True Intentions

What Miketsu displayed now was the divine demonic power inherited from Dakini-ten, a strength that transcended even the might of a Yaksha. She had once used this very power to drag a massive stone weighing hundreds of tons; even a fraction of it was more than an ordinary yokai could hope to withstand.

The Ubume’s wing-molded hands gripped her demonic umbrella tightly. Her entire body trembled under the suffocating pressure, her skeleton groaning as if it might shatter at any moment. Wrapped within the bundle held against her chest, the infant Kikyo burst into tears, startled by the deafening clash of metal on metal. The Ubume hadn't expected Owl to not only evade her full-speed strike with ease but to retaliate with such terrifying, overwhelming force.

"This power... could he be... a Yokai Lord?"

The Ubume strained with every fiber of her being to ward off the blade that radiated such terrifying strength. Sensing the resistance, Miketsu didn't simply continue to push. Instead, she lifted her blade higher before swinging it down once more in a devastating overhead cleave.

Desperate to avoid a second crushing blow, the Ubume leaped aside. Miketsu’s sword smashed into the ground, the impact shattering the earth and sending a thick cloud of dust into the air, obscuring everyone’s vision—everyone except for Miketsu, who possessed causality vision.

Miketsu twisted her wrist, sweeping the blade out of the ground and through the dust in a backhand arc, aimed precisely toward the Ubume.

"What—!"

Blinded by the dust, the Ubume didn’t see Miketsu's movement until the cold gleam of the blade was inches from her eyes. She tried to dodge, but it was too late. Miketsu’s edge sliced through the fabric of the bundle across the Ubume's chest with surgical precision. The strap holding it snapped, and the swaddled infant went flying. At the sight, the Ubume let out a panicked cry.

"The baby! My baby!"

Miketsu reached out her free hand and caught Kikyo firmly in mid-air. As the dust began to settle, the Ubume saw this and lunged forward with her umbrella, intending to take the child back, only to have a blade suddenly rest against the nape of her slender neck.

"It’s over, child-thief..."

Nura Rihyon phased into view beside the Ubume, his sword holding her at bay. She was forced to remain still, watching helplessly as the infant in the swaddle was cradled by Miketsu.

To the Ubume’s shock, however, the previously wailing infant went silent almost instantly as she was pulled into Miketsu's embrace. There was not a trace of crying left. The bird-demon stared in bewilderment. How could this dark, imposing 'Owl' possess a presence that calmed a child so effectively?

Miketsu gave the bundle a gentle, rhythmic rock with her one arm. Her crimson gaze shifted from the child to the Ubume, looking down at her from beneath the bird-mask. Her voice was calm and indifferent.

"You seem... quite concerned for her?"

The Ubume, pinned by Nura Rihyon’s blade, froze for a second before answering in a sharp, indignant tone. "Of course I am! Who wouldn't be worried seeing a baby in the hands of a dangerous yokai like you?"

"Hoh... aren't you a yokai as well?" Miketsu replied with a hint of amusement.

"I would never hurt the babies! Everything I do is to protect them!" the Ubume declared, her resolve unshaken even though she was at their mercy. She didn't know Owl's true objective, but she spoke her heart without fear. At those words, Nura Rihyon couldn't help but chuckle mockingly.

"Protect? Forcibly snatching a newborn from its parents is what you call protection?"

"You lot understand nothing! They would be in even more danger if I didn't take them!" The Ubume seemed genuinely angered by Nura Rihyon’s skepticism.

"A baby-snatcher worrying about children’s safety? Hah, what a joke!" This time it was Tamamura the tanuki who spoke, approaching from the side with clear disbelief on his face. However, Miketsu interrupted him.

"I believe her intentions toward the children are genuine..."

Her words sent a shock through everyone present, including the Ubume. All eyes turned toward Miketsu in confusion.

"Hm... Lord Owl, you trust her?" Nura Rihyon looked at Miketsu with a puzzled expression. Miketsu glanced at the stunned Ubume before speaking calmly.

"During our brief exchange, I could read her intent from her movements and posture. Every action was geared toward shielding the child in her arms..."

Upon hearing this, Nura Rihyon and Tamamura shared a look of realization. They secretly marveled at the fact that Owl was not only a powerful demon but also a formidable master of martial insight, capable of reading an opponent's intent so clearly during the chaos of combat.

"So my every move was seen through? I suppose I was truly outmatched. Heh, as expected of Owl—a great demon and a peerless warrior combined," the Ubume sighed in admiration. Her words, ironically, made Miketsu feel slightly embarrassed.

Everything she had said about reading "posture and intent" was complete nonsense. The real reason was far simpler: causality vision. In her spectral sight, Miketsu could see exactly what would happen based on where she struck. During the clash, she had seen that if she targeted the baby, the Ubume would sacrifice her own body and take the wound herself to protect the child. This was how she concluded that the Ubume held no malice toward her captives.

"Enough dwelling on this. Let's head into the cave," Miketsu said, gesturing toward the Ubume’s hideout. She led the way inside, with Nura Rihyon following close behind while maintaining his hold on their captive. Makoto and the other minor yokai followed in their wake.

The cave wasn't deep and soon opened into a wider chamber. Several orbs of demon fire floated in the air to light the space. Three large, soft feathers hovered in mid-air, gently swaying like cradles. In each one, a swaddled infant lay fast asleep.

"Wait... only three?" Nura Rihyon frowned at the sight. If these babies were stolen from Heian-kyo, the count didn't add up.

"You’ve caused such a stir in the capital for so long; surely you haven't taken only these few? Where are the rest?"

"I wish I knew where the other babies were. But unfortunately, I’ve only been in Heian-kyo for seven days. These are the only ones I’ve taken," the Ubume replied with total seriousness.

"Only seven days? That’s impossible. Rumors of the Ubume prowling Heian-kyo have been circulating for over half a month. The number of missing infants far exceeds three or four!" Nura Rihyon’s voice was laced with deep suspicion.

"Hmph. It was precisely because I heard those rumors that I specifically traveled to Heian-kyo to investigate..."

The chamber fell into a profound silence as her words registered. After a long moment, Miketsu spoke quietly.

"Tell us. Tell us what you have seen."

...

In common legend, the Ubume is a child-snatching yokai. However, the reason she steals infants is not to harm them; on the contrary, it is because she desires to protect them.

The Ubume is a being of dual nature—maternally protective yet highly aggressive. She offers the same love to human and yokai infants alike. If she perceives that a child is being neglected, poorly cared for, or mistreated by its birth parents, her fury is ignited, and she takes the child. After nursing and caring for the infant herself for a period, she seeks out a more suitable family and leaves the baby with them. This aspect of her behavior gave rise to another legend: the 'Deliverer Bird.'

Setting aside whether it is 'right' to forcibly remove a child from incompetent parents, the Ubume’s love for children is undeniably sincere. While she was wandering the provinces, she had caught word of 'Ubume sightings' and kidnappings in Heian-kyo. Confused by these reports of her kind, she headed to the capital to find out the truth.

Upon her arrival, she began patrolling the streets at night. Eventually, she encountered exactly what she was looking for: a mysterious group of men dressed in black, lurking through the shadows of Heian-kyo to steal children.