Kanbe Hikaru tucked Muramasa into his waist and checked the Reverse Scale, Nekomata Claws, and that red comb in his breast pocket again, sorting them and putting them away safely:
"The Hojo Clan's main castle, Odawara, is to the south. The journey isn't too far for us. I'll settle them first, then head to Odawara."
"That army from Echigo won't let this go easily."
Kikyo's voice came from behind him.
"I know."
Kanbe Hikaru looked back at her.
"That's why I'm going to find the Hojo Clan, and not just to deliver a message."
"I'm going to recruit them."
Kikyo nodded.
She understood what he meant.
This was indeed Kanbe Hikaru's purpose for going there.
The Echigo army was marching south to exorcise demons under the banner of 'Bishamonten,' backed by Uesugi Kenshin, who claimed to be an incarnation of a god. That kind of power wasn't just an ordinary human force; it was something truly touched by the 'divine.'
With just him and Kikyo, they could hold back demons, but it would be difficult to simultaneously deal with the pincer attack of a human army and divine artifacts.
Human matters sometimes had to be resolved by humans.
The Hojo Clan was the nominal ruler of Musashi Province; they had soldiers, castles, and resources.
And Kanbe Hikaru happened to have a piece of intelligence that the Hojo Clan desperately needed.
An exchange of equal value.
Kanbe Hikaru took one last look toward the shrine.
Kikyo stood under the corridor, her longbow hanging by her side, her white top and red hakama striking in the sunlight.
Her slender waist was cinched by the hakama's belt, the trouser legs fluttering in the wind to reveal half of her white tabi socks, while the curves of her legs were faintly visible beneath the red fabric.
Her expression was cold and detached, yet it held a softness that only he could perceive.
"Go on."
She spoke like a wife seeing her husband off: "Come back soon."
Kanbe Hikaru nodded.
Then he turned around.
"Big brother!"
Kaede poked her head out from behind the Torii, her twin tails swinging back and forth.
"Are you leaving?"
"I'm going out to take care of some things. I'll be back soon."
"Then you have to bring back a gift! You still haven't given me the candy you promised last time!"
The young girl was still dwelling on it.
Kanbe Hikaru fell silent for a moment: "...We'll see."
Kaede seemed to want to say more, but a hand reached out from behind and pressed down on her head.
Kikyo said nothing, simply pulling her younger sister back behind her.
But her gaze followed that receding grey figure the entire time.
...
Outside Kaede Village.
The Twenty-three Demons formed a crooked line.
At the very front was the boldest Tanuki Spirit, carrying a tattered flag it had picked up from somewhere, with a crooked skull drawn on it—supposedly its own 'military banner' to show its loyalty to Kanbe Hikaru.
Hitotsume-kozo followed behind, holding up that tattered paper umbrella, the single eye painted on its surface darting left and right.
Fox-eared Girl rode on the back of a broken-legged giant rat, her two furry ears pricked up high.
Behind them were two crows, three Kappas, half a centipede, and several miscellaneous demons whose names couldn't even be called out.
They lined up and followed behind Kanbe Hikaru.
The scene could be described as spectacular.
Or rather—comical.
"Is this your Night Parade of One Hundred Demons?"
Yura of the Hair's voice came from his breast pocket, carrying an unmistakable sense of disdain.
"First of all, it's daytime now."
Kanbe Hikaru didn't look back: "Secondly, it's not the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons."
"Then what is it?"
"It is the Day Parade of The Twenty-three Demons."
Kanbe Hikaru wore an amused expression as he told a very dry joke.
Yura of the Hair was silent for two seconds.
She was unimpressed by the joke.
But.
"Even if they're just a bunch of small fry, taking a group of demons down the main road in broad daylight—do you think you aren't drawing enough attention already?"
"What's there to fear?"
Kanbe Hikaru's tone was casual: "The human army in this area was just driven off by me. No one will dare cause trouble for a while."
"Besides, others might not necessarily see us."
He raised his hand.
[Blood Transformation] activated.
Red mist seeped out from beneath his skin, slowly spreading out.
The mist wasn't thick, just a thin layer covering the ground like morning mist drifting from the mountains.
But under the cover of this mist, the forms of the small demons became blurred.
From a distance, only a grey-clad, white-haired figure could be seen walking alone in the mist.
As for the crooked shadows behind him, under the refraction of the blood mist, only hazy outlines remained.
Like—ghostly shadows.
Mist rising at noon.
It is called...
Peak Yang begetting Yin.
The Day Parade of The Twenty-three Demons.
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