"It's underground! Underground!"
Shouting in a weak tone full of anguish, as if he could no longer endure this ordeal, a young man with golden hair and deep blue eyes yelled at his companion while pointing toward the farmland.
These rice fields stretched across many hectares, clearly part of something larger and more important. Aside from that curious detail, they were also covered with deep holes that looked as though they had been dug by a massive beast.
"You'll have to flush it out, Asahiko."
Maintaining the same posture she had held for the last few minutes, standing on the branch of a distant tree, Kikyo ignored the wind moving her black hair and replied briefly.
She wasn't shouting, yet her response still reached Asahiko thanks to his supernatural abilities—one of which was enhanced hearing—so she didn't need to raise her voice.
"Wow, you make that sound so easy!"
"It is."
"It's a damn mole underground! There's nothing easy about that!"
Pulling at his golden hair with irrational fury born from exhaustion, Asahiko forced a somewhat twisted smile and snapped his fingers, creating a ball of golden fire.
With the first fireball ready, he created several more before "placing" the sensation of pain and burning into them through illusions. The trick hadn't occurred to him but to Kikyo. She had realized that the flames were actually made of energy, meaning Asahiko's illusions could be transmitted through them.
"Hahaha, burn, you damn mole!"
Sending the fireballs into the many holes, the tunnels were flooded with flames one by one until a tremor finally ran through the entire plantation.
Along with that tremor, a gigantic beast burst from underground, casting an enormous shadow over the fields—though it soon crashed to the ground, its entire body engulfed in blazing golden flames.
"More effective than expected… though that's probably because it's an animal, so it can't distinguish very well between what's real and what's false."
"If you've finished talking, it's time to finish it."
Speaking from behind Asahiko in a monotone voice, the priestess stepped back and easily avoided his sudden jump.
"God, you scared me!"
"Of course. The fragment is in its belly. You'll have to hold it still so I can take it out."
"Yeah, yeah… I'm on it."
Sighing as he rolled up his sleeves, revealing pale yet clearly muscular arms, Asahiko sighed again and struck the mole squarely in the head.
The blow—full of what he considered justified fury—easily shattered the beast's skull, producing a wet sound that echoed around them while blood seeped into the ground, leaving it thoroughly soaked.
"Done. Now you can take it."
"You're a child."
"What's that supposed to mean, Kikyo?"
"Nothing. I have it now. Let's go report."
Avoiding the question with her usual expressionless face, Kikyo sliced open the beast's flesh with the tip of her arrow and reached inside until she pulled out a pink fragment.
"Like that? You look like a doctor fresh out of surgery. At least clean your hands. Here."
"Surgery… doctor?... Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Waving his hand in a casual don't worry about it gesture, Asahiko took the bloodstained cloth—transformed from a leaf—before making it disappear a moment later.
With that small exchange finished, the two of them headed toward their employer's house, leaving the enormous beast's corpse behind.
…Some Time Later…
"I don't know what to say except that your reputation is well deserved. You have achieved in a few hours what my men could not accomplish in days."
Seated at the head of the table where Kikyo and Asahiko were dining, a man with short black hair spoke with a voice full of gratitude.
Which was no surprise. The beast had been destroying his precious rice crops—rice being the true currency in this feudal Japan. Metal coins from Chinese dynasties and Japanese mints certainly circulated, but those were for common people. For lords, wealth was measured in how much rice they possessed.
"It is an honor for us to have been able to help you, sir."
"Hahaha, such courtesy is unnecessary—especially from my saviors. Now then, as promised, you will have the finest place to rest and a generous reward for your valuable help… but first, let us eat."
Clapping twice in quick succession with his greasy hands, the sliding doors opened and several maids entered carrying a variety of dishes.
The dinner was quite elegant and lavish, befitting the home of a wealthy landowner. Asahiko thoroughly enjoyed every bite and sip of what he consumed.
The same could not be said for Kikyo. Being an undead made of bones and clay, she had neither the need nor the ability to eat. Even so, to avoid drawing attention in such situations, Asahiko surrounded her with a subtle illusion until the dinner ended and they left.
"Haa… Now a good night's sleep and we can call the day finished."
Throwing himself onto the futon without the slightest concern—since it was basically impossible for him to hurt himself—Asahiko rubbed his stomach, still flat despite eating both his portion and hers, before glancing at Kikyo.
She had followed him to the room even though each of them had their own—one of the benefits of staying in the lord's house—which made Asahiko curious about what was going on.
"Here. You forgot this."
Reaching inside her priestess robes, Kikyo pulled out the pearl fragment from somewhere and tossed it toward Asahiko, though he rolled aside to avoid it.
"Are you crazy? You—ugh, the food just came back up my throat. Do you know how dangerous those things are and you still throw it at my face?"
"You already have three. One more won't do anything."
"Yes, but… good grief. I can't deal with you when you make that face."
Looking at Kikyo's expressionless yet strangely absent-minded face—which, if she tilted it slightly to the side, might have critically struck him—Asahiko simply sighed and rubbed his forehead.
It seemed tonight would be especially long. Still, with such good company, Asahiko couldn't really complain… considering that his usual nighttime companions were a prideful dragon and a senile old ghost.
…Elsewhere…
Beneath skies painted with strange purple blotches, as if flashes of evil and rotting energy drifted freely through the air, a castle could be seen.
No—rather than a traditional castle, it was an extensive fortified mansion built atop a small hill, its base structure made of stone bricks that also served as a wall.
Beyond those outer features, several traditional Japanese palaces spread within the walls, connected by a large courtyard that linked all the silent structures together.
"Ha… Is the news confirmed?"
Speaking from behind a bamboo blind that divided the room in half, a tired male voice echoed through the chamber.
"Yes, my lord. Kikyo and Asahiko—a priestess and her bodyguard—have both gained considerable renown in the surrounding areas."
"Asahiko?"
"Yes, her bodyguard, my lord."
Setting the heavy helmet that was part of his samurai armor on the floor, the kneeling man lowered his head as a strange pressure settled over him.
The pressure came from behind the blind. Along with it, a dark violet miasma crawled across the floor, dimming the room and spreading a foul stench.
"I see… cough, cough. You must bring her to this castle—by any means necessary. I don't care how."
"The priestess?"
"Yes… but also her bodyguard. I want to see him—the man who managed to accomplish this so easily. Hahaha—cough, cough, cough!"
Coughing violently, as if his organs were being torn apart, a smile spread across the darkened face behind the blinds.
With that deranged yet sickly grin, even more dangerous violet miasma spilled outward, clinging to every corner of the room and making it increasingly oppressive.
"Understood. I will depart at once."
"Cough… you may… you may go."
"Yes, my lord."
Picking up the heavy samurai helmet from the floor, the man rose from his knees, bowed, and left the room, stepping into a long, silent corridor.
The hallway was in perfect condition, yet also dark and decaying. The torchlight barely reached a few meters, as if struggling against something, while the air felt stale and rotten.
Ignoring it all, he passed through several corridors and rooms in quick succession until, after quite some time, he finally emerged into the great outer courtyard.
There, an entire cavalry squad waited fully armed, clearly ready for whatever might be required.
"Everyone ready? We leave in five."
"Understood!"
Signaling to a nearby foot soldier, the man hurried over with a prepared horse, along with two others carrying a spear and a bow.
Taking the reins and the newly brought equipment, the samurai calmly mounted the beast before drawing his sword.
"Move out!"
Snapping the reins, the samurai galloped toward the now-open gates, his entire troop following close behind.