Volume 11 - Yamata no Orochi: Chapter 23 – Trap within a Trap

“It’s you… Momiji…” Lily’s voice was strained, her half-lidded eyes and furrowed brow betraying her anger. Shimizu appeared silently, like a shadow, pressing her blade menacingly against Momiji’s throat. “Lily, should I kill her?”

“Ehh, have we met before?” Shimizu’s strength far surpa.s.sed Momiji’s, but Momiji’s confidence suggested she had a fallback. “If you kill me, then your cute little sister will be in trouble.”

“What?” Shimizu’s voice was edged with surprise.

“Lily, how’s your condition?” Ayaka’s voice conveyed deep concern as she extended her senses to a.s.sess Lily. Though Lily’s life force seemed stronger than ever, there was something about her aura that made Ayaka uneasy. Adding to her worry, Lily was emitting an unusual, fragrant crystalline mist. Despite suspecting that Lily might be alright, Ayaka couldn’t shake off her apprehension.

“Lily, please respond…” Ayaka’s words were laced with urgency. Lily’s gaze lingered on Ayaka, fixating on her lips that seemed tantalizingly close. Logic dictated that Ayaka wouldn’t act on such an impulse, yet Lily couldn’t help but wonder if there was a hidden longing in her heart. The very thought seemed so out of place, yet it lingered persistently.

“I…should be fine…probably…” Lily’s response came slowly, her voice carrying an unusual softness, like a gentle breeze caressing the dry caverns of her mind, resonating with a hint of jade-like cherry bells.

“Yes, you’re indeed fine, with a life force stronger and wilder than ever. But that intensity might threaten to overwhelm your senses,” Momiji observed, her gaze fixed on Lily with a blend of curiosity and affection.

“What exactly do you mean by that?” Ayaka demanded, her frustration evident in her tone. It was becoming clear that Lily’s condition was far from normal, and Momiji’s insinuations only heightened Ayaka’s concern.

“Might I suggest asking her to lower her blade? It’s rather challenging to speak freely under such circ.u.mstances,” Momiji said, her voice laced with a hint of discomfort.

“Shimizu, let her go. It’s not like she’ll be able to escape,” Lily instructed, her voice still retaining that unusual softness. Despite the situation, she maintained a calm demeanor.

Shimizu lowered her blade but her eyes remained fixed on Momiji, “Just so you know, if you weren’t of some use to Lily, you’d already be beyond saving.”

Momiji seemed unperturbed by Shimizu’s threat. “No need for intimidation. As long as I have some control over your little sister’s condition, you won’t dare harm me.”

“Is that so? Well, as long as you can talk, that’s enough, right? How about I leave you with just a head and torso?” Shimizu’s voice held a dark edge, her expression growing colder.

“You…” Momiji momentarily fell silent under Shimizu’s threat, pretending not to hear. As she stepped forward, her confidence seemed to resurface. “Lily, do you have any idea what that formation was?”

“I… don’t know.” Lily’s response was tinged with uncertainty. Her denial wasn’t too firm, suggesting an internal struggle, as if her body was hinting at an answer she wasn’t fully ready to acknowledge.

“You probably don’t, so allow me to explain,” Momiji continued, circling Lily with an air of confidence. “After Shuten Doji’s demise, I took control of Mount Ooe. However, my lack of strength led to its decline. Shuten Doji, as one of the world’s supreme arch-demons, spent centuries in Mount Ooe committing unspeakable evils, tormenting countless women. His malevolent deeds permeated the entire province of Tanba, seeping into the ancient formations spread throughout the land. This naturally led to the creation of the formation that you encountered. It’s ineffective against most, but for you, it’s particularly potent. After all, you were the one who ended Shuten Doji. All that overwhelming resentment and fury from his legacy, it’s now directed solely at you.”

Lily’s breaths became shorter, her torn clothes and the flushed state of her aura reflecting her increasing discomfort. “What exactly is this formation, and what have you done to me?”

Momiji’s smile broadened, her eyes glinting with mischief. “To most, it’s harmless. But for someone like you…” She let her words hang in the air, reveling in the unfolding situation.

“I don’t understand what you’re implying,” Lily expressed her confusion.

“Are you sure you’d like me to explain this aloud, here in front of everyone?” Momiji queried, slowly advancing towards Lily.

“Stop right there, what are you planning?” Ayaka interjected, her voice laced with caution.

“It’s alright, she won’t harm me,” Lily rea.s.sured Ayaka, who then stepped back, allowing Momiji to approach. Momiji knelt beside Lily, her fingers gently lifting Lily’s chin. Ayaka watched, her brow furrowed in slight concern.

Momiji’s whispered words into Lily’s ear sent a shiver through her. Lily’s face flushed with shock and confusion. “Why would you do that? Haven’t you forgotten the promise you made to me? I already spared you once.”

“Ahh, it’s quite natural for you to be upset,” Momiji acknowledged, her eyes softly tracing the contours of Lily’s exposed lower belly. “This is a significant matter for any girl. However, don’t hastily a.s.sume I’m the one behind it.”

Lily’s response carried a mix of skepticism and irritation. “So you’re talking about Mount Ooe’s ancient formation. Are you mocking me with this explanation?” Her tone suggested she was not easily convinced by Momiji’s words.

“That’s the point,” Momiji admitted with a helpless shrug. “The formation did indeed originate from Mount Ooe, but I wasn’t the one who moved it here. You know who did, right?”

“Minamoto no Yoritomo?” Lily questioned.

“Yes, he’s aware of the formation’s potency, but unaware of its specific effects on you,” Momiji explained.

“Stop this nonsense!” Lily’s voice, tinged with a sweet tone, betrayed her agitation. “Why hand him such a formation, knowing he’d use it against me?”

“Ahahaha,” Momiji laughed, “Do you think I still command Mount Ooe as in old times? When Yoritomo appears, I have little choice.”

“Then who informed him about the formation’s potential against Lily?” Ayaka interjected.

“I can’t say. It wasn’t me. Spies from Yoritomo and the Imperial Court are numerous among Mount Ooe’s demons,” Momiji confessed.

“I was too careless…” Lily murmured, realizing the depth of Yoritomo’s cunning.

Momiji, fanning herself, addressed the group, “You all seem so fierce, yet Lily looks more perplexed. I’ve come here, deceiving Yoritomo, to a.s.sist her. Why harbor resentment against me?”

She continued, “Yoritomo’s strategy was indeed cunning. Using a false flag to draw you here, he orchestrated Fujiwara no Hidehira’s vengeful spirits to guard the formation. He antic.i.p.ated your methods, expecting you to awaken Hidehira and believe the trap destroyed. Little did anyone suspect the real snare lay in the formation itself, designed specifically for Lily.”

Ayaka pondered, “What if someone else had destroyed the formation? How could Yoritomo have predicted Lily’s actions?”

“It’s a calculated risk based on Lily’s nature,” Momiji explained. “The likelihood of her personally dismantling the formation was high. A gamble, indeed, but one that paid off for Yoritomo.”

Lily, deep in thought, asked, “Why concoct such an elaborate scheme? Why not ambush me en route to Heian-kyo?”

Momiji shrugged, “I can’t claim to know all his plans, but I suspect he needed a remote location. In Heian-kyo, your spies are everywhere. On the road, the formation might go unnoticed, especially if you traveled by air. This formation is unique, targeting only you.”

Momiji’s words left Lily in a contemplative silence. As she digested the explanation, a realization dawned on her. Minamoto no Yoritomo, with his devious stratagems, had outmaneuvered her. Despite her awareness of his cunning nature, she found herself ensnared in his web. The intricacies of his plan were slowly coming into focus, and the weight of her oversight weighed heavily on her.

“What does this formation do to Lily?” Rei queried, concerned.

“That’s something you should ask Lily herself. I’ve informed her how to break the formation, so my task here is complete. I’ll be taking my leave now.”

“Wait!” Rei unsheathed her blade. “If you were aware of the trap, why not warn us sooner?”

“Ehhh… about that…” Momiji hesitated, then covered her face with her fan, feigning embarra.s.sment. “I was occupied with something else and got delayed…ehehe…”

Rei internally scoffed at the excuse, skepticism etched in her thoughts. Despite her doubts, she knew they couldn’t harm Momiji if she held crucial information about the formation’s secrets.

“Lily, are you alright? What impact does the formation have? Is it something you can overcome?” Rei’s concern was apparent.

Lily, her gaze lowered and her face flushed, remained silent. Her reluctance to speak hinted at a grave situation, casting a shadow of worry over the group

¹.

Rei and Shimizu, their swords drawn, fixed their steely gazes on Momiji. “You’re not going anywhere until Lily a.s.sures us she’s fine,” Rei declared firmly.

“Fine, I’ll stay,” Momiji conceded. “Revealing this much is akin to betraying Yoritomo. In this altered world, it’s risky for me to be without your protection.” She paused, then continued, “While I can’t divulge the core details, I can teach you a technique to mitigate the formation’s effects temporarily.”

“Well, what are you waiting for? Tell us already!” Rei demanded.

Momiji nodded and tossed a small booklet towards Rei, who caught it deftly. “This book outlines a method to disperse the erratic energies in Lily’s body caused by the formation. It might not be entirely pleasant, but it’s worth a try.”

Rei scrutinized the booklet, uncertainty in her eyes. “This might help, but it’s not going to be comfortable,” she remarked.

Footnotes:

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   Silva: Knowing the author, the next chapter will probably be very *very* suggestive.