All My Conquest Targets Are Inanimate Objects Chapter 104: Twenty-Three Demons

Having made the decision, Shinji already had a general idea of what to do next.

If he was going to do it, he would do it well, perfectly even.

His thoughts quickly ford into a preliminary plan.

Days passed in a flash.

Kikyō stood under the shrine's veranda, holding her simple longbow.

Her white top was clean and neat, the collar properly tied. Her red hakama swayed gently in the wind.

Her long black hair was tied at the back of her head with a white cord, the ends falling over her shoulders, a few loose strands by her ears, framing her delicate, clear features.

She was drawing the bow, aiming, shooting, precisely pinning arrows to leaves a hundred paces away.

Practicing her archery, which she hadn't used in days.

Shinji sat to the side, watching her practice, inwardly marveling at her terrifying skill, even without any spiritual power, that archery alone would make her shine anywhere, as he spoke.

And so, Kikyō listened again to Shinji's plan.

The girl tilted her head slightly.

"You're going to the Hōjō."

"Yes." Shinji leaned back against the veranda pillar, his grey robes and white hair, his red black eyes looking at her.

"That ashigaru's news, the Echigo invasion. The Hōjō don't know the details. That intelligence is useful to them."

"At the sa ti...." His gaze swept over the huddle of small demons in the corner of the yard. "They can't stay here."

Kaede Village was a human village.

Though the villagers were grateful to Shinji, that gratitude was based on him being the demon god who protected them, the 'guardian' who fought alongside the shrine maiden, not a neighbor who brought a horde of demons to their doorstep.

Moreover, the barrier had its own rules.

This barrier, based on spiritual power, naturally repelled demons.

Though Shinji was unrestricted because of Kikyō's recognition, twenty-so small demons cramd inside would multiply the barrier's burden.

"I need to find them a place." Shinji said bluntly.

"Not too far from here, but not too close. Close enough to support each other. And for that, I think the Hōjō, who rule Musashi and Sagami, could help ."

These small demons, which needed to band together and did not eat or drink blood, were unlike other demons. Their early transformations had been focused on developing intelligence. Without a group, their survival ability was actually very limited.

Any demon, samurai, or even a brave farr could destroy them.

So what Shinji needed wasn't a suitable wilderness outpost.

On the contrary.

He needed 'human' power.

Rumors, the direction of human fear.

That is, Fear.

Yes.

Though they were small demons, because they had the rare ability among First and Second Transformation demons to communicate with humans, Shinji thought it might be a good idea to let them gain human 'Fear' to grow stronger.

These demons had limited talent. On their own, they would never amount to much.

Fear, that 'external power' that could make them stronger temporarily but would revert them to their original state if lost, was more suitable for them.

As long as they didn't lose the Fear, that was fine.

And once they grew stronger,

They could beco his further aid, not just eyes and ears.

Shinji could even use them to collect 'Fear,' though he himself didn't need it, he had no use for that kind of external power to strengthen himself. In Shinji's view, true great demons probably looked down on 'Fear.'

But even if he didn't need it, he could let those around him use it.

For example, let Muramasa in his hand beco demonized, beco a tsukumogami.

Let those maxed-out affection beings use it to beco demons.

These would beco his true core.

Of course, Shinji's role was just to create the conditions for them to settle within human dwellings. How far they went would depend on them.

Kikyō agreed with this.

"Southeast of Kaede Village, there's a stretch of rolling hills. Few people, and the demonic aura isn't dense. The area swept by the Echigo army has beco empty land."

"You can pass through there. There won't be any obstacles on the way."

Shinji blinked.

"When did you survey that area?"

"In my spare ti." Kikyō's tone was calm.

"The barrier's perception range covers ten miles in all directions. In the past few days since I ca out, I've mapped out the surrounding area."

Shinji looked at her.

This girl....

"You're really…"

"What?"

"Everything."

Kikyō didn't respond.

But the tips of her ears were slightly red, and the corners of her mouth held a suppressed curve, very slight but real.

"I'll be back soon." Shinji secured Muramasa at his waist and double-checked the reverse scale, the cat demon's paw, and the red comb in his robe, sorting them and putting them in their places. "The Hōjō main castle, Odawara, is to the south. Not too far for us. First, I'll settle them, then head to Odawara."

"That Echigo army won't let this go." Kikyō's voice ca from behind.

"I know." Shinji glanced back at her.

"So I'm not just delivering a ssage to the Hōjō."

"I'm building an alliance."

Kikyō nodded.

She understood his aning.

That was indeed Shinji's purpose.

The Echigo army had marched south under the banner of 'Bishamonten' to exorcise demons, backed by Uesugi Kenshin, who claid to be an incarnation of the god. That power was not ordinary human military force, it was sothing truly connected to 'god.'

With just the two of them, they could hold off demons, but it would be difficult to simultaneously deal with a human army and the power of divine artifacts.

Human affairs, sotis, still needed to be solved by humans.

The Hōjō were the nominal rulers of Musashi Province. They had soldiers, castles, resources.

And Shinji happened to have intelligence that the Hōjō urgently needed.

Equivalent exchange.

Shinji took one last look toward the shrine.

Kikyō stood under the veranda, her longbow hanging at her side, her white robes and red hakama vivid in the sunlight.

Her slender waist was bound by the hakama's sash. The hem of her trousers fluttered in the wind, revealing half of her white tabi socks. The curves of her legs above were faintly visible through the red fabric.

Her features were cool, yet held a softness that only he could see.

"Go," she said, like a wife seeing off her husband on a journey. "Co back early."

Shinji nodded.

Then he turned.

"Big brother!" Little Kaede poked her head out from behind the torii gate, her twin ponytails swinging. "You're leaving?"

"Just so business. I'll be back soon."

"You have to bring gifts! You still owe candy from last ti!" The little girl had a good mory for that.

Shinji paused for a mont. "…We'll see."

Kaede seed about to say more, but a hand reached from behind and pressed down on her head.

Kikyō didn't speak. She just pulled her sister back behind her.

But her gaze followed the departing grey figure.

Outside Kaede Village.

Twenty-three small demons stood in a crooked line.

At the front was the bravest tanuki, carrying a torn flag it had found sowhere, with a lopsided skull painted on it, its own 'war banner,' it said, to show its loyalty to Shinji.

The one-eyed little monk followed behind, holding his broken paper umbrella, the painted eye on it darting around.

The fox-eared girl rode on the back of the giant rat with the broken leg, her furry ears perked up.

Behind them were two crows, three kappa, half a centipede, and a few miscellaneous demons whose nas no one knew.

They lined up behind Shinji.

The scene was spectacular.

And also ridiculous.

"So this is your Hyakki Yakō?"

A voice ca from his robe, Yura's, thick with disdain.

"First of all, it's dayti," Shinji said without looking back. "Secondly, this isn't a Hyakki Yakō."

"Then what is it?"

"This is the Twenty-Three Demons, Day Parade."

Shinji wore an amused expression as he delivered a very cold joke.

Yura was silent for two seconds.

She was chilled.

But.

"Sure, they're just a bunch of rabble, but parading a whole group of demons down the road in broad daylight, don't you think you're asking for trouble?"

"What's there to be afraid of?" Shinji's tone was casual. "The human army in this area just got chased off by . No one's going to co looking for trouble anyti soon."

"Besides, people might not even see us."

He raised his hand.

[Blood Change] activated.

Red mist seeped from beneath his skin, slowly spreading.

The mist wasn't thick, just a thin layer covering the ground, like morning haze drifting from the mountains.

But under this veil of mist, the shapes of the little demons beca blurry.

From a distance, only a white-haired figure appeared to be walking alone in the fog.

As for the crooked shadows behind him, refracted through the blood mist, they beca nothing but faint, hazy outlines.

Like ghosts.

Mist at midday.

Thus,

Extre yang, giving birth to yin.

The Twenty-Three Demons, Day Parade.