"Testing the effect of concentrated prana on chaos. The result is close to negative. Worse, chaos has clearly adapted and is converting the received energy for its own needs."

Stas grimly recorded this result on a scroll, carefully peering through a special whitish crystal at what was happening inside the box.

The crystal itself was carved from a solid piece of rutilated quartz and was covered with special runic structures that allowed one to see the flows of energy.

If it weren't for the size of the entire setup, the same as an adult human, one might have even considered carrying it around.

The introduced prana began to swirl, gradually expanding only to, once again, strike at the protective barriers, testing their strength.

"As I said, it's useless," Satoshi spat irritably on his own floor. "The energy levels are too different. It's nearly impossible to destroy even a speck of chaos energy. But the latter, on its part, can pervert anything."

"How, then, are chaos forces defeated at all?" Stas got distracted.

"What do you think? By simply destroying the physical vessels. And the world itself expels the energy back beyond its limits. But to destroy chaos itself, no one has really succeeded."

"Satoshi-san, what do you think about using the energy of thirst?" Stas asked directly without beating around the bush.

"Oh, I had lost all hope you would ever suggest!" Satoshi chuckled. "However, I don't have any suitable warmasters for experiments right now. But you don't need them, do you? Didn't you somehow learn to circumvent the limitations of the forbidden art? Not like the Deathbringers, dumping the excess into other people?"

"Your insight commands respect, Satoshi-san."

"Experience, my boy, experience," Takehiro said with a nasty laugh. "So what are we waiting for? However, I must warn you that the outcome will not please you. I have tried such a thing before. I must admit, I am surprised by how many of us practitioners of forbidden arts there actually are."

Stas once again ignored Takehiro's pointless chatter.

"Experiment number two. Testing the energy of thirst on chaos. The result, unlike with prana, can be considered neutral rather than negative. Ether tries to stay as far away from chaos as possible, immediately collapsing without even touching any energy."

"Exactly," Satoshi devoured another sweet with pleasure. Who knew the old man loved sweets so much? "Did you also come to the conclusion that this energy is artificial? It's too smart when it realizes what it's up against."

"I've thought about it," Stas turned away from the crystal, making sure the protection was still reliable.

The first rule that Takehiro introduced was to check the runic circles and the box itself every half hour, regardless of the situation.

Chaos continuously tried to break free, and although it had not succeeded yet, both paranoid scientists suspected it was just a cunning ruse.

"But I considered such a possibility unlikely. The energy of thirst has too broad an impact, and its flow of dispatch is too random. It doesn't seem to belong to anyone. More like an unusual force of nature."

"In any case, we achieved nothing. Again," Satoshi looked mockingly at the calm Stas. "If these are all your ideas, then honestly, I expected more."

"Don't jump to conclusions," Stas smiled. "There's still something else I have in mind."

"Hm?"

"We all know about natural energy," Stas began, preparing a tripod next to the crystal. From it extended a sort of sharp spoke, which the testers used to inject various energies into the circle.

Stas was increasingly pleased with Satoshi's meticulous approach. When the old man brought out all this machinery from the seals, Ordyntsev seriously reconsidered the usefulness of Takehiro.

"But no one really knows what it is. There are many conjectures. Personally, I'm inclined to believe that it's a kind of extension of this world's will."

"How did you arrive at such a conclusion, Shiro-kun?" the master inquired with interest.

"Several reasons, but I'll focus on a couple. First, the connection of the great spirits with natural energy. Yes, they are yokai to some extent, but they also have real beastly bodies connected to natural energy. Thus, they possess an incredibly strong connection to this world."

"Frankly, I'm not well-versed in this matter," Satoshi frowned. "And the second reason?"

"Its attitude toward humans," Stas explained, finishing loading concentrated natural energy into the tripod. Now, if an ordinary human touched it, they would instantly receive a lethal dose. "Natural energy hates humans. It's indifferent to yokai, I've checked, and even benevolent to beasts."

"An interesting theory. But... Wait," Satoshi smirked. "I understand."

"Exactly," Stas turned the tripod and positioned it so that the sharp end of the spoke was right above the artifact. "And what does natural energy or, in our case, the world hate even more than humans? Right. Chaos."

Stas released the lock, and the point, dropping under its own weight, stabbed precisely into the shoulder pad.

Stas and the jumped-up Satoshi, with bated breath, peered into the crystal.

Before their eyes, a fierce battle unfolded between chaos and natural energy. And the winner of this fight was visible to the naked eye.

"After all, it didn't work," Satoshi concluded with regret. "Natural energy is giving in."

"Well, no one said it would be that simple," Stas smiled, eagerly observing the battle. "We have natural energy, energy of thirst, and prana. Now we just need to devise a mixture or technique that not even chaos can taint."

Stas deliberately sent a stream of ether into the tripod, mingling with the battling natural energy. Instantly, the retreat of the world's energy noticeably slowed, though it did not stop.

"Marvelous," Takehiro watched the struggle with fascination. "Shiro-kun, I admit I was wrong. In my life, I've met various people, talented and hopelessly stupid. The latter were unimaginably more numerous. But I've never seen anyone like you. So let's do the impossible and find a way to defeat chaos!"

"Thank you for such warm words," Ordyntsev nodded in gratitude, not for a second believing in the sincerity of his interlocutor. "To have the help of a mentor like you is beyond my wildest dreams."

Satoshi benignly stroked his sparse beard. He didn't believe a single word from Shiro the Serpent either.

But, whatever they thought of each other, they could not deny the talent of their opponent.

And now, the two smartest people in this world were about to spend all their strength and time battling one of the most terrible plagues, not just of this world but of the entire universe.

Yes, they didn't believe success awaited them in four days. But sooner or later, they would unearth the answers.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

*****

Six long months had passed since the start of the world war, two and a half of which Stas and Takehiro Satoshi had spent searching for a way to destroy chaotic energy.

And to their deepest regret, a solution had not yet been found. Nevertheless, neither of them gave in to despondency. Over two months of experiments, they had inadvertently discovered several fascinating combinations of the three energies and had thus already come out ahead.

Further research promised to yield even more information.

However, if things were going well for Stas, the situation in the world was rolling straight for hell at full speed.

It's worth starting with how one of the countries near which Rashta and Higatsudo were fighting made an incredibly foolish move. It sided with Rashta and paid the price, being instantly destroyed by its opponent.

But this caused the giants to be even less considerate and careful about losses on the territory of the countries where they fought. After all, what's the point in worrying about potential traitors and turncoats who might stab you in the back?

Eventually, the great countries completely let loose, unleashing an even more massive war.

The fighting took place not only on no man's land. More than once, the front shifted onto the lands of one of the sides, sowing devastation and death.

These cases caused panic among peasants and city dwellers, forcing them to flee inward, which in turn initiated new panic and disorder.

As warmasters did not hesitate to strike at the infrastructure of their potential enemy, namely, fields and manufactories, the world soon awaited inevitable famine.

Samurai tried to drive the runaway peasants back to their fields, but they met desperate resistance.

The ensuing food shortage forced wandering peasants to form bandit gangs. And if they couldn't cope with real warriors, nothing stopped them from robbing fellow landworkers like themselves.

And Stas would like to say that their problems ended there, but then he would be lying.

What Minoru had predicted was gradually coming true.

The incredible volumes of negative spiritual energy that had spilled out and continued to be ejected into the world spurred the birth and maturation of a huge number of yokai.

And unlike their usual counterparts, these spawns of negative emotions were incredibly active and evil. Many of them instantly gained bodies and broke from their places of rest, beginning to terrorize the vicinity.

There was, however, some good news. Since they broke away from their place, killing them was much easier.

But evil spirits kept emerging at such a rate that the daimyo hastily sought to hire and summon all the onmyoji they could to cope with the ever-expanding spiritual problem.

Onmyoji, assessing the scale, agreed, but they simply could not keep up with exorcising the evil spirits as the war only gained momentum, giving rise to even more insane yokai.

What is there to say, if Stas and his company had already encountered these ghastly beings twice?

And if the first creature, resembling a legless pale zombie, died from a couple of Kaede's strikes, the second made them hide altogether.

"Shiro-san, do you know what that is?" Kenta hissed in a whisper, squinting hard at the giant figure leisurely going about its business.

Where its bony legs touched the ground, it seemed like the earth itself was dying. Leaves fell from the branches, and small animals dropped dead.

Moreover, every step caused an unpleasant ringing in the ears of those watching it, reminiscent of a bell.

Right now, the Serpent's group was hiding in a hastily dug hole, with only a narrow slit through which they could see the world. Kaede, clutching her head, sat motionless, responsible for protecting their shelter from spiritual scrutiny.

"It's a Gashadokuro," Stas replied tensely, following the departing monster with his eyes.

Although they were several hundred meters from the creature, even from there, one could feel the raging anger within the skeleton.

Yes, it was a huge, twenty-meter skeleton consisting exclusively of human bones and skulls. Some of its "building material" still had flesh, so an abhorrent smell of decomposition swirled around the yokai.

Involuntarily, Stas thought of chaos, but Kaede hastened to reassure him. This monster was of entirely natural origin.

"The creation of death, sorrow, and malice. A yokai born from the unfulfilled hopes and shattered dreams of a large number of killed people. Incredibly dangerous and powerful. All those it has killed or will kill become part of it, adding to its strength."

"Damnation," Kenta whispered through his lips. Mari said nothing, but judging by her slight pallor, Gashadokuro had not left her indifferent.

Of course, theoretically, their group could have defeated this monster. Judging by its movements, it was quite clunky. Furthermore, its bones were not only a part of the physical realm but also held its essence.

But there was no point in that, so once the monster left, the group quickly left the dangerous area. Stas was not about to risk his life and the lives of his people.

Before leaving, Stas only estimated that a fairly large city would soon appear in Gashadokuro's path. He didn't remember if there were onmyoji there, but he hoped there were. The earthling didn't even want to imagine what a giant carnivorous skeleton could become if it managed to consume an entire city.

*****

"Attention!" Stas abruptly raised his hand, stopping their group, having received information from Leviathan. "Several strong warmasters are approaching. An advanced veteran and four proficient advanced ranks."

His subordinates quickly dispersed, ready for battle. However, it wasn't necessary.

"Shiro! Glad that my information turned out to be true and you were indeed here."

"Kensei? What are you doing here?" The former samurai and Ordyntsev exchanged friendly bows.

"Let's move aside," Uramasa grumbled, losing all his merriment at once. "Stay here," he ordered the warmasters. Stas also nodded, but to his own group.

"Has something happened?" Stas asked when they had moved a few dozen meters away. "What's the urgent matter?"

"Indeed, something has," Uramasa ground his teeth grimly, clenching his fists. "And at such a bad time, too. Everything was going as it should. We would have needed just another half a year, but alas."

"Will you tell me what it's about?" Ordyntsev interrupted him.

"Alright, listen," Kensei took a deep breath. "A few days ago, our daimyo, Akihiro Rashta, finally managed to convince the head of the Sumada to come to the battlefield and help one of the armies. Akihiro didn't like that neither we nor his vaunted samurai could crush Higatsudo's army for months."

Uramasa paused.

"But our enemies are not simpletons either. After Jishin's father crushed several Mizuno detachments and significantly thinned Higatsudo's army, Otomoto Mizuno, the head of the water-wielders, arrived."

"And what?" Stas leaned forward.

'Don't tell me it's what I think...'

"In short, Goro Sumada did manage to defeat Otomoto. Their clash was terrible. I didn't see it properly as we retreated further away, but the noise and aftermath of the techniques were visible even from there. Only, he also didn't come out unscathed."

"How bad is it?"

"It's very bad. The healers are still able to sustain his life, but his prana channels are mere shreds. Honestly, he's more dead than alive. Right now, they're transporting him to the Citadel, but there's a problem."

"Izuna," Stas summed up.

"Yes. As Jishin told me, it's being decided right now who will become the new head of the Sumada. And any means are being used," Uramasa smirked crookedly. "If you remember, I said that the army under Jishin's command retreated to avoid being hit. The Mizuno did the same. But Izuna accused Jishin of not helping the clan head, which is why he received that injury."

"That's senseless," Ordyntsev frowned. "Absurd. You all would have just died."

"Senseless or not, it will be decided by the new clan head," Kensei dismissed. "And this accusation is, at least for now, more than serious."

"So, what do you need from me?" Stas gathered himself, taking in the information he had received.

"Now we're talking business," Uramasa nodded in satisfaction, clinking his armor. "Jishin wants you to go to the Citadel and speak with Io and Hideo. Their support is critically important. And actually, talk to everyone who might listen to you. Jishin will arrive at the Citadel as soon as he can..."

"Wait, wait!" Stas felt a headache coming on. He really didn't understand anything. "Since when does Jishin want to become the head of the clan? Didn't he want to strip the head of real power and rule from behind his back? That was the plan! And what does it mean, he's going to the Citadel? We're at war here! Who's he going to leave the army to?"

"The situation has changed," Kensei cut him off. "If you hadn't disappeared who-knows-where, you'd be in the loop too."

"As if that's my fault," Stas hissed. "It was Jishin who failed to notice Izuna's move with my appointment. If it weren't for my Sensei, I'd be rotting in the ground by now. No, I'd be dispersed as ash after the Gaibatsu explosion."

"Show some respect, Shiro. You're talking about the prince," Kensei warned menacingly.

"I'm talking about my friend. Or have you rehashed that while I was gone as well?"

The men's gazes met, and neither intended to back down. Yet, they were no longer children, so valuing their time, they broke the "clinch."

"Sorry," Kensei grumbled, rubbing his only eye hard. "Haven't slept at all the last few days. Running around like a headless chicken. You're not the first one I had to pass a message to. So, you understand, I'm on edge."

"And you forgive me too," Ordyntsev replied neutrally. "But what about Izuna and the Citadel?"

"Not long ago, it became clear that as soon as the eldest prince took the throne, he would immediately order Jishin's assassination. There's no talk of neutrality. Izuna doesn't care about the consequences. If we don't want a civil war in the clan, we must not let Izuna become the clan head. At any cost."

Kensei said the last part with a hint.

"Okay, I get that. But Jishin is going to abandon the army? Seriously?"

"The war is not the main thing now," Uramasa shrugged, but it was clear he didn't like what he was saying. "What's far more important is who takes the throne. Likewise, Izuna will act. The matter of becoming the clan head will depend on the main clan figures and the decision of the Council of the Supremes. That's why Jishin asked you to go to the Citadel, so by the time he arrives, you'll have prepared a platform for negotiations."

"Damnation," concluded Stas, summing up what he had heard. "We're in deep trouble."

"The very deepest," agreed Uramasa. "But we have no choice. Try to get to the Citadel as fast as you can. Izuna's people are likely already there."

"I'll try," Stas nodded grimly.

He had a very bad premonition.