Chapter 86: Minamoto Hiromasa’s Intervention

Wang Tianming had no inkling of Black Seimei’s grand cause, nor did he understand what Seimei meant by ‘personal gain.’ These were not matters he needed to concern himself with.

Yet, he understood that, at this pivotal moment, White Wolf, as a Shikigami aligned with Seimei, was bound to uphold Seimei’s justice and exert every ounce of her strength to defeat Black Seimei and Snow Woman.

The ‘Word Spirit: Guard’ shield, which White Wolf and Blade Oni Princess had been laboriously trying to break, did not long endure under Kagura’s ‘Summon: Purgatory.’ It fractured and collapsed entirely before Snow Woman could even cast her next ultimate ability, ‘Frost Wind Chill Night.’

“Blade Oni Princess, attack!” White Wolf shouted, her voice cutting through the air, even as she swiftly raised her longbow. A primal wolf’s howl resonated, cherry blossoms drifted gracefully, and a volley of pink arrows streaked towards Snow Woman.

“Lord Black Seimei, I… I can no longer serve you…” Under the relentless dual assault of Blade Oni Princess and White Wolf, the critically wounded Snow Woman finally succumbed. She drifted slowly towards the ground like a delicate snowflake, her gaze fixed upon Black Seimei, as her once-outstretched hand fell limply to the earth.

By this juncture, Black Seimei’s three formidable generals—Great Tengu, Nine-Tailed Cat, and Snow Woman—had all perished in succession. Black Seimei now stood as a lone figure, seemingly beyond any hope of resurgence.

“You detestable wretches, why do you stand in my way!” Witnessing Snow Woman’s final dissolution into a flurry of snowflakes, Black Seimei finally erupted in a fit of enraged shame. Clenching a dark talisman, he aimed it directly at White Wolf and bellowed, “You, shall pay with your life!”

White Wolf watched the incoming black talisman, recognizing the futility of evasion. In this game, once a basic attack or certain locking skills (TL Note: skills that lock onto a target, making them impossible to dodge) were unleashed, there was simply no escaping them. She could only lament inwardly, ‘Why me? Wasn’t Blade Oni Princess much closer?’

Left with no alternative, White Wolf braced herself for a counter-attack. She had no idea what this black talisman truly was—its damage, its effects—but surely, if she could simply defeat her opponent, none of those details would ultimately matter?

Yet, precisely at that critical juncture, a tall, robust figure materialized directly in front of White Wolf, shielding her from the incoming black talisman.

“Minamoto… Lord Minamoto Hiromasa!” White Wolf exclaimed, her voice thick with astonishment as she gazed at the figure who had just appeared. Unable to contain her excitement, she rushed forward, asking, “Are, are you alright?!”

While Wang Tianming was certainly thankful that Minamoto Hiromasa had intercepted the black talisman for White Wolf, his gratitude didn’t match White Wolf’s overwhelming excitement. He deduced that her reaction must have sprung from her own deep-seated emotions. White Wolf had always viewed Minamoto Hiromasa as the ultimate aspiration of her existence as a wolf, and a certain affection undoubtedly colored her perception, making her current behavior entirely understandable. In White Wolf’s eyes, Minamoto Hiromasa was, quite naturally, a figure of imposing stature and robust strength.

“Don’t be afraid; I am here,” Minamoto Hiromasa assured her, gently stroking White Wolf’s head. White Wolf, in a moment of pure instinct, submissively closed her eyes and indulged in the touch, evoking the image of a cherished, domesticated dog.

Given that Minamoto Hiromasa had managed to block it, the black talisman was undeniably a skill, not merely a basic attack. While Minamoto Hiromasa himself offered no discernible reaction, White Wolf harbored no illusions that such a strike would have been harmless had it landed on her. In this precise moment, she felt a flicker of uncertainty about her next course of action.

“Hahahaha, you cannot kill me! Even if all four of you were to arrive, you still wouldn’t be able to defeat me!” Black Seimei declared with a wild, triumphant cackle. “Naturally, I cannot kill you either, but once I demolish this Main Camp Barrier, you will all be utterly doomed!”

Black Seimei observed that White Wolf and Blade Oni Princess were both effectively shielded by the four figures positioned behind them. He recognized that he could no longer eliminate these Shikigami who had so thoroughly thwarted his endeavors. Within the confines of this game, both Black Seimei and the four individuals aligned with Seimei were invulnerable; they could not truly harm one another. Nevertheless, directly before him lay Seimei’s Main Camp Barrier, and its destruction would undoubtedly resolve all his current difficulties.

“White Wolf, employ the technique I taught you to dismantle Black Seimei’s Main Camp Barrier! We shall remain here to repel Black Seimei’s onslaught!” At that very moment, Minamoto Hiromasa turned to White Wolf, his voice urgent, and implored, “I’m entrusting this to you, White Wolf!”

Wang Tianming’s face was a mask of utter bewilderment. ‘What? Now the fate of the battle rests upon my shoulders? The enemy’s towers are still standing, and we have no minion waves to push with. How am I supposed to demolish their Main Camp Barrier?!’

“Secret Art: Leopard’s Eye!” Minamoto Hiromasa roared, and above his head, a fiercely glaring eye materialized, radiating an imposing, almost predatory aura. The instant this eye appeared, White Wolf was struck by an immediate sensation. Her mind resonated with a sharp, clear hum, and the enemy’s Main Camp Barrier seemed to vividly coalesce and sharpen before her very eyes.