Ryozanpaku

[Bloodedge]

"They want to be like this. Family should be like family." Plain, simple, and evermore disturbing were the words of this monstrous child. He didn't force anyone to join his family. Every member of this big, happy group, wanted to be with him... even if they didn't realize how much being in a loving family meant until they were part of one. It was fine; he'd teach this pair as well. "You'll see soon... both of you."

Soon enough, Ibaraki committed to an approach. Did she not care about the danger? She must have really been excited to join him, to meet him with a tight embrace. Ah, but the desire alone wouldn't be enough. She'd have to really want it, to truly feel the strength of their familial bond. That strength, that bond, showed itself in the threads she pushed through. None were burned away, none were cut─ all were enforced with a power few things in this world could even fathom. That power... was what came from a loving family, in the lad's mind. Ibaraki may have pushed forward, but all that repeated slashing against webs that would not break would do her no favors in the end. By the time she aimed to reach him, perhaps she would come to realize that she fell a bit short. All the webs that were between them were still functioning spiderwebs, after all. Her sword would surely be covered in them, and the same could be said of her body from the trip over. Most importantly, the webs remained tethered to their start and end points, and thus threatened to halt the Oni's movements just before she reached her target with that crimson fist.

"You have to play the game, Onee-san. It's no fun if you let me win," he said while those corrupted eyes trailed over her body, viewing each thread which stuck to her during that pathetic attempt at a lunge. He could alter the consistency of his web with a simple thought. Looking at these... if he wanted to, it would be no issue to make them function as blades to shred this girl where she stood. Was she even worth becoming his sister? Adding to the family was one thing, but he had been expecting a new favorite after the last one disappointed him so. "Do you... not like my game? If you just say so, we could come up with something better. I just... really wish you would like this one. I tried really hard, you know?"

[Apollymi]

This lad truly didn't realize how disturbing his words were. Besides the fact that it was highly unlikely every creature he contaminated wanted to be part of his family, the idea that they wanted to be like him was also frightening. Didn't he realize how corrupting and corrosive his power had to be to turn people against their onw best interests to serve his delusional thoughts? The webs weren't brought down by her sword, but that didn't matter. Ibaraki had the strength to move forward and that was the most important thing. Though her body and blade were caught up she very nearly reached him, even while ignoring the frightening and disturbing words he said. Only... she fell short. Her crimson fist extended didn't quite reach the lad, she was indeed held back by these threads which were enforced by a power she didn't quite recognize and had no immunity against. "I keep saying this isn't a game. I don't want to come up with a better one. I want to end you before you further corrupt the world with your disgusting ideas about family! If I die in the process so be it!!" the lass said. She'd started this whole endeavor as a means to an end, to prove she was the type of Oni who could lead their faction. But here and now she was standing in front of something truly disturbing childish innocence corrupted. A misunderstanding of family proliferated as if it was gospel. This wasn't just bad for Oni, nor the Kitsune and creatures of Mt. Kurama. This was literally bad for the whole of Ryozanpaku and the whole of the world. She couldn't be stopped by this, she wouldn't be. She resented the idea that he thought he could hold her here. No one could! She'd have to use that....

Her current ultimate technique wasn't something she whipped out on every occasion. She'd been training to get stronger so it wouldn't be her only resort. But here and now she had to put all on the line. "Great Grudge of Rashoumon!" that heat in her body which never died. That strength of her spirit manifested in the moment. That fist barely stopped short grew larger and larger still, covered in flames she aimed to finish the maneuver she started. If she couldn't rush him physically, she'd use her magic and physical attributes together to ravage this lad aiming knock something resembling common sense into him. Seeing what was taking place here, Shuten understood. There was a certain quality missing from this lass that made it so she wouldn't have the strength to face this child. It wasn't her fault of course, she fully had the heart, but there are some qualities in this world that could only be obtained through others. And Shuten had a pretty good idea of how to do it. Save face for this lass and guarantee she would be the leader the Oni needed. and besides all of that, the girl's personality and will to fight, even when placed against impossible odds was something to be respected. Not just by Yumi, the girl behind the Avatar but by Shuten-Doji's original self, intertwined deep within her being. He saw in her a spark. The spark of someone willing to give up themselves, if it meant protecting those left behind. Something not forced but freely given from time and deliberation and force of will. The real meaning of seeing the world as 'family'. And it was something he would always respect. As such for the first time since they arrived Shuten's power swelled, and the aroma of fruit assaulted the noses of all present including Ibaraki who turned to the purple haired lass, wondering if she'd failed. She wasn't ready to give up.

[Bloodedge]

Their current game was of no interest to Ibaraki, and she didn't want to play a different one either. What was he to do? They were children in the same family; wasn't their purpose to play when their parents weren't present? Confusion spread across the face of Rui while the Oni's magic welled up in her monstrous fist. His head tilted, and his eyes widened. What did these words mean? What more could adoring siblings do, if not play the most fun games together? Flames from Ibaraki's fist struck his face and engulfed his head, and that expression remained.

And then...

Rui smiled. It was no ordinary smile, but one far larger than his face should have allowed, forming an expression more twisted than what even his earlier words could portray. He leaned forward, letting his head erupt from the fires just over the Oni's outstretched hand. Thick, pulsing veins had appeared across the entirety of his barely-charred visage, and his eyes leaked tears of darkened blood. "I understand now, Onee-san! You want to make sure I can look after myself if you're not able to protect me! It's alright, really. I'll show you... I can protect all of you if you're too weak to function. Ko-ku-shi-ro~!" The point of connection to his threads became clear, as Rui's blood was focused through his hands and sent along every web presently wrapped around Ibaraki. Those red strings around her became visible to the naked eye without effort, and with that, they gained greater power... and incredible cutting potential. He tugged back, causing every web to initially loosen around Ibaraki. Only a moment afterwards, however, those same webs formed a large net aiming to tear Ibaraki asunder as it draped over her.

[Apollymi]

Contact was finally made, and Ibaraki would have felt accomplished if this lad's expression had changed to show pain or something the like. She still couldn't quite shake the threads but she leaned away from them a bit giving her a tiny bit more clearance. "This is so weird. I'm not done by the way... I don't think I've failed yet..." she said to Shuten. The purple haired lass only giggled as she used her power over bones to call the lass' weapon towards herself. Once it was in Shuten's hands she produced a single coin like bone and a bottle of her own sake produced from her very being. As she held these items together they began to resonate, combining in the form of bones and flames of a very different variety. "This kid is a Demon. Not Oni Kind or spider Youkai, something that can only be cleansed by a higher power. You simply don't have it. It isn't your fault. But I believe you can hold it..." said Shuten but before she could finish talking the spider child's expression changed completely. The grin on his face was outright sickening and though his face was charred and burning he grinned way too wide for his face. Ibaraki quickly went from disappointed at knowing she couldn't compete to frightened.

A single step backward was taken by Ibaraki as this lad's words hit her ears with clauses which caused her great alarm. He was going to get worse, she couldn't beat him as she was. And now, Shuten had her sword. What was she actually going to do against all these threads she could now see. The heat of her soul wasn't enough to stop it. And this power was now acutely overwhelming. "Fufufu~~~ As I was saying have this back. You're about the only one I've seen worthy of the name Doji. Now, prove it!" She flung the sword back towards the girl and it sailed through the spider webs with Shuten's power behind it. Surprisingly, Ibaraki had faith and decided to grip it out of the air. Upon catching it while these thread aimed to close in on her she felt it. A power so much greater than her own coursed through her. It aimed to burn even her from the inside out. If one happened to look on the layout of the Nexus, her name now read as Ibaraki-doji, a name passed on from Shuten to her in so casual a manner by enhancing her sword with bones of her brother and Shuten's own soul essence. What would this do for the lass. Well two things, it would give her fires the quality necessary to combat Demon Kin and it would elevate her status to a lower level Divinity. All the while Shuten didn't save this lass, she simply presented her the means to save herself. Whatever she chose to do with it now, was up to her. She also didn't interfere directly in this fight... so no harm done. Shuten's words had a strange effect on Ibaraki, encouraging the lass in a way no others ever had. The fires this girl felt would burn her up, exploded from within her person, radiating around her, even as these blood covered wires threatened to rend her limb from limb. But unlike before they should have begun to sizzle, and scorch with literal flames falling from the Oni's mouth as she exhaled. Looking even more crazed than this child did but for entirely different reasons.

[Bloodedge]

Soon, very soon, Rui's family would be more complete. He could have yet another chance to acquire siblings that met his expectations... siblings that satisfied him when others failed so miserably. They already seemed to be helping one another out so marvelously, he felt there would be great benefit to them joining the family and turning their attention his way. But lo, what was this? When the purple-haired sister returned the blade of Ibaraki, there was a very different quality to it... and to her. He could see it clearly; they shared a name. This must have been what he was missing all along. How could he have been so foolish? His family was so extensive now, but it could hardly be called a family at all, when they didn't share a name the way these two did.

... But on the other hand, they were clearly providing the ability for him to become one with them through this name: Doji.

This name also came with a power, one potent enough to compete against his webs and allow Ibaraki some freedom. Her flames now loosened the wires and set them ablaze, forcing the lad to a certain level of concentration for the sake of keeping them stable. Two grins boasting something resembling insanity were pitted against one another. This was a true familial bond in the making, right? It had to be! "Onee-san! Aishiteru!" Rui spoke, seeming elated by this new development. Blood poured through his wires until it dripped from them, restoring their integrity with demonic power the likes of which this world had not yet seen. All the webs that had been in use thus far gathered around the boy, gradually accumulating between his hands as they swirled around wildly. At this point, he was almost working with just blood. "Kokushi Rinten! Onee-san! You want to play now, right?!"

[Apollymi]

Whatever this lad thought he was going to get out of these two young women, it definitely wasn't going to happen. Both of them already had older brothers of their own, and despite their potential problems with them, both understood truly what family bonds meant. It wasn't about overshadowing or overtaking. Nor was it about forcing someone to see your perspective or be like you. Family was about acceptance with no strings attached and this lad quite literally had no idea what that meant. Ibaraki for her part in this, reveled in her current level of freedom, while staring down at the now impossible more ornate blade wondering just what happened. "I gave you the spark of Mt. Ooe," Shuten clarified, though this knowledge didn't exactly belong to the girl who was currently speaking. "Not everyone can hold it, nor is everyone worthy of it... but you're something like me," she explained clearly. "Don't take that to heart though, do what you need to, make it yours." she finished up. Some people took the whole, big brother big sister thing in the wrong ways. A lot of people didn't understand that family didn't require likeness or forced molding but was instead about expansion and elevation. Ibaraki was given a spark so she could grow not so the flames could engulf her and turn her into the next Shuten. Whatever the lass chose to do with this new power, was on her. But, Shuten had faith that they could be made proud.

While a legitimately touching moment would have played out in front of him, this Demonic child was busy being overly excited by Ibaraki's new developments. It seemed he wished to face her more now, so much so that even more blood seemed to permeate his aura. It swirled around him along with his threads in a manner most dangerous. "I've said before. I am not here to play... and you're done now too," said the blonde haired lass. Her horns danced with shadows caused by the flames flickering from her mouth. Even so, she was meant to take the words Shuten said, and the faith placed within her and conquer this lad. He was something she would have found insurmountable if not for the purple haired lass. Some people really were necessary to keep things moving. If she truly was some relic from the past, then perhaps this was a lesson in acknowledging the past to shape the fragile future. She couldn't perform the subtle and precise removal of bones that one like Shuten-Doji was known for, that didn't suit her tastes. She had to make it more like her, brash, brutish and straight to the point. Whatever the case, she could at least pay homage to that past. Respect it, in her own way, though she wasn't really the same sort of Oni as Shuten-doji. Neither the girl standing before her, nor the great man she'd heard stories about. As she watched this lad pool his strings between his hands, her own fires became concentrated. They moved along the blade from her hand becoming engulfed in the most concentrated form of the heat she'd yet produced. There was so much power in this blade now, she barely understood how she lifted it. It was almost like it carried the full weight of expectations along with the abilities it now had. Still, she could meet this. She tensed her muscles and drew back, this time withholding no power. She aimed numerous consecutive slashes at this young boy. Each aiming to maim him. Starting with his hands, then his shoulders, then his knees and ankles, his torso and finally his head. Each strike was made of the most terrible sort of flame, one which would burn well past its point of contact. If she succeeded each time she slashed the boy's body would burn to cinders leaving only charred bones in their wake. Only after such a thing was done, only if it succeeded would its name be spoken.

[Bloodedge]

What would come from this Oni, now that she wielded a new power? Rui wondered if she was now truly ready for playtime, and he would soon be finding out. Ah, what a wonderful way to have her join the family! Alas, she was keen on rejecting his offer again and again. She'd learn; they all had to. Perhaps one day, he would discover a new sibling who offered themselves freely... but not today. Ibaraki's flames were channeled through the blade of her sword, and that burning aura appeared to be something respectable for once. In fact, it was easily notable that the flame-coated blade could properly deal a fatal blow if it struck true. If she intended to attack him with that, something would have to be done. He had so many plans to further their game, and such intent to experience these two Oni as his sisters, this playtime couldn't end on a sour note.

There was still the matter of his... adjustment to the webs he'd been spinning. That small wheel was nearly done with its formation as blood spewed from it in all directions, though Ibaraki was encroaching upon the lad with her sword at the ready. Perhaps a few glares could be seen here and there during this approach, or perhaps not. What would those glares have been, though? Well, Rui did have webs to spare. During the creation of the technique he'd chosen, he let loose a few additional webs without blood or excess energy making them easily visible. Feinting an attempted assault using the web ring in his hands, he kept a keen eye on the movements made by Ibaraki's blade, and moved these additional webs out ahead of its path. He couldn't allow himself to be severed by an anti-demon blade of any sort, but if he dismembered himself, coming together again was a walk in the park. And so, that was precisely what the boy did. His arms and legs separated into various segments, and even his head flew from his body to allow the passage of Ibaraki's blade. Immediately afterwards, however, blood webs connected the segments while leaving them at a distance from one another. "You aren't playing nice. You should be nice to family, because... Okaa-san said. Kokushi Rinten." Once his hands were separated, there was hardly a thing keeping his ring in place. That condensed spiral of cutting webs burst outward, hellbent on filleting any and everything in a ten meter radius from its center with blood-infused wires that reeked of malice. Beyond having an otherworldly ability to cut, however, there was another attribute to them. The blood accumulated on each thread was, of course, Rui's own blood, which aimed to infect its victims with his... 'familial genes' as it were.

[Apollymi]

Ibaraki was watching this lad, she definitely would have felt if her blade had made contact during his manuever. And though she didn't actually witness this lad sever his own body parts, she knew she wasn't the direct cause of it. All the while she had to prepare, stay vigilant. This creature wasn't going down without a fight, and that was... exhilarating. She'd never fought a battle so tough, nor been so unsure of her victory. Yes, she'd been talking as if she intended to win, but that was simply her way. Their way. The way of the Oni. She didn't see defeat as an option, but yet it so clearly was that her breath came out in panting motion. Heat spewed from her person as she thought of a way to properly deal with this child before her who seemed so intent on making her become part of his twisted family. "I don't care about your mother, or you. We are not the same, and I told you before, I'm not playing... one of us is dying here today... and it won't be me!" she shouted triumphantly! How many had he killed in such way? How many would he have continued to haunt? How many were connected directly to him? It was her aim to find out and eliminate them all!

As this battle seemed to approach its climax with deafening tone, Shuten watched her eyes never wavering from the scene before her. She taken in all there was to see here, and she knew exactly what this lad had going on. She'd even come up with a couple of different methods in the last few moments of making sure he stayed dead after seeing the trick he pulled with his body. Even so, she wasn't a Genokiller by nature, thinking up all of this took a great deal of her extra brainpower. 'Ugh, Nee-san, if you are gonna set us up, the least you could do is be here to help me figure out how to make sure this victory is hers and hers alone!' she frowned deeply. Her whole point in coming here was to see if this lass was a worthy successor and she thought that this was the case, still it wouldn't do for her to end up killed or infected by that gross spider DNA for whatever reason. "Oi oi, don't let the shape confine you... do what you do best, or risk this shit taking you over..." she said to Ibaraki, while her own weapon appeared within her grasp. Holding it and filling it with her own divinity and poison which Oni were immune to, she'd aim to keep such infections from properly spreading both to herself and Ibaraki. Surely a little support when her own life was endanger wouldn't count against the blonde lass?

But then came the question? How would the blonde lass take this new information? With a smile, of course. She was cut into ribbons as this descended upon her, but the heat of her flames remained true. Did she become infected? No... and because of this the burning intensity of her flames increased tenfold, without shape from each piece of her severed body as something queer occurred. Her body began to restore though it was admittedly painful, with the exception of the hand which had held her weapon. That flaming fist holding a weapon of imminent power, flew around the battlefield. Increased in size by a massive amount and no longer connected, it could freely pursue every piece of the lad, irrespective of his strings and her own body placement. She used her newfound Anti-Demon weapon and her extra flames, along with her ability to 'Restore' and reset the battle for herself to try and accomplish something more decisive. That giant Oni transformed fist, aimed to send flames straight up and through the lad's own disconnected hands down his strings to every aspect of his body as they made contact. Not just these pieces either, there could potentially be very far reaching consequences, much like the flaming spear she'd thrown back to Tomoe, these flames aimed to spread to every offshoot which belonged to this lad, likely his entire 'family' would be engulfed in these divinely reinforced flames to be burnt to cinders and left as bone piles upon his own death.

[Bloodedge]

She didn't care. Not about him, not about 'their' mother, and not about the games they could have played. One of them would die, she said, and she clearly had no intention of being the one to fall. Madness. If she was so keen on leaving him without his new sibling, she would have to be the only one to die. Rui would not go without completing his family, even if he had to kill her to make her see the light. It wouldn't be the first time, and it likely wouldn't be the last. Acceptance would find him at last, or he would force others to understand until it worked.

Oh, how wonderfully she could fit into the family. A simple showing of his proper offense left her dismembered numerous times over, but she managed to piece herself back together without much fuss at all. Moreover, she wasn't at all affected by his blood like the others had been. She was very much herself... and so was the other one. That wasn't right; the venom of this spider was one which converted many who did so little as breathe it in. Direct contact should have been more than enough for anyone else, yet here the Oni was, staging another onslaught against him. Where was it coming from? Her hand was moving about of its own accord while Rui watched her other parts reconnect, and in that hand was her sword. Soon enough, the lad felt something... quite strange. There was a heat that he felt beyond the physical sense, as if his soul were alight while he beheld the resolve of Ibaraki. None had ever been so capable of resisting the change for so long, and he had every hope that the time itself would have made one lean toward his ideals. Why, then, did she seem more intent on resisting than ever? Was joining his family really such an undesirable thing? How... sad.

Mulling over rejection was hardly a thing Rui was allowed to do. That warn feeling inside him was, in fact, the Divinity-infused flames of Ibaraki spreading from his detached hand through his core. The spider lad was burning from within, in the most literal sense possible. In spite of this, he showed no signs of pain─ only a hint of longing and dejection by fault of the blonde Oni before him. "Onee-san... All I want is to play," he said as that pale, veiny flesh of his appeared to be smoldering as seconds passed.

[Apollymi]

There was a burning sense of justice in this young Oni. Though she wasn't without the vision to see this lad being quite strange in response to the damage he had to be taking, there was little she could do. Until of course, she heard his small voice being a bit dejected. "Ah, sou ka..." she said thinking about it generally. She thought this child was just as psychopath but as he burned from her power here and now she understood that it wasn't merely that he was crazed and terrible, it was that he was a child with a simple desire which had gone too far out of control. "Baka! You really should pay more attention this isn't playing... it's hurting people. Playing should be fun for everyone and a mutual experience. It's something to be shared not forced!" she said as she came a bit closer to the lad. "You earn respect and friendship! You don't convert them to be more like you, you accept them and try to make sure they don't walk the wrong path!" she exclaimed in her typical excited fashion. Her blood still burned, she wouldn't take back what she was doing here, but he needed such a burning, there was something dangerous within him, something which was opposed to her new form of being and she intended to rid him of it. He was a child led astray by his own desires and whatever was part of him that wasn't originally, he needed to learn what way was the right way to go about life, and technically speaking, if Ibaraki wanted to be a leader she couldn't call herself one if she left such a kid behind.

All the while Shuten watched and understood how this was similar to another fight she'd witnessed. 'Sou ka, he really is similar to that other one,' she said thinking of the older fights she'd been part of. Now this was this child a puppet like the man in Eonis or was he a full demon like that other one when they were in the Valley of Plenty? These were the questions which needed answering, and ones which she'd likely leave to her brother to properly answer.

[Bloodedge]

He wasn't playing with others, but rather, hurting them? That had to be nonsense, right? All the others had such an amazing time as life left their eyes, only to be replaced with the light of his familial bond. All those faces which were now fading away, seemed so be suffering due only to the fact that they were no longer able to be with him. Yes, that surely had to be it... but those faces were so similar to the ones he remembered, from when they lost their original selves. Perhaps there was some accuracy to the Oni's speech. Oh well; it didn't matter at present regardless. "This isn't the time... to lecture me," he said in a voice that faded as quickly as segments of his body. He was dying, and there was no point trying to convert him now. Only moments of life remained in the boy, and for the duration of those few moments, even h is flesh floated away and disintegrated the same way his innards had been doing for a minute or so prior. The final piece that would remain of him for some time, would be his left eye─ the very same eye bearing a special marking in characters from another world. . .

Meanwhile, the center of Ryozanpaku was being encroached upon from multiple angles at once. Three total groups made their approach, some earlier than others, but... they would not be the only ones here. A large, withered tree filled an otherwise open space in these lands, and in it sat a peculiar Youkai with a very human appearance. Well, at least he seemed human outside of ridiculous hair, black aside from a dirty blonde top, all of which protruded off the back of his head. Who was this you man of a Youkai? He seemed to be awaiting a few arrivals, as he had been for quite some time.

[Apollymi]

The death of this Spider Youkai lad seemed to be quite set in stone. Even so, Ibaraki scoffed at the idea that she was in some way wrong for her lecture. "Baka! That's a lesson you should carry with you, into the next life!" she exclaimed. Whether she meant this in the traditional sense or knew something more wasn't really up for debate. She watched as all but that lad's singular eye disappeared into dust on the wind, and then that eye followed. "Eeh, I didn't understand that weird writing, what a strange kid. I hope he does better next time..." she said. Finally after his body disappeared her hand returned to her body and reattached though with an even stranger pattern than it had before. No matter, they'd done what they'd needed to. Shuten for her part in this tilted her head back and sighed. "Yare yare, I didn't drink enough for this. Come on Raki-chan, time to meet Nii-san and Nee-san and let them know the jobs all done," she said happily. "You did good!" exclaimed the purple haired lass as she walked up and gently sat her hand atop the other lass' head. It was a gesture which didn't quite fit her current frame but was definitely one which would have been completed by the original of her Origin had he been capable. Of course, this caused Ibaraki's face to turn an intense shade of red, and she simply followed along after backing away quickly. "Ha...HAI!" she managed after a second or two. This reaction caused a chuckle from Shuten, "Fufufu, I guess that brother of yours wasn't too big on praise. Maybe I'd let you borrow mine if I didn't have plans for him already!~" she joked as they began moving towards that same tree.

At the tree, there was already a single lad present. But who of the existing group would make it there first? A certain Tengu approached from the west, and a certain duo of Celestial and Kitsune approached from the east, though they were taking the 'scenic route'. Though the Kitsune's eyes did indeed catch sight of the top of that withered tree in the distance. From the north a Yuki-onna carrying a slime was also making their way. The first speech to be heard would be that of the Tengu. "Sou ka, there is an unknown factor present..." she mumbled. She wondered if the others knew of this one. His hair was quite strange. She wondered if he was the one missing from the board before? She supposed they'd have to wait for the appearance of the Kitsune to let them know. "Do you have information on this one?" she asked assuming a certain snake related lad was nearby.

[Bloodedge]

Many bodies approached, and a single question was asked of one who could not yet be counted among this group's roster. The masked lad with a snake wrapped around his person had his attention brought to the strange male in that tree, and did indeed recognize him. Alas. there was one thing he dreaded to admit. In all of Ryozanpaku, none had acquired more information than him about anyone/anything... except perhaps the Orochi. This singular male, however, was an exception to the information he had. "No. He just sits there, like he's waiting for something," the lad spoke. In fact, many Youkai knew of this one's existence and location; there were simply none who saw fit to approach him, or this tree.

The Slime being carried along had also seen the one in the tree, but was overall less concerned with the whos, whats, whys and hows of it all. He was squished under a pair of twin mountains with a softness to rival that of his own body; there were no concerns at all to be had by the odd Slime. Of course, this didn't stop the 'Great' Rimuru from a bit of commentary along the way. "There they are! I see my loyal followers coming from each direction!"

[Apollymi]

"Oh? That is strange..." finding out that the lad in the middle of this place simply sat in place was an interesting new fact. It was simply crazy to her that this boy in the tree had been sitting there without much movement. What was he waiting for? What were his motives? The questions created by this lad's existence would likely be questioned by the leaders of their group. Beyond that, given how those two people were choosing to deal with the problems presented, they would likely help that lad as well, as long as his motivations properly aligned with theirs.

In the meantime, a certain large chested lass was carrying a slime squished underneath her massive bosom. He still seemed to be saying quite a lot about his group, but he had already admitted to having no idea what the plan was. It was obvious by a long shot that he wasn't in charge, but he at least recognized the faces approaching the same tree they were. "Hm, you're still talking pretty big for a guy who has no idea what is going on..." she mentioned. Still there was the real problem of this tree so imagine her face when she noted that same boy still atop it, where he had been since her arrival to this place. "Eh?! That guy is still here but there is still a problem!?" she managed to be confused. She thought that the boy in the tree understood whatever was wrong there, yet another reason she'd never really bothered. This area was far too massive to take control over, there was only a small area she could even be bothered with.

There was a pink haired fox approaching rather casually close to a certain white haired male. "Hm, seems like we aren't even late... so much for the scenic route~" she teased gently. They'd been walking in this moment hand in hand while she leaned her head against this man's right shoulder. Strangely she'd perk up the closer and closer she got to the tree, standing straighter and taking in the sight of the young lad in the tree. "He's the one... the one who is aligned to that extra piece from the gameboard," she said those golden eyes of hers shining. "I wonder if he's been here the whole time?" she questioned. This was quite an interesting newfound bit of information. And only once she'd straightened up, would the pair be properly witnessed by Shuten and Ibaraki.

[Bloodedge]

"It is. I consider it the strangest thing in Ryozanpaku, even with Orochi around," spoke the snake-themed male accompanying Kuroka. He had never encountered this person directly, but he had been watching for quite some time. This individual arrived, reached this very tree, and had not moved once since that day. The reason behind this was as much a mystery as where this strange male came from, but now that they were getting closer... he could tell what sort of person they would soon be dealing with.

Rimuru had no idea the overarching plan, true. He did, however, have an idea where he stood in the hierarchy of this group... at least in his mind. If he wanted to, he could devour the group as a whole at any given moment. If he did something like that, their collective powers and abilities would be his to command. He wouldn't bother with something like that, though; that would require too much work being done by himself! Now then, what was this speech of his new minion he acquired? "What do you mean still here? There's been a guy who could fix these problems around the whole time?!"

The 'scenic route' seemed like it could have been made a bit more scenic, considering how quickly everyone else happened to be arriving at the tree. Kou sighed during his approach alongside Tamamo, thinking he could have relaxed for a few more minutes. Alas, they were here now, and there was also another face at the center of their would-be meeting. That extra figure on Tamamo's earlier display was this random Youkai; Kou had figured as much. What purpose would they serve, though? If they were waiting this long, then what they were waiting for had to be. . .

"Smells like the start of another questline. Mendokuse."