Demon Subaru pulled the curtains on the windows, locked the office door and muted his cell phone. There would be no more distractions when it came to remembering his past. Sitting on the desk, he looked back at his Shishima reflection in the mirror, who greeted him with an eager smile and said, "That didn't take long."

"Yes, I'm not letting those idiots interrupt my story anymore."

"Are you mad at them for their constant failures or for barging in whenever you get to some juicy part of your past?"

"The latter. Considering the spot I am in now, their failures to capture Hajime are of no consequence. Once I finish remembering everything and get over this weakness I am feeling, I will track him down myself."

"Ah, now that sounds more like the Shishima I know. Before we continue, tell me, why do you even need minions anymore? In your past lives, you always did the dirty work on your own. Even when you headed armies into war, you could not help but be in the heat of battle to satiate your thirst for bloodshed."

"Let's say that I both need someone to run this city while I am sitting here and I also have further use for the two demonized chosen duelists."

"I see. What about Bochiborof then? You only really need him in duels, there is no reason to have him run around and be a bumbling clown."

"While that is true, he is the only one out of my minions who stuck with me through everything we've faced so far. He even waited fifty years for my return, just so he could be by my side when I began my conquest yet again. And I can feel it in him, he is not serving me out of fear for his life or selfish greed for power, he genuinely wants to spend time with me. Such unquestioned loyalty is hard to find, it almost reminds me of..."

"Yes? Go on."

"Forget it. Let's get back to the story."

"Of course. And don't worry, I have a feeling that you will answer my question soon enough. So, you said that Koushishi ordered the guards to take you in the dungeons?"

"Yes, that would become my shelter for the next hundred years."

"That must have been one hell of a childhood!"

"Looking back at it all, I must admit that I never had a childhood. But I am not sure if I regret it… Due to my mother's abuse, I am now stronger than ever, so in a way I guess I am thankful for what she did. Regardless, fleeting sentimental concepts such as 'childhood' do not befit my proud race."


The following century had not been kind to the Twilight Kingdom's prince, who was still a growing cub. Although grateful that he was freed from the torture of nothingness that the Abyss had to offer, he was now trapped in a cycle of physical torture. Confined to the dingy space of a dungeon in the southwestern wing of the palace, the only light he could see was the moonlight creeping through the bars of a small window. Food was scarce – the guards brought him small scraps of meat and a cup of water every morning. At noon they would chain him and drag him down the wet and foul-smelling corridor to a large open space, filled with circles upon circles of empty seats. Above him there was a small luxurious suite where Koushishi and Fukurokuju sat to witness the spectacle.

The first time he was taken by surprise when the shadow of a brutish oni fell upon him. He did not see the giant fist collide with his small and frail body, throwing him against the opposing wall. That was the beginning of the queen's latest "daily entertainment", in which she pinned her son against bigger and bigger fiends. In each case he did not stand a chance and the showdown consisted mostly of Shishima being chased through the arena until he grew tired, at which point he was caught and beaten to a pulp until his mother decided to put an end to the game. Each time she deemed his performance as "beyond pathetic", the guards would come to his dungeon later that night and give him another round of beating before going to sleep.

So it was that during those years Shishima had but one desire: avoiding pain. To do so, he slowly began to adapt to the monsters he was forced to face. At first he avoided their attacks, and later on he tried to fight back, despite his claws, fangs and horns being too weak and his wings being too slow. They were still futile attempts, but at least he had made some progress, as the brutal beatings on a nightly basis had ceased. Yet there was still a desire boiling deep inside his rage-filled psyche. He wished to break free and rip off the heads of the lioness and the owl. One day, as he was using his wings to avoid the attacks of a giant worm, he flew to the suite close enough to hear the two youkai discussing.

"My queen, I must confess that I am highly concerned about the prince's mental state," Fukurokuju spoke to the bored Koushishi, who seemed more focused on savoring the delicious grapes in her claws. "May I ask how is any of this going to help him in his development?"

"But it's clear as day, my dear advisor!" she exclaimed in her typical polite fashion which was more unnerving than reassuring. "No heir of mine is allowed to live without knowing how to fight. This rigorous training I am subjecting him through has the goal of turning him into a ruthless killer, the exact kind of ruler the Twilight Kingdom deserves."

"You wish for your successor to be a ruthless killer? With all due respect, I have watched how our kind has evolved from a bunch of reckless savages into this glorious society we currently live in. Now you want us to revert to our primal urges?"

The queen smiled knowingly and looked at him with her piercing cold eyes. "We are at war, Fukurokuju. It's a necessary war of conquest, for our realms are becoming increasingly more populated and we need a larger space to survive. Do you expect our kingdom to brave through the war with an 'honorable' king at its helm? Absolutely not! What we need is someone who will hold back at nothing and will keep pushing until the entire spirit world will know to fear us!"

She answered like a true politician and not at all like a mother. The owl youkai sighed, replying in a defeated voice, "I just fear that this monster you are creating might come back seeking vengeance sooner or later."

"He already did that once and I put him back in his place. Let him try again if he dares, I will gladly show him his place once more."

Then Shishima realized what kind of a fiend his mother was, no different from the various evil presences he had felt during his long exile in the Abyss. If he was going to survive her little game, he had to become stronger not just to tackle the ring, but eventually to overthrow her too. His life, no, his future depended on it.


"Let me stop you for a moment," the reflection intervened. "I am curious, do you regret the fact that you did not have a childhood?"

"I don't. As previously mentioned, such sentimental concepts are not befitted to my race."

The lion youkai narrowed his eyes, in suspicion of the claim. "Then do you have any regrets about your past so far?"

Demon Subaru paused for a few moments, reflecting on the question he was asked. Eventually, he broke the silence, "The power that I now have is indirectly thanks to my mother's abuse, so I guess I should be grateful for it."

"You just never learn," the image of Shishima stated with disappointment in its voice. "Go on, sooner or later you will find something that you overtly regret, and then you won't be able to deny it. Remember, it's not healthy to lie to yourself."


Years passed and the prince's body began to show more signs of maturing, most noticeable being his height and beginning of a mane. In a strange and twisted way, he had gotten used to the pain on some level. But everything had a breaking point, and he would discover his on a fateful day. There he was, stuck on the ring, pitted against a giant Cyclops. The fight was more painful than he was used to, and he found himself struggling to survive when he had been pushed into a corner. A giant foot came crashing down, his arms barely managing to stop it from utterly crushing him. It was a losing battle, for this time around, the queen showed no sign that she would stop the match preemptively.

"Your Highness, perhaps we should call it a day," Fukurokuju suggested.

"Nonsense, I feel like I've given him enough passes over the past decade. It's time we up the ante." Koushishi grinned and shouted an order at the Cyclops, "Do not stop until he is one with the dirt!"

The pressure put on his body reminded him of the Abyss's efforts of preventing his escape. But this was different, it was as if the entire palace was crashing on him. As Shishima stood there in another life and death situation, his sanity slowly started to slip and eventually survival instincts kicked in. Thrusting his claws deep into that foot, he tore it open and entered the jungle of flesh that was the giant's body, like an intruding virus, and he began ripping him apart from the inside. Confused, the Cyclops began stumbling around the arena, trying to find out what was happening to him.

"Yes, he's developing fighting strategies, adapting to his foe's movements! Excellent progress!" the queen exclaimed as she rubbed her palms in utter satisfaction.

Fukurokuju shook his head in disgust. This was too much, even for him. If there was nothing he could do to put an end to that daily barbarity, the least he could do was not participate in that charade anymore. As he turned to leave, he froze in his steps. After a short moment, he uttered, "We have company."

"What do you mean?" Koushishi also turned, only for her jaw to drop in utter shock. "Akushishi? I didn't expect you to return from the frontlines so early."

The proud youkai king stepped out of the shadows, his torn fur revealing a couple of battle scars that were still healing. With a demanding voice, he spoke, "I came here seeking Fukurokuju only to find you both hosting Coliseum matches during this time of the year. What is going on here?"

The queen gulped and mumbled up a quick reply, "Um… well… you see, we were trying to cope with your absence, we were both so worried! And by the way, how is the war progressing?"

"I am pleased to inform you that our armies have gained a great amount of territorial advantage and are pushing our border deep into Purgatory's bottom."

"That is great news, a cause for celebration even!" Koushishi walked over to her mate and gave him a welcoming hug.

"Of course it is, of course…" He reached a hand to stroke her cheek, then he pulled her face to his and eyed her. "And just what exactly are you hiding from me?"

She blinked. "What do you mean? We were just hosting some leisurely games."

His tone got harsher. "Is that why I feel a familiar scent in the air?" A pair of claws were now lightly pressing against the queen's cheeks.

"W-what scent, darling?"

"The scent of our blood."

The dying Cyclops crashed in the ring, giving his last breath. A small youkai with lion traits popped out of his eye, all covered in blood and gasping for air. Akushishi stared at the victor as he realized that his sharp scent did not deceive him. The prince was indeed alive.

"Why did you lie to me all these years?" he asked his stunned wife, trying to hold back his building anger. But there was no answer she could come up with, no clever lie that could get her out of this situation. For all intents and purposes, she had been caught red-handed. "Fukurokuju, do you mind telling me what is the meaning of this insanity?"

"As the royal family's closest confidant, lying to any of its members is a grave sin. I am sorry, my queen," the owl apologized, right before he revealed Koushishi's entire plot of creating the perfect heir.

Akushishi was rendered speechless. How could his wife do such a terrible thing behind his back for all those years? They had been raised together, of all the females in the Twilight Kingdom, he felt like he could trust her the most. Such a grave betrayal had left a mark on him, and it could not be forgiven so easily.

"Why?" he asked as he put his hands on her shoulders, shaking her lightly. "Why did you do all of this? Are you out of your mind?"

"You really wish to know why?" she growled back at him, tears forming in her eyes. "I would never tolerate a weak successor! I would do anything to ensure that we have a worthy heir! The Twilight Kingdom is way too vast and wild, your codes of honor are outdated, I only did what was best for-"

SLAP!

Koushishi fell on her back, her cheek now rendered sore by the mark of the king's palm.

"While great power is required to rule our proud race, the heir to the throne also needs to learn about the world around him. That is how he will appreciate who he is and what responsibilities await him," Akushishi explained coldly.

The queen shook her head. "Nonsense, that is just a waste of time-"

"Silence!" the king roared so loudly that the entire arena shook. "Because you have acted on your own without consulting me, you have broken the royal vow. As punishment, I will take the prince under my wing. He will join me in the army where Fukurokuju will be his teacher."

Spreading his wings, he flew right into the ring. The wild cub growled and lashed at him, ready to harm him with his claws, but Akushishi simply dodged the attack and gave him a single hit on the back of his head, which knocked him into sleep.

"My son, look at what she did to you…" he whispered as he picked up the prince, after which he headed out of the Coliseum.

"What are you going to do next?" Koushishi asked her advisor as she stared down in shame.

"The king's orders are as valid as yours." Fukurokuju did a polite bow. "I hope you will forgive my absence." And thus he was also gone, following Akushishi's steps, leaving her all alone.

The lioness youkai clenched her hand, ignoring the pain that the claws were inflicting on her palm. All of her scheming had gone to waste, simply because her mate had arrived at the wrong place and time. But she would not let the last three millennia of plotting go to waste. One way or another, she would have her revenge, even if it meant securing the throne only for herself.


A loud knock on the door awoke Demon Subaru back to reality.

"Milord, it is us, we have come back!" Bochiborof shouted from the other end.

Shaking his head, the hooded one waved his hand and unlocked the door, swinging it open. The plushie walked in, followed by Demon Edo and Demon Sora, all three holding their heads down in shame. Although they did not look their master in the eye, they could still feel his cold glare pierce their souls.

"So, not only did you three fail in your mission, but you also tried lying to me on the phone to save face," Demon Subaru began.

"It was Bochiborof-dono's fault, he was the one who wanted to lie to you!" the winged one exclaimed.

"Yes, we have no reason to hide the truth from you, not after how much good you've done to us!" his clawed partner added.

"You two are actually willing to throw me under the bus like that?!" the plushie shouted at them, angered by their betrayal. "Sire, please listen to me, I only wanted to deliver the news to you in a way I knew you would properly digest. I did not wish to see you be angered by the failure of my idiotic cohorts. Please try to understand my position here, I would never lie to you on purpose, not after everything we've been through!"

"Shut up, all of you," Demon Subaru calmly replied, the three of them standing straight. "You can make up any excuses you want, at the end of it all, I gave you a task and you did not fulfill it. Thankfully, it was not a crucial one, so at least my plans do not have to be altered." The trio breathed a sigh of relief. "However, I want you to know that there is no room for failure with me."

Out of the bloom, he punched Bochiborof, who flew right into the wall. Demon Edo and Demon Sora stared at each other, fearfully expecting similar punishment. Their master cleared his throat and they turned their attention back to him.

"As for you two, I need not remind you of what consequences you will face if you keep disappointing me. I don't want to know that the essence I so generously gave you is wasted on failure after failure. So, if you want to see your friend again and if you want to stay alive, I suggest you get to work."

"Yes, master, we will not fail you again!" both fearfully spoke in unison.

"Good. I want you both to get out and feast on Sagakin's population. The more they suffer, the greater my power will become. Now go!"

Once he was left alone, Demon Subaru threw off his hooded jacket and walked to the plushie, helping him back on his feet.

"I also have a short task for you," he spoke in a less threatening voice, much to the purple wolf's surprise. "I must leave Sagakin for a few hours. In that time, I want you to watch over the city for me. If anyone dares question you, just say that you are speaking on my behalf."

"Milord, you would trust me with such an important task?" Bochiborof looked at him in the eye. "Thank you so much for believing in me, I swear I will not fail this one!"

"I know you wouldn't. Else I will kill you."

"There was no need for that remark, hehe... But, Demon Subaru-sama, may I ask why you are taking your leave?"

"I must find Hajime's new whereabouts so that we don't lose him out of our sight. Your little escapade made it clear that he is currently hiding in the mountains, but surely he will not sit there for long. And besides, I also need some quiet time, wouldn't you agree?"

"As you wish." Bochiborof got on the tips of his toes to pat his master on the back. "Good luck on your trip!"

Demon Subaru stood facing the door, taken aback by the sudden gesture of camaraderie.

"Thank you," he replied before taking his leave.