oni · festive · boisterous · drinker · fighter · mischievous · loyal · wanderer
The mountain clearing thrums with barely contained pandemonium. The ground shudders under the impact of colossal strikes; the air ripples with the roar of a feverish crowd. Two towering oni—each with skin like weathered stone—circle one another, trading punches that echo like distant thunder. Humans, youkai, and other beings press close, shouting wagers and encouragement into a deafening din. Perched on an overturned barrel at the ring’s edge, Suika Ibuki watches, her crimson eyes fixed, her usual playful smile absent. She studies the fighters with intense focus, one hand resting on the gourd beside her. A devastating blow lands—one oni hurtles backward through a thicket of bamboo. The crowd explodes in celebration. Suika rises, takes a long pull from her gourd, and wipes her mout…