How did I, an Onmyoji, become the Lord of Yokai?

Their gazes were drawn to the woman, and their hearts stirred with a slight ripple of emotion. Although no forceful outburst was displayed, the tension and pressure already made them feel extremely oppressed.

But perhaps before the war even began, their attention was drawn to others once again.

—Beside Himiko, a man knelt quietly.

White hair, white eyes, white clothes, white skin...

That is... Wan Deng?

The only person who could appear beside Himiko and be so close to her was Man-den.

No need for much guessing, or even much thinking; just a simple match is enough to guess his identity.

just.

It's definitely different now... After being captured by Himiko, even his appearance has completely changed into Mantou.

No one knew that this Wan Deng was merely a shell.

His true identity lies beneath the surface – Ashiya Dōman!

"I've come again, Himiko!"

The sound drew everyone's attention, and everyone looked at the person on the platform again. However, the person on the platform never looked at them directly.

They who gathered together seemed to be just ordinary blades of grass, not worthy of her special attention.

The only one who could catch her eye was Takiyasha-hime.

"Why, Yo-hime?"

"After all these years, you still don't understand?"

There was no impulsiveness as one might have imagined, nor the madness that comes from betraying someone you trusted. She was like a mother, a queen, gentle and murmuring with regret.

“I saved the City of the Sun, and I saved all the people who should have died. I let them live a beautiful day.”

"Why can't you understand? Why do you insist on opposing me, Princess You?"

Why destroy the Sun City we love?

"You-hime, answer me."

"...When you started everything anew, I was indeed lost...Looking at the people who had returned, looking at my father who had stood up again, I wavered."

The girl looked at the queen quietly, and in her calm words, she recounted her past.

“I should have stopped you then... If it had been then, you might have listened to me and stopped in time.”

"It is my own desires that have allowed this calamity, which could have been stopped, to continue until now."

"It wasn't until decades later that I understood the lessons my father had taught me..."

"Even so, for hundreds of years I have been thinking about what the right thing to do is."

"When the plague came quietly, the whole city died in this disaster, and even your lover died in this plague."

"You made time flow backward, and everyone went back to the way things were before."

"You are the one who saved the City of the Sun."

"But the people are trapped in the cycle of reincarnation, unable to escape or be freed."

"You are the one who brought eternal damnation upon us."

So, are you trying to say that I did something wrong?

Her voice rose several decibels, as if a sore spot had been touched, and the normally gentle Himiko showed a hint of emotion.

"What did I do wrong? What did I do wrong by wanting to protect the City of the Sun!"

"As I just said, I don't know what's right or wrong, but that's precisely why I want to change!"

"I want to give the choice to the people, to let them choose their own future!"

My hands clenched together without my noticing, and my fingertips were already turning white.

This is Takiyasha-hime's final farewell to Himiko...

"That statement is somewhat incorrect, Takiyasha-hime."

With a soft laugh, the boy listened to the girl's words and came to her side.

“You know very well that she made a mistake.”

"To imprison all people's souls within time and space, and to make everything happen as she desires."

"This is less about saving the City of the Sun and more about satisfying one's own selfish desires."

"You turned the City of the Sun into this place of eternal cycle of suffering simply because of your own desires."

"You are indeed a good queen. You quelled the chaos, restored life, and brought smiles to everyone's faces."

"This is a fact that no one can deny."

"But your love has driven you mad."

Love that is too deep can turn into madness when provoked.

Himiko loved her people and her lover, and it was this love that made her who she is.

"So, stand tall, Takiyasha-hime."

"You are not wrong."

"..."

Simple words are like the best encouragement. The boy's gaze is firm and gentle, as if he is telling her, "No matter what, we are always behind you!"

"...Ah, that's true."

The girl grasped the massive blade with her fair hand and raised her eyes.

The voice was as firm as iron!

"Lady Himiko, this battle is Princess You's farewell to you!" Chapter 787 (790): I am no longer alone.

"Is this... your answer, Yo-hime?"

Her voice turned low, as if she had been greatly shocked, and Himiko involuntarily lowered her head.

"I was so looking forward to it..."

"But why... Yo-hime... my lovely Yo-hime... why..."

Eight hundred years ago... no, it should be more than seven hundred years ago, when everything had settled down and all people and things had become Himiko's possessions, Takiyasha-hime launched a rebellion.

Awakening from this eternal cycle of reincarnation, and realizing that she should do something, she began to resist.

—In order to rescue everyone, and to stop Himiko from going mad and arrogant, she raised her weapon and, with immense determination, launched a rebellion against Himiko...

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Eight hundred years ago, before the plague broke out, everything had not yet begun.

The City of the Sun is still a beautiful city in a prosperous era.

Meanwhile, in this prosperous city... in the lord's mansion that has always protected the City of the Sun, ten-year-old Yao-hime is training with Himiko.

As the strongest being in the City of the Sun, Himiko is remembered for her unparalleled and terrifying magic; no one can remain unmoved before her spells.

However, to only remember the spells would be to underestimate Himiko.

The generals who pacified the land alongside Himiko would never forget that terrifying figure who led from the front, charging ahead of them and defeating the enemy one by one with absolute force!

Himiko's Taoist arts are very strong, but her martial arts are definitely not weak either. In fact, there is no one in the entire Sun Wheel City who can rival her in martial arts.

Simply relying on the ways of the demons is not enough to lead soldiers to pacify the world!

Without a doubt, she is the best training instructor.

However, even knowing Himiko's power, the small, headband-wearing, long-haired, somewhat cute yet dashing little Yo-hime was unable to unleash a decent attack no matter what she did.

She couldn't bring herself to attack Himiko. Even knowing Himiko's strength, she couldn't bring herself to point her weapon at Himiko.

At that time, her father reprimanded her, saying, 'If you don't even have this much determination, how can you protect the entire Sun Wheel City, how can you safeguard the Sun Wheel City and Lady Himiko?'

Even Himiko, who was always very tolerant of her and always had a smile on her face, smiled during training.

'Training is training. If you can't bring out your true strength, how can it be called training?'

The two people who were best to her told her during training that sometimes you have to make a firm decision in order to protect the people you want to protect.

Even if it means sacrificing some things, we must still take up arms.

At that time, she didn't understand anything and only felt that her father and the Queen were blaming her, but at that moment, she understood.

After replacing her wooden sword with a truly sharp weapon and pointing it at Himiko, she finally understood what it meant to sometimes have to give up something in order to protect what you want to protect.

'Life is like a distant boat, one period at a time! '

The value of life lies in the fact that it will eventually fade away.

Nothing in this world is truly eternal. If there is only birth and no death, then that life is forever incomplete.

Kamo no Tadayuki understood this principle, so even when his lifespan came to an end, he did not choose to find a way to survive.

Shimizu Asahi understood this principle as well, which is why he never thought about making himself immortal.

Princess Takiyasha understood this principle, but when faced with her father who had come back from the dead, she ultimately couldn't resist the urge to rescue him.

She had been by her father's side for decades, watching him follow Himiko's will and carry out his past actions, watching his face grow so pale it was no longer human...

Decades after the tragedy, Takiyasha-hime overcame her desires, and she was finally... about to raise her sword against Himiko.

After defeating Mantou's body, Takiyasha-hime engaged in a fierce battle with Himiko. In that battle, she launched her first attack on Himiko and, for the first time, wounded her...

But that time, she still lost... lost to Himiko.

They were defeated cleanly and decisively.

But at that moment, her eyes were incredibly resolute.

That beating heart did not hesitate for a moment!

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