The Peach Spirit

The Journey

Zao isn't based on any dog species in particular.

Also, I can't get over how perfect Taro's Chinese name is. Taoru meaning peachy/peach-like is just too perfect.

And one last thing. Taro can detect power, not measure it. He was able to detect the power that was on his sword, but not measure how worn down it was. This is to explain something in this chapter.

Enjoy.

xxxxXxxxx

In some innocent human village.

A rhino demon roared into the sky as dashed into the village with a malicious grin. The village folk noticed the demon and screamed and panicked in fear. They ran and scattered, hoping the demon wouldn't reach them.

Amidst this chaos, a young child with black hair froze with tears in their eyes in the middle of the village and the demon was charging right at them. A woman cried out to her child hoping to save them from their doom. But just as the demon was about to crush the child and all hope seemed lost, a pair of golden wings stood firmly between the child and the demon blocking the demon with ease.

"Fear not, peasants. I, Zihao the great, brilliant and beautiful, is here!" A golden pheasant said, but all anyone could hear was crowing noises.

Both the demon and the child were confused by this bird standing between them until a boy with peach colored hair that did smell of peaches nonchalantly entered the scene and put his hand on the child's head.

"You should probably get back to your mom. She looks really worried." Said the peach boy with a soft smile.

The child paused. They felt oddly safe with this boy. They slowly nodded before they rushed back to their parent.

The peach boy, Taro turned to the demon and his smile became a frown. He unsheathed his sword and twirled it in a circle at hurricane like speeds before he aimed it at the demon as it and his eyes glowed peach pink.

And in one moment, the boy slashed the air two times, releasing two arches of pink energy towards Zi and the demon. Without looking back, Zi jumped out of the way letting Taro's attack connect with the demon.

Due to the demon's weight and armour, Taro's attack only managed to knock him off balance. Alas, Taro smiled as his eyes returned to normal. The moment the demon's balance was off, like a bullet, a silver furred dog, Kuangzao headbutted the demon in the stomach sending him flying.

The demon grunted as he quickly got back onto his own feet. "You think this is enough to put ME down?" He yelled angrily as he stepped forwards only for a glowing mystic circle to appear on the dirt surrounding him. The rhino demon couldn't utter another word before he fell down a giant pit. "Grr! Once I get out of here, it'll be the end of you all!"

Before the rhino demon could try to climb out of the hole, he heard giggling coming from next to him. He turned to its source and saw a small reddish copper furred monkey with blue skin, Ezuoju. The demon raised a brow before the monkey let out a mischievous grin. The monkey hopped onto the demon's body and started taking off the demon's armour and clothes by hand. The demon couldn't stop something so small and agile in such a tight space.

"H-hey! What are you doing?!" Exclaimed the demon in shock as Zuzu took away more of his clothes until only his underwear was left. "G-get off me!"

Deciding he was done with humiliating the demon, Zuzu climbed up the hole with the demon's clothes in hand while giggling mischievously. The demon saw this and glared at the monkey angrily before he climbed up after the cheeky monkey. With a hateful roar the demon raised his hand to catch the monkey, but when he checked his hand he found nothing.