It was the next day.
Mount Ōe.
A massive magical circle ignited against the stone, crimson glyphs carving themselves into the air like fresh wounds in reality itself. The ground throbbed—not shaking, but pulsing, as if the mountain were alive and watching.
With a flash, figures stepped through.
Nate, Lily, Aaron, Yasaka, Kunou… and Cao Cao.
Cold wind swept across the peak, carrying the scent of iron, alcohol, and old blood.
Nate looked around, eyes sharp. Jagged cliffs rose like broken fangs, torii gates cracked and stained red lined the path upward, and massive stone statues of oni warriors loomed on both sides—each carved with expressions of laughter, rage, and hunger.
"…So the Oni Clan really stayed here," Nate muttered. "The exact mountain where the legend of Shuten Dōji started."
Whisper floated beside him, nodding seriously.
"Indeed, Master Nate. Oni value history. To abandon this place would be to deny their origin."
Lily folded her arms, eyes scanning the surroundings. "This mountain remembers blood."
Aaron let out a low whistle, adjusting his jacket. "Not gonna lie… this is way more intense than the Rating Game arena."
Nate glanced back, smirking. "You didn't have to come, Dad."
Aaron shrugged. "I wanted to. First devils, then yokai politics, now oni trials. I'm not missing history in the making."
Yasaka smiled faintly. "You're calmer than most humans would be."
Aaron chuckled. "I married into this mess, didn't I?"
Kunou's tails flicked sharply, her golden eyes narrowing. "…They're watching."
She was right.
From the shadows of the cliffs, oni emerged.
Tall, muscular figures with crimson, blue, and obsidian skin. Horns curved in every direction imaginable. Some carried kanabō clubs as tall as trees, others leaned casually against stone, drinking from massive sake gourds, eyes sharp with interest.
They weren't hostile.
They were judging.
Cao Cao crossed his arms, expression tense. "…This many Ultimate-class beings in one place."
Nate took a step forward.
The moment his foot touched the stone path—
BOOM.
A pressure slammed down on the group like gravity itself had doubled.
Several oni laughed.
"Oho?"
"The King stands tall."
"Let's see how long."
Nate didn't flinch.
His aura rolled outward—not aggressive, not dominant—steady. Controlled. Heavy.
The pressure cracked.
Silence followed.
Then—
Slow, deliberate clapping echoed from above.
"Well now~"
A voice dripping with amusement and danger.
From the top of the stone stairs, a figure descended, bare feet touching the rock as if gravity itself was optional.
Petite. Pale. Purple hair swaying lazily. Horns curved elegantly from her head. An open kimono barely pretending to be clothing, sake cup in hand, eyes half-lidded but razor-sharp.
Shuten Dōji.
"You arrived, Yokai King". She grinned looking at him. "Also, did you get more handsome from yesterday?".
Lily sighed. "…Here we go."
Shuten's gaze flicked to Lily, grin widening. "Still alive, still stubborn. I see you raised him well."
Nate rolled his eyes. "I came from the challenge, Shuten, let's get with this"
She grinned. "Why of course".
She lipted her hand, as red letter came up. "3 Challenges, 1 Vs 1 agents Me".
Nate nodded. "I will do that last".
She continued. "My Champion Vs Yours".
Nate looked at her. "First".
Then she finished. "And a Drinking contest".
Everyone but the Oni's blinked.
Nate just spoke. "Never mind, I pick that one first".
The moment Nate spoke, the mountain reacted.
A low, amused rumble rolled through the gathered oni—some laughing openly, others narrowing their eyes with interest.
Shuten Dōji paused mid-step.
Then she laughed.
Not a polite chuckle.
A full, delighted, predatory laugh.
"HAHA—oh, I like you already, King." She leaned forward slightly, sake cup tilting but never spilling. "Most try to save that for last. You jump straight into excess."
Lily pinched the bridge of her nose. "Nate…"
Kunou's ears flattened. "You're serious?"
Nate nodded calmly. "Dead serious."
Shuten's eyes glittered. "Very well."
She snapped her fingers.
The ground split.
Stone cracked apart as a massive circular arena rose from the mountain itself, carved with ancient oni runes. At its center, a colossal table erupted upward, already stacked with enormous sake barrels—each one thrumming with magical pressure.
Whisper's monocle nearly popped off.
"Master Nate… those are Oni Spirit Barrels."
Yasaka frowned. "Each one could knock out a high-class god."
Aaron leaned toward Lily. "…He's insane."
Lily didn't disagree. "That runs in the family."
Shuten hopped onto the table, sitting cross-legged, tail swaying lazily. "Rules are simple. Drink until one of us falls unconscious, vomits, or admits defeat."
She smiled sweetly.
"No purging magic. No resistance techniques. No divine filtering."
Cao Cao stiffened. "…That's suicide."
Nate met Shuten's gaze. "For most people."
Shuten's grin widened. "You understand Oni values well. Strength, endurance, indulgence." She tilted her head. "Let's see if your blood can keep up."
She lifted a barrel.
And crushed the seal with one hand.
Sake exploded outward in a wave of crimson mist and raw spiritual pressure.
The oni roared.
"SHUTEN! SHUTEN! SHUTEN!"
Shuten drank.
Not sipped.
Drank.
Half the barrel vanished in seconds.
She slammed it down and wiped her mouth, eyes sharp. "Your turn, King."
Nate stepped forward.
He placed one hand on the barrel.
Paused.
Then—crushed the seal just as easily.
The pressure hit him like a truck.
Aaron sucked in a breath. "Jesus—"
Kunou felt it immediately.
"…That sake carries Oni memories. Rage. Hunger. Desire."
Nate lifted the barrel.
And drank.
Slowly.
Steadily.
No wasted movement.
No hesitation.
The watching oni went quiet.
Shuten's eyes narrowed—not in anger.
In interest.
"…Oh?"
The first barrel emptied.
Then a second was placed before them.
Shuten laughed and grabbed hers again. "Good. Very good."
Barrel after barrel fell.
The air grew thick with heat and spiritual pressure. The mountain itself seemed to lean closer, listening.
Shuten's cheeks flushed faintly, her grin turning sharper. "Most gods would be on the ground by now."
Nate set down his fifth barrel, breathing steady. "Most gods don't grow up around kitsune, oni, and drunk fox spirits."
Lily snorted despite herself.
The sixth barrel hit.
Shuten's movements slowed—just slightly.
She noticed.
And laughed louder.
"…You're dangerous."
Nate met her gaze. "You haven't seen anything yet."
They drank again.
And again.
By the eighth barrel, cracks spiderwebbed across the arena floor from the sheer pressure of their combined presence.
Several oni were openly staring now.
One whispered, "…He's not resisting it."
Another growled. "…He's accepting it."
Shuten slammed her barrel down, breath finally hitching.
She stared at Nate.
Really stared.
"…So this is the Yokai King."
Nate set his own barrel down, eyes calm, aura steady despite the storm raging inside him.
"Still standing."
Silence.
Then Shuten threw her head back and laughed—bright, wild, thrilled.
"Hah! Very well!"
She raised her sake cup high.
"First challenge—draw!"
The mountain erupted.
Oni roared, stomped, laughed, and slammed their clubs into the stone.
Shuten jumped down from the table, now standing much closer to Nate than necessary, eyes gleaming.
"One down." She leaned in, voice low and dangerous. "Two more."
Her smile turned sharp.
"Next… Champions."
She snapped her fingers.
From the shadows, something big began to move.
Elsewhere — The Black Wings
A dark chamber lit by floating sigils.
Multiple screens of magical projection hovered in the air, all focused on Mount Ōe.
The pressure leaking through the feed alone was enough to make lesser beings sweat.
A cloaked figure leaned forward.
"…They're serious."
Another voice, sharp and displeased.
"That mountain is an Oni stronghold. Even gods tread carefully there."
Then Shuten Dōji appeared on the projection—laughing, drinking, challenging.
Silence.
"…He drew her out?"
Mckraken clenched his fist.
"Yokai King, Oni Queen, Kitsune Queen, Dragon blessings—this isn't unification anymore."
A low murmur rippled through the room.
"It's consolidation."
Another screen shifted—showing Nate standing casually after matching Shuten barrel for barrel.
"…If the Oni fall in line," one of them said quietly,
"the balance of the supernatural world tilts permanently."
A pause.
"…We may have waited too long."
Back to Mount Ōe
The mountain roared.
Not in sound—but in presence.
A massive red-skinned Oni stepped forward first, muscles like carved stone, horns jagged, aura crushing enough to make the air scream.
Several devils in the group stiffened.
Aaron muttered, "…That thing's a walking apocalypse."
Then—
The giant Oni stepped aside.
And revealed her.
The arena shifted.
A beautiful, youthful warrior stood calmly at the center—silver hair flowing freely, eyes sharp and proud. Her armor was elegant yet brutal, forged with oni craftsmanship and reinforced with spiritual runes. A dual cross-halberd rested easily in her grasp, its weight clearly meaningless to her.
Nate blinked.
Once.
His mind stalled for half a second.
'…That's a Dynasty Warriors character.'
Then—
'Wait. Dynasty Warriors doesn't exist here.'
His eyes narrowed slightly.
'So that means—'
Lu Lingqi raised her halberd and planted it into the stone with a single hand.
"Lu Lingqi," she declared clearly.
"Descendant of the Hero Lu Lingqi—daughter of the great emperor Lu Bu."
The Oni erupted.
Cheers. Roars. Weapons slammed into the ground.
Cao Cao's expression darkened instantly.
"…Of course."
Nate glanced sideways at him. "Now you see why you're here."
Cao Cao exhaled slowly. "…She's not just Oni. She carries Hero blood."
Shuten lounged atop a stone pillar, chin resting on her palm, watching them like a cat eyeing prey.
"My champion," she purred. "Strength, lineage, pride. Everything Oni respect."
Lu Lingqi's eyes locked onto Cao Cao.
"…So you're the one."
Cao Cao laughed quietly. "Fate really has a sense of humor."
Nate turned fully to him.
"Do you know why I brought you here?"
Cao Cao looked at him. "No. But I had my suspicions."
Nate nodded once. "I checked her track record. Every clan Shuten challenges—she brings out someone like this."
Cao Cao's eyes widened slightly.
"…You needed a counter."
Nate met his gaze evenly.
"You're my champion."
Silence.
Then Cao Cao smiled—sharp, proud, dangerous.
"…So that's how it is."
Lu Lingqi lifted her halberd, aura flaring. "If you are the champion of the Yokai King—"
Her power exploded outward, the stone cracking beneath her feet.
"—then show me strength worthy of standing before Shuten Dōji."
Nate placed a hand on Cao Cao's shoulder.
"You have permission," he said calmly, firmly,
"to use your True Longinus."
Every Oni froze.
Even Shuten's smile sharpened.
Cao Cao rolled his neck once.
"…Don't regret this."
The spear manifested.
Holy light and draconic force twisted together as the True Longinus descended into his grasp, its presence slicing through the Oni aura like a blade through silk.
Lu Lingqi's lips curved upward.
"…Good."
The mountain trembled.
Shuten laughed softly, eyes gleaming with delight.
"Now this," she purred,
"is an Oni challenge worth watching?"
To be continue
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