The Ghost Clan youth who appeared from behind Tamamo-no-Mae was the legendary Great Demon, Ibaraki-doji.
He was the second Ghost Lord of the Iron-Cast Palace, a hero who had led the Monsters to victory in their war against humanity, and Shuten-doji's once inseparable friend.
Ibaraki-doji had clearly died. Everyone who had examined his corpse was certain of it, Shuten-doji included.
And yet here he was, alive and well.
Shuten-doji's eyes shone with disbelief, and his voice was edged with the fury of betrayal. "Ibaraki!! You weren't dead?"
"That's right. If you're still alive, why wouldn't I be?"
Ibaraki-doji was as handsome as Shuten-doji, but unlike him, he was solemn and reserved, with a steady demeanor.
He had no intention of catching up with his old friend. He simply swung his hand down, chopping off Shuten-doji's head with a single strike.
Shuten-doji's head flew backward. His eyes were still wide, his expression twisted in fury.
Ibaraki-doji casually dug out his crushed heart, then snatched up Onikiri with his other hand and wrenched it out of Tamamo-no-Mae.
Tamamo-no-Mae let out a muffled groan. The front of her clothes was already stained with blood.
She shot Ibaraki-doji a glare. "Couldn't you be a little gentler?"
"This kind of pain is nothing to you."
Ibaraki-doji delivered the words like a hopelessly tactless man. Gripping Onikiri in one hand, he swung it, and a flash of blade light instantly shredded Shuten-doji's headless corpse.
"What a fine blade!"
He lowered his gaze to admire Onikiri's gleaming edge. Not a speck of blood had stained it. "Shuten had already believed I was dead, yet he still made sure to get his hands on Onikiri. Did he think I'd reincarnate just like him?"
If Dojigiri Yasutsuna was Shuten-doji's bane, then Onikiri was Ibaraki-doji's. Using this blade against him