Chapter 493

Are there traitors?

Of course, this answer is beyond doubt——

Not to mention the two Moon Princesses themselves have always harbored suspicion, tossing and turning sleepless, pondering all sorts of petty schemes day and night.

Even the Supreme God of the Moon Capital——Tsukuyomi, likewise hides ulterior motives, weighing unspeakable calculations.

It was she who personally guided that forbidden Qi mechanism into the mortal world, it was she who actively embraced this power……

However, once the objective was achieved, her thoughts abruptly shifted……

Swore to drive this Qi mechanism, completely out of this world!

Although this shift was very abrupt.

But this is also not strange.

When a god perceives that the foreign power from beyond the heavens she guided in is far more violent, more out of control than imagined, even faintly backlashing against herself……

Any existence would instinctively choose——erase the threat!

Tsukuyomi's choice was merely following the most primal law of survival.

But from a macro perspective, the whole affair resembles a demon summoning ritual orchestrated by a god——

Just like those clichés described in old tropes, ignorant mortals summon an incomprehensible power, yet when the time comes to pay the price they develop regret, vainly attempting to tear up the contract, to seal the evil spirit away once more……

How similar is the current situation?

The only difference lies in——

The summoner is not a mere mortal, but a god who rules a Pure Land……

The summoned, likewise, is no ordinary demon, but a terrifying invasion from a higher dimension……

——————

The rebellion at the Moon's core let the surprise attack plan fall naturally into place.

Eirin Yagokoro's subversion was like a dagger precisely inserted into the heart; the assault force borrowed momentum to reach the final battlefield, also known as the BOSS room.

This was also a tactical strategy formulated early on——

Reisen would lead a hundred thousand troops, with the help of technicians like tengu and kappa, to create chaos in other places on the Moon's surface as much as possible, launch a tactical feint, restrain the attention of the Moon's forces……

And the real assault team must seize this opportunity, attempt to strike straight at the heart!

Capture the ringleader first to capture the bandits!

Decapitation tactics!

And this must rely on Princess Toyohime Watatsuki's ability.

Just like Princess Kaguya's ability is very effective, the other two Moon Princesses also live up to expectations, their abilities can be said to be one more bug than the next.

Younger sister Yorihime wields the power of Divine Spirit Possession, strong enough to be called top-tier combat power, whether facing Great Youkai or gods, she will not fall into a disadvantage……

Even so, if not for the restrictions of concepts and subconscious instinct making her subconsciously not dare to act rashly against her mother, then perhaps directly confronting Tsukuyomi would not be without hope of victory……

As for the elder sister Toyohime……

At first glance, she seems not to have an ability as overtly sharp and peerlessly powerful as her younger sister's.

But from a strategic significance standpoint, she is undoubtedly superior.

Because what Toyohime Watatsuki grasps is the "ability to the degree of connecting sea and mountain".

——Can connect Moon and Earth, Front Moon and Back Moon, and between Moon and Earth, even farther distances, all can be instantly connected.

——Not only can she freely travel between them, she can also make others, make objects leap, teleport.

——In principle it is a manipulable Kamikakushi-natured thing.

Even the destination of Yukari Yakumo's gaps can be replaced, making the Great Youkai of boundaries walk into their trap as if delivering themselves.

From this point, Toyohime's ability is undoubtedly very powerful.

Plus the mass of objects she can teleport seems to have a considerably large range, bringing a large force to teleport in an instant is also possible……

Its strategic significance goes without saying.

If one must forcibly name a flaw, it would only be "cannot go to places one doesn't know".

Teleportation is just a split second's work.

The whole world suddenly collapsed, reorganized.

In a moment where the majority of people feel nothing, it had already ended.

"Is this the place?"

No discomfort, merely discovering the surrounding space environment had been completely replaced, Marisa Kirisame subconsciously narrowed her eyes slightly.

Carrying a few parts curiosity and vigilance, carefully examining the scenery before her eyes and in the surroundings.

Immediately after, this Gensokyo Cannon King was naturally shocked.

Here there is no sky, no land.

Underfoot is boundless still water, every step ripples, yet the water surface does not shatter——as if stepping on solidified time.

Ripples and waves spread layer by layer to the end of vision, yet never touch a boundary.

And looking up——

——That moon, is right there.

It occupies the entire dome, suspended with a sense of oppression that defies physical laws.

This full moon, huge to the point of suffocation, is completely different from the moon in people's memories suspended in the night sky.

Not suspended in the night sky, but pressing on the horizon, huge as if the next second it would crush the whole world.

Moonlight is no longer that kind of gentle, hazy brightness.

But like a torrent with mass, surging down from the sky.

That cold radiance, as if carrying threads of chill, plated everyone's outlines with a layer of near-death cold glow.

"You've come——"

A calm voice drifted over.

It carried a clear chill, as if it did not belong to the mortal world.

Tsukuyomi finally manifested; that deity suspended in the center of that giant moon, long hair cascading like a waterfall, the sleeves of her twelve-layered robe surging soundlessly.

"Moth—Mother……"

The two Moon Princesses raised their heads; their limpid eyes held complex emotions, and they subconsciously bit their lower lips tightly.

Although they believed their master would not deceive them, only at this moment did they truly confirm this matter.

——The Divine Realm of Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto had actually, unknowingly, turned into this heart-shaking state.

——And the deity was not surprised by their arrival either, as if she had been waiting for a long time.

All of this……

Seemed to also indicate that their Mother was preparing for this decisive battle as well?

"Eirin, I made a mistake……"

The barefoot deity did not acknowledge her own daughters, but instead slowly directed that gaze, deep as night, straight toward the white-haired braided girl.

In the long years that seemed to have no end, she was the only one who could be called her own friend and confidant.

"What mistake?"

Eirin Yagokoro's fine brows knitted tightly; while scrutinizing this divine realm that was also incomparably strange in her eyes, she asked cautiously.

"……I sensed it in the Void……"

"……Like the Moon's Aura from another universe……"

The barefoot deity slowly lowered her head, as if murmuring something, her tone gradually deepening.

"……Because that Aura was very faint……"

"……I thought I could control it……"

"……It revealed a brand new Road and Possibilities to me……"

"……"

"……"

"The Moon's Aura from another universe?" Eirin Yagokoro fell slightly silent; complex light seemed to flow in her eyes, as if she had suddenly realized something, yet also as if a wisp of melancholy gently lingered.

She whispered softly: "……No wonder."

Then she gently took a breath; this former Sage's expression turned grave, and she spoke in a deep voice: "Then right now you……"

"Too late——"

As if knowing what her good friend would say, Tsukuyomi abruptly cut off Eirin Yagokoro's words.

"Already too late……"

"I miscalculated, but my feeling was not wrong; that indeed…… is the Moon's Laws from another universe……"

"But……"

"It's too powerful……"

"Powerful enough that even a mere wisp of Aura requires this world's 'Moon' as a Vessel to bear it……"

The barefoot deity murmured, her tone and voice growing ever deeper.

Slowly……

Until finally there was no sound……

As if both perception and breath had fallen into a bottomless abyss, dissipating in this silent Void Point……

"……"

"……"

The atmosphere, like heavy leaden clouds, grew increasingly oppressive, making it hard to breathe.

At this tense moment, a faint, indescribable premonition rose in everyone's heart, as if an unknown Storm was about to arrive.

They subconsciously held their Breath, staring straight at that slender figure in the center of the giant Full Moon.

The deity's posture was tranquil and Sacred, yet exuded a suffocating Oppression——like the moon hanging from the vault of heaven itself, both a light source and a shackle.

Suddenly, that slender figure in the center of the giant Full Moon trembled slightly, as if pulled by some Formless force.

——Then, she fell.

Like a falling Star, plummeting straight down from the center of the giant moon.

The speed was so fast it carried an unstoppable Momentum; long hair danced wildly in the Night Wind, like black silk dancing.

And at the moment this deity landed——

Something "flipped".

……………………

——"Night Food Origin and the Moon's Deity (Aspect???)"

——"Health unknown (???)"

……………………

BOSS Health Bar appeared!

That roughly describes the current situation.

Accompanied by that inexplicably stirring and majestic music resounding like rolling Thunder, it was as if an invisible giant hand gently crushed the space before the Mors People's eyes.

Everyone felt their vision blur, as if placed inside a bizarre Dream.

In the Mors People's Vision, a line of particularly Obvious text, like a Meteor suddenly streaking across the Night Sky, appeared abruptly with a Bizarre glow.

And below the displayed text, that Shocking Red Light gauge, like a sea of burning blood, churned and surged.

The gauge was basically a string of question marks; there was simply no way to tell how much health it actually had.

But that sense of tension spiked in an instant.

"Wah!"

"What is this?!"

"Huh? Where did the health bar and BGM come from...?"

In a split second, there was a distinct air of chaos, like a stirred-up hornet's nest buzzing incessantly, and the scene plunged directly into pandemonium.

Everyone's nerves were like piano strings stretched to their limit; faced with this Mors Sudden situation, they had Not in the Least psychological Preparation. So this tense atmosphere was like a lit fuse, ready to blow at the slightest touch.

Many people, by Conditioned reflex, like enraged beasts, launched attacks at the Health Bar Target that had appeared in their Vision.

But this was instead the most correct choice.

Standing in the distance, Tsukuyomi lowered her head, her Face/Countenance veiled by shadow, but her Aura was already entirely different — no longer the Supreme God of the Moon Capital, but some Existence more ancient, more Stranger.

And when "she" raised her head again, the Moonlight abruptly Distorted.

Fangfu growing from "her" Shadow, its Surface covered in Wriggling patterns, like some Creature's Pupil, yet also like countless overlapping Universe Law.

Like a living thing they Wriggled and converged, finally coalescing behind Tsukuyomi into a massive illusory figure —

Another "Moon".

At this moment, everyone understood —

Tsukuyomi was no longer "Tsukuyomi".

This deity had become a Soul Vessel, become a Bridge, become the "Phase" of some Higher Dimension Existence.

(Chapter End)