Aogiri Castle, the heart of the Kurohimeyama clan's territory.
Clack—
The deer scarer in the garden makes a crisp sound. Located in the center of the residence, the surrounding garden is landscaped with rocks, gravel, and greenery, creating a landscape reminiscent of ink wash painting.
Facing the courtyard, one can see a rather grand mansion. The open paper doors face the hall of the garden—a "conference room" with twenty tatami mats. The scene of several people sitting opposite each other in the upper and lower seats is clear at a glance.
"It seems that someone couldn't make it back for this meeting, but never mind… Listen up, everyone. I, Kurohimeyama Miyuki, will be chairing this meeting."
The one making this announcement is a beautiful woman sitting in the upper seat.
She is wearing a kimono made boldly with vibrant red fabric, like a blazing red flame.
The woman's eyes are also red, and her vermilion lips are painted crimson.
This woman is none other than the head of the family, Kurohimeyama Miyuki.
The head of the family, Miyuki, gives off a bewitching and glamorous feeling. She has delicate features, a rare tall stature for a woman, and a unique presence.
"—This is a matter of great importance, so let's not waste time. Takamasa, please explain the situation."
This head of the family loosens the collar of her kimono, wearing it in a carefree manner, looking no different from a courtesan. However, no one dares to look at this clan leader with strange eyes.
"As you wish."
Sako Takamasa, the leader of the ninja group, nodded. He took out a scroll and spread it out on the ground. It was a map.
Then, this young pillar of the Sako family lightly tapped with his right hand, and the scenery on the scroll map slowly floated, changing from a flat surface to a three-dimensional shape, gradually evolving into a three-dimensional geographical map of Mutsu Province.
"The area affected by the disaster is expanding."
His fingertip moved to a corner of the ground, the northernmost tip of the Tsugaru Peninsula, the territory of Tsukigara, which is also the nest of the evil god Kotan Koro Kamui.
The location of the nest is marked with a mass of black miasma.
At this time, several demonic birds in the form of horned owls emerged from this mass of black miasma, spread their wings, and slowly moved south towards Mutsu Province.
"The evil god's army has split into six groups and begun to migrate south. On the way, these half-human, half-owl demons continue to attack the surrounding areas, abducting people."
Sako Takamasa continued to explain: "Their numbers are expanding. At the same time, several exorcist families in Sotogahama, Yamabe District, Tasato District, Hiraga District, and Kazuno District have either been wiped out or suffered heavy blows, falling into chaos…"
There are also some smaller local exorcist families in Northern Mutsu. Compared to the behemoth that is the Kurohimeyama family, the two sides are vastly different in strength, but they are also very important pillars of the local area.
However, with the southward invasion of Kotan Koro Kamui, this foreign god, these weak exorcist families are the first to bear the brunt, falling into a state of collapse.
"Actually."
Master Matsumushi of the Keganin Temple calmly spoke: "Given the divine speed at which the evil owl demon god's army can fly, it would not be difficult for them to pass through the Kanbe District and directly attack Aogiri Castle, where our Kurohimeyama clan is located… However, this demon army is not actively acting."
The Keganin Temple, which Matsumushi oversees, is a group of sorcerers who are proficient in "spiritual vision" and "clairvoyance."
The practitioners of the Keganin Temple are skilled in "eye techniques." They use the power of spiritual vision to see through the enemy's movements and discern the opponent's weaknesses. In addition, they also use the power of spiritual vision to observe the celestial phenomena, perform divination, and make predictions.
"I have recently tried to interpret the celestial phenomena and discovered a great omen, but I cannot decipher the mysteries hidden within. In short… there should be something else hidden in Kotan Koro Kamui's southward intentions—"
Matsumushi has repeatedly tried to interpret the celestial phenomena, but he has never been able to obtain an absolute understanding. Too many unknowns and possibilities are hidden in the celestial phenomena. He cannot make a correct interpretation, and his heart is filled with an ominous feeling, harboring a strong anxiety about the future.
"Alright."
Miyuki interrupted Matsumushi, not intending to let him continue.
She knows very well that predictions, divination, and celestial interpretations are not entirely accurate, because the future is often uncertain.
The "predictions" derived from Matsumushi's interpretation of the celestial phenomena are often inaccurate, closer to conclusions drawn from predictions, estimations, and observations. Even, because of the addition of his own subjective assumptions, they are far from the truth.
"Let's not talk about that… Speaking of Kohagi, my lovely daughter."
Miyuki turned her gaze to the silver-haired girl sitting on the right.
"Why didn't the heads of the Sako and Kuchiba families come with you? Today is a clan meeting. Why haven't those two arrived?"
"Please don't be angry, Mother."
Kohagi shook her dark pearl-like eyes and smiled slightly.
"The heads of the Sako and Kuchiba branch families are heading to Hoshohara to prepare the first line of defense outside the castle. Those two adults are well-suited for this type of arrangement."
She has been secretly suppressing the faction to which this eldest daughter belongs during this time, but unfortunately, she has not revealed any flaws.
Miyuki has not been able to grasp this daughter's handle, and for a time, she has not been able to abandon it. Of course, she still has many insidious schemes—who knew that the news of Kotan Koro Kamui's southward invasion would disrupt her arrangements at this time.
'How suspicious? Did this child predict all of this in advance? Or could it be that she was able to learn of this news ahead of time?'
Miyuki feels that all of this is too coincidental. She glanced at her eldest daughter again. The silver-haired girl's expression revealed a hint of inscrutability.
Honestly, Miyuki feels that she is increasingly unable to see through her daughter.
'I can only wait until I bring that kid over and properly deal with her in front of her.'
She doesn't believe that Kohagi will still be able to maintain her current indifferent demeanor at that time.
"Is that so?"
Miyuki chuckled unhurriedly.
"However, it's a bit strange that the people from the Sakaki and Tsumada families didn't attend this meeting either…"
Her eyes gazed at the other two heads of the Six Branch Families, one of whom was a short old man, and the other was a somewhat nervous girl.
"Sorry, Clan Head."
The one-eyed old man wearing a kimono smiled wryly: "I am not aware of this."
The one-eyed old man is the head of the "Tsugumo" clan, one of the Six Branch Families.
"I-I don't know either."
The timid girl shrank her neck in fear.
Her name is Tamazusa, and she is only fourteen years old. She is the head of the Inusaka family, one of the "Six Branch Families," and also the youngest of the six heads.
"Isn't today a bit strange?"
Miyuki's thin lips pulled into a cold smile.
"Why… is the number of people participating in this meeting so small this time?!"
She seemed to have thought of something, narrowed her eyes, and questioned: "What… exactly are you hiding from me, the clan head?"
In an instant, her blood-red eyes looked at everyone present.
There was no particular coercion, but a distorted power expanded, and a sense of fear that almost drove people to madness surged uncontrollably from the bottom of their hearts.
"So, who will speak first?"
The red-eyed Kurohimeyama Miyuki laughed like a raging fire.
"Who exactly has betrayed me?"
"Mother."
Kohagi laughed.
Her voice broke the eerie distortion emanating from Miyuki.
This power caused the outline of her body to sway in the shimmering air.
"I also want to know, when exactly did you betray the clan?!"
Boom!
Two super-class exorcists instantly released intense spiritual energy wavelengths that inspired awe and fear in those who saw them.
The powers of both sides confronted each other in the narrow space.
In an instant, terrifying undulations rippled through the air. The two streams of killing intent collided at high speed like fierce storms. No one present could calm down this level of powerful force, and it was bound to drag everyone around them into it.
Everyone in the hall that served as the conference room was speechless.
The many exorcists of the Kurohimeyama clan were dumbfounded, not daring to move.
At the same time, under the influence of the two powerful spiritual forces, the expanding air currents issued bursts of whistling.
Tamazusa, the head of the Inusaka family, the girl, showed a panicked expression, her bangs were also disheveled by the wind.
The one-eyed old man, the head of the Tsugumo family, also felt a suffocating pressure.
The spiritual power of super-class exorcists is too powerful. Clan Head Miyuki and her daughter Kohagi are like two mobile natural disasters. Once these two demonesses of the Kurohimeyama family fight, then everyone present will be drawn into their terrifying struggle, and they may end up as cannon fodder.
"W-What should we do… If the clan head really decides to make a move, then who exactly can stop the two of them!"
Just as the head of the Tsugumo clan was feeling flustered, a cold voice rang out.
"Enough… Isn't it against ethics for a mother and daughter to fight? Miyuki, stop this at once!"
