Skip to main content

# Mirage of Blaze volume 7: The Supreme Conqueror's Demon Mirror 2

## Chapter 12: Laughing Conqueror

By Kuwabara Mizuna (author), Toujou Kazumi (illustrator)
Translated by asphodel

Narita Yuzuru had been kidnapped.

Ayako heard the news from Chiaki late that night—after receiving word from Naoe that Takaya was likely being held captive within the Tsutsuga Mirror Tsutsuga Kyou
The Tsutsuga Mirrors were originally a treasure of Futarasan Shrine, formed of a male and female pair. The female mirror has the power to entrap souls, and is called the soul-sealing mirror (Fuukonkyou—封魂鏡), while the male is able to release entrapped souls. Legend has it that when Holy Priest Shoudou founded the first shrine on the Nikkou mountains, he turned the two tsutsuga causing mischief on Nantai-san into magic mirrors with his spells.
Four hundred years ago, the Fuuma Clan mated the two halves of the mirror to give birth to a tsutsuga cub which High Priest Tenkai sealed into the female mirror by order of Tokugawa Ieyasu..

“What? How the hell did that happen?!”

“Sorry. I screwed up. There were too many of them.”

Chiaki was calling from a public telephone outside the Matsumoto police station. He’d been busy gathering intelligence right up until that moment.

“I had the police check the license plate, but the car was stolen. No surprise there. They’re looking for it, but it’s gonna take time. Narita’s got the Hakku Dharani on anarei bishaji birabajiradariBandabandani bajirabanihanHuuntoruunhan sowaka ()
Also known as: Hakku Dharani—"Eight-Verse Dharani" (八句陀羅尼)
Part of one of the five Shurangama Mantras which appears in the seventh volume of the Shurangama Sutra. This mantra is the last line of the invocation used to summon the aid of Bishamonten, the Guardian of the North.
In Mirage of Blaze, this mantra is a portion of the spell used by Zen Master Kaisen to seal the onryou of Takeda Shingen after his death. This is also the incantation engraved on the bracelet Naoe gives to Yuzuru to confine Shingen after his revival. bracelet on him, though, so we can figure out what direction he’s going with a Bell-Ringing Ritual.”

“Hold on, Nagahide! Start from the beginning! You said someone took him—so he’s been kidnapped? Do you know who did it? You don’t think—”

“One thing I’m sure of: they didn’t kidnap him for money—they were using a spell to strangle me. ...Hmm. Though I guess it could be some onshou onshou (怨将)
Lit.: "vengeful general": the spirits of the warlords of the Sengoku period, who continue their battles even in modern-age Japan. short on funds for his war,” Chiaki replied calmly. Cool-headedness under pressure had always been one of his strengths. Takaya, on the other hand, would probably be tearing his hair out by the handful right about now.

“I’m pretty sure it was Date’s younger brother, the one Naoe said saved him in Yamagata Yamagata-shi (山形市)
Lit.: "Mountain-shaped", the City of Yamagata is the capital of Yamagata Prefecture, founded in 1889. a couple of weeks ago. But he was talking about his mother’s enemy or something.”

“Date’s...?” Ayako questioned in surprise. Date? But the Date vassal Katakura Kojuurou Katakura Kagetsuna (片倉景綱) 1557 - 1615
Also known as: Katakura Kojuurou Kagetsuna (片倉小十郎景綱)
A military commander of the Sengoku era and hereditary vassal of the Date Clan. The Katakura family traditionally took the nickname of 'Kojuurou', so Katakura Kagetsuna is better known as Katakura Kojuurou.
Kojuurou first served Date Masamune's father, Date Terumune, as a junior page, then became Date Masamune's attendant in 1575. He was later appointed a strategist, and participated in most of Masamune's important wars where he rescued the Date Clan from many tight spots. His wisdom was extolled by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and his name was a byword for loyalty. (He was called 'Katakura Kagetsuna the Wise', and he, along with 'Date Shigezane the Brave', were named 'the twin jewels of the Date'.)
Kojuurou died in 1615 of illness. was with Naoe right now. “Are you saying that it was the Date who carried him off? That doesn’t sound right. Date is looking for the Tsutsuga Mirrors Tsutsuga Kyou
The Tsutsuga Mirrors were originally a treasure of Futarasan Shrine, formed of a male and female pair. The female mirror has the power to entrap souls, and is called the soul-sealing mirror (Fuukonkyou—封魂鏡), while the male is able to release entrapped souls. Legend has it that when Holy Priest Shoudou founded the first shrine on the Nikkou mountains, he turned the two tsutsuga causing mischief on Nantai-san into magic mirrors with his spells.
Four hundred years ago, the Fuuma Clan mated the two halves of the mirror to give birth to a tsutsuga cub which High Priest Tenkai sealed into the female mirror by order of Tokugawa Ieyasu. in Nikkou Nikkou-shi (日光市)
Nikkou City, located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, is a popular tourist destination known for the Nikkou Toushou Shrine, where Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains are enshrined, as well as Futarasan Shrine, built in 767. with Naoe.”

“Tsutsuga Mirrors Tsutsuga Kyou
The Tsutsuga Mirrors were originally a treasure of Futarasan Shrine, formed of a male and female pair. The female mirror has the power to entrap souls, and is called the soul-sealing mirror (Fuukonkyou—封魂鏡), while the male is able to release entrapped souls. Legend has it that when Holy Priest Shoudou founded the first shrine on the Nikkou mountains, he turned the two tsutsuga causing mischief on Nantai-san into magic mirrors with his spells.
Four hundred years ago, the Fuuma Clan mated the two halves of the mirror to give birth to a tsutsuga cub which High Priest Tenkai sealed into the female mirror by order of Tokugawa Ieyasu.? What’s that?”

“Huh...? Oh! Right! I haven’t told you about that yet!” Ayako recalled, and relayed the events in Nikkou Nikkou-shi (日光市)
Nikkou City, located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, is a popular tourist destination known for the Nikkou Toushou Shrine, where Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains are enshrined, as well as Futarasan Shrine, built in 767. in detail.

“What?! Kagetora asked Naoe for help from within the mirror?!”

“I got another call earlier from Naoe saying that he was heading for Odawara Odawara-shi (小田原市)
The City of Odawara, located in present-day Kanagawa Prefecture, flourished as the castle-town of the Houjou Clan, whose strategic fortress of Odawara Castle served as an impregnable stronghold for several generations of the clan during the Sengoku. During the Edo Period, it became the castle-town of Odawara-han and controlled the East Sea Road between Edo and Tokugawa stations west of Hakone.. Which means I have to go to Nikkou Nikkou-shi (日光市)
Nikkou City, located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, is a popular tourist destination known for the Nikkou Toushou Shrine, where Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains are enshrined, as well as Futarasan Shrine, built in 767..”

“That idiot, what the hell is he doing?!”

BAM! Chiaki struck the phone box glass. Putting aside Yuzuru’s kidnapping for the moment, he yelled into the receiver, “So what, now Kagetora’s gone and gotten himself eaten by the tsutsuga tsutsuga
Also known as: crimson beast
A spirit-beast which takes the form of a long-tailed lion around five-six feet in length with golden eyes, surrounded by red fire, tsutsuga have the ability to devour the souls of people, tigers, and leopards, and spit fire. They can interact with the physical world, their razor-sharp claws and teeth making them ferocious predators, but can be affected by mind powers, such as nenpa and hypnotic suggestion.
Legend has it that Holy Priest Shoudou trapped a male and female pair of the tsutsuga into the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The female tsutsuga has the power to devour spirits as well as the souls of living people who look into the tsutsuga's eyes, entrapping them within the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The male tsutsuga eats fire and exhales fire instead of air. Their cubs inherit both abilities., and you think this is all the Houjou’s doing?! That stupid moron! This is what he gets for blundering around like that, goddammit!”

“...Anyway, I think we can leave Kagetora to Naoe for now. Locating Yuzuru-kun is our first priority! Listen, I’m going to Nikkou Nikkou-shi (日光市)
Nikkou City, located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, is a popular tourist destination known for the Nikkou Toushou Shrine, where Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains are enshrined, as well as Futarasan Shrine, built in 767. to meet up with Katakura-san. Whether or not they have anything to do with it, I’ll probably be able to at least learn more than we know now. He said Kousaka was in Nikkou Nikkou-shi (日光市)
Nikkou City, located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, is a popular tourist destination known for the Nikkou Toushou Shrine, where Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains are enshrined, as well as Futarasan Shrine, built in 767., too.”

“Whaaaaat?! That bastard Kousaka is there? What the hell was Naoe doing there alone? Why the fuck hasn’t he been keeping us in the loop about all of this?!”

“Anyhow, I’m heading out for Nikkou Nikkou-shi (日光市)
Nikkou City, located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, is a popular tourist destination known for the Nikkou Toushou Shrine, where Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains are enshrined, as well as Futarasan Shrine, built in 767. now. I got a contact address, so write this down. It’s the Japanese inn Naoe’s been staying at. Katakura-san should be there too.”

After hurriedly relaying the details and asking him to ‘stay in touch,’ Ayako ended the call.

“Fuck!” Fuming, Chiaki banged down the receiver and exited the phone box. “So now we gotta worry about Kagetora too?!”

...One little chink in their armor immediately led to this. Their enemies would certainly not go soft on them; this was an opportunity they would not pass up.

(Not to mention the fact that it’s his birth family this time.)

They were just asking the enemy to take advantage. Chiaki kicked the phone box in his frustration.

Why had Yuzuru been taken? To make use of his power? Whatever the case, they had to find him as soon as possible, or they would end up with a catastrophe on their hands. If anyone made use of that terrible power they saw in Sendai, all hell would break loose.

I shall take that jewel from you.

Chiaki ground his teeth as he recalled Mori Ranmaru Mori Ranmaru (森蘭丸) 1565 - 1582
Also called: Mori Nagasada (森長定), possibly Shigetoshi (成利), Nagayasu (長康)
Historically: A vassal of Oda Nobunaga who served as his attendant from
an early age. His father, Mori Yoshinari, was also a vassal of Oda Nobunaga. Favored by Nobunaga for his talent and loyalty, he also followed the tradition of shudo with his liege-lord. He and his three younger brothers died with Nobunaga at the Honnou-ji on June 21, 1582.’s words.

(Does Date’s younger brother have any connection to the Oda?)

It was not a pleasant thought. But Mogami, who had sheltered Kojirou Date Kojirou (伊達小次郎) 1568? - 1590
Also known as: childhood—Jikumaru (竺丸)
Second son of Date Terumune and Yoshihime, Kojirou was favored by his mother over his older brother Date Masamune for succession as head of the Date Clan. However, Terumune favored Masamune, who became head of the Date Clan in 1584.
Yoshihime planned the assassination of Masamune, but after she failed to poison him in 1590, Masamune ordered Kojirou's death., had in turn been backed by the Oda. It was not outside the realm of possibility.

“Aargh, fuck fuck fuck! None of this would’ve happened if that blockhead wasn’t such a fucking flake!” Chiaki cursed as he climbed into his Leopard. The car with the Tochigi Tochigi-ken (栃木県)
A prefecture located in the south-central region of Honshu Island, Japan. license plate had taken Yuzuru more or less straight east. The Bell-Ringing Ritual was a type of seeking spell using Mikkyou mikkyou (密教)
An abbreviated name for "himitsu Bukkyou", or "secret Buddhist teachings", mikkyou are exceedingly mystic and symbolic doctrines transferred from master to disciple within sects, generally used by schools of Esoteric Buddhism.
Mikkyou came into existence in India during the rise of Hinduism and the oppression of Buddhism. In the early stages of mikkyou, Buddhism slowly absorbed mystical/magical components, and each Buddha was given a mudra and dharani. ritual implements. It was performed by ringing a vajra vajra
Also known as: kongou-sho (金剛杵)
A mystical indestructible weapon in Buddhism and Hinduism which destroys ignorance. In Hindu mythology, this weapon was made out of the spine of the sage Dadhichi, who sacrificed himself so that this weapon could be created to kill Vitrasur, who had conquered heaven and terrorized gods.
In tantric rituals, the vajra, held in the right hand, symbolizes the male principle while the bell, held in the left hand, symbolizes the female principle; their interaction leads to enlightenment. bell, whose sound (or, in this case, spirit-wave) reverberating from the target gave the seeker a general direction. The process was like activating a submarine’s sonar, with the chime of the vajra bell taking the place of the pinger and the seeker’s own sixth sense in place of the sonar system. Also analogous was the fact that the echo faded with distance; the seeker’s search area was limited by his reisa reisa (霊査)
Also known as: reisa-nouryoku (霊査能力)
Lit.: "Spiritual investigation"; the ability to use the spiritual senses to distinguish between residual thought signatures, and thus recognize spiritual entities. A person with a high-level form of this ability could potentially recognize souls by the pattern of their "soul-nucleus", which is the part of the soul that remains unchanged through purification and rebirth, especially if they had met that person before previously. Haruie and Kousaka both excel at this ability, though Kousaka seems to be one of the few to possess a very high-level form of it. ability.

In Chiaki’s hand was a vajra bell tuned to the frequency of the Hakku Dharani on anarei bishaji birabajiradariBandabandani bajirabanihanHuuntoruunhan sowaka ()
Also known as: Hakku Dharani—"Eight-Verse Dharani" (八句陀羅尼)
Part of one of the five Shurangama Mantras which appears in the seventh volume of the Shurangama Sutra. This mantra is the last line of the invocation used to summon the aid of Bishamonten, the Guardian of the North.
In Mirage of Blaze, this mantra is a portion of the spell used by Zen Master Kaisen to seal the onryou of Takeda Shingen after his death. This is also the incantation engraved on the bracelet Naoe gives to Yuzuru to confine Shingen after his revival. carved into Yuzuru’s bracelet. It took time despite his preparations, but at last Chiaki heard the echo at the very edges of his range.

The reverberation had come from somewhere due east of Matsumoto Matsumoto City (松本市)
The largest city in Nagano Prefecture, Matsumoto is surrounded by mountains and is acclaimed for its beautiful views....a great distance away. Which probably meant that he was somewhere in Tochigi Tochigi-ken (栃木県)
A prefecture located in the south-central region of Honshu Island, Japan..

(Nikkou Nikkou-shi (日光市)
Nikkou City, located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, is a popular tourist destination known for the Nikkou Toushou Shrine, where Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains are enshrined, as well as Futarasan Shrine, built in 767., then?)

He started the engine, violently disengaged the side break, and stepped on the accelerator.

Ayako sped through the night from her home in Yokohama Yokohama-shi (横浜市)
The City of Yokohama is the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second-largest city in Japan after Tokyo. It is also a major port and commercial hub and historically one of the first cities to be opened to foreigners during the rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate. toward Nikkou Nikkou-shi (日光市)
Nikkou City, located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, is a popular tourist destination known for the Nikkou Toushou Shrine, where Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains are enshrined, as well as Futarasan Shrine, built in 767., arriving at dawn but passing Naoe in the darkness. Her only stop had been at a gas station. After climbing Iroha Hill Iroha-zaka (いろは坂)
Iroha Hill Road is a Japanese national highway (no. 120) which connects Nikkou's Umagae district to the banks of Lake Chuuzenji. The road, actually consisting of two one-way paths, is famous for its hairpin curves. Iroha Hill One, which goes from Lake Chuuzenji to Umagae, contains 28 curves, while Iroha Hill Two, going in the opposite direction, contains 20 curves. Iroha Hill One was established in 1954, Iroha Hill Two in 1965.
The name "Iroha" comes from the poem of the same name which uses each character of the Japanese hiragana exactly once; each of the 48 curves in the road is named after the character which it resembles. , she descended to Lake Chuuzenji Chuuzenji-ko (中禅寺湖)
Lake Chuuzenji, located in Nikkou National Park in the city of Nikkou, Tochigi Prefecture, is one of Japan's 100 famous views. It is the 25th largest lake in Japan and drains through the Kegon Falls., where she located Asaoka Inn on a map and immediately set out to meet Katakura. Her body, tempered by several onshou onshou (怨将)
Lit.: "vengeful general": the spirits of the warlords of the Sengoku period, who continue their battles even in modern-age Japan. tours, betrayed not a trace of tiredness.

“Katakura-san?” Maiko was there to receive her. The inn’s morning started early, as one might expect. But the real reason for Maiko’s dawn rising was her worry for Naoe, who had suddenly left for Odawara Odawara-shi (小田原市)
The City of Odawara, located in present-day Kanagawa Prefecture, flourished as the castle-town of the Houjou Clan, whose strategic fortress of Odawara Castle served as an impregnable stronghold for several generations of the clan during the Sengoku. During the Edo Period, it became the castle-town of Odawara-han and controlled the East Sea Road between Edo and Tokugawa stations west of Hakone. in the middle of the night. She had not slept a wink.

“I’m a friend of Nao...I mean, of Tachibana’s. Please let him know Kakizaki is here.”

“Kakizaki...san?”

Maiko looked Ayako over with open skepticism. She seemed bothered by the fact that Tachibana Yoshiaki’s friend was female.

(What a beautiful person...)

She appeared to be around Maiko’s age, but with her extraordinary and impeccable style gave an air of much greater sophistication. Maiko, who belonged to the class of people somewhat worried about a little plumpness around her lower half, felt herself unable to compare. She was wearing rough jeans at the moment, but even if she were to dress up, Maiko from the Nikkou Nikkou-shi (日光市)
Nikkou City, located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, is a popular tourist destination known for the Nikkou Toushou Shrine, where Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains are enshrined, as well as Futarasan Shrine, built in 767. sticks would hardly register as competition.

In any case, Maiko was already so full of thoughts of Tachibana that her aching heart was ready to burst. Was she the one he had called last night? The person he had described as being ‘too devious to defy’—?

(It probably is.) Maiko scolded herself for the depression threatening to overwhelm her, but it had rather the opposite effect.

“Just a moment,” she said brusquely, and went up to the second floor to call on Katakura.

Boy, that didn’t go well, Ayako thought, scratching her head. Since misunderstandings of this kind were a not-infrequent occurrence around Naoe, she decided to leave it be for the time being.

“Well...! Thank you for coming, Kakizaki-dono,” Katakura called from the top of the stairs, and Ayako looked up.

“Katakura-sa—”

“Huh, here comes another one.” The unexpected interruption came from Kousaka Danjou Kousaka Masanobu (高坂昌信) 1527 - 1578
Also called: Kousaka Danjou Masanobu (高坂弾正昌信), Kousaka Danjou Nosuke Masanobu (高坂弾正忠昌信), Kasuga Toratsuna (春日虎綱), Kasuga Gensuke (春日源助)
Title: Danjou Nosuke/Faithful True-Shot (弾正忠)
Historically: One of Takeda Shingen's most loyal retainers who was one of his Twenty-Four Generals and played a key part in the fourth battle of Kawanakajima.
Kousaka was born in Kai to a wealthy farmer, Kasuga Ookuma (?) (春日大隈). His father died when he was 16, and he lost a lawsuit against his elder sister's husband for ownership of his father's lands. He then enrolled in the service of Takeda Shingen.
Kousaka first served as a messenger for Shingen. He distinguished himself in battle, and rose swiftly through the ranks of Shingen's trusted retainers. He participated in most of Shingen's battles. He did not hesitate to retreat when required, which earned him the nickname of "Escaping Danjou". However, he was calm and logical in the midst of battle, and was perhaps the best of Shingen's generals.
There are anecdotes that in his younger days, Kousaka and Shingen were engaged in a shudo relationship, and Kousaka rose so quickly in Shingen's service because of Shingen's affection.
After Shingen's death in 1573, Kousaka continued on to serve Takeda Katsuyori. He sought an alliance between the Takeda clan and their old enemy, the Uesugi clan, in order to unite against the threat of Oda Nobunaga.
Kousaka died in 1578 of illness at the age of 52. He was succeeded by his second son, Kousaka Masamoto (高坂昌元), his first son, Kousaka Masazumi (高坂昌澄) having died in the Battle of Nagashino in 1575.
In Mirage of Blaze: A kanshousha who, along with Sanjou-no-Kata, breaks the barrier over Takeda Shingen's tomb, the Maenduka, in an attempt to resurrect Shingen by using Narita Yuzuru as a vessel for his spirit.
According to Haruie, Kousaka has a high level of spiritual sensing ability (reisa), such that he is able to recognize someone he had met before even after their soul has undergone purification. He warns Naoe that Narita Yuzuru's existence is a threat to the Roku Dou Sekai., who had appeared behind Katakura. He seemed to have just missed Naoe. “So Kagetora’s been eaten by a tsutsuga tsutsuga
Also known as: crimson beast
A spirit-beast which takes the form of a long-tailed lion around five-six feet in length with golden eyes, surrounded by red fire, tsutsuga have the ability to devour the souls of people, tigers, and leopards, and spit fire. They can interact with the physical world, their razor-sharp claws and teeth making them ferocious predators, but can be affected by mind powers, such as nenpa and hypnotic suggestion.
Legend has it that Holy Priest Shoudou trapped a male and female pair of the tsutsuga into the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The female tsutsuga has the power to devour spirits as well as the souls of living people who look into the tsutsuga's eyes, entrapping them within the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The male tsutsuga eats fire and exhales fire instead of air. Their cubs inherit both abilities., and Narita’s been kidnapped? Are the Uesugi just sitting around twiddling their thumbs?”

“Oh, shut up! Why are you here, anyway?”

“Information exchange. Regarding the ones behind the theft of the Tsutsuga Mirrors Tsutsuga Kyou
The Tsutsuga Mirrors were originally a treasure of Futarasan Shrine, formed of a male and female pair. The female mirror has the power to entrap souls, and is called the soul-sealing mirror (Fuukonkyou—封魂鏡), while the male is able to release entrapped souls. Legend has it that when Holy Priest Shoudou founded the first shrine on the Nikkou mountains, he turned the two tsutsuga causing mischief on Nantai-san into magic mirrors with his spells.
Four hundred years ago, the Fuuma Clan mated the two halves of the mirror to give birth to a tsutsuga cub which High Priest Tenkai sealed into the female mirror by order of Tokugawa Ieyasu..”

“Let us talk inside,” Kojuurou interjected. “We must discuss the details. Asaoka-san, may I impose on you for some hot tea or coffee? ...Please bring a cup for Kakizaki-san as well. Let us take on such serious matters with calm in both mind and body.”

Though the inn looked like a Western-style house from the outside, and indeed had started out as such, Maiko’s father had remodeled individual rooms ‘for the hot spring visitors’ with tatami tatami (畳)
Woven straw mats used as traditional Japanese flooring.
Japanese rooms are traditionally measured by the number of tatami mats laid out in it, the dimensions of which are 90 cm x 180 cm x 5 cm. mats laid out in the Japanese style.

Katakura’s room, the innermost room on the second floor, was said to be Asaoka Inn’s best. The windows gazed out on Lake Chuuzenji Chuuzenji-ko (中禅寺湖)
Lake Chuuzenji, located in Nikkou National Park in the city of Nikkou, Tochigi Prefecture, is one of Japan's 100 famous views. It is the 25th largest lake in Japan and drains through the Kegon Falls. and Mt. Nantai Nantai-san (男体山)
Also known as: Futara-san (二荒山)
Mount Nantai is one of the 100 famous mountains in Japan, located in Nikkou, Tochigi Prefecture and formed from a stratovolcano. It is worshiped as a sacred mountain and was first scaled by Shoudou in 782, who founded the first shrines there., and Maiko’s father boasted that no better view could be found in the entire Chuuzenji Hot Springs area. Maiko had apparently commandeered the room for ‘Katakura-san and Tachibana-san.’

Somewhat calmer after a drink of Maiko’s coffee, Ayako related Chiaki’s account of the circumstances around Narita Yuzuru’s kidnapping.

“Was it Lord Kojirou, truly?” Kojuurou looked dazed, disbelief written all over his face as Ayako finished.

“So he claimed, but that’s hardly proof. Nagahide has never seen the spirit vessel possessed by Kojirou-san. If Naoe had been there he would have been able to corroborate, but...”

“...”

Kojuurou frowned, sighing deeply.

“In truth, even we do not know what form Lord Kojirou has taken. As you know, after he and Lady Hoshunin Yoshihime (義姫) 1547? 1548? - 1623
Also known as: Ohigashi-no-Kata (お東の方), nickname—Demon Princess of the Ouu (奥羽の鬼姫), Hoshunin (保春院).
Mother of Date Masamune, daughter of Mogami Yoshimori and younger sister of Mogami Yoshiaki, Yoshihime was born in Yamagata Castle in Dewa. She was given in marriage at the age of 19 to Date Terumune and bore him two sons, Date Masamune and Date Kojirou. She hated her first-born, Masamune, due to his one-eyed state, and favored his younger brother Kojirou. There was additional tension between them due to Yoshihime leaking information to her relatives in the Mogami Clan even while they were fighting with the Date Clan. In 1585, upon Terumune's death, she decided to have Masamune killed to allow Kojirou to become head of the Date clan.
In 1590, when Masamune was participating in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's campaign against Odawara Castle, Yoshihime personally brought Masamune a meal laced with poison. Though Masamune consumed the poison, he was able to counteract it with the antidote. He then had Kojirou commit seppuku. Afterwards, Yoshihime returned to the Mogami Clan.
In 1614, upon Mogami Yoshiaki's death, internal strife split the Mogami Clan. In 1622, Yoshihime could no longer sustain her status in the Mogami Clan, and asked Masamune to return, which he allowed. She went to live in Sendai Castle and died there a year later at the age of 76.
It was thought from the contents of the letters and poems mother and son exchanged that Yoshihime was reconciliated with Masamune in her latter years. re-awoke in this world, they took shelter with Mogami Mogami Yoshiaki (最上義光) 1544 - 1614
A daimyo of Yamagata-han in the province of Dewa who fought for both Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. He fought Uesugi Kagekatsu as well as in the battle of Sekigahara in 1600 for Tokugawa alongside Date Masamune. His domain was expanded to 520,000 koku for his loyal service.
His son Mogami Iechika succeeded him upon his death of illness., who cast a curse on Sendai Sendai-shi (仙台市)
The capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, it is also the largest city in the northeast region of Japan. It is home to one million people, and is aptly nicknamed Mori no Miyako, the Capital of Trees.. We have been unable to find him ever since. My lord, too, is much concerned and dispatched many to search for him, but... We have heard naught but worrying rumors.”

“...Rumors...?”

“That Lord Kojirou has been working with the one called Mori of the Oda.”

“What? Oda?”

“Yes. If you consider that ’twas Oda manipulating Mogami from the shadows, perhaps such rumors are not without basis. Yet if that were the case, why did he not return to my lord? If ’tis not his intention to turn against my lord, why...?” a mortified Kojuurou wondered aloud, and Ayako regarded him with sympathy.

Even so, she had to be certain. “Then the Date truly have had no news of Kojirou-san?”

“’Tis quite true. If we had any knowledge of his whereabouts, we would have returned him to my lord’s side forthwith, for that is an outcome my lord strongly desires. Too, I cannot imagine any reason for Lord Kojirou to kidnap Narita-dono.”

“Can’t you?” Rumors abounded that the Date had set out to conquer the «Yami-Sengoku Yami Sengoku (闇戦国)
Lit.: "Dark Sengoku", the civil war still being fought by the spirits of the warlords of the Sengoku period in modern-day Japan.», and Ayako had her suspicions about how much truth they would be willing to give an enemy.

“The danger here is immense,” Kousaka interjected. “We don’t know what they will do with Narita Yuzuru’s power. What in the world have you people been doing? How many times did I tell you not to take your eyes off him? ...Humph! Like master, like servant. Are the Uesugi a bunch of incompetent idiots?”

“What did you say?!”

“They’ll probably kill a whole bunch of people or blow up a city, and it’ll all be on your head.”

“Wh! Wh-wh-wh...! Don’t you dare put the blame on us! What about you? If you know his true nature, just tell us already!”

“Humph! That’s why I call you incompetent. And you call yourself the best of the Uesugi at spirit-sensing reisa (霊査)
Also known as: reisa-nouryoku (霊査能力)
Lit.: "Spiritual investigation"; the ability to use the spiritual senses to distinguish between residual thought signatures, and thus recognize spiritual entities. A person with a high-level form of this ability could potentially recognize souls by the pattern of their "soul-nucleus", which is the part of the soul that remains unchanged through purification and rebirth, especially if they had met that person before previously. Haruie and Kousaka both excel at this ability, though Kousaka seems to be one of the few to possess a very high-level form of it.?”

“You’re a monster!”

Kojuurou interrupted before the exchange could escalate into something quite unpleasant. “For the time being, let us do what we can to aid in the search for Narita-dono. If it has anything to do with Lord Kojirou, I must not overlook this incident. I will apprise my lord of these events.”

Still glaring at Kousaka, Ayako nodded sullenly. Kousaka braced both elbows on the table and pointed out, “But it looks like we’ve got a few more problems to deal with now. If Kagetora-dono has fallen victim to the tsutsuga tsutsuga
Also known as: crimson beast
A spirit-beast which takes the form of a long-tailed lion around five-six feet in length with golden eyes, surrounded by red fire, tsutsuga have the ability to devour the souls of people, tigers, and leopards, and spit fire. They can interact with the physical world, their razor-sharp claws and teeth making them ferocious predators, but can be affected by mind powers, such as nenpa and hypnotic suggestion.
Legend has it that Holy Priest Shoudou trapped a male and female pair of the tsutsuga into the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The female tsutsuga has the power to devour spirits as well as the souls of living people who look into the tsutsuga's eyes, entrapping them within the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The male tsutsuga eats fire and exhales fire instead of air. Their cubs inherit both abilities., there is a high probability that his soul will be tree-bound, and his face will appear in a tree as we’ve seen on the sacred trees at Futarasan Shrine Futarasan Jinja (二荒山神社)
Futarasan Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Nikkou founded by Holy Priest Shoudou. It enshrines three mountain deities: Ookuninushi, Tagorihime, and Ajisukitakahikone of Mt. Nantai (also called Mt. Futara), Mt. Nyohou, and Mt. Tarou.
Its main shrine (Honden) was built in 767, its middle shrine (Chuuguushi ) in 784, and its rear shrine (Okumiya) in 782.. Doesn’t that make it even more imperative for Kakizaki-dono to find the Tsutsuga Mirror?”

“Katakura-san, do you have any ideas for locating the Tsutsuga Mirror?”

“Not yet... However, though Uesugi-dono has been devoured by the tsutsuga tsutsuga
Also known as: crimson beast
A spirit-beast which takes the form of a long-tailed lion around five-six feet in length with golden eyes, surrounded by red fire, tsutsuga have the ability to devour the souls of people, tigers, and leopards, and spit fire. They can interact with the physical world, their razor-sharp claws and teeth making them ferocious predators, but can be affected by mind powers, such as nenpa and hypnotic suggestion.
Legend has it that Holy Priest Shoudou trapped a male and female pair of the tsutsuga into the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The female tsutsuga has the power to devour spirits as well as the souls of living people who look into the tsutsuga's eyes, entrapping them within the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The male tsutsuga eats fire and exhales fire instead of air. Their cubs inherit both abilities., I believe his situation is slightly different.”

“In what way?”

"Last night, when Uesugi-dono’s image appeared to Naoe-dono in the mirror, both Asaoko-san and I were able to see him as well—unlike Asaoka-san’s brother, whom we were unable to see even when he appeared to her. In other words, Shinya-san’s soul had already been bound to the sacred tree, and he was projecting his image before a particular person via the intermediary of the mirror, the source of the tsutsugas’ spiritual power.

In Uesugi-dono’s case, however, the presence in the mirror was remarkably different. Rather than a projection, it felt almost as if he himself were standing on the other side of the mirror. It is likely that someone in possession of greater spirit-sensing reisa (霊査)
Also known as: reisa-nouryoku (霊査能力)
Lit.: "Spiritual investigation"; the ability to use the spiritual senses to distinguish between residual thought signatures, and thus recognize spiritual entities. A person with a high-level form of this ability could potentially recognize souls by the pattern of their "soul-nucleus", which is the part of the soul that remains unchanged through purification and rebirth, especially if they had met that person before previously. Haruie and Kousaka both excel at this ability, though Kousaka seems to be one of the few to possess a very high-level form of it. would be able to speak with him through the mirror. In fact, Naoe-dono received a telepathic message directly from Uesugi-dono inside the mirror."

“So you’re saying that it’s not Kagetora’s reflection in the mirror, but actually him?”

“That is my guess. The lore regarding the Tsutsuga Mirrors Tsutsuga Kyou
The Tsutsuga Mirrors were originally a treasure of Futarasan Shrine, formed of a male and female pair. The female mirror has the power to entrap souls, and is called the soul-sealing mirror (Fuukonkyou—封魂鏡), while the male is able to release entrapped souls. Legend has it that when Holy Priest Shoudou founded the first shrine on the Nikkou mountains, he turned the two tsutsuga causing mischief on Nantai-san into magic mirrors with his spells.
Four hundred years ago, the Fuuma Clan mated the two halves of the mirror to give birth to a tsutsuga cub which High Priest Tenkai sealed into the female mirror by order of Tokugawa Ieyasu. contains a story about a woman whose soul was locked away by the female Tsutsuga Mirror. It is from this tale that one might deduce Futarasan Shrine Futarasan Jinja (二荒山神社)
Futarasan Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Nikkou founded by Holy Priest Shoudou. It enshrines three mountain deities: Ookuninushi, Tagorihime, and Ajisukitakahikone of Mt. Nantai (also called Mt. Futara), Mt. Nyohou, and Mt. Tarou.
Its main shrine (Honden) was built in 767, its middle shrine (Chuuguushi ) in 784, and its rear shrine (Okumiya) in 782. as the location of the mirror into which Holy Priest Shoudou Shoudou (勝道) May 21, 735 - Mar. 25, 817
Shoudou, born in southern Shimotsuke Province was a Buddhist monk who founded the first temples in Nikkou, including Rinnou Temple (originally known as Yonhon Ryuu-ji, or Temple of the Four Dragons), Futarasan Shrine, and Chuuzen Temple.’s magic transformed the female tsutsuga tsutsuga
Also known as: crimson beast
A spirit-beast which takes the form of a long-tailed lion around five-six feet in length with golden eyes, surrounded by red fire, tsutsuga have the ability to devour the souls of people, tigers, and leopards, and spit fire. They can interact with the physical world, their razor-sharp claws and teeth making them ferocious predators, but can be affected by mind powers, such as nenpa and hypnotic suggestion.
Legend has it that Holy Priest Shoudou trapped a male and female pair of the tsutsuga into the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The female tsutsuga has the power to devour spirits as well as the souls of living people who look into the tsutsuga's eyes, entrapping them within the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The male tsutsuga eats fire and exhales fire instead of air. Their cubs inherit both abilities..”

Kojuurou told them the story:

"A bandit entered the shrine one day and stole the female Tsutsuga Mirror. Not knowing what it was, he gave it to his wife. But the instant his wife’s reflection appeared in the mirror, the mirror sucked away her soul.

The stunned bandit begged anyone he could find for help, but he sought in vain, and was left to spend his days in tears and lamentation. Finally there occurred the strange case of a woman appearing in a mirror in the capital pleading for help, and Holy Priest Shoudou Shoudou (勝道) May 21, 735 - Mar. 25, 817
Shoudou, born in southern Shimotsuke Province was a Buddhist monk who founded the first temples in Nikkou, including Rinnou Temple (originally known as Yonhon Ryuu-ji, or Temple of the Four Dragons), Futarasan Shrine, and Chuuzen Temple. set out to resolve the mystery. He called the woman to his own mirror and learned the course of events from her. Then the holy priest said: ‘If the bandit repents of his actions...’ and placed the female Tsutsuga Mirror facing his own, thereby freeing the woman from the mirror.

In other words, when the woman was imprisoned within the mirror, she was shut away in the mirror world. Mirrors can act as windows to the mirror world, allowing those within to converse with those without."

“So that means Kagetora hasn’t actually been devoured by the tsutsuga tsutsuga
Also known as: crimson beast
A spirit-beast which takes the form of a long-tailed lion around five-six feet in length with golden eyes, surrounded by red fire, tsutsuga have the ability to devour the souls of people, tigers, and leopards, and spit fire. They can interact with the physical world, their razor-sharp claws and teeth making them ferocious predators, but can be affected by mind powers, such as nenpa and hypnotic suggestion.
Legend has it that Holy Priest Shoudou trapped a male and female pair of the tsutsuga into the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The female tsutsuga has the power to devour spirits as well as the souls of living people who look into the tsutsuga's eyes, entrapping them within the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The male tsutsuga eats fire and exhales fire instead of air. Their cubs inherit both abilities.? He’s just trapped within the female Tsutsuga Mirror...?!”

“Naoe-dono has gone to verify this hypothesis, using the images of Hakone Shrine Hakone-jinja (箱根神社)
Hakone Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Hakone Town, Kanagawa Prefecture, at the foot of Mt. Hakone along the shores of Lake Ashi. The shrine itself lies hidden in a dense forest, but its large red "floating" shrine gates (Torii of Peace) stand prominently in the lake.
From chronicles stretching back as far as the Nara Period (710-794), Hakone has been named as a spot sacred to the mountain-worshiping religion. The original shrine was founded during the reign of Emperor Koushou (475 BC – 393 BC) on Mt. Komagatake. Holy Priest Mangan revived and relocated the shrine to Lake Ashi in 757. It was separated into three parts dedicated to the deities whom legends says appeared to him in a dream as a Buddhist acolyte, government official and woman and asked him to deliver the grace of the Buddhist and Shinto religions onto mankind.
In the year 801, before general and shogun Sakanoue no Tamuramaro set out on an expedition to quell the Northeast by imperial command, he left an arrow as offering in front of a cedar tree at Hakone Shrine as a prayer for his victory. The tree become known as the Yatate Cedar, or 'Standing Arrow Cedar,' and in later years other legendary generals such as Minamoto no Yoshiie, shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo, and Minamoto no Yoshitsune all left arrows as offerings there.
The shrine was destroyed by fire in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Siege of Odawara and rebuilt by Tokugawa Ieyasu. at Lake Ashi Ashino-ko (芦ノ湖)
Also known as: Hakone Lake, Ashinoko Lake, Manji Pond
Lake Ashi is a crater lake that lies along the southwest wall of the caldera of Mt. Hakone, located in Hakone Town. It is known for its beautiful views of Mt. Fuji and many hot springs.
Legend has it that during the Nara Period, when the lake was still called Manji Pond, it was home to a poisonous nine-headed dragon. In order to appease the dragon's anger, the villagers would offer maidens to it as sacrifices. Holy Priest Mangan, who had come to Mt. Hakone to practice asceticism, heard the tale and bound the evil dragon to a rock at the bottom of the lake in order to save the villagers. The dragon promised to protect the mountains and villages, and thus reformed, became a dragon god. Thereafter the villagers fed the dragon red rice instead of their daughters. he received from Kagetora-dono as clues. But if it is true that he is trapped within the female Tsutsuga Mirror...”

“...Then in order to free him, the male Tsutsuga Mirror will be needed?” Kousaka murmured, gazing out the window at Lake Chuuzenji Chuuzenji-ko (中禅寺湖)
Lake Chuuzenji, located in Nikkou National Park in the city of Nikkou, Tochigi Prefecture, is one of Japan's 100 famous views. It is the 25th largest lake in Japan and drains through the Kegon Falls. spreading towards the horizon.

“—Naoe said that we must not break the Tsutsuga Mirror.”

“Kousaka-dono. Do you have any ideas regarding the location of the male Tsutsuga Mirror...?”

“As to that—I did use my specialty to perform a search for it. I sensed that the ‘mirror stored at Hakone Shrine Hakone-jinja (箱根神社)
Hakone Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Hakone Town, Kanagawa Prefecture, at the foot of Mt. Hakone along the shores of Lake Ashi. The shrine itself lies hidden in a dense forest, but its large red "floating" shrine gates (Torii of Peace) stand prominently in the lake.
From chronicles stretching back as far as the Nara Period (710-794), Hakone has been named as a spot sacred to the mountain-worshiping religion. The original shrine was founded during the reign of Emperor Koushou (475 BC – 393 BC) on Mt. Komagatake. Holy Priest Mangan revived and relocated the shrine to Lake Ashi in 757. It was separated into three parts dedicated to the deities whom legends says appeared to him in a dream as a Buddhist acolyte, government official and woman and asked him to deliver the grace of the Buddhist and Shinto religions onto mankind.
In the year 801, before general and shogun Sakanoue no Tamuramaro set out on an expedition to quell the Northeast by imperial command, he left an arrow as offering in front of a cedar tree at Hakone Shrine as a prayer for his victory. The tree become known as the Yatate Cedar, or 'Standing Arrow Cedar,' and in later years other legendary generals such as Minamoto no Yoshiie, shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo, and Minamoto no Yoshitsune all left arrows as offerings there.
The shrine was destroyed by fire in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Siege of Odawara and rebuilt by Tokugawa Ieyasu.’ was likely the male Tsutsuga Mirror formerly kept at Mt. Kunou. It was ceremonially transferred to another shrine in the early years of the Meiji Period, but that shrine was abandoned long ago and no longer exists. What concerns me, however, is the man who performed that transfer.”

“How so?”

“The man was a merchant from Tokyo called Shouji Jin’emon Shouji Jin'emon (庄司甚右衛門) 1575 - 1644
Also known as: Shouji Jinnai (庄司甚内)
According to his sixth-generation descendant Shouji Katsutomi, Jin'emon was the son of a retainer of the Houjou clan in Odawara. His older sister was a favorite concubine of Houjou Ujimasa. His father died with Ujimasa at Odawara in 1590 when the castle fell to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Just fifteen at the time, Jin'emon was taken under the wing of another Houjou retainer and came to Edo, where he later operated a brothel called Nishida-ya. Ashamed of his profession, he never divulged his true name. "Jin'emon" was given him by a magistrate court in 1606 when his assumed name, Jinnai, was used by a criminal of the same name to involve him in a lawsuit.
He later became the first ward leader appointed by the bakufu to oversee the Yoshiwara pleasure disctrict in Edo, and his descendants inherited the position after him.. He belonged to a family which oversaw Yoshiwara Yoshiwara (吉原)
A famous red-light district of the Edo Period located in Edo (present-day Tokyo) established in 1617 by the Tokugawa shogunate. As a result of its efforts to build up the town and samurai residences around Edo Castle, the shogunate displaced many townspeople, residences, and businesses, among them many brothels. These brothels petitioned the government for a red-light district where they could be consolidated. At first the shogunate ignored the petitions, but after many appeals, it officially recognized the petition led by Shouji Jin'emon (owner of Nishida-ya Brothel) in 1612, which promised to:
- disallow stays of consecutive nights
- investigate and return kidnapped girls
- report criminals
Yoshiwara was originally established near Nihonbashi. Later, after the Meireki fire of 1657, it was rebuilt north of Asakusa on the outskirts of the city., the Edo red-light district. It was said that when Yoshiwara was first established, Shouji Jin’emon used the remnants of the Fuuma to secure its prosperity, and that Jin’emon himself came from the Fuuma.”

“Ah!” Ayako and Kojuurou exclaimed.

“If the Shouji family had a connection to the Fuuma...then the Fuuma was able to get their hands on the male Tsutsuga Mirror on the occasion of its transfer...”

“That sounds plausible, though it doesn’t tell us where the mirror is now. Another problem, that of Mt. Nikkou Nikkou-san (日光山)
Mt. Nikkou, located in the north-west part of Tochigi Prefecture, is one of the 100 famous mountains of Japan and centers on Mt. Nantai, Mt. Nyohou, and Mt. Tarou., faces us as well. Trees other than the holy trees there have had souls bound to them. These souls appear to be the unpurified spirits of Kegon Waterfall Kegon no Taki (華厳滝)
Kegon Falls is a waterfall located in Nikkou, Tochigi Prefecture, which according to legend was discovered by Shoudou. It was named for the first sutra of Buddhism, the Avatamska Sutra (Kegon-kyou in Japanese). The waterfall is formed by Daiya River, the only river out of Lake Chuuzenji after it was dammed by eruptions on Mount Nantai, falling over a 97-meter cliff. Is it one of Japan's three great waterfalls.
The waterfall is also infamous for suicides, starting with an 18-year-old high school student, Fujimura Misao, who leapt from the waterfall on May 22, 1903 after writing a poem on an oak tree nearby. ; they, too, have been devoured by the tsutsuga tsutsuga
Also known as: crimson beast
A spirit-beast which takes the form of a long-tailed lion around five-six feet in length with golden eyes, surrounded by red fire, tsutsuga have the ability to devour the souls of people, tigers, and leopards, and spit fire. They can interact with the physical world, their razor-sharp claws and teeth making them ferocious predators, but can be affected by mind powers, such as nenpa and hypnotic suggestion.
Legend has it that Holy Priest Shoudou trapped a male and female pair of the tsutsuga into the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The female tsutsuga has the power to devour spirits as well as the souls of living people who look into the tsutsuga's eyes, entrapping them within the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The male tsutsuga eats fire and exhales fire instead of air. Their cubs inherit both abilities..”

“But what happens now that they’ve been tree-bound?” Ayako frowned.

Kojuurou, seated beside her, answered, “The trees within the shrine’s holy ground represent the divine spirits of the gods. Naturally, their spiritual power is quite different from the spiritual power intrinsic to trees. They can easily receive gods who descend to earth and fully manifest the power of their occupying deity... In a place where thousands of these trees grow, the earth itself carries extraordinary spiritual power, which in turn increases the retentive power of its sacred ground.” He concluded with great urgency, “For these past few days, the entire region of Mt. Nikkou Nikkou-san (日光山)
Mt. Nikkou, located in the north-west part of Tochigi Prefecture, is one of the 100 famous mountains of Japan and centers on Mt. Nantai, Mt. Nyohou, and Mt. Tarou. has been gathering spiritual energy with terrifying speed: at a rate proportional to the number of tree-bound souls—that is, a rate hundreds—nay, thousands—of times faster than ordinary ground.”

Ayako gasped, face stiffening. Kojuurou clasped his hands together on the low table. “I do not know what they intend. I fear that if Mt. Nikkou Nikkou-san (日光山)
Mt. Nikkou, located in the north-west part of Tochigi Prefecture, is one of the 100 famous mountains of Japan and centers on Mt. Nantai, Mt. Nyohou, and Mt. Tarou. continues to gather energy at this rate, even its sacred ground will not be able to support the inrush of power, leading to the destruction of the entire region.”

“Is their aim to destroy Toushou Shrine Nikkou Toushou Shrine (日光東照宮)
The Nikkou Toushou Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, built in 1617 and located in Nikkou City. It is the most well-known and head of all Toushou Shrines. This is where Ieyasu's remains are entombed and where he is enshrined as a deity, the Great Toushou Avatar, guardian of Japan. It is one of the "Shrines and Temples of Nikkou", a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The shrine complex contains numerous National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. Famous structures include:
- Youmei ("Sun-Bright") Gate (陽明門), lavishly covered with brightly-colored carvings
- Sacred Stables
- The Five-Story Pagoda, rebuilt in 1818 after being destroyed by fire
- Hundreds of stone steps leading through Japanese cedar to a torii gate and the copper Treasure Pagoda containing Ieyasu's remains
- Kara Gate leading into the inner sanctuary
- The Sakashita Gate (坂下門), entrance to the inner shrine, also called the Forbidden Gate because it was barred to all but the shogun during the Edo Era. It was built in 1636 and remains virtually unaltered from that time.
- The Inuki Gate (鋳抜門), entrance to the stone fence-enclosed space which holds the Treasure Pagoda with Ieyasu's remains inside. Originally stone and rebuilt in the time of the 5th Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi.
- The Treasure Pagoda (宝塔) which holds Ieyasu's remains. Originally constructed of stone, it was destroyed by earthquakes in the time of the 5th Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi and rebuilt in copper.
The shrine is richly decorated with carvings and sculpture, including:
- The "three wise monkeys" (Sacred Stables) who hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil
- The "sleeping cat" (carved above the Kuguri Gate)
- The twelve zodiac animals (Five-Story Pagoda)
- 78 tapir, an imaginary creature with a long elephant-like nose and curled hairs on its neck
- Winged dragon (Holy Water Basin)
- 129 lions, with a pair guarding the Stone Fence
- Sparrows
- Soku-iki, a scaleless creature with curled hair on their necks and the nose of a pig (Yomei Gate)?”

“Perhaps. But if that is their sole purpose, there is hardly need for such exertion...”

All fell silent for a moment, sunk deep in their own thoughts. Kousaka stood. “Whatever the case may be, we must take immediate action. There have been more cases of unnatural deaths in Nikkou City Nikkou-shi (日光市)
Nikkou City, located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, is a popular tourist destination known for the Nikkou Toushou Shrine, where Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains are enshrined, as well as Futarasan Shrine, built in 767.. My guess is that we’re dealing with multiple tsutsuga tsutsuga
Also known as: crimson beast
A spirit-beast which takes the form of a long-tailed lion around five-six feet in length with golden eyes, surrounded by red fire, tsutsuga have the ability to devour the souls of people, tigers, and leopards, and spit fire. They can interact with the physical world, their razor-sharp claws and teeth making them ferocious predators, but can be affected by mind powers, such as nenpa and hypnotic suggestion.
Legend has it that Holy Priest Shoudou trapped a male and female pair of the tsutsuga into the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The female tsutsuga has the power to devour spirits as well as the souls of living people who look into the tsutsuga's eyes, entrapping them within the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The male tsutsuga eats fire and exhales fire instead of air. Their cubs inherit both abilities.—and they’re no longer satisfied with the prey at Kegon Falls Kegon no Taki (華厳滝)
Kegon Falls is a waterfall located in Nikkou, Tochigi Prefecture, which according to legend was discovered by Shoudou. It was named for the first sutra of Buddhism, the Avatamska Sutra (Kegon-kyou in Japanese). The waterfall is formed by Daiya River, the only river out of Lake Chuuzenji after it was dammed by eruptions on Mount Nantai, falling over a 97-meter cliff. Is it one of Japan's three great waterfalls.
The waterfall is also infamous for suicides, starting with an 18-year-old high school student, Fujimura Misao, who leapt from the waterfall on May 22, 1903 after writing a poem on an oak tree nearby. .”

“What did you say?!”

“It is likely the Fuuma have created more tsutsuga tsutsuga
Also known as: crimson beast
A spirit-beast which takes the form of a long-tailed lion around five-six feet in length with golden eyes, surrounded by red fire, tsutsuga have the ability to devour the souls of people, tigers, and leopards, and spit fire. They can interact with the physical world, their razor-sharp claws and teeth making them ferocious predators, but can be affected by mind powers, such as nenpa and hypnotic suggestion.
Legend has it that Holy Priest Shoudou trapped a male and female pair of the tsutsuga into the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The female tsutsuga has the power to devour spirits as well as the souls of living people who look into the tsutsuga's eyes, entrapping them within the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The male tsutsuga eats fire and exhales fire instead of air. Their cubs inherit both abilities. from the Mirrors. If we don’t act now, they may slaughter the entire population of Nikkou Nikkou-shi (日光市)
Nikkou City, located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, is a popular tourist destination known for the Nikkou Toushou Shrine, where Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains are enshrined, as well as Futarasan Shrine, built in 767.. There must be a way of exterminating them,” Kousaka said. He turned before reaching the door. “If you’re not even capable of that, Uesugi, you might as well take down your ‘Army of Righteousness’ sign.”

Kousaka shot a glance back at Ayako gnashing her teeth before walking out of the room. As the door of honey-brown wood slowly closed behind him, grim expressions settled on the faces of the remaining occupants.

Outside, dawn had brightened to day, and Lake Chuuzenji Chuuzenji-ko (中禅寺湖)
Lake Chuuzenji, located in Nikkou National Park in the city of Nikkou, Tochigi Prefecture, is one of Japan's 100 famous views. It is the 25th largest lake in Japan and drains through the Kegon Falls. glittered in the beams of sunlight piercing through gaps in the heavy clouds. When Ayako left the room to move her motorcycle into the parking lot, she saw Maiko standing at the entrance, apparently waiting for her.

“Is something wrong?”

“U...um...”

Maiko looked uneasy. She hadn’t intended to eavesdrop on their conversation, but had unconsciously paused at the mention of ‘Naoe,’ the name by which they referred to Tachibana.

“Can you tell me...what Tachibana-san intends to do with the Tsutsuga Mirror?”

“Eh?”

Maiko lifted her chin resolutely as Ayako hesitated over her answer. “Has Tachibana-san changed his mind about breaking the Tsutsuga Mirror? Is he not going to save my brother?!”

“Tsutsuga Mirror...? So you’re...”

“My brother is dying! He will die soon if the Mirror isn’t broken! Tachibana-san promised to find it and save him—is he going to break his promise instead? Will he let my brother die for the sake of the one who is trapped inside?”

“Wa-wait a minute,” Ayako soothed, attempting to calm an emotional Maiko, “he hasn’t given up on your brother.”

“Then why is he now saying that the Tsutsuga Mirror must not be broken...?!”

“...”

“Does that mean he no longer cares what happens to my brother? What if Shinya dies because of the delay...!”

“That won’t...”

“But he promised me! He promised to save my brother! How could he be so cruel? My brother should come first! His promise to me should come first!”

He had given her his promise.

She could not allow somebody else to take precedence over her brother. How could he be so cruel as to place anything above his promise to her? She had nothing else of him, nothing but this single precious thread stretching between them. She could not bear his simple dismissal of it.

“Asaoka-san.” Ayako could easily sympathize with Maiko, given that her brother’s life was at stake. She even understood the ulterior feelings hidden within Maiko’s desperation; she was coming on so strongly because her feelings for Naoe were genuine.

And yet...

Ayako hid a soft sigh from Maiko.

“Asaoka-san. You...also saw the boy within the mirror, right?”

“Who is he? Someone Tachibana-san knows?”

“I suppose you could say that...” Ayako paused to think for a moment. “...Yes. But Naoe wouldn’t leave anyone trapped within the mirror, which certainly includes your brother. He would look for the best way to save them both. —At least, that’s what I would say if it were anyone but that boy trapped in the mirror...”

“What do you mean?”

“I... in this case, I believe the question of who he’ll save is already moot...” A look of anguish crossed her face, and she covered her mouth with one hand. “...I think Naoe is going to break the Tsutsuga Mirror...”

“What?” Maiko was startled by a response completely contrary to what she had been expecting. Made increasingly uneasy by her own words, Ayako turned to the mirror on the landing as if seeking just a tiny sliver of hope.

After eating breakfast with Katakura, Ayako sat alone in the guest room prepared for her, dazed. Extermination of the tsutsuga tsutsuga
Also known as: crimson beast
A spirit-beast which takes the form of a long-tailed lion around five-six feet in length with golden eyes, surrounded by red fire, tsutsuga have the ability to devour the souls of people, tigers, and leopards, and spit fire. They can interact with the physical world, their razor-sharp claws and teeth making them ferocious predators, but can be affected by mind powers, such as nenpa and hypnotic suggestion.
Legend has it that Holy Priest Shoudou trapped a male and female pair of the tsutsuga into the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The female tsutsuga has the power to devour spirits as well as the souls of living people who look into the tsutsuga's eyes, entrapping them within the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The male tsutsuga eats fire and exhales fire instead of air. Their cubs inherit both abilities. needed to begin immediately, but anxiety lay so heavily upon her that she could not get herself to start moving.

(Naoe is going to break the Tsutsuga Mirror.)

Though Ayako could not say why she believed it, she knew it to be true.

(With Kagetora still trapped inside.)

Why was she so convinced?

How could that possibly be right? she asked herself. Surely Naoe would save Kagetora even if it meant giving up on Shinya. Kagetora was the one person he would give anything, sacrifice everything, to save. Why, then, did she feel such unease?

They shouldn’t have allowed Naoe to leave on his own. Though Ayako wanted to believe that he would never go through with it, something in the back of her mind whispered, (Naoe is going to break the Tsutsuga Mirror.)

“What should I do...?!” Ayako muttered at her reflection in the room’s full-length mirror. “I don’t know what to do about Naoe, or about you...”

She stood from the bed and approached the mirror.

“I don’t know anymore. Come out, Kagetora. You can see and hear me, can’t you? Show yourself! Tell me what to do!”

No reflection appeared but her own. Ayako shook the mirror in frustration.

“I can’t do anything without you here! What are you trying to accomplish? What is it you want from Naoe? Don’t you want him to save you? What about Yuzuru-kun? Tell me!”

The mirror remained blank. Ayako shouted, half sobbing, “Come on! Show yourself to me! Please, Kagetora! Is Naoe the only person you’ll allow to see you?!”

The indifferent mirror silently reflected Ayako’s tear-stained face.

“I’m alone here, and I don’t know what to do! What’s happening in Nikkou Nikkou-shi (日光市)
Nikkou City, located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, is a popular tourist destination known for the Nikkou Toushou Shrine, where Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains are enshrined, as well as Futarasan Shrine, built in 767.? What is the Houjou trying to do? Where is the male Tsutsuga Mirror? You can hear me, can’t you?! Please come out! Please answer me, Kagetoraaa!”

Nothing happened. Wiping at her tears, Ayako sighed in defeat and returned to her seat on the bed.

Of course it wouldn’t be that simple.

Kagetora was not omnipotent. If he even was Kagetora as she had known him; more likely, it was ‘Ougi Takaya’ wandering within the mirror.

(I guess we have to give it our best shot with what we have.)

Somehow they had managed while Kagetora had been missing. They had gotten by then, and they could do so now. She knew that intellectually, but it was harder to convince her subconscious not to rely on him now that he was here. His commands were never wrong; his leadership ensured that they accomplished their missions to perfection.

But he was no longer the Kagetora on whom she could depend absolutely. She could not help but think that the old Kagetora no longer existed.

He was ‘Takaya’ now, not ‘Kagetora.’ ‘Takaya’ was still too young for all the responsibility ‘Kagetora’ had borne. ‘Kagetora’ no longer existed in this world. Here, too, they had to find an answer for themselves. That was how she would have to think about it.

But...could they really do this?

(I have to go.)

Pulling herself together by sheer force of will and pushing the uneasiness away, Ayako stood. She didn’t have time to sit around and brood—she needed to act! She needed to assume that there would be no help from Kagetora this time around. Ayako picked up her motorcycle key and helmet and headed for the door. At that moment—

«Haruie.»

The voice came from behind her, and she stopped still. She turned. No one was there.

“...!”

She heard it again, very clearly this time: someone was calling her name.

“Kagetora!” she responded at once. “Is that you? It is you, isn’t it? Kagetora?!”

She rushed up to the mirror, repeating his name over and over again. But the mirror continued to reflect the room, steadfastly mute. Deciding that it was just her imagination, Ayako moved despondently away. That was when a dim silhouette appeared behind her, resolving itself steadily into an upright figure.

“Kageto...”

Her voice trailed off into startled silence before she finished the word.

For it was Takaya standing there and calmly looking out of the mirror at her.

No, the shape was Takaya’s. But this was not the Takaya she knew. His cold gaze speared into her.

(“Kagetora...”)

“Can you hear my voice?” Kagetora asked.

“Ye-yes!” She peered at the mirror, unconsciously straightening. “Kagetora, is that really you?”

Her higher spirit-sensing reisa (霊査)
Also known as: reisa-nouryoku (霊査能力)
Lit.: "Spiritual investigation"; the ability to use the spiritual senses to distinguish between residual thought signatures, and thus recognize spiritual entities. A person with a high-level form of this ability could potentially recognize souls by the pattern of their "soul-nucleus", which is the part of the soul that remains unchanged through purification and rebirth, especially if they had met that person before previously. Haruie and Kousaka both excel at this ability, though Kousaka seems to be one of the few to possess a very high-level form of it. ability allowed Ayako to hear Kagetora’s voice with more clarity than either Naoe or Chiaki could achieve. To communicate with the outer world, it appeared, Kagetora needed someone of Ayako’s sensitivity.

“Where are you? Are you really trapped within the Tsutsuga Mirror?”

There was no immediate response from Kagetora.

“Did the Houjou do this to you? They’re responsible for everything happening in Nikkou, aren’t they?”

Kagetora nodded in confirmation. He said, “I want you to abide closely by what I tell you now.”

“What?”

Kagetora continued, “A man will come to you tonight. Go to meet him.”

“A man...? What...?”

“One of the Houjou. I will give him no choice but to seek you out. You must see him,” Kagetora explained. “He will give you information about the Houjou. Then he will begin his own course of action. Before he leaves, you must make sure he has a mirror.”

“I can just give him one, right?”

Kagetora nodded, utterly calm. Completely composed, despite the circumstances. But then again, that was what made him Kagetora.

“There is no need for worry. Just follow my instructions,” Kagetora told her.

Quiet acceptance of that statement, however, was beyond Ayako. “No need for worry?! What are you talking about? What are you even thinking? What happened to Naoe? What if he goes and...!”

Kagetora didn’t respond. Something like a faint smile suddenly appeared at the corners of his lips.

“Kagetora, you...” Ayako stammered, dumbfounded.

He only commented: “The man coming to meet you is someone with whom you should be well-acquainted. He will never be able to betray us.”

“Who—”

But his image had disappeared with a flash even before she finished her question.

Just before he vanished completely—

He left Ayako a name.

## Comments

### *.*

Yay!!

New chapter :D

Thank you! Will read now ^^

### Thank you

Thank you for sharing another chapter! How nice to finally get to know this arc properly.

### Thank you for translating

Thank you for translating this chapter.

### Ahhh I love it whenever

Ahhh I love it whenever 'Kagetora' makes an appearance. I love Takaya's innocence but I crave Kagetora's cold ruthlessness and scheming. Heh look at me making a distinction between the two, just like Takaya did xD

Wonderful and exciting chapter. Thank you for the translation <3

## Add new comment

Your name Ixtli
Subject
Comment *
Rich Text Editor, edit-comment-body-und-0-value
Editor toolbars Bold Italic Underline Strikethrough Insert/Remove Bulleted List Insert/Remove Numbered List Undo Redo Link Unlink Anchor Image Superscript Subscript Block Quote Source Insert Horizontal Line Cut Copy Paste Paste as plain text Paste from Word Remove Format Insert Special Character Table Select All Find Replace Flash Smiley IFrame Spell Check As You Type
Press ALT 0 for help
◢Elements path
Disable rich-text

More information about text formats

Text format

### Filtered HTML

- Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
- Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <strong> <cite> <blockquote> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd> <img> <iframe> <object> <h2> <h3> <h4> <h5> <p> <del> <u> <sup> <sub> <hr> <table> <tr> <td> <thead> <tbody>
- Lines and paragraphs break automatically.

### Plain text

- No HTML tags allowed.
- Lines and paragraphs break automatically.