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# Mirage of Blaze volume 8: The Supreme Conqueror's Demon Mirror 3

## Chapter 22: Tenkai's Legacy

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

Takaya, Naoe, and Ayako arrived in Nikkou that evening after their desperate and fiercely-contested flight out of the Fuuma’s net around Hakone. Ayako had gone on ahead, and she and Maiko were there to meet them at Asaoka Inn 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..

“Tachibana-san...!” Maiko ran up to Naoe in her sandals as he alighted unharmed from the Windom.

“Asaoka-san...”

“I’m so glad you’re back safely! How is your wound? It hasn’t opened up again?”

“Naoe. Maiko-san hasn’t been able to sleep a wink since you left, you know,” Ayako interjected sympathetically.

“Not a wink?”

“Out of worry for you, poor thing. You should thank her for her concern.”

Eyes filling, Maiko shook her head vigorously.

“I apologize for worrying you.”

“Oh no, don’t mind me. I’m just glad you’re all right, Tachibana-san. That’s all I need to know.”

Tachibana had certainly not had an easy time of it. His clothes were dirty and torn, his hair disheveled. Even so, her chest ached as she looked up at his gentle face. She wiped again and again at her wet cheeks with the back of her hand. Then she noticed—

A gaze upon them: behind Tachibana, a young man was standing in front of the passenger-side door, barefoot.

Maiko’s heart skipped a beat, and she unconsciously straightened. Was it because of the white kimono he wore, how like funereal garb it looked?

She had the impression of a cool, clear dignity, almost as of a white animal of the wild.

The contrast between his slight tan and his clothes lent his features even greater distinction. He carried himself with an air that plainly said he did not allow many people to approach. He appeared to be around the same age as her younger brother Shinya, but...

(Who is he...?)

He tilted his chin and stared at her through upturned eyes, the chill in his gaze sending a shiver down her spine. Yet Maiko was caught by the beauty of those eyes, unable to look away.

(Oh...it’s him...)

Maiko finally recalled where she had seen him before: he was the young man who had appeared in the mirror.

(Which means he was the one Tachibana-san left to rescue...)

What a beautiful person, Maiko thought as she gazed at Takaya. She would not normally have described a man in those terms, but this beauty had nothing to do with the flesh. It was an intensity he exuded, an inner strength that could not be concealed.

His pride shone from his eyes. Someone who had the kind of strength that could lead others, willing or not, had that kind of air about them, Maiko thought.

“...? What is it?” a puzzled Ayako asked from beside her. The young man dropped his eyes, releasing her from his gaze. Even that slight movement, so violently beautiful as to make her shiver, was enough to freeze Maiko in place.

“Asaoka-san, would it be possible to arrange a change of clothes for him? A bath would be most welcome as well.”

“Wh-yes, of course.” Naoe’s voice recalled Maiko to herself. “The public bath is always open; please feel free to avail yourself of it at your convenience. As for clothes—if you don’t mind my brother’s, I’ll go get them for you now.”

“Please. And if we could have some food—something light would be wonderful.”

“Of course, immediately. Your rooms are ready for you.”

“Thank you. ...Shall we, Takaya-san?” he suggested, stepping toward Takaya and lifting a hand toward his shoulder. But Takaya smacked it away before it could touch him. His glare encompassed both Naoe and Maiko. She didn’t know the reason for it, but she could feel his hostility and displeasure, and it scared her.

Ayako hurriedly interjected, “Come on, Kagetora, I’ll show you to your room.”

She went inside with Takaya.

Naoe’s eyes followed him as he walked away. There was neither coldness nor gentleness in them, but a strange kind of lucent sincerity. Maiko had never seen that sort of expression from him before.

Could it be? she wondered.

(Who is he, Tachibana-san?)

Don’t be ridiculous, she hurriedly scolded herself.

Besides, he was a man, which obviously made it impossible. He would never think about another man in that unnatural way, Maiko’s sense of moral righteousness insisted. Yet there was another side of her that knew she had, in her heart of hearts, instinctively grasped the situation with a natural and terrible understanding. It all made sense, if this was the person Tachibana had meant when he‘d said, ’You would understand if you should ever meet.’ No, that just couldn’t be. But—

(I’m wrong...aren’t I? Tachibana-san...?)

Affixed upon that white-clad back, Tachibana’s gaze fascinated her more strongly than it ever had before. His regard, which could never be hers however much she wished for it, so casually dismissed...

He disappeared inside without a single glance back.

As if he never even noticed the gaze focused so unerringly upon him.

Maiko could only wonder at their relationship. Frustration and a smoldering jealousy flared in her as she looked up at Naoe’s handsome profile.

But Naoe was an adult, capable of setting aside his emotions at need. “Tell me about the situation in Nikkou, Maiko-san,” he requested with the business-like air of an efficient secretary. “These are matters of much urgency, so please be as detailed as you can.”

“Ye-yes. Of course,” Maiko nodded, her own emotions in turmoil as she looked over her shoulder at the doorway through which Takaya had vanished with Ayako.

Returning to his room after a quick bath, Takaya changed into the clothes Maiko had borrowed for him from Shinya. They were apparently of a size, for Takaya fit into the black jeans perfectly. Maiko had also thoughtfully provided a long-sleeved shirt in grayish-blue against the bite in the September night air. It was comfortably large on him, though the sleeves were too long. Maiko gave him her own armbands to hold them up.

“It’s too bad you’ve gone back to wearing Western-style clothes.”

“...?”

Catching the strange look Takaya gave her, Maiko pressed a hand against her mouth in embarrassment. “Oh, I’m sorry, it’s just that the kimono really suited you.”

In Western attire, he had reverted into a normal ‘boy,’ and Maiko had unthinkingly spoken to him as she would her little brother.

A reticent Takaya lowered his eyes.

“Kagetora, Naoe wants to meet to discuss next steps,” Ayako entered. Takaya responded in the affirmative with his ‘Kagetora’ face on.

Maiko stopped him before he stepped out the door. “Please....please save my brother. Please save Shinya!”

Takaya stared at Maiko for a moment in silence. Then he gave her a small smile. “It’ll be all right...” was all he said before he left.

Naoe was waiting in the innermost room on the second floor. He, too, had showered and changed. The hair at the nape of his neck was still wet, as were the shoulders of his clean business shirt.

Two maps were spread out on the low table: one of 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., the other of the entire Kantou Kantou-chihou (関東地方)
Lit.:"East of the Gate", the easternmost of five regions located on Honshuu Island which comprises of the seven prefectures of Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. This is the most highly developed and industrialized region of Japan and was the heart of feudal power during the Edo Period.
During the Edo Period, the area was also called the "Kanhasshuu" (関八州), or Eight Kantou Provinces: Musashi, Sagami, Kazusa, Shimousa, Awa, Kouzuke, Shimotsuke, and Hitachi. area. Ayako and Takaya sat, and the discussion began without preamble.

“The spot circled in red pen is 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.. Word is that the police have closed the mountain, blocking all access.”

“The police are involved?”

“Likely operating outside their official capacities. I assume they have either been possessed by the Houjou or are being controlled with hypnotic suggestion. It would be very easy for the 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. to take over the police force,” Naoe pointed out, leaning forward and indicating the map of the Kantou Kantou-chihou (関東地方)
Lit.:"East of the Gate", the easternmost of five regions located on Honshuu Island which comprises of the seven prefectures of Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. This is the most highly developed and industrialized region of Japan and was the heart of feudal power during the Edo Period.
During the Edo Period, the area was also called the "Kanhasshuu" (関八州), or Eight Kantou Provinces: Musashi, Sagami, Kazusa, Shimousa, Awa, Kouzuke, Shimotsuke, and Hitachi. with his pen. “This is the Great Kantou Triangle Great Kantou Triangle (関東大三角)
A metaphysical formation created by High Priest Tenkai as the foundation for his spell effecting eternal peace and security for the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Houjou planned to exploit it as a power-focus in their quest to conquer the country. The three points of the right triangle are: Mt. Nikkou (north), Sunosaki Shrine (south), and the Toushou Shrine at Mt. Kunou (west).
view map. Here is Nikkou.” Naoe moved the pen due south. “Here is Tokyo.” The pen continued southward, stopping on the tip of Bousou Peninsula. “Mt. Tate Tate-yama (館山)
There are several mountains called Mt. Tate ("tate" meaning "mansion" or "small castle") in Japan. The Mt. Tate referenced in the Houjou arc of Mirage of Blaze is located near the south-western tip of Chiba Prefecture. It was a part of Awa-no-kuni in the Sengoku Era and ruled by the Satomi Clan, who built Tateyama Castle there. Tateyama City grew out of the old castle town.—or, more precisely, Sunosaki Shrine Sunosaki Shrine (洲崎神社)
A shrine located in Tateyama City, Chiba Prefecture. Its enshrined deity is Amanohirinome-no-mikoto.
at Cape Suno, the first point Houjou established. If we draw a line on the 35th-degree latitude due west—” Naoe illustrated with the pen, “We reach the Mt. Kunou Mount Kunou (久能山)
Mt. Kunou is a steep mountain 216 meters high (709 feet) high located on Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture. In the Asuka Period Kunou Tadahito of the Fujiwara Clan began building a temple near present-day Kunou-zan Toushou-guu which the monk Gyouki named Kunou Temple in the later Nara Period.
In 1570 Takeda Shingen built Kunou Castle there, moving the temple to what is now Shimizu Ward. The Tokugawa Clan took control of Suruga Province after the fall of the Takeda Clan and continued to maintain the fortifications on Mt. Kunou. After Tokugawa Ieyasu's death, his son Tokugawa Hidetaka erected the first Toushou Shrine on Mt. Kunou and buried Ieyasu there. Though Ieyasu's grandson Tokugawa Iemitsu relocated Ieyasu’s grave to the Nikkou Toushou-guu, it is held that a portion of his deified spirit remains on Mt. Kunou. Toushou Shrine Toushou-guu (東照宮)
Toushou Shrines (lit. "Light of the East" or "Illumination of the East") are Shinto shrines in which Tokugawa Ieyasu is enshrined as a holy incarnation of a buddha along the shinbutsu shuugou (merging of Shintoism and Buddhism) beliefs, which put forth the idea that Japanese gods are local manifestations of Indian buddhas come to lead the Japanese people to salvation. Ieyasu is worshiped as such a deity, and around 130 Toushou Shrines are still in existence in Japan.
The Toushou Shrine in Nikkou, the most famous of the Toushou Shrines, was built in 1617 and dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu when his son Tokugawa Hidetada was shogun of Japan. Five structures in the shrine complex are National Treasures of Japan. A bronze urn enshrined there contains Ieyasu's remains.
Another Toushou Shrine is located in the city of Shizuoka in Shizuoka Prefecture on Mount Kunou. It was Ieyasu's original burial site and thus the oldest Toushou Shrine in the country.
A third Toushou Shrine is located on Mt. Hourai in Shinshiro City, Aichi Prefecture. It was built by the third Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, and completed in 1651.
These three shrines are known as the 'Three Great Toushou Shrines.' in Shizuoka. This is the second point. If we then draw a line from here to Nikkou, we end up with a great right triangle.” He traced the right angle at Mt. Tate to complete the triangle. “If we start from the right angle at Mt. Tate and draw a line perpendicular to the one connecting Mt. Kunou to Nikkou, we hit Mt. Fuji Fuji-san (富士山)
Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan, an active volcano, and one of its "Three Holy Mountains," frequently depicted in literature and art. It is popular tourist and mountain-climbing destination.; around two-thirds of the way on that line is Hakone.”

“That’s incredible,” Ayako exclaimed, amazed. “To achieve such perfect geometry—it’s almost like everything was placed by magic.”

“It’s not a coincidence. The Toushou Shrine Toushou-guu (東照宮)
Toushou Shrines (lit. "Light of the East" or "Illumination of the East") are Shinto shrines in which Tokugawa Ieyasu is enshrined as a holy incarnation of a buddha along the shinbutsu shuugou (merging of Shintoism and Buddhism) beliefs, which put forth the idea that Japanese gods are local manifestations of Indian buddhas come to lead the Japanese people to salvation. Ieyasu is worshiped as such a deity, and around 130 Toushou Shrines are still in existence in Japan.
The Toushou Shrine in Nikkou, the most famous of the Toushou Shrines, was built in 1617 and dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu when his son Tokugawa Hidetada was shogun of Japan. Five structures in the shrine complex are National Treasures of Japan. A bronze urn enshrined there contains Ieyasu's remains.
Another Toushou Shrine is located in the city of Shizuoka in Shizuoka Prefecture on Mount Kunou. It was Ieyasu's original burial site and thus the oldest Toushou Shrine in the country.
A third Toushou Shrine is located on Mt. Hourai in Shinshiro City, Aichi Prefecture. It was built by the third Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, and completed in 1651.
These three shrines are known as the 'Three Great Toushou Shrines.' in Nikkou was built with precisely this in mind.”

“What...?” Ayako’s eyes widened as Naoe tapped Nikkou with the pen.

“Ieyasu’s confidant, High Priest Tenkai Tenkai (天海) 1536 - Nov. 13, 1643
Tenkai was a Tendai Buddhist monk who achieved the highest rank of the priesthood and became abbot of Kita-in at Kawagoe in 1588. He served Tokugawa Ieyasu as liaison between the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Imperial Court at Kyoto. After Ieyasu's death in 1616, he also served the 2nd Tokugawa Shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada, and the 3rd, Tokugawa Iemitsu. Among his projects were the rebuilding of Enryaku Temple on Mount Hiei, the restoration of Rinnou Temple in Nikkou, and the establishment of Kan'ei-ji in Ueno., was extraordinarily well-versed in the secret teachings 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. . A straight east-west line connects Lord Ieyasu’s holy mausoleum at Mt. Kunou to his birthplace in Okazaki, crossing Mt. Hourai and even Kyoto. It was clearly designed to be a mirror of the ‘path of the sun’, which rises in the east and sets in the west.”

“...”

“Did you know that the shrine at Mt. Kunou Mount Kunou (久能山)
Mt. Kunou is a steep mountain 216 meters high (709 feet) high located on Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture. In the Asuka Period Kunou Tadahito of the Fujiwara Clan began building a temple near present-day Kunou-zan Toushou-guu which the monk Gyouki named Kunou Temple in the later Nara Period.
In 1570 Takeda Shingen built Kunou Castle there, moving the temple to what is now Shimizu Ward. The Tokugawa Clan took control of Suruga Province after the fall of the Takeda Clan and continued to maintain the fortifications on Mt. Kunou. After Tokugawa Ieyasu's death, his son Tokugawa Hidetaka erected the first Toushou Shrine on Mt. Kunou and buried Ieyasu there. Though Ieyasu's grandson Tokugawa Iemitsu relocated Ieyasu’s grave to the Nikkou Toushou-guu, it is held that a portion of his deified spirit remains on Mt. Kunou. faces south-southwest? Behind it is Mt. Fuji, on a straight line from Nikkou.”

“The sacred mountain Fuji, symbolizing immortality,” Takaya took over the explanation, “and the ‘path of the sun’, symbolizing the cycle of life and death. Traveling from the endpoint, ‘death,’ along that path of immortality, we reach Nikkou, where Ieyasu lies... It means that Ieyasu will never die.”

“Exactly. The line connecting Nikkou to Edo Tokyo (東京)
Also known as: Edo (江戸)
Lit.: "Eastern Capital", the capital of Japan, the administrative center of Japan and its most populous city.
Tokugawa Ieyasu moved into Edo Castle in 1590 and made Edo his base when he became the shogun in 1603.
In 1868 the Emperor Meiji renamed Edo "Tokyo". He moved to Tokyo from Kyoto in 1869, making it the de facto capital of Japan. is the ‘path of the North Star.’ That is: if you look due north towards Polaris, the immovable star at the center of the universe, from Edo, you reach Nikkou. Toushou Shrine Toushou-guu (東照宮)
Toushou Shrines (lit. "Light of the East" or "Illumination of the East") are Shinto shrines in which Tokugawa Ieyasu is enshrined as a holy incarnation of a buddha along the shinbutsu shuugou (merging of Shintoism and Buddhism) beliefs, which put forth the idea that Japanese gods are local manifestations of Indian buddhas come to lead the Japanese people to salvation. Ieyasu is worshiped as such a deity, and around 130 Toushou Shrines are still in existence in Japan.
The Toushou Shrine in Nikkou, the most famous of the Toushou Shrines, was built in 1617 and dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu when his son Tokugawa Hidetada was shogun of Japan. Five structures in the shrine complex are National Treasures of Japan. A bronze urn enshrined there contains Ieyasu's remains.
Another Toushou Shrine is located in the city of Shizuoka in Shizuoka Prefecture on Mount Kunou. It was Ieyasu's original burial site and thus the oldest Toushou Shrine in the country.
A third Toushou Shrine is located on Mt. Hourai in Shinshiro City, Aichi Prefecture. It was built by the third Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, and completed in 1651.
These three shrines are known as the 'Three Great Toushou Shrines.' was built facing Edo in the south.”

“And Nikkou with its long history is the greatest holy ground within the Kantou Kantou-chihou (関東地方)
Lit.:"East of the Gate", the easternmost of five regions located on Honshuu Island which comprises of the seven prefectures of Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. This is the most highly developed and industrialized region of Japan and was the heart of feudal power during the Edo Period.
During the Edo Period, the area was also called the "Kanhasshuu" (関八州), or Eight Kantou Provinces: Musashi, Sagami, Kazusa, Shimousa, Awa, Kouzuke, Shimotsuke, and Hitachi.,” Ayako nodded in admiration. “So the immortal conqueror lies at the center of the universe, huh? It’s certainly a fitting place for the great Toushou Avatar.”

“This grand cosmology was Tenkai’s supplication for eternal peace and security for the Tokugawa Shogunate, and he designed his gigantic figure to perform the enormously powerful magic that went into his spell.”

“Yes, Tenkai certainly was an extraordinary man. The magnificent metaphysical formation he created as the foundation for his protection spell is one-of-a-kind. There is nothing else like this.”

Ayako looked at Takaya sharply. “And the Houjou is planning to exploit it, right? To focus the enormous power gathered within the formation at Hakone and use it to conquer the entire Kantou Kantou-chihou (関東地方)
Lit.:"East of the Gate", the easternmost of five regions located on Honshuu Island which comprises of the seven prefectures of Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. This is the most highly developed and industrialized region of Japan and was the heart of feudal power during the Edo Period.
During the Edo Period, the area was also called the "Kanhasshuu" (関八州), or Eight Kantou Provinces: Musashi, Sagami, Kazusa, Shimousa, Awa, Kouzuke, Shimotsuke, and Hitachi.?”

“Not just the Kantou Kantou-chihou (関東地方)
Lit.:"East of the Gate", the easternmost of five regions located on Honshuu Island which comprises of the seven prefectures of Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. This is the most highly developed and industrialized region of Japan and was the heart of feudal power during the Edo Period.
During the Edo Period, the area was also called the "Kanhasshuu" (関八州), or Eight Kantou Provinces: Musashi, Sagami, Kazusa, Shimousa, Awa, Kouzuke, Shimotsuke, and Hitachi.. Such power would likely make it a simple matter to conquer the entire country,” Takaya said, chin in hand and a grave look on his face. “This formation is designed to concentrate power. The Houjou will use it as their ‘receiver.’ Then they will create an energy fusion using the ‘Ritual of Unification by Fire Ritual of Unification by Fire (火合の法)
A ritual designed by the Houjou to fuse the energies forms of human souls, trees, and earth by binding souls to sacred cedar trees and torching those trees. Once fused, the Houjou would have a wellspring of energy they could call upon as a weapon to conquer the country.’ at Nikkou and blast all the power gathered there to the ‘lightning rods’ at Mt. Tate Tate-yama (館山)
There are several mountains called Mt. Tate ("tate" meaning "mansion" or "small castle") in Japan. The Mt. Tate referenced in the Houjou arc of Mirage of Blaze is located near the south-western tip of Chiba Prefecture. It was a part of Awa-no-kuni in the Sengoku Era and ruled by the Satomi Clan, who built Tateyama Castle there. Tateyama City grew out of the old castle town. and Mt. Kunou Mount Kunou (久能山)
Mt. Kunou is a steep mountain 216 meters high (709 feet) high located on Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture. In the Asuka Period Kunou Tadahito of the Fujiwara Clan began building a temple near present-day Kunou-zan Toushou-guu which the monk Gyouki named Kunou Temple in the later Nara Period.
In 1570 Takeda Shingen built Kunou Castle there, moving the temple to what is now Shimizu Ward. The Tokugawa Clan took control of Suruga Province after the fall of the Takeda Clan and continued to maintain the fortifications on Mt. Kunou. After Tokugawa Ieyasu's death, his son Tokugawa Hidetaka erected the first Toushou Shrine on Mt. Kunou and buried Ieyasu there. Though Ieyasu's grandson Tokugawa Iemitsu relocated Ieyasu’s grave to the Nikkou Toushou-guu, it is held that a portion of his deified spirit remains on Mt. Kunou., encompassing and gaining complete control of the entire area within the enormous triangle thus created. Their original plan was to claim Hakone as the seat of their power, but they couldn’t complete the ‘receiver’ at Hakone. Takaya’s eyes flashed. ”The Houjou must be sweating buckets by now. They’ll be impatient, try to hurry things along."

“Nikkou will be the place, then...”

“They’ll make their move soon.”

But before they could do so...

They had to first bind Narita Yuruzu to the master tree as tribute.

Or perhaps he was already bound.

“Recovering the Tsutsuga Mirror will allow us to free the tree-bound and return them to normal. The bigger problem is stopping the ‘Ritual of Unification by Fire Ritual of Unification by Fire (火合の法)
A ritual designed by the Houjou to fuse the energies forms of human souls, trees, and earth by binding souls to sacred cedar trees and torching those trees. Once fused, the Houjou would have a wellspring of energy they could call upon as a weapon to conquer the country.’ within the mountain. That power will be at its peak, making approach difficult—nor can we cut through from the outside.”

“With so much spiritual power at their command, they’ll be proof against «choubuku choubuku (調伏)
Also known as: choubukuryoku (調伏力)
The special power given to the Yasha-shuu to banish onryou to the Underworld using the dharani of Uesugi Kenshin's guardian deity, Bishamonten. The types of choubuku include "kouhou-choubuku", "ressa-choubuku", "kekkai-choubuku", etc. Each choubuku is begun with the incantation "bai" and the ritual hand gesture of Bishamonten's symbol.
Choubuku does not work against kanshousha, who have bodies of their own.». I guess it’ll be impossible to do anything until we can disperse the power they’ve gathered,” Ayako groaned, face grim. “The question is, how do we hold back that much power?”

“An alternative is to stop the ‘Ritual of Unification by Fire Ritual of Unification by Fire (火合の法)
A ritual designed by the Houjou to fuse the energies forms of human souls, trees, and earth by binding souls to sacred cedar trees and torching those trees. Once fused, the Houjou would have a wellspring of energy they could call upon as a weapon to conquer the country.’ itself—or, if it’s already started, to counter it. What we did 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. won’t work—the area is too large to attempt a ‘fire-sealing,’ and we don’t have the power to even shake them.”

“Ugh. It’s not a problem we can solve by calling in the fire engines and pouring water on it. But we don’t have the time to do what we did in 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. and summon opposing magic, either.”

Naoe suddenly looked up at the words ‘opposing magic.’ “It’s not entirely out of the question.”

“Huh...?”

“We don’t have enough time to start from scratch, but it might be possible to revive an old spell.”

“What d’you mean?”

Naoe turned to Takaya. “The spell that legend says High Priest Tenkai performed in this place to secure peace for the country—let us revive it, Kagetora-sama.”

Ayako started. “Is that even possible?”

"We won’t know until we try it, but I recall reading about a high priest in the Edo Era Edo-jidai (江戸時代)
The Edo period in Japanese history, which lasted from 1603 until 1867, was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and was the period in which Japan was ruled by the Tokugawa Shogunate. It is seen as the beginning of modern Japan. During this period, the Shogunate perceived Christianity as a threat to the stability of Japan and actively persecuted adherents of the religion until it was almost completely eradicated. During this period Japan also isolated itself from the rest of the world, an isolation ending only with the appearance of Commodore Matthew Perry's ships in Edo Bay in 1853. reviving the residual traces of a spell called ‘secret arts to pacify the water gods.’ He performed it in Sanuki Sanuki-no-kuni (讃岐国)
A ancient province located on Shikoku which bordered on the provinces of Awa and Iyo, now called Kagawa Prefecture. During the Sengoku Period, Sanuki belonged to the Miyoshi Clan before it was taken over by Chousokabe Motochika, then Toyotomi Hideyoshi., at the same place where it was originally cast by Kuukai Kuukai (空海) 774 - 835
Also known as: Koubou-Daishi (弘法大師)
A Japanese monk, scholar, poet, calligrapher, and artist who founded the Shingon school of Buddhism. He is credited with inventing kana (which includes hiragana and katakana) of the Japanese writing system as well as introducing homosexuality (or at least shudo) to Japan.
He studied in China from 804 to 806, where he was initiated into the Esoteric Buddhism tradition. He returned to Japan to establish the Shingon school, which would become the dominant Buddhism sect for the next 300 years. His teachings and his many writings, such as Attaining Enlightenment in This Very Existence, The Meaning of Sound, Word, Reality, The Ten Stages of the Development of Mind, and Ten Abiding Stages, synthesized Buddhism into a coherent whole, and displaced Confucianism with Buddhism as the official Japanese state ideology.
He was contemporaneous with Shaichou, the founder of the Tendai school., the Grand Minister of Buddhist Teachings, in order to avert calamity by water.

No record remains of the original ceremony, so we cannot duplicate High Priest Tenkai’s ritual with any precision. However, if performed at the same place, using the ritual implements he placed at the heart of his ceremony, I believe it will be possible to awaken the power absorbed into the earth from that long-ago spell, Kagetora-sama.

The level of power will not be the same, of course, but if the original spell has endured, I suspect its scope will have ensured that a great deal remains in the earth nevertheless. If we can awaken this power generated from the secret arts High Priest Tenkai performed to protect this country in this very land of Nikkou, we may be able to extinguish the spiritual power 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.."

“A four-hundred-year-old spell, huh?” Takaya’s gaze shifted, eyes narrowing. “Given that we won’t be able to perform Tenkai’s original spell, there’s no guarantee that whatever residual energy remains will be enough. If it’s as huge as the stories say, though, maybe there will be.”

“What spell did Tenkai use to protect the country, anyway?”

“It’s said to be a secret art of ‘Sannou Ichijitsu Shinto.’ ‘Sannou Shinto’ was apparently created by Tenkai.”

“He created it?”

“I have heard that he derived it from the ‘Daigensui Dharma Daigensui Dharma (大元帥法)
A mikkyou ritual/spell which calls on Daigensui Myouou to protect the peace of the country and conquer its enemies. It was convey from the Tang Court to the Hourin Temple in Nara in 839 by the monk Jougyou. The next year, Jougyou reported to the emperor that he had successfully performed the ritual. The ritual was performed yearly after 851.,’ a powerful secret ritual which calls on Daigensui Myouou Daigensui Myouou (大元帥明王)
Also known as: Āṭavaka
One of the Wisdom Kings, guardians of Buddhism, Daigensui Myouou is particularly worshipped in the secret teachings and is associated with protection of the country and conquest of enemies. In Sanskrit, his name means "Lord of the Forest." He was originally a child-eating demon who was converted by the Buddha to become protector and helper and one of the attendants of Bishamonten.
His shingon is transliterated as: Taritsu taboritsu paraboritsu shayanmei shayanmei tararasantan raenbi sowaka.
to protect the country. Though the details of the ritual had been lost for centuries, Tenkai was apparently able to recover it,” Takaya recounted the story while Ayako looked at him in astonishment.

“Tenkai was a pretty amazing man, huh?” she sighed.

“He was also the one who recovered the stolen Tsutsuga Mirror from the Fuuma and trapped 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. cub,” Naoe added.

“You could say he was a modern giant of the esoteric arts. But apparently he feared that the secret art of ‘Sannou Ichijitsu Shinto’ would be abused, and sealed all of it away.”

“Sealed?” Naoe echoed.

“Yeah. That’s probably what happened to the implements he used as well. If we’re actually going to revive Tenkai’s secret arts, we’ll need something to place at the center of the spell.”

“If I recall correctly, a human skull was used as the core of the powerful ‘Daigensui Dharma.’”

“A human skull...” Takaya repeated, frowning.

Then: “The ‘Sannou Ichijitsu Shinto’ secret ritual used the skull of the Conqueror himself.”

All of them turned at the voice from the doorway.

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., just returned from scouting Houjou-occupied 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., greeted them with his usual faint smile. “Well well, Kagetora-dono, it appears you survived your ordeal unscathed. Should I congratulate you for not falling prey to the wolf?”

“You bastard...” Naoe half-rose.

Takaya held him back, inquiring coolly, “The skull of the Conqueror?”

“Tenkai deified Ieyasu with the ‘Sannou Ichijitsu Shinto.’ He used Ieyasu’s own skull in the secret ritual to allow Ieyasu to reign eternally even after death.”

“Then to revive the spell, we’ll need Ieyasu’s skull?”

“Tenkai sealed the ‘Sannou Ichijitsu Shinto’ into the skull and buried it; the essence of the secret ritual is condensed therein.” Kousaka tossed his glossy black hair lightly and smiled his dangerous smile. “If you could but obtain Ieyasu’s skull, you’ll likely be able to revive the spell; if you are successful, you will have power equaling that of Houjou’s ritual, Kagetora-dono.”

“But Ieyasu’s remains are...”

“They’re at Toushou Shrine Toushou-guu (東照宮)
Toushou Shrines (lit. "Light of the East" or "Illumination of the East") are Shinto shrines in which Tokugawa Ieyasu is enshrined as a holy incarnation of a buddha along the shinbutsu shuugou (merging of Shintoism and Buddhism) beliefs, which put forth the idea that Japanese gods are local manifestations of Indian buddhas come to lead the Japanese people to salvation. Ieyasu is worshiped as such a deity, and around 130 Toushou Shrines are still in existence in Japan.
The Toushou Shrine in Nikkou, the most famous of the Toushou Shrines, was built in 1617 and dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu when his son Tokugawa Hidetada was shogun of Japan. Five structures in the shrine complex are National Treasures of Japan. A bronze urn enshrined there contains Ieyasu's remains.
Another Toushou Shrine is located in the city of Shizuoka in Shizuoka Prefecture on Mount Kunou. It was Ieyasu's original burial site and thus the oldest Toushou Shrine in the country.
A third Toushou Shrine is located on Mt. Hourai in Shinshiro City, Aichi Prefecture. It was built by the third Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, and completed in 1651.
These three shrines are known as the 'Three Great Toushou Shrines.'’s rear pagoda.”

“We can’t entered 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., Kagetora-sama.”

Takaya thought it over before suggesting slowly, “... Shall we—use 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., then?”

“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.?”

“They’ll need 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. for the tree-binding at 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., and they’ll probably have more standing guard. 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. move freely within the mountain. Using 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. as intermediary, I can control the others and have them retrieve Ieyasu’s skull from the rear pagoda.”

“What about the ceremony itself?”

“The key will be ‘Daigensui Myouou.’ But it won’t work unless performed by someone with a great deal of power,” Kousaka pointed out, giving Takaya a sidelong glance from where he leaned against a pillar. “You are the only one capable of it, Kagetora-dono.”

Takaya met Kousaka’s look calmly. “All right.”

Naoe quickly asked Ayako, “Contact Nagahide, Haruie. I’m concerned about him. If he’s been captured, we’ll send the Gohou Douji Gohou Douji (護法童子)
Also known as: Gohou Douji of the Sword
Lit.: "Dharma-protecting boy"; a variety of demon-deity in the service of Bishamonten who can be summoned by a high priest with mikkyou to do his bidding. They look like boys of 9 or 10 with red hair and golden skin who wear a thousand swords and ride on top of a magic wheel. Their power and skills are varied and depend on the power of their summoners.
In Mirage of Blaze, Takaya summons the Gohou Douji by writing Bishamonten's mantra on a piece of paper in Sanskrit and wrapping it around a dagger while chanting On beishiramandaya sowaka, then drawing Bishamonten’s seed syllable in the air above the blade before placing the fore- and middle fingers of his right hand against his forehead. He then touches the sword to his fingers, whereupon the paper ignites, and the Gohou Douji appears from the fire. to rescue him. We need detailed information about Houjou’s movements if at all possible.”

“Got it.”

“Kagetora-sama, I doubt that the Houjou are unaware of Tenkai’s spell. They have probably already created a ‘spell seal’ or the like to forestall us.”

“Then we’ll just have break the seal before performing the revival spell,” Takaya pronounced. “We may have no other choice than to match our power against theirs.”

At that moment the door opened without even a knock, and Maiko rushed into the room.

“Maiko-san, what...”

“Something terrible has happened 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.!”

“What?”

“I just heard from my neighbors! An armed riot police squad broke into the Chuuguushi , forcefully cleared out the priests, and are occupying the entire grounds. They closed all the roads, and no one’s allowed in or out!”

All four occupants of the room looked up sharply. The Chuuguushi was, like the magnificent scarlet Shinto shrine built on the banks of 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., one of three shrines belonging to 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.. It had been built by 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. to worship winter on 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. from afar. The riot police were likely being controlled by the Houjou. To have them occupy the Chuuguushi by force...

“What’s going on, Kagetora?”

“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. was on the Houjou side during Toyotomi Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣秀吉) 1536 - 1598
Also called: Hiyoshimaru (日吉丸), Kinoshita Tokichiro (木下藤吉郎), Hashiba Hideyoshi (羽柴秀吉)
Titles: Kanpaku, Taikou, Chikuzen no Kami
Historically: The second of the "Three Unifiers"; he was born a peasant but rose quickly through the ranks of Oda Nobunaga's vassals to the position of one of Nobunaga's most distinguished generals. After Nobunaga's death, he took over the work of unifying the nation through military strength and brought an end to the Sengoku period.’s Houjou offensive. It has deep ties to the Houjou. ...Anyway, it looks like they‘ll be linking Chuuguushi with the main shrine so they can use it as their headquarters to control 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.’s ’unification,’” Takaya explained, looking at Ayako and Naoe. “I order you to take back Chuuguushi. Clear the occupiers, but do not harm their vessels. Got it?”

“As you command.”

“What are you going to do, Kagetora?”

“Stay here and contact Nagahide, revive Tenkai’s secret ritual. I can use my power. 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. should be back in Nikkou.”

“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. are here? Both of them?”

“They’re 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.’s power source. The Mirrors are both the Houjou’s strongest weapon and defense against harm to their clan head, and essential for the completion of their ritual—yes they’ll have it with them. They would have returned to my brother Ujimasa’s hand sooner or later,” Takaya pointed out, eyes flashing. “I’ll perform the revival using the Mirror as conduit for my power. We’ll take care of that part; I leave the recapture of Chuuguushi to you. ”

Naoe and Ayako immediately stood and departed.

Takaya turned to Maiko, who was still lingering in the doorway. “I’m going to create a barrier around this room. No one should enter for the time being. Could you bring me four shallow bowls or something similar holding clear water? They should be as cold as possible. I also need the same number of evergreen needles, if they can be obtained.”

“Evergreen needles? Ye-yes, I think so.” Maiko hurried out of the room as Takaya frowned at the map of 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..

One person remained. “Are you going to destroy the Houjou, Kagetora?”

Takaya glared sharply at Kousaka.

“Have you no longer any feelings of kinship for them? Has Kenshin taken their place in your heart?”

“Say whatever you please. I will smash Houjou’s ambition with my own two hands—do you see me hesitating in that?”

“...It’s personal, then? Do you bear a grudge?”

“I said goodbye to them a long time ago,” Takaya returned firmly. “It’d be stupid to try taking back the past at this late date.”

Kousaka narrowed his eyes with interest and abruptly turned on his heels. “I will appeal to my lord to dispatch his emergency troops to Hakone.”

“...!”

“Takeda will seize Mt. Kunou Mount Kunou (久能山)
Mt. Kunou is a steep mountain 216 meters high (709 feet) high located on Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture. In the Asuka Period Kunou Tadahito of the Fujiwara Clan began building a temple near present-day Kunou-zan Toushou-guu which the monk Gyouki named Kunou Temple in the later Nara Period.
In 1570 Takeda Shingen built Kunou Castle there, moving the temple to what is now Shimizu Ward. The Tokugawa Clan took control of Suruga Province after the fall of the Takeda Clan and continued to maintain the fortifications on Mt. Kunou. After Tokugawa Ieyasu's death, his son Tokugawa Hidetaka erected the first Toushou Shrine on Mt. Kunou and buried Ieyasu there. Though Ieyasu's grandson Tokugawa Iemitsu relocated Ieyasu’s grave to the Nikkou Toushou-guu, it is held that a portion of his deified spirit remains on Mt. Kunou. and strike at the ‘receiver’ in Shizuoka. Your brother Ujinori Houjou Ujinori (北条氏規) 1545 - Mar. 22, 1600
Title: Mino no-Kami
Houjou Ujinori was the fifth-born son of Houjou Ujiyasu (fourth son to survive childhood), younger brother of Houjou Ujimasa, Houjou Ujiteru, and Houjou Ujikuni, and older brother of Houjou Ujitada, Houjou Saburou (Uesugi Kagetora), and Houjou Ujimitsu. He was the master of Misaki Castle in Sagami and chamberlain of Nirayama Castle in Izu. He married Kougen'in, the daughter of Houjou Tsunashige.
As a child, Ujinori was sent to Suruga as a hostage of Imagawa Yoshimoto. It was said that he became friends with Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was also a hostage in Suruga at the time, during this period. He returned to the clan somewhere in the period between 1558-1570, and in 1571 was again sent as hostage to the Takeda Clan in Kai along with his younger brother Houjou Ujitada.
Though his brothers Ujiteru and Ujikuni were known for their diplomatic skills, Ujinori surpassed both of them. This finesse was evident in his negotiations with Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Katsuyori, and later in alliances with Tokugawa Ieyasu, Date Masamune, and the Ashina Clan. Tokugawa Ieyasu saw Ujinori as his window into the Houjou Clan, and communicated with him extensively.
Ujinori journeyed to the capital several times to negotiate with Toyotomi Hideyoshi as his brother Ujimasa's representative, but these negotiations failed, and Hideyoshi attacked Odawara Castle in 1590. Ujinori withstood siege from Hideyoshi's army for 3 months, but finally surrendered on Ieyasu's recommendation. He was also given the role of persuading his brother Ujimasa to surrender.
After the battle, Ujinori followed Houjou Ujinao to Mt. Kouya. He was pardoned in 1591 by Hideyoshi and given a territory of 2000-koku, then 6,980-koku in Kawachi and Sayama Castle in 1594. He died of illness at the age of 60, and his son Houjou Ujimori was allowed the continued governance of Sayama-han. His line continued until the Meiji Restoration.-dono will be there. We will take his head, Kagetora-dono.”

Pain stabbed his chest. Takaya gritted his teeth against the tidalwave of guilt. “...I’m obliged.”

“We’ll also lend a hand in the recapture of Chuuguushi.” Kousaka snorted at the mix of sarcasm and pure hatred from Takaya. “We’ll trust you to smash 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. to pieces, Kagetora-dono,” were Kousaka’s departing words. Takaya clenched his teeth as he followed Kousaka’s receding back with eyes that burned with hate.

His chest ached with renewed longing, and gentle memories of his brothers threatened to overwhelm him. Takaya clenched his fists desperately against the memories that he must not remember, shutting them away behind an iron wall. He closed his eyes tightly, steeling himself for what he must do.

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. bit through the manacles tying his hands behind his back with a metallic clink that echoed around the cave. Chiaki grinned with satisfaction. “Aaaall right! Good kitty, good boy!” he said, stroking 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.’s head as its nose twitched.

“Yasuda-dono, we must leave as quickly as we can. We have already lost a great deal of time.” Katakura, first to be freed from his chains, was already waiting at the prison entrance.

“Yeah yeah, I got it. All right, let’s get that lock next.”

At his command, the hypnotically tamed 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. immediately sprang towards the bars and sank its razor teeth into the sturdy iron lock. It soon gave way, and Chiaki and Katakura followed 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. out of the prison. They climbed the dark stairs up until another iron door barred their way.

The tsutusga took a huge breath, its chest expanding. Then it spat a fierce gout of fire at the door. The iron glowed red and began to melt away in the heat of the blowtorch-blue flame until a great gaping hole appeared in the center of the door. 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. leapt out and the two men followed, all three emerging into a long corridor.

“We’re still on the grounds, I believe?”

“There’s nobody around. What time is it?”

“Nineteen-thirty.”

Chiaki clicked his tongue in disgust and grimaced. They’d lost a lot of time, and much had likely changed in the meantime. Holding an arm around his sharply aching ribs, Chiaki said impatiently, “We gotta get outta here and find Narita.”

“Yasuda-dono!”

There was the sound of footsteps hurrying down the staircase at the end of the corridor: armed Houjou vassals approaching them at a run. Maybe the place had surveillance cameras installed—their escape had been noticed, at any rate.

“Who invited you, you boneheads?!” Chiaki yelled, and 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. leapt to the attack. The screaming men fired wildly, their bullets flying into and through 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.. It bared its fangs, golden eyes flashing, and the soul-devoured men crumbled one by one to the ground.

“Have a good nap, guys! Let’s go!”

The two escaped prisoners sprinted down the long corridor.

The mantle of night had already fallen outside, and the wind was chill against their skin. Looking up at a starlit sky, Katakura said, “There are too few vassals here; could the ‘Ritual of Unification by Fire Ritual of Unification by Fire (火合の法)
A ritual designed by the Houjou to fuse the energies forms of human souls, trees, and earth by binding souls to sacred cedar trees and torching those trees. Once fused, the Houjou would have a wellspring of energy they could call upon as a weapon to conquer the country.’ have already begun at 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.?”

“No ‘could’ about it, eight/nine chances out of ten it has. Looks like the Houjou boss and his underlings are all out for a swanky night out. ...Feh, I can’t sense Narita’s aura at all,” Chiaki grumbled, before starting and looking up at the sky.

“What is it?”

“Quiet.”

Chiaki focused his consciousness and listened not with his ears, but with his mind to the voice calling to him—Ayako’s. They conversed mind-to-mind for a moment, and Chiaki grinned.

“Yasuda-dono.”

“That idiot tiger, guess he actually managed to get outta that death trap at Hakone. Huh. She’s babbling about Ieyasu’s skull or something. Well, you should’ve told me earlier that that’s what you’re planning, you blockhead.”

“Ieyasu’s skull?”

Chiaki relayed the gist of the conversation.

“He can’t rely on 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. alone. I’d have gone to 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. to lend a hand anyway, she didn’t have to tell me that, geez.”

“Invade 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.? The barrier there will make it much harder than this estate to penetrate.”

“This 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.’ll make short work of any barrier; it’ll give me a better chance than a frontal attack. I’m gonna try it, anyway. Kagetora can easily take care of the guys with guns.”

“I must contact my lord immediately to dspatch Date soldiers to Mt. Tate Tate-yama (館山)
There are several mountains called Mt. Tate ("tate" meaning "mansion" or "small castle") in Japan. The Mt. Tate referenced in the Houjou arc of Mirage of Blaze is located near the south-western tip of Chiba Prefecture. It was a part of Awa-no-kuni in the Sengoku Era and ruled by the Satomi Clan, who built Tateyama Castle there. Tateyama City grew out of the old castle town.. Where is Uesugi-dono now?”

“At 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.. The Houjou have taken possession of Chuuguushi.”

“Then I will join Uesugi-dono. We must also search for Narita-dono. I will mobilize the Date Kurohabaki Kurohabaki-gumi (黒脛巾組)
A ninja corps said to have been created by Date Masamune. to aid in the retaking of Chuuguushi.”

“Thanks.”

Katakura nodded and started for the roadway. Chiaki sprinted for his Leopard. It was still parked where he had left it on a forest path, thankfully unharmed. He and 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. both climbed in. He inserted the key, and the engine turned over.

“Hmph, thought for a moment there that idiot Kagetora was gonna commit double suicide with Naoe. Guess he proved me wrong.” Gritting his teeth against the pain of his wounds, Chiaki glared at the space before him. “His sheer bloody-mindedness drives me out of my bloody mind.”

Trees loomed out of the darkness in the glow of his headlights. He stepped hard on the accelerator, sending the Leopard leaping over mud roads into a flat-out sprint.

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