Under One Person: My Inner Realm Connects to All Worlds!

Chapter 249 The Kusanagi Sword, the Battle Begins

Just as Zaraki Souichirou was about to step out of the palace gate, the Grand Master hesitated for a moment, then his aged and dignified voice rang out again: "Wait, Sword Saint Zaraki."

Zaraki Souichirou paused, turned around steadily, and bowed slightly: "Does Your Excellency, the Grand Master, have any further instructions?"

The chief priest slowly rose and walked to the shrine enshrined on one side of the hall, his expression extremely solemn.

He formed hand seals and chanted incantations. The obscure and ancient incantations echoed in the hall, and the barrier around the shrine lit up layer by layer, then gradually dissipated.

Finally, he carefully took out a long sword from it.

The sword is about two feet seven or eight inches long. The scabbard is an ancient dark gold color, and it is engraved with ancient runes that are as fine as cloud patterns, with a faint shimmering light.

The hilt of the sword was wrapped in the leather of an unknown creature, its dark color exuding a wild and untamed aura.

Simply by being placed in the hands of the Grand Master, an indescribable sharpness and majesty emanated from it, as if it could sever space and separate the pure from the impure.

"This is the 'Kusanagi Sword'," the Grand Master's voice carried an almost pious solemnity, "and it is also the Kusanagi Sword that you know. It is a true relic from the Age of Gods, not a ceremonial object imitated in later generations."

Zaraki Soichiro's pupils suddenly contracted, and for the first time, his usually calm face showed intense emotional fluctuations—extreme shock and an uncontrollable desire.

As a contemporary sword saint, he pursued the ultimate swordsmanship throughout his life. He had an extraordinary longing and awe for this supreme divine sword, which was said to have been obtained by Susanoo from the tail of the Yamata no Orochi and symbolized the martial fortune and divine power of the rainbow.

His breathing became heavier, and his gaze was fixed on the ancient scabbard, as if he could penetrate the scabbard and feel the supreme sword intent within it that could cut through everything.

The Grand Master took in Zaraki Souichirou's reaction and said in a deep voice, "The Earthquake Catfish is formed from the evil energy of the earth's veins. Ordinary swords and blades cannot harm its essence. Even if your swordsmanship is divine, it will probably be twice as difficult to achieve half the result. Only with this divine sword can you emulate Susanoo and completely annihilate this fiend!"

In Japanese mythology, Yamata no Orochi is a giant serpent monster with eight heads and eight tails, symbolizing natural forces and calamities. However, its origins are actually much older.

It was Xiang Liu, who once ravaged the land.

The Classic of Mountains and Seas, Great Wilderness North, records: "Gonggong's minister was named Xiangliu. He had nine heads and a snake's body. He coiled himself up and ate from the nine lands. What he vomited and swallowed became the source of the marshland. It was not spicy but bitter, and no beast could live there."

"Yu dammed the flood, killed Xiangliu, whose blood was so foul that no grain could grow there. The land was also too wet to live in. Yu dammed it up, creating a pond three ren deep. The emperors then built a platform there, north of Kunlun."

Xiang Liu, in its original form, is actually a ley line evil spirit, which possesses extremely terrifying vitality and is very difficult to kill completely.

According to legend, after Yu the Great killed Xiang Liu, the blood flowing from Xiang Liu's body would cause crops to fail to grow wherever it touched the ground, polluting a large area.

Yu tried to block the pass with mud, but the pass collapsed three times. Yu had no choice but to split the land into a pool. Gods from all directions built a high platform on the edge of the pool to suppress the demons.

Although Xiang Liu is dead, the "dragon and snake" can also be considered "earth mother deities," and often involve the authority of the underworld and reincarnation. The ouroboros is one such manifestation.

Therefore, a new earth vein evil spirit was born on Xiang Liu's original corpse, namely Yamata no Orochi.

However, the Yamata no Orochi was very clever. Instead of confronting the powerful Shenzhou human race at the time, it went to the East China Sea and came to the land of Japan to regain its dominance.

The Kusanagi sword was actually forged specifically to kill earth vein spirits.

What kind of sword can slay the spirit of the earth's veins?
The answer is: The Demon Blade!

A demonic sword forged from the blood of ten thousand people, imbued with the energy of resentment and evil spirits, and feeding on this energy and the lives of those who wield it.

However, in mythology, it was romanticized and became the divine sword that appeared from the tail of Yamata no Orochi when Susanoo slew it.

In the history of extraordinary people, Susanoo, in order to defeat the Yamata no Orochi, did not hesitate to launch a blood sacrifice of ten thousand people to forge its demonic sword, thus establishing his fame.

After Susanoo founded the Izumo Sword Pavilion, he completely abandoned this demon sword, because his body simply could not withstand the cost of using it.

The Grand Master held up the Ame-no-Murakumo sword with both hands and handed it to Zaraki Souichirou: "I lend you this sword for now. I hope you will use the power of this divine sword to perform your duties of protection, and not fail the name of this divine sword, nor fail our expectations."

Zaraki Souichirou took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the excitement in his heart, stepped forward, and with the most solemn posture, knelt on one knee, raised his hands above his head, and respectfully accepted the legendary divine sword.

The moment he acquired the Murakumo Sword, a warm and powerful force surged into his body, creating a mysterious resonance with his own sword energy.

He felt as if his spirit and energy were connected to the sword, and a sense of confidence that he could cut through everything arose spontaneously.

He gripped the sword hilt tightly, raised his head, his eyes burning with fierce fighting spirit and absolute determination. His voice, slightly hoarse with excitement, spoke with the resolute conviction of a vow:

"Hai! I am deeply honored to be bestowed with this divine sword! I, Zaraki Souichirou, will use this Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi to emulate the great deeds of Susanoo, to sever the head of the Earthquake Catfish, to quell the chaos of the ley lines, to comfort the Emperor, and to bring peace to the people. If I fail to succeed, I am willing to shatter along with this sword!"

The oath echoed in the purification hall, filled with the warriors' resolve and thirst for the divine sword.

At this moment, Zaraki Souichirou felt as if he had merged with the figure of the ancestral god who slew the Yamata no Orochi a thousand years ago, and his heart was filled with pride and a sense of mission.

He bowed deeply to the chief priest once more, then stood up and solemnly placed the Ama-no-Murakumo sword in the most convenient position at his waist, replacing his original tachi.

Then, he resolutely went to that land that was shrouded in disaster.

The Grand Master watched Zaraki Souichirou's figure disappear at the end of the corridor outside the palace, a subtle, complex expression flashing in his aged eyes.

He slowly sat back down on the futon, his fingers unconsciously tracing the faint light emanating from the edge of the magic circle. The violent image of the earthquake catfish was still churning within the circle, casting shifting shadows on his face.

"China..."

He muttered to himself, his voice barely audible, "What a brilliant move to undermine our strength, what a thunderous counterattack."

He had anticipated the reaction from China, but he hadn't expected it to be so swift, so brutal, and so precisely targeting the relatively weak point in Takamagahara's defenses on the Japanese mainland—the ley lines.

Japan is located in an earthquake-prone area. In order to calm these earthquakes, Takamagahara has set up many secret rituals and barriers, which can be said to be the foundation for maintaining the stability of the entire Japanese supernatural world.

The devastation caused by the earthquake far exceeded that of a simple natural disaster.

It is foreseeable that even if the earthquake catfish is eliminated, Japan will experience a period of frequent earthquakes in the following years.

"Grand Palace Secretary."

A deep, hoarse voice rang out from the shadows, and a blurry figure slowly coalesced like mist, its exact shape indistinct, except for a pair of eyes that glowed with an eerie green light.

"Kenpachi has already set off with the Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi. But with him alone, I'm afraid..."

"I know."

The Grand Master interrupted him, his tone regaining its usual composure, "The Earthquake Catfish's power has increased abnormally; there must be a reason behind it. Although Sword Saint Zaraki is strong and the Kusanagi Sword is sharp, whether they can successfully slay this fiend remains to be seen." The emerald eyes flickered: "Should we activate the 'backup plan'? Or, should we seek help from the other Divine Lords? 'Snake' and 'Fox' might have a way to stabilize the ley lines."

The Grand Master remained silent for a moment, then shook his head: "'The backup plan' comes at too high a cost; it should only be used as a last resort. As for seeking assistance..."

“They must be watching our movements from the Central Plains as well. If we mobilize too many high-end combat forces to defend now, we will be playing right into their trap. We cannot afford to let our efforts in the Central Plains go to waste.”

He raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through layers of palaces, looking westward: "Tell everyone in Shenzhou that the plan remains unchanged, proceed at an accelerated pace. We must let Shenzhou know that this little trouble cannot shake the foundations of Takamagahara!"

"Trust Kenpachi. His honor as a samurai will bring me news of victory."

Of course, the Grand Master didn't say much about the unspoken message, which was that Zaraki Souichirou was willing to risk his life in this battle.

"Hi!"

The figure in the shadows bowed to receive the order, then slowly vanished as if it had never existed.

The Grand Master sat alone in the empty purification hall, the scene of the earthquake catfish raging within the magic array still present.

He closed his eyes, made hand seals, and emitted a faint spiritual light. He began to use his own true energy to remotely guide and soothe the barriers on the restless ley lines, trying to create better conditions for Zaraki Souichirou to pursue him and minimize losses.

-----

Neon, deep in the mountains of the Kanto region.

Zaraki Soichiro's figure moved like a ghost through the violently shaking forest where rocks kept falling.

He stopped atop a precipice, his sharp gaze sweeping over the devastated valley below, his dark blue swordsman's uniform fluttering in the raging winds whipped up by the earthquake.

This place was originally an important shikigami training base in Takamagahara, but now it has mostly collapsed and been swallowed by the torn cracks in the ground. The remaining barrier flickers with unstable light, and the wails of countless low-level shikigami can be faintly heard.

His face was as cold as ice, and his sharp gaze pierced through the flying dust and chaotic earth energy, locking onto the enormous creature that was churning wildly on the ground below.

The earthquake catfish's massive, dark golden body, as large as an island, caused the earth to tremble with every twist. Its thick, mountain-like tendrils could easily tear the earth apart and destroy forests with a flick of its wrist.

It was surrounded by a dense, impenetrable, earthy-yellow aura, the malevolent energy of the earth's veins that it had stirred up and enraged. Any ordinary person who got close would probably be crushed by this violent aura in an instant.

"You fiend, cease your arrogance!"

Zaraki Souichirou let out a low shout, the sound like the ringing of a sword, clearly piercing through the rumbling earth. He didn't immediately draw the Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi at his waist, but instead drew his original katana and slashed through the air!
"Sword Technique: Cloud Slash!"

laugh--!
A highly refined sword aura shot out, tearing through the air with a sharp whistling sound, and fiercely slashed towards the earthquake catfish's most vulnerable eye.

However, the seemingly clumsy earthquake catfish reacted extremely quickly. Sensing the threat, it swung its massive head sharply, its forehead, covered in thick, dark gold scales, slamming headfirst into the sword energy.

"Qiang!"

A resounding clang of metal rang out as silver sword energy exploded into countless points of light on the scales, leaving only a faint white mark. The earthquake catfish, in pain, let out an even more furious hum, its massive tail sweeping across like a mountain range, whipping up a cloud of earth and rocks, before slamming down fiercely towards Zaraki Souichirou in the air.

A strong wind swept across our faces, its power enough to destroy cities and fortresses!
Zaraki Souichirou's eyes narrowed, and his figure instantly became illusory.

"Sword Technique: Mirage!"

His figure left several afterimages in the air that were hard to distinguish from the real thing, and his true form flickered like a mirage, skillfully avoiding the powerful blow.

At the same time, the Kusanagi sword at his waist was finally drawn three inches from its sheath!
"Om-!"

Even with only a partial unsheathing, a savage, terrifying sword intent that could cleave through everything spread out.

The sword's blade was dark gold, and the naturally formed cloud patterns on it seemed to come alive, flowing with a chilling light. The surrounding raging earth vein energy even paused for a moment.

The massive body of the earthquake catfish stiffened visibly for a moment, and for the first time, a clear look of fear appeared in its pair of dark golden eyes.

It sensed the aura of a natural enemy, a fear originating from the depths of its bloodline of the divine sword that had slain the Yamata no Orochi.

"It really works!"

Zaraki Souichirou was certain, but the mere intimidation of sword intent was far from enough. He needed a fatal blow, or at least a severe blow to its core.

He moved again, as if blending into the wind.

"Sword Technique: Yata no Bird!"

The figure traced a strange zigzag path in the air, leaving streaks of blue light in its wake, and in an instant approached the head of the earthquake catfish.

At the same time, the Ama-no-Murakumo sword was completely drawn!
The moment the sword was drawn, there was no dazzling burst of light. Instead, a restrained dark golden radiance flowed across it. The blade was as thin as a cicada's wing, yet it seemed to absorb all the light around it.

"Sword Technique: Dragon Tail Return!"

With a roar, Zaraki Souichirou gripped the Ama-no-Murakumo sword tightly with both hands, and a dark golden arc of sword light rose from below, defying the heavens.

This sword strike seemed to recreate Susanoo's decisive blow in severing the tail of the Yamata no Orochi; where the sword light passed, it was as if the space itself rippled slightly.

"Pfft——!"

The dark golden sword light successfully pierced through the earthquake catfish's tough scales, cutting a huge wound tens of meters long from its jaw to its abdomen.

Thick, dark golden blood, like magma, gushed out, spilling onto the earth and corroding it, producing hissing white smoke.

"Roar--!!!"

The earthquake catfish let out its most shrill and painful roar since the start of the war, its massive body twisting wildly, causing the earth to crack even more violently.

This sword strike truly wounded it.

However, the excruciating pain inflicted by the Kusanagi Sword also fully unleashed its ferocity.

The earthquake catfish's dark golden eyes instantly turned blood red, and the earth's ley lines around it surged violently as if boiling.

Earthquake Catfish: Damn it! You've really pissed me off!
(End of this chapter)