As the Yinglong Warship departed into the distance, a thin line appeared out of nowhere in the forest below. That line slowly unfolded like a peacock spreading its tail, turning into a fan-shaped form. Finally, it materialized as a vividly painted uchiwa fan adorned with gold and silver foil, held in a fair, delicate hand.0

Tamamo-no-Mae and Princess Tamako revealed their figures. Tamamo-no-Mae had already retracted her tails and continued to use the folding fan to conceal the lower half of her face, revealing only her eyes.0

Princess Tamako rested her hands on the Raikiri and Kiku-ichimonji Norimune at her waist. Her expression remained fairly composed, but a dazed look lingered in her eyes. After a long pause, she slowly asked, “Did we lose?”0

Tamamo-no-Mae’s voice was low and rich, more resonant than the usual alluring charm of a seductive woman. “Of course, we lost. Nichinin, the Koga Ninja, Ishida Kanemasa, and Shinmen Konosuke are all dead. Only you escaped with your life by sheer luck. Meanwhile, the Daoist Order suffered virtually no losses. If this isn’t a defeat, then what is?”0

Princess Tamako’s gaze dimmed completely. “It’s more than just a defeat. It’s a total rout. I should commit seppuku and atone with my life.”0

For this assassination...0