Chapter 132. The Encounter with Ushi Gozen, the Secret of Minamoto no Raikou's Origins
Identical to Minamoto no Raikou?
Hearing these words, Ian suddenly realized something.
He looked at Ibaraki Douji in front of him, hesitated for a moment, then continued to ask:
"Then—"
"Where is she?"
"Where... where?"
Ibaraki Douji's expression became somewhat complicated.
She didn't understand why this ordinary human, who claimed to be a "servant" of Shuten Douji, wanted to find the woman wielding a sword, wandering across the island to kill demons.
No.
To be precise, it wasn't just about killing demons.
To kill demons, she first made them commit atrocities.
The giant red demon that had just chased her earlier was released by that person through an unknown method.
This was something Ibaraki Douji couldn't comprehend at all.
For a moment, she didn't know what to do, so she secretly glanced at Shuten Douji, hoping to receive some guidance from her.
Shuten Douji hesitated for a while, then finally nodded.
It was an "instruction" that meant: "Do as he wishes."
"Over there."
Receiving the answer, Ibaraki Douji pointed towards the highest cliff on all of Onigashima.
"She often appears there."
"Alright, I understand."
Ian seriously stepped past the two little demons in front of him, heading straight for the cliff.
"Shuten..."
Ibaraki Douji pointed at Ian's gradually disappearing figure and asked worriedly:
"Is he really going to meet that woman?"
"..."
Shuten Douji watched Ian's back, her purple eyes flickering with uncertainty.
"I don't know either."
"After all—"
"I'm not human."
[You have temporarily left Shuten Douji and Ibaraki Douji.]
[You pass by the corpse of the giant red demon.]
[You climb the cliff that Ibaraki Douji pointed out.]
[You see a familiar figure.]
["Grand Onmyoji ++" has activated: You confirm that the scene before you is not an illusion caused by external demonic influences, but a real, existing entity.]
[You approach her.]
"Raikou?"
Ian looked at the familiar figure gazing out at the sea and asked:
"Is that you?"
Hearing his voice, the figure stiffened slightly, then slowly turned around.
The moment their eyes met, Ian felt every inch of his body tremble.
The person before him had an appearance nearly identical to Minamoto no Raikou, but the only difference was that her eyes had lost all color and emotion.
Everything was exactly as Ibaraki Douji had described.
"That person" carried an overwhelming demonic aura.
Of course, this wasn't something she naturally emitted—it was because the sword in her hand had absorbed too much resentment from the slain demons, causing its influence to seep back into its wielder.
However, it seemed that "that person" didn't care about this at all.
"Why is it you?"
"That person" raised her sword, pointing it straight at Ian.
"The letter I sent was clearly not meant for you."
"..."
With just one sentence, Ian immediately confirmed the identity of the person before him.
Other than him and Shuten Douji, there was only one other person who knew about that letter.
"Ushi Gozen, is that you?"
"Yes, it's me," the other person responded briefly.
Ian had no choice but to admit—
Even though she looked exactly like Minamoto no Raikou, the Ushi Gozen before him exuded an extreme coldness.
Her sword gleamed with white light amidst the flashes of lightning.
A normal person witnessing this scene would probably only feel fear, worried that they could be decapitated at any moment.
But Ian did not.
He only wanted to clarify everything.
"You… why do you look exactly like Raikou?"
"Because I am her, and she is me."
Ushi Gozen replied coldly.
"If we are one, then of course we would share the same appearance."
[You realize that this might be related to the battle at Ooeyama.]
[Perhaps Minamoto no Raikou's choices at that time led to the birth of Ushi Gozen today.]
[But what exactly happened back then?]
[You do not know.]
"So, you really are Raikou?"
Ushi Gozen shook her head.
"Not exactly."
"She can turn into me, but I will not become her again."
"What do you mean?"
Ian looked at Ushi Gozen in front of him, his expression gradually becoming serious.
"This matter does not concern you."
Ushi Gozen responded to Ian with emotionless eyes, devoid of any warmth.
"The one I want to meet is Minamoto no Raikou, not you."
"Let her come to see me."
"..."
Ian remained silent for a moment, then shook his head.
"No, I can't do that."
"Why?" Ushi Gozen stared at the man before her. "In my letter, I clearly told her to come to Onigashima, didn't I?"
"But I never told her about it."
Ian stated his reason directly.
"Which means she didn't come here with me."
"..."
Ushi Gozen looked at Ian, and finally, her expression showed a slight change.
However, it was a sign of displeasure.
"Abe, do you even know what you're doing?"
"I do." Ian was unfazed by Ushi Gozen's irritated tone.
"It's precisely because I didn't want Raikou to come here that I chose to keep it from her and came alone instead."
"Ushi Gozen, tell me everything."
"Why do you know so much about Heian-kyo? And why do you want to summon Raikou here?"
"Tell me everything."
[Ushi Gozen is looking at you.]
[Although she has an appearance nearly identical to Minamoto no Raikou, you can clearly sense the difference between the two.]
[Perhaps, as Ushi Gozen said—]
[There exists an inseparable connection between her and Minamoto no Raikou, yet at the same time, they are completely different.]
"..."
Ushi Gozen remained silent for a long time.
She seemed to be weighing whether she should tell Ian certain things.
In the end, she spoke:
"Although my instincts tell me I shouldn't reveal this to you…"
"But since you have chosen to come here, I believe you are qualified to listen to everything."
"You—"
Ushi Gozen gazed directly at Ian.
"Do you still remember the reason Minamoto no Raikou sought you out in the first place?"
"To learn the art of slaying demons and restore the Genji clan."
Without hesitation, Ian answered Ushi Gozen's question.
He still remembered the scene of Minamoto no Raikou raising her sword to threaten him.
To be honest…
She was the only one who dared to do so.
Even though it ultimately had no effect, at least in terms of determination, she had achieved it perfectly.
That was why, even to this day, Ian still clearly remembered Minamoto no Raikou's goal—and the fact that she had truly put effort into achieving it.
Now, she had become the pillar of the entire Genji clan.
This made Ian incredibly happy.
"Umu, just as you are in her memories, you still remember everything."
Ushi Gozen's tone shifted.
"But what if I told you—"
"That revival came at a price?"
[You fall silent.]
[In truth, you had already noticed some clues.]
[As Minamoto no Raikou's master, you could feel her swordsmanship gradually changing.]
[The most evident sign was the power of lightning.]
[That level of strength was absolutely not something that could be wielded under normal circumstances.]
"So, Ushi Gozen, what exactly is the price to be paid?" Ian reaffirmed once more.
"I already told you—"
Ushi Gozen's gaze once again returned to its cold, emotionless state.
"It is to become me."
"Whether it is Minamoto no Raikou or me…"
"We are both divine envoys of Gozu Tennou—something that the Genji clan was forced to summon to maintain its prosperity."
"Minamoto no Raikou will become more and more like me, until everything is beyond salvation, ultimately becoming an existence that only knows how to massacre demons."
[You have realized the true purpose of Onigashima.]
[This place was brought into existence so that Ushi Gozen could kill demons.]
[She has been here, slaughtering demons day after day, until the moment you set foot on this land.]
[You understand that this is an endless cycle of torment.]
"But—"
Ian looked at Ushi Gozen standing before him.
"If that's the case, why did you send demons to Heian-kyo?"
Hearing that, Ushi Gozen turned her gaze toward the sea, amidst the rumbling thunder.
"I wanted her to notice the abnormality, to make her pay attention."
"But it seems—my intentions did not achieve the desired effect."
"So afterward, you wrote a letter to Raikou?"
"Yes."
"Thanks to Minamoto no Raikou, I have complete memories of Heian-kyo." Ushi Gozen continued to explain. "So doing these things was not difficult at all."
[You now understand Ushi Gozen's purpose more clearly.]
[You gradually realize that she does not harbor any ill intent toward Minamoto no Raikou, as you once thought.]
[On the contrary, she seems deeply concerned that Minamoto no Raikou will become her.]
"Then—"
"You just want to stop Raikou from becoming you?"
Ian took a deep breath and asked.
"Not entirely."
The demon slayer before him gripped her weapon tightly, turned her back to Ian, and answered.
"I just think… this was never the path we should have walked."
"But—"
Ian looked at her back—it bore some resemblance to Minamoto no Raikou's, yet was not entirely the same.
"If that's the case… why are you able to exist at the same time as Raikou?"
"If she had already become you, then she shouldn't exist."
"And if she hasn't become you, then you shouldn't exist."
"In theory, that is correct."
Ushi Gozen drew her sword and pointed it toward the pitch-black sky above.
Thunder roared, like a raging bull charging madly.
"But there is something on this island that has provided power, allowing me to exist temporarily."
"..."
[You recall the legend of Onigashima that Shuten Douji once told you.]
[It is said that this island holds something capable of granting any wish.]
[If it is truly as powerful as the legend claims, then maintaining the simultaneous existence of both Ushi Gozen and Minamoto no Raikou would not be difficult.]
[But suddenly, you realize a problem.]
[The true goal of Ushi Gozen.]
[She exists here in order to erase her own existence.]
[How can that be achieved?]
[In that instant, you suddenly understand.]
"Your original intention…"
"Was for Raikou to kill you here, wasn't it?"
Ian looked at Ushi Gozen before him and voiced his thoughts.
"In that way, there would no longer be a 'Minamoto no Raikou becoming Ushi Gozen.'"
"You believe that by doing this, all problems will be solved, don't you?"
Ushi Gozen froze—she seemed surprised that Ian was able to see through her intentions.
But very quickly, she regained her composure.
The demon slayer turned around and looked straight at Ian.
"That's right."
"So do you understand now? Do you realize just how foolish it was for you to keep Minamoto no Raikou from coming here?"
"Abe, you've ruined everything."
"But all of this was impossible from the very beginning, wasn't it?"
Ian did not hesitate to refute Ushi Gozen's words.
"That's right."
"You could have let Minamoto no Raikou kill you."
"But—"
"That wouldn't have changed anything, would it?"
"She would still become you, then stand tall upon this island."
"..."
[Your words have struck deep into Ushi Gozen's heart.]
[She looked at you, gradually losing the composure she had just moments ago.]
[You realize that this may be the very thing that has haunted her for all these years since the battle at Ooeyama.]
"Then what exactly should I do?"
Ushi Gozen looked at Ian standing before her.
"This was the only way I could think of."
Perhaps she had already understood everything long ago—but still couldn't help trying every possible method, no matter how foolish it seemed.
Realizing this, Ian fell into deep thought for a moment before replying:
"You don't need to do anything."
"I don't need to do anything?"
"That's right."
Ian looked directly at the face before him, one nearly identical to Minamoto no Raikou's.
"This isn't something you should be worrying about."
"You, the one who has been cursed by the slaughter of demons, have suffered enough."
"So—"
"Leave the rest to me."
"To you?"
"Yes, leave it to me." Ian nodded firmly. "I will find a way to ensure that she does not become you."
"I swear to you in the name of the Onmyoji."
"..."
The thunder in the sky gradually quieted.
The dark clouds filled with lightning slowly began to dissipate.
A gentle white light shone down upon Ushi Gozen's figure.
Her face was expressionless.
But then, the corners of her mouth slowly lifted.
Finally, a faint smile appeared.
"I see."
"In that case, I can only place my trust in you."
"Then—"
"Take this with you."
As soon as she finished speaking, a brilliant golden light appeared before Ian.
A golden chalice emerged in front of him—clearly, this was the very thing that had sustained everything, just as Ushi Gozen had said.
"Ushi Gozen, this is…"
"It's fine, just take it—this way, the demon island will completely disappear."
"It's just… I hope you will keep your word. Don't let her become me."
"Then—"
Ushi Gozen looked at Ian, and for the first time, there was an emotion in her eyes that had never been there before.
"Fare… no, never meet again."
"I never want to see you again."
["Drained Mana Holy Grail" acquired: You have taken the Holy Grail that sustained Onigashima and Ushi Gozen.]
[It feels somewhat familiar to you.]
[But at this moment, you have no time to think about its meaning.]
[Because you can sense that Onigashima is about to collapse.]
[For Raikou.]
[For yourself.]
[For Ushi Gozen's wish.]
[You must leave this place immediately.]