The authenticity of the demon-summoning materials online was, naturally, the work of demons themselves.
After all, demons needed to make a living too.
Take Rias Gremory and her group, for instance. Beyond their club activities, they handed out flyers printed with summoning circles, allowing those in need to call upon them.
That's why the materials were genuine.
If the Kudo father and son attempted a summoning, it would come down to luck.
With enough fortune, they might summon a benevolent demon who'd protect their family for a modest price.
But if luck failed them, they could call forth a fiend like Rizevim, demanding their souls in exchange.
After reviewing the Kudos' research, Ran's anxious voice broke through. "Lord Morpheus, what are Shinichi and his dad doing?"
"Calm down," Morpheus said, raising a hand to steady her. He shared his findings with Ran and Yukiko Kudo. "From what Yusaku and Shinichi were investigating, their direction was sound. But something went wrong along the way, and now they're likely trapped."
"I'll look into it."
Without waiting for a response from Yukiko or Ran, Morpheus vanished.
According to the Kudos' research, Zenki was sealed in Kishin Town.
The town housed a shrine dedicated to Enno Ozuno, where Zenki's seal resided.
Morpheus cast a teleportation spell, instantly traveling from Tokyo's Beika Town to Kishin Town.
Kishin Town was a bustling little place.
Near it stood a tall mountain, atop which sat a shrine.
The shrine, however, was weathered and dilapidated from years of neglect.
As Morpheus arrived, he spotted a tall woman sweeping the grounds with a broom.
She noticed him and flashed a warm smile. "Oh, a visitor! Welcome—"
Her words were cut off by a sharp cry. "Chiaki, stay back!"
A boy in the form of a young child shot out from the shrine, landing between Morpheus and the woman, shielding her with a fierce glare.
The woman blinked, confused. "Zenki, what's wrong?"
Morpheus raised an eyebrow. So, this was Zenki. He bore a striking resemblance to the image in Morpheus's memory.
The woman behind him must be Enno Ozuno's descendant.
Chiaki Enno, the heroine of Kishin Douji Zenki.
But there was a problem. Morpheus recalled Chiaki as a high school girl.
The woman before him was clearly older—a university student, or perhaps already working.
The age gap was jarring.
Zenki glared at Morpheus. "This guy's aura appeared out of nowhere. He's not normal, Chiaki."
Chiaki gave Morpheus a curious look. "He doesn't seem like a youkai, though."
Zenki shot her an exasperated glance. "I didn't say he's a youkai. I said he's not normal."
Watching the bickering pair, a spark of realization hit Morpheus. "How long has Zenki been awake?"
Zenki snorted. "That's none of your business."
Chiaki, after a moment's thought, answered, "A few years, I think."
If Morpheus's memory was correct, Kishin Douji Zenki was a manga from the '80s or '90s.
In this chaotic, stitched-together world, Zenki had been awake for years, meaning the Zenki storyline had likely concluded.
No wonder Chiaki didn't match the high school girl from his memory.
Zenki shot Chiaki a frustrated look. She had no filter, blurting out everything.
Morpheus smiled, murmured an apology for the disturbance, and teleported away.
He'd scanned Kishin Town and found no trace of the Kudos.
There was no reason to linger.
Leaving Kishin Town, Morpheus headed to Fugen Temple, a five-hundred-year-old sanctuary.
The Beast Spear was sealed there.
But upon arriving, he found no sign of the Kudos. The Beast Spear remained in the temple's basement storeroom.
It was still sealing a youkai.
This youkai had once been human.
Twenty-five hundred years ago, he was an ancient Indian named Shagakusha.
Born amid a meteor shower's calamity, he was deemed a "cursed child" and grew up steeped in twisted hatred.
By chance, the consciousness of the Golden-Haired White-Faced Nine-Tailed Fox chose him, nesting in his body to nurture its own form through his malice.
Burly and fierce, Shagakusha excelled in battle, venting his hatred through slaughter and earning accolades in war.
Hailed as a hero protecting his nation, he despised everything, caring only for his companions, the siblings Raama.
When Raama's sister died in the chaos of war, his uncontrollable hatred birthed HakumEnno Mono's physical form from his right shoulder, which then razed the kingdom.
After Raama's death, Shagakusha was consumed by regret for the destruction his hatred had wrought.
Fused with the Nine-Tailed Fox, he became immortal. For four hundred years, he hunted it down to destroy it.
In ancient lands, he learned of the Beast Spear and found it sealed deep in Hakutenzan, becoming its first wielder.
When the spear fully consumed his soul, he transformed into a youkai, losing all human memories but retaining faint traces of the Raama siblings.
Eight hundred thirty years ago, under the name Tora, he gravely wounded the Golden-Haired White-Faced Nine-Tailed Fox, his fearsome strength earning the awe of countless youkai. His name still struck fear in many.
Five hundred years ago, while causing havoc, he faced a Beast Spear wielder, the samurai Kusataro.
They battled for four days and nights. To save Kusataro from beastification, Shagakusha willingly let the spear pin him to a stone.
A temple—Fugen—was built over that stone.
For five hundred years, he remained sealed by the Beast Spear.
A tragic figure.
Since he was still sealed, the Ushio and Tora storyline hadn't begun.
This surprised Morpheus. Ushio and Tora was another '80s or '90s manga.
While Zenki's story had concluded, Ushio and Tora's hadn't started. The inconsistency was baffling.
Notably, the Kudos weren't here either and seemed never to have visited.
So where were they trapped? Could they really have gone after Madara?
***
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
***
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