Chapter 13: Yura of the Demonic Hair Decides to Gamble Once More

"Hmm?"

Using her hair to manipulate the villagers of Kaede's Village, Yura of the Demon Hair directed these puppet-like people to launch an assault on the Hojo army camp, which was protected by a trench of fire.

Seeing the Hojo army abandon their well-fortified positions and rush out into the night, intent on engaging her in hand-to-hand combat, Yura was first startled, then delighted.

"Truly a foolish human."

At first, she hadn't expected things to progress so smoothly. Given her knowledge of the virtues of human nobility, she had already prepared herself for the prospect of exhausting the villagers of Kaede's Village entirely by tonight.

"Hahaha!"

Yura’s charming eyes curved into crescents as she laughed. Standing atop her suspended strands of hair, a predatory hunger glinted in her gaze. With a wave of her delicate hand—a hand that would make anyone yearn for it—she drove the villagers in a chaotic surge toward the Hojo forces.

"Kill them, kill them! They are nothing but mere humans, after all!"

Meanwhile, among the Hojo troops charging out from the camp, Akechi Mitsuhide watched as the villagers rushed toward them, oblivious to their plight. He was at a loss as to how to save them. Should he cut them down with his blade? Would that not be the same as murdering them outright? Yet, if he did not fight, what could the Hojo soldiers do other than be slaughtered by the villagers in vain?

"My Lord?"

Not being a priest or a monk, Akechi Mitsuhide had to pin his hopes on his master beside him, praying for a better solution.

"Lord Hojo Akitoki! I see it! I see that demon manipulating the villagers with her hair!" Kagome, who had been inseparable from Hojo Akitoki, spoke up quickly before he could even issue an order. Borrowing the spiritual power left behind by the late Kikyo, she used her spiritual vision to clearly see the invisible strands of hair coiled around every single person in Kaede's Village.

"Is that so?"

A faint smile played on Hojo Akitoki’s lips. Calmly and unhurriedly, he ordered his vanguard to hold their positions.

"Launch the dye bombs! And release the oil bombs to the left and right flanks of the line!"

Two consecutive commands left Hojo Akitoki's lips. The dye bombs were intended to reveal the hair strands wrapped around the villagers, while the oil bombs were meant to secure the flanks of the Hojo formation, preventing the demon from using the sea of invisible hair to attack from the sides.

"Understood!"

With a unified roar, the Hojo guards executed Hojo Akitoki’s orders immediately. They methodically tossed the dye bombs at the oncoming villagers, leaving not a single strand hidden. Simultaneously, the oil bombs ignited, creating raging walls of fire on both wings of the army.

As expected, with the fires blazing, the invisible sea of hair unleashed by Yura had nowhere left to hide.

"My Lord!"

Scanning the situation on all three sides, Akechi Mitsuhide and all the warriors felt their confidence soar. Since the demon's tactics had been thoroughly exposed and countered by their lord, what reason was there to fear the mastermind who still dared not show herself?

Battle cries erupted as the guards moved with swift, purposeful strides, their blades aimed precisely at the hair strands binding the villagers.

"Hi-yah!"

With each shout, villagers from Kaede's Village fell like wheat being harvested. After all, the villagers were common folk with average physical condition and virtually no martial arts training. How could they compare to the battle-hardened men of the Hojo army? Even with a demon manipulating them from the shadows, it was not enough.

The Hojo warriors worked in groups of three or four. One or two would pin the manipulated villager to block their blade, while the others would strike with precision, severing the demon's hair with a single stroke. Then, another would quickly hoist the rescued villager up and carry them to safety within the Hojo camp. There were even those daring enough to rescue the villagers single-handedly. In their own ways, the Hojo warriors were carrying out the path of benevolence set forth by their supreme lord, Hojo Akitoki.

Meanwhile, Yura gritted her silver teeth, realizing things were not going as she had planned. It wasn't that she hadn't tried to adapt; she had attempted to use her hair to attack or ensnare the warriors as they rescued the villagers. But every time she acted, Hojo Akitoki thwarted her with timely interventions. No matter how many times she tried, he defeated her at every turn.

"Damn human! Damn Hojo Akitoki!"

Tonight’s operation had been so disastrous; she had fought the Hojo army for so long without gaining a single advantage. If the bewitching comb-demon Yura couldn't understand what was happening, she wouldn't have survived as long as she had in the demon world. Staring at the man calmly commanding his troops from the center of the fray, Yura seethed with hatred, yet she found herself utterly helpless against him.

"So strong... he’s amazing, truly amazing!"

Standing next to Hojo Akitoki, closer than even Akechi Mitsuhide, Kagome’s attention was locked firmly upon him. She watched the man beside her make calm, timely decisions and observed his efforts to save the villagers. She couldn't help but feel her heart stirred.

Comparing the future to the present, the girl from the future was astonished to find that Hojo Akitoki fit the image of an ideal, perfect daimyo so perfectly.

"Ugly woman!"

Inuyasha didn't care about the battle; he only had eyes for Kagome. Seeing her flushed face and racing heart, he couldn't help but feel irritated. Even though he knew Kagome was not Kikyo, he couldn't stop the sour feeling in his chest, as if his silver hair were turning green.

"It's over."

Kaede, who had followed along because she was worried about Kagome, covered her face with one hand. Having been a young girl herself once, she could guess what Kagome was feeling. If the reincarnation of her sister were to end up with the head of the Hojo family, Kaede honestly didn't know how she would face it.

"Mitsuhide, pay attention."

Though he was aware of the shifting emotions of those around him, Hojo Akitoki intentionally ignored the two women and the dog. He spoke to Akechi Mitsuhide, who was guarding his side.

"Gather some of our most skilled warriors to my side. That demon should be losing her patience soon. Next, we will need to carry out a direct assault to throw her off balance as quickly as possible."

"What?"

While Akechi Mitsuhide moved to execute the order with the utmost speed, he was curious about his lord's judgment.

"Look, the battle has gone on this long; the demon on the other side must realize that relying on these innocent villagers won't be enough to defeat us head-on. Given that, she only has two choices left."

Explaining as much for Kagome and the others as for Mitsuhide, Hojo Akitoki stopped smiling and pointed ahead.

"First, the demon retreats, though I don't believe she will choose that path. Second, since the villagers cannot defeat the Hojo warriors, she will likely manipulate them to charge directly into the fire protecting our flanks. By doing so, she can force us to defend both front and rear, tearing through our rock-solid formation. And in that moment of chaos, she will attempt a central breakthrough to strike directly at my headquarters!"

"What!"

Hearing this, Akechi Mitsuhide became hyper-vigilant. He wanted to urge his lord to retreat, but knowing Hojo Akitoki, he knew his suggestion would not be accepted. With no other choice, he tightened his grip on his sword.

"Lord Hojo Akitoki!" Kagome called out, her own anxiety rising.