Chương 42: Chapter XII — Creatures of the Lands & the Skies

The duo weaved through the crowded path, the air growing thick with the scent of grilled meat and roasting spices. A sign ahead marked the open-air restaurant, a massive, three-story structure teeming with diners of both the walking and flying variety.

"Sir Ootake Maru," Galan said, stopping.

"I have to go to the bathroom for a bit. Tell Shuten Dooji that I want a meat-filled meal."

"Of course, Lord Oda." As Galan headed for the bathroom, Ootake Maru rejoined Shuten Dooji at a large table in the restaurant.

"Yo, where's the foreign god?" the red oni asked.

"He is occupied in the bathroom."

"Hah! All that wine must've done him in. Did he tell you what he wanted?"

"Something that is filled with meat." Shuten Dooji looked at the menu, grinning.

"I got just the thing." He turned to his crew.

"Alright, boys. What are y'all having?" Ibaraki Dooji ordered grilled wild boar. Another called for salted river fish. A third demanded a mountain of grilled chicken and a barrel of the restaurant's finest rice wine. One of the oni crew members scribbled it all down.

"And for you, Boss?"

"Two full plates of braised black pork belly," Shuten Dooji said. He glanced at Ootake Maru.

"Make that three."

"I would prefer a less indulgent diet," Ootake Maru said. Shuten Dooji chuckled.

"Like what, chopped fruits and vegetables?"

"If they serve such a meal here, then yes."

"Ugh, seriously, Mountain Goat? How are you supposed to beat me next year if you keep chewing on grass?" The other oni bellowed out a sudden laugh.

"Or are you seriously considering letting your pupils do the job for you?" the red oni continued his mockery.

"Fine. Have it your way."

"Very well, then," the note-taking oni said.

"I will wait in line to order."

"Tell them Shuten Dooji is ordering," the champion said.

"You can't do that," Ootake Maru scolded.

"It's either that or we wait an hour," Shuten Dooji shrugged.

"Just sit back and relax. Everyone else would've done the same." Is he really the one the oni are following? Ootake Maru wondered, shaking his head. I'm surprised he didn't cause us to go extinct while I was gathering allies. The note-taking oni bowed and hurried straight to the cashier, bypassing the line.

"So…" Shuten Dooji turned to Ootake Maru.

"What have you learned about our foreign god?"

"He seems to be a reliable leader," Ootake Maru said thoughtfully.

"The way he articulated his reasoning matches perfectly with what I expected from someone who raised the biggest kingdom in his region." Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

"Huh? I was talking about his training regimen and weapons! Not boring nonsense like that!" The other oni grunted in agreement.

"Yeah, knowing the source of your enemy's strength is useful." So this is what the other oni was like when I was leading them… Ootake Maru realized.

"Then you will have to ask him in your own time. I was more concerned with how he improved the lives of others." Shuten Dooji sighed in annoyance.

"You see the problem here? You spent too much time negotiating with the enemies and not enough time planning their downfall!"

"You say such things as if you have a plan for a betrayal."

"What? Nah. Just being cautious. Don't want anyone thinking we're easy pickings." The other oni nodded along. Ootake Maru considered this.

"I see… But a life in constant suspicion of others is not how I wish to spend my second chance."

"Well, if he's as nice as you say, then I suppose I have nothing to worry about," Shuten Dooji said, slapping his thighs.

"But that depends on what he plans to do about us once he gets rid of the ghosts and becomes the hero of the humans." Ootake Maru looked down. Was he making the same mistake as Gozumaru? Trusting too easily? No. Galan was different. He was an outsider. He had no reason to betray them.

"I have faith he will do well by us," Ootake Maru said firmly.

"He does not seem to be the type to pick favorites among his people… whether they are human or not." Shuten Dooji laid back, taking a deep breath.

"I sure hope so." A while later, Galan returned, fully clothed but without his cloak. He noted the slots in the floor for weather screens—a clever architectural touch—before Shuten Dooji's voice boomed across the restaurant.

"Yo! Come over here!" Ugh… right on cue, Galan thought, approaching the table.

"You guys didn't gossip about me while I was away, did you?" The table erupted in nervous chuckles. One burly oni froze mid-sentence, while Ibaraki Dooji just shook his head with a resigned smirk.

"Hahaha! Maybe just a little," Shuten Dooji laughed, slapping the empty chair between him and Ootake Maru.

"Sit down."

"By the way," Galan said, taking his seat.

"Do we have other celebrities joining the party?"

"Sharp as ever, Foreign God. I invited the performers. Though I wouldn't expect the humans to accept."

"Speaking of performers... why don't you two host your own tournament in your domain? Can't be easy coming here."

"Hah! Host it on Mount Ooe?" Shuten Dooji scoffed.

"The local lords would see it as a declaration of war. They'd muster every samurai from three provinces and cry, 'The oni are gathering for an attack!' We'd have an army at our doorstep before the first gong was struck. More trouble than it's worth." Ootake Maru nodded grimly.

"He is correct. The mainland is an ember underneath dry kindling. Centuries of the 'Oni Hunt' and the cycle of vengeance have left no room for trust. An event of this scale in our territory? The humans would see it as a prelude to another 'Great Eradication,' but with the yookai as the aggressors."

"What made you think it'd work here?"

"Because the humans on these islands are different," Shuten Dooji said, his voice lowering.

"I've dealt with humans for centuries. But here? They see a seven-foot oni walking down the street, and their first thought is, 'Is he going to buy something?' not 'I must defend my honor!'" The table chuckled.

"To be honest…" the red oni continued, his expression turning solemn.

"It's refreshing to be treated as a person by more than just the yookai. The humans far on the mainland should follow their example."

"But what made them that way?" Galan asked.

"Is it just because they're used to foreign creatures passing through?"

"That is an astute observation, Lord Oda," Ootake Maru said.

"But I think it is more than just their worldly nature. This island is small. Humans and yookai are trapped together. On the mainland, there is always another mountain to retreat to." He paused to look around the restaurant.

"But here… an all-out war would mean total annihilation. It would leave the archipelago as nothing but barren rocks."

"So, it's not peace," Galan realized.

"It's a stalemate born of mutually assured destruction."

"Precisely. They live under a tense but stable coexistence. The Council did not create the peace—they saw the potential in it. They gave it structure, laws, and... profitability."

"Hahahaha! And we all know that's the REAL reason!" Shuten Dooji slammed the table.

"Say what you wish to say," Ootake Maru countered, "but the fact that they turned a stalemate into a functioning society is a magnificent achievement. And the tournament is one of its greatest symbol."

"Besides, why bother killing each other when you can make ten times the gold by selling trinkets to tourists?!" Shuten Dooji grinned, laughing with his crew. As the laughter subsided, a procession of waiters in cherry blossom kimono approached, their trays piled high with steaming delicacies.