The Participants

When the massive ghost ship sailed over the sky of the island, all the yokai below felt a crushing pressure. The numerous yokai on the streets stared wide-eyed at the behemoth suspended in the sky, whispering among themselves in shock.

"What is that? A ship crafted by demonic arts?" Inside the Grand Hall of the main tower, the Great Tengu looked out through the large hole at the approaching ghost ship and spoke with a frown.

"It seems so. I wonder which power possesses the resources to build such a ghost ship?" Toga remarked as he watched the scene in the sky. Meanwhile, Miketsu recalled certain legends.

She had heard that besides the various Yokai Lords dwelling on land, there existed a being who dominated the outer seas.

"Hey, big guy, look! Could that be that fellow?"

"Hmm... it's him, no doubt. Hmph, I haven't seen him in years, and he's gone and built such a gaudy thing." A slight smile appeared on the Lord of Arakawa's lips as he sensed the familiar aura from the ghost ship. Beside him, Yamakaze remained silent, his eyes fixed on the vessel.

Finally, the approaching ghost ship came to a halt above the main tower. Two figures leapt from the prow, landing on the edge of the large hole in the tower. One was a male yokai with a sharp horn on his forehead and loose black hair. He wore a short robe over armor, and his golden eyes were filled with disdain. Behind him was an attendant with pale skin, pointed ears, and a high hat, clutching a blade.

"Oh? It seems everyone has mostly arrived. So-called kings of the land, at least you didn't make me wait for half a day..." The man spoke arrogantly as he looked down at the gathered Yokai Lords. His blatant contempt for everyone present immediately sparked irritation in many of them.

"Hahaha! Otakemaru, after all these years, you're still the same!" the Lord of Arakawa suddenly laughed. The man named Otakemaru turned his gaze toward him.

"Ho... it's you, the fellow who humbles himself in rivers. Since you're among them, the others should at least have some skill. It seems I can look forward to this a little." Seeing the Lord of Arakawa, Otakemaru's eyes brightened. He then laughed and leapt from the edge of the hole into the hall, with his attendant following close behind.

"Heh, naturally, no one who can make it here is small fry. I'm quite looking forward to crossing blades with you again." A hint of eagerness appeared in the Lord of Arakawa's eyes as he looked at his old acquaintance.

"That time will come soon enough..." Otakemaru's smile took on a meaningful curve.

"Otakemaru? The Young Lord of Suzuka Mountain, the Lord of the Sea Nation who legendary possesses ten million treasures and commands a vast army of sea yokai..." Toga murmured beside Miketsu after the newcomer identified himself. Miketsu, having recalled the same information, began to ponder.

Lord of the Sea Nation? But he doesn't look like an aquatic yokai at all, though his attendant has a bit of a sea-dweller vibe. And he seems to have some history with the Lord of Arakawa. What is this? The seafood friendship between the Lord of Saltwater Fish and the Lord of Freshwater Fish?

Shaking her head slightly, Miketsu pushed those thoughts aside and scanned the room again. Six participants had now appeared.

"There are six now. Two more to go. They should be nearby. And the most famous one among us who have been granted the title of Yokai Lord should be arriving soon..." Toga said slowly as he observed the scene. At his words, everyone present simultaneously thought of one name.

At that very moment, a massive explosion of demonic energy erupted in the sky directly above the island. Every yokai on the island turned their gaze upward. Even the Yokai Lords inside the tower were momentarily shaken by this immense power. Many of the ordinary yokai on the island were so terrified by the sudden outburst that they collapsed directly to the ground.

"This demonic energy... could it be..." Sensing the source of the demonic energy rapidly approaching from above, the young Great Tengu gripped his fan and murmured. Beside him, Toga finished the thought.

"Yes, it can only be that fellow. The one hailed as the strongest among the Yokai Lords, the Master of Mount Oe, the leader of the Four Generals of the Oni Clan—the Ghost King, Shuten-doji."

Accompanied by the howling of fierce winds, a streak of fire and flame pierced through the clouds, falling from the sky like a meteor toward the island. Its target was the main tower at the center—the meeting place of the Yokai Lords.

Boom!!

After narrowly brushing past the side of the ghost ship in the sky, the fireball, resembling a falling star, smashed into the ceiling of the main tower. It tore through floor after floor until it slammed into the hall at the very bottom, striking the center of the floor. With a thunderous roar, the 'meteor' saturated with demonic energy released a powerful shockwave. In the deafening explosion, the entire main tower blew apart from the inside, collapsing into a pile of ruins. Many streets on the island were swallowed by the dust from the collapse. All the yokai watched in shock as the tall tower, the symbol of the island's master, vanished in an instant.

At the center of the ruins, where the hall had once been, everything was unrecognizable. The original floor had been transformed into a crater expanding outward from the impact. Around the edges of the crater stood the Yokai Lords who had been at the meeting.

A water screen barrier condensed in front of the Lord of Arakawa, with Kingyohime hiding behind him. Otakemaru stood his ground with a serious expression, his attendant standing before him with fish skeletons swimming around. Air currents swirled around the Great Tengu. Toga shielded Sesshomaru, having drawn his blade which had transformed into Tessaiga. Yamakaze had thrust a blade into the ground to withstand the impact. Makoto had revealed her true form, using her wings to protect Miketsu...

Where everyone's gaze converged, in the center of the crater forced into the earth, stood a tall man. Aside from a few scraps of cloth and steel decorations, his upper body was almost bare, revealing powerful, solid muscles. A mass of red hair was tied back, flowing behind him like a cloud. His sturdy frame held a giant sake gourd covered in talismans to his mouth, and he was guzzling the strong liquor inside. After several large gulps, the man lowered the gourd and scanned the surroundings with lazy, crimson eyes, speaking slowly.

"Tch... the venue used to host this lord is so flimsy. It couldn't even handle my landing. How boring..."

"Shuten-doji... what are you trying to do! That strike just now can be considered a clear attack!" With air currents still swirling around him, the Great Tengu shouted sternly at the figure in the center.

"Attack? Hey, hey... don't get it wrong, you little tengu brat. This lord simply jumped over from the coast. If you want to blame someone, blame that Nine-Tailed Fox for choosing a meeting place like this. But then again..." Shuten-doji spread his arms and turned in a circle, looking at everyone around him as he spoke loudly and wildly.

"What if it was an attack! If you lot can't even handle the impact of my landing, what right do you have to stand alongside me!!"

At Shuten-doji's declaration, everyone present was visibly moved. The expressions of the Great Tengu and Toga turned grim. Yamakaze gripped his twin blades tighter. The Lord of Arakawa used one hand to comfort the panicked Kingyohime, while Otakemaru, standing behind his attendant, broke into a smile.

"Shuten-doji, is it? He seems like a much more interesting fellow than the Lord of Arakawa..."

On the other side, Miketsu frowned as she looked at Shuten-doji. As a deity, she was naturally not intimidated by Shuten-doji's power. The reason he caught her attention was that she felt a severe sense of discordance from him!

Discordant! Unnatural! Utterly contradictory! This was the first impression the one hailed as the strongest Ghost King gave Miketsu. She didn't know why Shuten-doji gave her such a strange feeling.

'The King of the Oni Clan... it seems he too is hiding some secret.'

...

On the island, amidst the ruins surrounding the main tower, the unconscious Sanmen-oni was dug out from the debris by his searching subordinates. When he slowly woke up, what appeared before his eyes was the main tower turned to rubble.

"Aaaaah! My Shengui Tower!" Kneeling on the street, Sanmen-oni wailed in agony. His ugly face twisted into a mess of snot and tears. Many yokai gathered around to watch. Seeing the usually overbearing and greedy miser in such a state, many yokai couldn't even help but burst out laughing.

"What's so funny!! Throw everyone watching into the sea!" Sanmen-oni suddenly stood up and shouted at the onlookers. His yokai soldiers immediately began to seize the watching demons, causing them to scatter in all directions.

"Catch them and throw them all into the sea!" Sanmen-oni continued to scream hysterically. Having suppressed a belly full of rage in front of the Yokai Lords, he had finally found a chance to vent his frustration.

Just as all the onlookers fled like startled birds, only one figure remained. It was a figure hidden entirely beneath a teal cloak, holding a long staff in a slender hand. At the end of the staff hung a glowing lantern.

This figure remained completely unmoved when the yokai soldiers attacked. When the ferocious soldiers rushed before her, they all suddenly fainted, collapsing motionless to the ground. Seeing this, Sanmen-oni was struck with great shock.

"What! This, this is..."

While Sanmen-oni was lost in confusion, the figure slowly approached him. Looking at the terrified Sanmen-oni, a charming and mature female voice issued from beneath the cloak.

"Hello there, master of the island. I am the eighth participant of this gathering. I'm a little late; could you please lead the way?"