Oh, dear. Yet another chapter... Hopefully none of you guys think like this and are actually looking forward to this, as indicated by the burgeoning mailbag below! I want to take this opportunity to announce my newest beta work, already ongoing for a while now, with Methrindal and Ganheim for their Re:Zero and Persona 5 fanfics respectively: In the Sight of Many and Persona 5: Daywatch. Check 'em out, as well as my work there!

Those of you unfamiliar with what role Hachiman has in this setting (who was last chapter's title, if you noticed), he is historically the Minamoto Clan's guardian deity. So, as you can guess already, any chapter containing him as its title will have heavy exposition, sequel foreshadowing for the 4th HV story, as well as the series as a whole. Feel free to speculate on any Easter Egg you think you may find!

Like before, I got hit by a lot of unreplyable reviews. I wonder why no one wants me to PM them directly?
Nerff585: Not in this setting, no. She'll be part of the sequel when I discuss more in-depth what I constantly mention in this story, which is the human-youkai alliance pact during the Heian period.
Royal Freshness12345: This time setting still harbors that limitation for true-blue Divine Spirits from Takamagahara to directly descent to the Outer World from their residence in the Reverse Side. However, that's what the Guardian Spirit contract is for if they want a taste of the current world - ditto Yamata-no-Orochi's relationship with 's not Iran, actually - it's India. The Mongols won't appear in this time period owing to their lack of presence in this time period after their collapse/merger with then-China. And yes, I'm also quite disappointed how lackluster Koutarou was in-game before he got powered up by Danzou's death.
Stratos263: Oh, like you wouldn't believe. Only their outward culture hypocritically brand this as immoral and inappropriate. In fact, there's just as much depravity back then in Japan as anywhere from both genders and sexual preferences. Just look at Ōi and Kiara. (...) I think you can say even she herself didn't expect that. She's fully willing to slaughter them all if Shirou ordered it.
Uday Sra & Davy jones: Thank you! I've rarely replied directly to you because it's all positive messages, so I want to take this opportunity to say how grateful I am to your continued patronage. Now, can you tell me what part you enjoy the most through my stories, and what I can improve on?
SuperFireman151: Yeah, sorry about that. I just want to focus on the projects I have at hand. Plus, I'm busy with beta works now, and really don't have time on writing more than one story at a time, unlike most authors with numerous parallel projects.
Kulkulkan-chan & UbonInim: Well, like most families, the relationship is complicated... And it's not just regarding the Fūma or Otakemaru, because there's going to be a lot of players in this story, because I've grown confident in doing so after the lessons learned in HV-S01: RKR & HV-S02: QGF.
Forevermore & Person with DID: Agreed. Like I mentioned in past ANs, I'm still treading the water regarding how much your favourite scenes I can put in without getting reported/banned. The Battle of Sekigahara will happen with different players... and obviously on a much larger scale this time, with Maō Nobunaga taking part due to my efforts in keeping her alive until then. There's your spoiler for the day!
Juicy & Wryyy boy: Not sure what you're talking about. Is this about my desire to directly PM you, or your spamming habits? Either way, happy to see you again. And check out my above replies regarding Danzō.
Odinson: No problem. Didn't even notice that on the first read - a showcase how incredible our mind is.
Kokoro-takuma: They'll appear... but not as the focus. Remember, I've established this is a setting where yōkai and humans can mingle... up to a point with some sacrifices needing to be made from both sides. A full-on Divine Spirit descent will have a great impact I'm not yet comfortable discussing with you guys, because it'll be too much of a spoiler.
Jojo famk: I know Galactus, but not nearly enough to be confident in writing a fanfiction about him. I'm also not sure about crossovers with western media, because I feel they're two completely different worlds which my skill won't necessarily be able to merge seamlessly.

"W-W-Why m-me? W-Why i-is t-this h-happening?!"

Since the very first day, Motoyasu couldn't stop her teeth from chattering in nervousness, much to the consternation of her loyal retainer Hanzō.

Things should be looking up for the better. The Princess General holding Motoyasu semi-hostage had 'peacefully' surrendered to Nobunaga, alleviating the pressure the racoon-like girl often experienced under the quirky, bipolar Yoshimoto. It meant Hanzō didn't even have to break a sweat executing the back-up plan he had when he failed to harm even a single hair on Nobunaga's head, stopped as he was by the snake-tattooed kunoichi.

…who was now sitting regally in front of them, sipping tea elegantly in the carriage like a princess.

They were tasked to guard the march of the injured Uesugi troops back where they came from. Information came about how they struck a deal with Ujiyasu to cut through the Hōjō territory, so the most logical thing was to ship them back there.

No, the most logical thing must be executing them to the last man, considering Nagao Kagetora's prowess.

The small army – necessarily that minuscule in order to sneak past a few borders relatively undetected – sported various injuries, but no major ones. That was one of Hanzō's concerns: an injured army might be expensive and tiring to maintain or move, but at the very least, they were… well, injured. This Uesugi troops looked like they could fight in another Okehazama right now, instead of being exhausted and knocking on death's door.

If a riot occurred, no one could contain them – not with this equally-small number of guards assigned to this transport mission. Partially Oda, partially Tokugawa, the unfamiliarity between the two groups only made their prospect worse. Not even a well-trained army could stop Kagetora's solo rampage, much less this ragtag bunch of misfits under the command of a shivering racoon.

Perhaps he was too strict with the requirements. No matter how insignificant the injuries were to his eyes, the combination of these minor-but-weakening wounds, exhaustion, and the simple restrains placed on them should reduce their threat level if they wanted to force something to happen. Besides, while his own body hadn't fully healed, the person sitting across from him was certainly in tip-top condition.

Judging from her prowess in their battle – where he couldn't even as much scratch her marked skin – she'd have no problem putting any situation under control.

As usual, he lost out to her in taking the first step.

"Why, because you are obviously the most capable among us, Motoyasu-san," the slim, long-haired girl calmly answered with a smile. "What makes you think you're incapable?"

"W-Wha… B-Because you're here, of course! Y-You should be the one t-taking the point on this!" Motoyasu nearly shrieked, bobbing up and down in negative excitement. "You b-beat Hanzō! I… I-I don't understand why Kippōshi asked you not to interfere whatever the cost…!"

The elder ninja finally spoke, "My lord, do avoid invoking Oda-sama's personal name in a public space." He pointedly twitched his head to where Kagetora was marching pitifully outside the carriage. "And, secondly, I do support this decision whole-heartedly."

"Y-You traitor! Back me up for once!" Motoyasu cried, but the two shinobi merely ignored her tantrum and began their own conversation.

"Are you not worried about their… condition?" Hanzō queried, voicing out his earlier thought. "That man from the Minamoto Clan was too merciful and… fussy, in my humble opinion."

Chiyome replied stone-facedly, "If I may answer a question with my own, why are you going to such extent to avoid speaking people's proper names? I recall you had been in contact with Niwa-dono before this behind Imagawa-dono's back, no? I'm sure you've understood a few things since then."

Motoyasu, ever the sharp raccoon despite her personality, perked up. "You have been in Oda territory before this?! H-How c-could… How could you not tell me…!"

Her angry look petered out at the end when Hanzō glared down on her with one of his rarer expression: anger. Curtly, he answered, "It's for your own good, my lord."

The green-haired girl took a sharp breath, clearly fed up of receiving the same answer over and over again in place of a proper explanation in her life. It's an expression Chiyome was all too familiar with – after all, the same ghosts of the past spoke it out loud on occasion through the mirror whenever she's feeling particularly down or left alone without her husband's company for extended periods of time.

It was quite a shock when she realized this through her own self-reflection. In general, shinobis were trained to avoid forming unnecessary attachments outside their own clan and code. Even rogues had their personal oaths they took just to keep them sane, after leaving the structure they'd been a part of for so long. One look at the older man in front of her and she was presented by a shining example of it: this Iga Kage held his mission to the utmost priority, beyond his charge's personal gratification and happiness.

Still, even after knowing all that, she didn't regret forming a nearly-unhealthy attachment to her husband. After all, she always had the excuse of Yamata-no-Orochi and Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi – paired beings who were destined to always meet and keep each other in check. It pleased her none of his lovers shared this bond…

…ah, yes, 'lovers'. She had little doubt he's sleeping with Nobunaga right now, since that's what tended to happen whenever he spent a considerable amount of time with a single girl. To be fair, the two of them had grown up together in the most twisted coincidental situation possible – too good to be true, she sometimes noted. Yet, her current self was proof it was possible, and not always the machinations of a higher being with dubious intentions.

However, this strength of character had unexpectedly brought with it its fair share of weakness. She dissolved her jealousy of others by being overly grateful, as Shirō once warned, constantly thinking, "It's not my place to envy others when I'm so blessed already." A lack of ambition could often be just as dangerous as being overambitious, but she'd stood her ground even if he's in front of her right now, because she genuinely felt happy about her growing family.

"I'm not worried at all, Hanzō-dono. They were hurt far more than you realized."

"I don't think torn ligaments and bruised bones would deter the infamous Uesugi army, Sengo-dono," he argued, but narrowed his eyes in irritation when she smiled expectantly, realizing too late he'd played into her wordplay again.

"I'm not talking about physical wounds, as you will have no doubt realize now," she spoke, lightly waving her long-sleeved arm towards the window. "You've pictured their might too firmly in your heart that it shook, to the point it affected your vision."

"Tsk!" Clicking his tongue unhappily, he folded his arms. "Fine. So, what do you want now?"

He's not just asking why she brought his aversion to Shirō's identity up earlier, but also why they're not following the same convoy as the other group consisting of similarly-injured Fūma shinobis.

Back then, he was the sole connection Motoyasu had to that pseudo-older sister of hers, as Yoshimoto closely monitored all communications going in and out of her camp. No, well… he was speculating back then, as he didn't know of her true capabilities, but he was grateful of his carefulness when he snuck out and joined the meeting among the other Oda retainers. Yes, his lord would've loved to not only escape, but also earn the chance to meet up once again with Nobunaga, whom she got along with – in a weird, masochistic manner – when she was taken hostage by the Oda Clan.

There, they spoke of this individual who was so influential to Nobunaga's growth as… well, everything, to the point he questioned his own lord's memory.

If this person was Nobunaga's childhood friend, then… why couldn't Motoyasu remember his existence?

The possibility of her memory being doctored immediately came to his mind, though he couldn't reveal or act on this worrisome idea in the middle of the meeting. Choosing to gather as much information about this person instead, slowly, a picture soon became clear.

This 'Sengo Muramasa' couldn't possibly be human.

Unlike Chiyome, Danzō looked upon coincidences with extreme suspicion.

It's apparent how much his presence had changed the power balance among the Oda retainers – a state pretty much universal in many powerful noble courts. Nagahide had been losing her trusted place among Nobunaga's various sides, and Oda's landslide victory in Okehazama would only push her deeper into this self-destructive corner. She was the main commander of that battle, yes, but against the leaderless Yoshimoto army who only had numerical superiority as their advantage.

All the decisive small victories – publicly unannounced as they were – were all from Muramasa's ploys. He personally defeated Nagao Kagetora in such a flashy way it's impossible Nihon's various large forces didn't notice. The path to Yoshimoto was pried open by this girl right in front of him, while the esteemed Fūma Clan fell in the hands of one single kunoichi. Nobunaga defeated Yoshimoto in single combat, and since Hanzō was unconscious at that moment, he couldn't confirm how powerful the Imagawa Princess General was – again another failure of his many plans.

All three women were inextricably tied to this man, who claimed he's nothing more than a humble blacksmith.

'Yeah, what a load of shit.'

And was it coincidence too the Oda retainers present at the meeting – all loyal individuals – were conveniently placed in the same group to take on the meaningless task of, eventually, only buying time until Yoshimoto and Kagetora were defeated? Hanzō didn't think so.

"Me? Personally, I am only looking forward to seeing my parents again. It's been some time." Acting innocent – an expression Hanzō almost bought if not for the shining golden serpentine right eye adorning Chiyome's delicate features – she added, "My hometown is in Takeda territory, after all. I assumed Kagetora-dono will be more at peace if we drop her at her friend's place, no?"

"Hmph. We'll see about that. Either way, I'm not taking responsibility if anything happens."

"Of course not. Motoyasu-san will."

"H-H-HHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEE?!"

His most recent wounds throbbed at the various information she just revealed, not to mention the headache he's beginning to fester with his lord's uncalm demeanour.

Shinobi shouldn't expose their background so easily. He hadn't done some digging during his recovery, but piecing together the clues provided in their battle was enough to pinpoint this girl hailed from the Kōga Clan. A family just as storied and powerful as his Iga, their claim to fame was their inheritance of Kōga Saburō's bloodline, said to have ascended into a serpent god. Her skin's marks and scars, as well as her affinity with snakes, were a dead giveaway.

Incidentally, the Kōga Clan had deep roots in Takeda territory, although they never officially entered service with any established military powers.

So… it's either this Chiyome had officially severed ties with the Kōga to officially side with Oda… or she simply didn't care.

He assumed it's the latter, since she'd have no trouble silencing anyone who knew and keen to take advantage of this knowledge.

Additionally, using the term 'friend' to describe the relationship between Kagetora and Haruna was… interesting, to say the least. Most people knew them as 'Kenshin' and 'Shingen', respectively, and because their repeated battles had become legendary. The Uesugi Clan, who steadfastly maintained the borders of Echigo, would often come out to play against the Takeda Clan's famed cavalry, to the point neither side even remembered what they're fighting for.

Such was the tales accompanying these two Princess Generals ever since they were nothing but young maidens. Now, they had become established powerhouses in North Honshu, taking the role their predecessors did towards the up-and-coming warlords such as Nobunaga: becoming the impassable obstacle one must defeat in order to become… legendary.

Hanzō's not sure how the Oda Clan wanted to spin this victory over Kagetora. No doubt the Uesugi Clan would run their own information manipulation in order to safe face… but the question was, "Would Kagetora cooperate? She, who was famed for her chivalry and pure combat?" Could this be used as a backroom bargaining chip between the two parties? And how would the rest of the tripartite react, not just to Kagetora's defeat, but the reveal the Minamoto Clan was backing Nobunaga?

He wasn't sure which question would have a satisfactory answer… or even answers he wanted to know.

Clearly, 'Sengo Muramasa' was a dangerous individual. His lord's future would depend on how they built a relationship with him from now on… and Hanzō could already feel this would be very troublesome.

Especially because he didn't like Chiyome. At all.

Oh, it's nothing regarding her appearance or gender. He only called her mean things in their duel to rile her up – much to his embarrassment, because it's more likely she became more vicious because of that act – but the fact he couldn't read what she wanted to do next. Her admissions just now didn't really answer anything he was curious about – namely, how did Saitō Dōsan's Guardian Spirit ended up with her?

…and how could she channel Yamata-no-Orochi's power without going insane?

'Ah… So this was why Niwa-dono was so irritated.'

It appeared the more people rose in life, the more they depended on predictability and control over everything around them. Most of that was from one's own ego, with some addition of worry over their significant others. He, ironically, criticized that points-grading woman just like this in his mind, before giving into the same weakness soon after.

…and not because he's salty over his defeat. Absolutely not. He wouldn't allow such simple irritation to influence his judgement over other people.

"I understand your confidence. After all… you have it inside you. But do take into account regular people, like us and the yōkai guards around," Hanzō chided weakly, not very convincing due to his hesitant volume. "I know it's something you're not at liberty to talk about, but… to grant us confidence, may you explain what you can do apart from the skills you used against me?"

"No."

- Pfft!

A snort came from Motoyasu, and Hanzō managed to successfully resist giving her a chop to the head.

Chiyome eyed the Princess General, then the older shinobi. "I think I've given you plenty to think about. Why don't you keep quiet and digest them, instead of constantly speaking to hide your nervousness?"

Her snake-like eye figuratively expanded all of a sudden, filling the cabin with a Conceptual Weight more akin to a gigantic snake large enough to ascent into a dragon. It's not killing intent per se – merely the presence of a higher being gracing a lower realm. Motoyasu wasn't quite affected due to Chiyome not targeting her, but Hanzō couldn't keep his toes from shaking in his effort to stay calm.

"Better."

She would never forgive anyone who plotted against her husband, no matter the intention.

- Step.

The sound of a light body landing on top of their carriage took their attention. Before they could do anything rash, a childish, white-haired face appeared upside-down from outside the window.

"Chiyome-zan, dere are shum Takeda scouts witzin the terridorry." Lisping as ever, Goemon calmly reported, hanging with just her toes from the carriage's ceiling outside. "Should I engage?"

Chiyome shook her head, letting her long, serpentine black hair splay about on her seat. "No need. We've taken enough precautions; allow me to talk to them."

Only Goemon knew there's a possibility there'd be her parents there, anyway. She'd revealed just enough information to keep him interested – as per the plan she and her husband agreed to – so there's nothing to be gained in saying more. Let the veteran ninja drown in his own delusions and assumptions, as well as deal with his nervous wreck of a Princess General.

'I have to say, Shirō sure knows which lord to serve.'

It's gotten to the point she actually liked Nobunaga, and didn't mind this sure-tryst she's having with her husband. Knowing the Oda Princess General would need an heir soon to calm the worries of her people and the new elders – replacing the old guards after her and Nobukatsu's ploy – a man of his status was just perfect to act as a donor father. Chiyome would be the official wife… and that's enough for her.

Her body flickered, traversing the great distance still remaining between their convoy and the Takeda group. If they're just scouts, then a showing of official documents should deter them-

She halted suddenly, having seen who's at the head of the group.

Deliberately stopping right at the horse's front, her two different eyes immediately saw through the masked rider's identity.

"Long time no see, Shingen-sama."

"She really gave you an earful, didn't she?"

Towards Tatsumi's mirthful words, Shirō gave him the stink-eye. "Don't you start."

The Mutsu Clan Head chuckled, his steps lightening as his loose clan uniform bellowed about in the light breeze. He had followed the victory convoy to Kyoto to collect his rewards, and perhaps do some shopping for his newborn sons' needs. The Mutsu Province where they resided was somewhat developed – this was no longer the Heian Period, after all – but the clan headquarter was located deep in the mountains, where the Conceptual Weight was the highest. Every Mutsu bathed in this magical aura since they were small, helping them to control and channel their tengu blood.

"Hmph! If you're that concerned about it, then why didn't you accompany Senpai yourself?!" Quick to defend Shirō as ever, Jūbei scolded the carefree man. "And stop making that slovenly expression! You're an embarrassment to our clique!"

Indeed, when compared to the fashionable and semi-formal clothes Jūbei and Shirō were wearing, Tatsumi's outfit could be considered shabby, despite made with incredible detail and sturdiness for combat. This was especially apparent in the capital city, where many nobles resided and roamed the street, whispering to themselves about the trio's antics.

Currently, Nobunaga busied herself for the next step in her conquest of the lands: plotting the merge of Oda territory and Azai-Asakura, a feat she couldn't achieve without painful bloodshed in the past. With Oichi having her magical potential forcibly unlocked with Shirō's influence in his bid to strengthen the internal structure of the clan, she had been influencing her 'husband' Nagamasa quite nicely behind the scenes. It's surprising the usually demure young woman picked up lesbian skills so quickly, knowing the clan leader she's married to was secretly a woman dressed as a handsome, effeminate man. To someone who craved the attention she wished just as herself, it's tactical to send the gentle-hearted and devoted Oichi to win Nagamasa over and control her for Oda's goals.

However… that's also what had happened in Nobunaga's past life. Then, these two were just as happily married as they were now, different as they were from these new selves… and still, Nagamasa fell to the pressure of his clan and Asakura, dooming this couple's lives.

Their blood, therefore, was on Nobunaga's hands, no matter how much Shirō conditioned her mind to forgive herself. Nagamasa fell directly under Nobunaga's siege and tactics, while Oichi took her own life when her second marriage also fell through after her elder sister's death under the machinations of Hideyoshi.

Originally, this was the time they needed to go to Sakai to obtain enough backing so that accursed and aforementioned bipartite would be pressured not to betray Nobunaga. In the end, it happened anyway, so that method was perhaps incorrect.

What would truly deter Nagamasa was if she truly considered Nobunaga family, instead of just her 'wife's older sister' who coldly shipped Oichi off to obtain Nagamasa's support.

Besides, as expected from Nihon's current greatest merchant city, Sakai's merchants were already here in Kyoto, eager to anticipate Nobunaga's arrival instead of arrogantly waiting for her to beg for their money and support. There's also the possibility this was due to Hisahide's influence, but these trio hadn't seen the Persian-descended magus since they entered the city, and had made it a priority to understand what's going on.

…and certainly not window shopping for recipes to steal.

"Alright, we'll split up here. I'll go for the baby stuff," Tatsumi nonchalantly said, not even waiting for the other two's acknowledgement to spread his dark purple tengu wings and dissipated away in a flurry of feathers, straight to the 'hidden side' of Kyoto where most half-yōkai like him resided. "Let me know if you want to buy something too… I'm foreshadowing things, here," his sarcastic word echoed behind his movement, earning a stuck-out tongue from the irritated Jūbei.

Despite their recent camaraderie in Okehazama, their only common denominator was Shirō. One could perhaps be considered a loving worshipper, while the other was a healthy rival over an internal political position – even though both had levelled out lately with time and age.

Almost immediately, Tatsumi's surrounding was permeated by the scent of magical herbs and spices, as Kyoto's other side had just entered the mid-noon hubbub.

It's no longer as drastically different as centuries ago, at the beginning of the human-yōkai peace treaty. Back then, the process of harmonizing the boundary between the Reverse and Outer Side was still at its nascent age, meaning it's difficult for yōkai to live for prolonged periods of time among humans and vice versa. The miasma permeating either one was too toxic and negatively impacting for the other, and while items and concoctions existed to ease the process, they were inevitably limited.

The transition between the two worlds, first ventured frequently by merchants and soldiers, was drastic. Nihon's Reverse Side was filled with tall red spider lilies and wisteria ethereally blowing in non-existent winds, packed full with otherworldly structures only possible due to the unique physics and Thaumaturgy at play there. Yōkais also had the same opinion regarding the Outer World, where order and logic overpowered chaos and Mystery, rigidly attached to one another in a complex web of subtle interpersonal relationship.

Now, with the advent of luxury accommodations like the Enma-tei and various yōkai establishments in the Outer World, the two dimensions were growing more and more similar. A casual visitor could even travel through a specialized mirror-based ritual gate for a small fee to go to either side, for those who couldn't handle living in one place for too long. Humans who mutated and grew half-yōkai attributes, yōkais who miniaturized and compressed their overwhelming presence – over the centuries, the work of the Minamoto Clan was nearing completion.

…only for it to be threatened by foreign interested eyes.

Tatsumi knew he was beyond nonchalant, and thus wasn't insulted when Jūbei constantly mocked him for his attitude. This was most likely why the Mutsu Clan had fallen out of consideration for leadership in the Minamoto Clan for centuries already, after Shizuka-gozen refused to let her children get anywhere near official court positions out of fear their lives would be dominated by politics, instead of the purity of the martial arts the clan had always been chasing.

Their tengu background already nudged them towards adopting a militant culture, which gelled well with the humans of the era who respected strong warriors above all else, regardless of their races. That's the reason they were one of the first yōkai clans who assimilated themselves among human culture, making trips and staying in the Outer World as often as possible to trade points regarding martial arts and barehanded killing techniques – always existing among human culture, regardless of how they denied it.

Rapidly, the regular marketplace cacophony filled his senses, as numerous yōkai and some human merchants, customers, and tourists jostled for position in this subversion of Kyoto. The tell-tale overgrowth of the crimson flowers was kept in check, neatly arranged all around the area according to what's fashionable in ikebana nowadays. Long had gone the stories these floras required human blood to plant and cultivate; all they actually needed was a steady supply of magic energy from both races in various amounts throughout their lives.

The Mutsu village was much like this – a harmonious mix between human and yōkai – though nowhere as busy. There, it was more typical of a small village's marketplace, where the empty space among the merchants was large enough for it to double as a public plaza.

There's no way this Kyoto could accommodate a large festival in this same place, by comparison.

Living shacks trudged behind their builders, displaying the wares while patrolling the area at the same time, their wooden exterior rippling full of life and occasionally letting gaps open in their structure. Floating metal disks were the most common choice, allowing several merchants to occupy the same horizontal space by levitating their stores on top of each other, and requiring any potential consumer to really look around lest they miss out on great deals. Yatagarasus flitted and breezed above and around them, delivering letters, invoices, and other documents speedily, their glowing crimson middle eye gave a similar atmosphere to the place as the fireflies in the Outer World.

"Hmm… Home." Tatsumi inhaled exaggeratingly, stretching his back muscles to allow his tengu wings to spread fuly momentarily, before he tucked them in so he could fit in between the busy alleys. "Now… Let's eat first."

Other than the chaotic bargaining, name-calling, and the inevitable crashes between bodies, what was more iconic than the smell of cooked street food blending into one intoxicating aroma, overwhelming the acrid scent of fresh produce, in a marketplace? Every city had its own foodie nuances – one which Shirō was far more of an expert than he was – but Tatsumi would berate himself if he fell into that trap of overanalysing things and failing to enjoy the smaller things in life.

Immediately, he ordered a land bug skewer – cracked open in half and topped with melted salt crust on top, removing the overpowering earthy odour – as he got in line for this area's famous lantern plant oden. Well, 'famous' was overreaching, because he only stood there following the first long line he'd seen. For a country man, it's always the safest to follow what the crowd liked, no?

The scent also supported his decision, momentarily leading him to forget buying things for Torahiko and Komahiko.

'Tiger' and 'Bear'. Kohaku named them, because he admittedly was terrible at naming things, not to mention these were twins.

Despite his lack of proper parenting, the two seemingly grew healthily enough. No doubt the house caretakers would have his ears the moment he got home, for constantly leaving the Mutsu compound to fight duels or join Nobunaga's efforts in unifying Nihon, as per Kohaku's wish. When he's not doing that, he spent most of his time sat uselessly in front of her grave, moping, slightly stressed over the near-constant cries of his boys, now bereft of the maternal bond created during weaning.

For yōkai, familial relations were far more… unique than humans – though they would think so too about the latter, considering them too weak and complicated. Due to differing lifespans and harsh living conditions, adopted parents and children were common. Still, no matter how strong their emotional attachment grew, a powerful spiritual bond was naturally created between the child and their birth parents in that crucial first year. It was close to what humans called 'imprinting', and it's something adoption couldn't bypass aside from critically destroying the child's soul and cognition to force acceptance of the parental figure.

Knowing all that risk, he couldn't overcome his grief despite his lackadaisical outer attitude, and distanced himself from them apart from during basic training, taking more of a teacher role than a true father.

Just like his father, and his father before him: all terrible fathers.

His theory was there's something in the Mutsu Clan's tengu attributes which led to a cold separation between the patriarchal line, because the female members all had showcased a… normal level of affection to their young. Tatsumi knew full well that's not an excuse, especially with the changing times… but he just could not bring himself to change, instead busying himself with a war he technically had no stake in for a lord he never swore fealty to and pretending to be drowning himself in grief to avoid his responsibilities.

It appeared even in this generation, the sins of his ancestor, Kīchi, would not be absolved, after he failed to protect his clansmen even with his strength, leaving the Mutsu Clan's bloodline in the hands of Yoshitsune.

Centuries ago, the Heian Period began, much to the irony of future scholars. For an era which literally meant 'peace', this time period was anything but. It was marred with constant struggle between and inside races, battling meaningless fights with each other instead of striving to achieve betterment as a whole.

The Fujiwara Clan started the era having near-absolute control over all noble houses with its intermarriage with the royal family, keeping Nihon in check with hired mercenaries and private armies. It's from the latter two groups the samurai class was born, with the more intelligent ones negotiating the increase in their political power over time to protect their interests, instead of having to constantly search for a patron once every few generations.

Some specialized 'workers' branched off into shinobis, mikos, onmyōji, etc, and the next generation of prestigious houses started in this tumultuous period. Precisely because it was so chaotic opportunities arose – one which Otakemaru fully intended to take.

The source of human-yōkai friction was often portrayed solely from the human side, placing yōkais as the antagonists for the simple fact they preyed on flesh. However, what people often missed was the diversity of yōkais' source of nutrition: magic energy, exotic minerals, natural toxic fluids – namely, things full of Mystery humans always ended up weakening, inadvertently or not. In their quest to understand their world, 'acceptance' wasn't enough, and they dissected everything around them to destruction without care, leading to mass famine of yōkai in the Reverse Side of the World.

In their act, humans were bathed in the same Mystery they were desecrating… and thus became edible to the starving yōkais. The reduction in their faiths also weakened the apex Phantasmal Species, whose personal domains became countless yōkais' natural habitat. The mystical gravitational force there threatened to collapse these 'bubbles' if they're not reinforced, and without enough energy, many small worlds were under threat of complete extinction, disintegrating back into Akasha as chaotic energy.

To yōkais, humans were nothing more than paragons of their worlds' destruction. Was it wrong to hunt and harvest them like pests? After all, they'd observed humans doing the same thing to large rats, wild boars, hares, and so on. If they didn't want to be hunted, then their ancestors should've heeded the warnings sent by various members of the Reverse Side of the World. When a wild animal still went wild even after eras of attempted taming, then all they had to do was to treat humans as wild animals.

After eons of getting used to passive harvesting culture, the advent of hunting-gathering culture exploded among the yōkais.

However, what to do about the pesky negative penalties exerted on them every time they crossed the boundary? Simple: just create a separate dimension which supported them instead of trying to erase them from existence whenever they visited the Outer Side. Thus, the Yōkai Realm technique was born, to which the stronger yōkais soon improved into Dark Realm, where they could execute their true forms completely without penalties.

Otakemaru, being one of the three strongest of them all, wanted to push things further.

Colliding the Reverse and Outer Side together, creating a dimensional collapse, and overrun the new world with him as its ruler.

A simple, three-step plan. Should be fool-proof, correct? No humans could contend with his personal power, no matter how gifted, blessed, or skilled. So long as his compatriots agreed to not interfere, then the plan was as good as done.

…that, they did.

The first one he sensed wavering was Shuten-dōji. The combination of her naturally lethargic personality and fondness of human companions – including her rival, Yorimitsu, although the oni would kill herself before she admitted that – meant his request for alliance was always ignored and rebuffed. He thought it was simply how she operated, symbolizing the trait [Apathy] which resulted in the lack of unity among yōkai throughout existence. Indeed, while humans had sometimes exhibited this nature too, their weakness to otherworldly beings enabled them to abandon that and embrace [Unity] more often than not.

When he heard she was defeated by the Minamoto Clan, he assumed that was the end of her. A 'serve you right' kind of moment, because of her various weaknesses to earthly pleasures.

But, at the final clash between him and that Heroic Vessel from the Minamoto Clan, Yoritomo, Shuten-dōji was there, much to his surprise. The scar from her longsword running through his body, combined with the body-splitting slash from that man's Knight Arms, still throbbed to this day.

But the second of the trio proved to be the most troublesome… because much as he lauded himself as the most powerful yōkai, it's only because he knew this one wouldn't stake her claim to it.

He knew he couldn't defeat her.

From the start, Tamamo-no-Mae had vehemently resisted his efforts, actively running interference in everything he did. He, too, assumed this was due to humans' machination at first, thinking they managed to trick her into believing what he's doing was wrong. Yet, at the end, as she channelled her Divine Spirit, she showed her resolve and belief in what she thought was right, telling him she's no humans' lapdog.

They defeated and sealed him into this form, where all he could do was use avatars to move about in the Outer World. He's shackled in this imaginary dimension, separate from any place he could think of, as a singular, inescapable prison. The only chance he had to harm others was if they were stupid enough to step foot inside this one-way place, because that potential hero – or victim – would never escape, condemned to his same eternity.

In this era, Shuten-dōji had managed to track down his most recent avatar, the onmyōji Kashin Koji.

This avatar's first task was to gather as much information about the era he's living in, as always. Otakemaru's consciousness drifted in and out even while his avatars were active, not to mention whenever they were defeated and the aftershock travelled all the way to his soul, making keeping track of time difficult in this eternal space. It's purely coincidence when he met an up-and-coming Mongolian mercenary who went by the local name Fūma Kōtarō, assisting his rise through Nihon's political landscape and securing the avatar's place in society. Outsiders viewed this as a highly impressive achievement due to how shambolic the Hōjō Clan was at the time, having been nearly decimated by the ruthless rise of the Minamoto Clan – who also did the same to other noble houses, such as the Fujiwara and Taira.

…well, the Taira wasn't 'nearly decimated'. They were gone, full stop. Thus, no one dared to even think of accumulating power close to the then-paranoid Minamoto Clan post Yoritomo's passing, because while they're immensely popular with the people and royal family due to their public persona, those who had a shred of idea about how nobility ran back then thought of them as executioners – no longer colleagues who stood in the same plane of existence.

That was enough achievement, Otakemaru thought. Any more, and Shuten-dōji would grab hold of his trail and vanquish him again… not to mention Tamamo-no-Mae's nine avatars. While they're not as active as the oni, owing to their choice of keeping much of their original strength, any major disturbance would've brought all of them down upon this latest creation of his, delaying his plans even further.

If the yōkai didn't want to clash their world onto the humans', then all he had to do was incite the humans to embrace this phenomenon and open their own dimension willingly.

…but this wasn't that different from what's going on now, right? Human and yōkai walking side-by-side across the street, haggling and chatting and bickering and loving each other like it's normal.

Well… no.

A dominant individual shouldn't walk on equal terms with their food, no? looking at it from a human's perspective, did they stroll about proudly with their cows and pigs, conversing, touching, laughing with them in public?

It's just the natural order of things. This world Shuten-dōji and Tamamo-no-Mae created was not natural. Otakemaru was the sole person who wished to restore everything back in its place.

Therefore, the universe would support him. Fate would be by his side. Destiny would smite down his opponents.

In a destitute, barren landscape where no astronomical object existed to admire, no landmasses to imagine, no flora or fauna to keep him company. Shades of rust, ranging from crimson red to brown to distorted turquoise to black, made him felt like he's in a horrifyingly desolate painting. The only familiar thing he could see was the red spider lilies and wisterias common in his personal domain in the Reverse Side. Maybe there's everything he wanted to see behind him, but his entire existence was bound in place with a fixed field of vision.

Only through the crimson, three-tomoed eyes of his avatar could he experience what accounted as 'normal living' nowadays.

Compared to Hokkaido or Kyushu, the climate in Honshu was relatively milder and blanketing, meaning the various powerhouses usually had headquarters in this area. However, only recently did he could command his avatar to act more openly, owing to the relatively chaotic nature of this current generation, fought by various Princess Generals. Even only three, four generations ago, the tyranny of the Minamoto Clan was too strong to allow for any change he could start spreading dissent.

Now was the time to strike.