What is this?

A decapitation operation targeting Kujō Kōji?

Zhou Huai didn't expect to hear clues about the pendulum of life at this banquet.

Instead, he heard about an attack centered around Kujō Kōji.

It's getting more and more interesting.

Who will be the one to act against Kujō Kōji tonight?

It should be the Ōmiya Family.

It seems that the Ōmiya Family is not as passive as he had imagined.

They have also started to fight back.

A smirk curved at the corner of Zhou Huai's mouth.

If that's the case, he would definitely have to stay and enjoy the show.

A moment later, the lights in the banquet hall suddenly dimmed.

The lingering classical music came to an abrupt halt.

A bright spotlight shone down from the dome, precisely landing on the temporary stage in the center of the banquet hall.

The guests, who had been whispering, stopped their conversations in unison.

Everyone's gaze converged in the same direction.

Kujō Kōji adjusted the collar of his suit, a gentle smile on his face, and with steady steps, walked onto the stage.

He stood before the microphone, surveying the surroundings.

His refined gaze swept across the entire hall.

"Ladies and gentlemen."

Kujō Kōji's voice, amplified by the speakers, clearly reached every corner of the rooftop.

"Thank you all for taking the time out of your busy schedules to attend the Kujō Family's dinner."

He bowed slightly, his posture humble, yet unable to conceal the arrogance that emanated from his very bones.

"Today is a special day."

"Because I have the honor of inviting a distinguished guest whom you would absolutely not expect."

"I hope that when you see him, you will seriously consider your stance."

Kujō Kōji's smile became meaningful.

"Whether to continue supporting our Kujō Family, or choose to stand with the Ōmiya Family."

As soon as these words were uttered, the hall erupted in an uproar.

No one expected that Kujō Kōji would so openly reveal the conflict between the two Families in such a public setting.

This was tantamount to a public declaration of war.

Kujō Kōji ignored the commotion below the stage; his voice suddenly rose, carrying a fervent confidence.

"The era of the Ōmiya Family is over!"

"Henceforth, it will be the future of our Amaterasu clan!"

As his words fell, the atmosphere in the hall was instantly ignited.

All the guests affiliated with the Kujō Family's influence showed fervent expressions on their faces.

They raised their wine glasses and cheered in unison.

And amidst this clamor,

A cold and brief command simultaneously came through the miniature earpieces under the collars of several waiters who were quietly standing in the corner, holding trays.

"Act."

The next second,

One of the waiters suddenly threw the silver tray in his hand.

The tray spun at high speed in mid-air, transforming into a silver disk of death, and with a sharp whistling sound, it aimed directly at Kujō Kōji's throat on the stage!

At the same time,

The movements of the other waiters were equally astonishingly fast.

Their uniforms were instantly torn apart by an invisible force, revealing the battle suits they had already prepared underneath.

Several talismans, glowing with an eerie red light, flew out from their hands.

The talismans spontaneously ignited in mid-air.

"Roar!"

Accompanied by bursts of inhuman roars, three hideous monsters appeared out of thin air!

One was a black-flame-burning wolf.

One was a giant, Ghost-faced Crow (oni-faced crow) with a wingspan of several meters.

And one was a giant python made entirely of white bones, with two clusters of eerie blue ghost flames burning in its eye sockets!

Shikigami!

They are the Shikigami of Onmyoji!

"Assassins!"

"Protect the Family Head!"

The faces of the surrounding guards changed drastically, and they all drew their weapons, wanting to rush forward to assist.

But it was all too late.

The three Shikigami were incredibly fast, bypassing all the guards' interceptions, and pouncing towards Kujō Kōji on the stage from three different directions!

The entire banquet hall descended into complete chaos.

The screams of the women, the roars of the men, and the crashing sounds of overturned tables and chairs intertwined.

The guests retreated in panic, fearing to be caught in this sudden skirmish.

However, as the primary target of the attack,

Kujō Kōji, standing on the stage, showed no trace of panic.

He didn't even move an inch.

He just stood there quietly, watching the three Shikigami, carrying the aura of death, getting closer and closer to him.

In a flash of lightning.

Watada Heizan stood in front of Kujō Kōji.

No one saw how the katana in his hand was drawn.

A silver line flashed and disappeared in the dim light.

Extremely fast.

It didn't even stir a breath of wind.

The three roaring Shikigami's movements came to an abrupt halt.

Their hideous heads still maintained their pouncing posture, but the fierce light in their eyes had already solidified.

The next second,

Three shrill screams simultaneously rang out, only to be instantly cut short.

Whether it was the black-flame-burning wolf, or the sky-obscuring, oni-faced crow, or that white-boned giant python.

Their bodies, along with the three Onmyoji hiding in the shadows controlling them, were cut in half by that invisible silver line.

The smooth cuts were like mirrors.

No blood gushed out.

Watada Heizan sheathed his katana, making a crisp "click" sound.

His aged face was full of mockery, his gaze sweeping over the fallen bodies.

"Is ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) this all the Ōmiya Family's tricks amount to?"

"Or are they simply not putting Kujō Family Head in their eyes at all?"

However, a bizarre scene began to unfold.

The bodies of the three Onmyoji, cut in half, lay on the ground, but no blood flowed out.

Their flesh and bones began to dissolve at a visible speed.

Turning into pools of dark, viscous ink.

The ink seemed to possess life, rapidly spreading outwards, devouring the pristine marble floor.

"Snap!"

All the lights in the banquet hall went out at the same moment.

Absolute darkness enveloped everything.

Panicked screams rose and fell.

The floor covered by ink transformed into a viscous swamp.

Guests who hadn't managed to escape yet felt their feet give way, and their bodies uncontrollably sank downwards.

"Help! My leg!"

"What is this?!"

"Pull me up! Quickly, pull me up!"

Terrified cries for help, struggling splashes, and desperate wails of being dragged down intertwined in the darkness, forming a symphony of death.

Even Kujō Kōji, standing beside the stage, was no exception.

His legs had already unconsciously sunk into the inky mire.

A viscous suction came from beneath his feet, as if countless cold hands were desperately gripping his ankles, trying to drag him into an endless abyss.

Beneath the dark floor, it seemed as if countless evil spirits were wailing.

And several arms, formed from ink, suddenly stretched out from the black mire.

Their target was clearly Kujō Kōji.

They seemed intent on dragging the master of the Kujō Family completely into Hell.

However, facing this bizarre and deadly predicament,

Kujō Kōji's face still showed no trace of panic.

He didn't even look at the ghostly hands reaching for him.

Instead, with a faint smile, he turned to look at Watada Heizan, who was also caught in the mire beside him but still stood tall and straight like a pine tree.

"It seems your old friend has arrived."

His voice was calm, with a hint of playfulness.

"Soma Kosuke."