| Author: Carrot Sauce | Original Source: SFACG | Word Count: 3182 characters |
| Translator: LazyButAmbitious | English Source: Re:Library | Word Count: 1544 words |
| Editor(s): Robinxen | ||
The wound was far too grievous!
Once, Shuten Doji was a mere monk from Mount Ibuki. His strikingly handsome features stirred envy from all around, fostering in him a resentment that eventually twisted him into a demon. It was eight or nine hundred years ago since that fateful transformation.
Now, he faced an injury more severe than any he’d ever known. To add further insult, the infliction was from a woman. Even if she was extraordinarily beautiful, in his view, she was just one in a sea of women born to serve his desires.
Yet, a mere woman dared to threaten his life!
His desire to capture both Lily and Ayaka was usurped by a fury that erupted from the heart of his ancient cruelty and tyranny.
He wanted to end Lily’s life, and those of everyone around!
Shuten had fully embraced his ferocious, ancient demon form. His true visage was now revealed.
Boom! A terrifying demonic aura burst out as he morphed into an enormous, grotesque monster cloaked in thick black fur. His head sported two menacing, sharp horns. A sinister, blood-red slit marked his mouth. His terrifying eyes, reminiscent of two malevolent stars in the underworld, bore into Lily.
Even Lily found herself taken aback by this horrifying demon. It was hard for her to comprehend that Shuten Doji’s true form was so repugnant.
The demon, though standing only four meters tall for the convenience of ground combat, emanated a petrifying aura. With a mighty leap, it landed on the colossal black mountain hovering in the blood-red sky.
“Awroo—!”
Shuten let out a haunting howl, sending a shiver through the hearts of all beings. With a mighty thrust, he drove his halberd, Kurokinsui, into the mountain’s summit.
Suddenly, a symphony of female cries echoed through the mountain.
The world projection of Mount Ibuki erupted, expelling a golden torrent reaching towards the sky. It seemed the wrath of Shuten’s soul world had been unleashed.
The once halberd Kurokinsui now took on the form of a hefty, weathered machete. Mysterious, sinister patterns crawled along the blade, the soul imprints of countless suffering women!
The weapon radiated an evil aura of colossal magnitude.
“Kagami Lily, your end is nigh! Become one with the countless tormented female souls of Mount Ibuki! You will be trapped forever, deprived of reincarnation, condemned to eternal suffering through endless purgatorial cycles!” Shuten’s voice was now a coarse, spine-chilling growl, unlike any he’d spoken in before.
Whoosh! The black-furred demon vanished from the mountain’s top in a shadowy blur.
“Danger!” Lily gasped.
In an instant, Shuten loomed above Lily, slashing down his soul-imprinted machete.
Lily rolled away just in time.
Boom!
The machete’s impact cracked the earth open, causing a ravine several miles long. Magma burst from the depths1, forcing the sisters to scatter2.
The crimson lava reflected off Lily’s beautiful face. “Shuten Doji!” she cried, gripping Yasutsuna tightly, leaping over the ravine3 to strike at the monstrous demon.
Clang!
Shuten’s eyes left eerie light trails in the darkness. With a casual swing of his mighty machete, he sent Lily and her sword flying.
Boom! In a moment, she slammed into a mountain, causing a rockslide.
“What?!” Ayaka, battling with Hagewashi, exclaimed in shock, “Shuten Doji’s power has grown!”
“Master!” Yuki-Onna hurled an ice spear at Shuten.
Ding! With a swipe of his claw, Shuten shattered the spear. His arm coated in ice, but a sardonic smile lurked in his eyes. Circulating his demonic power, the golden symbols beneath his fur wriggled, rapidly thawing his arm.
“Die!” he roared.
The giant gourd targeted Yuki-Onna, ejecting a scorching stream of molten gold at her!
Yuki-Onna promptly raised large ice blocks for defense, but they quickly melted away under the torrent’s heat.
Swish! Shuten’s machete whirred through the air.
The blade’s aura, filled with the tortured forms of numerous women, wailed a pitiful cry. Yuki-Onna quickly summoned a seven-layer ice shield, but the barriers were shattered, layer by layer!
“Ah—!” Yuki-Onna was flung thousands of meters away by the potent blade’s aura.
“Yuki-Onna!” Ayaka cried out, raising her naginata high to strike at Shuten.
“Ayaka! Be careful!”
Abruptly, a wave of demonic attacks from behind forced her to pivot and defend herself.
Yet, as she turned, Shuten quickly whirled around, facing her back and opening his wide, blood-stained mouth.
Ptooey!
Two eerie, nude female vengeful spirits were ejected from Shuten’s enormous mouth. They were linked to his mouth like a bifurcated, extended tongue. These spirits moved with supernatural speed, entangling Ayaka from behind.
In a swift move, Shuten shook his head, using the ensnared spirits to brutally smash Ayaka into the ground.
Boom!
The ground gave way, and Hagewashi seized the opportunity, swooping in to assail Ayaka with more demonic arts.
Suddenly, a blade of violet light flashed from beneath the rocky debris, severing the connection between Shuten and the vengeful spirits.
Roar!
Shuten roared in pain, his blood-soaked tongue writhing.
Standing atop the rubble, Lily’s black hair billowed out around her as she clutched the violently shaking Yasutsuna.
“Don’t mess with my sisters!” she declared, transforming into a prism of light and launching herself at Shuten.
“Hehehehe, all of you will perish sooner or later!” Shuten retorted, rushing towards Lily with his ghostly machete brandished, marked by countless wrathful spirits.
Bzzt!
Dark red serpentine figures, shaped like agonized female faces, surged towards Lily, aiming to strike.
“Oh no!”
This attack could potentially immobilize Lily. Both parties were charging, leaving no room for evasion. In that critical moment, Lily chose to disregard defense, unleashing all her power instead. A direct clash between Shuten’s machete and Lily’s Yasutsuna was inevitable.
Shing!
Just before the weapons collided, Lily’s blade swerved slightly. The tip of her sword just grazed Shuten’s machete, pushing it off its intended path and sparking in the process.
Pfft! Dark red demonic blood splattered.
Lily’s weapon pierced Shuten’s sturdy body, and due to her blade’s deviation, Shuten’s machete only scratched her shoulder.
“Argggh!”
Shuten howled in pain while his other claw viciously swiped at Lily. She dodged in time, her skirt tearing under the ghostly assault.
Rip!
After a swift roll, Lily put some distance between herself and Shuten. This haphazard sword technique saved her life. A direct trade of blows would have gravely wounded Shuten, but at the cost of her life.
Continuing the fight, Lily delivered a weaker but still effective slash, exacerbating Shuten’s injuries. He felt as though he was teetering on the brink of death.
Inside Shuten Doji, a sea of blood churned. In its midst floated a vibrant red origin soul, surrounded by five stellar souls. Suddenly, these souls radiated an intense light.
These souls of the Big Dipper Stage flared up, making the sea of blood seethe.
This was Stellar Soul Ignition, a secret technique used only by Big Dipper Stage experts. It could momentarily boost power significantly, but at the cost of a serious depletion of strength. Unless in a dire situation, it was generally avoided.
As the world quaked, the apparition of Mount Ibuki began to fracture. Huge rocks tumbled down, hinting at an imminent collapse.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Blood-hued lightning bolts rained down from the dark red sky. Above Mount Ibuki, five brilliant, blood-red stars emerged, representing the fully unleashed power of a Big Dipper Stage powerhouse.
“What…?”
Lily was stunned. She had been harboring a shred of hope in her desperate struggle, but facing this overwhelming, otherworldly power, a profound fear welled up within her. It was a fear that stemmed from despair.
“Kagami Lily, this is where you die,” Shuten gloated, his mouth stretching into a grotesque grin.
Swoosh!
In an instant, Shuten vanished from sight.
“What?!” Taken aback, Lily scanned her surroundings but found no trace of Shuten. His speed was so great that she couldn’t track him. Suddenly, a strong killing intent emanated from behind her. Reacting instinctively, she rolled aside.
Boom! A blade crashed down where she had been standing, splitting the earth and causing lava to spew out. His speed phenomenal, Shuten delivered a formidable backhand strike, its dark golden aura palpable.
Boom! The impact felt like countless steel swords hitting her back, causing her immense pain as she was hurled away.
“Bind!”
Shuten commanded, and one of the blood-red stars in the sky descended onto his natal treasure, a gigantic wine gourd. Four century-old spirits erupted from the gourd, materializing into four intimidating and enchanting female ghosts. They extended long golden ropes towards Lily. Despite her dazed state, Lily managed to dodge one, but the others ensnared her.
With a trio of echoing snaps, golden ropes bound Lily’s legs and waist, abruptly halting her mid-flight.
“Ah…” The sudden impact inflicted unbearable pain on Lily.
A sonorous boom echoed, and Shuten, leaving a trail of dark malevolence in his wake, shot towards Lily at a terrifying speed. In no time, he was upon her, his machete swinging ruthlessly towards her waist.
Eyes narrowing in defiance, Lily spun around swiftly, holding Yasutsuna defensively in her grasp.
The distinct clang of metal on metal resonated, filling the sky with the sound of their clash.
Then, with an earth-shattering bang, Lily, still ensnared by the golden ropes, plummeted. Her impact with the ground left a deep crater in its wake4.
