Miracle Summoner

"Whoosh!"

Almost the moment Rozen's thought settled, a combat aircraft with wings spanning nearly two meters soared past high in the sky.

It was none other than Garuda.

Garuda successfully caught up with Rozen and once again scattered shikifu.

The scattered shikifu transformed midair into shikigami, causing the specially modified Nioh and Yasha to descend once more.

However, this time, Nioh and Yasha had azure-blue seagulls fluttering around them, from which steel cables extended, suspending multiple Nioh and Yashas in the air.

"Those are Flying Gulls!"

Kyoko immediately recognized the identity of those azure-blue seagulls.

They were none other than the transportation-type shikigami—WT2 Flying Gull.

Shigeoka Shunsuke had actually used Flying Gulls as a means of flight, enabling his shikigami horde to take to the air.

Moreover, the weapons held by Nioh and Yasha had also changed. Instead of clubs and shields, they now wielded bows, whips, and meteor hammers—weapons capable of long-range attacks.

In the next second, the Nioh and Yasha raised their weapons, ready to attack Rozen.

However, their movements suddenly froze, and fissures began to appear on their bodies.

"What's going on?"

Kyoko was stunned.

Rozen, on the other hand, smiled.

"As expected, the rumors were true—Shigeoka Shunsuke has relatively weak resistance to spiritual interference."

Since that was the case, the curse-laden barrier that Rozen had deployed was effective against Shigeoka Shunsuke.

If it had been any other member of the Twelve Divine Generals, they would have been completely unaffected by the curse's erosion. Shigeoka Shunsuke was the sole exception.

It was precisely because Rozen had considered this that he chose to use this barrier.

"Although you're probably just being used as a pawn by Kurahashi Genji, let this be a lesson to you—go back and recuperate for a while."

With that, Rozen snapped his fingers.

All the Nioh and Yashas, which had begun exhibiting fissures, immediately reverted to shikifu, drifting down toward the ground.

Since the master of these shikigami was incapacitated, breaking through their artificial structure was not difficult.

However, Shigeoka Shunsuke was not the only member of the Twelve Divine Generals who had pursued him.

"He's here!"

"Catch up to him!"

"Knock him off that dragon!"

"Don't be afraid! Zenjirou already said it—he's being suppressed by the formation's barrier! Even if he can still move, he's nowhere near as fearsome as before!"

Amid these shouts, a group of Utengu clad in barrier-resistant garments suddenly emerged from the buildings behind them.

"Those are... Kogure-san's shikigami...!"

Kyoko once again recognized their origin, her expression changing.

There were four Utengu, all of whom belonged to Kogure Zenjirou.

"Rumble..."

On the ground below, a blade-wielding young man was riding a motorcycle at high speed, closely pursuing Hokuto. His gaze was exceptionally sharp.

Aside from Kogure Zenjirou, who else could it be?

"————————"

The moment he appeared, Kogure Zenjirou wasted no time chanting the subjugation mantra of Bishamonten, invoking the blessing of the War God upon himself.

Then, he drew his divine blade and stood atop his speeding motorcycle.

"————————"

He poured all his jutsuryoku into the divine blade, causing it to emit an increasingly terrifying spiritual aura.

"Caw!" "Caw!"

At the same time, the four Utengu swiftly encircled Hokuto, emitting intense cries that interfered with the flow of jutsuryoku.

As a result, Hokuto's dragon aura was slightly disrupted, making its movements less fluid than before.

"Roooar!"

Hokuto let out an unhappy growl.

But the Utengu paid no heed, relentlessly unleashing their jutsuryoku-disrupting cries.

Meanwhile, Kogure Zenjirou's jutsuryoku surged, and the divine blade's radiance became increasingly intimidating.

"W-What should we do, Rozen!?"

Kyoko started to panic.

Rozen simply shrugged helplessly.

"What else? We fight back."

Even for Rozen, facing a Twelve Divine Generals who was going all out—without counterattacking would be a stretch.

Even though Kinu was providing protection, if Kogure Zenjirou's strike landed, it wouldn't matter whether Rozen or Hokuto could endure it—Kyoko would definitely not come out unscathed.

Thus, Rozen turned toward Kogure Zenjirou.

At the same time, Kogure Zenjirou's gaze locked onto Rozen.

The two stared at each other across the distance—one with a calm expression, the other with razor-sharp intensity.

Then, Rozen flipped his hand, and in a surge of flames, he gripped a sword.

The Holy Sword of the Sun—Galatine.

Rozen had summoned this sacred blade.

"That sword...!"

Kogure Zenjirou's pupils shrank instantly.

It was inevitable—the surging, sun-like spiritual energy emanating from Galatine was simply too overwhelming, leaving no room for surprise.

"Boom!"

Rozen raised the Holy Sword, igniting its blade in flames.

Seeing this, Kogure Zenjirou immediately understood Rozen's intentions.

"You want to cross blades with me...!?"

"Come, Omnipotent Sword."

Rozen grinned.

Both of their spiritual aura flared.

"Haaaaah!"

In the next instant, Rozen and Kogure Zenjirou simultaneously unleashed their slashes.

Rozen's slash was a flaming strike infused with the Sun's blazing energy.

Kogure Zenjirou's slash was a jutsuryoku-infused strike empowered by the War God's blessing.

One red, one blue—like two crescent moons, one descending from the heavens, the other rising skyward, colliding violently.

"BOOOOM—!"

A deafening explosion resounded.

The shockwaves of jutsuryoku and scorching heat waves spread through the sky.

"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!"

Nearby buildings trembled, their windows shattering one after another.

"Dammit!"

Kogure Zenjirou and his motorcycle were engulfed by the shockwave and flames, drastically reducing their speed, leaving him nowhere in sight.

In contrast, Rozen remained firmly standing atop Hokuto's head.

And Hokuto, having cleared the shockwave and flames, continued flying forward without looking back.

The outcome was clear.

But…

"————————"

Amid a mantra brimming with madness, a flaming serpent suddenly erupted from the ground, lunging toward Rozen.

Rozen immediately grabbed the unprepared Kyoko and leapt off Hokuto's head, narrowly evading the flaming serpent as they landed midair.

His black, ornate coat billowed, allowing Rozen to glide and land gently.

Only then did Rozen look forward.

There…

"I've been dreaming of this moment."

A young man approached leisurely, his voice filled with excitement.

Silver short hair.

Cross-shaped tattoo.

Silver-rimmed sunglasses.

Fur-collared jacket.

"Ogre Eater..."

Kyoko muttered, her voice dry.

The newcomer was none other than Kagami Reiji.

"Yo, long time no see, you little brat."

Kagami Reiji grinned wildly.

Rozen immediately smiled as well, his gaze no longer as indifferent as before.

"Long time no see, you damn thug."

Rozen spoke with a smirk.

At last, someone had appeared whom he actually felt like punching.