Chapter 32

"Aww! Suza-chan was here?" Kuroka sat there, pouting, crossing her arms, and puffing out her cheeks, "You should have invited her up! We could have done the thing together, nyah~!"

Koneko, whilst lying there on the bed, simply deadpanned at her older sister, "...I'd rather not…whatever that thing is. Still can't feel my legs."

"You get used to it, nyah~!" Kuroka happily informed her sister with a smirk.

Much to said little sister's grumbling.

I meanwhile, snorted at the two's antics.

Suzaku didn't stay long after I got her talking. I couldn't tell if it was embarrassment at the whole breaking down in front of me over some guy, or eagerness for me to go find him that did it in the end.

Probably both.

The point is, that she left feeling much better than when she walked in.

Hell, probably left feeling much better than she had in days.

In return, I learned some stuff about Tobio.

Well, not directly, but I can read between the lines well enough when most of what I got was Suzaku talking about Tobio's harem antics.

The harem antics he very clearly didn't, and still doesn't, want.

Poor guy. Apparently, he still hasn't locked down Sae and told the others to fuck off.

Suza knows he doesn't love the others, love her, like Sae, yet they still try anyway.

He's been using university as an excuse, which is just…why?

Needless to say, when I get down there, I'm slapping him, or making his grandma do it.

If she's down there, that is.

Boys got to step up, nab that childhood friend, and close the rest of those doors already if he doesn't want them open.

Four years, four fucking years.

Shaking my head of those rather infuriating thoughts, I plop myself down right between my two cat girls and begin scratching their ears idly.

"Nyah~!" Kuroka clambers over to my side, rubbing herself against me.

"Nyan~..." Koneko purrs, not moving an inch, yet a light flush blossoms across her face along with a small smile.

Honestly, I have half a mind to tell these two about what I learned from Suza about Tobio and his relationship 'status', but that would feel a tad too mean for simple venting.

Even though it would be hilarious hearing Koneko call Tobio a pussy.

Eh. Maybe after the poor dog man gets laid. Then it's fair game.

Also, Koneko needs to catch up on a lot of what I do, I think. Starting that conversation by talking shit about a potential friend probably isn't a great idea.

Think I'll just leave Kuroka to catch Koneko up after I leave for Yomi.

My eyebrow unconsciously twitches at that.

I'll leave Uzume to do it.

Much better.

In the meantime, though.

"Alright you two, here's the thing." I start, causing both of them to perk up, "I've got to head down to Yomi because my uncle may have made a fucky wucky, and I'm not too sure how long I'll be gone, so!" I glance between the two, "Is there anything I need to do with you two before I head out?"

Koneko blinked at that, "Fucky…wucky?" She parroted, befuddled.

Kuroka, meanwhile, held up a finger with a mischievous smile, "There's a joke to be made here about how you blew out our backs, then almost immediately ran down to the Underworld, you nyah that Nori-kun~?"

"We can go again, and I can remove the almost there if you want." I immediately answer, deadpaning back at her.

That garners a pleading, continuous shaking of the head from Koneko, whose eyes widened at that idea.

Kuroka huffed, seeing her sister's reaction, "Hmph! No fun! Nyah~!"

"Legs." Koneko bit out in turn.

"Point." She conceded, "But still!"

Koneko then promptly ignored her, instead turning to me, "I missed school today, and I don't exactly feel like going tomorrow either, what with…you know."

I chuckle as she blushes, and I pat her on the head.

"Don't worry, I'll give the Student Council and your King a call, tell them what's going on." I assure her.

Her eyes suddenly narrowed, "...senpai, what exactly are you going to tell them."

"The truth? What else?" I say with a smile.

Koneko's eyebrow twitched. "Please don't."

"I'll do it right before I head out, promise~!"

"Senpai."

I chuckle, pulling her against my side, "Alright, alright. I'll make something up, but you know Rias will suspect something regardless, right?"

She huffed at that, idly wrapping her arms around my waist, holding onto me.

"I'll deal with that when it comes to it, I guess." She grumbled.

Ah, the classic 'I'll let future me deal with it', works every time.

A pair of slender arms wrap around my neck, as Kuroka leans against me, her head on my shoulder and my arm pressed in between her cleavage.

"I suppose I can't convince you to let me join you?" She asks softly.

"Nope." I state resolutely, "You know why."

Kuroka sighs but doesn't fight me on it. Although I do feel Koneko looking up at us, an eyebrow slightly raised.

Looking down at her, I add.

"Speaking of, we did a thing, Kuroka will tell you about it later…if you can't already sense it, that is."

Kuroka shot me a look of betrayal.

I sent her a smug smirk back.

Her not being a Reincarnated Devil anymore…it's not something I plan on advertising quite yet.

Though the process is mostly Kuroka specific for right now, the world doesn't know that.

If it gets out, it wouldn't shock me if I had a Devil hit squad knocking on my door the next night.

But, telling Koneko, who would be able to sense the change with Senjutsu anyway, is fine.

Going to have to keep her away from Magari for now though, or any other Youki skilled in Senjutsu.

In any case, I was planning on telling Koneko about Kuroka's change myself actually, but then everything with Koneko happened, and Kuroka was halping…so, yeah, she can do it.

You reap what you sow, black cat.

Koneko narrowed her eyes at the two of us, before they suddenly widened, her mouth gaping slightly.

Ah, she senses it now, doesn't she?

"Big sis, you…" Koneko started, disbelieving.

"For the record," I chuckled lightly, "she went through with it so she could have kittens easier."

"Never mind." Koneko deadpanned, tone doing a complete one-eighty, "I should have seen that coming."

"Nyah!?" Kuroka cried out, "Shirooonee! Why do you sound so disappointed!?"

"Because my older sister is a useless, perverted, horni neko who can't stop thinking about being bred for five minutes." Koneko stated, plainly yet resolutely.

Damn, she went straight for the throat, huh?

"W-Well! You'll understand when you're my age! N-Nyah!" Kuroka rebuffed, weakly.

Deciding to throw Kuroka a bone, or I guess a cat toy in this case, I smile, and start reaching over to Koneko.

"Hn? Senpa– Nyan~!?" Koneko suddenly gasps, as I land my hand firmly on her behind, "S~Senpai~..." Koneko shudders out.

"On the contrary, Kuroka, I think Koneko here already gets you pretty damn well~..." I disagree huskily.

Kuroka gives a smug smirk, as Koneko shudders out a moan when I cop a feel.

So of course, I reach around the black cat, and grasp a handful of her breasts, coping a feel and pulling the same reaction from her as well.

Horni cat girls indeed, my horni cat girls.

I don't want to let go. But, unfortunately, I've got stuff to do.

Hopefully, the quicker I deal with this, I can get more time to do more normal things before the next big event the world decides to throw at me.

Like finishing my bloody swordsmanship style, for one.

I know I could technically keep up this pace forever, as I don't truly need rest per se, but it would be nice.

Here's hoping…

~ A New Sun ~

Following all that, I managed to coax the girls into getting proper nonsex coma-induced rest, while I went to find wherever Uzume had wandered off to.

I ended up finding her in one of the few structures that had a modern oddity, that being a copper roof over one made of wooden shingles.

Before entering the small building, I stopped right at the door, furrowing my brow.

Now that I'm so close, I sense not only Uzume's power, but another's as well, although it is very weak.

Uzume masks it almost completely.

But I recognize it regardless, even though I have only sensed it a few times.

My mother's power.

With a foreboding sigh, I push open the doors and enter.

Yet stop once more a mere few steps inside as I see…something I didn't suspect whatsoever.

In the center of the small almost chamber-like room is a small raised rectangular stand, with enough room to maybe fit a similar sized small box on top of it.

Instead of a box, though, it held a picture frame and incense.

A very familiar-looking picture frame and incense set, with a certain Kami kneeling before it in silence.

I clear my throat all of a sudden, "Uzume?"

"EEP!?" Said Kami nearly leaped where she sat, whirling around to face me, "O-Oh, Nori…Hiii…?" She greeted me weakly.

I deadpanned down to her, "You know, you could at least have told me you moved him…" I stated, walking over and sitting right beside her, "Would have been nice."

I did take time to at least pay my respects every once in a while but haven't gotten the chance to do it for a bit.

She looked down at that, "S-Sorry…I was going to, but, well…"

"I've been busy, yeah?"

"Y-Yeah."

I wave her off with a shake of my head, "Don't worry about it. This is as good of timing as any, considering where I'm about to go."

Uzume looked back at me, incredulously, "You…accepted to go?"

"Course' I did." I scoffed, "I owe her one, and the guy I'm looking for is a pretty good dude, supposedly."

For a second, Uzume simply stared at me, before sighing and facing back toward the picture with a soft smile, "Of course, of course. So, are you heading out tonight?"

"No, I'm headed out in the morning." I scratch the back of my head, "Beyond it kind of being a dick move to the cat girls to leave so soon, heading to the entrance of 'The Land of Darkness' during the night time sounds like a frankly terrible idea."

Uzume chuckled lightly at that, "Day or night on Earth doesn't affect Yomi, but I can see the logic…it being day would certainly help you trying to get in, as I doubt the guard at the boulder would let you in."

I blink at that, "Wait. The entrance to Yomi is legitimately blocked by a big ass rock?"

"Mhmm," Uzume hummed and nodded at that, "and Raijin and half a dozen or so female oni, which is the main threat, but the boulder is also there." She adds matter-of-factly.

"Raijin." I parrot, "The Thunder Kami?"

Uzume nods once more, a small smile on her face.

I simplify my thoughts on that with a single word.

"Fuck."

Uzume, promptly, bursts out into giggles, "Ah, don't worry about him…Susan doesn't like Raijin all too much, so he's rarely around. It's mostly just the oni you'll have to worry about."

Oh, thank fuck for that. Oni, I can deal with perfectly fine.

Also, Susan? Hah! I'll remember that if I need to piss off the guy for some reason.

"Even then, they shouldn't do much besides try to chase you away," Uzume continues with a smile, "not like they could even manage that."

"True," I agree, "though I just now realized I don't think I've properly met a female oni before…" I muse aloud.

There had to be some on Mt. Oe I just didn't notice, right?

"Much like how male nekomata are rare, so too are female oni," Uzume shrugs, before giving me the side eye, "you better not try anything with them, you. Female oni are kind of like grasshoppers when it comes to mating."

"I'm not as horny as you, I'll be fine." I wave her off with a small smile.

Uzume darted her eyes forward, a red hot blush spreading across her cheeks as she zipped shut her mouth.

I would lay into her more, like about how I know she was watching me and the cat girls all day, but here and now? In this position?

No. Not now. Later.

As I stared at his picture, a thought suddenly occurred to me.

"When I head down, will I see him?" I ask just as suddenly.

Uzume stiffened.

For a long moment, absolute silence reigned.

Then, begrudgingly, Uzume said, "I…hope not."

Huh?

"Huh?" I turned to her, an eyebrow raised.

"Ah!? That sounds bad, um!" Uzume stammered, "See, of course, I hope you meet him…someday, somehow, but not in Yomi. A man like him deserves far better than that!"

Ah, okay, that makes sense. Jeez girl, think before you speak yeah?

Yet, I furrow my brow, "There's elsewhere he could have gone? I thought Yomi was the only afterlife for the purely Shinto?"

"Technically speaking, it is," Uzume bit her lip, unsure, "but there are…other places to go. Yomi, to be Abrahamic about it, is more like Limbo. But there are places that can be considered a Heaven of Hell for good and bad souls respectively."

I have vague recollections about some realm or land located across the sea in some myth somewhere, but I doubt that's what she's talking about.

With a grimace, Uzume continued, "We didn't always have something like that. But, then Hades came to power and started making demands…pissed off Susan something fierce back then," she sighs, despondently, "especially since we can't exactly do what more modern beliefs dictate…let spirits wander for thirty-something years, trying to 'help', it…wouldn't go so well."

With a cough, Uzume cleared her throat, "Anyway! Yeah, he shouldn't have gone there, I hope. If your father is in Yomi, trust me, you wouldn't want to see him like…that. He wouldn't be him anymore."

I nod, slowly turning back to face the memorial, "I'll take your word for it, then."

"Hey." A hand suddenly grasps my shoulder, stopping me, and as I look back, I take in an…interesting sight.

Uzume looked at me, her normally amethyst eyes glowing with a dangerous amber light.

Gone is the blush, a blank, almost dead look on her face.

"If you do, see him down there?" Her hand squeezes my shoulder ever more tightly, "When you get back…do tell. I would like to have words with Susanoo then."

I raise an eyebrow slowly at her, "...you seriously think he wouldn't beat your ass black and blue?"

The light in her flickers for a moment, before intensifying as she intones, "Nah, I'd win."

I stared at her.

It took everything in my power not to burst out laughing.

And I still failed.

"Snnnrrrcckkkk!" I wheezed out like a man desperate for breath.

"Eh?" Uzume tilted her head, the light suddenly gone, "H-Hey hey hey! Are you laughing!"

My answer to that is to promptly collapse on the floor, holding my stomach as I laugh hysterically.

"Umu!" Uzume pouts, puffing out her cheeks, "I'm a Kami, a Goddess, you know! I can fight! I fought in the Great War! Kind of?"

"Haaaahhhhhh!"

"Mmm!" She seethed, "Okay! Fine!" She throws up her hands, "I'd tell Ama, then she'd kick his ass! Better?"

"Hnnn…" I slowly sit back up, chuckling, "And more realistic? Yeah. Much." I reach over, patting her on the head, "Sorry about that extreme reaction, Uzui, it's just…" I snicker, "You referred to something there, a really good reference, right then."

"Eh? A reference?" Uzume huffed, "Was it an anime reference?"

"Yup."

"Mmmm!" She seethed further, "You and Ama are like that, you two little…" she mumbled and grumbled off.

"Oi." I deadpanned at her, "First, taller than you, second…" I decided to give her an out, "speaking of her, coming here, I sensed her power. But I don't see any sign of her. What's up with that?"

Uzume perked up, and took it.

"Ah? That's probably because this building used to be where they stored her Mirror during coronation ceremonies." She informed me, "Although it has been a long time since it was last here, I know her divine armament is powerful, but to be able to sense it so long after the fact…" she trailed off.

"Well, I can't sense it." She adds, "Maybe you can because you're you?"

My lips twitch at that, "Most likely, yeah." I stood back up, bowing to the picture frame, "Sorry you had to watch all…that." I spoke out apologetically, "Truly don't get how you dealt with her for so long, Dad."

"H-Hey! Nooori!" Uzume cried out.

I snicker as I turn around and head out.

At the door, I stop and turn to look at her once more, "Also. Uzume?"

"H-Hmm?" She sniffles.

"If he is down there, you wouldn't need to worry." I state, "I'd kick my uncle's ass myself for it."

"E-Eh?" She murmured in shock, "Noriaki…"

I shoot her a smile, as I wave her off, "Be seeing you."

"R-Right…" I catch a glimpse of a smile stretched across her face as I fully make my exit.

Don't need to know the man personally to hear about him from others, hear how shit Yomi is, and decide the same thing as Uzume.

Although I do hope it doesn't come to that.

I know I'd lose after all.

Heh. Still wouldn't stop me from trying, though.

Now then, if I recall correctly, eating the food in Yomi…or any Underworld is a bad idea.

I don't need to eat, but assuming I run into Tobio, and he's alive…then depending on how long he's been down there, he's probably starving assuming he's not an idiot.

So, stock up on some snacks, water, the works, and then the next stop?

Yomotsu Hirasaka, the boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead.

~ A New Sun ~

As soon as morning came, and my cat girls woke up, I bid them a proper farewell.

Not by blowing out their backs again. Koneko could walk again and begrudgingly declined, much to her pouting older sister.

Still, with kisses and a bag of nutritious and healthy snack foods, I set off.

Now, in most cases, I would take a train, maybe a bus. Enjoy the journey and all that, and see the sights.

The problem is, I don't even know how much time I have before I have a very dead dog boy on my hands.

So. Zooming it is.

Utilizing the power of Google Maps and flight, I crossed to the other side of the nation in record time.

And I'll admit, watching Maps flip its shit at my speed and try to recalculate the best path to my destination every seven seconds got a good chuckle or two out of me.

Truly, the greatest piece of technology ever to exist.

They ought to make a supernatural version at some point.

Regardless, in Shimane Prefecture I went, specifically to its capital city, Matsue City.

I've never been here before, never even heard of the place, truth be told.

It's not like Kyoto or Tokyo, you know about those even in the West.

But this city holds something very special within its bounds, much like the cities Japan is much more well known for.

Something…supernatural.

Although at first glance, you wouldn't be able to tell.

A simple pathway leading to the site, where a large stone monument said to be the Rock of Senbiki…the boulder that Izanagi put in place to block the entrance to Yomi, sat.

The path is marked by a single shime Torii gate, one of the simple ones, made of two wood posts with a rope and shimenawa, connecting either of them from top to top.

Which I stand before now.

Even without entering the Realm of the Kami, I can feel the power radiating off Izanami's Shrine, which isn't too far from where I stand.

I'll be honest, I expected something…darker, than what I sensed.

It's got that twisted, repugnant, tainted essence to it, I expected that, and it makes my entire being recoil feeling it.

But at the same time…I don't know how exactly to describe it.

Maybe non-malicious is the right word? Despite it feeling as if actual death is staring at me, it isn't violent death.

More like the cold, reassuring certainty, that all beings do die, and not to worry over that fact.

Huh. Yeah, that does it.

I shake my head, not letting my thoughts wander any longer.

It's time to go.

I step through the Torii Gate.

The familiar sensation of passing through a film greets me before I enter the other side and–

My instincts scream at me.

I barely have time to blink, but my arm moves by itself as soon as I fully go through.

The air shatters and thunders, as my aura-coated hand catches and stops a club aimed straight at my face.

I'm already reaching for my sword to lash out in a counterattack, but stop myself as I suddenly hear laughter…from further away.

"Heeheehee! See, see! I told you he'd stop it!" A very young girl's voice calls out, "But did you listen? Naaahhh! Heh!"

"I! Can! See! That!" Another one, this time right in front of me, calls back, her voice straining, "Oi! Boy! Let go of my club! It's the only one I have left!"

I decided not to let go of her club.

Also, boy?

Really?

Really?

Before me, trying desperately to wrench her club out of my hand, is a yellow-haired oni loli with a matching getup.

Behind her, sitting on a tree smugly, a purple-haired oni loli wearing…nearly nothing beyond a completely open robe.

Which is covering her arms, and that's about it.

Each girl sports two horns, interestingly enough, and they seem fully capable of speaking normally.

Yet, from what I sense, they aren't that strong. Maybe High Class a piece?

Still…

My thoughts are interrupted, as the yellow-haired one suddenly cries out once more, "Are you even listening to me!?"

Idly, I respond with a simple, "No."

"Wha!? You!" She reels back her fist.

My eyes activate.

She's…very slow.

And her form is shit.

I sigh, lashing out with a kick to her gut before her fist even makes it halfway to me.

She gets flung back, rolling backward into the tree her smug and now chuckling companion sat upon with a plain thud.

I dropped her club to the ground, now free of her hands as it was, as she stood up, stomping her foot against the ground like an enraged bunny.

"Hnnghhh! That's it! I'm gonna eat ya! Get over here!" Yellow immediately tried to leap for me, points for tenacity I suppose, only to be stopped as Purple reached down and grabbed her ankle mid-air.

She hit the ground, face, and horns first, a second later.

With a sigh, Purple leaped from the tree, landing next to her downed companion, and patting her on the head.

"Now now, sister, be calm. This guest of ours isn't someone you can eat, scare off, or kill, I'm afraid." She states, disappointingly.

Why are eat and kill two separate things, by the way?

"So, I'm afraid we'll have to take a different approach~!" She continues with a sultry grin toward me that says she isn't afraid at all.

Ah, hell no, I ain't into lolis!

I send her a deadpan stare back, as I ask, completely out of nowhere, "Aren't there supposed to be eight of you?"

That gives Purple pause, for a second, "Ah, right, that myth…what, think we aren't enough for you big man~?"

Oh grandmother, kill me now.

Yellow sits her head up, spitting the dirt out of her mouth before she starts, "For the record! Our other sisters are on break right now! We take turns guarding the entrance, two at a time! Boss treats us well! Haven't you ever heard of proper working conditions before!?"

Fuck me that's hilarious.

Wait, no, don't actually fuck me.

"Well, regardless," I continue, doing my level best to ignore Purple as she tries to pull a Kuroka with her robe and non-existence bust, "I expected something different when I heard of demon hags or female oni."

Purple scoffed at that, stopping her robe from completely dropping, "We can shapeshift, of course. But we sisters prefer these forms."

"Yeah!" Yellow backs up, "The Boss says we look real cute! What else did you expect!?"

"Not a couple of lolis." I intone dully.

At that, both girls go, "Eh?"

"Yeah. You heard me. Lolis." I huff out, "Now, you!" I point to Purple, "Pull that robe up, you got nothing to show and I'd rather you keep it that way!"

"H-Hey!" Purple shouted, legitimately offended.

"Oi!" Yellow pointed back, "Don't you talk to big sis like that!"

I narrow my eyes at her, "I'll bash your head so hard with your club you'll grow a third horn if you don't stop yelling, hear me brat!?"

"Eh!?" She yelped, grabbing onto Purple, trying to hide behind her, but well…lolis.

Both are too small for that.

I stalk over to them, making sure my eyes are spinning, and my aura leaking slightly as I do.

Both shiver as they behold me, looking up as I tower over them.

"Names." I simply state.

Both yelp as I speak, Purple manages to form words first.

"U-Um…I am–"

"Grapefruit Loli." I cut her off, filling in the rest for her.

"...huh?" She quivered out.

I nod, "Grapefruit Loli."

"B-But…that's not even the right color!" She tries to deny me, but I'm already ignoring her, pointing at Yellow.

"Banana Loli." I state.

Newly named Banana nods, fervently, to that.

Good.

"B-But! But!" Grapefruit continues to try and deny me, but I glare down at her, and she promptly zips it.

Double good, now then.

"You two are going to show me how to get to Yomi." I command.

"Eh!?" They both cry out before Banana continues, terrified, "We can't do that! The Boss will get real mad! Really mad!"

I roll my eyes at that, "I'm sure Susanoo–"

"N-Not, Lord Susanoo." Grapefruit interjects, "Lady Izanami…" she corrects.

That gives me pause, and makes a lot more sense than Susanoo, Mr Storm Rage Incarnate, giving good working conditions and hours.

Still funny with Izanami though.

I think for a second, before asking, "Would she still be mad if you two were just leading her grandson to Yomi so he could see her?"

"Grandson?" Both Oni girls tilt their heads at that.

I sigh, deeply.

"When was the last time you two picked up a phone?"

Banana chimes in, frowning, "What's a phone?"

"Where do you lot even go for a break then!?" I ask incredulously.

Because there's no way it's not in the normal, mundane world then!

Grapefruit answers that one, "Ah, there's a version of Mt. Oe in Yomi that we turned into a super gigantic hot spring resort…"

Both girls stare off into the distance with longing at the mention of it.

Okay, that sounds pretty sweet.

But, how to get my original point across?

…Would flashing the full extent of my aura do it?

I think that should do, no?

The two girls' attention is suddenly snapped away as I let my boiling aura burst out from within, out into the world uncontained.

Both simultaneously recoil in shock at the action, their eyes wide and quivering as they behold the pillar of honey light around my form.

"Lady…Amaterasu…?" Grapefruit mutters breathlessly.

"Not quite," I answer, "one step down the family tree. I'm her son, with a human. An Arahitogami." Both pale more than they already are at that, "Get what I'm saying now?"

Grapefruit nods quickly, "Y-Yes, yes! Um! The Lady would love to meet you…she's only had the company of that meathead for so long, so…yes, that would be good for her."

Huh.

Looks like I'm not the only one not getting visits.

My aura calms significantly as I reel it in, "Well, I would love to meet her if you would?"

I do mean that. Beyond just nabbing dog man, visiting family is always nice.

And hey? Grandpa was nice on one side of the family, maybe I can go two for two?

"W-Well…" Grapefruit cleared her throat, as Banana hid behind her more, or tried to anyhow, "there's just one little problem with that?"

"Hmm?" I hum out, "What's wrong?"

Grapefruit points behind me.

With an eyebrow raised, I turn.

Then stand there, almost gaping, as I behold two more people…no, corpses, twitching in place right in front of the gate I came in from.

They look ready to fall over, with blood seeping from several open wounds, guts halfway falling out of their bodies, and one even has an eye popped out, barely held to the skull by a small tendon of meat.

What the fuck.

I draw my sword and take a step forward without uttering a word.

I can't sense them, whatever they are. Are they Undead? They look like it! But how did they get in here!?

In sync, both corpses smile, before suddenly collapsing into heaps of gore.

A black smog pours from the dead, swirling, twisting, and shaping itself into two figures.

Two, cloaked, figures.

Each possessed a tanto, a Japanese short sword, and wore deep velvet cloaks. An oni-like mask covered their faces, as their long stark white hair flowed freely down their backs behind them.

"Arahitogami." One of them hissed, "This is far as you go…"

"I…doubt that." I respond slowly.

I get the feeling, although I can't sense it, that these guys are a bit tougher than the oni behind me.

I also don't know who these guys are? They kind of remind me of Grim Reapers, with the cloaks and masks.

Japanese Grim Reapers?

Do their knives work like Death Scythes, then?

Hmm, only one way to find out!

I breathe, entering my stance, and I ponder, how easy would it be to kill myself with my healing factor?

…Huh?

Blood bursts from my mouth, my breathing completely shot as I cough, hack, and sputter, falling to my knees.

I vaguely hear the Reapers in the background cackling, and the oni behind me gasping, as I look down, and find my own sword piercing through my chest…

Right through my own heart.