Cold was the air in the Twilight Kingdom's Northeastern mountains. Despite the thick fog fading with the increase of altitude, the moon could not properly light the sharp stony cliffs. Climbing those abrupt paths would have definitely been a suicide mission, regardless of skill. As he easily flew above the mountaintops, Shishima was amused at the thought of all those foolish youkai who must have risked their lives while seeking the oni. Despite them not being the smartest citizens of the Twilight Kingdom, they were definitely the most knowledgeable of their environment. The notion of fighting them in their own home was equated with going on a suicide mission.
"Milord, look down there!" Borof pointed, in awe at the magnificent sights he was witnessing. "A gate! Is that what we are looking for?"
"Are you sure it is a gate?" Shishima looked in the direction where his servant was pointing. Among the intertwining pathways and seemingly abandoned caves there lied a gate which was barely noticeable. "Keh, it seems your hunch was right."
"I am glad to be of he-" the plushie was interrupted as his master dashed downward at great speed, and before he could regain composure, they were standing in front of it.
A massive gate was indeed built into a mountain's rocky wall. Its size was grander than even Shishima's posture, its doors painted a flaming red and with a horned black oni head in its center. At its left there was the golden statue of a charging ox, at its right the golden statue of a roaring tiger, both seemingly rusted by the passage of time. While marveling at the imposing structure they were facing, Borof noticed from the corner of his eye that something was moving. Looking around, he saw a multitude of glowing red eyes staring at them from the darkness of the surrounding caves.
"M-milord, we have company..." the plushie muttered, unable to contain his fear. "Then this must definitely be the place!"
"Of course, I come seeking the oni village, and it is only natural that they come to greet me, the former prince of the Twilight Kingdom," Shishima calmly replied, not even turning to regard those hiding in the caves. "If there is one thing we have in common, that is the language of power. If you can prove yourself as stronger than them, then you will earn their respect. Alas, I have no time for child's play."
"Sire, I think you just made them really mad at us," whispered a worried Borof as he witnessed the demonic ogres emerge from the caves, each of them armed with a weapon. Their skin tones varied through red, blue, green, gray and black, their fangs were curbed outwardly, their horns small and pointy, and their bodies tall and muscular. It was as if they had known nothing but physical combat since birth. Their main weapon of choice was the kanabo, a metal bat filled with spikes, but some opted for double-bladed axes, spears, naginatas or katanas. "D-don't you think we should just apologize?"
"Keh, why should we? That would be a sign of weakness. Let them come and see what happens to all who dare stand in the way of Shishima!"
Giving out a collective roar, the oni all charged in battle. Overcome by fear, Borof closed his eyes. As he did, he heard dozens of pained cries, coupled with the distinctive sound of claws tearing into flesh. When the noises stopped, he opened his eyes and had the relief of seeing the entire group of oni lying on the ground in a pool of their collective blood.
"I never should've doubted you, master! I should've known better that a mere army of brainless oni would be no match for you. How many did you manage to kill?"
"None," the lion youkai firmly replied as he walked forward. "If they were dead, their bodies would be dissolving into thin air. I've merely knocked them out, to send a message."
"A message, sire? Of what sort?"
"That I am not seeking any hostilities."
With that said, Shishima pushed the gate wide open and entered the short cave. Beneath the rocky walls there was a large village in which festivities were taking place. Spirits were high, as the oni villagers were dancing, singing, eating, getting drunk and enjoying their bountiful treasures without a care in the world.
"Hahaha, this has been another fruitful day!" cried a red oni as he took a bite from a chunk of roasted meat.
"It's all thanks to our great king! This would have never happened without his leadership!" added a blue oni before chugging a bottle of mixed alcohol.
The one known as the Oni King rested on his throne made of rock and admired his enthusiastic followers. His hair and beard had gone white with age, and though his horns were as sharp as ever, wrinkles had appeared on his red face and a multitude of battle scars filled the black skin of his exposed chest and back. The same could be said about the dark purple armored pants and gloves he wore, they had also worn out from centuries of battle, yet he still wore them as a symbol of pride. After finishing his glass of wine, he gave a loud roar to command total attention and said, "Let us all rejoice today, my brothers! For tomorrow we will begin a new assault against the desert lands of the Twilight Kingdom. The time when the capital will hear of our plight is fast approaching!" He was followed by a chorus of cheers and then the party became even more heated than before.
The revelries were suddenly interrupted when they heard a couple of pained moans. The villagers' attention turned to the main gates, where they saw a trio of guards lying heavily wounded on the ground and a winged purple youkai standing tall and proud. Murmurs went among the worried crowd as a young red oni walked out of it, long white hair flowing like a mane behind his devilish horns, and an angered expression on his soft face. He wore a black kimono with a red dragon pattern on the back, which he kept open to expose his bare chest, as well as a pair of white hakama pants.
"Who dares disturb the revelries of the oni?" asked the youngster. "Reveal your name, intruder!"
Shishima regarded him with an arrogant smile. "I seek the Oni King."
"You do? Ha, I regret to inform you, he seeks no auditions from strangers. Now state your business or go away!" As soon as he finished the sentence, the lion youkai immediately flew right in front of him. A clawed hand grabbed the oni's neck tightly and raised him in the air, his comrades stunned by the cold and murderous intent in their visitor's black and red eyes.
"I won't repeat myself a second time," Shishima chillingly stated, and then he threw the young oni right into a table filled with drinks. "Either you point me to the Oni King or you will share that fool's fate."
"Who the hell are you calling a fool, you lousy cat?!" the red oni growled as he tried getting up from the pile of broken wood, glass and porcelain. "I'll make you eat your fucking words right in this-"
"Stand back, Akamaru!" ordered the Oni King as he got up from his throne, revealing himself to the visitor.
"But father, he-"
"I will hear no more from you." The old youkai walked over to their guest, his expression stern and judging. "If I didn't see it with my own two eyes, I would have never believed it myself. Alas, it is true, after a thousand years, prince Shishima has returned."
Gasps and murmurs filled the crowd, as some oni bowed down in respect to the former king's son, while others simply backed out of his way from pure fear.
"It's been too long indeed," Shishima replied with a small hint of nostalgia in his voice. "The years have treated you well, Oni King."
"I could say the same to you, Your Highness. Word had spread among the Twilight Kingdom after Purgatory's fall that the prince had been executed for going insane over the king's death. Needless to say, that tragedy had greatly impacted me and my people. Yet here you are, standing right before me just like all those years ago back on the battlefield."
"The rumors of my death have been... greatly exaggerated, to say the least. Needless to say, I come in peace. I have no intention of spreading my mother's tyranny upon you."
The Oni King's face went grim, his demeanor becoming oddly cold. "That's what all of the capital palace's daiyoukai say, and then they send their no-good governors to impose petty rules upon the kingdom's regions and demand monthly tributes. We will no longer fall for such lies! Now state your reason for coming here, prince Shishima!"
"I come seeking your aid," the lion calmly replied, a chorus of laughter following suit, which was quickly silenced once he glared at the oni in question. "I am serious. I promise I will help you escape the shackles of our capital's tyranny, and in exchange I require your help with overthrowing the current government and dethroning my mother."
"And then what? You will take the throne and become the new tyrant in her place?"
"Do not misconstrue. My desire is to see Koushishi lose everything. You are also interested in getting rid of her. Therefore, I suggest we join forces to achieve our common goal."
The Oni King rubbed his chin pensively with one of his claws. "Suppose we did. What will you do once she is defeated? Who will take over?"
"I don't know, nor do I care. If you wish, you're free to stage a coup and take over the entirety of the Twilight Kingdom once we achieve our goal."
"Hm, the son of Akushishi comes back from the dead and makes this offer to us. This sounds too good to be true! But, at the end of the day, we are oni. If it is our aid that you seek, you must either offer us something precious that you treasure the most, or you must defeat us to prove your worth. Which do you choose?"
"Why even ask?" Shishima replied with a smirk as he showed his deck.
"A good choice indeed."
The Oni King also took out a deck and motioned for his guest to a pair of dueling tables. The villagers all gathered around them, food and drinks in their hands as they prepared to watch an entertaining showdown unfurl. Akamaru sat in a corner with his arms crossed, eager to witness his father humiliating the arrogant prince.
"I summon Attacking Bonsura." A yellow humanoid eyeless plushie with its arms shaped like long tentacles which ended in mouths with sharp fangs appeared by Shishima's side.
"I summon Kizugui Henge." A blue quadrupedal demonic wolf with a flaming red mane appeared and howled at the sky. "He's a speed attacker, so I attack you with Kizugui Henge and return a shield into my hand without using shield trigger. Go, break his shield!" The creature's tail broke one of its owner's shields, then it lashed at the opponent and tore another shield with its claws.
"Breaking shields on both sides? Interesting! My turn, I summon Ottakara Atakara and self mill two cards." A plushie modeled after a treasure chest appeared while Uroborof, Dragon Edge and Reino Usshi / I've Slipped in Again~ ended in Shishima's graveyard. "I attack with Attacking Bonsura and Invasion, I evolve him into Duenyan Emperor!" The yellow plushie rushed at the opponent and transformed into a fat black cat plushie with a golden crown, a green cape and a golden staff shaped after a fish skeleton in its hands. "Duenyan Emperor, double break his shields!" Heeding its master's order, the plushie pierced down two shields with his staff. "At the end of the attack I put Uroborof, Dragon Edge under Duenyan Emperor. Then, after Attacking Bonsura's attack, Duenyan Emperor gets destroyed." The black cat gave out a loud meow as it disappeared in an explosion, the yellow plushie reappearing from the smoke alongside a purple wolf plushie wearing a red bandana and boxing gloves, a pair of black pants and brown shoes shaped after wolf paws, a bone dark blue bone scythe in its hands. "I revive all creatures under Duenyan Emperor, meaning Attacking Bonsura and Uroborof, Dragon Edge. I equip the latter with Go To Hell, Annihilator Blade, which revives Duenyan Emperor on Uroborof." The Draguner transformed into the fat black cat plushie once again. "Go, Duenyan Emperor, break his final shields and Go To Hell revives Reino Usshi!" A green minotaur plushie appeared as the royal cat jumped once again at the opponent and hacked away the remaining two shields with the bone scythe. "Keh, that was easy enough. I end my turn and self mill with Reino Usshi's effect." Darpi Luppi fell in its owner's graveyard, signaling the turn's end.
Much to Shishima's surprise, the Oni King burst into mirthful laughter. "As expected of Akushishi's son, you are as fierce and straightforward in duels as you are in battle! However, due to your reckless attacks, you have now activated Onitime!"
"Onitime, you say?"
"Yes, Onitime effects activate whenever the total number of our shields is six or less. Let me demonstrate - I summon Bakurohoshi, Oni of "Musabori"!" A tall red oni with two pairs of black wings coming out of his back, a crown of black feathers on his head with long flowing white hair appeared, fixating his burning yellow eyes on the opponent. "Bakurohoshi may seem like an ordinary speed attacker with 5000 power, but due to Onitime he gains power attacker +7000 and triple breaker!"
"What the...?"
"I attack with Bakurohoshi and... Oniend!"
"Oniend?"
"Whenever a player has no shields, Oniend effects also activate! So, I cast Hyakki no Jaoumon!" An imposing red gate arose from the ground, two pairs of oni horns on its top and six kanji symbols glowing in a circle on its doors. "With this spell's effect, I put the top four cards of my deck into my graveyard and revive a Darkness or Fire non-evolution creature among them which costs 6 or less." The cards which went into the Oni King's graveyard were Jyadokumaru, Oni of "Orochi", Balad Vi Na Shura, Gokensai, Oni of "Outrage" and Gedogongen, Oni of "Korekara". "Perfect! I shall revive Gedogongen and with Hyakki no Jaoumon's effect I force battle him with your blocker Attacking Bonsura!" The gate's doors swung open and a red oni samurai wielding two katanas with his four arms appeared and slashed the small plushie into pieces. "Bakurohoshi, triple break his shields!"
Shishima took cover as the winged oni flew through three of his shields and shattered them. Much to his displeasure, there were no shield triggers. Although he did not want to admit it, he had to admire the aggressive comeback that the Oni King made. It seemed that his warrior attitude was also reflected in his dueling style.
"This is the power of the Darkness Fire Onifuda Kingdom, Shishima! The power to turn your opponent's aggression into an even greater force and hurl it back at him when he least expects it. Gedogongen is also a speed attacker, so I attack with him and cast another Hyakki no Jaoumon!" This time Kizugui Henge, Oniyose's Jutsu, Balad Vi Na Shura and Dokuganryu, Oni of "Kagekiri" were milled. "I revive Dokuganryu, and with his Onitime effect, all of my creatures are now blockers and slayers. Then I force battle him with Reino Usshi." A bipedal dragon donning white and purple armor appeared out of the same gate and cut the minotaur plushie into pieces with his sword. "Gedogongen, break his final shield!" Heeding the order, the oni samurai rushed at the opponent and disposed of his last shield with both katanas.
"Shield trigger, I summon Syriu Heaven!" A gray plushie shaped after a floating mechanical angel appeared and fired a small beam of light upon the dragon which made him explode. "With his effect I destroy Dokuganryu."
"Kizugui Henge, todomeda!"
"Syriu Heaven, block!" The angel plushie flew in the way of the demonic wolf and got torn to shreds, but it managed to save its owner from losing.
"Well done, Shishima, you've managed to buy yourself another turn. However, we are both without shields. You have two attackers left at your disposal, while I have three at mine. The question is: how many attacks will there be necessary for this match to end?"
"Keh, why don't we find out? I summon another Ottakara Atakara." A second treasure chest plushie appeared, causing Hellborof, Supreme Dragon Edge and Ninjariban, Dragon Edge to land in its owner's graveyard. "I attack with Duenyan Emperor and Go To Hell revives Ninjariban, who brings out Reddull, Dragon Soul Castle, which will grant him speed attacker. Duenyan Emperor, todomeda!"
"Not so fast! Whenever I would lose the game, I destroy Gedogongen and prevent that from happening!" the Oni King said and the samurai oni vanished in an explosion which pushed the black cat back.
"At the end of Duenyan Emperor's attack, I put Attacking Bonsura under him. Ninjariban, todomeda!"
"Oniend! Whenever I would lose the game during your turn, I reveal Balad Vi Na Shura from my hand and send it to the bottom of my deck, thus preventing my loss yet again!" A red spear with three glowing yellow eyes descended from the sky and blocked the blue ninja plushie's path from attacking the opponent.
"Ottakara Atakara, todomeda!"
There were no more tricks left for the Oni King to pull. He had wasted his Hyakki no Jaoumon spells on attacks and he had only gotten one Balad Vi Na Shura in his hand. As such, there was nothing left to do but accept defeat as a hand sprung out of the treasure chest plushie and punched him back. The crowd of oni cheered at the sight of such an aggressive and entertaining duel, but Akamaru dug his sharp nails in his palms out of frustration upon seeing his father's loss.
"That was a good duel," said the Oni King as he got back on his feet. "You have proven your worth as a youkai tonight, my prince. I must say, I have longed for the days when we fought side by side, and now I know why."
"Has our little spectacle appeased your followers, Your Majesty?" Shishima asked as he packed his deck.
"More than enough, you've shown me that you are more like your father than I thought. As such, please..." the old oni produced a small wooden case and offered it to the lion youkai, "...accept this formal gift."
"Very well." The former prince took it without hesitation.
"Inside you will find cards from the Onifuda Kingdom, most of them are Darkness, but some are Darkness Fire. Their main effect, Onitime, will trigger either when you rush or are rushed. I can assure you that they will be of great help on your quest!"
"I suppose your aid will not be limited to just free gifts, am I right?"
"Oh no, if you will ever need manpower, simply turn to the Northeast and shout for us. We will respond accordingly."
"I see. My father was right in calling you reliable allies." Shishima turned his back to the oni and spread his wings wide. "We will meet again, Oni King!" And thus he took off in the skies, leaving behind a reignited party filled with loud cheers which praised his name.
"How could you do this to me, father?" the upset Akamaru asked as he walked to the older oni. "Not only did you let yourself be defeated by that arrogant pompous bastard, but you also gave him half of my rightful inheritance?!"
"He defeated me fair and square. As such, he has earned the right to a part of our power. Rest assured, I have secured your own part here," the Oni King said and offered a second wooden case which his son hastily took and immediately opened to inspect its contents.
"So you gave him the Darkness cards and me the Fire ones? That's not enough, the Onifuda Kingdom contains both civilizations. As such, I will need the cards you gave him as well!"
"I have laid down two choices for you, Akamaru. Either you go chasing after Shishima to reclaim what you believe was 'taken unfairly from you', or you can cooperate with Shishima and start treating him like your brother."
"Him? My brother?" the young oni spat with absolute disgust. "Nonsense! I don't know what kind of history you have with him or the former king, but I for one refuse to even consider that sleazebag as my brother! I'll show you that I will be the one to reclaim the cards which he stole from us and restore our pride as oni!"
With those words said, Akamaru packed the cards and hid them in his kimono before storming off out of the village and mountains in pursuit of his newfound rival. The Oni King could do nothing but sigh at his offspring's stubbornness and hope that one day he would see the wisdom behind his decision. Then he rejoined the celebrations, for the night was still young and they had a long day ahead.