Chapter 78. Raku Sou takes action to suppress the Great Yokai, the world... falls silent!
Many tourists were stunned, turned around and fled, their limbs trembling, teeth chattering uncontrollably.
Shit, just going for a walk to relax a bit and I end up encountering some kind of goddamn supernatural shit?!
Not far away, the group of high school students led by Tobe Kakeru was thrown into chaos. In fear, they scattered, a few girls behind screamed loudly, and the livestream camera shook violently, almost falling to the ground, leaving the viewers utterly bewildered.
"What the hell just happened?!"
"Holy shit! Streamer, are you that unlucky? I've gone to Higurashi Shrine eight times and nothing happened, but you go once and run into a fucking monster, hahaha."
"This kind of thick youki (note: demonic energy), streamer is about to meet Lucifer, 666666."
"The guy above, are you a pro? Say something clear about this youki."
"Thanks for the invitation. I'm in the business, with rich experience in exorcisms, and this is the first time I've seen youki this dense."
A young man from the Keikain exorcist family, hands trembling, lit a cigarette, and typed:
"Based on the amount of youki overflowing from this well, it has to be at least a Great Yokai, and there's no upper limit. I advise the streamer to run as far away as possible."
"In all of Japan's exorcist community, very few can suppress something like this."
"Only Great-level onmyoji like Abe no Seimei or Ashiya Douman can exorcise it."
"Streamer, pray for your life now—right now—run far away! And if anyone in the stream room is in Chiba, sincere advice: immediately drive out of the area! The level of disaster this time may exceed your wildest imagination."
"Since the human world began to flourish, it's been a very long time since such a powerful yokai appeared."
As soon as the onmyoji's message appeared, the entire stream room exploded. Hundreds of comments fired off wildly.
Too much information!!
Onmyoji, Japanese exorcist community, Great Yokai…
A super catastrophe capable of destroying an entire city—according to this mysterious person, it seems all six million citizens of Chiba are standing on the brink of death. Could this situation be even more serious than what happened in the Pacific last time?
Is this real or fake?
Could it just be an illusion, like the miracle that appeared in the sky above the ruins of King Arthur?
The hype exploded instantly. Within minutes, it shot up the hot search rankings. The recorded livestream video spread online, immediately dominating news front pages, spreading like wildfire, gradually shaking all of Japan.
In the blink of an eye, several highways in Chiba city were completely jammed, cars honking frantically, countless shouts and panicked screams erupting.
Even Japan's upper government was alarmed. High-ranking officials immediately mobilized the military for support.
Around the world, intelligence agencies in major capitals like New York, London, Seoul, New Delhi were thrown into frenzy, shocked enough to instantly file reports.
Why is something like this happening?
Could it be that the ancient races want to break the balance and rule the world once more?
"Oh my god, why the hell did something this terrible have to happen right during my re-election term?"
The current Prime Minister of Japan, Kishida Fumio, muttered curses, feeling like life was utter misery.
This kind of thing could very easily become a political stain.
So fucking annoying.
Might as well just get blown up by a bomb and be done with it.
...
The clouds looked like they were covered by a thin veil of blood-colored silk, releasing an ominous, eerie atmosphere—vague and unclear. The moonlight piercing through the clouds also seemed polluted and distorted, with drops of blood dripping down.
Fear was spreading, a sensation that made one's scalp tingle and sent chills down the spine.
Oga Taiyo, panicking, tried to flee—but suddenly realized his entire body had gone stiff and couldn't move.
Even his genes were trembling, as if this was a primal reaction deeply carved into him through ancestral inheritance.
At the final moment.
He gritted his teeth, screaming in fear within: "Move! Hurry up and move! You're my fucking legs!!"
(Note: I suddenly thought of Kaori, LOL.)
Cold sweat soaked his back.
And then, his body responded to his own desperate hope.
Oga Taiyo was shocked to discover he had regained control of his body. The muscles in his legs twisted like a rope, then exploded violently, propelling him out of the shrine.
I'm alive...!!
ROOOAAARR!!
From the well came the terrifying growl of a beast, howling and tearing through the layers of blood-colored clouds.
The ground shook violently. Oga Taiyo, who had been fleeing in a frenzy, tumbled down like a dog gnawing a bone. The sharp pain made him groan as he lay twitching on the ground, his once-imposing figure now smeared with mud, his shirt dirty and disheveled.
A strange, eerie gust of wind suddenly swept in.
In an instant, a massive claw of white bone, vast enough to blot out the sky, emerged from the black mist.
Thunder rumbled. Thick clouds of blood loomed above. From the sky fell droplets of inky, fetid rot.
Oga Taiyo turned back in panic and saw the monstrous claw, large enough to darken the heavens and earth, lunging straight for him like a crashing building. It came at lightning speed—too fast to react, impossible to dodge.
In the blink of an eye, a hand had grabbed Oga Taiyo and tightened its grip as he struggled in hopeless desperation.
The next moment.
A gigantic beastly skull of white bone rose from the mouth of the well, its greedy eyes glinting as it brought the unfortunate student to its maw, opening wide and crunching down on his head, tearing out his spine and innards, chewing slowly and deliberately.
Crack... Crack... Cr...ack~
The sound of bones being crunched echoed chillingly.
Organs spilled across the ground.
From afar, the camera lens captured the utterly brutal scene. Millions of viewers who had tuned in after hearing the news stared wide-eyed in horror, screaming until their voices went hoarse.
The entire internet exploded. Countless people didn't even dare to breathe loudly, curling up in fear, trembling uncontrollably!
This was a terror etched deep in their genes—a primal fear of the apex predator.
What the hell... is that thing?
With a satisfied slurp, the yokai swallowed. The Bone-Eater's Well shook violently, cracks running along its surface as if about to explode, struggling under a weight it couldn't bear, like a massive being forcing its way through a narrow opening.
Soon enough.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!
The well's mouth burst apart. Countless pieces of ancient stone were sent flying.
Under the bizarre blood-clouded sky, the ground caved in, and a towering figure with greedy eyes rose. Surrounding skyscrapers only reached its waist. Its entire body was composed of pale white bones, exuding a chilling aura of hatred and death, not a trace of flesh remained.
Its limbs gouged deep hundred-meter-long grooves into the earth. It lifted its head and roared toward the blood moon—
Releasing a wave of pure, murderous fury.
Only now did people finally recognize its form.
...
"…This?!"
At the Supernatural Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, Tsuchimiya Kagura stood trembling, staring blankly, unconsciously muttering.
The mythical scene was overwhelming. They were supposed to be the shield protecting civilians from yokai and evil spirits, but in the face of such an overwhelmingly powerful foe, the girl couldn't help but tremble in fear, unable to summon the will to fight.
Could they even fight it?
Even if they gathered all the exorcists in Chiba, they'd only be throwing their lives away.
Yomi-neesan... if it were you... what would you do?
...
Above the sea of clouds, even Shuten-douji stood in stunned silence.
Impossible. In this era, there shouldn't be any yokai that have reached such a realm.
Wait…
The aura of that dog-shaped yokai… why did it feel so familiar?
Like… an old friend.
"If it's really you… to have fallen so far, that would be truly pitiful."
She whispered softly to herself, recalling the war-torn days of the Sengoku period, her eyes clouded with complex emotions.
...
At Higurashi Shrine, inside an abandoned storage room—
A katana trembled violently in its drawer, as if the spirit within the blade was riled up to its core.
"Inu General… In your lifetime, you were a peerless warrior, unrivaled across the land. With a single stroke, you could divide man from yokai. And yet in death, your corpse has been tainted, degraded into a monster of pure slaughter."
"Compared to your life, your death is even more terrifying—able to massacre far more."
"How pitiful. How laughable!"
The air vibrated in waves. The cursed sword, known for its power to bewitch the hearts of men, let out a mocking, scornful voice.
It was none other than the sword most tyrannical blades in the world—So'unga (Amassing Cloud Fang), harboring an ancient yokai within. For thousands of years, countless humans had sought to seize So'unga in order to become the ruler of the world, slaughtering one another in the process.
Only when the Inu General appeared did that endless battle finally come to an end.
That man—though slim in stature—possessed a will as unyielding as diamond, calm and wise, and a demonic power so overwhelming it defied belief.
It was thanks to the Inu General that So'unga could no longer wreak havoc across the world.
Even before his death, the Inu General deliberately used the sword's scabbard to seal it away for hundreds of years—
Hoping to bring eternal peace to the world.
So'unga gritted its teeth in bitter hatred.
Seeing the Inu General fall to such a fate, it felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
...
At the shrine, the giant white bone Beast greedily looked down at the tiny humans fleeing in terror.
Food…
So much food.
Compared to the vast but sparsely populated land it once knew, this world it had emerged into from the mouth of the well was a paradise—each prey tender, plump, and juicy, vividly tempting its senses.
Slurp...
It stretched out a massive claw, an overwhelming pressure bringing with it a fierce gale, and snatched up a frightened little girl.
Gulp! — Swallowed in one bite.
Organs and brain slid down its throat—soft, fragrant, and meltingly delicious. Truly exquisite.
Suddenly, it raised its head in confusion toward the sky—a barrage of deafening explosions rang out. A fleet of F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters roared into view like eagles circling above, and under the furious command of the Prime Minister, launched their full assault.
BOOM…!!
The blood-colored clouds were pierced, and blazing light rained down from the heavens.
Countless Satan-type missiles, gigantic MOAB fuel-air bombs, Trident II warheads, and white phosphorus shells were fired in waves, launching a full-scale bombardment on the mountainous center of the city.
Numerous massive craters erupted across the earth.
Air collapsed in a radius of several kilometers. Rows upon rows of buildings were shattered and crumbled to the ground.
Fortunately, most civilians had already evacuated and were not severely harmed.
Smoke and fire billowed. Gunpowder blazed through the skies.
"Did we… kill that thing?"
Inside the leading F-35 Lightning II, a Japanese pilot frowned, nerves stretched taut.
But in the very next second—a roar that shook the eardrums thundered out.
The giant white bone Beast, unharmed and enraged, burst forth from the smoke. Without a scratch, it opened its mouth and unleashed a blazing beam of light straight into the sky. With a slight twist of its head, the beam carved a sweeping arc across the sky—under the horrified eyes of the Prime Minister, it sliced through each and every F-35 Lightning II in its path.
BOOM BOOM BOOM…!!
The heavens trembled, erupting into a spectacular display of exploding fireflowers. Tens of billions of USD went up in flames, turned to ash in an instant.
The entire internet went deathly silent.
People around the globe stared wide-eyed at the live broadcast.
Wait a minute…
Japan may not be a superpower, but its air force ranks among the world's best—and with "Big Daddy America" backing it, it's equipped with a vast arsenal of cutting-edge weaponry.
And yet this is how it ends?
After the last incident with the Evil Spirit God of the Pacific, people already understood that modern military forces couldn't do much—but no one imagined they'd be this useless!
Fuck this…
Citizens of Chiba twitched at the corners of their mouths, watching the white bone beast rampage with impunity, their entire bodies trembling in utter despair.
Even the highways were jammed. Where could they possibly run now?
It was over.
...
"At least Kagome isn't here…"
In the distance, the old man of the Higurashi family trembled, his face pained as he looked at the shrine—now utterly destroyed.
So many ancient artifacts passed down through the ages, now buried under rubble—heirlooms painstakingly preserved by his ancestors!
Damn it, his heart ached!
But as long as people are still alive, it's all right. Even if this old body dies, it's fine.
Compared to the shrine, Kagome is his most precious treasure.
Of course, the old man still clung to a sliver of hope—maybe reinforcements would arrive, perhaps they could destroy this monster. Then, he could return to the ruins to search for any surviving relics, rebuild the Higurashi Shrine, and continue the legacy of his forebears.
But then…
BOOM BOOM BOOM…!!
Ten thousand cannons fired in unison. An unending torrent of firepower rained down—but it wasn't even enough to scratch the white bone beast.
It let out a furious roar, its body crouched low then suddenly exploded forward, smashing countless low-flying F-35 Lightning II jets, sweeping a claw across, obliterating the remaining threats, then coldly looked down at the ground, where a convoy of armored tanks was rolling in.
Its four limbs accelerated, the colossal body shot across like thunder, crushing the entire army corps.
"A bunch of... ants."
The giant Beast sneered, like a towering mountain amidst the ruins. Just the moment it landed on the ground made the mountains quake. The weight bursting forth exceeded tens of millions of tons—so much so that even the cinematic monster Godzilla would pale in shame.
Under the blood moon, the sky-filling youki turned into mist, spreading across dozens of kilometers.
In just a moment.
All the nations of the world fell into deathly silence.
"Japan Self-Defense Forces..."
"Completely annihilated."
Countless people held their breath as they witnessed this scene, sensing an apocalyptic catastrophe looming.
Paris, Sydney, Boston, Belgium, Munich, Washington… all around the world, people of every ethnicity trembled, clutching their loved ones in fear, worried for the future of humanity.
Could it be... the prophecy of the 2012 doomsday... is about to come true?
It's all over, really over...
In Christian cities, many devout believers knelt in worship, believing this to be a sign of the apocalypse descended by God.
An oppressive doomsday atmosphere loomed, black clouds churning as if signaling an approaching storm.
Many believers went mad, desperately praying to their gods, tears streaming down their faces, earnestly pleading to Brahma, Shiva, Kukulkan, Olympus, Zeus, Hades, Amaterasu...
Hoping they would descend.
To suppress the remnants of Inu General.
But... no one responded.
The era of human rule—had long since seen the gods depart.
"Sigh…"
A light sigh echoed softly, gentle as jade, spreading through the heavens and earth, brimming with compassion for the world, carrying a hint of mortal warmth.
As if a god who loved humanity could not bear to watch the tragedy unfold.
Everyone was puzzled, feeling as if they had returned to the warmest shelter, able to lean into that embrace to act spoiled, confide their fears and sorrows, then be gently comforted, soothing all anxiety.
"What on earth... is this?"
Everyone fell silent.
At such a critical moment, who had stepped forward?
Could it be Merlin?
No.
Merlin is as free as the wind—though gentle, he doesn't possess this kind of vast compassion.
King of Knights Artoria?
Impossible.
That King of Britannia is far too solemn and sacred—if it were her who appeared, it would never feel like this.
At the very next moment.
The young master in white had somehow already appeared, his ancient sky-blue hair gently swaying in the wind, like a painting moving across the earth, emitting a soft white glow, poetic and picturesque.
The white robes fluttered in the breeze, radiating a strong sense of presence.
Everyone fell silent, quietly watching that familiar yet distant young master in white.
"GRAAOO!!"
At the other end of the ruins, the remnants of Inu General roared furiously, its million-ton body suddenly bursting with power, like a mountain being hurled forward, charging as if to crush that person and even the Earth's mantle beneath.
The young master in white remained calm, forming a seal with his fingers, the Shikon Jewel lightly trembled.
Countless white lights spread from his body, the power soaking into the entire earth.
Rumble rumble rumble rumble…!!
A mighty mountain suddenly rose from the ground.
Thunderous sounds echoed, and the giant white bone Beast crashed into the base of that towering mountain, unable to move it an inch. Rocks fell, trees toppled, revealing the body of a Buddha statue—its head piercing the sky and clouds.
The young master in white stood atop the petrified Buddha's head, looking down—his gaze indifferent and calm, as if looking at dust.
That monstrous youkai, massive like a mountain, was nothing more than a foot beneath the Buddha's lotus pedestal.
Then—
In the dazed eyes of the giant white bone Beast, the Buddha's hand stretched out, gently like scooping up a flat cake.
Thick darkness blanketed the sky, even sunlight was blocked.
"BOOM!!"
From the adjacent metropolis, one could clearly see—on the distant horizon, a gigantic Buddha statue seemingly from mythological times.
Among its thousand hands, one hand was gripping the colossal youkai like catching a grasshopper.
Looking down upon it.
The feeling was as if witnessing a scene straight out of an epic myth.
Silence.
Tens of billions of people around the world stared blankly at this sight, their minds completely blank, the ability to think wiped clean.