After defeating Wriggle, I proceeded to walk towards the Human Village. Why am I unable to fly, again?

Maybe in due time, I would know why.

Along the way, I stopped to have a rest after seeing an extinguished bonfire, I froze the bonfire, conjuring a statue of myself marking that I was here before.

I rested, as my flask refills itself. I also took time to take in what just happened.

I woke up in the shores of a river where dead souls would go to hell, heaven or Higan, with darkness all over me... Well, except the moonlight. Then, there are people who went crazy from the moonlight... Both humans and Youkai alike, as seen with Wriggle.

I still needed answers. With that, I stood up after realizing that the flask is full, and I walked towards the village gate when...

The ground was shook, as a figure dropped from the roof of the gateway.

It's Hata no Kokoro, a Menreiki who usually performs dances in the human village... But now she is surrounded by an ominous aura. Like Wriggle, her eyes are glowing white with black scleras.

She was corrupted too. Quickly, I conjured a sword of ice and took a stance.

To start, she fired off several balls of light towards me, which I froze midair. But then she resorted into using firecrackers to blind me for a moment.

Without warning, Kokoro lurched forwards and thrusts her spear towards me, but I stepped on it's blade just before it hit me which gave me an opportunity to counter her attack.

I slashed her in the neck, but it's not enough, since I'm dealing with a spirit by now.

She hummed a haunting tune, as she disappeared into the darkness. All of a sudden clones of her in different masks marched towards me, all wielding the same spear as the one she is using currently.

Blocking her attacks prove to be useless, as the phantom clones strike with an extremely inhumane force... Well, she is a spirit after all. Each of her clones managed to land a hit at me, who is unable to take a sip from my flask to heal my wounds.

In the end, one of the clones thrusted their spear, and it pierced my body.

--------

I woke up, finding myself lying on the ground next to the ice sculpture I conjured over a bonfire. How am I still alive? Is it because I'm a fairy, and that I'll just respawn if there's a cold source?

I stood up, and went back to where I fought Kokoro to see her searching for me aimlessly.

The roofs of the gateway gave me an idea, so I tried my best to climb the wall surrounding it, and from the top of the roof, I dropped down to the unsuspecting Menreiki's back, and slit her throat using my ice sword.

She then fell backwards lifelessly as I jumped off from her back. However she got back up, with those glowing eyes glowing even brighter.

She then used her spear to slash me wildly, which I dodged despite her speed. In the end she raised the spear up high, and tries to do a downward slash on me. I was lucky enough to hold the sword with 2 hands, and pushed the blade of the spear back at her.

Winking at her, I then thrusted the ice sword to her chest before pulling it out, causing her to kneel in pain and hold her wounded chest. The ice sword dissipated on my will, and I pulled out Roukanken from it's scabbard.

I pounced on the weakened Menreiki, and plunged the sword to her chest, before dragging it until it came back out forcefully. Kokoro screamed as she dissipated into cinders.

As soon as she dissipated, the hopeless aura inside the village disappears slowly, and the gate opens by itself. Wasting no time, I walked inside.

- To Be Continued