These two sentences left everyone present utterly shocked. None of them had known that Yomi had betrayed them. Though some found it hard to believe, the person in question stood right before them, and as Miko-sama, her words could never be wrong.
"Miko-sama, where are your reinforcements?" the captain of the guards asked anxiously. He knew very well what kind of people were at Yomi's side in the capital. Those ninja were not ones that could be beaten casually.
"My reinforcements?" Shion lifted her head and looked at Shigeo, who was holding her hand. Slowly, she raised her other hand and pointed at him, but no words came out.
"What?"
Everyone's jaws nearly dropped to the floor. "Just… just one person? Miko-sama, I think we should reconsider. Lord Yomi has many powerful fighters at his side. How can he handle that alone? We… we would of course swear to protect you with our lives, but you know our strength."
"Miko-sama, please don't go any further inside. Now that we know your situation, we will definitely go and find help." The captain stepped forward, blocking their path.
"Move aside." Shigeo's face was cold as ice.
"No! Miko-sama's life is not something for you to gamble with!" the captain shouted through gritted teeth.
Thud! Shigeo kicked him flying in one strike, then continued to pull Shion straight down the main street.
That street led directly to the residence where Yomi was now. At this moment, all the guards lined both sides of the road, and even some civilians had stepped out of their houses, staring curiously at the scene.
"What's going on? The captain got knocked down? The Miko? Isn't that Miko-sama?"
In an instant, more and more people crowded along the street. The guards stood in formation on both sides, keeping the civilians apart from the two walking down the center.
Shion instinctively tried to pull back her hand, but Shigeo whispered to her, "You need to believe in me, and also in yourself. Don't let that soldier sway you. If this drags on, who knows how things will turn out? Luckily, the people of the capital don't know you left. Otherwise, the city would already be in chaos. The soldiers would be fighting Yomi's men to the death, and the ones to suffer would be your people."
Those few words hit Shion like a blow. She had no retreat left. With so many people watching her enter the city, and Yomi's betrayal already exposed, she could not turn back. If she ran, she would not only fail as a ruler, but lose all respect as the revered Miko-sama.
"…Fine. Life or death, we'll see this through to the end."
A cold wind swept past as the two of them walked firmly down the main street. The lamplight stretched their shadows long across the ground. Behind them followed the guards and soldiers who had come to greet them, as well as the citizens of the capital.
The crowd moved together toward the royal residence, demanding answers from the minister called Yomi.
At last, they arrived at the gates of the mansion. Many of the guards stationed there, upon seeing the Miko, immediately switched sides and stood with her.
The gates were already wide open.
Yomi appeared at the entrance, smiling broadly. "Miko-sama, you've returned. When you were abducted by villains, I was terribly worried. I sent several groups of ninja to rescue you, but all failed. Now that you are back, please, enter the residence!"
As he spoke, Yomi stepped aside and bent slightly at the waist, gesturing with a hand in a mockery of courtesy.
"Yomi, do you really take me for a child? Your schemes cannot fool me. You deceived me, imprisoned me, tried to make me obey you. You wanted to hold the sovereign hostage to command the lords, to seize this nation. You even plotted to release the Mōryō that my mother sacrificed so much to seal, just to control me and then invade the whole shinobi world. You are a traitor to this country, a disgrace to humanity! Soldiers, hear my command: Yomi is guilty of treason and rebellion. He must be executed on the spot!"
Small as she was, Shion widened her eyes, her tiny hand gripping tightly onto Shigeo's palm, and shouted these words with all her might.
Every word struck like a hammer. She was upright, solemn, filled with authority.
Behind her, the people erupted in cries. This was the power of a true ruler!
"Not bad!" Shigeo glanced down at her and gave a thumbs-up. "You've just surpassed all my expectations."
Shion's body trembled, but she nodded slightly, refusing to relax.
Her mother had never eased in teaching her what it meant to be a sovereign. She knew exactly what her existence meant. Just as Shigeo knew what it meant to bring her into the city today.
"Kill the traitor! Kill that bastard!"
"Kill him!"
The people's chants filled the air, but Yomi, standing on the steps of the mansion, only began to shake with laughter.
"Even your mother couldn't defeat me. Do you think a little girl like you can? When I gave you face, you didn't want it. Then don't blame me for taking it away…"
Yomi's face twisted into a hideous grin, his eyes bulging wide like bells. He roared, "You ants! I will slaughter you all to honor the soul of Mōryō!"
With a snap of his fingers, over ten ninja rushed forward toward the crowd.
"What's going on?" Shion exclaimed in shock.
"I wonder the same. Are they stupid? Hey! Weren't you supposed to attack me? I'm right here, I'm right here!" Shigeo muttered in exasperation.
Indeed, the reason Yomi ignored Shigeo was because, in the crowd, he still looked like a mere child. Without a forehead protector, holding the Miko's hand, with no visible weapons, Yomi had simply assumed he was just her companion—certainly not a ninja.
But his mistake would cost him dearly.
As Shigeo saw the ninja rush toward the civilians, he understood clearly—Yomi hadn't taken him seriously at all.
"Then how about this?"
Without even using ninjutsu, Shigeo shot forward and slammed a fist into Yomi's jaw. Blood sprayed from Yomi's nose as he stumbled back.
"What—?!" Yomi's eyes widened in disbelief, but Shigeo had already returned to his place, once again holding Shion's hand.
Everyone froze in shock. The mercenary ninja quickly realized the danger. Abandoning their charge toward the crowd, they all turned on Shigeo at once.
"Doton (Earth Release): Doryū no Jutsu (Earth Dragon Technique)!"
Forming seals with one hand, Shigeo summoned a massive earth dragon. Its body twisted and coiled, separating the civilians from the enemy ninja before lunging toward the mercenaries.
(End of Chapter)
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