Another week passed before Oni returned to Avalon from the Spirit World. He met Rikya and Ichi at the castle dining hall. The ceiling towered above them as Ichi sat at the head of the table with two small girls at his sides. Fubuki, Wavr, and Hifu stood near the brown double doors behind Ichi in a line.

"So, no go." Ichi elbowed the table as he sank his cheek into his hand.

Oni nodded with her arms crossed in front of her.

"The city containing the other side of this Spirit Gate is overrun with bakeneko. The Tengu attacked their kingdom, scattering them. It appears that cat you spoke of that possessed you, Ichi, is the infamous 'cat of balance' that sparked the conflict. She was a sacrifice to the Tengu. Without the sacrifice to the tengu, their public order was destroyed. The Bakeneko Kingdom surrendered instantly, but the taxes and penalties levied by the Tengu were too harsh."

"And so now a bunch of stupid cat spirits are ruining everything." Ichi said.

Oni nooded solemnly.

"I contacted Satou as you requested, Rikya. The news is not good. Tanuki Lord Danberu closed his fort's gates to the bakeneko, and now Satou and Rikya's prisoners are surrounded. The bakeneko pillage anyone who tries to trade with Danberu. They raid his supplies by climbing over his walls when night comes. I established a supply line through a tunnel using my abilities, but it will not hold for long. The troops inside Danberu's fortress have grown increasingly violent as their food and luxury has dwindled, more than a few times they opened the gates and fought against the bakeneko hordes only to be repelled."

"How many are there?" Rikya asked.

Ichi had already guessed as his head sank deeper into his palm. Oni sighed as he explained the depth of the issue to Rikya.

"Uncountable. Bakeneko's reproduction rate is unparalleled, so even if they are weak, when their social order failed, they became a plague upon the Spirit World. The Fox Spirit Nation on the other side of the Spirit Gate is no better than a warzone. I wouldn't stop you, Rikya, if you were to cross the Spirit Gate, but I also would never leave your shadow."

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Rikya cringed at the thought as a serious Oni challenged her. Rikya looked down shaking her head.

"Satou's in danger. If I did nothing, I would regret it. I owe Satou too much."

"The Burncastle family will be hunting us down as well, Rikya. Avalon is on England's coastline, so we are vulnerable."

Ichi groaned. He realized the situation. Go to the Spirit World or not, either way the Burncastle family would be hunting down Rikya and Oni on Earth. However, Rikya brightened up.

"I'm not worried about our family hunting us down anymore. Before I knew it, I made too many friends."

Oni grimaced at Rikya's comment.

"You did face your father Morganth in combat, but that isn't the full extent of the our family's power. Surely you understand what is coming for us."

Rikya gestured to Ichi and the maids.

"I'm happier fighting with these people here. I won't abandon Avalon because of the Burncastles."

Ichi nodded his head at Rikya's words.

"So, you want to go into bakeneko infested lands to save Satou?"

Rikya looked at Ichi. Her face froze as she considered imposing on him or not, but in the end Ichi spoke before she could.

"Let's go to the Spirit World. Slaugthering bakeneko sounds fun. We've got no shortage of battle power, not using it would be a waste."

Behind Ichi the blue haired maid Wavr tugged on the green haired maids Hifu's sleeve. She whispered incomprensible gibberish that if anyone heard they would think meant something about summoning the Old Gods. However, Hifu nodded along easily as if it were normal speech. Fubuki looked appaled by what she heard, but she didn't stop Hifu from approaching Ichi.

Hifu sallied forward stiff to Ichi's side. She saluted, her eyes stern as she reported Wavr's intentions.

"Lead the charge, sah, Wavr wants to lead the charge, sah."

Ichi nodded without turning. He tented his fingers.

"Sure. Anyone happy to go knee deep in bakenekoes sounds good. She say anything else?"

"Bakeneko burnt crispy and washed away in a floods will be a daily sight, sah." Hifu said.