Facing Luo Shu and Senhime Rin Getsu before him, Tōga felt both nostalgic and utterly confused.
How long had he been dead?
Why did he wake to find his Dog Tribe wife fighting alongside a human she would normally disdain?
What exactly had happened here?
Scratching his head, Tōga turned to Senhime Rin Getsu and asked bluntly:
"Are you really Rin Getsu? Why are you standing with a human?"
Senhime Rin Getsu scoffed at Tōga's foolish expression, unable to resist mocking:
"As expected, the Dog Tribe's bloodline became tainted starting from your generation."
"Eh?"
Tōga froze. He had tainted the Dog Tribe's bloodline? Since when?
Unlike Tōga, Luo Shu, standing beside Senhime Rin Getsu, seemed to understand, his expression turning odd:
"You're not suggesting that because Tōga started taking human mates, the whole Dog Tribe picked up this bad habit, are you?"
"This..." Tōga gaped at the accusation.
Nearby, Sesshōmaru, who was confronting Kirinmaru, snorted coldly.
Seeing Luo Shu's interpretation, Senhime Rin Getsu's face darkened as she said irritably:
"Don't speak of irrelevant matters."
Ignoring her, Tōga suddenly had an epiphany and looked at Luo Shu with pity:
"So you're the human Rin Getsu has taken a liking to?"
"How unfortunate... I mean, how fortunate for you."
Tōga hastily corrected himself mid-sentence, sneaking a glance at Senhime Rin Getsu.
He knew his wife's temper all too well.
Tōga himself had fallen for humans gradually, pursuing them through mutual affection. Because of this, during his weaker days, he'd been called the least yokai-like yokai.
But with Senhime Rin Getsu's usual Great Yokai arrogance, if she took a liking to Luo Shu, it'd likely be the domineering type of coercion where refusal meant slaughtering his entire family.
"Hiss!! Could it be because I mentioned needing sufficient humanity to advance further that Rin Getsu decided to emulate me by dating humans?"
"Well now..."
Tōga now suspected he might have planted the seed that bore Luo Shu's bitter fruit.
Meanwhile, So'unga witnessed this scene of a deceased husband rejoicing over his wife's remarriage and ground its teeth in fury:
"Tōga! I didn't awaken your consciousness for nostalgic reunions!"
Hearing this, Tōga finally turned to regard his former blade:
"Don't be so impatient, So'unga. You've already killed me - whatever grudges existed are settled. Let me learn about the world after my death!"
"You bastard!"
Seeing Tōga's shameless demeanour, So'unga cursed inwardly before warning:
"No tricks, Tōga!"
So'unga knew Tōga differed from the other controlled Great Yokai present - he genuinely possessed the ability to break free. Forcing him to act without consent risked failure, so the sword reluctantly acquiesced.
"Much obliged!"
Recognising So'unga's permission, Tōga surveyed his surroundings cheerfully:
"Upon closer look, these are all familiar faces!"
The assembled Great Yokai under So'unga's control darkened their expressions.
"Ryūkotsusei, Leopard Cat Lord, Menōmaru, Kirinmaru, Shishinki - ah, you all fell to So'unga too?"
"Naturally - if even I was ambushed, your defeats make perfect sense."
"You bastard!!" The green-haired Menōmaru bristled with rage.
"TŌGA!!!" The massive Ryūkotsusei roared, causing earth tremors as he charged forward.
"Apologies, corpse-san! Can't let you pass here!"
Sun Seto inhaled deeply beside Ryūkotsusei before unleashing a silent scream.
Sonic vibrations distorted the air, generating powerful shockwaves at ultrasonic frequencies. Caught off guard, the colossal Demon Form was sent tumbling down the mountainside, crushing the stone steps in its wake.
"Sonic waves? Though this power feels distinct from Demon Power... dragonkind perhaps?"
Tōga regarded Sun Seto with mild surprise before dismissing her.
A yokai nearing Great Yokai status, even a dragonkin with unique talents to challenge one, warranted only passing notice.
Dragons? He'd slain his share.
The hulking Leopard Cat Lord, easily exceeding 3 metres in his humanoid form, snorted coldly:
"Same insufferable bastard as ever."
Turning his beastly eyes towards Fumonshichi, he growled:
"That sharp fighting spirit... a samurai? Seems we must defeat you before settling scores with Tōga."
Fumonshichi undid the top button of his shirt and raised his fists in a boxing stance:
"Tsk tsk, starting with a Great Yokai right away? This favour isn't easy to earn!"
The Leopard Cat Lord smirked at the sight: "Hah, hand-to-hand combat with me? How brave!"
He glanced at Kuesu Jingūji confronting Menōmaru nearby, then looked down at his own hair bound by spells and sneered:
"You think mere hair can restrain me?"
"Don't underestimate yokai!"
Meanwhile, near the shrine, atop the forest canopy.
Kirinmaru, gripping his sword hilt, gave Tōga a cold look before turning his curious gaze to Sesshōmaru:
"I remember you. You're Tōga's son, aren't you?"
Sesshōmaru remained silent, his icy stare fixed on him.
Kirinmaru slowly drew the Bakuseiken, still bearing finger marks, and said coldly:
"Very well. Before settling accounts with Tōga, killing his son first should be amusing."
Sesshōmaru replied frostily:
"Can all you do is bark like a dog?"
Kirinmaru's pupils contracted as he snorted:
"Impudent!!"
In the next instant, a fierce blade light flashed.
After taunting his defeated opponents into furious action, Tōga turned to Luo Shu with an awkward laugh:
"Seems I've messed up again, haven't I?"
"But never mind. The dead needn't concern themselves with the living."
Contradicting himself immediately, Tōga then asked Luo Shu:
"Hey, human boy, what's your name?"
"Luo Shu." Luo Shu looked up at the burly Tōga and gave his name.
Nodding in apparent satisfaction, Tōga said:
"Good courage, kid. Though I don't know how you ended up with Rin Getsu, be careful."
Tōga reached for the sword at his waist—a Blade Fang, formed when So'unga deliberately split part of itself to strengthen its control.
"As the previous wielder, my test isn't child's play!"
As he spoke, the slender blade rose high, black-red demonic energy swirling around it like a tornado.
"Watch out!!"
"—Prison Dragon Blast!!"