That Time My Late Husband Was Reincarnated as an Oni

Chapter 6: Search for an Oni

The start of this chapter will be a little different. Hikari is currently on the search for someone who could help fight for her children, and knew just the person. She just needed to find them.

Anyway, this chapter starts at a circus. A traveling circus. Yua, the "young" kitsune healer, was actually working part time at Arnold's doll circus. She would help tend to the animals, make sure the seats were cleaned, and check on the performers before a show would begin. So as she was making her rounds, she catches a familiar scent. It smelled like Hikari? As she looked around to see if she was actually here, she notices two new dolls getting ready to perform. She walks closer to them, taking a sniff and identifying that Hikari's scent was coming from both of them?

The two new dolls turn, as one smiles and waves, her emerald green eyes shimmering. "Hello miss! Can we help you?" The white haired doll asked.

"Oh! Um, you two just smell familiar to me... Do you know Hikari-san?" She asked, curious.

"Hikari...? Who's that?" She asked. "Sister, do you know this person?"

The purple haired doll would shake her head. "No. I do not." She says.

"Nope. Never heard of this person before." She says. "Sorry, but we need to get practicing. But it was nice to chat with you a bit~!" She says and heads off with her twin sister.

Despite their answer, Yua still found it a bit suspicious. So once she finished up her shift, she would head off to the village and try to find Hikari to her what was happening.

———

While Hikari heads up into the mountains near the village, as she wanders while tracking the oni's natural magic. As she hikes the mountain, she could feel his magic getting stronger as she walks down the paved road. She soon finds who she was looking for, sitting on a boulder and drinking from his hip flask.

"Bah...! I can't believe I already drank all my sake..." He would groan and move his arm back down to his hip. He seemed to have heard the footsteps approaching, as he turns his head. "Oh? You're still alive?" He asked with a grin.

Hikari gulps a bit, and suddenly bows. "Dojimaru-sama. I need your assistance." She gets straight to the point, confusing the male.

"Hold up... You want my help?" He asked, a bit suspicious of her. "Why?"

Hikari stands up straight again, and looks him in the eyes. "My daughters were taken away from me suddenly. I'm looking for a man who runs a traveling circus. I know where they are. I just...need someone to fight with me." She explains.

"Soooo...you're asking me?" He asked to clarify.

"That is correct. I know that you have no reason to trust me, but please...! I...I need your help!" She pleads with him, tears falling from her eyes.

Dojimaru stared at her for a moment. Her face was so familiar to him for some reason. Seeing her like this... Looking so hurt... It made him hurt as well. "What's in it for me?" He asked, standing up from his boulder.

Hikari looked him in the eyes, calming herself before she spoke again. "First. A rematch. You and me." She says, as she uses her fingers to list the benefits for him. She then raised her second finger. "Second. I can magically enhance your sake to refill itself. You'll never need to buy new bottles again." She says.

Hearing her proposals, he smiles, and jumps down, unsheathing his katana as he landed. "Very well then, Hikari-san... I accept your challenge." He says, sword in hand and ready to strike.