Morpheus figured that if the Kudo father and son weren't fools, they'd steer clear of unsealing Zenki.
Zenki was no benevolent force.
Without overwhelming strength, attempting to subdue him would only lead to being devoured whole.
The Kudos, being as sharp as they were, wouldn't make such a reckless move.
Beyond Zenki, Morpheus uncovered another target in their research.
The Beast Spear.
Now that was intriguing.
The Beast Spear hailed from the anime Ushio and Tora, a weapon forged thousands of years ago.
Roughly twenty-three hundred years ago, in an ancient kingdom, a brother and sister—Giryou and Jiemei—crafted the legendary demon-slaying spear to kill the great youkai HakumEnno Mono, who had murdered their parents.
To create a divine weapon capable of defeating Hakumen, the siblings resorted to a dark ritual involving human sacrifice.
Jiemei willingly threw herself into a smelting furnace as an offering. Overcome with grief and rage, Giryou transformed into a demon of the forge.
Using iron infused with his sister's flesh and blood, he crafted the blade of the Beast Spear. His own body became its haft, imbued with their shared hatred for Hakumen, giving birth to the weapon.
HakumEnno Mono, the nine-tailed great youkai, was none other than Tamamo-no-Mae.
Of course, twenty-three hundred years ago, she wasn't yet called Tamamo-no-Mae but was known as HakumEnno Mono.
Forged to slay Hakumen, the Beast Spear was her ultimate nemesis—a weapon devoid of emotion or consciousness, fueled solely by the siblings' loathing.
The Beast Spear was a demon-slaying relic, meant only to vanquish youkai. When thrust at humans, it passed through without harm.
Indestructible, it remained unscathed even when submerged in molten corrosive metal.
Even if shattered, it could restore itself.
The Beast Spear bonded with its wielder, granting them the power to slay demons, but at a cost: their soul would be consumed, gradually transforming them into a youkai and stripped of human memories and driven only by hatred for Hakumen.
The siblings' feat was remarkable.
To craft such a weapon was no small matter.
From its creation, the Beast Spear possessed abilities like sensing youkai, tracking enemies, independent flight, and autonomous combat.
Upon its birth, it sought out Hakumen, severing her nine tails in an instant, instilling fear and forcing her to flee.
It then roamed the continent, independently slaying countless youkai.
Notably, the Beast Spear drew power by consuming its wielder's soul.
As the user bonded with it, nearby youkai energy would cling to their hair, lengthening it; their pupils would narrow, and their teeth and nails would sharpen into a bestial form.
In this state, the wielder gained extraordinary combat prowess, formidable defense, and rapid healing, able to wield the spear with mere intent.
The Beast Spear could communicate with its user, teaching them combat techniques.
By all accounts, it was a true mystic treasure.
And like all such treasures, it chose its master.
This posed a problem for the Kudos. Even if they found the Beast Spear, it might not acknowledge them.
More crucially, the Beast Spear was forged solely to slay youkai. It passed harmlessly through humans.
Even if the Kudos acquired and could wield it, it would be useless against Trinity's agents.
Unfortunately, their research hadn't uncovered the spear's limitations, only its power.
Thus, Morpheus concluded that even if they found the Beast Spear, their efforts would be in vain.
Beyond Zenki and the Beast Spear, the Kudos had a third target.
A great youkai named Madara.
They were searching for the site of this youkai's seal.
This Madara wasn't Uchiha Madara—he didn't belong to this world.
Though this crossover world wove together countless bizarre anime, it seemed to exclude otherworldly series like Naruto, One Piece, or Re:Zero.
Or perhaps not entirely.
Re:Zero was a transmigration story.
Maybe somewhere in this world lurked a student named Subaru Natsuki.
Or even a shut-in like Satou Kazuma
If Maou Sadao, the Devil King, could cross from another world into this one, why couldn't someone from this crossover world reach another?
Morpheus chuckled at the oversight. He'd never considered it before.
Once the Dark Tournament concluded, he'd explore this world further.
With a wry smile, he made the decision and turned his thoughts to the great youkai Madara.
A candidate surfaced in his mind.
Could this Madara be Nyanko-sensei?
From Natsume's Book of Friends, the cat who always trailed Natsume Takashi.
He was indeed called Madara.
Morpheus recalled that in the original story, Madara was a high-level youkai, immensely powerful and near godhood, sealed within a maneki-neko statue.
He was freed when Natsume, fleeing youkai, stumbled into a shrine and accidentally broke the seal.
Bound by the Book of Friends, Madara stayed with Natsume, initially as a bodyguard to claim the book, posing as a maneki-neko.
Over time, they became inseparable companions.
Madara often appeared as a cat but reverted to his powerful youkai form when Natsume was in danger.
If the Kudos targeted him, it made sense.
Madara wasn't a cruel or tyrannical youkai. If the Kudos freed him, they might convince him to protect their family.
With Madara's guardianship, they'd have no need to fear Trinity.
But there was a catch: this assumed Natsume hadn't already freed him.
Given the timeline, many events had likely unfolded. Morpheus suspected Madara was already released and by Natsume's side.
The Kudos' hope of recruiting him was a pipe dream.
Fortunately, they had a backup plan: demon summoning.
Their research included extensive notes on summoning rituals.
Some of the magic circles and incantations they'd found were, surprisingly, legitimate.
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
If you want to read up to 50 chapters ahead, don't hesitate to visit our patron: pat reon . com / XElenea (removespace)