"A human!"
Mingye's words made Tōga frown. A threat other than Ryūkotsusei-a human could threaten him too?
As the overlord of the Western Country and a yokai of the highest rank, he could scarcely be scratched even by human generals and warriors.
"A human? Who?"
Tōga asked in confusion. With this youth's insight and grasp of the bigger picture, he could hardly be making a baseless claim.
"The general who once guarded Princess Izayoi, Setsuna no Takemaru!"
Mingye calmly gave the human's name and identity. In the original course of events, Setsuna no Takemaru had stormed Izayoi's residence while Tōga was locked in battle with a host of Greater Yokai.
He had killed Izayoi, then ultimately perished together with Tōga.
"Him!"
Tōga's eyes flickered as Setsuna no Takemaru's image surfaced in his mind. Ordinarily, someone like that would not have been worth his attention.
But when he and Izayoi had fallen in love, that general had indeed tried to stand in their way. If Izayoi had not pleaded for his life, and if Tōga had not taken his service as her guardian into account, he would have cut the man down back then.
Had Mingye not brought up that human general, Tōga truly would not have remembered him.
"Did you know, Great General, that Setsuna no Takemaru has always been in love with Princess Izayoi? When you and the princess left to be together, it left him seething with jealousy for years!"
Mingye slowly explained Setsuna no Takemaru's feelings for Izayoi. The princess was noble and elegant, gentle and enchantingly beautiful.
Having spent so long guarding her, how could Setsuna no Takemaru have resisted her charm?
Even Tōga had been unable to resist, much less a human general.
"No wonder he fought so desperately to stop Izayoi and me from leaving..."
Understanding dawned on Tōga. Back then, he had thought Setsuna no Takemaru was opposing them out of his duty to protect Izayoi.
Now that he thought about it, there really had been something off about the man's eyes.
"His strength may be decent among humans, but how could he become a threat to me?"
After saying this, Tōga kept turning it over in his mind. Suddenly, realization struck. His expression changed, and his voice sank.
"He's going to harm Izayoi!"
With all the information Mingye had given him, a little thought was enough for Tōga to understand.
Almost every yokai in the Demon World knew of his war against the Greater Yokai. As the general of a city, Setsuna no Takemaru would naturally know about it as well.
If he led a human army against Dog Castle while Tōga was fighting Michinaga of the Leopard Cats, Flying Moth, and Ryūkotsusei, all he needed to do was breach Izayoi's residence.
With Tōga unable to spare any attention for anything else, Setsuna no Takemaru's plan would have an eighty-percent chance of succeeding.
Then Izayoi and their unborn child would die horribly beneath Setsuna no Takemaru's blade.
Once he understood, even Tōga broke into a cold sweat. This seemingly insignificant man truly was the most deeply hidden threat.
"It seems you understand how serious this threat is, Great General. You wouldn't want the woman you love and your child to die at the hands of someone like him, would you?"
Mingye nodded calmly. The mighty overlord of the Western Country, who would slay Michinaga of the Leopard Cats and Flying Moth and seal Ryūkotsusei, would ultimately fall at the hands of a mere human general. How tragic.
"Thank you for the warning!"
Tōga bowed deeply to Mingye. Strength had nothing to do with it-this information was simply too important.
Without it, Tōga believed the outcome would be utterly devastating. Not only he himself, but his wife, child, and the Dog Tribe would suffer a tremendous blow.
This was an immense favor. Mingye deserved his bow!
"The strong shouldn't fall to someone like that..."
Mingye waved a hand lightly. Leaving those words behind, he turned, glanced at Sesshomaru's hiding place, and shook his head slightly before departing.
Tōga straightened and watched Mingye's retreating figure. His golden eyes flickered as he murmured:
"To know even secrets like these... Demon Wolf Mingye, you truly are extraordinary!"
For the first time, Tōga could not see through a yokai-and one who was absurdly young at that.
The youth's insight and power were nothing like what someone his age should possess.
"The Demon Wolf Tribe really has produced an incredible youngster!"
Tōga could not help praising him once more as Mingye disappeared from view.
Then Tōga's expression changed. His face grew as cold as the swirling snow, and the icy light in his eyes struck terror into the soul.
"Red Evil Ogre!"
His voice was quiet, yet carried an unmistakable anger as he summoned Red Evil Ogre.
"At your command!"
Moments later, Red Evil Ogre arrived and knelt on one knee before Tōga, his manner respectful.
Inside, however, he was reeling with shock. The traces of battle here were far too terrifying.
He could imagine just how fierce and perilous the battle had been.
"Red Evil Ogre, heed my order. You and Qitian are to find Setsuna no Takemaru, the general who once guarded Izayoi, immediately. Bring him to me alive, or bring me his corpse!"
Tōga's voice was utterly cold. His aura pressed down on everything around him like an abyss, and his killing intent burst forth without restraint, shaking Red Evil Ogre to his core.
What terrifying killing intent. I've never seen the Great General like this before. What on earth did this Setsuna no Takemaru do to offend him? The man deserves to die!
Red Evil Ogre forced down his shock, swallowed, and answered loudly:
"I accept your command! I will bring Setsuna no Takemaru back!"
Tōga waved him off, urging him to depart at once.
If he had not needed to prepare to face Michinaga of the Leopard Cats, Flying Moth, and Ryūkotsusei, who had remained hidden in the shadows, Tōga would have gone himself.
But he could hardly leave the battlefield at this point. With the war having reached this stage, any detail could affect its outcome.
Now, however, he had gained a great deal of information. This time, he would finish off those old adversaries once and for all!
Red Evil Ogre understood the urgency as well. He left immediately to notify Qitian and head for the human city where Princess Izayoi had once lived.
With their strength, dealing with a few humans would be effortless.
"Come out, Sesshomaru."
Tōga looked toward Sesshomaru's hiding place. When Sesshomaru's presence had entered the valley during his fight with Mingye, both of them had sensed him.
"Father, please give me Tessaiga. With it, I will be stronger than Demon Wolf Mingye!"
Sesshomaru had naturally heard Mingye's conversation with Tōga, but he did not care in the slightest about Izayoi or his unborn younger brother.
In his eyes, Izayoi's very existence was a mistake, and his unborn brother was an even greater one.
At this moment, he had eyes only for power. He wanted even greater strength!
"Do you have someone to protect, Sesshomaru?"
Looking at his flawless yokai son, Tōga asked that question once again.
"Protect? Why would a yokai need someone to protect? Father, you're being ridiculous!
Stop using that excuse to brush me off. This nonsense about someone to protect-I, Sesshomaru, have no one, and I have no need for anyone!"
Sesshomaru's face was frosty, his indifference absolute. His path was one of supreme domination. Protecting someone would only obstruct his advance!
"If you have no need for that, then stop asking me to give you Tessaiga!"
Tōga shook his head slightly. Seeing the utter coldness in Sesshomaru's eyes, he sighed and left the ravaged valley.
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