Although Kuki Shinobu and Arataki Itto could no longer continue their investigation of Yashiori Island for the time being, their actions had drawn the attention of some of the soldiers on the island, making it much easier for Sangonomiya Kokomi and Thoma to carry out their operation.
Hearing the sounds of fighting in the distance, Thoma muttered to himself with some emotion.
"Miss Kuki Shinobu and Brother Itto have really sacrificed too much to ensure our operation goes smoothly. I can't let their good intentions go to waste."
Taking the opportunity, Thoma ventured further into Yashiori Island. Along the way, he saw many Shogunate Army and Watatsumi Army soldiers passing by in a hurry, and he did his best to hide his tracks.
From what he had seen, Thoma could basically confirm that these soldiers were different from the situation Sangonomiya Kokomi had described. They should have retained their memories.
If not, they wouldn't have been operating separately.
This might be a point that could be exploited.
While committing this information to memory, Thoma continued to investigate the situation on Yashiori Island.
Sangonomiya Kokomi went to the most dangerous and problem-prone area, Musoujin Gorge, which greatly reduced the pressure on everyone else. However, this did not mean they were absolutely safe, as the combat strength of these soldiers was indeed somewhat terrifying.
Thoma estimated that if he were to be besieged by a ten-man squad, there would be basically no chance of escape.
It wasn't that the enemy's strength was so overwhelming, but rather that their fighting style completely ignored their own injuries.
Anyone who saw a picture of a man with a large sword stabbed into his head, yet still grinning savagely as he swung his blade at them, would have to curse.
Those Nobushi were still easier to bully!
Thoma even felt a bit nostalgic for the Nobushi he had encountered before. They were basically normal people, each more afraid of death than the last, and though they had the advantage in numbers, they were as disorganized as loose sand.
Thoma shook his head and then continued his investigation.
Before long, Thoma actually discovered an important stronghold. He hid in the woods on a nearby hillside, quietly listening to the activity within the camp.
"That pink fox... Next time, this Great One will personally skin her and offer her fur to Mouun."
He had almost obtained the Karasu-Tengu Mask to fulfill his original promise, but Yae Miko had interfered. Higashiyama-no-Ou, filled with frustration and unable to vent, finally randomly selected a few of his subordinates.
"You, you... and you, come out and spar with me."
"Yes, Lord Higashiyama-no-Ou!"
The eyes of the soldiers he pointed out were filled with fanatical fervor. To be able to fight against the hero of Watatsumi Island was a tremendous honor for them.
In fact, Higashiyama-no-Ou's injuries had not fully healed at this moment, but he didn't care.
Only battle could calm the anger and resentment in his heart right now.
Soon the fight began. Although the soldiers fought with all their might, they were still like children fighting an adult before the not-yet-fully-recovered Higashiyama-no-Ou.
As the soldiers fell one by one, wave after wave of fanatical cheers erupted at the scene.
"Higashiyama-no-Ou!" "Higashiyama-no-Ou!"
This scene left Thoma somewhat stunned. At first, he couldn't remember who Higashiyama-no-Ou was, but shortly after, his expression turned serious. Could this person be the one who fell to the Raiden Shogun's world-shaking blade in Inazuma's history?
That was a legendary figure. Although he was defeated by the Raiden Shogun in a single strike, don't forget that before that, he had killed the Raiden Shogun's beloved general, Tengu Sasayuri.
Before this, he, Kuki Shinobu, and Arataki Itto had actually joined forces to fight against Sasayuri, and the opponent's overwhelming power had left them feeling suffocated.
However, even someone of that level had been defeated by the opponent, allowing one to imagine just how terrifying the strength of the youth crowned as Higashiyama-no-Ou must have been.
But after Thoma finished watching Higashiyama-no-Ou make his move, he felt that the opponent didn't seem to exert as much pressure as Sasayuri had brought him. Could the opponent have used some unconventional methods to defeat Sasayuri?
Thoma couldn't see the injuries on Higashiyama-no-Ou's body and didn't know that Higashiyama-no-Ou's strength was nearly depleted at this moment.
After thinking for a moment, Thoma shook his head and gave up.
No matter what the specific circumstances were back then, and no matter whether it was Sasayuri or Higashiyama-no-Ou, in any case, for him, there wasn't much difference. He couldn't defeat either of them.
To be honest, Thoma felt a bit struck. Originally, he felt his own strength was decent, but looking back along the way, if he had been of any use at all, he wouldn't have been completely useless.
Fortunately, Kuki Shinobu, who was about the same in strength as him, made him feel a little better.
Time to go.
Thoma took one last look at the camp over there, then prepared to leave immediately.
However, right at this moment, Thoma suddenly remembered the scene he had seen before, and a sudden idea struck him.
Considering Higashiyama-no-Ou's current mood, if Thoma were to disguise himself as a Shogunate Army soldier and deliberately provoke him, it's possible that the two sides would immediately start fighting.
As long as chaos ensued, he could explore other places more easily. Worst-case scenario, he could do the same thing Arataki Itto and Kuki Shinobu did before, drawing enough attention.
Thoma's eyes shone brighter and brighter, and he felt this plan was better and better. Immediately after, he began actively looking for patrolling Shogunate Army soldiers.
Not long after, Thoma spotted a Shogunate Army squad with only three people.
Although the risk was high, Thoma really couldn't find a team with fewer people, so he could only gamble it all.
After setting up the traps and ambushing them while they were unprepared, Thoma soon successfully subdued this Shogunate Army squad, the process being thrilling but without incident.
Afterward, Thoma stripped the clothes off their bodies and put them on himself.
Then Thoma discovered something that surprised him greatly: those clothes were actually consuming Soul Power all the time, although the consumption was very weak.
Thoma tried to stop providing enough Soul Power, and then he saw the clothes gradually disappearing from his body.
How incredible!
Thoma seemed to understand why these soldiers wouldn't mistake someone else for one of their own; this special clothing was the best proof of their identity.
Now Thoma was much more relieved. After putting on another set of clothes he had stripped, he slowly walked toward the previous camp.
A patrol squad appeared halfway, seemingly finding it strange that Thoma was alone, but they just glanced at him a few more times and then left, causing Thoma's tense body to relax considerably.
This made Thoma even bolder. He quickly arrived at the previous Watatsumi Army camp and then secretly started causing trouble.
"Fire!"
Not long after, Higashiyama-no-Ou, who was resting in the camp, heard the commotion outside. He took a few strides out and was immediately met with a sea of flames.
Higashiyama-no-Ou was instantly enraged. He was already furious, and then this incident happened.
"They think I, Higashiyama-no-Ou, am a pushover!"
"Investigate! Thoroughly investigate who did this?!"
"Lord Higashiyama-no-Ou, it seems the Shogunate people did it."
Hearing his subordinate's report, Higashiyama-no-Ou immediately stomped his foot hard on the ground, creating a small pit.
"Good, good, good. I knew those bastards couldn't stay quiet."
"Kill them! Kill them all! They started it, so if this escalates, they can't blame us."
"Yes, Lord Higashiyama-no-Ou!"
Upon receiving Higashiyama-no-Ou's orders, the soldiers even abandoned fighting the fire and chased Thoma all the way.
The journey was fraught with danger, and cold sweat broke out on Thoma's forehead. Fortunately, he still managed to lead them to the Shogunate Army.
Upon seeing the Shogunate Army patrol squad, Thoma immediately shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Brothers, these people from Watatsumi Island have gone mad! Help!"
"How dare they!"
"Those little brats from Watatsumi Island actually dare to bully our Shogunate Army!"
Hearing Thoma's words and seeing the Watatsumi Army pursuing him, one of the soldiers roared and then pulled the signal flare at his waist.
As the bright fireworks exploded in the sky, the Shogunate Army, seeing the signal, rushed in from all directions. Seeing this scene, the Watatsumi Army also sent out a signal, and soon, many people from both sides arrived.
When old enemies met, their eyes turned red with rage. The two sides, who had long harbored resentment, soon started fighting directly. Things went much more smoothly than Thoma had imagined.
Shortly after the battle began, Thoma found a suitable opportunity to slip away...
On the other side, Sangonomiya Kokomi also arrived outside Musoujin Gorge. Feeling the now surging Electro Elemental Power within Musoujin Gorge, Sangonomiya Kokomi couldn't help but frown.
Electro Elemental Power of this concentration would have a significant impact even if she entered directly.
However, this part of the impact could be offset by her own Hydro Elemental Power, so it wasn't a big problem. The only thing was that if a battle broke out inside, it would probably be a bit troublesome.
But even with the enormous risk, Sangonomiya Kokomi could only personally enter to investigate the situation.
Thinking of this, Sangonomiya Kokomi took a deep breath, then used the protection power of God Orobashi belonging to her bloodline to add a layer of Hydro Elemental Shield to herself, and then prepared to step into Musoujin Gorge.
Suddenly, Sangonomiya Kokomi felt a strong sense of crisis, immediately stopped her steps and retreated two steps. The next second, an arrow containing Hydro Elemental Power flashed past in front of her and shot into Musoujin Gorge, then that arrow was worn away by the violent Electro Elemental Power under Sangonomiya Kokomi's gaze.
Sangonomiya Kokomi's frown deepened as she realized the environment within Musoujin Gorge was much worse than she had anticipated.
But at this moment, Sangonomiya Kokomi had no time to dwell on this. She slowly turned around, her gaze falling upon the slender figure in the distance, clad in the miko uniform of Watatsumi Island, and stared for a moment.
"Descendant of the Sangonomiya Clan, your journey ends here."
The other's voice was cool and calm as she spoke, but she did not launch another attack.
"I will not let you proceed any further. If you retreat now, I can pretend I never saw you."
Sangonomiya Kokomi looked at the other calmly and asked.
"May I ask if you are Shrine Maiden Mouun?"
"After all these years, I never expected a descendant to still know my name."
A look of surprise crossed Mouun's face as she remarked with emotion.
Though they had died a heroic death back then, over a thousand years had passed. Now, the number of people who could still remember and directly recognize them was few and far between.
Yet many people still remembered Higashiyama-no-Ou. The sword techniques he created were still passed down to this day, his bravery was still sung about by countless people of Watatsumi Island, and his fearsome reputation was still dreaded by countless people of the Shogunate.
At this moment, Mouun looked at Sangonomiya Kokomi with a gaze filled with fondness and nostalgia. Back then, she and her sister Ayame had studied at Sangonomiya, and their direct superior was Sangonomiya Kokomi's ancestor, the Divine Priestess of that era.
Although her seniority was far greater than Sangonomiya Kokomi's, she should still offer her loyalty and respect to the other as the Divine Priestess of this generation, for this identity meant the other was the agent of the god.
However, out of necessity, she not only could not offer her strength to the other but also had to raise her bow and arrow against her, which left Mouun deeply conflicted.
Being stationed here was a post that Higashiyama-no-Ou had specifically sought out for her, which was actually a form of protection. After all, Yashiori Island was the absolute rear area, but she never expected that someone would still sneak in, and the other was none other than the Divine Priestess of this generation, the very existence she was most reluctant to face.
"I am only guessing."
Sangonomiya Kokomi looked at Mouun and said slowly.
"After all, I have already met Tengu Sasayuri from a thousand years ago before this."
When Sangonomiya Kokomi mentioned Sasayuri, the hand Mouun held her bow and arrow with tightened noticeably.
Back then, her own lover, Higashiyama-no-Ou, was slain by Raiden Ei because of Sasayuri. Even she herself had died at the hands of Sasayuri's subordinates. Although they had already foreseen the final outcome from the Divine Priestess of that generation before launching this war, her heart still struggled to find peace upon hearing that name.
"...What happened to Watatsumi Island afterward?"
After a long silence, Mouun gradually lowered the bow and arrow in her hand and asked Sangonomiya Kokomi with a very complicated expression.
Although she had been avoiding this question before, she still asked Sangonomiya Kokomi after she appeared.
Sangonomiya Kokomi didn't say much, only speaking faintly.
"Life isn't too easy for subjects without the protection of a God."
"Fortunately, the Raiden Shogun is merciful, otherwise Watatsumi Island would not have been able to preserve its independent government to this day, or even directly disappear from history."
Sangonomiya Kokomi knew that the Raiden Shogun had already done her utmost, so even knowing that God Orobashi had died at her hands, she still couldn't harbor much hatred.
"The problem of food shortages on Watatsumi Island still has not been solved, fortunately with the subsequent subsiding of the Archon War, the appearance of merchant caravans allowed the operation of Watatsumi Island to barely be maintained."
Mouun nodded after hearing Sangonomiya Kokomi's words.
Even though they had fought this unavoidable war with the determination to die back then, they were still worried about the plight of their descendants. After learning about the specific situation from Sangonomiya Kokomi, she considered a heavy burden lifted.
"What is your name?"
"Sangonomiya Kokomi."
Hearing this name, Mouun murmured softly, as if reminiscing about something.
"Sangonomiya Kokomi, your aura is exceptionally dazzling. I can tell your excellence is no less than hers."
Mouun raised her head and looked at Sangonomiya Kokomi again, her gaze becoming calm.
"You must have already guessed why we did all this, so you should also know that I won't let you pass."
Mouun raised her bow and arrow again, nocked it, aimed at Sangonomiya Kokomi, and said slowly.
"Go back."
"This is my final warning."