The following contains spoilers for Episode 23 of Orient, "Greatsword of the Black Goddess," now streaming on Crunchyroll.

Throughout Orient's premiere season, several villains have presented themselves and caused chaos in their wake. Whether it’s Shiro Inukai’s awesome teleportation powers or the terrifying might of Engoku Tengu (Red Kishin), Musashi and the various bushi in Hinomoto have faced a plethora of difficult opponents. However, Yataro Inuda's latest form is quite possibly the most powerful figure that has been shown in the series so far.

In Episode 23 of Orient, "Greatsword of the Black Goddess," the Uesugi Alliance begins to breathe a sigh of relief after the battle for Awaji Island finally appears to have been won. However, before they can take things easy, they realize that something is drawing in the kitetsu of the fallen Green Kishin. Rather than being slain in battle, Yataro Inuda has instead "become one with the Kishin," and his daughter Michiru has transformed into the weapon he has always dreamed of. The Obsidian Eight members' degree of strength is so great that even two of the Five Grand Generals of Hinomoto seem powerless to stop his onslaught.

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Yataro Inuda's New Form

Yataro Inuda’s newfound strength lies not only in the copious amount of kitetsu that he has gathered from the soul of the deceased Green Kishin but in the uniqueness of his weapon. The Greatsword of the Black Goddess is able to produce long streaks of black energy that can cut through Bushi like butter and even cause the surrounding landscape to be carved in two. However, its ability to harness the blade energy of surrounding Bushi is where it really shines.

Just like the Obsidian Goddess, Lord Inuda is able to manipulate blade energy at will. This enables him to gather massive amounts of kitetsu to increase his own strength, while simultaneously diminishing the energy of his enemies. After completing this process, Inuda is able to condense this matter into a single burst, which he targets at Shiryu Castle. The energy stream is so intense that it’s able to travel for miles (similar to yellow color sword users' abilities) and slice any object in its path.

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Lord Yataro's Servent

There doesn’t seem to be a single person or strategy available to stop this black dog of the Obsidian Eight. Any attempt to draw a sword against this demon will only cause him to suck in the opposing bush’s kitetsu and leave them vulnerable to a counterattack. While the united forces of the Uesugi Alliance outnumber Inuda, they are unable to combine their strength and coordinate their attacks effectively due to this ability. However, it appears that Musashi might have a way forward for the group to succeed.

Lord Inuda’s powers appear to stem from Michiru; therefore, if Musashi is able to convince her to turn against her father, there may be some hope left for the Uesugi Alliance. Unfortunately, Michiru has been brainwashed by her father and continues in her effort to become his "perfect tool." While there appears to be some hope that the 'real' Michiru remains intact, Musashi may be forced to resort to the Obsidian Goddess’ powers to combat Inuda’s fake deity sword.

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Yataro Inuda Close Up

Although Kishin have been able to take on a vast number of opponents at a time, they have often been thwarted due to their lack of intelligence. On the other hand, Obsidian Eight members, such as Shiro and Seiroku Inukawa, have faltered even against bushi fighting single-handedly. While Lord Inuda’s strength might be difficult to fully gauge due to the fatigue of the bushi within the Uesugi Alliance, it appears that he has the perfect balance between the raw power of a Kishin and the tactical insight of a bushi general.

Fighting head-to-head with this terrible creature doesn’t appear to be an option, which leaves the united bushi forces with very few options at their disposal. Musashi will likely have to rely on the hidden abilities of the Obsidian Goddess for support if he stands a chance of taking on Lord Inuda and his Greatsword of the Black Goddess.