Help! I changed the gender of the male protagonist in the yandere game.

Chapter 256 Rushing to the battlefield
Early morning hours.

Nearly a quarter of an hour had passed since dawn. The eastern sky should have been turning a pale white, and the earth should have been bathed in sunlight.

However, at this time, the sky over Dewa Province was as dark as if it were shrouded by huge black clouds.

Not only that, but it also started to "snow" from the sky.

Black "snow".

This is "black dust" containing destructive power.

Starting three days ago, black powder began to fall from the sky intermittently.

Short-term contact with this black dust is acceptable, but prolonged exposure will cause the material to break down, making it an extremely dangerous substance.

At the same time, after receiving the report, the Shinsakura headquarters immediately dispatched personnel to investigate.

"This must be the power wielded by the evil god Kotancoro Kamui."

Fumi Miyako, the deputy head of the Shin-Ou headquarters, sighed and reached out to catch the falling ashes.

The "black dust," as fine as freshly fallen snowflakes, is actually just extremely small black particles.

"Is this what black dust is?"

She didn't touch it with bare hands, but rather a "pure and divine energy" flowed through her palms.

This is a faint divine power from the "Guardian God" that is allocated to all members of the Shinsakura headquarters. Even a shrine maiden like Fumi Daimiya can cast a barrier spell containing divine energy.

In fact, Fumi was able to move freely in the place where the black dust had landed, relying on her spiritual power and divine energy for defense.

“Simply analyzing with the ‘pure eye’, one cannot sense any strange power at all. However, the fact that these black dust particles can gather together and cause the formation and destruction of matter is a very dangerous power.”

Fumi Shinomiya possesses a special power known as the "Pure Eye," a high-level spiritual vision that allows her to see through illusions and discern the properties of matter through her cognitive abilities.

In continental Europe, this "clean eye" is also known as a high-level skill such as the "eye of appraisal".

Of course, in the game "Oborozuki no Akechi", it is similar to a technology for appraising various items and props.

She only needed to observe the black dust briefly to roughly determine its secrets.

This is the energy released when some alien object is summoned, and the energy crystal formed after combining with dust particles in the real world.

There are still some incomprehensible factors in the details, but the destructive power of the black dust should not be underestimated—these things are themselves very tiny particles, like grains of sand, and even if they fall, the damage they cause to the surrounding area is limited. It's just that there are too many of them.

A large number of ants can kill an elephant.

The destructive power of the black dust lies in its endless quantity, and Fumi Shinomiya's gaze also turned to the distance.

"It's amazing."

The road ahead was covered with a thin layer of black ash.

The area affected by the black dust was a military outpost outside the City of Mist.

This was a sentry post set up to scout ahead of the demon army as they marched, stationed in a village. However, the area has now been swallowed up by the falling black ash.

She had already inspected the surrounding area. Any material that came into contact with the black dust would gradually collapse and eventually turn into powdery sand. Buildings, vegetation, water, and animals were all affected without exception.

'Other things are manageable, but the damage to the land is a real problem, especially if it pollutes nearby water sources; even groundwater might get mixed with the black dust… Sigh, that's what I'm most worried about.'

"It's not entirely unsolvable... Fumi."

A man's voice came from the side.

Upon hearing the voice, Fumi turned her head and looked at a figure holding an umbrella—a tall man, a samurai with his hair all combed back and wearing Nanban-style armor.

He was neither an exorcist nor a powerful spiritualist, yet he was able to generate the power to fight against the black dust by relying on the umbrella in his hand and the precious armor he wore.

"With the power of the guardian deity, the polluted substances should be purified, and the water and land should be restored, right?"

"Yes."

Fumi nodded.

She still looked worried.

"The key issue is that doing this would require Lord Mahora to expend too much divine energy. The effects on Kasumi Castle in this regard were essentially forcibly eliminated using its power, but..."

Fumi whispered, "However, brother, this could very well be the enemy's strategy."

She called this man "Big Brother".

The other party was indeed her blood-related brother.

The man's surname is Tendo, and his given name is Kazukatsu. He is the head of the Tendo family, one of the "Eight Great Protectors".

“楯” usually refers to a shield made of wood, but it can also mean a small-scale fortress.

The Eight Shields are eight strong shields used to protect the safety of Dewa Province, derived from the idea of ​​"using people as a city and people as a shield".

They are descendants of samurai families. Before becoming the acting chief priest of the Shin-oka headquarters, Fumi was the daughter of the Tendo family.

The eight clans of the Mogami Eight Tripods—namely, the Tendo clan, the Tsunaoka clan, the Iida clan, the Obanazawa clan, the Nagashizu clan, the Nariki clan, the Enzawa clan, and the Rokuta clan—have been loyal to Kasumi Castle throughout history, devoutly worshipping its guardian deity.

Upon receiving Kasumi Castle's request, the Yata no Samurai, led by Tendo Kazukatsu of the Tendo family, dispatched their private soldiers to join the defense against the evil god Kotankoro Kamui.

"Yeah."

Tendo and Kakino's hair fluttered in the gentle breeze that caressed their cheeks as they rested their hands on their chins, revealing thoughtful expressions.

"Is this an offensive tactic employed to continuously wear down the guardian god?"

"Previously, some people also reported that they had personally witnessed the figure of the pure white woman who was the incarnation of the evil god."

Fumi sighed.

"The imperial court has yet to issue any orders for support... and we've heard that the Okiri Shitan has launched a rebellion in Kyushu. These are truly turbulent times!"

"It's difficult for us to interfere with the situation in Kyoto... but anyway..."

Tendo and Katsuki's attitude remains unchanged.

"Our mission will not change, which is to hold the line, protect Kasumi Castle and Lord Mahora. This is the decision of our ancestors, and we, the Tendo family, will not change our original intention. As for the other seven families of the Eight Tribes, I believe they will make the same judgment."

"Right."

Fumi had no doubt about this.

"but……"

Suddenly, a sound like a bell rang out in mid-air.

Fumi was stunned for a moment, and then she noticed a white fox, about the size of a palm, with a long tail, on her brother Tendo Kazukatsu's shoulder.

"Kanko?"

She then realized that this was a shikigami used for communication, the Kanko.

"Tendou-sama, and Fumi-sama."

The tube fox made a human-like sound.

However, these little demons cannot speak; instead, people convey information through shikigami (spirits).

"The Donggen Castle residence, a branch of the Tiantong family, has been attacked by a powerful demon sent by the Demon Wing Army. Please send reinforcements immediately, or things will change!"

Fumi and Tendo Kazumasa's expressions changed upon hearing this.

"When did the Demon Wing Legion go there?"

"That's the right flank of the Kasumi City defense line. It would be bad if it were breached..."

They both knew the situation was bad, but neither of them expected things to change so quickly.

"Fumi, I need to go back immediately."

Just as Tendo and Katsu were about to speak, he noticed his sister's expression changing repeatedly.

"...Was that a telepathic message? Did you receive some news again?"

"Yes."

Fumi nodded slowly.

"The left flank of the Hanhe River Castle was almost breached. One of the great generals of the demon army, 'Kurohmaru,' personally took action, and the defensive forces were utterly ravaged by the demons..."

"This is bad, it's very likely that the demon wing army is about to launch a general offensive."

Tendou Kazukatsu frowned, knowing that this was a dangerous situation about to unfold.

……

Black dust fell like snowflakes.

The ground had long since been bathed in the light of dawn, but the sky remained pitch black.

While it wasn't pitch black, the area not far ahead was shrouded in darkness, making it difficult to see even with focused attention. Elders who had witnessed eclipses claimed it was the result of the sun being obscured; however, the exorcists serving as the city's defenses knew perfectly well that this was a threat posed by the malevolent god Kotankoro Kamui.

Fortunately, deep within the courtyard of the City Hall, a phantom green tree rises up, forming a dome-like barrier that generates a purifying power. Any black dust that gets close to the barrier will disappear without a trace.

"The black dust is a real problem; it makes even going out to conduct reconnaissance difficult."

"Fortunately, we have the avatar of the guardian deity of the shrine, which we obtained from the main shrine of Shinsakura."

Several exorcists who were half-demons discussed in hushed tones.

The Mogami Eight Tribes are all from samurai families. Their ancestors were of extraordinary origin, said to be demigods, perhaps descendants of a deity who was born into the world.

The Yatate family has no interest in the techniques studied by spiritualists and exorcists, and despises methods that rely on external forces, denouncing them as sorcery or heresy. Although a few descendants with spiritual abilities occasionally emerge from the family, they do not specifically cultivate this bloodline.

Strictly speaking, they don't hate exorcists, but rather despise the use of spiritual arts and supernatural abilities, believing that excessive manipulation of such methods is a degenerate act of the descendants of samurai families.

However, the descendants of the Eight Tribes undergo brutal training in martial arts, swordsmanship, and archery from a young age. They also create a breathing method to strengthen their bodies, based on Qigong from the Ming Dynasty and yoga from India.

This resulted in the Yata no Samurai clan possessing superhuman physical abilities. It seems that their ancestral bloodline, which is half-human and half-god, gradually enhanced their physical functions, enabling them to unleash combat power beyond the norm.

It can be said that the Yata Samurai are different from the Jujo clan of the western country. They have adopted a different development direction, focusing on developing physical combat power.

However, the Eight Tribes also employ spiritualists and folk exorcists to help them with certain matters.

As mentioned before, Dewa Kingdom does not discriminate against half-demon races. There are many half-demon in the country, most of whom are employed by the Yata Samurai family as exorcists.

With war raging these days, everyone is thankful that the Hanhejiang City Hall has remained stable.

The clone bestowed upon Mahoro by the great god was merely a branch plucked from the sacred cherry tree. Simply inserting it into the courtyard created a spiritual cherry blossom clone of this deity.

The branches created a green phantom of a cherry blossom tree, preventing the black dust from affecting the city. Everyone thought this situation could be maintained, but it was just an illusion.

boom!
An explosion suddenly occurred.

The stationed soldiers and exorcists quickly discovered the enemy attack.

The street was engulfed in flames in an instant.

"what happened?"

A half-demon exorcist rushed out of the house, only to find himself surrounded by bursts of flame and pillars of smoke.

The familiar streets were engulfed in flames.

……

The sudden attack came from a great demon.

It was a monster covered in red scales, with four short limbs, a pair of blood-red wings, and a head like a bull.

This is a great demon in the demon army named Hunting King Maru. Tentacles have grown from its face, which is topped with a pair of bull horns, and sharp, forward-protruding fangs grow side by side on its lower jaw.

Hunting King Maru received direct orders from the evil god and launched a surprise attack on the place. It destroyed about half of the high wall outside the castle and its huge body marched inward, greedily devouring the humans on the other side.

At the same time, the elusive half-human, half-owl demonic birds suddenly appeared like an ambush, launching indiscriminate attacks on the ground.

Their attack methods include spitting fireballs and shooting out iron feathers like arrows from their outstretched wings.

Many of the soldiers stationed in the watchtower and the city gates were ambushed, their bodies pierced by arrows, or burned to a crisp by demonic fire.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

The alarm bells have been rung.

Because of the darkness, those who remained behind used lamps to illuminate the way and to make out the situation, but the miserable scene was fully revealed to them.

Throughout the city, the sounds of gongs and drums signaling an emergency rang out, waking people from their deep sleep.

People from all over the city had come to seek refuge. They were put into temporary shelters in the city hall. As they rubbed their sleepy eyes, they hurriedly left their hiding places. But in that instant, they discovered a huge monster they had never seen before near the broken high wall, illuminated by the firelight of bear fat powder.

Instantly, shock and chaos spread at an alarming speed, and the numerous cries of agony echoing in the darkness added to the terror.

Many people let out incoherent screams, running around like headless flies. They pushed and shoved each other, some were knocked away, others were trampled on as they fell, all trying to get away from the monster and fleeing in all directions.

"Damn it! I should have evacuated all these people to the rear."

A female pharmacist from the Shin'o Honsha Town Curse Institute, also dressed as a shrine maiden, was running against the flow of the crowd.

There were so many people rushing in this direction that it felt like if there was even the slightest mistake, we would be swallowed up by this raging tide. Right now, it was incredibly difficult to move.

'Kyoko. '

The words were read aloud, conveying the voice of the superior of the Spell Control Academy.

"Kari-O-Maru has appeared and breached the first line of defense. Where are you?"

'I'm heading towards the main camp, but there are too many people outside. Let's talk later.'

The female pharmacist noticed a woman on a street corner who had been knocked to the side by the crowd and was almost trampled. She rushed over and hugged the woman.

She led the convulsing woman to safety while simultaneously treating her with healing magic.

Internal organs may be damaged and further treatment is required.

The female pharmacist was about to lead the woman into the main camp's shelter when she looked up and was stunned by what she saw.

Countless people died or were injured in the streets, while the demonic birds of the vast, winged army continued their attacks from the air.

The half-human, half-owl demon bird also noticed the female pharmacist, and its demonic energy surged forth, spraying intense demonic flames towards her.

Boom boom boom!
The demonic flames spread out, transforming into several fireballs that fell down.

The helpless female pharmacist could only look up in despair at the approaching flames.

call out!
A flash of light appeared, and before the demonic fire could even get close, it was sliced ​​apart and exploded into countless sparks.

"That's outrageous!"

A girl's voice, filled with indignation, rang out.

"There was nothing we could do about it; who would have thought such a disturbance would occur before dawn?"

The response came from a deep male voice.

Kyoko opened her eyes wide and found two figures in front of her.

One of them was male, of average height and build, with the physique honed through years of training as a warrior.

His attire resembled that of someone who frequently went to the battlefield; he wore a gray inner garment and a dark red overcoat, which was then tied with a black leather belt.

The shoulders were sewn with black leather armor matching the gauntlets, and the area below the knees was covered with foot armor that looked like it was made of steel.

This was the distinctive attire of a ninja from a prestigious exorcist family, but the man also exuded competence, clearly not an ordinary person.

This face... seems somewhat familiar.

Kyoko looked at the man in surprise. She had a slight problem with his face, but couldn't quite place it for the moment.

"It was a perfectly good place, but before everyone could even take refuge, they were attacked."

The girl who spoke was not tall, but she possessed natural beauty. Her long, casually flowing black hair framed a fair and endearing face. She was beautiful, elegant, and delicate.

Her clothes were made of light green and red fabric, a material that most people couldn't afford. This outfit was either extravagant or expensive, suggesting she wasn't from an ordinary background, but rather a noblewoman of high status. However, she held two sheathed samurai swords of different lengths in each hand.

"The enemy attacked precisely because they discovered the weak points in the defense."

The man explained calmly.

"We can't just leave it unattended."

With a pained look, Yuejialuo looked at the chaotic street and said calmly, "In that case, let me defeat this King Hunting Maru."

boom!
Amidst the roars of the great demon King, a deafening howl echoed across the land, and the demon-winged army intensified its attacks. At the same time, the mournful cries emanating from the surrounding area grew significantly stronger, and the situation became increasingly chaotic.

"You're right."

Baijie nodded.

"Ye Ming, let's deal with those things up there first."

"learn."

The black-haired girl placed her hand on the precious sword tucked at her left waist and slowly drew it from its sheath—the iron blade, shimmering with a bluish-green light, was sparkling in the reflection of the flames.

"One blade, a hundred kills!"

Her beautiful eyes were adorned with heraldic patterns, and in a flash, she swung a sword with one hand.

Buzz…!
With a mere sweep of her sword, the strike reached a great distance, seemingly a single blow, yet in an instant connecting with hundreds of half-human, half-owl monsters.

*Plop! Plop!*
A large amount of blood gushed from the sky and fell like a blood rain, killing all the hundreds of attacking demons. This was the level that the "Eye of Heavenly Awakening" could reach with Yue Jialuo Yeming's current sword skills.

(End of this chapter)