It was worse than she thought. Far worse. The skeletons of her medical unit, temple priests from different regions according to their robes and the colors more dominant in those regions, and demons of varying species were all strewn about to build the beast's prison. The flesh had been thoroughly picked at and pulled off the bones just like the carcasses she found the night prior. It was getting out, after all. How? It was difficult to say. There was no hole or opening she could immediately detect, and it should've been impossible for it to escape naturally because its prison was sealed by the fire stone. Despite the amount of power she used to bind Kanibozu in this prison, the good doctor had met a very persistent opponent. The Satsujin were never to be underestimated. That's what she learned throughout the teachings from the Web of Divine Might and in her own personal experience now.
The worst truth about all of this was that Nishizaka Sojuro (now known as Hidorobo the Blue-Maned Dragon)...
Was the ruler of the Satsujin now...
As the ruler of the Satsujin, his might was shared among creatures like these. The triplet serpents, Kanibozu, and who knows what other youkai is at his beck and call now. Jinghua Mirai had to be behind this. On top of solving Sesshomaru's mystery, she had to deal with that one. It was highly forbidden for a patron god to grant abilities to mortals who were not associated with a holy warrior clan or who were not assigned to become the leader of a new one. Sojuro was a mortal man with no ties to a religion. He practiced Shintoism like anyone else, but he had no true devotion to it. He was quite blank as a man, only growing interested in the life of a holy warrior because Meioshi happened to be one. He had no supernatural abilities before they met, save for his advanced level of empathy. With time, that ability could have been honed as something very special, but, as it stood back then, it just caused him pain. One step at a time...
The room where she had been held captive on the enemy base was still there. She started tensing up and shaking. Her beloved medical unit, those kidnapped girls and women, the general... There were so many bodies she couldn't recover. So many people she couldn't save. Though entering enemy territory with a full assault was successful, it cost her with many life-threatening injuries. King Shanwang was the only one who could save her.
"Sojuro, fire, p-p-please."
"Meioshi, look at me. You have to stay with me!"
"I see you, swordsman. Y-Y-You're... worried. Thank you. Fire for m-m-my wounds..."
The sound of flint and stone being struck caught her attention. She turned to it, reached out to grab it, and managed to get out a small chant that engulfed her body in the flames.
"Tch! You would get your ass kicked by a seafood platter!"
"A demon! Sojuro! Meioshi!"
"What the hell is that?" Sojuro demanded with shock evident in his face.
"Not enough sauce," Meioshi joked, holding the largest wound with her hand. It was a futile attempt to stop the bleeding. "... laugh with me on the day I'm meant to die, great king?"
"... I'll let you know when we get closer to that day. Now then. The fuck happened to you, doc?" Shanwang asked.
"Satsujin is here..."
A noise alerted her attention and made her turn her eyes to it. There, he was. The same bedroom he kept her in as a prisoner. If only Shanwang had done as she said that day, she could have at least gotten the bodies out of here. These souls deserved their freedom! But, she supposed too much of his power had to go to healing her. At least, that's what she told herself. That it was her fault. If she could just bind him, it would buy the army time to seize the island for good. The plan worked, but her ultimate goal was to get as many people out as she could - dead and alive. She was wounded severely during the last part of the mission. She had no idea how many people were able to get off the island. From the looks of it, Kanibozu made sure to imprison whoever could be blanketed by his shadow... and it was a great many.
Kanibozu was a headless man holding the prized head he used to disguise himself with by the hair with one of his claws and partially dressed in his old priest's clothes. That's what was at the top. Below was the beast's true form. A cracked crab shell where souls were trapped and trying to claw their way out. The screams and yelps for help were pouring out from the large opening. That's how he was staying alive. The legs were slow to open and move as he marched forward, solely focused on Meioshi. He didn't recognize her other two allies. Lifting the head up to look at the good doctor, Kanibozu spoke through it.
"My little nurse..." Kanibozu hissed. "You have returned to me at long last. Look how beautiful you've grown to be."
"..."
"You have not changed," Kanibozu said, taking his free claw to wrap it around Meioshi's body to pull her closer.
That just angered Sesshomaru. That was the second time another demon shoved him aside to strictly gain the doctor's attention! He was not to be ignored! So, without warning, Sesshomaru struck the beast with Bakusaiga... and like the other demon, it absorbed his attack. Kanibozu channeled Sesshomaru's power into a few skeletons to give them renewed flesh and made them attack him. Kirameku Ha, like Meioshi, waited for an opening before attacking such a large creature or its smaller servants.
"That's awfully new for you. When could you absorb yoki?" Meioshi asked.
"It's a little something I learned from you, little nurse," Kanibozu replied with a purr. "After you worsened my wound and severed my head, I went searching for you. I saw you eating fire to heal your wounds. I can't eat fire, but I can eat spirit energies since you left me with no water."
"..."
"You three have plenty for me to consume, but I'll spare you, little nurse, if you remain on this island with me. You hardly slept a wink when you were by my side for that night. I've much trauma and a large wound for you to heal now," Kanibozu said, pointing at his head.
"... Very well. Great uncle, give him water," Meioshi ordered, spotting a hand coming out of Kanibozu's cracked shell.
A-ha. She had to release the souls. She could buy them time.
"No," Sesshomaru said firmly, slashing at a skeleton. "Your honor has been disgraced enough by this menace. You are not his comfort woman. You are not his whore. You are not beneath him!"
Meioshi gasped before smirking. Ah, her symbol of freedom has spoken. Right. She no longer had to offer this creature anything as a bargain, but the Satsujin was too powerful to fight head on or alone. She needed a plan. Sesshomaru's power could be useful, actually. If Kirameku Ha does as told and gives Kanibozu water, Kanibozu will let his guard down long enough for the souls in the crack to crawl out. He'll regain strength because of the mianyi, unfortunately, but Sesshomaru can help there. His poison abilities might be able to do long-term damage to Kanibozu. Since he'd be absorbing Kirameku Ha's energy and not Sesshomaru's, the distraction could work. Or..., wait! No, Sesshomaru could do something else. He knew how to use the water stone a bit. Maybe he could use the fire stone. Okay, but how would he do it in such - ? He could...! Shanwang wasn't going to be happy about this one.
"You have been good to me, inu no taisho," Meioshi said, turning to Sesshomaru with a soft smile. "I will miss being your rival."
"Stop doing that!" Sesshomaru barked, eyes burning red and teeth sharpening. Every time she said that it was a sign she was planning on sacrificing herself. Not this time, not on his watch. "The only one allowed to kill you is me!"
"Should I tell him, little nurse?" Kanibozu asked politely, making Meioshi turn back to him. "The line for your head is quite long. He's in the back of it, yes?"
"Depends. Where are you in that line?" Meioshi answered.
"The first, obviously. If I cannot bed you, I will devour you instead. You did not give me your answer, however," Kanibozu purred, stroking Meioshi's head with his free claw. "Will you remain on this island with me? It is your true home. You were loved here. Your medical practice was the best I had seen. I wanted you for it. You were desired by many here. You fought beautifully in battle! You loved battle. You released your full power here. Do you know that I've watched you from the fire stone? It is my mirror into your world. I know of your punishment from the gods. I know of the torture your so-called townspeople thrust onto you. I know of your children. Become a Satsujin with me, Jigoku o Aruku Mono. Abandon your faith. You are powerful. That's why your enemy fears you."
"... Become a Satsujin? That's impossible for a mortal human, but I will hear your proposal. Great uncle, give him water," Meioshi ordered gently again. "Not too much, but just enough to cover the floor."
Kirameku Ha may have been old, but he knew Meioshi's mind quite well. She was planning something. He did as ordered by merely pushing his sword out of its sheath by an inch and chanting lowly. From it, Sesshomaru was surprised to see how much water and power came from the old man's sword. If he didn't already have powerful weapons at his disposal, he might have preyed on the old man's weapon for sure in the past. My, how far he had come! Two human years felt like a lifetime around these samurai warriors. The beautiful female, who was as kind as she was strong, made him realize that honor was not measured by how closely you followed the rules within your code. The wise elder, who was as charitable as he was gentle, made his lordship look at himself as a man and how his life might unfold if remained the same. Perhaps, in another life, the two could have been proper rivals as well from man to man.
Sesshomaru wondered if he would have liked knowing Kirameku Ha as a boy and watching him grow as an old man. Would he be worried for his safety all of the time because he was older? What about Meioshi? Once she becomes an elder, how would he feel about that? Watching her beauty fade and her hair turn grey... Would she bear children? Spoil grandchildren? Would he visit her often? Try to take her weapons for himself to keep her memory? Looking at Kirameku Ha again, he observed his weapon closely. It opened up to a hook from the looks of it. A sword that controlled the waters was quite valuable. As waves crashed along the floor, Kanibozu's legs practically danced on the water. As predicted, Meioshi caught sight of a soul successfully prying its way out of the cracked shell. If Kanibozu cared enough, he might have noticed the person plopping onto the floor. Humming carefully, Meioshi dismissed Kaishi Novum by letting it sink into the water but made it go near the cowering soul to put a barrier around it. Not yet. It had to hold on for a little longer.
"Get your men away from Lord Sesshomaru there. What is this nonsense of a mortal becoming a Satsujin?" Meioshi asked as though striking up an interrupted conversation between friends.
"Hmm," Kanibozu hummed, doing as told to sit before the doctor. "Will you remain at my side on my island, little nurse?"
"To free the souls of my fallen comrades, yes," Meioshi answered honestly. "They deserve a proper funeral. That is what I came here for."
"Your loyalty to the suffering will be your undoing, little nurse," Kanibozu said after a pause. "Very well. As my wife, you must take the path of the Satsujin. To start, you must review your sins the way the gods claim they can. You are removing yourself from their laws when doing so."
"How do I do this?" Meioshi asked with great interest. She didn't even hide her fascination. "No. Firstly, how do you know that you are a Satsujin and not just a defiant demon?"
"I was marked by the gods many centuries ago. They gave me such a title," Kanibozu replied. "I am the devourer of priests, after all. A high crime. For you, wife, you will have to commit crimes of similar severity to match my might. State a sin that you've no remorse in committing."
"Uuhhh..." Meioshi started, looking into the ceiling to think. "Giving... a female demon to an oni as a conjugal reward? That's pretty bad, right?"
Sesshomaru and Kirameku Ha were beyond shocked at Meioshi's response. Their eyes practically popped out of their skulls. What? Their Meioshi, the good doctor, the one who was against wrongful acts of prostitution and/or soliciting in that manner sold a demon to another demon for sex work? When? Where?
"... Indeed," Kanibozu replied, smirking proudly. "Why are you not sorry for such a thing?" Kanibozu asked.
"She deserved it, of course. The oni's been making good use of his time with her around. I just... wish he wouldn't show me his uses for her," Meioshi said cringing and wanting to hurl. So disgusting!
"That is a worthy sin, but, alas, not a high crime. Have you killed anyone out of sheer enjoyment?" Kanibozu asked, touching Meioshi's jaw with the tip of his sharp claw.
"... Some samurai and a few villagers not long ago. Need you more water..., husband?" Meioshi asked, looking down at the dry floor and pointing to Kanibozu's legs. He pulled her closer in response and tapped the floor with his legs. She then nodded to Kirameku Ha and said, "Great uncle, more water please. Just a bit."
When the water touched the beast's legs, another soul pried its way out. Kanibozu paid little attention to either soul since they disappeared so quickly. He instead focused on Meioshi and asked carefully, "Oh? Why's that, wife?"
"Same reason as before. They deserved it," Meioshi answered very seriously.
Abruptly, Meioshi summoned her Kaishi Novum from the ground and called upon a bit of lightning to hit the water. She controlled it enough to strictly hit Kanibozu. Using Nether Dash, she darted over to the cracked part of Kanibozu's shell and thrusted Kaishi Novum into the weak point to release more souls. Kanibozu let out a pained roar before flailing around and grabbing Meioshi's leg to throw her into his lower chambers. It was filled with blackened waters. Sesshomaru and Kirameku Ha rushed to the doctor's aid by attacking the beast. It let out another roar to summon skeleton warriors to distract them while he dropped down to Meioshi's level.
The space was tight like a den. She would have to find openings far faster than she could keep her distance from Kanibozu's piercing claws. From what he wanted, however, he had no intention of killing her immediately. He kept slashing at her clothes and trying to pin her down. Meioshi had a feeling that Sesshomaru was only here because someone had told him about her work as an ianfu. He was careful to dance around the subject in such a way that got his answers but didn't alert the good doctor. Unfortunately, Meioshi caught onto him. He had this odd fascination with her status as a lady that was quite endearing and cute in a way. Though she didn't directly answer his question, Kanibozu had never touched her. He had fully planned to, but the general helped her escape at the cost of his life. The most Kanibozu had ever done was hold her, kiss her, and quite literally sleep with her in his arms much like a husband would a wife. It was a form of grooming for this moment perhaps.
Of which, she would never surrender to easily. Sliding under the beast's body, she thrust her spear up and into his body to shock him with lightning again. He grabbed at her to fling her hard against the wall and stab her. Meioshi let out a pained screamed and grunt, tasting the saltiness of her blood trickling from her lips. He tore at more of her clothes, but that was enough for her to activate the Four-Eyed Portal from the scar on her chest. That was the purpose of tattooing Fail No More and Gosuto~ingu onto her body - to create a permanent activator for her spells and binds without the need of forming the hand signs in such short time spans.
"Zanshin stage: exorcism of the second degree. Bind!" Meioshi ordered, activating a grand amount of power.
Her eyes became the lovely, glowing lavender and a symbol appeared in place of pupils. A glyph formed underneath Kanibozu and the blackened waters became purified. Kōmoku-ten, the Heavenly King of the West, appeared from one of the eyes of the portal and, from it, his hand released a red serpent that entered the crack of Kanibozu's shell and ripped it open further to release the souls trapped in Kanibozu's body. The Satsujin let out a tremendous roar from pain and started shaking violently. Before Meioshi could even spit out the next command, Kanibozu started stabbing and pinching at her repeatedly to pick her apart from fury. Even going so far as to strip her to practically nothing.
Sesshomaru rushed in to deliver a devastating blow to knock the Satsujin back and cut off his claw. In retaliation, Kanibozu caught his severed claw and threw it at Sesshomaru's armor to further crack it before rushing at him to hammer the claw into his body. Surprised at the sheer speed of the beast when it was enraged, Sesshomaru grunted from the blunt claw tip sinking further into him.
Meioshi then commanded, "Great King of the East! Shield the inu prince from the Satsujin!"
Summoning her Kaishi Novum, Meioshi quickly stabbed Kanibozu again with a lightning blast to stun it and increase the power of the bind. A small bit of music came from the portal to form a shield around Sesshomaru and allowed him enough time to escape. He rushed to Meioshi to fly her out of the hole so she could collect herself and raised his own level of power that was a step away from becoming his true self. His eyes burned red and the irises glowed ethereally blue. He had enough of the Satsujin, and it was easy to see what he planned to do to Meioshi whether she was dead or alive. If he hadn't jumped in, she might not have been intact still. She wouldn't have been able to be resurrected! That pissed him off more because that meant she knew that this creature would have gone that far. Somehow, that woke something within him. Even from his grand distance, Nintojo sparked to life and made Jaken gasp and struggle in trying to control it.
The female head sharply turned and forced Jaken to go toward the beach. He was speaking with Prince Yamashi about something just before Nintojo started reacting strangely. Umebayashi's eyes started glowing and she created a trail of fire that rocketed Jaken into the air to fly. She didn't fly to the Satsujin island, but she flew about midway, opened her mouth, and released a maelstrom of flames. Jaken flinched from fear of his staff's hidden power before looking up in awe. He could see Sesshomaru's angered face in the flames and just barely spotted a stone that was close to him. Umebayashi released a flaming arrow into the center of the maelstrom and some smaller bits of flame to follow after it.
The Gogyo Stone of Fire sparked to life and delivered the arrow and small flames to Sesshomaru. The arrow produced a fire shield around him and Bakusaiga while the smaller bits of flame went to Meioshi to heal her stab wounds. Gasping from this, she turned to Sesshomaru with awe in her features. Kirameku Ha slaughtered the last of Kanibozu's slaves with his sword and ran to Meioshi's side to check on her. She embraced him with relief but turned to Sesshomaru with some confusion. Was he capable of defeating the Satsujin? Descending into Kanibozu's dark, bottom lair alone, he continued the fight on his own terms.
Kanibozu was no longer on speaking terms with anyone and immediately started fighting with his severed claw, floating head, and remaining claw. With the leftover water he had, he used it to form a water shield and warp quickly to close the distance between him and his new opponent. More familiar with aquatic types now, Sesshomaru attacked Kanibozu with Kiyonobu's fighting style in mind. The oni was good for something other than lecturing him. As the two clashed in both shield and sword, Meioshi and Kirameku Ha ran to the fire stone's direction to investigate what happened with it, but they couldn't escape the beast's prison. The main exit was engulfed in flames! However, Meioshi looked into the distance and could see Jaken and Nintojo at the far end of the hall.
"Jaken?" Meioshi questioned.
"It's an illusion," Kirameku Ha warned. "This Satsujin said he used that stone as a mirror to see into the world. You're looking at a reflection of Jaken. He must be sending Sesshomaru his power from Heiwa."
"But how? He doesn't know how to use the stones any more than I do!" Meioshi said, backing away from the intense heat.
"He may not, but the Nintojo does," Kirameku Ha informed. "It was protecting the young lord from further harm and you because Sesshomaru wants to protect you very strongly."
Abruptly, a huge blast erupted in the bottom lair, making Meioshi worry. She rushed back and called out, "Sesshomaru!"
The irony of it all. Normally, she was the one jumping into these intense battles and her silly old dog lord would jump in to assist. This time, he got his wish. He fought a battle that she couldn't do alone, and she was the one jumping in to assist. After all, she had to complete the bind and either imprison Kanibozu further or attempt to destroy him.
"Great uncle, help me complete the bind!" Meioshi requested, running back to Sesshomaru's aid.
"Like the waves that form you, take my mianyi and form flesh. Like a serpent's bite, use your venom to subdue the flames. Namija, drain the waters of this lair and loosen the fire stone!" Kirameku Ha commanded, releasing his sword fully to show a double katana.
With it, all of the waters within Kanibozu's lair were sucked out to form a serpentine creature, dismissing the Satsujin's shield and giving Sesshomaru the upper hand. The Namija blasted water from its mouth to quiet Nintojo's flames and tackled the fire stone to unlock the beast's prison. The stone dropped to the floor but floated up and released a beacon into the air. In the Forest of the Flying Inu, the water stone reacted to its brother's call and sent a response signal in the form of a beacon. The fire stone received some information from the water stone and shot straight to Sesshomaru to reform his armor.
"Dragon of ice and shadow, king of the land of shadow, oni king of the mountains, king of the heaven and cardinal direction, release your might and bind the representative of the five crimes! Kanibozu, Satsujin of the abandoned temples, be still and endure your punishment!" Meioshi commanded, releasing powers from the Four-Eyed Portal.
Kanibozu let out his final roar before Sesshomaru delivered the final blow and destroyed the beast once and for all...
His punishment was death...
Meioshi was free of him...