Straight to Hell

Discovery, Exploration

The situation in Osaka seemed to be clearing up, which left Fubuki free to pursue her* original destination of Mount Ōe. Shigeaki Fujino had already left her* on the slopes near the bottom of the great peak before leaving. Now, Fubuki heard a distinct grunting and thudding coming from just over the nearest rise.

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Approaching, the Black Blade beheld what was surely a common sight upon Mount Ōe. A group of beefy Oni of all the common colors were engaged in strength training. Hefting boulders on their backs and running in formation, the squad was watched over by a particularly muscular Oni woman standing not far from where Fubuki was now.   Indeed, as she* approached, the other called out to her* with an order to join the others in training. Fubuki was momentarily nonplussed until she* realized that her* current form was that of an oni. A strange and slender example of the race, perhaps, but Fubuki knew from personal experience that physical size did not always equal physical strength. After a moment of consideration, Fubuki decided to simply carry on with the training she'd* begun earlier in the day. Picking up a nearby rock about the same size as her* own body, the cold-eyed oni fell in step with the others.   It was harder than the Black Blade expected. Soon, beads of sweat were popping from Fubuki's forehead and her* legs were burning with the effort. At least they weren't crackling this time. The other oni made room for her* on their trail, but it was not to last long. Apparently satisfied by Fubuki's performance, the overseer called out once again. If the visitor could break that rock on her* back, she'd* be free to climb to the next tier of the mountain.   Such a thing was quite simple for one such as Fubuki. By injecting a lance of concentrated ki into the boulder, she* was then able to step back and allow the thing to crumble away of its own accord. Soon, only rubble remained. The oni drillmaster gave Fubuki a look, but it seemed the methods didn't matter. She'd* passed the Trial of Strength, almost without realizing that she was being tested. With the Warden's approval, Fubuki proceeded to climb to the next tier.   All too quickly the sounds of oni exercise faded into the distance and Fubuki was alone once again. Mount Ōe was not difficult to climb this low on its slopes, but it was bleakly quiet and sparse. It was hard to believe that this very same empty stretch would become a bustling metropolis of food and merriment when the Endless Feast began at night.   The ground seemed to level out at what Fubuki could guess was the second tier. Just above, a thick covering of roiling mist obscured the slope for the rest of the climb up. Before her*, beneath the clouds, an array of caves dotted a tall cliff face that extended to the limits of her* view in either direction. It would not be too strange to think that Fubuki's next trial waited in one of these.   None of the apertures offered any visual clue to her* next destination, but Fubuki had other means of gathering information. Concentrating, she* shifted her* vision to a spectrum not normally seen by humans. In this way, she* could identify the life force, ki auras of creatures within a certain... Fubuki had to squeeze her eyes shut. A sharp pain shot through her* head. There was something, huge and impossibly bright, within the mountain itself. Whatever it was, its aura was so powerful that gazing at it for even an instant was enough to leave her* briefly blind. The only other time Fubuki had encountered something like this was when she'd* attempted to gaze upon the aura of Honda Tadakatsu.   Trying that avenue again would be foolish, but there was something else. In the otherwise silent air, a soft sound like bone upon bone drifted through the air. Fubuki turned to the cave which seemed its origin and descended within. As she* passed over its threshold, the Black Blade was seized by a sudden sense of vertigo. The entrance by which she'd* just came was now gone, leaving only blank stone behind her*. What's more, Fubuki was not alone.   In the center of the cave mouth, a dark-clad figure sat in ghostly illumination. Before her, a Go board was laid out as though in the middle of a game. There seemed to be no opponent, but Fubuki did recognize the player. Nikkai. The champion of Amatsu-Mikaboshi and a potent source of chaos. If Fubuki was here in Nikkai presence it could be no coincidence. Or, perhaps coincidences were exactly the kind of chaotic providence that could bring two such together.   In her usual soft tones, Nikkai wasted no time describing why she'd called Fubuki here. The Goddess of Primordial Chaos had been taking note of the Black Blade's actions for some time. Now, if she* so wished, it was time to take the next step. Some great chaos, a confusion to engulf civilizations, would please Amatsu-Mikaboshi and install Fubuki as the goddess' next champion. Indeed, if Fubuki so chose, a potent tool for just such an event lay in the darkness beyond.   It seemed that Fubuki was not meant to be Nikkai's opponent in Go. Instead, the Black Blade cautioned that she* was not in the habit of endangering the lives of innocents with her* chaos. Nikkai merely shrugged. Death and destruction meant nothing to Amatsu-Mikaboshi. These were often byproducts of chaos, but not necessarily elements of chaos themselves. However Fubuki wished to proceed would be up to her*.   There seemed, then, to be only one way to go. Passing by Nikkai, Fubuki descended into the darkness within Mount Ōe. It was an interminable trek. Or, perhaps it took only a few seconds. Everything had seemed distorted since Fubuki's entrance into this cavern. Soon enough, she* stood at the mouth to a great cavern which must be at the mountain's heart.   Casting everything in a stark blaze, an enormous humanoid figure hovered restrained in the middle of the cavern. The titan appeared to be made entirely of fire and it burned like the sun. Surely this was what Fubuki had detected with her* ki sight earlier. Behind it, the cavern seemed to descend further. At its sides, mighty black chains, scorched from eons of endless fire, tied the giant to the walls of the cavern. Tracing their length back to the head of the thing, Fubuki realized that she'd* been noticed.   The fiery titan spoke. In a booming, crashing voice it demanded that the interloper release it. This thing claimed to be the bane of humanity. It was fire. It was destruction. It was Oni. Certainly, breaking these chains would result in the kind of chaos Amatsu-Mikaboshi seemed to be looking for. Fubuki had no intention of doing so. After all, by the titan's own admission, she* would just end up burning with everything else. Instead, on a whim, Fubuki teleported herself* up onto the giant's shoulder.   That was a mistake.   Furious plasma punched through Fubuki's core and tore into each of her* limbs as the titan's fires burned her* alive. In only moments, Fubuki's vision went white, then black, and she* fell into the void.  

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Fubuki awoke with a terrible headache. The backs of her* shoulders smarted, as though she'd* taken a fall, but other than that she* seemed unharmed. Even lessened by the Hound of Tindalos' attack, the Black Blade's legendary powers of regeneration were still in effect. With that settled, Fubuki took a look at her* new surroundings.   This seemed to be a comfortable, Japanese-style sitting room. Someone had laid a cushion under Fubuki's head and made sure she* was comfortable on the tatami. All in all, it was quite cozy. That is, until she* noticed the artwork on the walls. Each landscape featured a hell full of demonic oni torturing sinners in a variety of inventive ways. The artist had spared no effort in making the painful-looking experiences as gratuitous as possible.   "Neat."   These were images of Jigoku, Fubuki knew. Most native Japanese would be familiar with it. And yet one didn't hear much about Jigoku anymore. It was always Yomi instead. Fubuki wondered why.   Nobody seemed to be around, but one of the four doors of the room was cracked open invitingly. Confirming that all of her* belongings were safe and secure, Fubuki walked over to the portal and slid it fully to the side. Beyond, a much grander room was bisected by a crimson curtain running from wall to wall. The cloth blocked Fubuki's view, but her* attention was quite grabbed by the man in front of the curtain anyway. Towering, nine feet tall at least, this giant wore opulent robes and a bushy black beard. Atop his head, a wooden crown proclaimed him with the character for "King." If Fubuki was in Jigoku, this could only be King Enma.   Indeed, the mighty Lord of Hell wasted no time in lambasting Fubuki for her* many sins. Due to her* unrighteous conduct, she* was to be condemned to Jigoku and tortured for all eternity. However, Great King Enma was not without mercy. If Fubuki would help him by acting as his agent in the mortal world, perhaps they could come to a different understanding...   As was her* wont, the Black Blade interrupted a few times, got distracted, and even took a peek on the ki spectrum. What she* found there was most interesting. The towering monarch before her* gave out no life signature at all. Behind the curtain, however, a rather weak aura remained concealed. Fubuki walked up and began to pull back the cloth.   This elicited a roar from Great King Enma. Sinners were not to touch the curtain! That was fine with Fubuki. Instead, she* stepped back and grabbed the covering with a bit of magic. Tugged along without a single tough, the curtain instead came to her*.   King Enma's demands fell on deaf ears until, soon enough, the crimson curtain had been fully parted. Beyond, a waifish figure in diminished regal gear sat pouting. This, it seemed ,was King Enma, greatly reduced by the acts of Izanami-no-Mikoto. Fubuki was reminded of Ka-ten Agni's condition. Were there any other deities who had been so diminished?   The girl who could only be "Great King" Enma confirmed as much, but made no effort to further punish Fubuki for her* transgressions. Perhaps she could not muster enough power in her current state. It seemed, then, that the balance of power had suddenly flipped. Enma was at Fubuki's mercy.  

Part 2

  It felt almost criminal to witness such a secret. As though divine retribution hovered over Ooawagaeri like the Sword of Damocles, ready to drop and smite him for such an indiscretion. But no such retribution came. Indeed, King Enma seemed to be in no condition to smite anyone. Her aura was not much, if at all more powerful than Ooawagaeri's own.   She was not without spirit, however. King Enma immediately began lambasting the Black Blade, insisting that this rudeness was just one example of why he had ended up in hell. That seemed strange to Ooawagaeri. Wouldn't most souls end up in Jigoku anyway? At the suggestion, Enma seemed to deflate. Practically no souls came here anymore, she claimed. Indeed, Enma had to drag Ooawagaeri here herself. Although it remained unspoken, both minds turned to the goddess who was to blame.   In that case, there was little else to keep him here. Ooawageri thanked Enma for dragging him away from that great flaming titan, but determined to continue his climb to reach the peak of Mount Ōe. Enma challenged this notion; was he really going to leave without her permission? But again, both knew that there was little the diminished King of Hell could do to stop him.   She asked at least, then, for a favor. This was not the first visitor Enma had received here in recent days. Another, a foreigner with blonde hair and a permanent scowl, had promised to help her in the quest against Izanami-no-Mikoto. If he could deliver enough souls, Enma's strength would be restored and the vengeance she visited against the Goddess of Death would be legendary.   Ooawagaeri agreed. He had ample reason to help Maxim anyway. One thing struck the Black Blade's curiosity, however. How had Maxim arrived in Jigoku? According to Enma's testimony, he'd climbed out of the deeper reaches of Gehenna and passed through her realm on the way to the mortal world. Did that mean, then, that Ooawagaeri really was in hell? Indeed, the lowly King suggested that Sheol and Infernus both lay on the same path further into the abyss. Jigoku was merely the slice of Gehenna closest to Japan. On that note, should Ooawagaeri need access to this realm again, the master of the mountain could grant it. That had to mean Shuten-dōji.   Stashing that information away for later, Ooawagaeri proceeded to ask permission to finally take his leave. Enma was clearly glad that he'd had the politeness to ask. She directed him through the door he'd arrived through. This time, it did not lead to the sitting room where he'd awoken. Rather, Ooawagaeri found himself on that slope deep within Mount Ōe. There was no sign of the manor he'd just left, but the blazing fires of that sealed titan were visible not far above.   That was convenient. Ooawagaeri returned to the guise of Fubuki and, thankful that there seemed no rift to seal down here, began to climb again. Nothing impeded her* progress this time, and even the great Avatar of Slaughter had little to say. It watched Fubuki with what seemed to be cyclopean discontent, but made no effort to stop her*. Surely, by following this path, the Black Blade would have reached the surface sooner than later, but at this moment it was not to be.   Having reached out to Shigeaki Fujino to relay a casual message about King Enma to Maxim, Fubuki received in response an invitation to the tournament. The clan matches would be beginning again shortly. Thinking that her* ascension of the mountain could be put on pause for one more match, Fubuki accepted and was whisked away to the arena at Shimonoseki.