The enormous gates creaked open, revealing stone steps ascending in sections.
Once the doors had fully parted, Luo Shu and the others wordlessly began climbing the steps, steadily approaching the base of the main castle.
When they were about halfway up, an icy female voice suddenly rang out from above.
"Humans, yokais, mermaids... what an odd assortment."
Hearing this, Luo Shu looked up towards the top of the staircase where the main castle gates stood.
At that moment, a woman in traditional Japanese court attire appeared at the summit.
Her deep purple robes were adorned with pearl-like prayer beads at the collar, her waist-length black hair framing a face accentuated by faintly seductive eye makeup.
The aloof yet alluring woman stood at the stairway's peak, looking down at Luo Shu's group as she declared:
"I am Kaguya."
"Uninvited intruders."
"Whatever reason brought you to trespass in my castle, know that this transgression carries the penalty of death."
"Could we dispense with the formalities?"
At these words, Kaguya's gaze sharpened, focusing intently on Luo Shu's face.
Luo Shu maintained his smile as he said:
"You must realise you don't possess the means to eliminate all of us by yourself, correct?"
Kaguya frowned, visibly displeased by this man's interruption.
Undeterred, Luo Shu simply gave her an amused look:
"A Great Yokai-level Dog Demon, a female sorceress of unfathomable depth who broke your seal, a mermaid of unknown origins, and myself as the token human."
"It's precisely because you're uncertain that you deliberately appeared at the entrance, waiting for us, isn't that right?"
Luo Shu said meaningfully to Kaguya:
"Otherwise you wouldn't have sent this fake body to stand there, would you?"
"Wouldn't it be better to be honest?"
Kaguya did not respond, merely taking a slight breath before coldly staring at Luo Shu and saying:
"How laughable."
"You, who are equally a fabrication, have no right to speak to me in such a tone."
Clearly, Kaguya had realised that Luo Shu and his companions were not their true selves either.
Rather, they were mere puppets formed from an unfathomable indigo mist.
Faced with Kaguya's interrogation, Luo Shu replied as if it were the most natural thing:
"Isn't it perfectly normal for everyone to have a fake identity when out and about?"
"Don't you do the same?"
"Since everyone does it, that's precisely why I'm advocating for us to be more honest!"
"Sophistry."
Kaguya snorted coldly, raising her right hand to form a seal as she said icily:
"Do you truly believe I cannot unravel your tricks?"
"This third-rate sorcery, I could dispel it in a single breath—"
Before she could finish, Kaguya's clear, cold voice rang out.
"Secret Tome Unfolds!"
"—The Emperor's New Clothes!"
A pitch-black light suddenly surged up from the base of the steps, swallowing Kaguya in an instant.
At that very moment.
A loud crack.
The sound of shattering glass echoed.
The Kaguya who had been standing at the main gate shattered like glass.
Meanwhile, atop the eaves of the main gate's archway.
Another Kaguya materialised.
But unlike before, this Kaguya held an ancient treasure mirror.
Within the mirror reflected another Kaguya, whose form had already fractured like glass inside the mirror, breaking into countless pieces that fell to the ground.
Realising her spell had been broken, Kaguya's eyes narrowed as she immediately began chanting an incantation. As the chant spread, the treasure mirror in her hand glowed brightly.
The next instant, a violet light erupted from the mirror, transforming into a massive beam that enveloped Luo Shu and the others on the steps.
An invisible shockwave surged forth, obliterating all their bodies in an instant.
As the shattered remnants of their forms turned into indigo mist mid-air.
At the base of the steps by the city gate.
Luo Shu's figure reappeared:
"After exposing the fake, you immediately counterattack?"
"An eye for an eye—that's at least commendable."
At that moment, Kuesu Jingūji, who had also reappeared, said exasperatedly:
"I didn't dispel the opponent's spell just for you to praise them."
"Well? Did you see their true form?"
"I did."
Luo Shu nodded in response to Kuesu Jingūji.
In truth, Luo Shu had been the first to notice something amiss with Kaguya.
The reason was simple.
When Luo Shu looked at Kaguya, he couldn't bestow misfortune upon her through sight.
That alone had put him on guard.
'So fabricated beings created by abilities can't have misfortune bestowed upon them—is that the flaw?'
Being unable to use the ability on non-living things was a limitation Luo Shu had long known about.
But having never encountered an opponent like Kaguya before, he hadn't realised that Calamity Bestowal had no effect on fabricated bodies created by abilities.
'In other words, if the enemy is controlling something like puppets, Calamity Bestowal would be ineffective, leaving me only with Calamity Absorption to ensure I remain unharmed?'
'Indeed, every ability has its flaws.'
Luo Shu mentally calculated the limitations of his abilities while also considering how to handle such situations.
He concluded that bringing a few strong offensive-type Abyss Artefacts would be the best solution.
For example, the ultimate technique of Tenseiga, Meidō Zangetsuha, or the Kusanagi Sword hidden in the box he had been carrying, concealed by Mist Flame illusions.
Just then, Kuesu Jingūji, holding a magic book, calmly remarked:
"So, your illusions can actually hit the target now?"
Earlier, Luo Shu had informed her that Kaguya wasn't her true form and that his illusions required direct sight of the real body to take effect.
That was why Kuesu Jingūji had cast a spell to dispel Kaguya's false form.
"Though the method was a bit underhanded, my illusions did work. And judging from the current situation, our opponent doesn't seem to have the best temper either."
Luo Shu glanced at Kaguya, whose face was dark with anger, then asked:
"Should we try negotiating?"
Kuesu Jingūji paused briefly before replying:
"Let's give it a try."
Hearing this, Luo Shu nodded and called out towards Kaguya:
"Miss Celestial Maiden above us, though this may be presumptuous, I think we could attempt to talk things over!"
Kaguya couldn't help but laugh at these words—clearly a laugh of anger:
"You barge into my castle, break my spells, and now you want to talk?"
In response, Luo Shu smiled faintly:
"Equal force is the best foundation for negotiation, isn't it?"
Kaguya gave Luo Shu a long, deep look before scoffing:
"Fine, let's talk then. What do you want to discuss?"
Just as Luo Shu was about to speak, a soft, effeminate male voice suddenly interjected:
"If you two don't mind, could I join this negotiation as well?"
At this, both Kaguya and Luo Shu turned towards the source of the voice.
There a delicate-looking man stood, his seaweed-like black hair contrasting with his chilling smile.