Although Japan's economy has been in a long-term decline since the Plaza Accord was signed in the early 1980s, its former assets were still very substantial.
As a result, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force was equipped with F-15 fighter jets that had just been retired from the U.S. military.
This was once the mainstay of the U.S. Air Force, equipped with three types of air-to-air missiles, as well as conventional bombs and GBU-28 bunker-busting bombs, with a top speed of Mach 2.5.
At this time, two supersonic fighter jets had already reached the battlefield, ready to launch missiles at any moment.
"There's still a chance."
Seeing this, Ochiai was revitalized. He swung the demon sword, Oni-Kiri, and blood-red sword energy split the sea of fire, bringing out Sato Miwako, who had fallen unconscious.
"Prepare..."
Seeing that the official Transcendent was no longer within the bombing range, the pilot on the fighter jet released the safety lock on the air-to-air missile and locked onto the mythical creature below with radar.
In an instant, four AIM-120 missiles detached from the underwing pylons, leaving four bright trails of fire in the night sky.
Boom!!
The battlefield, already a sea of fire, was engulfed by the flames of the explosion.
Worried that the Yamata no Orochi wouldn't die so easily, the pilot dropped a large number of bunker-busting bombs.
Raging flames shot into the sky, illuminating half of the sky.
Ochiai watched this from afar and muttered to himself, "Did it work?"
"No, it didn't!!"
The next moment, Ochiai's body suddenly tensed.
In the reflection of his pupils, the massive white figure bathed in the flames, eight heads raised in a roar, flames swirling like a tornado, being sucked into its mouth.
Behind it, a pair of white membrane wings had also grown.
"Get back!"
Ochiai shouted towards the sky.
But it was too late.
The huge white figure shot into the sky like lightning, thunderbolts rolling in the clouds, as if obeying its command.
Rumble—
In the next instant, a dense web of lightning illuminated the entire sky, and the two fighter jets, like iron birds struck by lightning, fell to the ground with plumes of black smoke, eventually exploding into a bright ball of fire.
"Fail... failure."
Ochiai stared blankly at this scene, feeling a deep sense of powerlessness.
...
"Run!"
As time went on, even though the Japanese government tried to cover up the news, it still caused widespread panic.
Residents near the Tama River could basically see the terrifying figure in the sky.
"What should I do?"
Screams and cries could be heard everywhere. Ochiai stood there, looking around in confusion, discovering that Mount Fuji, not far away, was in a state of imminent eruption.
The ground was also trembling slightly, and a black giant wave was advancing towards Tokyo, rain swirling with it.
"I have to stop it, stop the Yamata no Orochi!!"
Various emotions churned in his heart. Ochiai made up his mind and once again sank his consciousness into the demon sword, Oni-Kiri.
"It seems you need my help after all."
In the space of consciousness, where blood mist swirled, the red-haired young man sat on a throne, his eyes amused as he looked at Ochiai, who had entered.
"Yes."
Ochiai did not argue.
He knew that doing this would likely lead to Shuten-dōji breaking free from his seal, but the urgency of the situation had left him no time to consider that.
"Very good, you're the most decisive of all the Tsukahara Bupposho descendants I've met."
The handsome youth, who looked like a demon, held a huge sake gourd in his hand and burst out laughing.
As he laughed, the entire space of consciousness began to shake, and the blood mist, as if it had its own consciousness, poured towards Ochiai's body.
"Uh-huh."
In the outside world, Ochiai's body trembled slightly, and a large amount of blood mist poured out of the demon sword, Oni-Kiri, and seeped into his body.
During this process, Ochiai's aura became stronger and stronger.
By the end, it even affected the celestial phenomena.
Rumble!!
In the dark sky, blood-red lightning flashed.
This scene attracted the attention of everyone around.
"Is it because of that demon sword?"
Kuroda Hyōe, who had retreated to a nearby building, held infrared binoculars in his hand, a flicker of hope in his heart.
And in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department headquarters.
The tense atmosphere in the conference room finally eased a bit.
"Whew."
The Shinto priests and Onmyōji present all secretly sighed in relief.
Thank goodness, the situation could still be salvaged.
They had just seen the gloomy expression on Shirahama Shōtarō's face, and he was about to draw his gun and point it at them, urging them to go to the front lines.
"Everyone."
Shirahama Shōtarō spoke slowly, "Do you think Mr. Ochiai can defeat the Yamata no Orochi?"
"Uh..."
This question was asked in such a way that the Shinto priests and Onmyōji present didn't know how to answer.
If they said yes, what if he lost?
If they said no, this police commissioner would probably lose his temper and ask them to go up there.
"Commissioner Shirahama."
In the end, it was Ashinoya Yoshihiko who took the lead. "In my opinion, Mr. Ochiai, as the descendant of the sword saint Tsukahara Buppo, is certainly very powerful."
"But to be safe, shouldn't we..."
Ashinoya Yoshihiko was about to say that they should leave Tokyo first and keep their useful bodies.
But when he noticed the gloomy expression on Shirahama Shōtarō's face, he immediately changed his tone and said:
"Shouldn't we make a few backup plans?"
"What do you mean, Mr. Yoshihiko?!" Shirahama Shōtarō's spirits were lifted.
"We are not strong enough to be opponents of the Yamata no Orochi."
Ashinoya Yoshihiko's brain was racing, thinking of an excuse. "But the imperial family has an ancient tradition of three sacred treasures, among which the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi is said to be taken from the Yamata no Orochi, so it might have a miraculous effect."
"We've actually tried that."
Shirahama Shōtarō looked hesitant, "Except for the Yasakani no Magatama, which was stolen, the other two sacred treasures haven't shown their corresponding mystical powers."
"That's because the sacred treasures are sentient and need a grand ceremony to be conducted for them."
"I'm willing to go in person."
Ashinoya Yoshihiko's face was filled with solemnity.
The Shinto priests and Onmyōji, realizing that he was trying to run away, all stood up and said in unison:
"We're willing to go with you."
...