<h4>Volume 8 - Higanbana: Chapter 40 – The Demon World Shakes</h4>


    On the vast Suzaku Avenue, Lily and her army marched forward with great force. The night was dark and there were a hundred demons walking around causing everyone to retreat. Even those who did not know what was happening were scared and hid away. Lily did not want anyone to report her arrival, so she used her powers to suppress anyone who might leak the news, knocking them all unconscious.


    Lily had yet to discover any spirit probes with strong consciousness. Powerful entities, like Minamoto no Yoritomo, had the ability to deployrge spirit probes that could cover the whole city, but he had not done so as this was not his territory. Strong and vengeful spirits could alsounch a city-wide spirit probe, but it would be seen as a provocation to the four great vengeful spirits and other ancient beings.


    The vengeful spirits and ancient beings had their own formations, barriers, and techniques to interfere with each other. This prevented any person or organization from doing as they pleased in Heian-kyo. If someone were to attempt this, it would be seen as a deration of war against every vengeful spirit and demon. Even the Imperial Court would not be capable of handling such a situation.


    It was possible that Minamoto no Yoritomo or the Imperial Court had techniques or devices that were beyond Lily’s detection ability, and they may have already known of her arrival. However, there had been no response to her arrival, which could mean that they were deliberately choosing not to respond.


    The demon army marched forward until they encountered an immensely strong resentment emanating from a deste road branching off from Suzaku Avenue. Several powerful eldritch auras apanied the resentment, and even Lily and her army had toe to a stop in the face of such power.


    Suddenly, a towering elder emerged from the dark road, surrounded by a cloud of eldritch energy. He was dressed in ragged court attire and his eyes glimmered with frightening thunder sparks. The elder stood at a height of ten meters, casting a formidable presence over the area.


    “Heh heh heh, who dares block my path on the 15th of July?” Sugawara no Michizane’s voice boomed around them. Following him was a group of creatures dressed in court attire, but with ghostly heads, who growled menacingly at the other demon night parade. However, the demons from Yomi behind Lily were not intimidated as they originated from the hell of ughter in Yomi Hirazaka. Lily waved her hand to stop her army from making any threatening movements. Instead, she approached the vengeful spirit with Kagura on her left and Yuki-Onna on her right, paying her respects.


    Lily spoke humbly, “Grandpa Michizane…”


    Michizaneughed heartily, “Ahahahaha, I was curious who it could be, and it turns out to be Kagami Lily. It’s only been a few months, and you’ve already be the head of the demons?”


    Lily struggled to exin, “Grandpa Michizane, this is a bit difficult to exin…”


    “I’m taking my ministers out for a walk tonight, but you’re blocking my path, Lily. Bringing hundreds of demons onto Suzaku Avenue is disrespectful to me, a human like you.” Despite their friendship, Michizane was displeased, and his terrifying aura grew stronger with each passing moment, apanied by shes of thunder.


    “Excuse me, Grandpa Michizane, I didn’t mean to block your path. I was in a hurry because of an important matter. Please go first, and we will make way for you,” Lily apologized.


    Sugawara seemed to be angry at first, but he was only trying to show off.


    “Oh, that’s better,” he said.


    Lily then remembered that she had a letter for Sugawara from one of his old acquaintances, Ikeda Rin. She took out the letter from her storage jade and let it float up to Sugawara.


    “A letter?” Sugawara looked confused and said, “I’ve been dead for many years. Where would I have an old acquaintance? Lily, don’t tease me.”


    “What…” Sugawara looked at the letter and quickly unfolded it. As he read, he trembled and the dark clouds around him swirled with lightning. The nearby spirits assumed he was angry and became afraid of him. However, Sugawara’s face was filled with tears of joy. “Old Ikeda…Old Ikeda! Your spirit can finally be at peace!” he eximed.


    Overwhelmed with happiness, he turned to Lily and asked, “Kagami Lily, where did you acquire this letter?”


    “Grandpa Michizane, during my attack on Mount Ooe, I came across Ikeda Nakano’s daughter by chance. I requested Lady Kimiko to bring her along during our rescue mission. Ikeda Rin gave me a letter to deliver to you.”


    “You rescued Ikeda Rin!?” Michizane asked in surprise.


    “That was thanks to Lady Kimiko’s help…”


    Sugawara examined the letter and said, “No, Miss Ikeda wrote that if the person hadn’t taken the risk to infiltrate Mount Ooe, she wouldn’t have been rescued!”


    The demon king expressed his surprise and disappointment, “Oh, how unexpected! I, who have battled against Shuten for years, have failed to rescue Miss Ikeda. Yet, a young teenage girl has aplished my long-desired wish! Old Ikeda, your daughter is still alive. You can rest in peace now.”


    Suguwara kept the letter safely and gave Lily a serious look. “Miss Kagami, your aura and momentum suggest that you are going somewhere. Where are you headed?” he asked.


    Lily responded with determination, “I won’t hide it from you, Grandpa Michizane. My sister, Lady Ayaka, is being targeted by the court’s disloyal minions. Even if it costs me my life, I will go and rescue her. Can you please allow me to pass through


    ¹?”


    “Hahaha! Even I, the great Sugawara no Michizane, admire Ayaka. It’s a shame she was persecuted by the imperial court. But you, my friend, risked everything to save mypanion’s daughter. I fear no one in Heian-kyo, and I will assist you!”


    Suddenly, Sugawara’s body shook with intense anger. He turned to his followers and cried out, “My dear friends, have any of us not suffered at the hands of the imperial court? Who among us hasn’t wanted revenge? Who among us wanted to be a demon or monster, never to be reborn again and wander the darkness of Heian-kyo forever? On this 15th of July, let’s not just do the usual. Let’s all go out and create chaos in order to help Miss Lily save her sister! Are you with me?”


    <i>Howl! —Howl! —Howl!</i>


    One after another, the demons with terrifying and distorted faces, wearing ancient court attire, danced and howled, exuding an ancient and untamed energy.


    “Follow Lord Michizane! Let’s raise hell!”


    “Hell yeah!”


    “The court of those d?o?gs?h?i?t? has long been displeasing to this old man’s eyes!”


    Michizane led his night parade to join Lily’s army, and they walked together towards the execution tform. Suddenly, a powerful aura appeared in front of them.


    “Ahahahaha!” Before long, a massive, silver-armored general with a thick, braided beard emerged from the river, followed by many samurai vengeful spirits. “Brother Michizane, what brings you to this area? Anything interesting?”


    It was Taira no Masakado, one of the four great vengeful spirits!


    “Oh?” Masakado noticed Lily and became intrigued. “You, weren’t you the enchantress I met at the tavernst time?” Lily recalled the encounter with Masakado. At first, he had mistaken her for a human and nearly killed her. However, after watching her dance, he had a change of heart and gifted her a treasuredb that belonged to his wife. Unfortunately, Lily’s soul defenses were too strong, and she never had the opportunity to use theb.


    “Lord Masakado.” Lily greeted him respectfully.


    Yuki-Onna spoke up from behind, “Lily, you seem to know a lot of powerful people.”


    Masakado greeted Yuki-Onna after pulling off his head, “Ahahaha, isn’t this the legendary Yuki-Onna?”


    “Ehehe.” Yuki-Onna wasn’t frightened, she simply covered her mouth andughed.


    Bored with the reaction, Masakado reattached his head and turned to Lily, “Miss Enchantress, this formation is anything but ordinary!”


    Masakado was able to identify the demons summoned by Lily, and even though her aura was concealed, he could sense its extraordinary nature. “Ehehehe! It seems your enhancements are impressive! I told you that you would do well!”


    Sugawara suggested, “Brother, I am thinking of causing amotion at the Heian-pce. Do you want to join me?”


    “Causing amotion?” Masakado’s face lit up with excitement. “It’s the 15th of July today, and we haven’t shown our faces in so many years! The imperial court is still as unpleasant as ever! Excellent! This is perfect!”


    Masakado firmly held Michizane’s ghost w to show his agreement. “Since you n on going, I will go with you! Let’s make it a grand event


    ²!”


    “Brothers! To the Heian-pce!”


    “Ey ey ooh!” The vengeful demon samurai still bore the fatal wounds that caused their demise. They lifted their weapons with great enthusiasm, as if they had returned to the time when they followed the rebellious Taira general into battle and carnage!


    Previously, people on the streets of Heian-kyo would flee and hide, but if they were to witness the grand army now, they would be terrified beyond measure!


    Standing at the front and center was a young girl with an unknown background. To her left was Sugawara no Michizane, the king of demons, and to her right was Taira no Masakado, one of the four great vengeful spirits. Behind them were an army of mighty and powerful demons and spirits!


    Sugawara no Michizane and Taira no Masakado were on the move, and this event would cause a great stir in the demon world of Heian-kyo! Even ancient and resentful spirits hiding in old buildings and alleys joined the march, along withrge and small demons in the rivers and trees. The army grew from just one girl to several thousand in a short amount of time. The powerful and eerie aura filled the sky as they set out to perform a world-changing act of justice.


    “Woooooohh!!”


    “Eeeekkkk!”


    “ckity ck ck ck!”


    The monsters and wraiths were filled with excitement as they mored. They had been oppressed by the ck-armored army for days and were now furious. They all desired to create chaos and disturbance! Finally, midnight had arrived! <h4>References</h4>


    Silva: And now she got powerful allies, yikes!


    Robinxen: The looks on their faces when hundreds rock up though…