<h4>Volume 11 - Yamata no Orochi: Chapter 3 – Four Heavenly Kings, Demon Soldiers, Kimiko?</h4>


    Yoshitada and Hiromasa stood in stunned silence. They had been summoned to the Shogun’s pce for an assessment meeting, but could this still bebeled as the Genji n’s typical gathering?


    The dark, expansive pce was saturated with a power that was reminiscent of a demon’s presence. Many of the gathered generals, most unfamiliar faces, emanated fierce auras from their seated positions across the room. Among them, even the likes of Hojo Masako and Kato Keiren seemed mundane.


    Opposing them were figures akin to rakshasa statues— the much-whispered-about demon soldiers recently inducted by Minamoto no Yoritomo. Their numbers neared several dozen, each emanating a potent aura, though varied oddly in shapes and sizes. Some were so massive that they had to bow their heads, lest they collide with the lofty pce ceiling.


    Among this assembly were four particrly ominous figures. Their power was so intense that it exceeded even the discernment of Yoshitada and Hiromasa. They were Yoritomo’s new direct subordinates: the four heavenly kings. What was concerning was the dark undertone in their already mighty auras. It raised the question for any regr samurai: did these beings truly fight for humanity?


    The original samurai of the Genji n had been sidelined, relegated to the hall’s fringes— an obvious sign of their diminished importance. Their dissatisfaction was palpable, but they felt powerless against these intimidating neers.


    From the four heavenly kings, a towering greenish-yellow skinned samurai took a step forward. His gaze was akin to a bloody scar in the night. “If it weren’t for several of my brethren falling in Ashihara, I, Tomoe Gusato


    ¹, one of the three great overlords of the abyss, wouldn’t be standing here. It’s thanks to you, Lord Kibo, that we could set foot in Ashihara. The cost otherwise would have been astronomical.” His presence was on par with the infamous Taira no Masakado, a spine-chilling realization. This was Tomoe Gusato, one of the newly appointed four heavenly kings.


    Althoughbeled as the four heavenly kings, it was clear they weren’t from Ashihara but from Yomi. How Yoritomo managed to recruit such entities was beyondprehension.


    “Lord Tomoe,” Yoritomo began, “From what I’ve gathered, your brethren met their end at the hands of a female samurai named Kagami Lily.”


    “What!? Kagami Lily? Who is this wretch? I’ll consume her alive!” Tomoe’s outrage was palpable. The pce quivered under his erupting yomi aura.


    “Kagami Lily is an archenemy of the imperial court,” Yoritomo continued. “She’s implicated in the celestial upheavals and is a primary target of our campaign.”


    “Where did she strike down my brothers? I will end her!” Tomoe bellowed.


    From the shadowy periphery, a bizarre creature emerged, its upper half bearing tengu-like wings and its lower half morphed into demonic toad legs. Though barely taller than a meter, this creature had once been Shuten Doji’s aide. After a severe injury in the battle of Suno, he’d shifted his loyalties to Yoritomo. This was Hasegawa Tengu, whose voice now rasped painfully, hinting at his critical condition. “Lord Tomoe, rest assured. I have contacts on Iyo Ind where your brother met his end at her hands. Reports suggest she has now returned to Ashihara.”


    “Excellent! Though I’m unfamiliar with this Iyo Ind, it’s fortunate she’s returned. When do we set out to avenge my brother?” Tomoe’s voice was filled with anguish, “We were siblings, birthed together in the Valley of Sulfur Fire, carving our way out side by side!”


    “Lord Tomoe,” Yoritomo intervened, “Iprehend your sentiments, but Kagami Lily doesn’t tread alone. Her allies are formidable. Our assembly here isn’t merely about her; it’s about strategizing our forces against the global opposition. And yes, Kagami Lily’s faction is the most potent threat.”


    “Miss Kagami…” Yoshitada and Hiromasa shared aplex blend of emotions. Their concern for Lily was evident, yet their allegiance to the Genji n held them back. They found themselves questioning the motives of Minamoto no Yoritomo. Was this the path the Imperial Court should take for humanity’s future? If this was not the righteous course, then what alternative did they have in this evolving world? They felt lost.


    Yoshitada and Hiromasa had always been loyal and upright individuals. However, apart from Yoritomo, they found it hard to fathom anyone else having the strategies or means to allow humanity to persist in this somber world while also ensuring the prosperity of the Genji n. Surviving through mutation seemed a better fate than certain death. They were as shrouded in confusion as the thick mist enveloping Heian-kyo.


    The nights stretched endlessly, devoid of a distinction between day and night. Time was discernible only through specific instruments or the keen intuition of an adept.


    As the dance concluded, exhaustion washed over Lily and Ayaka. The intricate steps and the ethereal state they maintained had drained them. After the dance, they copsed into each other’s arms, sleep overtaking them almost immediately. But their slumber was brief,sting merely an hour.


    Awakening, Lily murmured, “How did I be so weary? I never anticipated the dance to be so exhausting.” Given her superior stamina, surpassing that of an ordinary celestial maiden, this fatigue was a testament to the dance’s demands.


    “Lady Kimiko!” Her immediate concern, however, was for Kimiko and her injuries. ncing around, she noticed the nket but didn’t find the figure she expected.


    “Huh!?” Could it be that Lady Kimiko had vanished? Rubbing her eyes to clear her vision, Lily focused on a small figure nestled at the corner of the nket — a young girl with long silver-gray hair that flowed over her shoulders, enveloping her pale legs and draping the nket. Two furry, pointy fox ears twitched atop her head


    ².


    Lily tried to gather her thoughts, straining to listen. Had she just heard the soft rustle of those ears? And where was Lady Kimiko? As the puzzle deepened, she spotted a voluminous fox tail peeking from behind the girl’s yukata.


    “Is it possible… Are you…?” A stunned Lily asked.


    The little girl simply nodded, and as she did, her white yukata slid off one shoulder, exposing her delicate skin.


    By now, Ayaka had stirred and, catching on quicker than Lily, was still left wide-eyed. She gasped, covering her mouth.


    “Lady Kimiko?”


    The fox-eared girl tilted her head, her ears and tail giving an animated twitch. “Is this form… unfamiliar to you?”


    “What’s happening here!?” Both Lily and Ayaka eximed in unison.


    It transpired that, although the wound had healed, Kimiko had lost all her eldritch energy. Unable to sustain her adult form, she reverted to her younger self. Back in Cherry Blossom Valley, under Nariaki’s attentive care, she bathed and slipped into an orange yukata. Sitting gracefully, she addressed everyone.


    The sisters circled her, eyes filled with curiosity. “It’s instinctual for me to revert to this younger form,” Kimiko exined. “My powers are gradually returning, but I can only sporadically revert to my adult state. When I do, I will possess about seventy percent of my full power, but it won’tst long.”


    Her voice, light and melodic like a ringing silver bell, held their attention. Madam Kotoka eximed, “She’s truly Tamamo-no-Mae? Oh, how adorable!” She blushed, her hands covering her reddening face.


    Choosing afortable spot, Kimiko nestled on Lily’sp, her fox ears twitching intermittently, drawing Lily’s attention.


    With her gaze frequently intercepted by those animated fox ears and the tail’s yful movements, Lily listened as Ayaka said, “Seeing Lady Kimiko in this smaller form rmed me, but understanding the reason brings relief. The main thing is that her wounds have healed.”


    Kimiko responded, “Ayaka, how fare your injuries? Healing me must’ve drained you.”


    Avoiding details, Ayaka reassured, “It was exhausting but didn’t worsen my condition. I’m recuperating and believe I’ll be fully recovered in a month.”


    Lily, genuinely ted, replied, “That’s wonderful.”


    Rei interjected, “So, our n is to await Madam Shizuka’s arrival in the valley?”


    Seemingly enjoying thefort of Lily’sp, Kimiko noted, “If she reaches Suno, a demon fox will lead her here. My informants are also on the lookout. However, unless she reveals herself, pinpointing her will be challenging.”


    Pausing for thought, Ayaka queried, “With Lady Kimiko’s recovery, we’ve resolved our internal issues. Who here is best informed about the external situation?”


    Yukiko and Mayumi, having recently returned, were the most informed. They painted a bleak picture simr to Lily’s group’s observations: rampant volcanic eruptions, fissurednds releasing monstrous beings into the world. The resulting turmoil led to numerous casualties and discements, though a few regions miraculously remained unscathed.


    The sisters of Cherry Blossom Valley grappled with their limitations. They couldbat monsters but had no power over erupting volcanoes or the mutating world. Their singr hope rested on Shizuka Gozen’s arrival and her ascension to Takamagahara.


    Lost in thought, Lily wondered about Ashihara. Blessed for so long by the sun, it was Amaterasu-ōmikami’s cherishednd. Was the goddess truly unaware? Or did she wait for a prayer to intervene? However, Lily cautioned herself against assessing the deity through mortal eyes.


    Her musings were interrupted when a kunoichi burst in with urgent news. “Reports from Heian-kyo indicate that Minamoto no Yoritomo has returned and ns an attack on our location


    ³.” <h4>Footnotes:</h4>


    Robinxen: Another Tomoe!


    Robinxen: Does this mean that author predicted loli Tamamo in Fate?!?!


    Robinxen: The war begins…