Shizuki Kaoru's identity was not that of a member of the Kurohimeyama family. He was only there to convey a message on behalf of the head of the family, Miyuki, acting as a secret messenger sent by the head himself. Naturally, he did not receive any special "treatment" in Kasumi City.
Unlike Katura, who was staying in the castle and receiving "guest" treatment, Shizuki Kaoru was staying at an inn in the castle town.
After meeting with Katura, he boarded a lavishly decorated kago (Japanese palanquin) and, under the protection of numerous guards, left the castle to return to his inn for rest.
Boom!
Accompanied by a flash of light and a roar, an explosion rang out.
"Enemy attack!"
The guards shouted, drawing the swords from their waists. Some of the exorcists, clad in armor, raised the guns in their hands. The attacking enemy must have used smoke bombs, as thick black smoke billowed out, obscuring everyone's vision.
It was in this thick fog that a figure swiftly approached, moving as fast as lightning. With a backhand, she knocked out one of the guards with the hilt of her sword.
The other guards swarmed forward, launching their attacks. The figure nimbly countered, as Yomei didn't just rely on her dual swords; she was also skilled in unarmed combat, employing punches and kicks. This must have been the body art passed down within the Tsukigara clan.
She kicked away approaching guards, using the back of her sword or the hilt to stun them. With her current exceptional strength and powerful spiritual energy, dealing with ordinary exorcists from the Kurohimeyama family was a piece of cake.
"Don't let him get close to Lord Kaoru!"
The sorcerers responsible for rear guard duty rushed over. Fire mages unleashed flames from their palms, those skilled in gu arts opened the gourds they carried, and talisman sorcerers scattered rapidly moving talismans.
Flames surged, swarms of gu insects flew out, and the talismans emitted destructive light. These were all attacks on the magical level, including gusts of wind, lightning strikes, ice spears, poison mist, and more, all aimed at the girl.
Attacking spells crisscrossed the air. Even the most powerful individuals would struggle to cope with this level of magical bombardment.
After all, it was like a barrage of gunfire on the battlefield; how could one resist it with mere human strength?
However, in the next second, something unexpected happened—
These attacks rippled outwards from their points of impact, and a hemispherical transparent barrier appeared around the girl. Flames, gu insects, talismans, gusts of wind, lightning strikes, ice spears, and poison mist all stopped just inches away from Yomei.
Next, all the magical attacks shattered into fragments of light, the effect of a Spell Reversal Barrier.
"It's really useful."
Yomei looked at the "Demon-Breaking Gauntlet" on her left hand, the jewel embedded in it emitting a strange light.
This was the Spell Blessing Jewel, capable of embedding a spell invalidating barrier called "Spell Reversal Barrier." As long as this barrier was erected, hardly any spells could penetrate its interference; they would either be reflected or self-destruct.
"Please step back; I don't intend to harm anyone."
Yomei advanced again, scattering the members of the Shell Serpent Squad's continuous stream of blades and spells. The Mizutsu sword displayed a dance of light, fragments flying, longswords and spears breaking, and defensive barriers shattering layer by layer.
"Stop her."
"Don't retreat!"
"Attack..."
Those who approached were injured, but none were killed.
"Get out of the way! Let me handle this!!"
A particularly tall and burly swordsman appeared, roaring as his muscles bulged and he charged forward.
Boom!
He raised his sword, the katana carrying a pressure akin to falling thunder, and slashed down at the girl.
Yomei took a step back, using her wakizashi, Masayo, to parry while simultaneously thrusting out the tip of her blade.
The tall swordsman reacted quickly, drawing his sword back to defend.
The blades of both sides crossed and danced like lightning, unleashing dozens of butterfly-like sparks and sharp metallic sounds.
"Your movements are too slow."
The girl spoke, drawing her conclusion after only a few exchanges. Then, the long tip of her sword flashed horizontally, the blade transforming into a white light. The sound came a few seconds later.
The swordsman staggered back, the sword in his hand reduced to only half its length.
"Sorry, please take a nap first!"
She swung her sword again, lightly striking the opponent's head with the back of the blade, using the impact of her spiritual power to knock out the powerful swordsman, then kicked him away.
"I... don't want to hurt anyone; please all of you step back."
Her gaze swept over the injured sorcerers, guards, and members of the Shell Serpent Squad.
"You can't win against me with just your strength."
Without exception, the injured retreated under her gaze, the girl's eyes now filled with intense fighting spirit.
However, she pointed the sword in her hand towards Shizuki Kaoru in the palanquin.
"Excuse me, could you please come out?"
"Of course."
Shizuki Kaoru walked out of the palanquin with a generous attitude, raising his hands to show that he had no intention of fighting.
"What a beautiful lady; you must be Lady Yomei."
The young man laughed exaggeratedly.
"May I ask, what does Lady Yomei intend to do?"
"Excuse me."
Another figure approached from behind, knocking Shizuki Kaoru unconscious with a wave of his hand.
"Okay, the person has been captured."
Hyakusuke used his stealth technique to get behind and pick up Shizuki Kaoru.
"Let's go..."
The two ignored the others and quickly fled the scene.
Even if the Kurohimeyama family wanted to pursue, they couldn't spare the manpower due to the many injured, not to mention Yomei's combat strength showed that she was not an easy enemy to deal with.
...
"Is this your plan, to capture Shizuki Kaoru to threaten that old woman?"
Katura secretly monitored the chaotic battle in the castle town through a crystal ball placed on the table. She clearly saw Yomei and Hyakusuke capture Shizuki Kaoru.
"Although that woman chose Shizuki Kaoru as her fiancé, frankly, she just found a fake from somewhere to pretend to be the head of the Shizuki family, right?"
She asked with a cold smile, "Don't even mention kidnapping this guy; even if you kill him, I don't think that woman will bat an eye."
"That's not wrong."
Kurohimeyama Mikado's shikigami floated beside her, the shikigami conveying the voice of the former head of the family.
"But that's only in the past."
The petite, zashiki-warashi-like former head of the family shook her head. "Now, my daughter should have some other ideas. I think she must have collaborated with some dangerous figure, and she can't possibly sit idly by about this... Moreover, this guy named Shizuki Kaoru also has a strange background."
"You, could it be that you are doing some kind of test?"
Katura became alert.
A strange sense of unease surfaced in her heart.
"Don't worry."
Mikado said in a deep voice, "Everything is proceeding according to plan. Miyuki has gone too far this time. I am on your side this time."
"I hope so."
Katura was still extremely wary of her grandmother, Mikado.
She didn't believe that such a thing as a free lunch would fall from the sky. Mikado must also have some kind of purpose in helping. She and this old thing were only cooperating with each other.
'I can't just follow the old thing's plan; I must also make some preparations?'
At the same time, Katura was also thinking about another thing.
What was her "sister," Kohagi, doing now?
She found it hard to believe that Kohagi would remain inactive at this time. That woman was definitely planning some evil scheme in secret.
...
"T-That... Hyakusuke, where are we going now?"
Yomei asked in confusion.
"The binding spells and talismans are working. This Shizuki Kaoru won't wake up for a while."
Hyakusuke carried the man into the carriage compartment. After finishing his work, he came over to explain to Yomei.
"Next, we will travel by water to Kyoto. Lord Renjo Senjuro has arranged this for us."
"To Kyoto?"
Yomei was greatly shocked.
"That's right."
Hyakusuke continued to explain, "We are going to find your foster brother, Kukuizuki Ikki. He is one of the Twelve Guardian Warriors... Also, he has another job, which is to supervise the demon-exorcising clans of the Mutsu region on behalf of the Imperial Court."
"Big Brother?"
Yomei lowered her head.
"Wouldn't that drag Big Brother in the capital into this turmoil as well?"
"Lord Kukuizuki's job is to ensure the balance of the Mutsu region."
Hyakusuke explained, "By handing the captured hostage over to him, we will have the 'power' to confront Lord Miyuki."
The value of a hostage depends on who holds it.
The Shizuki clan was, after all, a clan that had committed great crimes. Even the surviving young master, if not caught in the act, was still a suspicious individual.
Kukuizuki Ikki was actually on "our" side. Needless to say, he would do everything to protect Yomei. If the person was handed over to him, this man would handle it properly, using Shizuki Kaoru's identity to create a situation for an exchange of benefits with Kurohimeyama Miyuki.
"Even the prestigious demon-exorcising clans of the north cannot openly defy the Imperial Court. Lord Miyuki will eventually have to settle the matter peacefully."
Hyakusuke added, "On the other hand, your foster brother is also an important minister of the Imperial Court and does not want such a scandal to be exposed. Both sides will calm things down, and the Kurohimeyama family will have no choice but to give up on you and the Tsukigara clan."
Of course, the relationship between the Tsukigara clan and the Kurohimeyama family would also collapse. The worst-case scenario would only be that the engagement between Yomei and the young lady, Kohagi, would be dissolved.
However, considering the current situation of Tsukigara Yomei, even if this engagement were dissolved, the negative problems brought about would not be too great.
'Anyway, Yomei can't enter the young lady's romance route now, so not having this engagement isn't a big deal...'
Hyakusuke had been thinking about this for a long time, calculating the gains and losses. He found that overall, the protagonist would not suffer any major losses, so he decided to act according to the plan he and Kurohimeyama Mikado had jointly come up with.
"Your calculations are really good..."
Suddenly, a somewhat cold voice rang out.
At that moment, a shudder of darkness, like an bottomless abyss, surged through the hearts of Hyakusuke and Yomei.
A strong sense of foreboding attacked, and an overwhelming malice descended.
They stiffly turned their heads and discovered that Shizuki Kaoru was not bound in the slightest. The ropes binding him, the talismans preventing action, and the spells were nowhere to be seen. The young man revealed a sinister smile.
"But, it's fine... Saves me the trouble."
As Shizuki Kaoru spoke, he waved the fan in his hand. In an instant, everything around them was turned upside down.
"...Teleportation magic?"
Before Hyakusuke and Yomei could react, they were taken away by Shizuki Kaoru's teleportation magic.
...
"Hehehe~~ Fish, hooked."
Mikado also noticed this scene. A slightly delighted voice was transmitted through the shikigami, and even Katura, who was beside her, showed a nervous expression.
"Y-You... are you letting those two be kidnapped?"
"Don't worry."
Mikado chuckled, "I had already done something to my disciple. Her whereabouts can't escape my perception. Moreover, I can take this opportunity to find out the other party's background. Don't you think this is a two-birds-with-one-stone calculation?"
Katura's eyes revealed a strong murderous intent.
"Rest assured?"
Mikado said unhurriedly, "I am cracking the other party's teleportation magic and tracking its coordinates. If anything really happens, we can rush over at any time!"
"Okay."
Katura did not intend to forgive the other party, but considering that she had to rely on the old thing's power, she decided to let the other party go for the time being.
"I just hope he is alright."
...
"Welcome... to my 'territory'."
Shizuki Kaoru's voice rang out in the void.
Hyakusuke and Yomei stood up again. When their vision became clear again, the scenery in front of them had been replaced by a strange space covered in sulfur and smoke.
It was as if the surrounding scenery had been replaced – the two of them were standing on black earth, which seemed to be composed of black volcanic rock, and was attached with a scarlet color that seemed to be rust or blood.
"C-Could this be the world of the dead?"
Fear was revealed in Yomei's voice.
Hyakusuke remained silent. He thought, as Mikado said, this Shizuki Kaoru himself might also be bait, bait designed to lure out himself and Yomei – in other words, the enemy saw through their operation method, and set a trap to lure himself and Yomei to take the bait. Such a thing was also possible.
'Therefore, it is necessary to consider this premise in advance, and use oneself as bait, and instead try to step into the enemy's trap in order to obtain more information.'
Hyakusuke sighed.
However, he and Yomei were forced to play the role of this bait.
