On the other hand, Jinbei spat blood on the floor, saying, “Huh, this is such a disgrace! Even with all the firepower and energy we have, we still can’t overcome the infiltrators!”

“I must admit, you’re tougher and more powerful than Akiba Maeda and maybe even Hannya,” said Ryonoken with his hands folded on his chest. “But, there’s an Antapadan saying, ‘There’s always a heaven above heaven’, and that heaven above yours exists.”

Jinbei shook his head, hard. “I refuse to admit it! It’s I who must attain the highest heaven and nobody else!”

Shingo interjected, “The thing is, that higher heaven is pressing down upon you, Jinbei-san. With all due respect, please stop the whole thing while there’s still a chance!”

“Never! I shall never bow down to anyone, even to the runt of a shogun’s bloodline like you!”

Suddenly, a strange man’s voice, not Jinbei’s, was heard.

“Now that’s the spirit, Noboru Jinbei! It’s the spirit that embodies the very core of Bushido Philosophy. You must attain honor above all else, by any means necessary!”

Shiori interjected, “But that’s not true honor! The one who gains honor through sinful ways will go to hell, not heaven!”

The unknown voice boomed louder, “Who said it has anything to do with heaven? I think it’s time for me to ‘borrow’ your body, Jinbei.”

“W-what?” All colors faded from Jinbei’s chubby face. “No, Enma Daio-sama! Please remain dormant! I promise you, I shall get the infinite power for you, it’s only one step away!”

“Do you take me as a fool?” The voice turned a crescendo. “I know you have been stopped in your tracks and can’t take another step. So, I have to take you over and make that last step.”

“I won’t allow it! I still can do this! You can’t do this to me!”

“Just shut up and resist me with your energy if you can!”

“No, no, nooo!”

Slowly but surely, Noboru Jinbei’s nearly round body became a bit thinner but considerably taller, as if a giant. The giant wore a long hat and long, crimson robe, like an ancient Wushunese great magistrate and magician. The fire was flickering around its body.

Shingo’s eyes widened as he caught sight of a monstrous figure looming before them. “Goodness, gracious! Is that… Noboru Jinbei’s esper?” he bellowed.

The creature, Enma Daio, Judge of Hell, Shimanese Patron, towered over them. “What’s an esper?” it boomed. “Whatever it is, I’m more than it. I am a god. I am a devil. Call me Enma Daio, the determiner of your places in the depths of hell!”

Enma Daio spoke with a confidence that seemed to emanate from the depths of its being. Its words carried an air of authority that made Shingo shiver. “I am the true patron of the Jinbei Clan since the days of the shogunate,” it continued. “It was I who gave them prosperity, who made them the way they are now.”

Shingo’s mind reeled. The idea that this monstrous being could have had a hand in the rise of the Jinbei Clan was almost too much to bear. “Not Shogun Amigaharu Munetori, not even Shin Kamui,” Enma Daio went on. “It was I, the Magistrate of Hell and Darkness who made a soul pact with the Jinbeis and their descendants.”

“And now, I just collected the debt I was due from the Jinbei Clan,” Enma Daio said with a hint of satisfaction. “It was not enough to cover even the interest of the centuries of debt, but it’s better than nothing.”

Shingo’s voice rose with anger. “That’s just perfect,” he said. “A denizen of hell fed a clan with greatness like a flock of cattle, only to butcher them when they didn’t deliver the yield he demanded.”

Shiori shrugged. “That’s what you get when you hang out, or in this case engaged in a soul contract with the wrong sort.”

Ryonoken’s eyes narrowed. “So, it’s apparent now that Noboru Jinbei and the Jinbei Clan are beyond help and hope,” he said. “I have neither tolerance nor respect for hell beings, so we’ll fight Enma Daio nonetheless.”

Gale flexed his palms and knuckles. “That’s more like it,” he said. “No negotiation with hell, no siree.”

Nishi spoke up. “We just push Enma Daio back into the hell hole he was from.”

Keiji and Chiyo nodded in unison, and Mariko’s voice rang out. “Begone with you, Enma Daio, the disruptor of balance!”

Enma Daio sneered at them. “I expected that much from critters and cattle like you,” it said. “So, suffer my ultimate wrath!”

With a flick of its wrist, Enma Daio vanished from view. The group looked around, trying to locate their enemy. Suddenly, Enma Daio reappeared in a burst of smoke and flames, its form transformed into something even more terrifying.

“Welcome to Seventh Hell, my genjutsu zone!” Enma Daio bellowed. “And now, let the battle begin!”

As they braced themselves for battle, Shingo knew that this was a fight they couldn’t afford to lose. They would have to give it everything they had if they were to emerge victorious.

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Enma Daio was indeed a towering deity radiating an aura of immense power. The air crackled with tension as the team braced themselves for the battle that lay ahead.

With his mastery over fire magic, Enma Daio unleashed a relentless onslaught of flames upon the team. Fireballs soared through the air, leaving trails of scorching heat in their wake. Fireblasts erupted like miniature explosions, engulfing the surroundings in a sea of flames. The very air seemed to ignite as Enma Daio conjured a Firestorm, a swirling tempest of fire that threatened to consume everything in its path.

But it was the ultimate spell, Inferno, that truly tested the team’s resilience. The ground trembled beneath their feet as an inferno erupted, flames raging with unparalleled intensity. The sheer force of the spell sent each member of the team sprawling, their bodies singed and their spirits shaken.

Amidst the chaos, Shingo’s eyes locked on Mariko, the healer of the group. With a firm determination, he deliberately positioned himself to shield her from harm, knowing that her healing magic would be crucial in the battle ahead. As Mariko channeled her light energy, a radiant aura enveloped Shingo, empowering him with newfound strength.

Shiori and Keiji, witnessing the display of solidarity, rose to their feet, their resolve unyielding. Like a pair of phoenixes rising from the ashes, they joined Shingo in a synchronized assault against Enma Daio. Each strike carried the weight of their unwavering bond, their movements fluid and precise.

Their attacks came in waves, a relentless barrage of strikes that tested Enma Daio’s defenses. The clash of weapons and the crackle of energy filled the air, painting a vivid tableau of determination and skill. As Shingo’s blade sliced through the air, petals seemed to dance in his wake, embodying the elegance and power of his ogi, Falling Sakura Petals.

Enma Daio, once an indomitable force, found his spirit greatly weakened under the combined assault of Shingo, Shiori, and Keiji. His divine form wavered, his flames flickering with uncertainty. It was a testament to the team’s unwavering resolve and their ability to find strength in unity.

As the battle drew to a close, a sense of triumph filled the air, mingling with the lingering scent of smoke. Shingo’s team stood tall, their bodies bruised and battered, but their spirits unbroken. They had faced the might of Enma Daio and emerged victorious, leaving the deity’s spirit diminished and on the brink of defeat.

Enma Daio’s panicked voice echoed in the silence. “What!? My power is leaking out! Jinbei’s body is a hindrance!”

Shingo responded with a cool voice. “Whatever your excuse is, the truth remains. Let alone time, Shin Kamui, and destiny is still more powerful than you.”

Chiyo added, “And destiny, or fate has decreed that whatever change is going to happen in this world, you won’t get a part of it.”

Shiori chimed in. “Just be gone already. This world has rejected you.”

Enma Daio, enraged by their words, shouted, “Insolence! If the world rejects me, I destroy the world! If Shin Kamui stops me, I’ll destroy him! I still have lots of go, so I’ll go and destroy this place first!”

He raised his hand, preparing to unleash a powerful attack. “Judgment by Hellfire!”

However, something unexpected happened. Enma Daio’s attack backfired on him. He screamed, “Hey, w-what happened here? My fire is backfired on me? N-noo! It must be the leakage! I didn’t think it would be this serious! Please, Fate, spare me! Give me another chance! Please, I don’t accept this fate!”

Enma Daio finally recognized his fate, but it was too late. With a deafening explosion, his body was reduced to ashes, leaving the host, Jinbei lying motionless on the floor.

Mariko checked on Jinbei’s condition. “He’s still breathing. I guess Shin Kamui still gives him a chance.”

Shingo asked, “A chance for what? Resuming his diabolic plans? Or maybe for him to reform into a businessman of conscience?”

Shiori replied, “Who knows? We can only find out about that after he’s conscious again and our business here is done.”

Gale flexed his muscles. “But, if Jinbei turns out to be the same or worse than now, our fists will be ready to correct him again, by Shen’s will.”

Ryonoken stepped forward. “Good, I’ll hide him in a well-concealed place on this floor, while the rest of you prepare to go to the next floor.”

Keiji interrupted, “However since Jinbei is here, I have a feeling that the next foe we’re about to face will be more powerful than Jinbei.”

Nishi nodded. “Let’s hope that foe will not be Mayadenava. Shin forbids!”

Chiyo added, “I hope so too. Let’s go forward and stop Infinity Project for Infinity.”

The group moved on, each lost in their thoughts, determined to face whatever challenges lay ahead. The battle may be over, but the journey was far from finished.

Even if the finish line was one floor away.