When Reimu opened her eyes, she saw the man approaching her with a malicious grin. She instinctively sensed danger and tried to rise from the ** bed, but as soon as she moved, she discovered her limbs were bound. Though she struggled with all her might, she couldn't muster any strength; when she tried to scream, no sound emerged from her throat. She could only watch helplessly as the man lunged onto her, tearing at her clothes, kissing her lips, and then drawing out a colossal weapon to enter her body... Finally, in that sharp moment of pain, Reimu opened her eyes once more, finding herself staring at the familiar rafters of the shrine.

She bolted upright in bed, throwing back the covers to check. Everything below was perfectly intact, neither sore nor itchy. With a rush of relief, she understood: "Ah... it was just a dream!"

Reimu let out a sigh of profound relief. She hadn't slept well that night; she had been worried about being ambushed by Lin Luo. Thus, before drifting off, a knot of anxiety had tightened in her stomach. After all, concepts like one's 'integrity' were just details—easy to discard—but some things absolutely had to be preserved.

Even though she had experienced something terrible, it was only in a dream... Wait! Even in a dream was unacceptable! The sheer audacity of Lin Luo daring to violate her in a dream was an act of extreme villainy.

"I must teach him a proper lesson!" Reimu declared, raising an eyebrow with aggressive determination.

She immediately swung her legs off the bed, foregoing any washing, and walked straight out into the main room. Upon reaching the living area, she found the shrine doors still closed, yet both Lin Luo and Suika were gone.

"Honestly, where did those two run off to so early? Could it be that because they did something awful to me in the dream, they fled knowing I’d seek retribution?" Reimu mused aloud, stroking her chin. She then walked over and pulled the main door open. "Huh?"

The moment the door opened, Reimu was stunned by the scene before her.

"Yo, morning, auspicious Red and White." Lin Luo greeted her with a smile, holding a cup of wine.

"Reimu, you're up especially early today... Hoo-hoo, this is delicious!" Suika commented while taking a drink.

"I thought you would sleep for at least two more hours," Yukari Yakumo said with a slight smile, picking up a piece of meat with her chopsticks and placing it in her mouth.

"You guys..." Looking at the three of them, Reimu felt a headache compounded by frustration. Had these people started drinking and feasting right outside her shrine at dawn? Were they serious? "What exactly do you think this place is?"

Suika was the quickest to answer, raising her hand and laughing, "A place for a banquet."

Lin Luo paused for a moment of consideration. "A paradise for youkai."

Yukari Yakumo's smile didn't fade. "A famous scenic spot in Gensokyo."

"..." Reimu was left speechless, feeling that compared to her, these three were far more devoid of scruples. Her gaze swept over Lin Luo and Suika, finally resting on Yukari Yakumo. The other two being there was somewhat normal, but... She pointed directly at Yukari with a challenging expression. "Why is a youkai like you here? What's your business?"

"Oh my, how impolite," Yukari's lips twitched slightly. She also pointed her fan at Reimu and smiled. "You, who are the same whether you are guarding the shrine or not, are hardly qualified to criticize me."

"Hah? What kind of nonsense is that? I work diligently no matter where I am, and that’s not what I’m talking about," Reimu countered, frowning. "I mean, why is a night-dwelling youkai like you here during the day? Don't you know you scare away paying visitors?"

"That just means you're incompetent yourself," Yukari replied with a hint of mockery, then smiled. "As for why I'm here, it's to tour the famous sights, naturally."

"Don't just label other people's homes as 'scenic spots'!"

"Isn't it a scenic spot?"

"A shrine forced into eternal closure by you lot hardly qualifies as a scenic spot," Reimu griped with palpable resentment.

"Isn't it a scenic spot where one can see both the auspicious Red and White and the inauspicious Black and White?"

"..." Reimu was dumbfounded. "When did I get lumped in with her? And besides, today isn't inauspicious, and she isn't even here."

"That's not quite right, Reimu," at that moment, Lin Luo called her name and pointed toward a direction nearby. "Isn't she right there?"

Reimu turned her head reflexively. A black and white magician riding a broomstick was descending from the sky. The instant she landed, she skillfully retracted her broom, lifted the brim of her hat, and announced with overwhelming presence, "Yo, everyone's up early. Seems I arrived at the perfect time."

Reimu: "..."

"Ah, the shrine maiden from the mountain has been spotted!" At the same time, Suika pointed toward the sky directly opposite the shrine.

Everyone looked up. A green-haired girl was gliding on the wind—it was Sanae Kochiya. She smiled down. "Youkai, Oni, and Humans all gathered—are you holding a banquet at a time like this too?"

Reimu’s face took on an expression of annoyance. "Why are you here?"

"Because I got word," Sanae replied, unbothered, offering a slight smile.

Lin Luo was momentarily stunned before quickly grasping what Sanae meant by 'word' and immediately asked, "Did Aya's newspaper come out that fast?"

Sanae shook her head. "No, Aya's paper hasn't come out yet, but I heard from her. Since we live near Youkai Mountain, I rushed over as soon as I woke up this morning. I figured that as a member of Gensokyo, I should contribute somehow."

"Is the Moriya Shrine okay?"

"Lord Kanako and Lord Suwako are at the shrine; everything is fine."

Lin Luo nodded, then looked back at Marisa. "What about you? I remember you live in the Forest of Magic. Don't tell me you went to Youkai Mountain too."

"Hahahaha," Marisa scratched her head sheepishly. "That tengu from yesterday happened to run into me on her way back..." Seeing the scornful looks from everyone, she quickly corrected herself. "Alright, I was 'borrowing' something when she happened to spot me, and she conveniently told me about it. After preparing all night at my place, I rushed over immediately."

That's more like it. Also, please don't call stealing 'borrowing'.

After chatting with everyone for a while and finishing breakfast, Lin Luo stood up. "I'm heading to the Scarlet Devil Mansion first; you all carry on."

Kaguya was currently looked after by Eirin Yagokoro, so there was no immediate worry there. Reimu had the three city inspectors gathered, and with powerhouses like Yukari and Suika present, there was little to fear. The only one Lin Luo couldn't put out of his mind was Sakuya.

Although the Scarlet Devil Mansion wasn't weak, it lacked top-tier combat power. Unless the Elder and Younger Miss achieved true ancestry, or Chen could transform into a dragon, it would be difficult to withstand even a single expert approaching the Middle Earth rank. One Hell Knight under the Evil King had already reached the Early Earth rank, and Lin Luo didn't believe he had only one such thug. Therefore, he needed to go to the Scarlet Devil Mansion to provide temporary backup.

...

Just as Lin Luo was en route to the Scarlet Devil Mansion, in a remote flower field somewhere in Gensokyo, the space suddenly rippled like water. A massive mirror appeared within the disturbance, and with a single step, three figures materialized on the flat ground.

They were two men and one woman, all clad in matching black attire, their expressions cold and their complexions pale, akin to zombies.

The trio surveyed the surroundings briefly without taking action. One of the men closed his eyes, seemingly sensing something. After a moment, he opened them and spoke, "I can't sense the Hell Knight's aura. He must have already been eliminated."

His voice was hoarse and dry, sounding as if something was lodged in his throat.

"Hmph!" The other man immediately let out a cold laugh, his tone brimming with disdain. "To send the weak as vanguards—what utter arrogance. Without the Spear of Ruin, they aren't even trash. Their demise is only natural."

"Indeed, we need not concern ourselves with their survival," the only woman added coldly. "Our world runs on the strong preying on the weak. Against someone ranked equally with the Master, a mere Hell Knight is nothing more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot. We only need to scout the path for the Master."

"Then let us begin our operation."

With that, the three started walking. Although they exuded no obvious aura, the confidence in their words projected an undeniable sense of power.

They hadn't walked long in the flower field when the trio spotted a small blonde girl skipping around amidst a nearby patch of flowers, her expression appearing joyful, as if at play. A tiny doll accompanied her, whom the girl occasionally addressed while playing.

"A doll manipulating a doll—how interesting," one of the men chuckled, though his smile held no warmth, only contempt and disdain. "Let's question her to gauge the strength of this world." With that, he walked toward the little girl.

The distance between them wasn't great, and the girl noticed the approach of strangers. Upon seeing them, her face instantly registered alarm and fear. She clutched the doll tightly to her chest and retreated step by step.

"I won't harm you; I just need to ask a few things. Of course, if you try to run, I won't mind eliminating you," the man threatened darkly, then shot forward with the speed of lightning, reaching out to grab her.

"Ah!" But before he could grasp her, the man let out a sudden shriek and immediately pulled his hand back. Looking at it, he saw that half of his hand had already rotted away. He flew into a rage, grinding his teeth. "Damn this brat, she’s practically begging for death!"

"Don't come closer!" the little girl screamed, shrinking almost into a ball. Countless poisonous mists erupted from her body, forcing the man to retreat.

"Damn it, she’s a poison user!" The man’s expression shifted drastically; his constitution was highly susceptible to poison.

At this point, the woman accompanying him stepped forward, smiling. "Don't strain yourself; her poison counters you. Let me handle this."

"...Very well," the man hesitated for a moment before stepping back. The woman, ignoring the dense poison fog entirely, advanced toward the little girl step by step.

"How... How can this be?" The fear in the little girl's eyes deepened when she realized her poison was ineffective. "Why isn't my poison working?"

"Need I ask? Because I too have a poison constitution." The woman sneered coldly and extended her hand, releasing a far more potent cloud of toxic mist, though she didn't direct it at the girl. "You are a poison constitution and a doll. This poison probably won't affect you. Although my strongest element is poison, beyond that..."

Crack!

Her hand moved like lightning, her five fingers gripping the little girl's throat tightly, hoisting her into the air. "I don't only use poison, and you are useless beyond that. Now, obediently tell me everything you know, or I will snap your neck instantly and turn you into a completely discarded puppet."

"I... I... I'm not a discarded puppet!" Though terrified, the little girl stubbornly insisted. "No matter what you ask, I won't tell you anything."

"Is that so? Then you can just die!" The woman sneered, tightening her grip violently...

...

Sunflower Field.

"Ah, what a beautiful sight," Yuuka Kazami stood amidst the blooming flowers, holding her parasol, admiring the full bloom of the sunflowers and offering praise. As a flower youkai, she enjoyed nothing more than the time when flowers were in full blossom. For her, nothing was more beautiful than the world of flowers.

"Waaah... Waaah..." Just then, Yuuka suddenly heard the sound of a girl crying from behind her. Turning, she saw a small blonde girl, looking utterly wretched, running toward her.

"Meti, what's wrong?" Yuuka’s expression immediately changed. She rushed over, crouched before the little girl, gently stroking her face, and asked with concern.

"Sister Yuuka... Waaah... Shanghai... Shanghai... Shanghai..." Meti's face was filled with sorrow, unable to complete a full sentence.

"Tell me slowly, who bullied you? Tell me," Yuuka comforted softly. She was a lonely ruler whom few dared approach, and among that small number, Meti was the closest to her—treated like a younger sister.

Although Meti was stubborn, she was generally well-behaved and didn't seek trouble. If she looked like this now, it meant... Thinking this, a deep killing intent began to brew in Yuuka Kazami's eyes.

"I was playing there... Three bad people tried to kill me and turn me into a discarded puppet, w-wah..." Meti sobbed, her voice choked with grief and guilt. She raised her hand, crying out, "Shanghai... Shanghai self-destructed to protect me... it turned into this..."

Yuuka looked down and saw the once beautiful doll in Meti’s hand was now utterly ruined—no, it was barely more than a few scraps of cloth.

"I didn't tell it to self-destruct, I didn't abandon Shanghai, Shanghai is my friend, and it would be so sad to be abandoned... just like I was abandoned by humans... so... I won't abandon it. But... Shanghai protected me... Sister Yuuka, Shanghai is my very, very important friend... Shanghai is dead, I don't have anyone left..." Meti wailed, tears gushing forth like a spring. The intense sorrow chilled Yuuka’s entire being. She tightly hugged the girl. "It's alright, it's alright. We'll find Alice; she can definitely bring Shanghai back. Trust me, Meti..."

"Found them! They ran pretty fast, damn it!" Just then, three figures charged over from the opposite direction, radiating palpable killing intent, glaring coldly at Yuuka and Meti. One of the women gritted her teeth furiously. "A broken doll actually managed to blow off one of my arms! I'll take your lives as payment!"

Yuuka Kazami, being as formidable as she was, sensed the approach of the three instantly. Without looking at them, she held Meti’s small body close and said in a low voice, "I see. I was wondering which youkai in Gensokyo would bully Meti. So it’s you lot. You’re outsiders, aren't you?"

"Hm? Another youkai?" The three unconsciously halted their advance. Although Yuuka Kazami wasn't currently unleashing her full might, the killing intent lurking beneath her low tone immediately put them on guard.

"I am Yuuka Kazami, the owner of this sea of flowers." Yuuka rose from the ground, still clutching Meti. The girl, perhaps due to overwhelming grief or injury, had passed out, her soft body devoid of any strength.

"The owner of the sea of flowers? That means you are a flower demon," the woman facing Yuuka sneered. Although Yuuka gave her a sense of danger, plant-based youkai were the weakest among them, and her ability—poison—had an absolute counter against flora. Even if the opponent was stronger, she could kill across ranks, especially since they had three people. There was nothing to fear.

"That's right. I am just a humble flower demon. Now, outsiders who trespassed upon my domain, I ask you only one thing..." Yuuka tilted her head up, locking her gaze onto the woman. In an instant, an overwhelming, world-enveloping aura surged forward like a tsunami. "Are... you strong enough?"

Boom!!!

The moment the aura erupted, the sky was shrouded, transforming the clear morning into a grim twilight. The earth trembled, emitting groaning sounds, as if afraid of the King's wrath. The earth-shattering scene in that instant was beyond description.

Pfft!

Under the crushing pressure of this aura, the woman who had been sneering moments before froze instantly, blood streaming from her seven orifices... she was dead!

Merely by projecting her aura, she had shocked an expert approaching the Earth rank to death.

Yuuka Kazami was terrifying in her might!

The remaining two men watched this scene, their faces changing drastically. In that instant, they realized the flower demon before them was capable of matching their Master.

They wanted to flee, but their bodies refused to move. As they watched Yuuka approach step by step, only the terror of death was etched on their faces.

"Trash!"

Yuuka snorted coldly. Without any visible movement, the two men were flung high into the air. She then raised the parasol in her hand, channeling her demonic energy to fire a magic cannon, one more brilliant than the sun, from the tip of the umbrella.

Boom!!!

Without suspense, the magic cannon instantly annihilated the bodies of the two men, piercing the heavens.

Then, lowering her parasol, Yuuka turned around.

"Indeed, I am just a mere flower demon, but within this sea of flowers, I am the King!"

: Five thousand characters total. This technically counts as two chapters. I really got into the writing of this chapter; if you felt the excitement, please cast a vote. RO