So-Called Monsters

Come to think of it, there were quite a few things in the Shinobi World that could be called monsters, even if most of them used chakra.

For example, the Byakugan monster and the Nine-Tails Fox. The Uzumaki Clan specialized in Sealing Jutsu to seal certain enormous monsters. Even some of the monsters called monsters were actually shinobi.

Usually, any powerful being beyond human comprehension, or anything that defied common sense, could be called a monster. The Tailed Beasts were one example.

Things were a little different in Inuyasha, though. While their lives were long, some monsters grew old and died. They were essentially a kind of living creature, just born and reproduced in ways different from those found in nature.

By that definition, the Tailed Beasts could naturally be classified as monsters—and very powerful ones at that.

However, even among great monsters, there were differences. If you sorted them by combat strength, the general rankings looked like this.

Tier 4: Humans.

The lowest tier consisted of ordinary people. They had neither spiritual power nor great physical strength, and could only become food for the various monsters—cannon fodder in the Warring States period.

Still, there were three kinds of humans who could fight monsters, and even take on great monsters.

First were those with powerful physical attacks. The Band of Seven were a typical example. Their leader, Bankotsu, was born with immense strength and could kill more than a thousand humans and a thousand monsters even without the Shikon Jewel.

Next came professional monster slayers. Their spiritual power might not be especially strong, but they could destroy monsters through powerful physical attacks.

Last were shrine maidens and monks with enormous spiritual power. They could use it to neutralize demonic energy, and the more advanced among them could purify it outright.

To Yura, shinobi were basically the same as extraordinary humans and monster slayers. The strongest among them were terrifyingly powerful, but they posed little threat to her. Only attacks using Six Paths Power could probably neutralize or purify demonic energy.

Tier 3: Half-demons.

Most half-demons were actually cannon fodder: mindless monsters controlled by their desires, or else low-witted fools. Inuyasha, the MVP among half-demons, was born with two stars' worth of demonic energy. In his full-demon form, he had four stars' worth, enough to meet the threshold for a great monster.

Tier 2: Spirits.

Spirits were formless beings. Some were the ghosts of humans who had died, divided into ordinary spirits and vengeful spirits. Vengeful spirits could attack through their hatred. There were no vengeful spirits in the Shinobi World in the strict sense, but ghosts certainly existed, as did the Death God and quite a few other spirit-like beings, such as those involved in Impure World Reincarnation and the Spirit Transformation Technique.

Their nature made them very difficult opponents for ordinary shinobi to handle. But to Yura, they weren't particularly powerful, just a little unsettling.

Tier 1: Monsters.

There were three types. The first were individuals corrupted after being controlled by evil thoughts. The second were monsters born as such. No one knew exactly how they came into being, but after reproducing over countless years, they had formed tribal societies and gained the strength and influence to rule their own territories. The dog-demon clan, wolf-demon clan, and Thunder Beast clan were examples.

In the Shinobi World, the Mount Myōboku clan, the Ryūchi Cave clan, and Katsuyu Sage were examples.

They were all talking-animal monsters.

The third type was the demon clan. They could also be considered monsters, but most came from Hell and possessed greater demonic energy than ordinary monsters. The most unusual thing about the demon clan was that, due to their innate connection to Hell, most of them could manipulate souls. They could attack an opponent's soul directly, or transfer their own soul elsewhere, putting their body into an immortal state.

That advantage was also a weakness. They couldn't pass through the cycle of life and death like beings of the living world. Though ageless and immortal, once their soul was destroyed, their true body vanished completely, as if its data had been permanently erased.

Strictly speaking, Yura belonged to the demon clan, which was why she could see souls directly.

And she was Tier 0, a great monster in a league of her own.

Everything below the great monsters could be grouped together as lesser monsters.

"Great monster" wasn't a special species, but a general term for a level of combat strength.

A great monster didn't qualify just by being huge. Most cannon-fodder monsters were enormous, no less imposing than Gamabunta and the like, but their combat strength was only on the level of punching bags.

To earn the title of great monster, one needed overwhelming demonic energy—power so absolute that it could crush any magical implement, talisman, or even sacred treasure.

That was the fundamental reason Yura coveted the Shikon Jewel. Its equivalent in the Shinobi World was the Tailed Beasts. The process was a little troublesome and required time to convert their power, but at least they could genuinely increase Yura's demonic energy.

In terms of demonic energy, the standard strength for a great monster was four stars, according to the guidebook. Yura was right at that level. If Kagome hadn't been a shrine maiden of the highest caliber, Inuyasha never could have beaten Yura. He'd had no chance at all. It was an absurdly cheap victory.

Yura had fought using only her own demonic energy, without relying on the Shikon Jewel's power. That had been a huge advantage for Inuyasha, but the gap between them had still been enormous. She'd toyed with him and beaten him effortlessly the whole time.

Even among great monsters, Yura was an exceptionally troublesome opponent because she belonged to the demon clan.

She wasn't some third-rate lesser monster.

That was why Yura had always used her abilities with such ease. She herself possessed an immense amount of demonic energy.

Among monsters, Yura ranked in the top ten.

The strongest great monsters were five-star great monsters, such as Ryūkotsusei. He was the pinnacle of pure physical power. Aside from his incredibly tough body, he could unleash a massive wave of demonic energy that could flatten a mountain range. He was said to be the strongest monster of all time, comparable to Inu no Taishō—and could fire a Tailed Beast Bomb from his mouth in an instant.

Great monsters of this caliber were the real deal. They didn't care for the Shikon Jewel, choosing instead to develop their potential to its fullest. The Shikon Jewel was just some trinket by the roadside to them.

For monsters to grow, one condition was especially important: time. A very long time, with a century as the bare minimum. As for Yura, she was a great monster who had only just been born. Even counting every day, she was barely past a month old. Over the past few days, she had gradually realized that without something like the Shikon Jewel to accelerate her growth, she could only mature naturally over time, accumulating demonic energy. Even though she could absorb demonic energy, there was none available for her to absorb. She was basically stuck at her current level.

Yura knew next to nothing about demonic arts, demon techniques, Senjutsu, divine arts, yin-yang arts, or Barrier Ninjutsu. Fortunately, the Shinobi World had ninjutsu, so getting stronger wasn't impossible.

So how did monsters and shinobi compare? What level did great monsters correspond to?

The answer was Kage. True great monsters corresponded to the level above Kage. Inu no Taishō, for instance, matched up with Senju Hashirama.

Just how powerful was Inu no Taishō? He wielded three swords of Heaven, Earth, and Man, all forged from his teeth. Tenseiga, the sword of Heaven, could save a hundred lives with one swing. Sōunga, the sword of Earth, could summon a hundred dead with one swing. Tessaiga, the sword of Man and protection, could drive back a hundred enemies with one swing. Even after his death, his bones could become a mountain range, complete with a pocket dimension of their own in the rift between life and death. He was the pinnacle of monsters.

In the Shinobi World, the only one who could do that was the Sage of Six Paths, who dwelled in the rift between life and death.

And compared with weapons formed from demonic energy, the very core of a monster's power, Yura's hair didn't measure up. It was sharp, but that was about it.

In Yura's eyes, Jonin were roughly equivalent to lesser monsters. They weren't weak, but they didn't warrant a second glance. They'd only become troublesome in large numbers.

As for Chunin and Genin, they were all cannon fodder.

As for a great monster like the Nine-Tails, Yura wasn't afraid of it. Even if she stood still and let it fire a Tailed Beast Bomb at her, even if it bombarded the entire area, it still couldn't kill her outright. At most, it could leave her unable to move. Once her soul had transferred, Yura could come back to life.

Sitting atop the horned statue at the shrine that looked like the Sage of Six Paths, Yura swung her legs and opened her eyes, looking at Lucy, who had just woken up.

"You're awake..." Yura said with a faint, mysterious smile. "Little Monster~"

Huh? Lucy blinked at Yura.

Was she talking to me? Little monster?

"Yes, you. How did things go with that Beetle Great Monster, Little Monster~?" Yura said with a smile.

Lucy opened her mouth, wanting to argue that Chomei wasn't a great monster. But in the traditional view of shinobi, the Tailed Beasts really were monsters.

"Mm, we've settled things. I'll go with you," Lucy said after a moment's thought. "Great Monster...senior..."

"In that case, I'll explain the rules of survival for monsters," Yura said. "First, Little Monster~ don't talk back to a great monster..."

The little monster's face fell.

"Second, don't call yourself a monster in human society." Yura glanced at Lucy.

Lucy clenched her fists, shouting silently in her heart.

I'm human! I'm human, not a monster!

"Got it..."

"Let's go, Little Monster~ I'll tell you the rest on the way..."

Yura pushed open the shrine doors and went out first. Watching Yura walk barefoot through the air, Lucy flapped the pair of fairy-like little wings on her back and rose into the air, following behind her. After hesitating for a while, Lucy said, "Um, my name is Lucy. Uji Lucy."

Without turning around, Yura replied, "Mm, Little Monster~"

Aaaaaaaah!!!

Lucy's eyes filled with despair. What an overbearing and nasty great monster.

I hate her so much...