Vol 5 Chapter 8 (1/2)
Chapter 8: The Demon's Funeral Fire
When Nagi abruptly regained consciousness, she was sitting on the bank of a small pond in a park-like area
Eh? She looked around dazedly The ‘pond’ actually appeared to be the i looked down at herself She was barefoot and still in pajamas, now mud-splattered
“Ah”
Her otten here? When? She should be in bed in her own room Why had she woken up in this place? Why?
(Was I sleep-walking?)
Increasing afraid, she instinctively hugged herself
(Whathappened to me?!)
She looked around A towering stone wall encircled themist enveloped the park and what looked like the ruins of a castle She could hear the faraway clanging of an electric train, but no other signs of life And—then
“!”
Nagi spun reflexively at a rustling behind her
“Is—is someone there?”
There was the sound of feet treading over grass Nagi tensed in fear A figure appeared—and she screamed the moment she saw it clearly
“Aaaah!”
The figure had resolved itself not into a person, but into a blood-covered warrior in cru helm and armor It was a «nue» of the Oda, sent to hunt her down—and now, at last, hunt her down it had The warrior was not alone It howled the moment it saw her, and its coathering around her, one after another, all of theled and torn
Nagi was so terrified that she had lost even her ability to scream Her body was as paralyzed as her voice
The warriors unsheathed their swords as they approached No doubt they intended to kill Nagi while her consciousness, not the ‘Hiragumo’s, was in control
“N-no” Nagi sta so hard her teeth clattered Tears slid down her cheeks “Don’t!”
And the warriors brandished their swords and attacked!
“Aaaaah!”
Nagi and the spirit warriors screahostly bodies, out of which a dark si’s body
“Aaaheeeek!”
A strange discomfort filled her The warriors crumbled in place as their bodies broke apart and evaporated into the air The black smoke, the stolen spiritual power of the warriors, spread into Nagi’s every pore
“Wh!”
The power filled her to her fingertips, co her in a way she had never known before The sensation bewildered and frightened her
(What in the world is happening to me?!)
The warriors’ gaze on her was different now, tinged with obvious fear
«She destroyed our brothers»
«She is our enemy!»
«Kill!»
Nagi cried out in terror “No! I didn’t do anything!”
Unheeding of her pleas, the warriors drew their swords
«She cannot be allowed to live!»
«Kill her!»
They raised their swords Nagi screamed But then a voice—!
“Sheathe your swords”
The low, hoarse co in surprise in the direction of the voice, she saw a short hunchbacked man appear out of the mist
“This monster cannot be killed at the hand of any «nue» If you should attack carelessly, your poill only be stolen away like that of your brethren”
The ghostly warriors shuddered and retreated Nagi shi+vered in overwhel terror The old man turned dull leaden eyes towards her and said, his voice the raven’s harsh croak, “Art thou afraid? How strange For ’tis ho are very much afraid of thee”
“Who are you?” Nagi gathered up her courage to ask “Whatis happening? What did I”
“You i’s eyes opened wide as a sun-tanned young man with a dauntless face appeared—Sassa Nari into the search for Nagi, finding her a step ahead of Takaya, Naoe, and Chiaki Looking at the trei, Narimasa added, his voice cal Well, no matter You will soon be dead in any case If youinside you: the ‘Hiragumo’, and the one who invaded you with the parasite in the first place, Matsunaga Hisahide”
“MatsunagaHisahide?”
“Your body is no longer yours alone You are sharing it with the ‘Hiraguless Once you beco inside your body is dangerous to us in the extre with your body”
“Who are you? Who are you people?!” Nagi shouted, forgetting her fear “You were the ones who attacked me, weren’t you?! What are you!”
Narimasa stopped Akanue as he opened his mouth to speak and replied coeneral Oda nobunaga I caa Danjou Hisahide at Mt shi+gi”
“O-Oda nobunaga” Nagi repeated, stunned Even she recognized that a’s vassal? And Matsunaga Hisahide—wasn’t that the naoverned this area during the Sengoku?
What was this ?!
What had she stepped into?!
“The parasite living inside thy body is Matsunaga Hisahide’s secret weapon, a terrifying oku» We cannot siive me!”
“!”
Nari man appeared to be quite serious She didn’t understand anything but the fact that he was going to kill her She didn’t want to die She didn’t want to die!
“I will protect thee”
The Dragon God’s proi desperately threw out a silent cry for help
(Save on God!)
She screaht, “Save me! Chiaki-san!”
“!”
Chiaki turned as he was about to step into the car He had felt a strong «mind-call» from the north
(It’s Nagi!)
Naoe and Takaya stopped and looked at him They had exterminated Hisahide’s hoihoi fire and had been about to pick up the trail once etora, where is the Gohou Douji?”
Takaya looked at the dagger and blanched at the scene reflected there
(Oh shi+t!)
He shouldn’t have taken his eyes off of it Nagi was surrounded by «nue» Oda’s?!
They were out of time!
Takaya said in a tight voice, “Nagi’s been found by the Oda Chiaki, synchronize with ate I’ll relay what the Gohou Douji is seeing”
“Kagetora, what are you?”
“I’ to synchronize with the Gohou Douji’s ‘body’ I’ll have hii until we arrive Naoe, step on it Head due north You’re racing against time! Don’t stop for any reason!”
“Understood!” Naoe released the hand break even as he responded, without pausing to check if Takaya and Chiaki were fully in the car The car shot forward before the doors could close coer, then bit his finger and held it over the blade He said to the Gohou Douji as drops of his blood fell onto it, “Bestow upon me the ‘spirit’ of the Dharma of the Sword!”
The blood instantly dissolved into the blade, and Takaya’s consciousness ht Takaya’s tilting body against his side, also chanting: “Naubou bagyabatei ushunishaya on roro soboro jinbara chishuta shi+dda roshani sarabaarata sadaniei sowaka—”
Sensation stirred within his soul His vision y synchronization, a unique technique which could only be invoked between those with especially high spiritual powers; Kagetora and Nagahide were the only Yasha-shuu capable of this difficult feat Chiaki opened his eyes The Gohou Douji’s vision, relayed by Takaya, imposed itself over Chiaki’s visual perception He expanded the reach of his spirit sensing antenna in a wide circle to pinpoint the Gohou Douji’s location
“Anything, Nagahide?”
“Not far North We’re close—it’s around Kooriyama Hmn?”
The scene the Gohou Douji looked upon was familiar There was a moat Castle ruins perhaps, with railroad tracks close by It was
“I got it, Naoe! That’s Kooriyama Castle!”
“What?!”
“I’i is!”
“Kooriyama Castle!”
Naoe twisted the wheel sharply The Presia accelerated wildly towards Yamato-Kooriyama on a seldom-used road
“Ugh!” Nari in his tracks with naked sword in hand
“!”
Nagi gasped in surprise Akanue and the other nue also sucked in ai down—
The golden Douji, bearer of a thousand swords, suddenly whirled down into the space between them
“Wh-what is that!”
“Narimasa-dono! That’s!”
The Gohou Douji of the Sword stood protectively in front of Nagi, blocking Narimasa’s way
(This isthe Dragon God?) Nagi thought, stunned and bewildered
“Nari controlled by the Uesugi—Gohou Douji of the Sword, servant of Bishamonten!”
“What? Uesugi?!”
Nari The synchronization of his spiritual energy with that of the Gohou Douji allowed Takaya toto his will TheYasha-shuu, who served Uesugi Kenshi+n, God of War, could also be called servants to the heavenly deities Through Kagetora’s own spiritual power and the divine power of «choubuku» granted to him by Bishay with others who served him
“damn you, I won’t let you interfere!”
Narimasa attacked the Gohou Douji with «nenpa» The plasolden film that covered the Douji’s body and scattered
“You!”
His attack frustrated, Nariraceful swish, the Gohou Douji’s swords fanned across his back like the feathers of a peacock’s tail
Several hundred swords shot towards Narimasa and the nue!
“Ugh!”
Anger warped Narioshi+nha» to protect hi towards him
“You iy erupted froan between the two combatants!
Nagi stared speechlessly at the unbelievable scene in front of her What was this? What was happening here? What
«Nagi»
Nagi started and lifted her head So directly into her mind
Who?
«I will protect you, Nagi»
A man’s voice she had heard somewhere before
«These people are your enemies Our enemies They will hurt you They will hurt us»
Enemies—
People anted to kill her Enemies Those who had hurt her, rejected her She suddenly saw theain: her relatives, people who had treated her and her mother like insects to be crushed underfoot Her stepfather, who had married her mother only to use her, and then driven her to suicide
«I ai!»
This voice Yes, this voice belonged to—
The Dragon God!
The terrible «power» of the two co a squall thattrees The air between theht!
“!”
A car screeched to a halt nearby Naoe and Chiaki alighted and i into the battle between the Gohou Douji and Narimasa
“Over here!” Chiaki shot a «nenpa» at Nariainst the sudden attack, and was flung back
“Narimasa-dono!”
Akanue and the other nue leapt into an attack against Naoe and Chiaki as soon as they saw the Yasha-shuu reinforcements
“Ugh!”
Naoe encircled hi the oncoht
“da into one fiercely glaring eye
At thatfrom behind them
Creak creak
“What the!”
They spun Cracks darted through the tall stone wall in the blink of an eye
The wall cru boom Naoe and Chiaki reflexively leapt nearly five meters back to either side, but the «nue» were on them in a flash
“!”
The wreckage of the wall shot out in all directions like a storoshi+nha» shi+elds, but it was all they could do to protect theainst the fierce attack The Gohou Douji, in synchrony with Takaya, coolden swords shot forth, but were cooshi+nha»
“!”
Naoe whirled He had gotten separated from Takaya, whose body lay defenseless while he controlled the Gohou Douji
(Dammit!)
Akanue was certainly aware of that fact “There!” He shouted, blasting a «nenpa» charged with all his power at the car where they had left Takaya Vreen—Naoe encircled hioshi+nha»
“Ugh!”
A terrible flash of plas in all directions
“asshole!” Chiaki yelled as he mowed down the «nue» They screamed as they were tossed aside, but instantly recovered, brandishi+ng their swords Chiaki spat in disgust and foresture of Bishamonten
“Ari nari tonari anaro nabi kunabi!”
He attacked the swarm of «nue»
“ (bai)!”
The onryou disappeared with a sharp crack of air Turning, Chiaki shouted, “Naoe! Kagetora, withdraw! We’re too thinly spread!”
Naoe shouted towards the Gohou Douji, “Kagetora-sao back! Hurry!”
Narimasa’s fierce attack had strained the synchronization between Takaya and the Gohou Douji He was being pressed back If he slipped and any part of the Gohou Douji were injured, then Kagetora hih their bond
“Kagetora-sama! Hurry!”