Mentioned Characters: Yuugi, Parsee

"What were they thinking, giving an oni a weapon...? Is that their way of telling me not to hold back? Fine. These clothes remind me of old times. Kinda makes me wanna go wild! And besides, it's a festival, right? Oni! Vengeful spirits! Youkai outcasts of the Underworld! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! The stubborn mistress of the Palace of the Earth Spirits has given us her permission. Let's crush the Lost Word Incident!"

Yuugi Hoshiguma's Fantasy Rebirth Since the birth of civilization, the location of homes, villages, and cities has been decided by human politics. One of government's main purposes is to ensure people have fixed residences. Tying the people to the land they live on eases the development of agriculture and subsequent industries, not to mention the collection of taxes. Some condemn this entire process, saying it turns humans into sheep. Before humans settled down in villages, they traveled from place to place, taking everything they needed with them. Oni are a remnant of the dreams these nomadic humans saw. But perhaps they also exist in the dreams of children who long for such a lifestyle after hearing and reading tales of adventure. In Japan, it wasn't that long ago when girls were expected to join and begin living with another family as soon as they came of age.

"I'm an oni, so I ain't got the patience to sit down and talk this out peacefully. Sorry, but this is all I know. Let's talk with our fists and bullets for as long as we're able."

Land of Vengeful Springs Many years have passed since Yuugi first came to the Former Capital after becoming disillusioned with the humans on the surface. Nowadays, it is a thriving hot spring town built by the youkai outcasts. The architecture is all over the place, but you can feel the passion that went into its construction, and many are happy to call it home. In fact, it's such a nice place to live that the youkai and vengeful spirits don't even think about trying to escape. Thanks to the hot springs, it is also the perfect place to rest and recover after a long journey. As the one-horned oni looked down on the steam-covered landscape, she reflected on how their lives had always been one journey after another.

"The power of oni can unlock hidden possibilities. Oni is a term used to describe beings that cannot be seen, empty souls, wanderers, and dissidents. It was as I suspected. There are clues within memories. Within everyone's memories. Within mine, there is a peaceful eternity. Is that the home I must return to?" [Torn page of a report written by Parsee Mizuhashi.]