Miss Heber is fighting her way out of the Lostbelt!

Hijikata Toshizo was silent for a long time, then suddenly smiled and said, "In that case, I have no objection."

Tamamonomae's status was far higher than that of the shogunate's magistrate.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Hijikata Toshizo urged everyone to move, "Let's go and capture Sakamoto Ryoma right now!"

P.S. I am feeling a little unwell. There will be another update tomorrow morning at 5:00 AM. No need to wait.

Eastern Volume: 102 Tanuki

Let’s go back a little to half an hour ago.

The black-haired girl with teardrop moles at the corners of her eyes walked forward holding a sword.

Tanuki is ready to break the thousand-year entanglement between the raccoon clan and Tamamonomae.

Of course, her purpose was far more than that.

Tamamonomae has many different names in many places, but among the raccoon dogs in the Yokai Forest, Tamamonomae is given the title of "Patron Lord".

Every monster in the Monster Forest respects Tamamonomae.

The same is true for Tanuki. Even before she was able to use the leaves on her head to transform herself, she had already heard the story about "Tamamonomae" countless times.

The most commonly told story is about Tanuki Taro, the ancestor of the demon raccoon clan, who competed with Tamamonomae in illusion magic in Hyuga Province. The two sides fought for seven days and seven nights without a clear winner. It was not until the sun rose that Tanuki Taro was defeated with a very slight disadvantage.

Of course, this is not a shame but an honor for the demon fox.

Li Xi used to think so too.

Until she began to come into contact with the covenants of the past - as time went by, the covenants that Tanuki Taro had made had become numerous and complicated.

After Tamamonomae "died", the raccoon monsters began to have their own expectations and imposed various oaths based on the covenant on themselves.

For example, two little raccoon dogs made a bet. One said, "I swear to Master Tamamonomae, if I fail to transform, I will never leave the Monster Forest."

If the little demon fox who swore succeeds, then everything will be fine.

But if it fails, the oath will take effect immediately - once it walks out of the Monster Forest, the tragic consequences will be immediately imposed on it.

Its body will degenerate, its intelligence will decline, and its "magic power" will disappear. Within ten seconds, the demon raccoon will become a real raccoon cat.

The general had twice before wiped out the mysteries of the East Country, both times achieving great victories, thus leaving behind an impact that was detrimental to all non-human species.

As one of the few monsters that has never had a conflict with the general, the raccoon is like the fox. Although its lifespan is still affected, its intelligence is not suppressed. As long as it goes out with a leaf, it will have no problem moving around in human society for a short period of time.

However, the existence of the oath caused the demon foxes to suffer unimaginable torture.

No raccoon can remember how many vows they have blurted out, or whether they have mentioned Tamamonomae as a joke. Most raccoons are optimistic and forget what they said the next day, but the "covenant" will remember it all.

Based on the different oaths each demon fox has made, different fears and sufferings are inflicted.

When the power of the amulet began to loosen, the boundary of the Monster Forest gradually overlapped with the real world. Over the past hundred years, more and more humans began to mistakenly enter the Monster Forest.

As time went by, the oath that originally required the raccoon to leave the Monster Forest would only be fulfilled, but now it would take effect just by approaching the Monster Forest.

What if this situation develops further?

Therefore, Li Xi rarely spoke, but did more practical things. She never once thought of swearing an oath to the covenant, even if some oaths with small side effects could benefit herself.

Because in Li Xi's opinion, it is certainly wrong to live in the forest for a long time without thinking of ways to adapt.

She wanted to walk upright in the sun and learn all the good things about human society; she wanted the demon raccoon clan to no longer be bound by the oaths of the past and no longer be trapped by a covenant made a thousand years ago.

The amulet hanging on Li Xi's wrist was slightly hot.

"Uh-huh——"

Another little fox demon swore an oath to the covenant.

Tanutarou signed an alliance with Heber in the past.

After Hebe sent the amulet and lowered the seal to isolate the Monster Forest, the true form of the covenant was transformed into this amulet.

In the last years of his life, Tanuki Taro was lonely. He had conflicts with his fellow raccoons. Later generations of raccoons regarded Tanuki Taro as a powerful raccoon, but they never understood him. When Tanuki Taro was about to die, he poured all his magical power into this amulet, making it so strong that it was almost indestructible.

The first thing Tanuki did was to diligently train the "Secret Sword". After she secretly mastered the Secret Sword, she immediately used it on the amulet.

Unfortunately, Tanuki Taro seemed to have anticipated the "rebellious offspring". As a raccoon demon, Tanuki could not destroy this amulet.

Then there is only one way, to solve the problem from the source.

Li Xi knew that, ultimately, it was the fault of the demon raccoon clan themselves, but many things in the world could not be generalized as right or wrong.

So she had to end the covenant.

This is not only a self-rescue for the raccoon clan, but also a way for Tamamonomae, the great monster who has protected them for thousands of years, to become a Buddha.

The existence of the suspected "Tamamonomae Ghost" seems to have appeared more than once in history.

According to the records within the raccoon demon group, from the end of the Heian period to 1400 AD, the vengeful spirit of Tamamonomae would appear approximately every fifty years, and this situation did not stop until after 1400 AD.

Until a few months ago, this amulet started to heat up again.

Tanuki has seen countless times the raccoons being punished for their vows, scenes she will never forget. Since childhood, she's believed that if she could, she would win the raccoons' future. Now that the amulet is before her, she must consider whether this is her only chance.

She believes that the glory of the raccoon clan is largely due to the alliance between Tanuki Taro and Tamamonomae, but the future is coming in full force, and only change can ensure survival.

It is Li Xi's duty to eradicate this alliance.

She stole the amulet, walked out of the Monster Forest, and followed the amulet's instructions all the way to Kyoto.

Li Xi stopped and stood at the bridge, looking at the tragic scene on the street.

The overly vivid atmosphere and influence made her realize that "Tamamonomae" must have been active here.

"Even if it's a vengeful spirit, it's too powerful..." Li Xi thought, "Could it be that it's not just the obsession of being killed by the general that lingers in the world?"

The previous scene seemed to appear before her eyes.

It couldn't possibly be the real Tamamonomae. Tanuki gave herself a reassurance.

The real Tamamonomae was killed by the shogun as early as the end of the Heian period, and the ones active in the world since then are just vengeful spirits formed by obsession.

"This is the tenth time," Tanuki thought. "Tamamonomae has nine tails, so the tenth is the most powerful. This makes sense."

She quickened her pace.

After a while, a secluded courtyard appeared before my eyes.

The morning glory vines climb along the wall, adding an elegant purple touch to the courtyard.

Li Xi didn't expect that there was such a secluded and beautiful place in Kyoto, which made her a little confused: Could it be that the vengeful spirits would also look for a good place to live in seclusion?

This is a bit too... uh, unbelievable.

But she had already reached the door and could not retreat even a little bit.

It is not only to redeem the raccoon demon, but also to free Tamamonomae.

Li Xi gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist, his fingertips lightly brushing against the blade.

The radiance of the secret sword rises in its sheath.

[Secret Sword: Hard and Soft Cut]

[Nature: Blade Spirit's Meng'er Ball (Eight) Dirt-Ball (Nine) III Remaining IX (Showing the principles of fighting, resistance, and rule)]

[Holding a sharp sword, concealing the tip, dancing in the sun, suddenly becoming soft as if scraping the intestines and shaving the bones. ]

[The holder of this secret sword will be able to actively switch between "hard" or "soft" when causing damage or taking damage. Currently "hard"!]

[Gang: Within five seconds after switching this secret sword, the next attack will cause double damage when it hits the target. This damage will be centered on the target, causing damage in a five-meter diameter area!]

[Soft: Within five seconds after switching this secret sword, it will form a field with itself as the center, repelling everything within a five-second range. The wielder of the secret sword will receive continuous healing every second within the field.]

Li Xi walked in through the door.

Tamamonomae was sitting at the stone table drinking tea.

Li Xi emerged from the illusion and drew his sword to chop off the enemy's head.

The blade pierced through Tamamonomae's body—it was an illusion!

The next moment, four swords stabbed from all sides, three of which were invisible and intangible.

One is the real sword, the sword that destroys evil and reveals righteousness, Suzumaru Tsunetsugu!

"The Dragon of Takachiho, the Great Tengu Sword Saint, Saga Master, the Heavenly Sword Okita Souji..."

Fortunately, before Li Xi entered the door, he had already accumulated the momentum for a transformation.

From hard to soft!

The invisible domain spread out with Li Xi as the center, pushing the four heroic swordsmen to the side!

squeak-

The door opens.

Heber walked out of the room and his eyes fell calmly on Li Xi's face.

She was slightly startled.

She had seen this face in the band's rehearsal room when she possessed Shoko Toyokawa.

It seems to be called Shiina... What's Shiina?

Oh yeah, Shiina Ringo.

Eastern Volume: 103 Historical Divergence

Taking advantage of the opportunity when the four Heroic Swordsmen were pushed aside, Li Xi rushed to Heber and slashed with his sword.

Soft to hard.

Heber raised an eyebrow.

During the time she had been in Kyoto, she had seen many kinds of secret swords.

Normally these mechanisms pose no threat to Heber, but if Li Xi's sword falls, Heber will not suffer any loss, but he will lose this yard.

So Heber would not let the demon fox swing this sword.

But in Li Xi's sight, the fox demon just raised his hand and put his index finger and middle finger together.

The fox demon pointed its two fingers together at Li Xi's chest and abdomen.

Li Xi groaned and turned around and ran away.

Can't beat it.

"Tamamonomae's Vengeful Spirit" didn't even use her swordsmanship. Her physical fitness alone had already made her lose all her first-mover advantage.

A crisp clanging sound was heard, and Li Xi once again changed the attribute of the secret sword from hard to soft, and used the moment of the domain's repulsion to launch an illusion, which immediately disappeared into thin air.

No matter what, the most important thing is to survive.

......

On the streets of Kyoto, Li Xi staggered and ran hurriedly.

She didn't expect Tamamonomae to be alive.

Of course, Tanuki never thought that Hebe was Tamamonomae's true body. Tanuki's "alive" refers to Tamamonomae's vengeful spirit resurrecting from the dead.

Many ancient books in the East recorded that Tamamonomae "had power that reached the sky."

Tanuki had always thought that this referred to Tamamonomae's "profound magical power, reaching the heavens and earth"; but judging by the current situation, it might refer to Tamamonomae possessing super powers... Of course, no matter which explanation it is, it proves that Tamamonomae is by no means an ordinary monster that can match it.

This is the big monster... A layer of gloom weighed heavily on Li Xi's heart.

Beautiful, wise, immortal, and possessing almost infinite power.

It is hard to imagine what means the general used to kill Tamamonomae in Mt. Takachiho.

Li Xi felt like a nobody in front of a real big monster, and this made her feel inferior and self-doubtful: Can I really save the monster raccoon clan by myself?

"Yes, only me." Li Xi muttered in her heart. She once again brushed the sword edge with her fingers, constantly keeping the secret sword in the "soft" realm and continuing to heal herself.

"No one will come to save the demon raccoons except me."

The amulet tied on her wrist felt slightly hot, and Li Xi looked towards a place outside Kyoto City.

She had done her homework before she came: Tamamonomae had given away several amulets before her death.