However, three months into the operation, Eidolon's total forces had dwindled to just over 300, most of which was assigned to keep each captured town under control, considerably reducing the amount of personnel available for assault. Major Eidolon reportedly ignored the repeated warnings to cease advancing or to raze the towns so that personnel could be freed for further advances, citing that he wished to "leave towns to pass down onto our children."
The last unconquered town was [[Mippei Yosai]], the name and exact location of which has since been lost to time, was the destination that most of the fleeing youkai populations retreated to. Historians believe this town was once situated some distance to the north of [[Intersections|Intersection 02]]. Faced with the desperate situation of having to fend off invaders that had taken or destroyed all but their last town, the youkai town enlisted the near-entirety of their population as a defense force, in a desperate measure, and prepared for the coming invasion. When the severely reduced ESF forces arrived in Mippei Yosaitown, they found approximately 200 armed youkai civilians, under the command of Touya Hashimoto, a female tengu who was appointed as chief tactician and who was known as simply ''Captain Hashimoto''.
After weeks of exchanging fire and gun battles across the streets of Mippei Yosai, resulting in the deaths of roughly half of the ESF invading force, Major Eidolon finally retreated and ordered all remaining forces to regroup to his location, in an area that would later be known as [[Intersection 02]], to prepare a new plan. Over the following days, every single youkai town received the visit of Captain Hashimoto, ordering the mayors of each town to raise a militia of their own, and assist in the counter-attack. This was known by the youkai as ''Operation Scarlet Sakura''.
Before Eidolon could relaunch another assault, Hashimoto's forces, now 500 strong, assaulted Intersection 02. Encircled, severely outnumbered, and entrenched into the little intersection's streets and shop emplacements, the ESF's last soldiers mounted a final stand, but the overwhelming amount of youkai forces caused Eidolon's soldiers to fall one after the other until about fifty human soldiers were left. Eidolon requested a ceasefire and parley with Hashimoto; the meeting was agreed upon, in the center of Intersection 02. Hashimoto demanded unconditional surrender, Eidolon simply asked for his life and safe passage out of the Northeastern Zone so that he and his surviving forces can return to Neo Khazrun, to which Hashimoto agreed. This agreement officially ended Operation Shining Blade, resulting in a youkai victory.
=== The Phasma dynasty ===
Between E7-471 and E7-531, the Phasma family was effectively in control of the Maze Military for three generations. Because each leader after Mark Phasma was a descendant of the last, the family's control over the Military was referred to as the "Phasma dynasty". The family intended to continue directing the Military and maintain their anti-youkai focus for as long as possible.
Military leaders during this period: