the noble, who walked up calmly beside me, his own blade unsheathed. “Are you certain you want to do this, Taiyo? Akumu is a lot tougher than Yaburama was. One mistake and we’re both dead.”
The Taiyo gave a half smile. “I have learned much since I last fought an oni lord,” he stated quietly. “And it is not yet my time to die. I have a vow to keep, a promise that I will not break. So, come, Kage-san.” He raised his sword so that the light gleamed down the razor edge. “Let us fell this foul demon and return to those who need us.”
Akumu chuckled and took one thunderous step forward, raising his twin tetsubo. “That easy, is it?” He smiled.
And lunged.
Daisuke and I split, dodging aside, as the oni’s clubs came smashing down in an explosion of dust, shattering rock and stone where they landed. Immediately, I circled around, targeting the thick calves and ankles. Even a monster like Akumu couldn’t fight if he couldn’t walk. But Akumu pivoted with surprising grace, taking his legs out of harm’s way, and brought both tetsubo down like he was playing a drum. I dodged and spun as the clubs beat the earth around me, coming within inches of leaving a bloody smear over the ground.
“Isn’t this fun, Hakaimono?” Akumu laughed, as we continued our ridiculous dance over the battlefield. Anger and frustration flared; I needed to get close if I was going to stab anything vital, but the oni wasn’t stupid, using his greater reach to his full advantage. Though the tight quarters and narrow streets were slowing him down a bit. The shops and houses lining either side of the road offered some cover from a rampaging oni, provided he didn’t decide to smash right through them.
“I must admit, Hakaimono,” Akumu went on, “I feel almost bad for you. It’s disgusting being so small and human, isn’t it? I don’t know how Rasetsu agreed to such a thing. Oh, and don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about your little human friend. He can die, too, right about now!”
Akumu half turned, smashing one club down at the figure darting behind him. Daisuke threw himself aside, and the tetsubo struck deep into the earth, missing the noble by inches. He rolled to his feet and quickly sprang back, and we retreated a few paces as Akumu watched us, grinning.
“All the oni lords knew about this,” I growled. “Rasetsu, as well. It’s part of whatever bargain Genno made with O-Hakumon. What is he planning, Akumu? Tell me!”
The oni snorted. “I don’t answer to you any longer, Hakaimono,” he stated, swinging one club to a meaty shoulder. “But since you’re going to die in a moment anyway, here’s something to think about when you’re sucked back into Kamigoroshi. Jigoku is eternal, but it is always hungry, and it never forgets. Long has O-Hakumon wished for Jigoku to grow, for his children, the oni, to walk freely in the mortal realm. When the damned soul known as Genno arrived in Jigoku, O-Hakumon saw an opportunity. The Master of Demons was the most powerful blood mage in the history of the human empire; he could affect the mortal world in a way the ruler of Jigoku could not. So Lord O-Hakumon offered Genno a deal. He would allow the mage’s soul to return to Ningen-kai, if Genno promised to do him a service while he was there.”
“And what service was that?” I asked, almost dreading the answer. But Akumu only chuckled.
“Oh, no, Hakaimono,” he crooned. “I won’t give it away so easily. But it is soon. It’s almost here, in fact.” His gaze flickered to something in the distance, above the city, and I felt a chill as I remembered the figures on the four guardian statues. “This city will burn, and all its souls will be sacrificed to fuel what’s coming. You can’t stop it.”
I growled, curling my talons around the hilt of Kamigoroshi as beside me, Taiyo Daisuke straightened and raised his sword.
“I believe I have heard enough. Shall we show him how wrong he is, Kage-san?”
“My thoughts exactly.”
We lunged at the oni, who laughed and twirled his clubs as we came in, then smashed them down in vicious