[Arataki Itto explained to Lumine the identities of Granny Oni and Daisuke—one was the person who raised him, and the other was a kid he picked up along the way.]
Seeing how much Arataki Itto valued his relationships, the adorable Lumine was willing to play along with him.
So, the three of them set off to look for Onikabuto, planning to have a beetle fight with Daisuke before leaving as "friends."
Relying on his "vast experience," Arataki Itto found a large purple "Onikabuto."
But upon closer inspection, it wasn't an Onikabuto—it was, I mean, a Violet Melon.
Arataki Itto searched for ages and didn't find a big beetle, but Paimon casually caught a huge Onikabuto.
Compared to Itto's beetle, it was like a newborn bug.
Lucian got it—newbie protection! It had to be that! It was the same when he taught Furina and Navia to fish.
And with mahjong, too—they'd win hands left and right.
For a seasoned expert like him to fail at things they could do? It had to be newbie protection!
In the story, Arataki Itto strutted back to Daisuke with a confident swagger.
Having never won before, seeing the beetle Paimon caught gave him a glimpse of victory.
First up was Itto's "Nimble Ninja," which went down in a few hits. Next was Paimon's "Crimson Whirlwind," and this time, Paimon came out on top.
Readers found this part quite entertaining. Say what you will, but Paimon and Itto's interactions were pretty fun. Would there be more in the future?
Paimon usually acted like a kid, but with Itto, she gave off a "kid grown old" vibe, sometimes seeming more mature than him.
Itto looked like an adult, but with Paimon, he had a "grown-up turned kid" feel. Truly amusing.
And Arataki Itto was a naming genius, coming up with two decent-sounding names in minutes.
But Ei was a bit puzzled. Chiyo, why is your clansman so dim?
Chiyo Mikoshi, with her peerless beauty, unmatched strength, and intelligence, was a top-tier figure of her time. How could a fellow Red Oni be so different?
She knew the times had changed a lot, but she didn't expect this much change.
In the story, Daisuke actually knew the Traveler was there to catch Itto and defended him.
It turned out the kid had seen through Itto's lie but didn't call him out.
Hearing Daisuke's defense, the Traveler grew suspicious and started asking Itto what was really going on.
Itto, helplessly, began to explain the truth. He was indeed taking the blame for someone else.
The person he was covering for was none other than the Blue Oni mentioned earlier in the story.
The Oni clan had split into two factions: the Red Oni wanted to integrate with humans, while the Blue Oni wanted to preserve their pride and refused to blend in. Growing up in human society, Itto had never met a Blue Oni.
Until a few days ago, when those incidents occurred, based on his gang members' reports, Itto was certain it was a Blue Oni!
The way the Oni distinguished between Blue and Red Oni was simple—by the color of their horns.
Oni horns were naturally flesh-colored, and they chose to paint them red or blue based on their beliefs.
Inazumans were shocked to learn this. The way the Oni distinguished between Blue and Red was so straightforward!?
Who would've thought the horn colors were painted on? What did they use? Something skin-safe and long-lasting?
Please, tell me, it's really important to me!
Back to the point, Arataki Itto's words sparked readers' curiosity.
According to Itto, the Blue Oni were a proud, dignified clan. Why would they commit robbery?
Coincidentally, after hearing Itto's explanation, the Traveler decided to join him in uncovering the truth.
They started by investigating the victims, who said the thieves only wanted money and didn't harm anyone.
Because they left survivors, Itto learned the thieves' activity range and planned to lie in wait at Nazuchi Beach.
And, believe it or not, Arataki Itto actually caught the thieves.
Readers were stunned. This Arataki Itto wasn't dumb at all! He seemed like a fool, but his thinking was surprisingly sharp.
Whether it was his care for family and friends or his serious investigation, his attention to detail was surprising. He was practically Detective Conan—Detective Itto!
Gorou nodded repeatedly. That's how Itto is—on the surface, he's a fool, but he's actually incredibly capable.
"Your big bro's that awesome?" Arataki Itto scratched his head.
Honestly, even he didn't realize he had detective skills.
Itto's personality was just like that—usually carefree, laughing like a fool.
But when it came to those close to him, he'd get serious instantly, showing emotional depth and reliability.
Itto himself didn't realize he could change like this. To him, he was always just "hahaha," never changing.
In the story, Itto caught the Blue Oni and asked why they did it.
To Itto's question, Takuya was furious. Why did they do it?
[Takuya: "Because the ones who sacrificed should be forgotten, right?!"]
["The Blue Oni gave up everything! Just so the Red Oni could live in human society!"]
["But you, Arataki Itto, what have you done in human society?"]
["Wasting your days, doing nothing productive, often becoming a laughingstock, and during the Vision Hunt Decree, you even had your Vision taken away. You never thought about earning pride for the Oni clan!"]
[Arataki Itto said awkwardly: "That stuff doesn't matter, does it? C'mon… give me some face."]
In reality, Arataki Itto's face turned red. Lucian, buddy, give me some face! Why write everything?
I can only say I don't have a formal job—how's that "doing nothing productive"?… Okay, fine, it is pretty unproductive.
But I at least follow the law… Okay, not that much either.
At least I'm not a bad person! …Alright, with all this added up, in others' eyes, I probably do seem like a useless bad guy.
Anyway! Lucian, can't you give me some face? We're bros, man!
"Sorry, Itto. Back then, I didn't know you well," Takuya said apologetically.
"Hahaha, your big bro doesn't care!" Itto laughed. As long as the Blue Oni were okay, a few words about him didn't matter.
The reason Itto could sit here quietly reading was that Yae Miko had resolved the Blue Oni issue, and Lucian had brought Takuya to the Arataki Gang. Naturally, Itto wasn't anxious anymore.
By the way, let's talk about Takuya's perspective.
Back then, Takuya watched his clansman suffer in illness, filled with anxiety but powerless to help.
Just days ago, that clansman was chatting with him, and now they lay unconscious on a sickbed.
This gave him dark thoughts. He wanted to get medicine for his clan.
Even if he didn't want to become a bad person, he wanted his clansman to survive even more.
He couldn't bear to watch someone who'd just greeted him die before his eyes.
If it came to it, he'd take the blame and die for his clan.
As Takuya wrestled with his thoughts, a fox appeared.
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice · Yae Miko: About Arataki Itto's Story
"Hehe, what an interesting little Oni. Next time he gets caught, I'll send him some fried tofu as a reward."