The Commander and Guardian of the Yokai Clan

The Evil Dog of Hatred, pt. 1

On a calm and peaceful, starry night, fireflies flew around the Shikoku mountains while flashing their small lights to break the dark. At the Yamaguchi Holy Shrine, blue ghostly fire was providing light between the respective yokai leaders.

Nurarihyon: I no longer have the energy to lead a Hyakki Yako anymore. Before I realized it, they'd dwindled to 71.

Danuki: We've both aged over the years.

Nurarihyon: Oh, wait. Hihi recently died, so it's actually 70. He was killed by something called Muchi, I believe.

Danuki: Muchi? So that's why you came here.

Nurarihyon: It seems that you know him.

Danuki: He works for my foolish son

Nurarihyon: I suspected it was your son.

Danuki: Tamazuki is the eighth son of my 88th wife. He's the one who inherited a great amount of my supernatural power.

Natto Kozo: 88 wives?!

Nurarihyon: That's not something you should be surprised about.

Natto Kozo: O-Oh...

Danuki: Tamazuki is like me when I was young. Trying to gather fear and become the master of all yokai. With a the help of a group of yokai known as the Seven Phantom Travelers.

Nurarihyon: Seven Phantom Travlers, huh?

Danuki: Amoung that group is one called Inugami. He's a violent and dangerous yokai.

Nurarihyon: Inugami...

Danuki: Hatred and jealous fuels his power. He's a truly fearsome yokai.

==========

Daytime at the Shikoku Yokai skyscraper, Tamazuki stares out at the city.

Tamazuki: Why are you so fixated on (YN) Nura?

Inugami: He's cocky and I can't stand him. That weakling has no strength he boasts about, yet he's a leader and future successor of the Nura Clan.

Tamazuki: That's why I intend on keeping him alive as a possible figurehead instead of killing him.

Inugami: You're too soft, Tamazuki! The weak must die, that's the law of the Shikoku yokai. Is it not?

Tamazuki sighs and turns to him.

Tamazuki: Do as you please. We both know that your powers can easily take out (YN) Nura.

Inugami smiles and jumps down a pile of wooden planks.

Inugami: Then, I'll do as I please.

The dog yokai walks off to leave the skyscraper to face the Nura Clan's future Guardian when he's stopped Kagibari Onna.

Kagibari Onna: Going by yourself?

Inugami: Yeah.

Kagibari Onna: You'll do anything for Tamazuki, no matter what, would you?

Inugami: I guess.

Kagibari Onna: I'm curious as to why you're so loyal to Tamazuki.

Inugami: He helped me change my life.

His teeth change to sharp fangs as his boiling anger reached its maximum peak.

Inugami: He awakened the power that laid dormant inside of me! The power of hatred!

Inugami clenches his teeth and growls like a wild, rabid dog.

Tamazuki: It's ugly when Inugami gets serious. I'd rather not see him use that power of his.