Chapter 23: Chapter 23 – Magical Food

"Take Ranga away and let him heal himself! Be careful with his arms. I think they are shattered!"

Kirimaru ordered the Oni to take the injured Ranga away. The younger red Oni tried to get back up by himself. He was so resilient that he didn't even lose consciousness even after being beaten like that.

"P-Pops! I-I am fine!"

"Say no more!" The middle-aged Oni stomped on Ranga's face, surprising Kai. Was it necessary to do something like that? "With wounds like that, you will need to rest for a day before fully recovering yourself. Idiots should stay silent!"

"Ugh!"

Ranga could say nothing else. He let two blue Oni carry him away but still had the energy to grin at Kai and mutter. "That was a good fight."

Kai smiled wryly. They were truly muscle-head races. The crowd began to disperse at Kirimaru's command, and Amber went up the stage and approached him.

"Good job, Kai! Are you injured somewhere?" She asked worriedly, looking up to down from his head to his toe. The fire surrounding Kai disappeared, leaving him intact with no visible wound.

"They have already healed." He replied, raising his hands. Then with a smile, he continued, "I think my bones cracked a little earlier. That Oni called Ranga is truly strong."

"It's healed already? Hmmm… That's fast." Amber hummed. "But then again, it is Phoenix's regeneration. It is only natural!"

"What are you saying? My strength was not all that different from that Oni's."

"You are always strong," Amber said with a nod while smiling at Kai's reply. "If you use your fire with all strength, you will be able to beat that Oni easily, no?"

"You think so?" He asked as he smiled back at her. "Well, it is possible. I just don't want to disrespect him by doing that. I think he only hit you because he was a bit overconfident. I need to show him that we are at a different level."

"You're right." Amber smiled brightly at him.

At that moment, a voice interrupted their conversation.

"Hey, there. That was a good fight. I never thought Ranga would be beaten like that, hahahaha!"

Kai turned around at the source of the voice. He saw Kirimaru walk toward them while laughing loudly. The old man had a big grin on his face.

"Sorry for Ranga, human lad. Even though he already has 3 wives, he still hit on your girlfriend." The red Oni glanced at Amber before turning to Kai.

Again with the girlfriend. Kai was already tired of fixing that misunderstanding. Amber also didn't seem to mind about that, so he kept silent.

"You did a good job, boy," Kirimaru said with a smirk and a thumbs-up sign. "Ranga is an excellent warrior who is able to defeat stronger Onis, but you beat him with your own strength. While I also wondered how your fire was able to burn him, that should teach that kid some manners. Hahahaha!"

"It's nothing too grand," Kai replied. "But is the Oni tradition really something that a human should follow too?"

"Unfortunately, yes. But we don't force it on humans. As you've heard when Ranga asked for the fight, you're free to refuse it if you want to."

"I see."

That was true. The red Oni himself told him that he could refuse if the woman, in this case, Amber, didn't agree to be the reward. But Amber being her, agreed to the fight and forced Kai to take it, something he couldn't refuse.

In this case, Ranga wasn't at fault. Both of them were.

"Well, it's really nice to meet you, human lad. Unfortunately, I am busy with the festival preparation. Hope we can see each other again at the Festival. I will invite you to my house at that time." Kirimaru said before turning around, leaving Kai and Amber behind.

That man really did what he wanted to do. Kai wasn't even done with his question yet.

'I can ask him when we meet again, I guess.'

"So, what are we doing now, Amber?" Kai turned to Amber, the main perpetrator that made him fight the red Oni. "I am a bit tired now, thanks to earlier."

"Fufufu!" The phoenix girl laughed mischievously and puffed her chest proudly. "Let me show you something interesting!"

***

"This is what you meant?"

"Yes! Interesting, isn't it? This is famous among the Slayers and the people in the Supernatural World."

They were on the outskirts of the Oni Village. More specifically, they were sitting under an umbrella on a bench in front of a certain shop.

The shop was crowded with customers. Not only Oni but Slayers also tried to buy the delicacies sold in the shop. Kai had yet to see the different races other than humans and Oni, but Amber assured him he would be able to see them in 2 days when the Festival was held.

Now, returning to the topic, Kai didn't believe the food in his hand was famous among the people in the Supernatural World. First of all, it looked ordinary. It was often sold in Japan. Heck, he saw a few shops when he walked around Kyoto.

"Isn't it just Dango?" He asked, clearly confused. He looked at four colorful balls covered in syrup skewered by a wooden stick in his hand.

"Indeed. Its name is Oni Dango, and it is delicious! Try it, and you will understand what I am talking about."

A hesitant look flashed on Kai's face. This Dango was sold in a Supernatural village and was popular. There was no way this was not of magical nature. Even the tea he drank last night was different from a normal one.

What could this Dango hold in effect? A regeneration? A rejuvenation? Whatever it was, surely it had something to do with Supernatural. Maybe it contained Nature power and helped one to recover their Spirit Power faster? He didn't know.

"Come on. Try it, Kai!" Amber urged Kai as she bit the Dango in her hand and moaned in delight. "Hnn~ This is really good!"

Seeing her delightful face made Kai gulp in anticipation. Was it that good? Was the Dango really that delicious? As a chef himself, he became interested in the taste and braced himself.

Slowly, he brought the Dango into his mouth and bit on it. It was soft and creamy. A sweet taste invaded his mouth, and he felt like his Spirit Power activated on his own and moved all around his body. He was surprised, but it wasn't unpleasant, so he let it go rampant.

Then he noticed that a small amount of his stamina was restored. His eyes went wide as she looked at Amber.

"See? I told you it was delicious."

Kai nodded. "It is. It also restored my stamina for some reason."

"Fufufu, I know. That's why I brought you here."

That was understandable. He bit the second Dango in delight, experiencing another surge that restored his stamina again.

'I think I love this place already… Except for the tradition.' He thought. 'It will be perfect if Amber isn't so mischievous too.'

***

Inside a luxurious chamber, the Prophet looked at her loyal shadow, an Oni girl with tanned skin and dressed in all black, with squinted eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Chigusa-sama. I have confirmed it with my own eyes."

"I see."

Chigusa's voice held relief and a small bit of happiness. "I see." She repeated as her lips curled up a little.

"What should we do with him?" The shadow asked. She kept her head down low and didn't even dare to raise it and looked at Chigusa, who sat in front of her. Her knees bent to the ground like the loyal retainer she was.

"I would like to meet him. Let's see… In two days. I will attend the Oni Festival. I believe I can meet him in that place."

"Is that really okay? Won't the elder stop you from meeting that man?"

"It will be okay, I assure you," Chigusa replied with a soft voice. "I need your help, though. You will help me, right, Sayo?"

"Of course. I am your shadow and will always help you with everything."

"Fufufu, thank you." A small chuckle escaped Chigusa's small mouth. "I can't wait to meet the Ruler. What kind of a gentleman is he? I can't wait to find out."