Book 4: Chapter 44: Jinmu Legion of Eight

Hahahahahahahahaha!

A bold and cheerful laughter echoed throughout the dark cavern, leaving the samurai at a loss about the source for a while.

But Lily revealed a look of relief when he heard this laughter.

Lily intended to use the magatama she had to summon the Four-Tailed Monster Cat and the Soultaker from the Record of One Hundred Demons if the trio from the West were to attack her while she battled past the samurai.

The Soultakers abilities worked well to restrict opponents and there was no need to worry about it dying since it was just a shadow avatar. It would just vanish once the eldritch energies powering it was depleted by the spirit attacks from enemies and could be resummoned again using magatama after some time. As such, shadow avatars and grudge embodiments had no fear of death.

As for the Four-Tailed Monster Cat, it was a fabled archdemon at the Throne level that possessed world-destroying abilities, so its shadow avatars strength was at the apex of the Permanence level! This was enough to fend off the trio from the West even if it couldnt kill them.

However, Lily had few magatama in her possession and also didnt wish to expose this hand of hers that easily. It required her to kill her enemies with certainty if she were to use it.

But Lily didnt feel the necessity to use the Record of One Hundred Demons now.

A stout, dark-skinned man with messy bound hair walked out from one of the pa.s.sages on the caverns walls. He was dressed in a shabby white vest and pants that had tattered sleeve edges, but his exposed arms were pretty buff. He also held a black-sheathed broadsword that had a wine pot hanging from its hilt in one of his hands.

W-Who is this man? The samurai gave way to him after seeing his bold, flashy and imposing behavior.

W-Why is he here? Tamurakonoes lips twitched as he turned tense.

Whos this uncle? Ui asked puzzledly.

A layer of sweat formed on Kiuchidera Tess.h.i.+ns forehead, Tenba Goro. Hes one of the unrivaled legends of the Heian Empire and also one of the Jinmu Legion of Eight, who are treated with due respect by even the imperial court.

Jinmu Legion of Eight? It sounds familiar, Ui tilted her head.

Tamurakonoes expression turned grim, Jinmu Legion of Eight. It was created by our founding emperor, Emperor Jinmu, and each succeeding emperor has personally awarded this t.i.tle to eight vagabonds in their generation! It can be said that each generation of the Jinmu Legion of Eight are apex existences from the worlds wandering samurai and heroes. Tenba Goro is one of this generations Jinmu Legion of Eight.

Oh! Hes such an amazing uncle? Ui leaped onto a stone lantern at the edge of the wooden platform and shouted at the distant Tenba Goro, Are you here for the treasure too, uncle? Youre quite unlucky since the treasure already has an owner now.

Dont be rude, Ui! Tamurakonoe warned her tensely.

Lord Tamurakonoe. Why is Tenba Goro here? Isnt he pretty late if hes here for the treasure? Tess.h.i.+n felt puzzled.

Tamurakonoe answered uncertainly, Is he here to kill the mirror girl as well? Hmph. If thats the case, we might not even need to act as she will have no chances of making it out alive from this place.

Brother! Lily waved her hand at Tenba Goro in glee after seeing him appear from the crowd of samurai.

Sister! Forgive me for arriving late! Hahaha! Tenba Goro said frankly while scratching his head.

Tamurakonoes expression hardened immediately.

Brother?!

Tenba Goro continued speaking while moving towards Lily, I wasnt late on purpose. Obtaining an emblem was just trickier than what I thought.

Okado Yuzo stepped forward to block Goros way at this moment, Tell me, brother. Are you that womans brother?

Goro smiled brightly after hearing this, Indeed.

Your sister has robbed us of our treasure. All of us clearly worked together to obtain the treasure, but she intends to hog it all. As her brother, you must discipline her and make her divide the treasures of equivalent value to give us an account, Okado stated.

Brother, I obtained the treasure all alone. Although none of them dared to attack Kybzu when he was occupying the platform previously, they surrounded me once I defeated him and obtained the treasure. They demanded that I hand over my blades and other treasures in exchange and refused to let me leave unless I complied! Lily explained aggrievedly.

s.h.i.+mizu felt displeased when she saw this,

Why are you requesting a mans help, Lil Sis?

s.h.i.+mizu failed to understand that Lily treated Goro like her real brother.

Tenba Goro looked at Lily solemnly and seemed to get lost in thought after looking at the samurai who waited patiently for his response.

Brother

Goro revealed a frank smile as he raised his head, So thats what happened. Hahaha!

Huh?! The samurai were taken aback.

Dont tell me youre going to believe her just like that, brother?!

Goro took a sip from the wine pot and chuckled loudly, Hahahahahaha! I believe whatever my sister says!

Okados expression darkened, What do you mean by that? Dont tell me youre going to let that woman leave?

The cavern quaked at this moment and a stone door manifested aboveground before one of the chains. A series of stone steps flew out from the caverns walls next to form stairs that connected the door to the wooden platform and a water portal similar to the one in the lakebed palace filled the hollow section of the door suspended in midair.

Its the exit! As the treasure had an owner, it was natural for the exit to appear, and everyone present realized this immediately.

The exit was pretty close to Goros position.

Goro arrived beside the stairs, drank a mouthful of sake and sat down cross-legged before stating with an icy gaze, Just focus on leaving, Sister. They wont make it hard for you with me here.

Brother, Lily smiled joyfully.

Tamurakonoes expression distorted, Dammit! How did Tenba Goro, who has always been active in Kansai and never in Kanto become this mirror girls brother so soon? Doesnt this render our objectives void? We can neither kill the mirror girl nor prevent her from leaving with the treasure now!

What? Is this uncle stronger than you, Brother Tamurakonoe? Ui asked.

Shut up, Tamurakonoe snapped at Ui, Do you realize what youve just spoken? Were fortunate that Tenba Goro is a reasonable man. If it were one of the brutal fellows from the Legion of Eight, we three mightve lost our lives by now. Got it?!

Eh? T-Theyre that fierce? This isnt fun, Ui played with her kendama with a pouting mouth.

Listen. No matter what these idiots do, we will refrain from taking any action while Tenba Goro and the mirror girl are together. Well follow them vigilantly from afar instead. Tenba Goro doesnt have a fixed base and wanders all the lands, so he wont always remain with that woman. Well kill her and also plunder her treasures in pa.s.sing when they part. This mirror girl seems to have a lot of treasures besides the celestial maidens undergarment she obtained just prior, Tamurakonoe stated solemnly in a soft voice.

Lily sighed in relief after seeing Tenba Goro stand on her side, especially so because she had guessed that the trio from the West also feared him after catching sight of Tamurakonoes distorted expression from the corner of her vision.

Lily thus crossed the chain in a calm and collected manner.

However, a few samurai stood at the chains end to block Lily in spite of Goros warning.

We wont let you pa.s.s, Kagami Lily! Okado took command of the scene while pointing at Lily in ire and looked at Goro, who was seated next to the stairs after that, Keep an eye on this man and kill him if he dares to intervene!

The samurai drew out their katanas to pressure Goro, but he still maintained a smile.

Hmph. Fools, Tamurakonoe snorted, This is going to cost them dearly.

Brother Lily looked at Goro when she saw the samurai block the area around the chains end. Her height allowed her to do this as most samurai werent tall enough to block her sight.

Hahaha. Ive said it already once, Sister. Just focus on leaving, Tenba Goro stated candidly.

Lily revealed a knowing smile and sprinted towards the samurai suddenly.

Youre just rus.h.i.+ng to your death! Kill her! The samurai raised their blades towards her.

However, all they saw was a crimson shadow.

Woos.h.!.+

The shadow shuttled through the samurai and arrived beside the stairs instantly.

By the time the samurai finished swinging their blades, Lily had long arrived behind them, so they just stood still with stunned looks.

Spurt! Spurt! Spurt!

Blood jetted out from the wrists of the samurai and their katanas fell to the ground.

What?! The others were shocked. Argh! My hand! My hand! Argh! My hands tendon has been severed! My life as a samurai is over now!

The samurai screamed in pain while clutching their bleeding wrists.

Lets go, Sister s.h.i.+mizu, Mizue.

s.h.i.+mizu had long arrived beside the stairs along with Mizue unnoticed.

Although s.h.i.+mizu wasnt that fond of receiving a mans a.s.sistance, now wasnt the time for arguments. She nodded and took Mizue up the stairs first with no one stopping them this time.

Lily also sashayed towards the stairs behind them.

You arent going anywhere! Okado Yuzo unleashed his spirit power and drew out his tachi by grabbing its bearpaw-shaped hilt while donning the murderous expression of a bear!

Yuzo then charged towards Lily like a bear charging forward violently.

Lily had come quite close to Tenba Goro by now and continued walking towards the stairs without looking back.

The blades of the samurai pressed towards Goros neck and Okados raised blade was moments away from slas.h.i.+ng Lilys back now.

Hah! Goro hardened his muscles suddenly at this moment and released an earth-quaking roar before rising up.

Shatter! The blades pressing against Goros neck shattered and the samurai surrounding him were also blasted away.

Goro drew out the s.h.i.+mmering blade of his broadsword, Sorrowful Terror, and raised it high before sprinting forward, arriving beside Lily almost instantly to fend off Okados tachi with Sorrowful Terror.

In contrast to Sorrowful Terror that remained stable after fending the attack off, Okados tachi, as well as his wrist, trembled from the aftershocks of the exchange.

Hah! Goro gave out a wrathful shout with a flushed face and struck down at Okados blade fiercely.

Bam! A dazzling explosion of light rippled outwards like waves beating against a sh.o.r.e.

Argh! Okado was blasted away along with a bunch of the samurai behind him and crashed through the wooden platform while giving rise to wood dust.

The lucky samurai landed on the round stone platform and the chains while the unlucky ones plunged into the bottomless chasm.

Okado Yuzos screams echoed out from the chasm before fading out gradually.