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Volume 11 - Yamata no Orochi: Chapter 55 – Desperate Situation

As she explored deeper, the mist transformed into a crimson blood mist, indicating she had entered the body of Yamata no Orochi. This ancient scar, still unhealed, led Shimizu to wonder about the formidable entity capable of inflicting such damage. Further down, she spotted a partially exposed stellar soul, one of the eight central to Yamata no Orochi’s vitality. Without hesitation, Shimizu struck the stellar soul with her blade, causing the creature to emit a deafening shriek and thrash wildly. The attack not only destroyed one stellar soul but also injured two others, inciting a frenzied response from Yamata no Orochi.

The ensuing chaos forced everyone to keep their distance. In the turmoil, Ayaka found herself in danger as two heads targeted her. Unexpectedly, one head bit another, causing black blood to spurt out in a display of confusion that surpassed even Kimiko’s previous attack. A misdirected tail strike intended for Michizane ended up hitting the serpent itself. The once-coordinated attacks of Yamata no Orochi had descended into disarray, with half of its efforts inadvertently harming itself.

“What?!” Yoritomo watched in disbelief as the serpent attacked itself. Shimizu, unaware of the full impact of her strike, had significantly disrupted Yamata no Orochi’s internal coordination. The creature, with eight origin souls granting it as many consciousnesses, relied on the synergy between each origin soul and its seven stellar souls for coordination. Shimizu’s attack not only destroyed one stellar soul but also injured two others, throwing the beast’s collective actions into chaos.

Lily was taken aback to discover that Yamata no Orochi’s renowned regenerative abilities were impaired. Previously, decapitated heads would fully regenerate without fail, but this time, after she severed three heads, only two managed to regenerate—the third did not. This revelation hinted at a weakness: the serpent’s regeneration depended on the seamless cooperation between its stellar souls, a synergy now evidently disrupted.

An observer, unable to contain their astonishment, exclaimed, “Look! Yamata no Orochi is descending into chaos! It’s attacking itself!” This moment of self-inflicted chaos marked a pivotal turning point, offering a glimmer of hope to the battle-weary fighters.

Another quickly observed, “That head seems to be unable to regenerate!” highlighting a crucial breach in the serpent’s once impenetrable defenses and igniting a spark of optimism among the group.

Despite their injuries and exhaustion, this newfound hope invigorated the group. With renewed energy, they rallied with a unified cry of “Kill!” and launched into another vigorous assault, determined to exploit the serpent’s moment of weakness.

Yamata no Orochi, despite its descent into chaos and the discord among its heads, retained formidable strength. The group recognized the necessity of continuing to deplete their stellar souls to inflict damage on the colossal serpent.

In a pivotal moment, a huge snake head launched a stream of poison towards Lily. With quick thinking and agility, Lily maneuvered behind another head, causing the poison to backfire and strike Yamata no Orochi itself. Seizing the moment, Lily delivered a precise strike that effectively severed the poisoned head, marking it with a swift cut that rendered it useless and unable to regenerate, significantly diminishing the serpent’s combat effectiveness.

The collective effort of the group to inflict severe injuries on Yamata no Orochi led to wounds that ominously refused to heal. “We can win!” Lily thought, her heart buoyed by the prospect of victory.

Encased in hazy moonlight, Lily moved with extraordinary grace, evading the serpent’s attempts to ensnare her. An attempt by a large tail to wrap around her ended in failure as Lily cleverly maneuvered, causing an unintended collision between two tails.

Understanding that Yamata no Orochi’s origin souls were housed solely in its heads, the group knew that severing all eight would spell the end for the serpent. Energized by this strategy, Lily’s movements through the air shimmered brilliantly as she targeted the remaining heads.

“Scythe!” she called, unleashing a powerful beam from her blade that sliced through another of Yamata no Orochi’s heads. The loss of three heads drove the serpent to desperation, prompting it to attempt an escape.

“We can’t let it escape into the sea!” the group declared, determined to prevent the serpent from fleeing. The remaining five heads, now in a state of disarray and unable to form a unified strategy, left Yamata no Orochi vulnerable and confused.

In a daring maneuver, Lily leaped into action, enticing one head to mistakenly attack another part of its body. Landing on the serpent’s body, she ascended one of its necks and decisively brought her blade down, severing a fourth head.

With only four heads remaining and the sky clearing of four calamitous clouds, the group intensified their assault, managing to sever a fifth head.

Now reduced to just three heads, Yamata no Orochi’s ability to coordinate improved, yet its diminished number made it less formidable. The group divided their focus: some targeted one head, while Lily and her shikigami and puppets took on the others.

With a decisive motion, Lily severed a sixth head. The remaining heads and tails flailed in a frenzy, a testament to the creature’s desperate last stand.

During a particularly intense moment, Masakado was struck down, sustaining serious injuries in the process.

The seventh head, weakened from regeneration, fell victim to a concentrated assault by Ayaka, Kimiko, and Shizuka Gozen. Their relentless strikes finally severed it, bringing the group tantalizingly close to victory.

“Lily! The last head!” Ayaka’s call focused all attention on the final target. Yamata no Orochi, now reduced to a single head, flailed its seven necks wildly, sending arcs of black blood into the air, a ghastly spectacle that, while harmless, painted a vivid picture of the serpent’s death throes.

Lily, tapping into her deepest reserves of strength, moved with unparalleled speed. She danced through the air, deftly avoiding the desperate attacks of Yamata no Orochi’s last head, and positioned herself strategically atop it. The hazy moonlight, a symbol of her power, coalesced around her blade, Oborozuki Muramasa, ready for the decisive strike.

In a decisive moment, filled with the tension of impending victory, Lily brought her blade down in a sweeping motion aimed to end the serpent’s reign of terror. Everyone’s anticipation of victory hung in the balance as they watched.

However, the expected culmination of their efforts was abruptly interrupted. Oborozuki Muramasa met an unexpected resistance: a dark golden bulge on the serpent’s head, proving to be an impenetrable barrier against her strike. The collision sent a jarring shock through Lily’s hands, causing her intense pain and leaving only a superficial mark on the bulge.

“What!?” Caught off guard by the serpent’s sudden counterattack, a tail shimmered with a dark gold luster, striking swiftly towards Lily. Despite the pain coursing through her hands, she managed to free her blade with a precise motion, yet found herself unable to evade the incoming assault. Bracing herself, she raised her blade in defense.

The impact sent Lily flying, a stark testament to the serpent’s enhanced power. Blood trailed from her mouth as she was hurled through the air, the force of the blow far surpassing any she had encountered before. This last head, now in sole control of the serpent’s full might, was a formidable adversary.

Yamata no Orochi underwent a terrifying transformation. Its body glowed with a dark golden sheen as its wounds healed instantaneously, and its scales took on a sharp, menacing glow. The emergence of eight sharp horns from the dark bump on its head signaled a new phase of the battle, with the serpent’s power magnified several-fold.

The serpent’s final head moved with lethal speed, launching an attack at Shimizu with a vengeance that suggested it had not forgotten her previous affront. Shimizu’s response was immediate but desperate, as she deployed black ribbons in defense against the swift assault.

Lily, harnessing the power of her hazy moon soul world, unleashed a myriad of star ribbons, attempting to restrain Yamata no Orochi’s final head. Despite her efforts, the ribbons proved insufficient to contain the beast’s ferocity.

In a brutal display of the serpent’s might, Lily was overwhelmed, the force of the encounter causing her to expel blood forcefully. She found herself hurled against the mountain wall, her body wracked with pain as if it were on the verge of shattering.

Though her actions momentarily impeded the serpent, the massive head, undeterred, charged through the spectral defenses and sent Shimizu reeling with a vicious strike from its horn.

The serpent, recognizing Lily’s dire state, redirected its wrath towards her, identifying her as the principal threat amidst its adversaries.

In a united front, Ayaka, Kimiko, Shizuka Gozen, and Tokiwa conjured a golden web in a desperate bid to shield Lily from further harm.

The web, however, stood no chance against the serpent’s onslaught, disintegrating instantly under its power. The fierce blow sent the four defenders sprawling, blood marking their sacrifice.

“Damned monster, you shall not lay another claw on her!” Michizane roared with defiance, his voice echoing with resolve. Beside him, Mita echoed the sentiment, their spirits united in protection. Together, they channeled every ounce of their power into their blades, which crackled and blazed with the raw energies of lightning and flame. With a cry that blended their fury and determination, they slashed downwards, aiming to halt the serpent’s relentless advance with a spectacular display of their combined might.

Despite their formidable display, their attack scarcely slowed the serpent’s charge. The impact sent them staggering back, nursing injuries, a clear indication of the immense power the beast directed at Lily.

Amidst the ruins, Lily stood, a figure of resilience though visibly shaken. With her injuries yet to heal, she relied on her blade for support, the world around her spinning in a dizzying haze of pain and determination. Sensing the imminent danger, she steeled herself for defense, though doubt clouded her heart about withstanding the impending strike.

It was then that Uesugi Rei, marked by her distinctive silver hair, made a bold entrance, leaping from her black steed into the fray. With a defiant stance, she positioned herself between Lily and the looming threat, her ancient blade drawn and ready.

Lily’s surprise was unmistakable as she exclaimed, “Sister Uesugi!??” The realization that Uesugi Rei, lacking the power of a Big Dipper expert, was facing such peril on her behalf was shocking.

Lily’s despair resonated in her cry, “No——!!!” as the scene unfolded before her.