One of them recognized the warrior's eyepatch and weapon. This was a man whose name was feared throughout the Yako clans, a man who once fought for the Jikan clan only to aid the rebels in crushing another clan.

"Hey! Is he not Mizuchi? The one-eyed Hunter who helped but down the Hibiki clan?" the soldier shouted.

"By the gods it is him!" another soldier cried. "Then we're done for!"

Mizuchi paid them no mind, simply slaughtering everyone who stood before him. His mind was focused on retrieving the dragon egg before the Yako could reach it. He spurred his horse on until he arrived at the aforementioned shrine. The place was already swarming with soldiers like ants on an anthill. They were all seeking the egg, wandering aimlessly since they didn't have the information that Mizuchi had. But despite having the advantage of finding it, Mizuchi would still have to get through several hordes of enemy troops.

Mizuchi was not going to let that stop him. As soon as he got close to the nearest guard, he leapt of his horse and cleaved the man in half with his naginata in one fluid motion. He would then proceed to hack his way up the stairs, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. Whenever the enemy would try to surround him, he would recite an incantation and use his weapon's magic to freeze his assailants. He would then swing his naginata to shatter them into tiny shards.

Mizuchi soon arrived at the place, all resistance having been dealt with. The monks told him earlier that there was a table with a go board on it. He was to move certain pieces, as doing so will reveal a hidden passage. Mizuchi did as he was instructed, resulting in the table moving on its own to the side and revealing a concealed trap door. Mizuchi opened it and followed the flight of stairs leading to what seemed to be a secret cave. When he arrived at the very bottom, he saw it. An egg the size of a melon was placed on a stone pedestal. It was silver in color with streaks of gold, and seemed to look more like an oversized gemstone than an egg. Mizuchi immediately unfastened his breastplate and strapped the egg to his bosom to secure it. Though he was able to make his way out of the secret room and to his horse without any opposition, he noticed a large dust cloud forming in the distance. This was a sure sign that an enemy force was coming his way. Nevertheless, Mizuchi quickly mounted his horse with the egg still strapped to his chest. He met with the incoming troops midway and gripped his naginata tightly. Remembering the words of Kogane, he then pointed his weapon at his pursuers and shouted:

"I am Mizuchi, the one-eyed wolf! Who dares stand in my way?"

Wave after wave of enemy troops charged at him. But no matter how many they sent, Mizuchi simply cut them all down like an unstoppable killing machine. To make matters worse for the Jikan, Kogane soon arrived on the scene with his promised reinforcements. Yet when everything seemed to be going their way, a figure emerged from the enemy ranks. The man can seemingly evade every blow the villagers attempted and even catch arrows in midair as if time itself slowed down around him. The Jikan Yako has arrived. Seeing this Mizuchi quickly handed the egg over to Kogane.

"Quick! Take the egg and get the hell out of here!" Mizuchi yelled. "I'll deal with him."

"Damn it Mizuchi!" Kogane roared. "I'll stay and help you!"

"No listen to me!" Mizuchi said urgently. "Get that egg to the villagers and make your way to the ship. Get the hell out of here! Ride and don't look back!"

As Kogane reluctantly rode away, Mizuchi began to exchange bouts with the Yako. The Hunter fought valiantly, but soon realized that he was simply outmatched. Time itself seemed to slow down with the way the Yako fought, making it easy for him to evade Mizuchi's attacks. The Yako sooned gained the upper hand.

Meanwhile Kogane couldn't help it anymore. Despite his initial reservations about the Hunters, Mizuchi had been nothing but heroic. Though he couldn't bear to just let him die, Kogane knew that the hero gave him this task for a reason. As he turned around to check on Mizuchi, his eyes grew wide in horror at what he saw.

It was the image of Mizuchi defeated, with the Yako raising his sword to strike him with the killing blow.

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Where am I?

Mizuchi found himself in a world of nothingness. All around him was pitch black, but he could not feel the presence of a single soul. Here in this empty void, there was only utter silence. Was this the afterlife? Mizuchi didn't know. Whatever happens all he could hope for was for his sister to be safe. Hopefully Tatsuya and his friends can triumph. Hopefully, he wished, they could avenge him. He was just about to resign to his fate when he heard someone calling to him. It was faint at first, but it gradually got louder. Mizuchi looked around but could see no one.

"Who is it?" Mizuchi asked. "Where are you?"

Just then out of the darkness emerged an enormous spirit dragon, radiating in an aura of golden light as it towered over the man. The dragon however did not seem hostile but was looking at Mizuchi with an expression of joy and gratitude. Then it struck Mizuchi. This was the dragon inside the egg that he rescued, reaching out to him.

"I am sorry I couldn't protect you," Mizuchi apologized. "Just like I couldn't protect my sister."

"Why so glum noble warrior?" the dragon asked. "Ask we speak, your friend Kogane has safely delivered my egg to the villagers. They are on their way to the Onryo headquarters. You have succeeded."

"Praise the kami," Mizuchi replied breathing a sigh of relief. "At least I didn't die in vain."

"The heavens do not deem it right for you to die so soon warrior," the dragon countered.

"What?" Mizuchi asked. "But surely the Yako was about to deliver-"

"Not on my watch," the dragon cut him short. "Raise your eyepatch Mizuchi. And open your sleeping eye."

Mizuchi was dumbfounded but did as he was told. He raised his eyepatch revealing the eye that was blinded.

"Consider it a gift," the dragon called out as the world of nothingness faded around him.

Mizuchi now found himself at that exact moment where the Yako was just about to deliver the killing blow, only this time his eyepatch was raised. It was then that Mizuchi realized that the Yako seemed frozen in his tracks, though he didn't seem to be encased in ice. Yet he saw his enemy's brows furrowed in extreme discomfort.

"You..." the Yako stammered. "What have you done to me?"

Mizuchi nearly yelped when the answer came all of a sudden. One of the Yako's ribs burst out of his body as a bloody icicle. He then realized what the dragon's gift did.

It was freezing his enemy from the inside.