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[Chevaleresse]

Madoka gave her adversary a slow nod.

"So are you. But you won't win."

With that, her blade flashed forward once again, in the rarely-seen second strike of the Unscarred Blade.

Wrath Strike on Hisao!

[IamanElfCollaborator]

In an instant, the fight is over.

(Madoka forgets all of her fears!)
(Hosokawa Spear Commander's Charisma activates!)
(Hisao staves off his metamorphosis....)
(Madoka's Narukami is active!)
(Madoka's Wrath Strike activates!)

Madoka activates her Combat Art: Wrath Strike!
Madoka initiates!
Hit Rate: 95 to hit
Hit: 24, hit!
Critical: 1, crit!
Hisao takes 87 damage!

Hisao is defeated!

The Unscarred Blade resumes her undefeated streak from the very beginning. Hisao falls to his knee, wincing.

"...hm. That was....faster than expected."

In a puff of orange smoke, Hisao disappears, his clothes falling to the floor. What is left is....a small, sparrow-like bird, weakly managing to keep itself in the air. Soldiers rush forward, grabbing his equipment, as the retreat is sounded. For a moment, you believe the battle is over....

~~~~Map Complete!~~~~
You will receive 2 level ups.

"So. You are those taking those who belong to me away."

[Now Playing: Theme of the Empress ~~Raiden Shogun Battle Theme~~]

An imposing, oppressive aura overcomes the battlefield.

The soldiers freeze, shuddering. The Cursed, all of the Cursed immediately sense what -or who- is approaching them. Yusuke's eyes dart around, trying to find Rin and Setsurou, clear fear in his eyes.
"How is she here....that can't be possible. No!"

The Cursed, bar Hiroyuki, know that feeling well. For years, they had to endure her presence. For years, it was her abuse they had to withstand.

The God of the Juunishi had arrived.

Tomoe clenches her hand, popping her spear up.
"Be ready."

The soldiers retreating part along the middle, eyes following the slender, pale woman walking among them. Clad in simple, albeit well-made, robes with a purple robe over one of pure white, she walks calmly towards the group. Her red eyes are dead, no glimmer to them, and in one hand is a katana, slender and of plain design, seemingly rippling with an unseen haze. Along her obi, hidden by the outer robe, is the holder of a Gnosis, though you can't make out what type of Gnosis it is. From her neck hangs a simplified version of the Imperial Seal, another source of power for her.

She approaches the party slowly, at a leisurely walk, as if going for a peaceful stroll in the afternoon sun.

"Transgressors against the throne. Thieves of my Juunishi. Your dreams of resistance end here. Fear not. Your deaths will not come today. I am only interested in recovering what is mine. No lasting harm will come to you.

Only punishment."

Tomoe turns to Setsurou and Rin.
"Take the other Cursed and run. We can't fight her, but I can delay her. She can't kill other Cursed."
"T-Todayama! We can't just leave you! If she finds out you betrayed her...."
"I was prepared for this moment the moment I began my hunt for you. Even if she takes me....as long as some of you remain free, ending the Curse might still be possible."

[RedMageCole]

"Oh hell," Kazuki muttered under his breath as he ran over to Rin. He had considered many outcomes, and this was just about the second-worst outcome that could have possibly arisen. Thankfully, it was not as bad as the worst-case scenario where everyone was down for the count, but... "Let her go, Boss. If that's what she wants, then it's what she's gonna get. We gotta respect others' choices, even if they can't save everybody." Kazuki looks at Tomoe with a serious expression as he got close to Rin, prepared to grab her and run if she resisted. "Make sure you do your best to stay in one piece, yeah? I'm sure one crazy lady can't be all that hard to delay," Kazuki spoke in an attempt to make the mood a little lighter, but his tone mostly conveyed that he knew the seriousness of the situation.

[IcyTea31]

Emotions flashed rapidly on Miyako's face. Confusion, panic, frustration, uncertainty, fear... She felt that she should have analyzed her thoughts and reached some sort of clarity like she usually did, but this was something she was completely unprepared for. She hadn't even dared imagine this could happen. With nothing else to fall back on, Miyako had to give in to an ancient instinct.

Everyone, run away!

She started running, not caring much for the direction. After a few steps, she realized that there was one thing she could do that might help, and covered her ears with her hands. Maybe if she didn't hear her voice clearly...?

[SeriousConcentrate]

"I've come too far to let that witch just lock you away again."

"Run, Yusuke. Get the other Juunishi and run. I still have a few jutsu up my sleeve to confuse and delay her. I'll be fine."

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"Finally, a real fight! You, Empress! My name is Todoroki Guren! I don't know what exactly it is you're capable of, but I'll wipe the floor with you like everyone else!"

Todoroki grins audaciously, his massive, muscular frame moving at speeds that would put a smaller man to shame, his crocodilian tail flicking behind him as he lifted his nodachi; not for nothing did his and Madoka's fight, the fight that had earned him her companionship, gone so long, for she was faster, but only just. The Misaki grinned, his Gnosis glowing red as he channeled the energy within.

"Tokiwa Secret Art! Dawnfire Blade!"

Todoroki's blade began glowing red with the flames of his Gnosis, the very flames of passion that burned in the man's soul as he sprinted towards the Empress, before leaping into the air, hilt in both hands, preparing to bring the blade down on her-

"Todoroki, no!"
"Intriguing."

She inhales deeply.

"Imperial Decree: Gnosis Sealing."
A flash of light pulses from the Imperial Seal.

Todoroki's flames disappear. His single eye widens as his Gnosis, glowing scarlet, suddenly falls dead.

The sound of metal on metal rings throughout the battlefield as Todoroki finds his advance halted by the Empress, with all of his might and mass behind his sword halted by the Empress parrying his blow with her own sword, held up with one blade. Despite his sheer muscle and strength, despite his gargantuan frame towering over the Empress, she holds him off with little effort.

"What the...my Gnosis...."
"It isn't permanent, Todoroki Guren. Even I cannot take away the gifts of the Gods of the Land. But make no mistake; your Gnosis is meaningless against me."

The crocodilian Misaki strains and grunts, trying to lower the blade onto the Empress, as she advances forward at the same pace she had already been, Todoroki visibly straining against her strength despite her wiry, slender frame.

"You are strong, Todoroki. But not strong enough."

She swings her blade up to knock Todoroki's own out of the way, before slamming her palm into his abdomen. The large man is thrown back, leaving a furrow in the dirt path as he skids to Madoka's feet with a yelp of pain.
"Damn...I'm sorry....Madoka...."

Suddenly, a barrier of green winds appears in the path of the Empress, stopping her advance. She raises her Imperial Seal to it, another flash of light pulsing, only for the barrier to remain. Her eyes flit towards Momo, whose hands are extended, a small orb of swirling winds within.

"The Rabbit. Always so rebellious. And yet you bear a power beyond those of the Gnoses...but can you really overcome me?"
"Guys, if we're getting out of here....we should really go. Like. Now."

Then Setsurou speaks. Yusuke's eyes widen.
"We're not leaving you!"
Yusuke stares at Rin, who spoke up. She shakes her head.
"Tsubouchi, you're someone important to Yamada. I...if we can help it, we won't leave anyone behind. Even Todayama."
"Rengoku's right. I'm not trading your freedom for mine. Or anyone's. We have to figure out a way out for everyone."

[SeriousConcentrate]

"I only use my Gnosis to enhance my attack arts - that trick of hers will have no bearing on the other things I can do."

Setsurou activated a pair of ofuda, and then pulled out another one.

"Let's see if she can find the real me among all these."

The afterimages drew ofuda as well - he hadn't mastered the technique for a true clone, but these mirrored his movements so quickly and closely it would be difficult to tell which one in the crowd was the true shinobi.

"Let's see what her majesty makes of this."

Moving quickly and approaching from the side, Setsurou quickly threw down a trio of ofuda that produced large bursts of freezing mists to cloud his movements and obscure the Empress's vision. Of course, trickery was all he was going to be capable of against such a strong opponent, but in the end he didn't need to beat her in a fight; he just needed to distract her while Yusuke got away.

And the other Juunishi too, of course.

From the cloud at the Empress's 7 o'clock position, one of the afterimages threw a false Ingrain Ofuda just as Setsurou threw a real one from her 2 o'clock position. He darted back into the cloud and emerged from the third one, throwing another Ingrain before vanishing into the first cloud.

This is why our emblem is a spider, Empress. Can you escape the web a Yugen weaves?

[mastermepp]

"Well shit..." Haru muttered, drawing her bow defensively. This woman was clearly not right in the head. But she was strong, alarmingly so given how effortlessly she threw back one of their strongest in the group. Haru took a step back, eyes focused on the Empress, and Setsurou's display."I'll help cover our retreat, though if she can do that...I'm not sure how effective it'll be, but to hell with it!"

[Chevaleresse]

Madoka took advantage of the distraction the Yugen provided to dash in. I won't make the same mistake Todoroki did. I don't need my Gnosis to win! She cut through one of the mist clouds - the one the false strike had just come from - to sweep her blade toward the Empress, aiming to land a decisive strike before the struggle drew too much longer.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

The Empress barely even flinches, seeing Setsurou's all-out attack and Madoka's strike. Her Imperial Seal pulses again, but given neither Madoka nor Setsurou are using their Gnoses, it has no effect.
"Hm. I see. My own power, then."

She assumes an iaijutsu position, one familiar to Madoka. One identical to Madoka's. The Empress closes her eyes, as if to concentrate.

"The swordsmanship passed down through the Yamauchi has no parallel."

Her eyes flicker open, staring right at Madoka.

"Secret Art."

She draws her sword, the haze around the blade flickering into bursts of light. The Mahou practitioners can tell immediately; whatever the Empress is channeling, it isn't Mahou of any kind, nor the use of a Gnosis. The burst of energy wipes away the false images Setsurou leaves behind, almost knocking Setsurou himself off balance, his ofuda burning in the wind with the force of the slash.

"Shadowless Strike."

Madoka's sword is blocked with speed faster than even hers as the Empress stares her down intensely, the dust and mist around them being blown away with the force of the block. Before the rabbit Misaki can react, the Empress smashes her foot into Madoka's chest, throwing her back into Todoroki's body; the crocodile grunts as he catches her. Setsurou's retreat is cut short as, in the blink of an eye, the Empress's hand is around his throat, lifting him off the ground.

"Your loyalty is admirable, but misplaced. The Cursed are mine. You. Can't. Have. Him."

She throws Setsurou backwards, throwing him towards the back of the line, only for Yusuke to catch him, the two tumbling to the ground in a heap.
"Setsurou! Are you okay?!"

The Empress continues her advance towards Momo's barrier of wind. Drawing her sword again, the Empress hacks at the barrier, it flashing white with every strike.
"You guys have any better ideas?!"

Suddenly, a blast of light ensues, like a firecracker, in the Empress' face. She flinches, looking away, as Alice sprints towards Miyako.

"A cheap trick. How irritating."
"Dragons alive, I haven't seen someone this strong since....anyway, we need to go. Now!"
"What do you think we're doing?!"

[Chevaleresse]

Madoka made a choked gasp of shock and pain as she was flung backward into Todoroki, her tiny frame blown away as if it were so much straw in a gale.

"T-That's n-not. . ." She was self-taught. Madoka was her own sensei, how was it possible that the Empress had used a form identical to her own? "H-how did she-?" She coughed, breath driven out of her by the force of the kick, as she unsteadily tried to rise to her feet.

[Praefectus Screptum]

"No time to tend your pride. We need to move, right now."
"As much as it pain us to say such thing, a retreat will be necessary. At least for now, so let us avoid wasting time any longer."

[IamanElfCollaborator]

With one final slash, the Empress smashes through the wind barrier being held up by Momo, pushing Momo herself back as the wind orb in her hands dissipates. She glares at Madoka.
"The Yamauchi swordsmanship was passed onto our ancestors by the Thunder God themselves. And yet your blademanship is the same...intriguing. To tap into the origin of swords so easily....a natural swordsman. No matter. Your blade cannot stand against the divinely chosen sword of Amatsu."

The Empress continues her advance.

"The Cursed are mine and mine alone. Remember this divine truth."

As Miyako turns, however, she sees something in a nearby cliff, white ivory on blue.
....
Noriaki Kiritani silently watched the entire exchange, appearing out of a cave, overlooking the fight as the Empress approached the group.

Briefly, their eyes flitted towards the hilt of their sword, briefly poking out of their cloak. He shook his head, hiding his blade within his cloak, before taking out his Gnosis, pulsing amber with the energy of the earth beneath his feet. He lays his eyes on the Empress again, the grip on his Gnosis tightening.

"....I'm sorry."

With a sudden, swift movement, he smashes his Gnosis into the ground, amber energy pulsing through the cliffside. A loud crack echoes through the cliffside.
....
Miyako is the first to see what happens, as Lord Kiritani disappears back into the cliff. The rock ledge he stood upon begins to crumble, along with much of the cliff, and a wave of rocks and boulders surges down the side of the road. Golden energy surges through the landslide, directing any errant rocks back towards one area.

The Empress' eyes briefly widen, before she leaps backwards, the boulders settling into a neat, convenient barrier between the Empress and the party.  The last thing you see before the boulders fall between the party and her are her dead, crimson eyes, still glaring at you not with contempt, not with hate, but with apathy, like bugs to be swatted away from her presence.

The barrier is placed so the road towards the Empress' forces is blocked, but the party is also unable to return to Sangonomiya, the barrier formed by the rockslide being too large to scale comfortably. Hiroyuki is nowhere to be found, but you can hear his voice yelling on the other side of the barrier, separated from the group and the Empress. From his location, you realise that he's likely trapped on the side leading to Sangonomiya.

"Miyako! Amano! Where are you?!"

When all is settled, Tanjiro is the first to speak.

"...did....you guys saw that, right?"

[SeriousConcentrate]

"Setsurou! Are you okay?!"

"The only thing hurt is my pride... I was at fault for assuming she was a weak noble with only one trick up her sleeve. Thank you, Yusuke."

Although quite loathe to move, Setsurou forced himself to stand and offered the Cat a hand back to his feet as well. But before anyone could do much more, a sudden earthen wall erupted between the team and the Empress, cutting off Hiroyuki as well.

"...did....you guys saw that, right?"

"I think that was Kiritani. Let's make use of the opening he created for us and retreat."

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Tomoe breathes a sigh of relief, before heading over to Setsurou and Yusuke as they stand up.
"That was dangerous. The Empress is quite possibly, one of the strongest swordsmen in the land. The Yamauchi school of swordsmanship, like she said, is said to have been passed down by the Gods. I've only seen one man beat her. The Dog, Gamou Goro."

She stares at the earthen wall, the Empress' presence still keenly felt behind it, as if she were staring through it at them.

"It's said that the Empress honed her skills on a quest to break the Curse, seven years ago. Whether or not the rumours are true, I can't say. I saw them off when they left; her, Gamou and Hosokawa. But, when she came back, she had a Gnosis, but no answers to the Curse."
"Wait. Are you telling me she tried to break the Curse?! You mean....she wasn't lying about that?"
"Back then, at least. I don't know the details. The only three who do are the Empress, Hisao and Goro, and....I'm not exactly on good terms with either of them. I wouldn't worry too much about it, anyway. It's been years. Whatever it was they were looking for, they never found it."
"That damn dog could never give us a straight answer...."