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Uchiha Lie followed the trembling voice and soon saw a yokai in a black haori slowly stepping out of one of the caves.
The creature moved cautiously.
The moment it saw him clearly, it hurried forward and fell flat on the ground with a loud thud, pressing its forehead deeply into the earth.
"My Lord, please spare us! I beg you, do not destroy our tribe!"
Only then did Uchiha Lie get a clear look at its appearance.
They were upright-walking beasts, roughly the size of a large dog. Their bodies were covered in short gray fur. Around their eyes were distinct black circles, giving them the look of raccoons or tanuki.
They resembled dog-like tanuki yokai.
But what caught Lie's attention—
Was the strange bulging bundle on its back.
It looked unnatural.
Swollen.
Almost like something wrapped tightly beneath cloth.
"What kind of yokai are you?" Uchiha Lie asked calmly.
"My Lord, we are the Dōri Oni tribe," the creature replied respectfully, still trembling. "We have lived in this valley for generations. We have never actively provoked humans."
"Dōri Oni…"
The name instantly triggered a memory from the demon records he had read.
His expression stiffened slightly.
Without thinking, he quietly stepped back two paces.
The scroll's description had been… unforgettable.
The Dōri Oni were small, not particularly strong—
But they possessed a grotesque body part capable of expanding to enormous size.
It could stretch to cover the space of eight tatami mats.
It could be used to intimidate.
To strike.
Even to transform into the shape of a false room to trap victims.
When he had first read that description, he had thought—
Disgusting.
Now, standing before one in person, he understood.
That "bundle" on its back was clearly that particular body part in its retracted state.
He made a silent decision.
If it dared use that bizarre thing on him—
He would burn the entire valley down with Fire Release.
Without hesitation.
He suppressed the discomfort and asked calmly,
"What is your name?"
"This humble one is Kōzō, chief of the tribe," the yokai replied without lifting his head.
"I have a question."
Lie's tone turned direct.
"The villagers outside hired me to investigate a food thief. Has your tribe been stealing grain from the human village?"
Kōzō hesitated.
Then bowed even lower.
"Yes, My Lord. Some of the younger members have indeed taken grain recently…"
"Why?" Lie asked sharply. "You've lived here for years. Why steal now?"
Kōzō's voice turned bitter.
"A powerful cat yokai invaded our territory some time ago. We were no match for her."
"She took all the food we had stored for the year… and also took away our strongest warriors."
"A cat yokai?" Lie's interest sharpened.
"She stole your food and your people? For what purpose?"
"She said she needed them to help search for something called the Shikon Jewel."
Lie understood immediately.
Again—
The Shikon Jewel.
As expected.
"What about the grain?"
"She took it as well," Kōzō replied miserably. "She said she would return later. Until then, we must continue gathering food and hand it over when she comes back."
"Our tribe had nothing left. We were desperate… so we stole from the human village. But we swear, we only took grain! We did not harm anyone!"
Lie observed him carefully.
There was no scent of bloodlust.
Only fear.
And helplessness.
"She's coming back?" Lie asked.
"Yes."
A faint smile curved on Lie's lips.
"Perfect."
He suspected the cat yokai was using the Dōri Oni as free labor—forcing them to search for information about Shikon Jewel shards.
And the stolen grain?
Likely rations for the captured tribe members.
"Listen carefully," Lie said.
"Return all stolen grain to the human village immediately."
"Stop following that cat yokai's orders."
"I will wait outside the valley and deal with her when she returns."
Kōzō hesitated visibly.
If Lie left halfway—
The cat yokai's retaliation would be brutal.
But looking into Lie's cold crimson eyes—
He had no courage to refuse.
"Understood… My Lord."
"I will inform the tribe and return the grain at once."
"Go."
Lie turned and walked toward the valley entrance.
"My Lord!" Kōzō called nervously. "Would you like a place to stay? We have clean caves. We can offer fruit and fresh water!"
"No need," Lie replied without turning around. "I'll wait outside."
He understood their fear.
But he truly intended to wait.
He was genuinely curious about this cat yokai.
---
A Temporary Residence
Outside the valley, he found a flat clearing.
"Yes. This will do."
His hands formed seals rapidly.
"Wood Release: Four-Pillar House Technique!"
The ground trembled.
Thick tree trunks burst upward.
Wood twisted and intertwined, branches snapping into place with sharp cracking sounds.
Within minutes—
A two-story wooden house stood firmly on the clearing.
Simple.
Solid.
Perfectly structured.
Lie stepped inside.
The first floor was an empty living space with only a wooden table.
A staircase led upward.
On the second floor—
A spacious bedroom awaited.
A wooden bed.
Table.
Chairs.
Storage cabinet.
Minimal but complete.
He walked onto the balcony and leaned against the railing.
The forest stretched peacefully before him.
"I suppose I'll stay here awhile."
He lay back in a wooden lounge chair.
From the Kamui Dimension, he retrieved the demon encyclopedia he had acquired earlier.
Flipping through the pages lazily, he murmured,
"Hopefully, that cat yokai doesn't keep me waiting too long."
The wind moved gently through the trees.
And somewhere in the distance—
Fate was already moving closer.
--