— — —— — —
After some time
"ROAR!!"
A deafening dragon's roar shook the sky!
A massive creature, with the body of a dragon and a humanoid face, ascended into the air. Its skin was an eerie Purple-gray, its hair was Gray, and its body stretched hundreds of meters long!
Its giant crimson eyes locked onto the inu-yokai below with a murderous gaze.
"Hahaha!! Unbelievable!!"
"That damn dog went through all that trouble to seal me away, and now..."
"Now his own descendants have freed me?!"
"How amusing! Absolutely hilarious!!"
Ryukotsusei threw its head back in laughter at the sheer absurdity of the situation.
It snorted, its eyes glinting coldly. "Don't think that just because you released me, I'll let go of my grudge against you, Inu-yokai!"
"Hmph! So noisy."
Ryougetsu Senhime sat elegantly in the clouds, not even bothering to look at the beast, as if it were beneath her notice.
Sesshōmaru gripped his sword hilt tightly, his expression serious.
"So this is..."
"The opponent my father once faced?"
Busujima Saeko's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Now that's a worthy target!"
Tendo Kisara widened her eyes in disbelief. "This thing is really a dragon?"
"It's massive! Easily on par with Gastrea!"
Ryougetsu Senhime waved a dismissive hand, her face full of disdain. "At best, it's just another yokai. Don't go glorifying it."
"Alright, let's farm some experience."
With that, Saeko and Kisara wasted no time charging straight at Ryukotsusei.
Seeing this, Senhime's eyes grew a bit more serious.
She couldn't let Lynn's harem suffer any injuries under her watch.
Sesshōmaru, feeling his battle instincts flare, also dashed into the fight.
Clang!!
His blade clashed against the dragon's skin, producing an ear-piercing sound.
"Tch! So tough!"
Sesshōmaru frowned.
This was an opponent that couldn't be defeated with brute force alone.
No wonder his father had only been able to seal it away.
Watching Saeko and Kisara attack without a care, Sesshōmaru felt his pride stir.
Ever since Senhime had returned to the Inu-Yokai clan, she kept preaching about how under Lord Lynn's leadership, the clan would achieve greatness.
But he didn't like it.
When did the noble inuyokai become someone else's pets?
He could see that Senhime had completely submitted to that man!
So now…Only he could carry the honor of the inuyokai!
His gaze hardened as he renewed his assault on Ryukotsusei.
"Hmph!"
Ryukotsusei scoffed, utterly unfazed by the attacks of these mere insects.
After a moment, Senhime looked up at the crescent moon overhead.
Hunting Ryukotsusei wasn't just a whim.
Since her reincarnation as an [Eclipse Devil], she hadn't properly tested her new abilities.
"That's enough."
Her sudden words caught Saeko's attention, and without hesitation, she and Kisara withdrew from battle.
Sesshōmaru hesitated, but eventually backed away as well, though reluctance was clear on his face.
Ryukotsusei sneered, its crimson eyes locked onto Senhime. "Hah, finally stepping in, are you?"
A true foe.
It knew Senhime was a worthy opponent.
After all, Ryukotsusei was a legendary yokai!
A mere decade-long seal was nothing to it. Now, it was back at full power!
"ROOOOAR!"
With a monstrous bellow, the entire valley trembled!
A wave of demonic energy erupted, turning boulders to dust as the ground quaked violently!
Sesshōmaru's pupils shrank as he raised an arm to shield himself from the violent energy, his clothes billowing in the gusts.
"That bastard… It was just toying with me earlier?!"
HUMMM—
Ryukotsusei opened its massive mouth, unleashing a blinding energy blast straight at Senhime!
Sesshōmaru instinctively felt a twinge of concern for his aunt.
Yet, Senhime remained seated in the clouds, her cold gaze unwavering.
Her lips merely moved.
"Tear apart the blackened sky, let the New Moon bow before my blade—"
"Praise the Moon God—"
"Demonization, Start."
Using the Demonization skill of the [Eclipse Devil], the Pseudo-divine authority of the Moon God was granted.
Darkness engulfed the night sky, swallowing every star until only the moon remained, hanging high.
Threads of lunar light wrapped around Senhime, deepening her already icy aura, transforming her into an untouchable goddess.
And then—The moon twisted, bending into the shape of a celestial bow.
Swish—
A luminous arrow of moonlight streaked down from the heavens!
Ryukotsusei's crimson eyes widened in horror, reflecting the descending arrow.
"You… you've surpassed the limits of yokai!!"
"Impossible!!"
"No way!!"
"Authority?! Hah! You have a god's authority?!"
"Hahahaha? Ridiculous! How can that be?!"
Laughter mixed with tears as the dragon was swallowed whole by the arrow.
BOOOOM!!
A deafening explosion echoed across the land!
Yet, Senhime remained untouched, unaffected by the explosive destruction she had unleashed.
Sesshōmaru's pupils trembled at the apocalyptic sight before him. He swallowed hard.
A real God's authority…
Just as he was processing this, Senhime suddenly spoke.
"Sesshōmaru."
He stiffened at the sound of her voice.
"Lord Lynn granted me this power. What do you think?"
Sesshōmaru's eyes widened, his entire being shaken.
A god's authority…
Was a mere gift from that man?!
After a long silence, his expression shifted.
"Lord Lynn… would probably want to harvest that yokai materials, right?"
Senhime blinked.
She had overlooked that detail.
But wait! Sesshōmaru's sudden shift in attitude… Wasn't it a little too fast?
Already calling him 'Lord'?
Well, that was a good sign…
She had long seen through the thoughts of Sesshōmaru and all the inuyokai.
As Lord Lynn's subordinate, she wouldn't always be in the Western Lands.
One day, leadership would pass to Sesshōmaru.
And she needed to ensure the inuyokai knew their place.
Both the inuyokai… and she herself…Would forever be Lord Lynn's loyal puppies.
---
The next day
"Saeko, good news!"
"You're ready to level up."
.
.
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