Hearing Luo Shu declare the match settled, Tōga felt little reaction, even seeming somewhat bewildered.
In stark contrast, So'unga only now grasped the cunning of their enemy:
"Damn it, damn it, damn it all!!"
So'unga howled in rage, and Setsuna no Takemaru—the samurai he possessed—glared at Luo Shu with bloodshot eyes:
"From the very beginning, your goal was to control the Tree of Ages, to seize the world's passageway!!"
All of Luo Shu's earlier provocations, the skirmishes between their respective forces, even his exchanges and clashes with Tōga—it had all been a ruse, a ploy to deceive So'unga.
So'unga even suspected that Kikyo's initial inability to endure her comrades' injuries, forcing her to act and reveal herself, had also been part of the scheme.
Luo Shu's series of machinations had one ultimate purpose: to lull them into complacency and create the opportunity to seal the Tree of Ages.
To achieve this, Luo Shu first had Kikyo expose herself, then forced her to appear, logically sending Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue to restrain the Tree of Ages—providing two interchangeable positions for the switch.
Meanwhile, Luo Shu deliberately engaged Tōga in combat, drawing everyone's attention.
After briefly exchanging blows with Tōga twice, capturing the focus of most present—including So'unga and the Tree of Ages—he immediately used illusion to swap the places of Kuesu Jingūji, Chisato, and Takina, launching a surprise attack on the Tree of Ages to seal it and seize control of the world's passageway.
With the Tree of Ages under their control and the Bone-Eating Well simultaneously falling into Luo Shu's hands, So'unga's side had completely lost their path to the real world.
Not only that, but the one-way passage previously set up by So'unga and the Tree of Ages would also be abolished, allowing people from the present world to pour into this one continuously.
The situation took a sharp turn for the worse at this point.
Unless So'unga could defeat everyone on Luo Shu's side in one go here and regain control of the Tree of Ages, whether it chose to continue fighting or flee, it wouldn't escape the fate of being hunted down.
"You cunning humans!!"
So'unga cursed angrily once more. How could there be such deceitful, underhanded humans? How could such unreasonable illusions exist?
After putting on the pretence of a one-on-one duel, only to scheme behind the scenes like this?
With matters having come to this, So'unga immediately shouted:
"Tōga, hold them off for me!!"
With that, it turned and fled without the slightest hesitation.
Unclear about Luo Shu's abilities, unable to discern the power of the sword in his hand, and facing this completely unknown situation, So'unga decisively chose to run.
As for future pursuers or the world's impending destruction, it couldn't afford to care about those now.
The lethal sense of danger emanating from Luo Shu's sword—So'unga didn't believe that was an illusion.
"Huh? It's running away just like that?"
Chisato Nishikigi stared in astonishment at So'unga's unhesitating retreat.
On the other side, Takina Inoue, seeing this, didn't bother with Tōga and immediately used Silver to slice through space, darting after it in pursuit.
"Wait, Takina! Don't be so reckless!!"
Chisato was shocked and immediately wanted to chase after to help, but after taking a few steps, she glanced back toward Luo Shu.
At that moment, Luo Shu seemed to understand something and calmly said:
"Go after her, but don't overexert yourself. Just ensure your own safety."
"That rat won't escape!"
"Understood!"
Hearing this, Chisato, inside Black Iron, quickly acknowledged before turning to chase after Takina.
Meanwhile, Tōga, who had been forcibly commanded, looked at Luo Shu with surprise. As he reluctantly raised his blade, he asked curiously:
"Is the Tree of Ages the key to the conflict between you and So'unga?"
"If you want a detailed explanation, that'd be too troublesome. I don't have the habit of lecturing others."
Luo Shu sheathed the Kusanagi Sword into its prepared scabbard while glancing at Kuesu Jingūji. After a silent nod of understanding between them, he turned to Senhime Rin Getsu:
"Will you handle Tōga?"
Senhime didn't object, merely sighing softly:
"Fine. Might as well see this through."
Then, she raised a hand to cover her face, peering through her fingers:
"Watch closely, Tōga. This is the power you've longed for!!"
Tōga's eyes widened in shock:
"Rin Getsu, don't tell me you—?!"
As the two clashed, Senhime's shadow began to twist and distort.
Luo Shu paid little attention to the battle between Tōga and Senhime.
For him, the priority of this fight had always been securing the Tree of Ages—the core that could evolve into Yggdrasil. Everything else was secondary.
Now that the main objective was settled, it was time to deal with the remaining trash.
"Now then... let's see who the lucky one will be..."
Luo Shu's gaze wandered before settling on Shishinki, whom Yukari Oikawa was restraining. As his line of sight shifted, an illusion was instantly bestowed upon him. In the next second, Luo Shu's figure flickered, vanishing from the spot.
A silver sword light flashed. Shishinki's eyes glazed over momentarily before he turned his head in shock, staring at Luo Shu, who had just cleaved him in half. In that moment of stunned disbelief, he succumbed to eternal slumber once more.
Meanwhile, Kuesu Jingūji's form dissolved into wisps of breeze before reappearing before the Menōmaru. She raised her hand and snapped her fingers.
The crisp sound of the snap echoed through the air.
Menōmaru, who had already sensed Luo Shu's approach but couldn't counter it, stood guard in place. Suddenly, his body trembled as intricate curse markings crawled across his entire form.
At this moment, perhaps Luo Shu deemed further action unnecessary, or maybe the threat to his life jolted Menōmaru awake.
For a brief instant, he regained clarity and exclaimed in astonishment:
"These curse markings? A seal?"
He lifted his head, giving Kuesu Jingūji an unexpected glance before turning towards Tōga with a sigh:
"What a pity... I couldn't take my revenge personally... Consider this your lucky escape, Tōga."
As his words faded, the dense array of symbols completely enveloped Menōmaru, eventually forming a black, humanoid figure composed entirely of curse markings.
Red light flickered across the cursed silhouette before it began shrinking gradually, finally transforming into an emerald-green paper figurine. Carried by a gentle breeze, it floated down into Kuesu Jingūji's waiting palm.
Examining the paper figure in her hand, Kuesu Jingūji glanced towards Luo Shu, who had already finished dealing with the Leopard Cat Lord, and couldn't help but remark:
"No matter how many times I witness this illusion technique, I still find it utterly unfair."
Bypassing all resistance to inflict illusions upon opponents directly - this visual deception alone would already provide overwhelming advantage.
Yet Luo Shu, never one to leave things to chance, would typically employ Mist Flame to further materialise tangible illusions, layering additional deception upon touch, hearing and smell.
According to Luo Shu's explanation on their way here, the ultimate direction of this technique's research seemed to be an ultimate illusion that encompassed all five senses, even extending to the sixth sense of intuition, the seventh sense of time perception, and the eighth sense of spatial awareness - Kyōka Suigetsu.
Though Kuesu Jingūji felt something slightly eerie about Luo Shu's smile when he mentioned the name Kyōka Suigetsu, she understood one thing clearly.
With just this illusion technique alone, no one in the present world - except those monsters - could withstand Luo Shu's covert attacks.
This man was a born assassin, and the most dangerous kind at that.
After all, when it came to schemes and trickery, Luo Shu's talent for illusions was simply too advantageous.
This was precisely why, despite So'unga operating from the shadows and even controlling numerous Great Yokai, he had been effortlessly thwarted by Luo Shu and forced to flee in disgrace.
Thinking this, Kuesu Jingūji couldn't help but glance at Luo Shu before remarking:
"If this guy could also perform divination, then truly no one could stop him."
"Fortunately, he can't do divination."
Luo Shu, who had just beheaded Ryūkotsusei with a single slash, stood with his back to Kuesu Jingūji as he flicked blood from his blade.
At this moment, Luo Shu's ears twitched slightly as a slow smile curved his lips.
Indeed, he was someone who couldn't perform divination.
At least, that's how Kuesu Jingūji saw it.
And that... was enough.
After severely wounding the final Leopard Cat Lord, Luo Shu quietly sheathed the Kusanagi Sword and calmly gazed in the direction So'unga had fled:
"By my calculations, they should be running into each other around now."
His expression grew profound as he added:
"Let me see what kind of future the Dragon Eye of the Natsume family can glimpse!"