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Back to the group, Ren planned an infiltration towards the Sun Palace where it was guarded by these Shingi Waō guards which are one of the undead soldiers of the Sun Guards, Yukina also added when she stood with him and his Vidyadhara friends. "The guards who serve this cruel Sun Queen are undead, judging from the marks and their moves. But, they were enhanced with the magic casted by their former 'shadow queen' known as Michiko. I managed to stopped them, but it's not enough to take away those soldiers back," she replied, looking up at the full moon that illuminated upon the group for safety. "The only way to kill them is to drop them into the bottomless pit or using magic, you can't destroy these warriors easily!" Ren explained, the enemies were known to be smart and strong at the same time.

Then, Yukina immediately stood up from her seating position and added. "Tell me, Hoshino was the reason for creating these creatures?" she asked in slightly shaky tone, Izumo nodded at her. "Michiko was a shamaness who has an obsession with the Sun Queen, from what we heard about this before she came here with her entourage. Kaizo went to steal the journal from her two months ago, and..." Izumo explained, while Kaizo adding about the ancient-like scrolls contained the incantation of curse, dark magic and evoking a possessed, maligned or afflicted entity to possess a vessel... Ren shuddered and frowned when he learnt about the truth. "Oh... no wonder, the Sun Guards and their war dogs are going to kill anyone on their sight if anyone tried to trespass on the walls," she whispered while holding her head.

She began to suspect Hoshino might become more problematic than the cult itself when the relic is in the hands of the undead, who knows how this would going to end. "So, we have to save Kazuha-hime from there?" Farlan asked, Ren shrugged before he sighed.

"When it's night, go and lure the guards in order for me and Yukina to sneak into the palace to find Kazuha-hime."

Ren stated, turning to the Oni who nodded at him as their next plan is proceeding smoothly... but also at its risks, knowing that the cult are full of unpredictability. Shenlan also trying to distract the undead guards along with Farlan and Dinda to prevent any sightings, Izumo also assisting them with Kaizo and Hakuren so they can help Ren and Yukina to stop the shamaness. First, they have to sneak through the area of the palace, seeing that there's so many Sun Palace guards were roaming around the area. "Goddamnit, these undead are so unpredictable..." Ren growled, looking up at the palace. "Now I have to move forward," he mumbled.

Yukina sneaks into a few places to check for enemies and occasionally takes note of their locations and what items they are holding. Fortunately, she managed to pick them up and makes them unavailable for anyone else--in fact she made sure that these soldiers won't use their items anymore.

Yukina sneaked through the bridge to avoid the sightings, making sure that no one was around to see her--good thing that those undead weren't alert. Luckily for her, the other undead corpses were getting killed by the head-on intruders but it means that they're almost running out of time. Ren followed her due to her knowledge about the palace interior while stealing the objects and such, while him and Yukina trying their best not to get detected by the patrolling undead warriors--it doesn't have their advantage. This is a suicide mission.

"Why the hell... do they have so many garrisons?!"

Ren whispered, before he gestured Kaizo to assist the other enemies, he managed to pull the undead captain over to their direction and managed to kill him along with his fellow warriors. "Good job, your 'perfection' gave us another relic and a map of this goddamn place, although it's limited. Look here..." she shows him a paper that contains a drawing that will help them to prevent getting lost inside, he checked the paper as he narrowed his eyes. "We have to complete the map?" Ren guessed, looking back at her. "Might be accurate or just a red herring."

"Don't be ridiculous, the one who possessed the relic can read a map and map them on her own."

Yukina defended herself and rolled her eyes at his remarks when Ren replied, sighing softly at the Oni girl. "Hey, our task is also destroying the relics to revive Queen Himiko right? Who knows how these artifacts has given them so much power to fight back... it has been really tough to stop them," she stated with a quiet voice, the male didn't said a word--in fear of being spotted by anyone again, he remained silent. On the other side, Dinda played a zither to distract the soldiers before Farlan and Shenlan preparing to ambush them by using their magic as a weapon.

Suddenly, they heard a chanting that were occurring deep within the forest... it was filled with deep, sadistic laughter that echoed around the area. It seems the voices were mocking them from afar, both Ren and Yukina exchanged glances with each other. Kaizo and Hakuren felt weary and they are determined that whatever is coming is not a good thing, a bad sign. If things goes bad then they can only fight back while defending this island, either they're going to kill the leader or doing something to wake the Sun Queen... but that decaying corpse of her definitely belongs to a spirit that cursed this place, yet even Farlan can't give them an explanation yet... the most reasonable answer is possessing a vessel. "Fuck," Yukina cursed under her breath.

Izumo aimed his matchlock against one of the captains of the undead army, watching it collapses in defeated state and made the army disoriented. However, the commotion has made them noticed that something is going on, making the undead leader to realized it and started to dispatch a new few Shingi Waō-classed undead warrior and the warriors of the Sun Palace. "Come on, let's defeat them," Hakuren spoke, she was preparing her katana in case things went awry... if only these souls wouldn't find a good vessel to possess soon, it wouldn't end well for the others. "Why? We could've destroy the relics that reviving the Sun Queen!"

"The problem is; where's the relics located in?"

He had a point, the girl said in a stern tone. Ren decided to do it if it's the right time to enter and face her in this commotion, the male sneered at her when he couldn't believe that he have to face a 'hag' who thinks that a mere Oni is being stubborn for not accepting her proposal. So she underestimated everyone, huh? 'Forget it.', he gritted his teeth in thoughts when he had enough of this arrogant attitude towards everyone, he trusted his friends so they can handle the army--allowing him and Yukina to face-to-face with Hoshino and Michiko. They haven't met this so-called shadow queen yet, isn't she?

"Ren, wait for me!"

Both of them headed toward the royal hall which it was the place where the ancient statue of the Sun Queen was being stationed at, they were faced with the guards so they used their weapons to severe their spiritual energy to weakened them--the Oni ended up winning by using her own melee weapon (a katana) to the warriors when they barely hold on. "Whew, that's a hell of a battle," Ren commented, watching Yukina barely got wounded badly as the wounds were quickly healing. "Please don't faint anytime soon, who knows what is inside--" she gave him a death glare when he was about to said 'inside the royal room, because one's soul needs a good vessel to possess in for being alive'.

They have reached to the royal chamber, where Hoshino with Michiko stood before her 'holy relic', an ancient jade artifact that are heavily guarded with spells by the shadow queen. "Michiko!" Yukina yelled, making the shadow queen revealed to be Michiko--a shamaness who created these undead soldiers and one of the cultist who wanted their Sun Queen to be revived. "You're too late to stop her, Kazuha-hime's become Queen Himiko's vessel thanks to your 'sisterly bond'," she answered as she chuckled maliciously, Yukina gritted her teeth in anger before she swung her katana. "You think... you can do that?" she muttered.

Ren's gaze scanning around the royal chamber, trying to figure out how to defeat Hoshino and Michiko--until he remembered 'killing two birds with one stone' method from his vision, as the relic will be released to explode... no way!

"YUKINA, RELEASE IT!" Ren shouted, making her get distracted and confused. Ren, what's wrong with you?! "Oh, Yukina? That's interesting... as you join this crusade, your Oni kind are nothing more than a bunch of brutes," Hoshino replied mockingly, making the poor girl gritting her teeth. "I want you to do something to destroy these two, remember our mission to destroy the relics?" he whispered, Yukina was wide-eyed as she recalled the main focus of the mission--seems like her brain is slowly comprehended his words. "First... I'll distract Hoshino so can you strike at the relic's barrier?" Ren added, making her responded. "You're kidding, aren't you? He's Hoshino... he's an elite soldier of the former Sun Army and could've beat everyone up, including me," she protested with a gritted teeth. "I'm telling you to trust me, not my feelings... but my faith in you," he urged.

Yukina looked back at him and back at the shogun, Hoshino snarled at her while raising his jade sword against the the male Vidyadhara and the female Oni. Then, she creates a wind-like cut of her katana by swinging her blade--she look up at them as they felt a huge gust of wind passing by. "Do you know that jade statue contains something?" she asked, watching the relic shaking a little by the movement despite the barrier covering it. But the answer came to her, Hoshino narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about? Now I know... Oni can be the worse type than that of a filthy human!"

"NOW!"

Ren yelled, which she nodded and creates a whirlwind and he swung his Cosmic Wrath--creating a burst of flames by the swing of his polearm on his hand; the pillar fell as the jade statue torn into pieces. "NO! WHAT ARE YOU--" Hoshino got burned by the explosion, both of them immediately took cover when the chamber went up in flames and turning into ruins due to that sudden collision of the jade artifact and cosmic ray since Ren can use astral sphere to hit objects. Michiko screeched as she felt a burning pain, she's not an immortal to have immunity against flames; after all she's born and made out of flesh.

Yukina obtained the artifact that can destroy the soul of Queen Himiko, a stone lantern that can contain souls. "Told you, didn't I?" Ren asked, while Yukina nodded--they were high-fiving each other; but that moment got interrupted with the groan of a new being in front of them. Turning their heads over... was Kazuha-hime back with an unfamiliar form, judging by her skin was ash grey and decayed while her right eye had a faded pupil, it became milky white and turns out... she got possessed by Himiko. "You old hag!" Yukina shouted, knowing that the time has come.

Himiko narrowed her eyes and spoke with a eerie, raspy voice that feels like burning hot that Ren felt pain stung at the back of his head. "An Oni... doesn't learn that they are insignificant in our reign of this sunlit land that I created," she hissed, moving closer but her decaying skin crawled upwards, making her hideous flesh twitching and cracked like an old tree branch that broke apart. "Yukina, distract her--I'll make a plan to get her out from her body. Kazuha's mind must be fighting her, before taking over her," Ren whispered, making Yukina agreed and move forward at the possessed Oni. As he had the stone lantern on his hand, he believed it might work but they should never know for sure.

"Step back, mortal. The prophecy is correct about my second coming to this world. I know that you've killed your leader, you would better kneel under me," she demanded, while Ren is working on focusing his Vermillion Bird power to the stone lantern and hoping it will work. "She's a different woman, remember?" Yukina listens as she keep her distracted, showing the weapon for her and let her realized the horror. "Huh, so... the ritual couldn't be fulfilled again. Give it up, as I have another person who deserve this powerful vessel--a greater vessel, not such brute such as this child! The previous ritual isn't perfect, I tried to consume her soul and failing to create another queen out of her, ahahahaha!" Himiko laughed maniacally, making Yukina enraged as she swung her katana at her--threatening her to stop laughing at their lost, this made her annoyed by her antics.

In Ren's mind, however... Kazuha wants to rebel against the Sun Queen's will but she was suppressed by the evil ghost's will--Ren still doing his best until a bright light emerged from the stone lantern and he goes to the highest platform by the stairs and stopped from up there. "Yukina!" he yelled, tossing the stone lantern to her and Yukina catch it; before she showed the stone lantern filled with burning gold-red flames and the mirror inside. Himiko yelled angrily as she tried to step back but Yukina began to closed her grip at her wrist tightly, before giving the object to her. "It's now or never!"

Then, Yukina pushed the lantern against Himiko who screeched in agony due to the damage, as if the soul was going to be freed from her body and it made the Sun Queen screeched in her ancient tongue. "How foolish you are, little rats! Did you expect this could be that easy? No, now you two shall die!" the possessed queen bellowed, unleashing her magic to use ranged attacks against Yukina and Ren. He casted a flames that grew bigger as her magic was consumed by his attack, realizing that this can be a benefit to this battle. Knowing that the revived Sun Queen is going to be weakened, she goes to face her and showed the stone lantern in front of the shamaness-queen.

"Destroy them all, make them suffer in the fiery pit of Yamato and Ryukyu..."

Queen Himiko's words, it was heard in her head. "You were never a queen to her people, you killed them all--and everyone had abandoned you," Kazuha hissed inside her decaying vessel that which turns into ashes as she was consumed, realizing that the real 'battle' is about to begin. Ren and Yukina stared at her as her true, gigantic form loomed over her--Himiko has awakened the most fearsome monster for mere humans like the two of them and were going to show them, revealing her 'true' appearance as a Queen of Yamatai.

Himiko has a long black hair tied into traditional Japanese noblewoman hairstyle which is Geisha Shimada style, with a golden ornaments of a sun-ray like rods--and she has longer hair which is messy and wavy--she has a dark brown eyes and pale complexion. The attire, however, is a white, red and orange noblewoman kimono with red obi and long furisode with the golden beads similar to a sun--along a black haori with a golden borders and motifs of a golden sun behind her b ack. Her golden kanzashi and hair-stick were added on her headdress that gave off an elegant attire of the royal, her malicious smile grew as she held a blade that could easily destroy her opponents with a blink of an eye.

"Hey, old hag!"

Ren shouted, making Himiko snapping her gaze at the group (including Kaizo, Hakuren, Shenlan, Izumo, Farlan and Dinda) who were already covered in bruises and injuries from the battle earlier. Yukina let out a growl due to her rage after Himiko awakening in Kazuha-hime's vessel, she gritted her teeth. "You worthless pests! Trying to stand against Queen Himiko?" she questioned the group when she heard one of them had a rather bad manners, he growled at her. "I will make all of you suffer... and that goes to you, human boy..." Himiko threatens, before Ren raised his Cosmic Wrath polearm that was whooshing slowly to release out its aura like his Samsara Blade and glares at the Sun Queen. "Oh yeah? Let's see about that, one who can controls the storms!" he taunted.

Yukina was shocked to see the army of Oni clan assisted them, even seeing Ren's friends were injured like her and Ren too--she wanted to be strong like Ren so she can defeat her. As she had enough of this Sun Queen's foolish actions and plans of being a ruler, she watched Ren had to keep the revived queen at bay and she just couldn't stand here doing nothing. Seeing her comrades Kikuno, Shinya, Takana, Shakushain and Yayomane were fighting together with them, yelling at Yukina like: "Yukina, you can do this! It's your chance to prove that you and us aren't 'weak'!" she looked down at the katana that were in her hands, the female had her realization just now; Ren supported her and trust her so she wanted to do the same too.

Yukina gritted her teeth, pushing back Himiko's brutal attempts for attacking her with her sharp blade. 'I wanted to be strong... I wanted to look up not just Kazuha-hime... it was you, Riyanda Tjahyana.... Ren!' she thought, crying loudly as it intimidates the Sun Queen by her roar of might. "Yukina, focus on my voice. Bring out your full power. I know it's in you!" Ren encouraged, causing the female Oni closed her eyes--holding the stone lantern on her hand that slowly infused within her and she transformed into her True Oni form.

Her long dark brown hair changed into white-colored hair with pink-red stripes while retaining the same hairstyle, except her hair length extended longer on her eyes, cheeks and her calves. Her red eyes turning into golden color with sharp pupils, red marks on her eyes and cheeks with a pair of long white horns on her forehead and sharp pointed ears--her complexion was lighter than before. Her outfit still the same, not changing except her appearance. "You think... you're powerful than I, the ruler of the Yamatai?" Himiko sneered, seeing Yukina's true form for the first time.

"Powerful, my ass."

Kaizo replied to Himiko who stood aside as she stared at her in horror when Yukina unleashed her bestial cry that shook the land, making everyone gasped in shock except the Oni, Kaizo and Ren. "You... son of Retsu Shindō!" she growled, Kaizo smirked as he glanced at his Indonesian best friend Ren and glanced up at the revived queen. "I talked to my father about you, we didn't want to come here at first... because I know you would hurt all of us after you got revived," he commented as he looked at the 'other side'. Everyone that included Yukina and Ren looked up at him while she turned towards Ren, stunned by his words. "Then, I realized that I shouldn't be afraid of you anymore... because my family is part of the ancestors of Yamatai who left the island during your downfall," he declared.

Himiko was enraged, realizing that the ones who left the island are the descendants of those who had opposed her. "Your best efforts for saving Yamatai are also your first biggest step to save your people from their unjust treatment. Your ancestors, the warriors, have given you the divine gift to fight," Farlan added, before he added. "Reviving yourself is the same thing as bringing you back alive after your soul is transferred into the body. Bringing Yamatai's great days in the dark, and not to destroy it completely--it's not easy."

"Don't mess with the past, which actually makes a hellish life for this place when you've arrived after two centuries," Izumo continued. "Look at you, a weak, malnourished mess and no one is submitting themselves to you again. No wonder, Kazuha-hime and her clan are the survivors of the Oni tribe's sacred bond. Didn't you think of revenge? Or purifying the place you called home, instead of destroying it?" Hakuren stated, looking up at her as she let Dinda continue. "You're just a woman who had no idea what the reality of her people were. You didn't acknowledge them," she said, letting out a glare towards Himiko that stood in front of them in her decayed state, watching her grip her sword.

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Shenlan was anticipating to kill the undead samurais, so she told them to focus on them while Ren and Yukina can take on the revived Sun Queen. It feels like their ancestor's words were directed at her and they have to deal with the resurrected Queen of Yamatai who wasn't pleased with the news, especially those youngsters were just like any other kind... the fools are no different. All of the Vidyadharas gave each other fist-bumps, but before they join the war... Ren had an idea to speak, calling out to Yukina who stopped in her tracks as she glanced at him. "Yukina, do you trust me?" he asked.

Yukina stared at him after calming herself and regained her composure, focusing on her rationality until hearing Ren's words. It made her confident to face the revived queen without fear because she believed they will win this. She had an idea as they faced their foes. "I don't trust you," the girl replied. Ren smirked, while he had a small scoff. "I was just making sure if you're able to do this, you're strong--you just had to follow the flow and I'll be there to get your back. Time to kick some ass and save the island with our friends!" he praised her, which she realized that it wasn't a bad idea.

Ren paused when Yukina hugged him as it looked like he was startled, she felt embarrassed by that. Ren felt comforted to be embraced by her, his heartbeat pounded as he felt warm--no longer feel sorrowful towards what he's missing, all this time... he hugged her back with a smile that formed on his lips. "Can I hug you back?" he asked, the Oni nodded at him. When they finished with their reconcilement, the two rushed towards the front lines and joined the battle along with Ren's allies. "Alright, now let's kick some ass..." Yukina declared, before the two of them fought against their opponents with confidence.

A ferocious, fiery-hearted young man and a proud-willed female Oni fought against the samurais that were possessed as the relic were shattered into pieces by their astral blades. The Oni clans have finally managed to fight back against Himiko and her whole army of undead soldiers, this is what they've dreamt for; to become free to do whatever they wanted without feeling restricted by any powers, despite the threat of the evil spirit that cursed this place, their goal will succeed if they can stop her reign. Everyone knew they should never submit into the evil so it might corrupt them and fall into their will, they should not turn them into a puppet as the end will be endless suffering...

Ren flapped his burning Vermillion Bird wings as he chanted a mantra through his Cosmic Blade and Samsara Blade polearms, spinning them before casting a flames against Himiko. Yukina followed as she spirals through the flames with a stone lantern within her blade, as the fire exploded upon contact, causing the revived queen to yell in rage as her wound have healed itself. Yukina and Ren was stunned, as the Sun Queen laughed triumphantly. "Inconceivable... a descendant from my Yamatai! But no matter what you do, you are a mere insect to me... like any other person I've killed with no mercy!"

"Shut up, you talk too much!"

Ren yelled and with his left wing, his mantra on his shoulder while his right one is supporting him in the air; he began to chant a mantra to make his flaming feathers turning into a white hot heat that immediately reduced the queen's spiritual pressure to zero, the energy transfer from her attacks to his, until Yukina's Astral Blade created a vortex of storm. Himiko gasped when Yukina came towards her and using the stone lantern with Astral Blade within it to smash at the revived Sun Queen and releasing the souls that made her fully defeated, a burst of vortex swirled in the area.

They could hear a scream from Himiko within Kazuha-hime's body before she transformed into 'more than just a dust' before it became a sun-like orb that could be the last boss the group has to face, but the light was coming out as Himiko was heard that saying something that made the group paused and looked at them in shock. "What the actual fuck?! She's not going down! After Yukina helped you to destroy that bastard statue and that geezer?" Kaizo snapped, before Ren glanced at him. "Kaizo, you should've known this! Do you know what could defeat her? The stone lantern is not enough!"

Kaizo tried to recall what his father told him in the Floating Sanctuary, until he realized that the weakness of Himiko is... he glanced at Ren and Yukina as he handed the bronze mirror handle known as 'Yamatai no Kagami'. "This is it, I should've given this to you guys earlier," he said, making Ren groaned. "Goddamnit, Kaizo! You should've told us about this, but thanks!" Ren snapped, while Yukina growled as she received the mirror from him.

"Alright, this is it guys! Let's make it last!"

Ren declared, as he flew away to avoid Himiko and dodging her attacks as the group combined their power by summoning their weapons. He grabbed Yukina's hand as they floats in front of the sun-like orb, the other half... Yamatai no Kagami shone with its sun light and makes the ancient spirit shrieked in pain, revealing a form of a corrupted soul was contained within the mirror as the divine relic. "Time to break it again for good!" Ren bellowed, swinging his blade against the shining Yamatai no Kagami that shatters the maligned soul into pieces, releasing the sealed spirit to the other side where it was never to be revived.

However, Yukina saw the memories of her past when she witnessed the mirror for the first time. There she saw a young girl who looks like her from her dark brown long hair, red eyes and light fair complexion--she has an emotionless expression and wore a ceremonial headdress and kimono as if she has her own purpose for her people. When it started to faded due to her own reflection was appearing, she thought; everything might lead to unexpected turns for Yamatai, then the soul turned into ashes when Ren swung his blade again. "Kazuha-hime... you're..." she whispered.

Then, Queen Himiko began to collapse to her demise as the sky was colored bright blue sphere in the air; this means Himiko was destroyed, was she. The undead army also vanishes--it means there's no danger lurking around, especially these undead spirits had to 'fall into their eternal slumber'. Yukina reverted back into her human form, landing beside Ren as she was wide-eyed by the memories she saw--was that... before and after she got possessed by the evil spirit? No one can be able to confirm, but then. Kazuha-hime slowly woke up as she was laying on the platform like them, she stirred a little as she grabbed her head and blinked several times before turning her gaze at them with a relief.

"Yukina...?"

Yukina's thoughts broke into nothing, seeing her beloved older sister walked towards her as she sat up, looking bewildered as she blinked several times in confusion but knowing that her sister is alive. Was that even true? Tears appeared in her eyes when Kazuha-hime caught a glimpse of her crying state in front of her, which caused her to sigh and went to kneel before pulling her into a protective embrace that the younger sibling had desired for so long. "Is it true... is it true that I... was adopted?" Yukina muttered, making them shocked to realize that the Oni cult were planning for all of them to take part for Himiko's revival, even tricking them by using these false claims--this means... everything wasn't a lie, so it's real?

Ren was confused equally like his friends, even Kaizo starting to get suspicious for Izumo but said nothing to question him yet. Is it true about Himiko's downfall? If it was never real... they might not find a sign or anything to tell them that Himiko is once the tyrannical ruler of Yamatai and they fought a lost fight for freedom. "So, you figured it out... you were born to be the next head of our clan, but your power... doesn't qualify it--because they feared the Oni have surpassed humanity that could cause an overthrow," she said before the woman told her childhood story to her.

This makes the young woman feel dread and distraught.

"Kazuha... what's the meaning of this? Are you offering me for... a sacrifice or a vessel for her?" Yukina stuttered, causing the elder woman to reply. "Our home, the island is like a prison, before we faced more horrors than any survivors could bear. We decided to go to other places, then I've become sick and dying due to a disease I caught--Queen Himiko promised me that she will kill me, but I refused at first. Until she made a deal with me, to save my people," she replied, her voice trembled before tears pooling at the corner of her eyes.

"... you trade your own people's lives for yours, making your own body as a vessel so you can revive your village from their slumber?"

Ren guessed, while the other male Oni glared back at Ren and telling him to be quiet. "Yes, it's true..." she admitted, everyone was shocked to see the great woman who used herself as a vessel, a vessel for a ritual to bring the one she serves back from the dead as a nightmare--consuming her to be Queen Himiko's new body, uniting a new generation by reviving this island and bringing back the Oni culture to the present world. Ren asked everyone to look at what happened to the body, before inspecting the decaying corpse of Queen Himiko... he realized that those ashes were that remains of the ghost queen herself who gave up.

Dinda turn around to see Kazuha-hime for a moment, before she muttered. "You... tricked us, didn't you? You didn't acknowledge the nature's worth and you made a deal with her. That's the truth?" she asked, before Farlan confirmed her question and he stepped in. "It appears so, perhaps this mirror can see the truth that nobody knows right, Kaizo?" he asked, Kaizo nodded--no wonder he seems... suspicious about the Sun Queen's death, that's the truth they didn't know because they didn't know the right reasons. The young Vidyadhara narrowed his eyes at him, then Kaizo glared at him. "Ren, you know what to do."

Ren turn around with his shadowed expression that his bangs covering his olive-blue eyes, he walked towards Yukina who was distraught while still being held by Kazuha-hime. He showed a stern look, raising his Cosmic Wrath when he had his fist tightened. "Ren, are you really going to murder my sister? It was her choice," Yukina insisted with her cry when she felt desperate, telling him to stop and telling him that she wants to stay with her. "Your sister? Say that again, please? Is she... your real sister?" he questioned back, making Yukina froze by his question that it feels like a stab on the heart.

Izumo felt overwhelmed by the tension between Ren and the Oni clans, with the others stunned by his revelation; Dinda stood back while Shenlan seems skeptical, Hakuren felt that things had to be cleared. "For your information... about the tradition of Oni clan," Izumo began, since he has the encyclopedia (scroll or book) about Yamatai's history and folklore. "In ancient days, Oni people believed that to be born under a lucky path to become the member of a glorious Oni clan must offer something that could benefit the protection in the village. One day... a new-born girl is picked up by the royal chieftain, giving the child as a sacrifice to stop the tragedy and chaos that could be quite..." he paused.

He gritted his teeth when he didn't want to tell it that honestly but he has to tell the truth to him, Ren wanted to know the whole truth so he needed it. "... horrific as the head chieftain wanted to commit the most terrible crime to the children; using their flesh, blood and bones for her. However, one little girl managed to survive from her cruelty and became the head of the certain Oni clan--meanwhile her late father was just a military general from the royal family of our homeland who joined her village to form an alliance. However, he died after the Oni betrayed him and kidnapped her... infusing his body until he disappeared and absorbed by the girl... who became an Oni during the ceremony--and potentially becoming a sacrifice in case there was a disaster happens."

Yukina was shaken as she pushed Kazuha-hime away and stepping back, fearing them after the revelations they finally heard. 'M-My parents... they're...' she thought, before Farlan handed the Yamatai no Kagami to her. Yukina hold the bronze mirror as she saw many memories of Yamatai's history and some were before and after Kazuha-hime's time, until the female Oni realized that... she's the fated successor of Kazuha-hime, the first of the many destined to rule her Oni people. She recalled the young Oni from before, she also noticed that the Oni girl and Yukina almost looks alike.

"Before Queen Himiko's attack, Kazuha was a smart, young and prideful woman... she has no successor to continue the legacy, then she found you--a sole survivor, being adopted by an priestess at a temple... whom everyone have their last will in her care. She adopted you to find the next heir to her legacy and make you her successor..."

Kaizo added, seeing Ren's expression did not changed as he's trying to be calm and composed as possible. Hearing his words, Yukina seemed to be overwhelmed as she struggled to understand--feeling lost but understanding the truth. "Wh-What...? Are you going to... kill me...?" Yukina questioned, pointing her katana at her beloved big sister as tears leaking down her cheeks. "So, you know it..." Kazuha-hime said with a bitter laugh, before she tried to tell Yukina about what had happened a long time ago--the Oni members was ambushed and the shamaness told her there's something that everyone wasn't aware of the real truth, while the young girl was asleep due to the herbs that killed the pain.

Back when Yukina was a young girl... she came here with her parents, which Izumo was surprised to hear their names--she didn't know her parents got killed after being tricked to help the Oni clan by their dying ancestors. She came to this place with their last memory was nothing but fighting, hearing that she was chosen to be the vessel for the Sun Queen for a human sacrifice to protect their Oni home and that will let the sun bathes upon them a sign of their freedom. No wonder, she can't remember her past when she was child because she lost her own memories of the incident.

Yukina was confused, clenching her fist and shaking her head. "No! I have nothing to believe about this truth, everything was a lie after all..."

Ren saw Kazuha-hime suddenly chuckled darkly and transformed into a dark True Oni form--known as a Dark Oni; sporting two twisted long black horns along the messy light white hairs, her complexion grew pale and waxy like skin is cracked with her bright red eyes and a skullish face. Wearing a kimono with exposed shoulders, but her chest is covered--wearing a golden ropes on her obi to be looked like a belt; and the kanzashi on her hair was replaced with three golden hair pins with red jewel beads on her hair like a flower. "Yeah... I thought this battle is over, turns out there's MORE?!" Shenlan yelled.

More worse, Kazuha-hime infused herself with the corpse of Queen Himiko--making her even more powerful with black flames all over her body that swirled into the sky and her large skeletal wings spread out, it was hideous. "Boom goes the dynamite, the bomb's have blown up!" Kaizo exclaimed with anger as this made Ren took a deep breath, before he glanced back at her. "Yukina, listen... even though you're adopted... you're their most respected captain, you never know your biological parents were gone--but you have a family you have, they always loved you in their souls and they never lied to you," Ren told her, trying to get Yukina to her rationality and comforting her--knowing her so well after they spoke for a while since he followed her, Dinda made their senses high enough to realize what her presence truly means.

"You're not alone, we're your friends... to the end of this hellhole, if we destroy her... we shall live! Together!" Ren yelled, turning back to his Vidyadhara phase of his Vermillion Bird burning red wings with flames with talons. "Remember that there's still meaning of your existence, Yukina Chihayafuru," Kaizo spoke, unleashing his Vidyadhara form of Azure Dragon and both Hakuren in her Black Tortoise ice power and Izumo in his White Tiger form. "Every reason for being as strong as the storm for an eternity. You and I..." Kaizo continued, making Ren paused and looking at him with a grin. "With honor in my life," he replied, following by Dinda, Farlan and Shenlan in their elemental form too.

Yukina slowly regained her True Oni form as she watched Ren held out his hand at her, she immediately jumped and holding his hand as they stood on the highest platform. Kazuha-hime giggled deviously as they charged at her before Ren unleashed his Cosmic power to make things fall down, getting destroyed and falling--or collapsed, Yukina jumped first before Ren flies, swinging her katana as she slashed her while Farlan held the mirror and unleashing a light ray. It bounced from the target back at Himiko and damaging her body, before crashing into an old temple-like platform as it sent rubble down everywhere.

"You can do this, Yukina! Follow the flow and don't be afraid of...!" Farlan yelled, before using the mirror to destroy a bony arm that almost caught him. With her flames wrapped around her blade as she threw the bolts and blades at Himiko who has weakened by the Oni peoples who were possessing the corpses to aid Ren and the rest, the young woman had finally regained herself that she was a survivor from the death of her parents, her eyes no longer full of darkness or no longer the lonesome coldness in her eyes. "It's time for me... to open my eyes, realizing that I have my own power."

She spun her katana and doing the spin, manipulating her fire ability given by Ren by the flames surrounded her and spinning faster than ever that they looked liked a flaming tornado. "Ren!" she yelled, the fellow was doing some acrobatic by having his polearms launched out before breaking the statue like glass--before diving down into the air, the fire tornado guided him as he began to chanted while grasping his Samsara Blade polearms and having his mantra like a barrier. "Yukina!" he yelled back, doing the same as he did the burning spin move which it worked as she and the young man held together, their combined power is even more powerful when they create a vortex like a star that was very large and bright, and everyone stood back.

Ren released himself as he let Yukina deal with the finishing blow, he landed on the ground while watching the female Oni unleashed a burst attack that weakened her greatly. "Now, the end of the day... you're done, you ghostly BITCH!" Yukina declared, before raising her blade above her head as the group began to combine their power. "Don't stop, Yukina! Concentrate and keep that spirit up!"

Yukina takes a few deep breaths before her katana began to burn into a white flames, as she took her stance--unleashing the attack. She roared before leaping into the air, with her hand raised above her head, in front of her stomach and then facing it towards the two of them. "Farewell, a truly worthy last challenge!" Kazuha-hime cringed, her smile soon changed to a more solemn face when Yukina unleashed a powerful but rather deadly blast, a large amount of white fire in the shape of Oni-head emerged before attacking Himiko--burned with an icy color before her skull broke by force and turned into ashes. Yukina watched it as she landed on the ground and sighed heavily, their mission is over, victory is theirs.

'My first... and only... is Ren... he was my hope, he was the one who took me out from the darkness...'

Then, everything came into light that Ren was wide-eyed upon the result--he glanced at his friends as he yelled. "Watch out! Something will make our final assault an Ultimate Execution!" the group nodded as they jumped into the mid-air, they watched in a horror as Queen Himiko's body was breaking into pieces in seconds. They made sure no innocent villager, survivors or enemies get themselves hurt, however. The Oni tribes were roaring in victory at the defeat of Queen Himiko, while Ren frowned by seeing the aftermath as he saw the Oni people becoming a light and he realized that... they're ascended up there.

Ren and his friends were also surprised to see the place turns into a glowing atmosphere, with soft colours of sunlight in there before the ruins and debris of the Yamatai's palace were filled with the spiritual powers and heavenly light. "Yukina... you're..." he muttered, he couldn't sense her presence now. "Did she..." Hakuren muttered, she realized that the girl... has disappeared from their sight. Then, a bunch of Oni came up to congratulate them before lifting their hands, thanking the Vidyadharas group and Ren for helping them to defeat the greatest evil--before they were glowing in bright light and vanished into orbs of lights into the sky.

Ren yelped when he saw Yukina falling off from the sky, before he captured her in bridal style and lowered to the ground. It was over, she saw the Oni's bodies just becoming an orbs of light before they vanished into thin air, Yukina narrowed her eyes--before she muttered. "Ren... when I met you for the first time... what did you want to tell me?" she asked, Ren became confused. What did he meant, until he knew what she wanted to heard from him, making the female smiled back. "Um... I hoped that I can be your friend, so..." he uttered, before he realized that her body slowly glowing. "Because... I'm glad to have you for protecting the ones we loved... we can save Yamatai and ending the curse upon here, it was my pride to fight by your side," Yukina said, telling Ren her last words.

Ren averting his eyes with a frown, feeling her hand on his cheek to turn his head back at her. "How can I ever repay you..."

"Believe in yourself, Ren... I know you'll overcome anything... no matter what you do, no matter how many people rejected your wishes... think twice if you can do something for the sake of protecting those who loved you," the female said, which Ren nodded at her as all of them landed on one of the natural archs in the island. "Always look forward, because there's always a goal for you that can be achieved with hard work and dreams," she muttered, wrapping her arms on his waist and her back wrapped by his arm before burying her face on his neck. "Thanks for everything, everyone... this is where we part way... as a sign of our friendship and destiny... find your other half of your missing soul, Ren and remember me by name--Yukina Chihayafuru," she croaked, giving a small peck on his cheek before he tightened his hold.

So, this is sacrifice...?

His emotion is starting to broke as his Vermillion Bird wings vanished a little--feeling comforted to embrace him, his friends let him be... giving the comfort the young male needs to tell his farewell to her, while the male tears streaked his cheeks. They watched as she released herself from him, fading into light before she turned into several lights and making her way up there. Then, she left something before she dissipated into lights--a katana left behind where Yukina used to be a moment ago, he turned his head with teary eyes as he grabbed the fallen katana and kneeling as he knew that her spirit will become his strength.

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