Chapter 115 – Time-Space Slash! The Shikon Jewel Appears!

Chapter 115 – Time-Space Slash! The Shikon Jewel Appears!

Renji picked up the fallen So'unga from the ground, a strange feeling rising in his heart. This sword had always been in the hands of the Inu no Taishō.

And it wasn't like in the anime, where the Inu no Taishō was injured.

Why had this weapon appeared here now?

"As expected of Renji. He really did it."

From a distance, a trace of relief flashed in the Inu no Taishō's eyes. He had been worried that Renji might be in danger. After all, Renji was up against both So'unga and his archenemy, Ryūkotsusei, working together.

Originally, he had planned to step in if Renji couldn't handle it. But it looked like Renji might truly be able to resolve it on his own.

"Young Master Renji really is powerful now."

Izayoi nodded beside him, analyzing the situation. But thinking about Renji's personality, she felt a bit troubled. Life was definitely not going to be easy for her in the future.

Sesshōmaru had a cold nature, while Renji had inherited Lady Seirei's cunning. Sesshōmaru wouldn't even stay by his side, but Renji would drag her along—and each time, she nearly ended up dead from it.

Cold-blooded types may seem heartless, but they were definitely easier to deal with than manipulative ones.

"What is that?"

The Inu no Taishō narrowed his eyes from afar, watching as Susanoo fully revealed itself.

He had actually fused energy with his true canine-yōkai form.

What on earth was that?

Why did that brat Renji have so many bizarre abilities?

"Milord, that thing looks really powerful," Izayoi said, even from a distance sensing the oppressive force.

Renji was clearly growing stronger and stronger. In the past, Izayoi could at least roughly estimate his strength. But now, she couldn't make heads or tails of it anymore.

"He is indeed strong. It seems he's acquired some extraordinary power. Looks like if Inu no Shiro is handed over to him, he'll be able to protect it well."

"Huh?"

Izayoi's face twisted bitterly. She had known this would happen, but damn—it really was the end of her peaceful days.

Looks like she'd better follow the Inu no Taishō. If she stayed with Renji, she was going to get played to death.

"Space? He can cut through space?"

A flash of disbelief appeared in Ryūkotsusei's eyes. When the blade slashed toward him, even the surrounding space had been torn apart by Renji.

The defense he prided himself on—how could it possibly stand against someone who could sever space itself?

With a single stroke, Ryūkotsusei was sliced into several pieces and crashed to the ground.

Boom!

Ryūkotsusei's yōkai blood flowed and soaked into the surroundings. As the sinister aura spread with the blood, the surrounding yōkai felt themselves growing stronger.

Many of them stared greedily at the blood—this was the blood of a great yōkai. If they absorbed it, they would definitely grow significantly in power.

The yōkai that had not yet joined the siege on Suiko now rushed toward Ryūkotsusei's spilled blood.

"It's mine! Don't you dare try to take it, or I'll kill you!"

"Amitābha."

Golden light flashed all around as spiritual energy and onmyō arts began attacking the incoming swarm of yōkai.

"This really is a living hell!"

"Just as Master Seimei said. Renji is leading the yōkai to kill the miko Suiko."

"Truly an innately evil yōkai brat!"

?

Renji's eyes twitched as he listened to the words of this group that had suddenly appeared.

Wait?! He was leading the yōkai to kill Suiko?

So these people thought he was the one bringing all the yōkai here?

Something was off!

According to the anime's plot, no one was supposed to come to reinforce anyone at this point. And Seimei? That name—

"It's you?"

Looking at the man leading the group, the confusion in Renji's eyes turned to surprise. He had met this man before—during his first encounter with Suiko.

Back then, he had only found the man strange and sensed that he was an onmyōji. He hadn't expected this person to actually be Abe no Seimei.

"Yes, it's me. I'm sorry, yōkai. Your journey ends here today."

Abe no Seimei nodded with a warm smile.

The hateful souls of humans—present. The powerful blood of a great yōkai—also present. High onmyōji and masters—gathered here. Along with Suiko and countless yōkai, everything needed to forge the Shikon Jewel was in place.

"So everything was your scheme from the start?"

From the moment Renji first saw Seimei, he had felt uneasy. Even though Seimei had seemed gentle like a spring breeze, something had rubbed him the wrong way.

Back then, Renji hadn't had the strength to oppose him and had simply left. But looking at the current situation, Seimei had clearly never stopped scheming against him since that first encounter.

He hadn't come here just to deal with Renji. He was trying to create the Shikon Jewel?

Its appearance in the anime had already been suspicious.

Those yōkai should never have been able to trap Suiko. Fighting for seven days and nights without escape? That was impossible—unless a formation master had sealed her in place.

That would also explain why Suiko died inside that cave.

"You mean now? Yes, I did."

Seimei assumed Renji didn't know the truth and spoke casually, as if just rallying onmyōji and warriors to deal with him.

"The yōkai threat is about to end. Evil can never triumph over justice!"

"Victory is justice? Then all you old bastards better go die!!"

Now that Renji understood what was going on, he stopped holding back. Whether these people had been tricked by Seimei or not didn't matter—since they came, they had to be ready to die!

He had made up his mind: he would walk the path of a king. Anyone who defied him… must be eliminated!

Majestic Form: Susanoo!

The enormous, sky-darkening creature caused a ripple of fear in many of the onmyōji, but they had come to exorcise yōkai—retreating was not an option.

Abe no Seimei watched as the onmyōji masters began clashing with Renji, a faint smile appearing in his eyes.

Glancing toward the battlefield where Suiko was, he saw that, thanks to his deliberate guidance, she was now headed this way.

He only needed the onmyōji to hold Renji off a little longer.

"Big Dog!"

Suiko cried out as she saw Renji surrounded by the onmyōji. Even though Renji was clearly the one slaughtering them singlehandedly, she couldn't help but worry—and also feel confused. Why were they fighting?

"She's here!!"

Seimei's smile deepened. He commanded the yōkai to make way, allowing Suiko to approach Renji.

"Suiko!"

"Big Dog, all of this is…"

Before Suiko could finish, Abe no Seimei let out a chuckle and said, "That's right. All of this was part of my plan. Everything here was arranged by me. A jealous woman abducted by yōkai, harboring hatred… a perfect site soaked in the blood of a powerful yōkai… countless yōkai fused together, along with you masters, and you two—Suiko and Renji, a pair of lovers—are the final keys to forging the Shikon Jewel. As long as you continue fighting, the Jewel will only grow stronger!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Seimei raised his hand, and a barrier array instantly enveloped the entire area.

He had prepared for this moment for a long time—now, everyone was gathered in one place.

"Seimei, what do you mean by this?"

"Heh… you still don't get it? You're all just my pawns."

A faint smile appeared on Seimei's face. At this point, how could they still be so naïve?

All of them were nothing more than pieces on his board. Now that they were trapped within his array, he had no reason to hide his plan any longer.

He waved his arm, and his shikigami pierced the bodies of everyone present, drawing out their souls. The yōkai and Seimei's shikigami then turned their eyes toward the only two still alive: Renji and Suiko.

As for the man who had become a half-yōkai, he had long been under Seimei's control. When Seimei had created him, he had tampered with his body.

"Well then, why don't you both just become part of the Shikon Jewel? If you do, you'll gain eternal life. Suiko, don't you want to be with Renji forever?

And you, Renji—do you want to watch Suiko grow old and lose her? Or go searching for someone else? Just become part of the Jewel, and the two of you can be together for eternity!"

Seimei smiled slyly at Suiko. He had sensed the fluctuation of the four souls within her from the very beginning.

Why?

Because she had once been unwilling to accept death.

She had feared growing old and not being able to stay by Renji's side.

But now, Suiko's heart was firm. Her eyes burned with resolve as she stared at Abe no Seimei and said, "You're truly a pitiful man. I bet you've never experienced love in your entire life."

Suiko had once harbored selfish thoughts, but she had come to understand—so long as she could spend her life with Renji, she was already content.

"There's no need for the Jewel. Suiko and I will walk together to the end. As for you, you filthy rat crawling out of a sewer, go to hell with Ryūkotsusei!"

Renji finished speaking and exchanged a look with Suiko. At that moment, they both sensed their weapons trembling.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

What was that?

They didn't understand it completely, but they could feel that Blade Shadow and Blade Dance were urging them—telling them to strike down the enemy before them.

"Big Dog, I think I'm sensing something miraculous."

Suiko looked at Renji, a hint of disbelief in her eyes.

"It's the power of the Sacred Divine Tree."

"That's right. It's calling out to us!"

As the two spoke, the blades in their hands trembled violently—even Seimei now felt a trace of fear.

The confidence he had before was gone; he could no longer remain composed.

"Time-Space Slash!!"

What—!?

Space?

No.

Why did it feel like time itself was stretching endlessly in this moment?

Renji and Suiko charged at him side by side. Their speed looked slow to Seimei—but even so, he couldn't move. His body was frozen, as if locked in place.

He could only watch as their blades sliced through his body.

In that instant, he watched helplessly as his body began to rapidly age—his time had been stolen.

"Young Master Renji is really something. Looks like he's grasped an incredible new ability!"

From afar, watching the battle unfold, Tōtōsai finally spoke.

He hadn't expected Renji to actually harness the power of the Sacred Divine Tree. More importantly, Renji and Suiko's blades had fulfilled what he had once said—they now gave their wielders unique powers.

It seemed this time, he had truly forged an extraordinary weapon.

"You didn't know what your own sword could do?"

"Some powers have to be discovered by the user."

Tōtōsai responded casually to Izayoi's question.

On the battlefield—

"How…?"

A hint of daze flickered in Seimei's eyes. Just one strike, and he lost?

But he had accounted for everything—everything had gone according to plan. How could he still lose?

He was so close. His Shikon Jewel was almost complete.

Wait!

The Shikon Jewel!

The confusion in Seimei's eyes was suddenly replaced by clarity. A surge of light erupted from his body, as if it were trying to devour everything around it.

At the same time, the array he had cast began to activate. He was trying to forge everything here—including himself—into the Shikon Jewel. He had lost this time, but he would return!

Seimei now looked like a wrathful ghost, his face twisted in hatred as he glared at Renji and Suiko.

"Go!"

Knowing this suicidal array was impossible to stop, Renji grabbed Suiko and fled the area. If they lingered, they'd be consumed by it too.

"He wants to turn himself into the Shikon Jewel?"

"That's right. The array's already activated—there's no stopping it now. And that bastard is more ruthless than I imagined."

Renji had originally planned to kill Seimei while he was weakened.

But after taking a hit from Time-Space Slash, Seimei immediately tried to forge himself into the Jewel.

Seimei really was the most ruthless of all.

After Renji and Suiko escaped the array, everything within was devoured. Renji witnessed the birth of the Shikon Jewel—before it disappeared along with the array.

[Ding! Fate of Suiko rewritten. You have received one lottery chance.]

Just one?

Seimei didn't count?

Or… would Seimei need to be completely destroyed?

Renji felt conflicted. He hadn't expected Suiko to avoid becoming part of the Shikon Jewel—instead, Abe no Seimei paid the price for his own scheme.

Only now, the soul struggle within the Jewel would be different.

Most likely, it would be the high-level onmyōji, Seimei, and countless wicked yōkai locked in conflict.

This would make the Shikon Jewel stronger than before—and even more sinister.

This time, the Shikon Jewel had vanished directly. It seemed future battles over it would only intensify.

But one thing was certain—Renji would find the Jewel again.

And destroy it once and for all.

"We should check on the Sacred Divine Tree again sometime. I feel like it still holds many secrets waiting to be uncovered."

Renji looked at Suiko, then examined Blade Shadow in his hand.

The Sacred Divine Tree… truly was a mysterious power.

(End of Chapter)

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