Chapter 231: How Strong is Kikyo? Can I Not Defeat Her?
The mountainside.
The grueling stone steps originating from the foot of Mount Hakurei finally gave way to a jagged, winding trail. The claustrophobic path suddenly expanded, opening into a massive, flat platform flanked by towering, weathered Buddhist statues. The sheer scale of this clearing dwarfed the initial staging ground where Takeda Shingen had rested at the mountain's base.
In the dead center of this vast stone stage stood a colossal beast, completely invisible to the naked eye of an ordinary mortal. It was a white elephant. Six massive tusks, each as thick as a grown man's torso, curved outward from its jaws, their polished tips radiating a soft, ethereal luminescence.
This was the Six-Tusked White Elephant—known in Buddhist lore as the divine mount of Samantabhadra, one of the Four Great Bodhisattvas, representing absolute wisdom, compassion, and unyielding protection. It was Imagawa Yoshimoto's Guardian Spirit.
Unlike the Vajra Lion and the Heavenly Eye Peacock, this majestic creature displayed zero signs of feral madness. It stood in absolute silence, its four pillar-like legs planted firmly on the cracked stone. Its six eyes—three aligned on each side of its massive head—were half-closed, giving the illusion of deep slumber.
Yet, Hikaru could feel the crushing weight of its gaze locking onto him. Within the narrow slits of those six half-drooped eyelids, brilliant golden light began to pool and concentrate.
His Asura Transformation was already burning at full capacity. The very second the six-meter-tall Bone-Thunder Giant Body crossed the threshold onto the platform's edge, the white elephant reacted.
There was no trumpeting roar, no aggressive charge. The beast merely lifted its right front foot.
Then, it stomped.
Boom.
The solid stone beneath the elephant's foot instantly pulverized. A massive shockwave of spiderweb cracks violently erupted outward, carrying a devastating wave of kinetic force directly toward the intruder.
Vow Power. The Six-Tusked White Elephant was fundamentally different from other Guardian Spirits. It was not born from the shifting tides of worldly destiny, nor was it a manifestation of personal ambition. It was the final, intangible legacy of Taigen Sessai, gifted to Yoshimoto with her dying breath.
A lifetime of grueling Buddhist cultivation and accumulated Vow Power had been compressed into this single spiritual entity. Now, that immense power poured out through a single stomp—ten times denser and far more lethal than the golden light spheres fired by the surrounding statues. The invisible tidal wave of force barreled straight for the chest of the Bone-Thunder Giant.
Hikaru's reaction was instantaneous. Banryu cleaved the air in a brutal vertical arc. The colossal projection of the pale giant sword swung down from the Asura's third arm, crashing into the incoming shockwave with the full, crushing weight of a falling meteor.
The two opposing forces collided in the dead center of the platform. The sheer recoil bounced Banryu upward. The stone steps beneath Hikaru's feet shattered into dust, sending jagged shrapnel flying in all directions. Yet, the massive feet of the Bone-Thunder Giant remained utterly nailed to the earth. He did not shift a single inch.
During the grueling ascent, the system interface had already quietly updated.
[Banryu: Favorability +2. Current Favorability: 50]
[Unlocked Second Talent — Earth's Immovability: While wielding this sword, the user stands upon the earth absolutely unmoving; no power can force the user to retreat, unless the user actively retreats or is forced to leave the ground.]
An instrument of Spleen-Earth. The Thousand Demon Slayer, a giant sword renowned solely for its devastating weight, had connected with its wielder's unyielding will to climb the mountain. Through the crushing suppression of Buddha Power and the endless bombardment of golden light, Hikaru had never taken a single step back. That sheer stubbornness pushed the weapon's favorability across the threshold. Earth's Immovability. A perfect counter for this exact moment.
The white elephant raised its second foot and slammed it down. The impact was exponentially heavier.
The entire stone platform groaned, sinking half a foot into the mountain. Deep fissures crawled up the bases of the giant Buddhist statues. Inside the Asura Transformation, Hikaru gripped Banryu tightly, his stance locked. He did not budge. It was as if invisible roots of steel had grown from his soles, anchoring him directly into the planet's crust. The earth itself had become his absolute support.
Sensing the resistance, the white elephant's six eyes snapped completely open. Blinding golden light erupted from its pupils. Six concentrated beams intersected, fusing into a devastating focal point aimed directly at the Asura's chest. It was preparing to unleash an all-out annihilation strike.
Hikaru did not wait. Operating a demonic body, he prepared to execute a miracle pulled straight from Buddhist scripture.
Legend spoke of Prince Shakyamuni before he attained Buddhahood. His cousin, Devadatta, had maliciously shot a white elephant, leaving its massive corpse to block the city gates. No man could budge it. The Prince calmly walked to the gates, lifted the colossal beast with a single hand, and hurled it over the city walls. It flew for three days and three nights before landing. This was the legendary "Shakyamuni Throws the Elephant"—a feat of strength that shook the heavens.
Hikaru had zero interest in studying Buddhism. But he knew the tactical value of the story.
With a thought, he forcefully deactivated the Asura Transformation.
The six-meter-tall Bone-Thunder Giant instantly disintegrated. The skeletal armor shattered and dissolved, the crackling lightning faded into the wind, and the massive projected weapon vanished. All the violently externalized Yao Qi was sucked back into his core.
He stood alone on the ruined platform in his true form. His grey robes fluttered in the violent updraft, his long pale hair whipping around his face, framing his glowing Crimson Demon Eyes. His right hand clamped around Banryu's hilt, pressing the pale giant sword firmly against his palm. The Courageous Strength talent flared to life, doubling his raw physical power, perfectly stacking with Earth's Immovability.
The white elephant's six beams of light merged into a singular, blinding pillar of destruction and blasted directly at him.
Golden light detonated upon impact. The resulting shockwave stripped the top layer of stone off the platform, blowing heavy boulders away like dry leaves. Yet, Hikaru's boots remained welded to the ground. He held Banryu horizontally, using the broad, flat surface of the blade as a shield to absorb the apocalyptic impact. Fueled by doubled arm strength and absolute immovability, his posture remained flawless.
The residual energy hissed past his sides, vaporizing the stone steps behind him. Hikaru stood in the exact same spot. Banryu was smoking heavily, radiating intense heat, but he had not yielded a single millimeter.
The instant the golden light fractured and faded, Hikaru dropped the giant sword's tip and lunged forward. Banryu dragged behind him, the heavy blade carving a sparking, hissing trench through the solid rock.
As the undead samurai closed the distance, the colossal white elephant actually took a step back.
Its four massive feet gouged deep claw marks into the stone, its spiritual form trembling slightly. A Guardian Spirit possessed no true ego, meaning it was incapable of feeling fear. This retreat was a pure, primal instinct. It had sensed something terrifying hidden within the approaching figure. Something entirely distinct from Buddha Power, and completely unrelated to demonic Yao Qi.
It was Ultimate Intent. Sword Intent. A pure, razor-sharp spiritual aura that belonged exclusively to the pinnacle of human martial arts—something that had absolutely no right existing within a demon.
The white elephant's six eyes half-closed once more, bracing for the end. Hikaru stopped exactly three paces away. He planted Banryu vertically into the stone beside him and reached out with one empty hand. He intended to replicate the legend. He would throw the elephant. He would capture it alive.
His Crimson Demon Eyes remained calm, the purple tomoe patterns spinning lazily within his pupils. Killing the beast was out of the question. If he destroyed the Guardian Spirit, Yoshimoto's soul would suffer catastrophic damage, completely ruining her grand ambition to march on Kyoto. Only by subduing the beast could he ensure she walked off this mountain intact.
He raised his palm, fingers spread wide, aiming directly for the center of the elephant's massive forehead. The beast's eyes snapped open, its spiritual muscles tensing to resist.
"Stop, stop, stop!"
A girl's voice suddenly shrieked from directly behind the massive beast. It was crisp, breathless, and laced with absolute panic.
Hearing that familiar tone, Hikaru halted his hand mid-air.
The white elephant obediently shifted its massive bulk half a step to the side, finally revealing the small figure cowering behind its hind leg.
It was Imagawa Yoshimoto. She was a complete mess. Her deep purple, gold-threaded Junihitoe kimono—usually a symbol of absolute authority—was covered in gray dust, its heavy, layered hem bunched up awkwardly on the ruined stone. Her complex hair arrangement was completely ruined, leaving only a single golden hairpin clinging desperately to her crooked bun.
Her slender, narrow-shouldered frame was curled up tightly against the elephant's spiritual fur. Her small hands gripped the beast's leg desperately, looking exactly like a frightened child hiding behind a parent.
Yoshimoto slowly looked up. Her delicate face was a chaotic mixture of lingering terror and overwhelming relief. She stared at the grey-robed Oni Samurai standing before her, her pale lips trembling slightly.
"Kobe Hikaru... what took you so long!"
Her voice cracked. Despite her haughty words, the underlying tone made it painfully obvious that she had been waiting for him, terrified but blindly trusting that he would eventually arrive.
A short while later.
They relocated to a secluded cave halfway up the mountain slope. The cavern was moderately sized, offering enough space for a dozen people to sit comfortably. The entrance was partially barricaded by the crumbling remains of two fallen Buddha statues, leaving only a narrow, jagged slit that allowed the pale, misty light to filter inside.
Hikaru sat quietly near the back, leaning his shoulders against the cool, damp stone wall. Banryu was planted firmly into the dirt beside him, while the Onikiri Yomikiri rested horizontally across his knees.
Yoshimoto sat directly opposite him.
The heavy, ruined layers of her Junihitoe kimono were spread out around her in a wide circle, looking like the crumpled petals of a deep purple flower. Having finally found a moment of safety, she was aggressively trying to fix her hair. But without a mirror, her efforts were futile. No matter how much she tugged and pinned, the bun remained hopelessly lopsided.
With an annoyed huff, she gave up entirely. She yanked out the final golden hairpin, letting her long, dark hair cascade freely over her shoulders and down her back.
Without the exaggerated, bulky layers of her formal court attire artificially widening her silhouette, Yoshimoto's true figure was suddenly very apparent. Her frame was incredibly petite and slender, yet the curves hidden beneath the fabric were surprisingly full. The deep purple silk pulled taut across her chest and hips, creating a stark, mature contrast against her otherwise delicate appearance.
Outside the narrow cave entrance, the Six-Tusked White Elephant rested quietly.
It had retracted its massive tusks and voluntarily shrunk its spiritual form down to a fraction of its original size. It lay curled up on the rocky ground, its six golden eyes half-closed in a peaceful doze.
It looked exactly like a well-behaved, oversized guard dog.
"It didn't go berserk?"
Oda Nobuna, who had silently followed them up the trail, sat cross-legged on the far side of the cave. Her sharp, amber eyes were locked onto the resting elephant outside. Her tone was dripping with genuine disbelief.
Her own Heavenly Eye Peacock and Hyōbi-shin had violently turned against her the moment they entered the mountain's domain. Takeda Shingen hadn't even brought her Guardian Spirit, clearly implying she had suffered the exact same loss of control.
Yet here was Yoshimoto's Six-Tusked White Elephant, acting perfectly docile. Nobuna had watched the entire exchange on the platform. When Yoshimoto had screamed for it to stop attacking the monster, the divine beast had actually obeyed instantly.
"Of course not."
Yoshimoto's voice instantly snapped back to its usual arrogant, aristocratic drawl. Since she had lost her signature folding fan during the chaos, she settled for tapping her knee rhythmically with the sharp end of her golden hairpin. She tilted her chin up haughtily.
"It won't go berserk."
Hikaru observed her quietly. Although she had shown hints of it earlier, it was still mildly surprising to confirm that Yoshimoto possessed the spiritual awareness to physically see Guardian Spirits. Was it purely because the entity Sessai left behind was fundamentally unique?
While Hikaru analyzed the situation, Nobuna's patience wore thin. She glared at the Imagawa ruler, silently demanding an explanation.
Yoshimoto glanced at Hikaru. Seeing that the deadpan samurai had no intention of stopping her—likely because he was just as curious—she finally elaborated. Her voice slowed down, taking on a distant, echoing quality, as if she were reciting a letter written by someone else.
"Ever since we were dragged into this cursed mountain, the Six-Tusked White Elephant has remained faithfully by my side. It didn't lose its mind like your Guardian Spirits did. It actually told me exactly why."
"It told you?" Nobuna blinked, her arrogant facade slipping for a second. "Guardian Spirits... can talk?"
That was entirely new information to her.
"It's not talking, exactly." Yoshimoto frowned, struggling to articulate the sensation. "It's more like... projecting thoughts? It pushed certain images and emotions directly into my mind. They were blurry, like trying to remember a fading dream, but the core intent was crystal clear."
Hikaru nodded slowly. It made perfect sense.
The Six-Tusked White Elephant was not forged from Yoshimoto's personal destiny. It was not a physical manifestation of her ambition to conquer the land, nor was it powered by the blind faith and prayers of tens of thousands of peasants. Its origin bypassed the normal rules of the world.
"It was given to me by my teacher."
Yoshimoto's voice dropped, softening into something fragile and deeply respectful.
Her teacher. Taigen Sessai. The legendary military strategist of the Imagawa Clan, the Black-Robed Prime Minister. A brilliant, ruthless woman who, even as her life withered away, spent her final moments calculating a way to protect her beloved student.
The Six-Tusked White Elephant was the literal embodiment of Sessai's lifelong Buddhist vows and accumulated magical energy. It was a dying wish given physical form, permanently anchored to Yoshimoto's soul.
It wasn't destiny. Destiny was a fickle force born from the masses, easily swayed and easily stolen. It wasn't Yoshimoto's will. It was a vow made by someone else. A loyal subordinate, a strict teacher, and a mother figure who had watched Yoshimoto grow from a child into a ruler, leaving behind one ultimate protective charm.
That was exactly why the corrupting gravity of Mount Hakurei couldn't claim it.
Mount Hakurei acted as a massive magnet for spiritual bodies born from worldly destiny—entities forged from the greed, ambition, and fortune of the mortal realm, which perfectly connected with the lingering resentment of the living Buddha buried within.
The Six-Tusked White Elephant shared none of those traits. It belonged entirely to Taigen Sessai, and its sole purpose in existence was to shield Imagawa Yoshimoto.
"It told me that something deep inside this mountain is constantly trying to suck it away. But it refuses to go."
Yoshimoto's fingers unconsciously spun the golden hairpin. A rare, genuine warmth bled into her tone, though she seemed completely unaware of it.
"It said that Teacher ordered it to protect me. So, it will protect me. Whatever else is happening in this world has absolutely nothing to do with it."
A heavy silence fell over the damp cave.
Nobuna leaned back against the rough stone, her golden hair a tangled mess around her shoulders. She stared at the docile white elephant outside, her golden slit pupils narrowing dangerously. Her jaw locked.
The emotion painted across her face was pure, unadulterated jealousy.
Both of her Guardian Spirits had been violently ripped away from her, despite her previously binding them with chains of karmic fire. The moment she stepped foot on this mountain, her own power had turned on her.
Yet this pampered, cowardly Imagawa Yoshimoto—not only did she have a terrifying, undying monster acting as her personal bodyguard, but even her Guardian Spirit was a gift given out of pure, unconditional love. An entity entrusted to her on a deathbed, requiring no chains, no force, and possessing absolute loyalty.
How utterly unfair. How sickeningly detestable.
Nobuna gritted her teeth so hard her jaw ached, swallowing the bitter curses threatening to spill from her lips.
What the furious Oda clan leader failed to realize was that Yoshimoto harbored the exact same resentment toward their group of so-called 'incarnations of gods and Buddhas.'
On the opposite side of the cavern, Takeda Shingen sat in absolute silence. Her reaction was entirely different. Her deep, predatory red eyes narrowed into calculating slits. Her heavy iron fan rested motionless across her lap.
Guardian Spirit...
This was the very first time she had ever heard the term spoken aloud.
She had felt the agonizing sensation of something vital being violently stripped from her soul the moment she arrived. But she hadn't known what it was. She couldn't see it. She couldn't touch it.
Now, the pieces fell into place.
Shingen vividly recalled the deafening, phantom roar of a lion echoing in her mind the second the connection was severed. The phantom tearing sensation between her shoulder blades still throbbed dully.
That unseen entity... it belonged to her. It was immensely important.
Shingen slowly pursed her lips, keeping her thoughts entirely to herself. She committed the terminology to memory. Her grip on the iron fan tightened slightly. It seemed she, too, would have to carve a path up this wretched mountain to reclaim what was hers.
She was the Tiger of Kai. She was the one who took from others. No one took from Takeda Shingen and lived.
While the other warlords were lost in their own dark thoughts, Yoshimoto suddenly moved.
The heavy, ruined layers of her kimono rustled loudly as she stood up. Her loose, dark hair slid smoothly over her shoulders. Without a word, she marched directly toward Hikaru.
Three brisk steps forward. Then, she stopped abruptly.
The young sovereign of the Imagawa clan was notoriously short. Even standing perfectly straight, she was only a head taller than the seated samurai.
She stared down at him, her bright, sparkling eyes locking fiercely onto his glowing Crimson Demon Eyes.
Then, she suddenly leaned forward.
Placing both hands firmly on her knees, she bent at the waist, bringing her face dangerously close to his. The distance between them vanished. Their breaths mingled in the cool cave air, the sudden heat of her proximity washing over his pale face.
Because of her aggressive, leaning posture, the collar of her kimono hung loosely open. Gravity pulled the deep purple fabric downward, heavily emphasizing the full, mature curves that were usually hidden beneath her formal wear. The dim, misty light of the cave cast deep, distracting shadows across her collarbones and the distinct indentation of her cleavage.
She either didn't notice the compromising angle, or—more likely—she was doing it entirely on purpose to assert dominance.
She enunciated every single syllable with fierce determination.
"I am no longer the weak one now, Kobe Hikaru."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it vibrated with an uncontrollable, burning pride.
"Teacher left the Six-Tusked White Elephant to me. It obeys my every command. I am the dignified ruler of three entire provinces! I am the number one archer of the Tokaido!"
She lifted one hand from her knee, jabbing her slender index finger directly at the tip of his nose. Her fingertip trembled ever so slightly from adrenaline, but her aim was dead-on.
"I won't lose to that shrine maiden by your side!"
The moment the words left her mouth, a furious blush exploded across Yoshimoto's face, turning her ears and temples bright crimson.
She had absolutely no idea why she had blurted out that last sentence. It had nothing to do with the current tactical situation. As soon as it hung in the air, she realized how incredibly childish and possessive it sounded. But she couldn't take it back.
Refusing to show weakness, she stiffened her neck, maintained her aggressive leaning posture, and pressed her lips into a thin, stubborn line, trying desperately to look righteous and bold.
Hikaru sat perfectly still, his legs crossed, his back against the cold stone. He locked eyes with the flustered young sovereign hovering inches from his face.
His line of sight was positioned exactly at the height of her loosely hanging collar, granting him an unobstructed view of the shadows rising and falling rapidly with her erratic breathing.
His dead heart gave a faint, phantom stir.
Yet, his Crimson Demon Eyes did not blink. His expression remained a mask of absolute, unbothered stone.
Then, he finally responded.
"Hmm."
Yoshimoto held her breath, waiting for the rest of the sentence. Two agonizing seconds ticked by. Nothing else came.
"Just 'hmm'?!" she squawked, her bold facade instantly shattering.
"What exactly do you want me to say?" Hikaru asked, his tone perfectly flat.
"At least—at least say something like 'you're amazing'!" she demanded, her face burning hotter.
"You're amazing."
"...You're just humoring me!"
Yoshimoto violently stomped her foot against the stone floor. The heavy hem of her kimono swung in a dramatic arc as she spun around, turning her back to him and crossing her arms tightly over her chest.
The motion squeezed the deep purple fabric even tighter against her frame, unintentionally pressing her full contours into an even more exaggerated, eye-catching curve from the side.
She let out a loud, dramatic huff of anger.
But hidden from his view, the corners of her mouth betrayed her, curling upward into a small, pleased smile. She quickly bit her lip to suppress it, terrified that someone might notice.
Across the cave, Nobuna watched the entire exchange in disgusted silence.
Her amber eyes narrowed to absolute slits. Her expression twisted into something incredibly sour and indescribable. She finally understood exactly why her attempts to recruit this terrifying monster had failed. She couldn't pry him away from Imagawa Yoshimoto because of this sickening dynamic.
Maeda Toshiie, who had been crouching quietly near the entrance, leaned over and whispered nervously into Nobuna's ear. "My Lord... that Imagawa Yoshimoto... she seems to really... like that monster?"
Nobuna's eye twitched violently.
"Shut up."
It was the second time today the Oda clan leader had been forced to utter those exact words.
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