"So, you're a coward." The red yokai smirked, his jagged teeth on full display. "You should stop wearing those fancy masks—it doesn't suit a weakling like you."
His underlings roared with laughter, their mocking voices filling the air like a chorus of crazed jackals.
Asher shook his head in disappointnt.
He had given them an out—a way to save face and walk away with money.
But it was clear now that money wasn't the issue. They weren't here to negotiate. They were here to humiliate.
"There must be soone behind this…" he murmured, his eyes scanning the area. Sothing wasn't right.
Trusting his instincts, he cast a spell, sending a pulse through the surroundings to reveal hidden presences.
'I knew it.'
They were surrounded. At least three dozen yokai lay in wait, their forms masked by an ability to blend into the environnt.
It was a decent trick—but not enough to escape his notice.
He turned to Hisa, but the playful general still didn't break character, continuing to act like a child.
For now, he chose to wait and see how things unfolded.
The hidden yokai didn't seem to be with Hisa, which ant soone else might have figured out her true identity.
"Are you deaf? Why aren't you answering?" the red yokai growled, leaning in until his face was uncomfortably close, invading Asher's personal space.
That was the final straw.
Lucy stepped forward, unable to hold back any longer. Without a word, she gave the yokai a light push—just a gentle shove.
SWOOSH!
The yokai went flying, crashing straight into his subordinates before slamming into a small wooden structure.
BOOM!
Dust and debris exploded in all directions, leaving all the onlookers speechless.
Even Lucy was in disbelief. She had not expected her raw strength to be that overwhelming.
She was pretty sure she wasn't this strong yesterday. So what happened? How did she suddenly beco this overpowered?
Then it clicked.
There was only one thing that had changed—she now had a powerful and ridiculously wealthy sponsor: Asher.
Of course. With his resources, who knew what kind of absurd enchantnts or items he had thrown her way?
She wasn't wrong.
Her robe alone functioned like an exoskeleton, enhancing her strength far beyond normal limits.
It wasn't just any enchanted item—it was on the verge of breaking into the Diamond Rank.
With sothing this powerful, her sudden boost wasn't surprising at all.
However, borrowed power was still borrowed.
Sure, she could easily bully weaker beings, but against soone with true strength—soone who had earned their power—she'd be at a disadvantage.
Just as Lucy was still stunned by her own strength, the broken structure suddenly collapsed with a loud crack.
From the wreckage, the red yokai rose to his feet—only now, he was twice his original size. Thick, curved horns protruded from his head, his muscles bulging with newfound power.
He was an Oni—a being that grew stronger the angrier they beca. And right now, he looked absolutely furious.
"ARRGGGG!!"
The Oni's roar echoed through the air, shaking the ground beneath them.
Almost imdiately, the weaker yokai scattered, wanting no part of what was about to unfold.
anwhile, the more confident ones stayed to watch the show.
Lucy didn't hesitate and stepped forward.
Even without magic items, she was more than capable of handling her opponent. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire
However, for this fight, she chose not to use her blood power. It would blow her cover.
Asher insisted they remain discreet, and she respected his decision.
The red Oni lunged forward, his massive body radiating heat, thick mist rolling off him like steam from a kettle.
With a wide movent, he swung his fist, aiming to shatter steel with sheer brute force.
A bold and stupid move.
The edge t his fist, and in an instant, blood painted the air.
His own montum betrayed him, driving his hand clean through the blade's rciless bite.
The Oni howled, staggering back as he focused on regenerating. It wasn't that big of a wound—nothing he couldn't recover from.
Or so he thought.
His vision blurred, his balance wavered, and before he knew it, his knees crashed against the ground.
A cold, creeping sensation crawled up his arm, and when he looked down, horror twisted his face. His skin was turning black, the corruption spreading like a virus.
Panic seized him. With a desperate snarl, he made a brutal choice—he grabbed his own shoulder and tore his entire arm off with a sickening rip.
Flesh and bone snapped, blackened veins shriveling as the severed limb thudded to the ground.
He panted, chest heaving, watching as the corruption consud the discarded arm, swelling until it cracked apart like burnt wood.
If he had hesitated a second longer, that would have been him.
The Oni looked at Lucy with newfound fear, his remaining hand trembling as he clutched his shoulder.
He didn't know what kind of blade she wielded, but he knew one thing—he could not afford to get hit in a vital spot.
What he didn't realize was that Lucy herself was just as shocked.
She stared at the sword in her grip, then turned sharply to Asher, her eyes demanding an explanation.
What kind of weapon did you give ?
She knew the red Oni was arrogant, but he wasn't weak. His body was absurdly tough, resilient enough to shrug off most attacks, even from her blood sword.
And yet, this one had cut through the yokai like he was nothing.
Worse, it had spread sothing through his flesh, forcing him to amputate his own arm before it consud him entirely.
The red Oni, still on his knees, gritted his teeth. Instinct scread at him to run, to escape before that cursed sword took more from him. But he couldn't.
Not because of pride. Not because of Lucy.
But because soone far more terrifying than her was watching.
SWOOSH!
Lucy wasted no ti. The mont her opponent hesitated, she closed the distance, her sword humming as it cut through the air.
The Oni's instincts scread at him to move. He knew he was at a severe disadvantage in close range, so he dodged, weaving through her strikes as best he could.
They exchanged blows—one desperate, the other relentless. But desperation led to mistakes.
And the Oni made one.
A misstep. A fraction too slow.
Lucy's blade arced toward his neck, its edge re inches from ending him.
His eyes widened—he couldn't dodge in ti.
But just as everyone thought the battle was over, a hand shot out between them.
With nothing but two fingers, the blade was caught mid-swing.
Lucy's eyes widened. She had put enough power into that strike.
The figure stood tall, his long white hair flowing like silver flas, his presence alone enough to cause people to gasp in awe.
His black kimono, lined with deep crimson patterns, wasn't just fabric—it was a statent, a warning of his identity.
She tightened her grip on her sword, but it didn't matter. His two fingers held it effortlessly, as if her attack had never even existed.
"Miko…" she trailed off.
As she spoke, her body changed back to normal.
The onlookers gasped—not just because of the transformation, but because they had discovered her identity.
Hisa took a step forward, her voice steadier this ti. "What are you doing here?"
"Why can't I be here?" the white-haired yokai asked, his tone too casual despite facing Hisa.
His fingers finally released Lucy's blade, letting it hang uselessly in her grip.
Then he turned his attention to Hisa. "I heard the generals are eting tomorrow, so I ca to attend," he added.
"You're not invited to that eting," Hisa replied bluntly. There was no filter in her tone.
"That's really not fair," Miko smirked, his orange eyes gleaming with amusent. "Considering my grandfather used to be a general too."
"Used to be," Hisa repeated mockingly.
"Don't you rember what your father did?What your clan did Miko? Or should I call you the new Supre Commander of the Nurahiyon Clan?"
"Ah, that again." He shook his head, his tone light and casual. "You never get tired of dragging up the past, do you, Himase?"
He tilted his head slightly, his grip relaxed around the short katana at his side, its wooden sheath resting against his leg.
Though the weapon didn't look impressive, Hisa raised her guard, making it clear that it was far more dangerous than it seed.
"And you're still as insolent," she bit back, her claws elongating.
Her feline ears flattened, and her body tensed, ready to pounce at a mont's notice.
The two powerful yokais were clearly not on good terms, and almost everyone instinctively backed away out of fear for their own lives.
As for Lucy, she already went back to Asher's side.
He hadn't made a move when Miko appeared, which made her confused but he did not question him.
Asher must have had a reason for holding back—either he saw no hostility, or he was certain the artifacts would keep her safe.
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