After what happened with the Creeping Crystals Triad, the Team Avatar and Rimuru quickly left in the direction of the main Triple Threat Triad base that Mako and Bolin knew about due to their past with them.
None of them could stop thinking about what they had just discovered.
That Tokuga had returned and for some reason, he could control the dark spirits.
"I can't believe Tokuga is back." said Bolin.
"Honestly, I always thought he would still be alive somewhere in the spirit world and would return someday." said Korra.
"If so, why didn't you go looking for him?" asked Rimuru.
"Considering how big the spirit world is and that some spirits don't accept humans, it would make the search very complicated." said Korra.
"But now he's back and it seems he wants to get back what his triad lost." said Mako.
"Not to mention he now seems to have an army of dark spirits. How is it that he can now control them like soldiers?" asked Asami.
"Analysis. The dark energy emitted by the dark spirits possesses an energy signature coming from another subject." said Raphael.
"Tokuga most likely became strong somehow and his power is what allows him to control the spirits." said Rimuru.
That made the others become worried, for if Tokuga was able to control the dark spirits, it was that he had become stronger than last time.
"In that case, we can't waste time. We have to stop him." said Korra.
"If it's about getting back what his triad lost, then there's only one place to go." said Mako.
"Step on the gas, Asami." said Bolin.
"You don't need to tell me." said Asami before increasing the speed, making the satomobile go faster.
A short time later, the group was halfway there and they planned to keep going until…
"WARNING." said Raphael in alarm.
"Step on the brake!" shouted Rimuru immediately, causing Asami to step on the brake, causing the satomobile to skid to a stop just as a dark spirit emerged from a building and stopped in the middle of the road.
"Wow. Thanks, Rimuru." said Asami.
"Don't give them to me. Look." said Rimuru pointing upwards.
Everyone turned their gaze in that direction to see more dark spirits, both on the rooftops and in the streets, causing the population to panic.
"There are more of them!" said Bolin in shock.
"We have to do something. If we don't stop them, there will be many victims." said Mako.
"They aren't to blame. They are under Tokuga's control." said Korra.
"Which means, if we defeat him, the spirits will be purified and everything will be solved." said Asami.
"Okay. Here's the plan. You three stay here and stop the dark spirits while Korra and I go after the ringleader." said Rimuru with a plan in mind.
"Wait, don't tell me you are planning to take on Tokuga alone." said Mako.
"You can't do that. It could be dangerous." said Asami.
"More dangerous will be letting those poor spirits continue to suffer because of that guy." began Korra before grabbing Asami's hand with her own. "Don't worry. I'll be fine." said Korra with a loving smile.
"And I'll make sure of it." said Rimuru with a confident smile.
Asami was still worried, but decided to trust her girlfriend, so she gave her a quick kiss on the lips.
"Good luck." said Asami before getting out of the satomobile as did the others.
"Wait." began Rimuru getting the attention of the three before Ranga stepped out of his shadow, as if he had called him mentally. "Ranga, stay with them and help them as much as possible."
"Understood, sir." said Ranga earnestly.
"Hey, how do you plan to drive? Korra's not exactly the best driver in city." said Mako.
"Hey!" said Korra offended.
"I got this." began Rimuru before getting into the driver's seat. "I hope I remember how it was done. Well, one doesn't forget how to ride a bike, so this might be the same."
Rimuru started the vehicle, only to have it go backwards a few meters before stopping and giving them all a nervous smile.
"Sorry, wrong gear." said Rimuru before shifting gears and driving the vehicle in the right direction.
"Will they be okay?" asked Asami with slight concern.
"Lord Rimuru is with her. Nothing to worry about." said Ranga.
"Actually there is one thing to worry about." said Bolin referring to all the dark spirits in the area.
"We just have to be careful not to kill them." said Mako as he and the others went off to stop the dark spirits and save the people.
Up ahead, Rimuru, with Korra in the passenger seat, continued to drive the satomobile through the streets towards their destination, though he was having trouble driving due to the vehicle lurching from side to side for a while.
"Uh… Are you sure you know how to drive it?" asked Korra somewhat nervously.
"Well, better than you I'm doing. I don't accelerate all the time." said Rimuru.
"Analysis. Driving isn't among the skills available." said Raphael.
"I know that." thought Rimuru with a bead of sweat.
"What? How do you know that?" asked Korra surprised that he knew about the time she tried driving.
"Asami told me the other day." said Rimuru with a smile.
Korra let out a pout along with a slight blush.
"I'm going to have to talk to her about that." muttered Korra.
Rimuru chuckled at the Avatar's expression.
"So, how much longer until we get there?" asked Rimuru returning to the main topic.
"Not much. Turn left and three blocks ahead." said Korra.
"Good." said Rimuru before steering the satomobile in the direction indicated.
He finally stopped the vehicle when they reached their destination.
Wasting no time, they got out of the vehicle and ran towards the building, but just as they were about to enter the door, several men came running out of the building in panic, though one was grabbed by the Avatar who pulled him in front of her as she scowled at him.
"Where's Tokuga?" asked Korra.
"H-He's inside. He's completely insane! We have to get away while we can! He's a monster!" exclaimed the man breaking free from the Avatar's grip and running away.
"Well, at least that saves us from having to deal with his lackeys." said Rimuru.
"The human lackeys you mean." said Korra knowing that they weren't the only members of the criminal half-spirit's troops.
With an expression of determination, they both entered the building, only to find the room a mess, as if a big fight had happened. Ignoring the mess, they walked down the corridors to some large doors.
"Warning. A subject of great power has been detected on the other side." said Raphael.
"No doubt about it." thought Rimuru. "Tokuga is inside."
"I know. We can't back out now." said Korra earnestly.
Sharing a mutual nod, the two opened the door and entered the room, finding Tokuga sitting patiently on his throne.
"Ah, Avatar Korra, I've been expecting you. Tell me, how is your dear bride, Miss Sato?" asked Tokuga with a smile.
Korra clenched her fists in anger, as she remembered that man kidnapping her girlfriend and almost killing her.
"So, you must be Tokuga, right? You're different from what I imagined." said Rimuru.
"And who are you? You don't look familiar." said Tokuga.
"I'm Rimuru Tempest and that's all you'll get out of me." said Rimuru.
"Well, it's not like I was interested to know more about you either." said Tokuga.
"There's something I don't understand. How is it that you can control those dark spirits?" asked Korra wanting to know the truth.
"Well, I guess there's no harm in telling a little story. You see, as you know, the spirit world is a reflection of the emotions, as well as the behavior and appearance of the spirits. When I came to that world, the environment around me became dark and sinister and the spirits would immediately rush to attack me, so I had no choice but to defend myself." said Tokuga.
"So, did you kill those spirits?" asked Rimuru.
"Kill or be killed. That's the primordial law of nature, isn't it? After surviving the fight I felt weak, and not just from exhaustion, but from something deeper. I felt it would be a matter of time before I died and I wasn't willing to do that. Not before I got my revenge on you, Avatar, your girlfriend and this whole damn city. That's when I found it." said Tokuga with a sinister smile.
"What did you find?" asked Korra sensing the answer wouldn't be good at all.
"A wounded spirit. It was probably done to him by a bigger, stronger spirit or he had an accident. I don't know. All I knew was that he was at my mercy." said Tokuga.
"W-What did you do?" asked Korra with wide eyes.
"I ate him." began Tokuga, causing the Avatar to let out a huge gasp of horror. "And when I did, I felt my strength returning. From that moment on, I began attacking spirits so that I could devour them, and so I gradually regained my strength until it became greater than it was before."
"Is that how you managed to control those dark spirits?" asked Rimuru.
"They are like wild animals. They need an alpha, so I had to show them that I am their alpha and they had to obey me." said Tokuga.
"You're… You're a monster! Spirits are beings like us! How dare you do this to them?!" asked Korra enraged at the man who had harmed the spirits.
"Beings like us? Have you forgotten that one of them did this to me?!" asked Tokuga angrily as he pointed his tentacle at the monstrous half of his face. "It's because of them that I'm no longer human! I'm not even a spirit! So what does it matter if I'm a monster!"
"Being a monster doesn't mean looking like one, it means acting like one and given your acts in the spirit world, you really are a monster now and I know about that." said Rimuru remembering all his monster friends as well as a certain act he performed to that human army.
"Who cares about your opinion? Now I have returned and with my new power and my new army, I will conquer this city and then the whole world. I will make everyone fear the name Tokuga." said Tokuga.
"I will never allow that! I won't let you keep using the spirits as tools! We're going to stop you here and now!" declared Korra.
"Is that so? Very well. However, if you want to stop me…" began Tokuga before several dark spirits filled the room and surrounded the Avatar and the human slime. "You will have to get past them first."