushi-Gozen's purpose.]

[You gradually realize that she doesn't have the hostility towards Minamoto no Yorimitsu that you imagined.]

[On the contrary, she seems very worried about Minamoto no Yorimitsu becoming herself.]

"So—"

"You just want to stop Yorimitsu from becoming you?"

Ian took a deep breath and asked.

"Not entirely."

The oni slayer before him gripped her weapon, turned her back to Ian, and answered.

"I just think this shouldn't be the path we take."

"But—"

Ian looked at the back that was somewhat similar to Minamoto no Yorimitsu, but not entirely the same.

"In that case, how could you and Yorimitsu coexist?"

"If she became you, she shouldn't exist."

"And if she didn't become you, you shouldn't exist."

"That's theoretically true."

Ushi-Gozen drew her blade and pointed it at the dark sky above.

Thunder rumbled like a charging bull.

"But there is something on this island that provides the power for me to exist temporarily."

"..."

[You recall the legend of Oni Island that Shuten Douji told you.]

[It is said that something that can fulfill all wishes is buried on this island.]

[If it is really as powerful as the legend says, maintaining the existence of Ushi-Gozen and Minamoto no Yorimitsu at the same time doesn't seem difficult.]

[But you suddenly realize a problem.]

[That is Ushi-Gozen's purpose.]

[She is here to prevent herself from appearing.]

[How to do that?]

[In an instant, you suddenly understand.]

"Your initial purpose was to have Yorimitsu kill you here?"

Ian looked at Ushi-Gozen before him and spoke his mind.

"In this way, there will be no 'Minamoto no Yorimitsu becoming Ushi-Gozen'."

"You think this can solve all the problems, right?"

Ushi-Gozen paused—she didn't seem to expect Ian to understand her thoughts.

However, she quickly let it go.

The oni slayer turned around and looked at Ian.

"Yes."

"So you understand how foolish it was for you to keep Minamoto no Yorimitsu from coming here, right?"

"Abe, you messed everything up."

"But this was never going to work, was it?"

Ian retorted Ushi-Gozen's words without mercy.

"Yes."

"You might be able to have Minamoto no Yorimitsu kill you."

"But—"

"Nothing will change, will it?"

"She will still become you and stand on this Oni Island."

"..."

[Your words hit Ushi-Gozen's heart.]

[She looked at you, gradually losing her previous composure.]

[You realize that this may be something that has troubled her for many years since the battle of Mount Oe.]

"Then what should I do?"

Ushi-Gozen looked at Ian before her.

"This is the only way I can think of."

She may have realized all of this long ago—but she had to try all the seemingly foolish methods.

Realizing this, Ian thought for a moment and answered:

"You don't have to do anything."

"I don't have to do anything?"

"Yes."

Ian looked directly at the face that was almost identical to Minamoto no Yorimitsu.

"This is not something you should consider."

"You, who are cursed by the slaying of oni, have suffered enough."

"So—"

"Leave the rest to me."

"Leave it to you?"

"Yes, leave it to me." Ian nodded, "I will definitely find a way to keep her from becoming you."

"I guarantee it to you as a great onmyoji."

"..."

The thunder in the sky gradually subsided.

The dark clouds that were originally flashing with lightning gradually dissipated.

The open white light shone on Ushi-Gozen.

Her expressionless face gradually lifted at the corners of her mouth, finally forming a faint smile.

"I understand."

"In that case, I can only believe you."

"Then—"

"Take it away with you."

As soon as Ushi-Gozen finished speaking, a golden light appeared in front of Ian.

A golden double-eared grail appeared before him—this was clearly the foundation she was talking about.

"Ushi-Gozen, this..."

"It's okay, take it away—it's just right to make this Oni Island disappear completely."

"I just hope you can keep your promise and not let her become me."

"Then—"

Ushi-Gozen looked at Ian, with a little more emotion in her eyes than before.

"Goodbye... no, never again."

"I never want to see you again."

[Talent Depleted Holy Grail Obtained: You obtained a holy grail that maintains the existence of Oni Island and Ushi-Gozen.]

[It feels a bit familiar.]

[But at this moment, you don't have the mind to think about its meaning.]

[Because you feel that Oni Island is about to fall apart.]

[For you.]

[And for Ushi-Gozen's wish.]

[You must leave here as soon as possible.]