Hanyo of Snow

Ch60 Tainted Ink

(Y/N POV - Late Morning)

Thankfully the rest of the night and waking up was uneventful...mainly uneventful.

Kagome got up before me and apparently saw Miroku coming back to camp in just hakama pants and chest bindings, covered with sweat.

According to Inuko she got up hours before, observing her run off.

Following to see Miroku more or less exercising or catching her scouting out areas to work out or prayer.

Miroku just said it was something she did daily..

Didn't pry into it, but I think I might have an idea on what she was truly doing. Needed to see to be sure.

But if that was case, I just wondered how Miroku was able to conduct the training consistently while on the move?

Breakfast was more or less a quiet matter, with Miroku eating a little bit away from us...guess it was going to take some used to traveling together on both ends.

Shippō and Takechiyo however got along swimmingly and spent most of the time chatting with each other. Both of them seemed like...what was that Western saying?

Right, two peas in a pod. Both enjoying their morning before Takechiyo had to scamper off, promising to play when we got to Kaede's village. Miroku seemed amused by the whole prospect while Kagome thought it adorable.

For the rest of the morning was calm until our current sight.

"Is it bad that I've been dreading this sight less than I expected?" Kagome asked me quietly as we looked onto the remnants of a battlefield, Shippō clutching his nose.

"Not really, but I consider it lucky that we've only encountered it twice so far." I said with a frown as Yura looked among the corpses and Miroku praying for the deceased.

We had encountered what could best be described as a one sided slaughter, from what I can count about two dozen men and their horses left in a pile with their weapons sticking out or still grasped in their hands.

A flock of ravens circling overhead as Yura was investigating the sight.

Partially to see if there was hair, but to also check up on what exactly happened.

For all the bodies piled up, there wasn't a single pool of blood on the ground. Not even Inuko could smell any, though there was something bothering her's and Shippō's noses.

"So your homeland is free from the constant warfare?" Miroku asked, after finishing her prayers.

"Has been for a few decades, though it took at least 10 years to truly recover after a good portion was burned to the ground." I said, getting Miroku to nod.

"A rare blessing indeed these days." She said as Yura pulled herself back to us.

"Not a single drop of blood, they're all nothing but disemboweled husks. Compared to the former it was ll rather crude." Yura said, pulling back a finger before a lone spear was pulled from the pile, clattering at Inuko's feet. "This was the only clue I could find."

She picked up the spear with a growl, immediately gagging and tossing the weapon away.

"Inuko are you alright." Kagome asked as I went to inspect the spear.

"No, that smell is vile! Don't know what exactly is mixed in but it reeks of ink!" Inuko said, her nose wrinkling in disgust as I picked up the spear.

Noticing that the edges were coated in a black substance, definitely could be ink.

"Ink? There's a yokai like that?" Shippō asked while tilting his head.

"Suzuri no tamashii, a type of tsukumogami born from an inkstone being used for copy the same story over and over again can sometimes bring it to life. Like reading a scroll can create the sounds of the story to play out of small figures to rise out of the ink." I said.

"Usually nothing more than a manageable annoyance that can be dealt with by simply closing the scroll, but nothing like this." Miroku said with a frown. "Not unless it could be a jewel shard creating it."

"I probably would have sensed it, but it could be like with Miroku's pouch. I couldn't sense them at all until we got really close." Kagome sighed out with a shudder. "Still this is reminding me of the Nikuzuki no Men, only there are remains now."

"Shard or not, let's just find it and kill it. Dealing with the nuisance and getting ride of this scent." Inuko growled out as she pinched her nose. Her ears twitched before looking to the side. "And where did you think you're running off to?"

lol owing her gaze, I saw that Miroku had started to walk off from us.

Kagome double checked our pouch before letting out a sigh.

"Checking the town for any information and for a place for the night, it will still take us at least another day to reach your village. Splitting up seems like the best idea, aside from Kagome and Yura people will be more willing to talk with me." Miroku said, glancing back as I sighed.

Hate to concede, but she had a point.

Most will be willing to talk with a monk about a yokai attack, Kagome could pass off as miko but the rest would be looked as suspicious for one reason or another.

"Alright, guess we'll split up then. Yura?" I asked before turning to her.

"No need to ask master, I'll keep an eye on the monk." Yura said, her hairs pulling her into a nearby tree as Miroku nodded.

"Then we'll stick outside with Inuko incase it's still around here. We should try to meet up before the sunset." Kagome said, Shippō nodding in agreement.

"Master I'll return if we find something." Yura said as she and Miroku started to head towards the town.

"And if we find anything, we'll rush back into town." I said, getting Miroku to smile.

"Sounds like a plan, until then." She said, briefly glancing back with a smile. "And thank you for letting me borrow your tiny lantern Y/N."

I blinked at my words before feeling into my pocket to pull out the book light she took last night. Right I forgot to ask for that back.

When did she have the time to slip that back into it without me noticing...probably best not to ask.

"Miroku's going to have a field day when she sees our era." Kagome said once we were both confident that the monk couldn't hear us.

"Let's just cross that bridge when we get there." I said before noticing something. "Where is Inuko."

Got my answer a second later when someone screamed in the distance.

"Save me!" A man yelled over a small hill nearby, me and Kagome hurriedly pedaling over there and Shippō clung to her bike's basket.

Took us a few moments to see Inuko holding a scared looking man in one of her hands, the other an unfurled parchment and sniffing it.

"This smells like the same ink..." Inuko said with a frown.

"Please that's the message I'm supposed to bring to the daimyō!" The man pleaded before Inuko dropped him onto the ground. Tossing the rolled up parchment that he hurriedly caught in his arms.

She just shook her head as the man hurriedly scampered away, glaring at Inuko as he ran.

"Inuko what were you thinking?" Kagome said heatedly. "He was just an ordinary person."

"Yet that ink smelled like the one on the spear, only less repulsive. Whatever the Yomi is mixed in we'll find the yokai if it really is what you described." Inuko said with a huff as I mulled over her words.

If it is a suzuri no tamashii, guess the inkstone used to create it was of a higher quality if Inuko compared the scent to that message.

Narrows the search down a bit, Miroku and Yura would probably have a better chance to locate the yokai unless it's hiding out here. Still what could it be mixed with...wait...

"Does it also smell like blood?" I asked wearily, getting Inuko to growl.

"Stale blood, but a lot of it. Reeks like a corpse left to rot for days." She said, getting Kagometo blanch.

Putting aside some morbid thoughts, this was not good news.

"Either this is suzuri no tamashii as created by someone, something far worse, or something I don't know. Don't know which of the latter two I prefer." I said, praying to Amaterasu my thoughts are wrong.

"Blood and ink do not mix well, but do you think a human could be behind this?" Kagome asked worriedly.

"Whoever it is doesn't matter, what does is putting an end to it and figuring out if they do have a shard." Inuko growled out.

"But if there is a repeat of what just happened and you absolutely aren't sure it's the same scent, let me and Kagome handle any humans. They could have been slipped a parchment without knowing." I said, getting her to sigh.

"Fine, you have an idea then?" She asked.

Before Incould say anything, I saw Kagome smile.

"Actually I can think of something, though it could use some work." Kagome said before looking down at Shippō. "And some help from you Shippō."

"Gladly!" He said with a smirk, wagging his tail as she chuckled.

"What do you have in mind Kagome?" I asked, curious on what she has in mind.

Honestly we could use any idea at this point.

Still we needed to act soon, whether whatever is going on has a shard or not at this point.

There are more than enough horror stories across the planet of what happens with blood and ink. It only takes the wrong person with the tiniest amplitude for magic, ink, and at least a single drop of blood to ruin someone's life...

(Yura POV - Nearby Town - An hour later)

"Still no word on where the fragment or the yokai could be." Miroku sighed out as she leaned against a wall.

"No, just more confirmation of what a sinful monk you are." I said, sitting on a nearby roof top.

Didn't take us too long to reach the town and find out about the soliders who died, apparently mercenaries hired by a neighboring daiymō to be a nuisance to his rival's territories. With the daimyō of this town currently in said territory to discuss matters.

Whispers around town was about bartering some of that daiymō's land and not taking advantage of the mercenary's deaths in exchange for buying some of his treasure back.

Apparently said daimyō had been robbed clean by someone after a monk dealt with an itachi possessing his daughter, most of which had been sold to a merchant and sold to his rivals.

With what said monk said last night, didn't take me long to figure out what happened.

"Do you plan on doing the same to this daimyō?" I asked with a frown.

"No, only a free night at their manor at best. This daimyō is actually respected by his people, I'm more concerned what this yokai is." Miroku said before looking up at me. "Besides I figured you didn't care about what most humans do."

"Only what trouble you're thieving could bring headaches to master and the others." I said, the monk merely shrugging at my words.

"I only collect my fee like that from those that both deserve and can afford to recover in time." Miroku said without any shame,

"The bitch was right, you're a deviant and a thief. Probably too sinful to consider ever becoming a nun." I said.

However the monk only grimaced at my words.

"Unlikely. I've encountered nuns who make those stories of monks look like saints, besides I probably would've been confined to a monastery with my curse.

Maybe not, but I wasn't taking any chances and losing hopes of ever finding Naraku.

" Miroku said with a smile. "Besides it's more lucrative and beneficial to myself and everyone as a traveling hoshi. "

I justrolled my eyes at the last part.

This monk did carry the belief but was more than willing to follow her vices, best I could say she was a better Buddhist than that damned headhunter pest.

She even looked aghast when master and Kagome told her that story last night...probably also burning down the temple to take out a Kumogashira swarm. Though the monk said that all blessings probably left the temple long ago when he moved the swarm in and defiled it.

"Still why would you care, you're only here to help find out what happened and to rightfully keep an eye on me." Miroku said, breaking me from my thoughts.

"You're right I don't, especially the stunts you pulled yesterday.

I trust the cub more than you." I said, not even bothering to hide it.

"However master and the girl have bleeding hearts, maybe they partially want to make sure they keep on track.

But I know they wish to make sure you're okay, especially when you decided to go off on your own. "

Been around the two of them enough to figure what they wanted too.

They were not going to take any chances after these past few days and probably came to the same conclusion I did about the monk's intentions.

Said monk confirmed it by looking at me before letting out a chuckle, shaking their head and tapping their shakujō against the ground before steadying herself.

"Alluring and sharp, Y/N's lucky to have a vassal like you." Miroku said, not even flinching as I drew some hairs closer to her.

"Flattery will get you nowhere." I said, almost wishing she said something and having some excuse to leave her strung up somewhere. Before deciding against it. "Let's just continuing looking."

Knowing the monk, there was a chance she enjoyed it...

"I can agree with that." Miroku said, my hairs slacking around her before we heard something being thrown to the ground and someone groaning.

She walked ahead as I trialed behind her, sticking to the roofs of the buildings until the monk saw a crowd gathering around the main road. Wading through it as I pulled myself into a nearby treetop to see what the commotion was about.

Quite disappointed to see two men beating up a creepy looking man in an expensive looking green kimono with a black line pattern and a thinning hairline in poor condition. To the side of them were three woman, one under an umbrella and where more high quality clothing compared to the rest.

Didn't take me long to piece together what was going on.

Thought we found something interesting, except for some fool probably making an advance on the local daimyō's daughter.

"You filth, how date you peak at the princess!" One of the guards shouted, kicking the creepy man as he clutched a parchment close to his chest.

"I only did it...because I wanted to capture the princess's beauty in a painting..." The creepy man said and I frowned.

His voice, just the sound of it was getting every strand of my body to straighten.

What is going on?

There was something unnerving about that human...and the monk noticed it too...

"Isn't that the painter Kōtatsu?" One of the crowd said.

"He's supposedly came from the Kyōto, knew something was off about him." Another said in an hushed whisper and I could spot several shuddering.

The monk stared at the creepy painter with a frown, said man staring at the princess as she coughed. Getting her guards attention.

"Please, there is no need to be so harsh." The princess said, getting her guards to stiffen and surprised me. "Let him go..."

"But princess!" One of the guards said, only to wither under her soft gaze. Turning back to glare at the creepy painter as the princess walked away. "Consider your self lucky for her mercy, if undeserved."

Have to agree with that human, her gaze reminded me of master a bit.

Someone too kind for their own good.

As the princess, her ladies in waiting, and guards walked away the crowd started to disperse. One of the guards turned back to spit at the creepy painter, only to immediately stiffen at the princess's gaze. His head slumped as the group walked off.

When the crowd thinned out enough I jumped down next to the monk, glimpsing the creepy painter looking at the princess lovingly before running off. And that the monk's attention was focused entirely on the princess.

"There are more important things to do than leer at a princess else you end up like that creepy painter." I said heatedly.

"Not when she's his obsession." Miroku said, her voice shifting into like a male's. "I've heard that she is sickly, death shadows over that beauty whether illness or this Kōtatsu."

"Thought you suspected it too." I said with a frown, calming down somewhat noticing no sign of the creepy painter.

A wandering artist with something seemingly wrong with him, and a pile of corpses drained and disemboweled by a possible suzuri no tamashii. It was just too much of a coincidence.

"Let's not rush this, for now we stick to the princess and manor. Maybe I can ease her current aliment. The towns people and manor staff already despise him, if there is a connection he could unleash the yokai on the town if pushed." Miroku said.

"You get to stick with the princess and everything you want in one fell swoop and resources to truly find out what's going on." I said with a frown.

As much as I hate to admit it, the monk had a brilliant plan.

Very much wish to forget she was a lot more clever than she looked.

With the influence of the daimyō's household we can cover more ground to find what's going on protect the princess if that creepy painter is the culprit.

"Play along with me for at least 20 minutes to establish ourselves, then we can truly work to find what is going on here." Miroku said as we started to follow the princess.

"Try anything with either me in this presentation or just say something I don't like and we'll see if cutting that damned hand off will end the curse or not." I whispered.

Curling two fingers, one strand weaved around the monk's arm and the other around Benigasumi's hilt.

"Message received and not needed." Miroku said, I uncurled the hair around her arm.

I believe her in this case, but I'm not letting my guard down.

Hopefully I can get this done quickly, and wondering if the others were having any sort of luck outside of town. I'll check after finding everything I can about that creepy painter.

(Kagome POV - Trails Outside of Town - 3 hours later)

Okay keep it steady...

Breath in...

Breath out...

Lowering the 'sutra' to the parchment the man held out, I lout out a breath and focused my reiyroku into it.

Tearing itself apart into ribbons the moment a small cloud burst from it followed by a small 'hitodama' appearing from the talisman scaring the man and his companions back as it manifested a pair of cartoonish eyes.

Letting out a small cackle before vanishing entirely.

"There, now it shouldn't haunt your boss when you open it.

Also sprinkle some salt on it incase I couldn't dispel any remaining traces.

Some spirits can leave a small surprise when fully exorcised.

Usually it's something that can ruin your day, but you can't be too careful.

" I said, rehearsing words I've heard Gramps utter a thousand times.

Back then I thought it was just something he would say for bullishly shrine goers to return to spend some more yen. Then I got dragged into the Sengoku Jidai and learned there's a grain of truth to them.

Still convinced he might've been pulling a con on some occasions.

"Thank you, he'll be pleased to hear this news. I wish you and your companion good fortune in your hunt." One of the messenger's companions said.

"Just be careful and stick to the trail, these roads aren't safe u til the yokai are dealt with." Y/N said, his mostly white hair hidden by a jingasa...which was starting to sweat.

All three of them nodded before we parted ways, the three of us walking away from town.

Rustle from the brush of a nearby patch of trees signaled Inuko jumping towards us before the jingasa on Y/N's head erupting into smoke.

Shippō panted as he slumped off as Inuko caught him.

"Easy there kit, I've got you." She said as Shippō clambered onto her shoulder. "Out of yoki?"

"Low, but I'm just tired..." He groaned out.

"Take a break Shippō, as long as you need. We're about the head out anyway." I said with a smile, getting him to nod weakly.

Alright hopefully we don't have to pull this ruse off for a while...

"We still have a sutra left, though it might break soon. Looks like we'll have to continue on foot again." I sighed out.

My plan had been more or less to pose as a miko and Y/N as my bodyguard. Inuko hiding out to confirm finding anything for a matching scent.

Using his mist, Shippō's tricks, and Inuko's sense of smell to find any sources of ink similar to whatever killed all those men. Rather than just straight up attacking them to get a better idea if they were had the cause in their possession.

With the sutras just being leaves frosted over by Y/N and disguised by Shippō's illusions, something to easily shred with just a little bit of reiryoku.

Traveling along the roads and actively hunting the yokai down alongside saying one of the local daimyō hired us to check the messages as a spirit emerged from one being delivered and haunted his home.

The pile of corpses near town and Inuko roughing up the first messenger help solidified that there was a yokai problem.

Also somewhat believable with the daimyō's being worried as an itachi snuck into a manor of one by possessing a statue.

..before said manor was cleaned out with a wagon full of treasure too.

We were going to have some words with Miroku after this...

Since this morning we found about three more parchments that Inuko said bore a similar scent to the ink, but ultimately we found nothing.

"Probably would have been faster if I'd just try and get answers my way, the other two probably found out something by now." Inuko grumbled out before looking at Shippō with a smile. "Though you seem to be having fun kit."

"Kind of, but now I'm hungry." He said.

"Let's get you something to snack on." Y/N said before looking at Inuko. "And if they had found something Yura would be back by no or they are still investigating."

Honestly I was thinking the same thing.

And the sun was starting to lower in the sky, best not to wait out here without Yura and Miroku. Better safety in numbers and not just from this yokai...

"Another hour or two and then we'll head back into town if we can't find anything. Does that sound good?" I said, getting Y/N and Inuko to nod.

Hopefully those two are having better luck on their end...or Yura hasn't left Miroku strung up somewhere in town...

(Miroku POV - Guest Room - Daimyō's Manor - 45 minutes later)

"Ghastly images, the lot of them." I said, inspecting the drawings that Kōtatsu had already given to some of the merchants in town.

Not a bad quality...for a second rate artist in Kyōto.

Won't bring much of a profit, especially with the contents of the paintings.

Depictions of oni, shoki, and scenes straight from the hells.

I could practice feel his passion for the subject within the paintings...and it was the least threatening thing about them.

"Finally done sticking around the princes then." Yura said, with a frown upon entering the room from the window.

"You mean healing her aliment and getting us lodging for the night, then yes.

Kept their eyes on me the whole while before the manor's staff listened about our concerns.

Healing is not one of my strong suits, but the princess should be in better health for a while.

" I said while shaking my head. "Any luck on your end? "

"The creepy painter is supposedly lodging in a shack outside of town. Searched several and found signs that he's been living there yet this is the only item I could find." Yura said, tossing a small, crumpled parchment onto the table.

Unfurling it revealed what I can guess was a failed painting, the ink bleed through and what was supposed to be a shoki was blob like.

But unlike the others the smell was much stronger with this painting and fairly repulse...it was burning my nose.

Pretty sure this is what Inuko smelled this morning, and we have our culprit.

Now to reveal the truth.

"All of these paintings, they're the tsukumogami." Yura said with a frown as I sighed.

"Yes, now can you please get a guard while I store these scrolls." I said, her looking annoyed before leaving the room.

Bundling the other parchments, I scanned the room before grabbing a blanked tossing them in wrapping them into a bundle and tossing them out the window. A hair wrapping around it and dragging them upwards.

Okay they should be more than secure.

If I'm right a single stray drop and we could have a horde descend upon us in moments.

"W-What are you doing!" I heard a man shouting in a panic, turning to the door to see a guard dragged in by hairs before they let up. Followed by Yura, the guard jumping away from her.

"Here's your witness." Yura said nonchalantly as I sighed.

Could've have just talked instead of just dragging him in here...

"Why did your companion do to me, I couldn't control my body." The guard said with a shudder and backing away from her.

"An oniwanbanshū keeps their secrets right until the moment of someone's death, so I suggest you better not push it. Especially when there are more pressing matters." Yura said, getting the man to gulp as she smirked.

At least she was keeping her cover..

"She's right, you all have been a big assistance. But we need to make doubly sure every last parchment of Kōtatsu has been found and the man himself is found." I said, holding out a needle and pricking a finger on my left hand. "He's been dabbling in dark arts no human should."

Letting a small droplet fall on the failed drawing, it only took a moment before it was completely absorbed into the paining.

A malformed hand shot out of the painting, originally the same color of its parchment before slowly turning a blue color. Until I slammed my shakujō right on top of it.

The hand burst into a foul smelling puddle of ink and blood that had me almost gagging, not so much the guard. I stepped back as most of the resulting mixture jumped off the ruined table and in a stream of ink drops literally flew out the window and back to where Kōtatsu is now.

"Well that was much faster than I expected." I said, looking over to Yura. Only she was gone and in her place was the blankets full of those cursed paintings. "And she took off, makes things a little easier."

"What in Yomi was that?!" The guard gagged out as a pair of them came to see the mess.

"A dangerous tsukumogami that Kōtatsu has either gotten his hands on or created through killing who knows how many others.

And it seems that he has his eyes on the princess.

" I said, seeing all the guards going pale.

"Spread word to double check the merchants, not a single painting must remain.

Prepare a fire in the courtyard to safely dispose of the one's here, and for everyone's sake do not open them. "

The guard Yura dragged in immediately grabbed the bundled up paintings as he and another went to spread this information.

With how fixated this Kōtatsu was on the princess, him handing his paintings to merchants, and the pile of corpses outside of town I can only surmise he was either craftier than he looked or a sinner who revealed in his debauchery.

Either he was after her and this domain or just kill everyone else to feed the suzuri no tamashii. Could be a mix or everything in-between.

"Is there anything I should do hoshi?" The remaining guard said, snapping me back to attention.

"Just spread the word to have several buckets of water prepared for when they come.

I'll be close to the princess for her protection.

Only leaving her side once everything has been gathered for the fire or my companions arrive.

" I said, wrapping a bandage around my finger and walking out of the room.

Traveling through the hallway I could hear the sounds of the manor going into full alert, hopefully that will spill out into town too.

With any luck the only blood shed tonight with be the tainted ink, but I can only pray. Especially if Kōtatsu did get his hands on a jewel shard.

For now I best get to the princess.

Unfortunately for her she seems to have a central part to play in this madness...and I could use the comfort of a beauty by my side. Always helped during these stressful times...

(Kagome POV - Outside of Town - 15 minutes later)

"There she is!" Shippō yelled, leaning and pointing from the basket as me and Y/N biked after her.

One moment we were going to bike back into town to meet up with Yura and Miroku, the nextwe have to chase Inuko down after she took off without any warning!

Holding up another man struggling to get free as she glared at him.

"How about we talk about what you're carrying then." She growled out as my and Y/N came to a stop.

"Not this again." I sighed out as Y/N got off his bike and reached for Shus?i. "You think he could have it?"

"Probably something if she took off like that...but something about him is bugging me too." He said, getting me to frown.

Either Inuko has found the source or her patience has finally worn out, wouldn't be surprised if it a mix of those. But they were both right...

Just by looking at him something just felt wrong.

"P-Please, I'm just a lowly painter let me go!" The man begged.

"One who reeks of blood and human guts!" Inuko said, getting the man to slacken in her grasp. "Now let's just see what you're hiding."

"Let go!" The man called out, his whole demeanor shifting to a grin as he reached for his kimono. Inuko barring her claws and swipped at him.

Only for a large blue arm to emerge and swat her back!

And I suddenly gained a headache as a massive blue oni with a spear emerged, Inuko recovering as the man ran away. My headache getting lighter as he did so...there was a jewel shard on him somewhere, I know it.

But it was incredibly faint, and just felt incredibly wrong.

Focusing on it was making it hard to breath...what is going on?

"I've got this, go after him!" Inuko barked out, breaking me from my thoughts as she jumped back as the oni carved into the ground with its spear.

Right, need to focus.

"Kagome are you alright?" Y/N asked as he ran beside me as we chased after the man.

"I'm not sure, I can sense he had a jewel shard.

Not sure if it's like Miroku's pouch or what the Midori Pearl was in but ai couldn't sense it before, yet something about the shard feels off.

.." I said with a frown as felt what I could best describe as a small pit in my stomach.

"Y/N, I'm worried about what this shard could do to you. .."

Whatever was going on with that shard, it wasn't like the others.

It felt like being back in Yomi again, like something that belonged in the pits itself...Inuko said she and Kikyō intended to purify the Shikon no Tama and get rid of it originally.

What if this was the opposite?

What if he had utterly corrupted the shard?

Not even the worst yokai we faced had generated the same feeling from their shards?

Just what did this so called painter do?

"He's getting away!" Shippō said, breaking me out of my thoughts as the man jumped down into to boat. Y/N closing in on him.

I notched an arrow as he reached into him kimono and a giant cleaver swiped at Y/N!

He hastily raised a sheet of ice infront of him, jumping back as a large red oni emerged and smashing through it before barreling after him.

Taking a deep breath I released the arrow. Managing to clip the cleaver with a tiny burst of reiryoku as the oni swung down on Y/N. Dodging it as the chipped part shattered...and dissolved into a black puddle on the ground...

Blood and ink...these oni were nothing but masses of blood and ink!

"Damn it!" I heard Inuko shout out.

Looking towards her, I saw she had bisected the oni and its body dissolved into a massive pond of ink and blood. With her instantly collapsing nearby it, Shippō gagging too.

Can't imagine what it's like for their sense of smell, being downwind of that mess I could only smell a foul, metallic scent.

Notching another arrow and aimed it at the remaining 'oni' as Y/N sheathed Shusūi. His hands shifting into icy claws as the oni swung at him.

Before I could release the arrow, Y/N dodged and struck at the oni's arms with the claws coated in mist.

Quickly turning into a patch of black ice from where he struck, the oni didn't have anytime to react before it was flash frozen into a large mass of black ice that shattered and collapsed in on itself.

I let out a sigh of relief and frowned as the jewel shard faded from my senses again, there was no sight of that man nearby. We can look for him later, but now...

Putting the arrow back in its quiver, I turned to see Y/N was already at Inuko's side. Freezing mist surrounding him as the pond of ink and blood was frozen over, thankfully the smell dying down as we approached.

"Is she okay?" I asked as the mist began to die down off him.

"I just she fainted from the overload of how foul this stuff reeks...how are you Shippō?" Y/N asked.

"My nose burns, but I'm alright." Shippō said as I sighed.

"I think there's some smelling salts in my first aide kit, but let's wait a few minutes to see if Inuko comes around on her own first." I said while shaking my head. "Those oni...they were just the extensions of the suzuri no tamashii?"

"Seems like it. Glimpsed a painting as he summoned that second oni.

Still to bring paintings to life like that.

..only heard of one instance of some dabbling with blood and dark magic to bring a painting to life in the Edo Jidai that backfired badly.

" Y/N said while shaking his head. "Kagome, did you sense the shard only after they emerged? "

"Yes, this suzuri no tamashii is exactly like the Nikuzuki no Men. Only ink instead of flesh. He must have a container on him with the ink and shard." I said, feeling sick to my stomach.

Unlike that accursed mask, this seemed to lack a mind of its own but was still dangerous. If we can remove the shard from the ink, it would probably end the same.

What to do with the corrupted shard afterwards was the main concern.

"At least, they seem to be weak to your ice." I said, looking at the slowly melting piles of black ice. Perhaps we should move away before it all melts.

"Hopefully master will not have to expand too much yoki, me and the monk found the creepy painter had left quite a few paintings in town. Who knows how many he has." I heard Yura said from behind me, turning to see her jumping down from a nearby tree. "He was just here."

"Yes, but he got away and Inuko's knocked out. We're going to try and wake her up soon. You two ran into him in town?" I said, wondering just how long she had been here.

Probably not that long

"I'll fill you on everything once you get the bitch up, but he has an obsession with the local daimyo's daughter. The monk thinks he could be going after her tonight and should be guarding her." Yura said.

"Alright, but Yura can I ask you something. Did you learn this painter's name?" Y/N said, looking a little grim.

"Yes, Kōtatsu." Yura said, simply. Until we saw Y/N look worried upon hearing his name. "Master you know of him?"

"Wait he's someone you know in history?" I asked.

This would be a first, but I didn't like Y/N's expression. Considering what he did with the suzuri no tamashii I have a guess he had some kind of reputation.

"Only fragments, wasn't sure until Yura said his name and bringing the drawings to life.

Kōtatsu the Hell Painter was a minor artist from Kyōto at this era, the only known artwork was a painting made about him 150 years from now.

All of his original works were destroyed. " Y/N sighed out as I had an idea why.

"He used blood for his ink, didn't he?" I asked, getting him to nod as Shippō looked sick at a that news.

"Mixing it with his ink, Kōtatsu had a poor reputation for drawing scenes of Yomi and hanging around battlefields for his art.

Around this time it was believed he left Kyōto to paint the more constant battles to the West, months later they found he had stashed the butchered remains of his servants and others hidden away.

He used their bloods and guts to help make his ink.

..no one knows how many he killed, just that his art work was destroyed and he was reported to have been killed a year after he left Kyōto.

Supposedly for kidnapping a noble's daughter.

" Y/N said, making me feel sick to my stomach.

"He had such a bad reputation and so many people grew sick with his artwork, they claimed his desire corrupted them and brought images of Yomi to our world. ..never thought it would be literal."

Well that's just great, Kōtatsu was a serial killer who had gotten his hands on a jewel shard!

No wonder it felt so corrupted, who knows how many people he has killed and used their blood to create his suzuri no tamashii.

If what Y/N said was true, either he get's caught in the aftermath or dies tonight. Somewhat of a reassurance I suppose if history matches what will happen.

But I was more worried about the jewel shard he possessed.

When we deal with Kōtatsu and with how wrong his jewel shard felt...I fear what would happen if it make contact with Y/N's shard.

No matter what, I need to make sure that it never becomes a reality for his sake...

(Chapter 60 end)