The Iguro family was a mysterious clan living in isolation on Hachijo Island, yet they were immensely wealthy.
Unknown to outsiders, this enigmatic family seemed to be under a curse—for over three hundred years, every child born into the Iguro family had been female.
However, this curse was broken twelve years ago with the birth of Iguro Obanai.
From the moment he gained consciousness, Obanai had been locked away in a dim dungeon by his so-called "family."
Though he was served exquisite meals and surrounded by endless treasures of gold and jewels, the hollow smiles of his relatives and the way they looked at him—as if he were livestock—chilled Obanai to the bone.
He couldn't understand why they treated him this way.
Even more terrifying was the dreadful presence he sensed every night before sleep.
It was a horrifying, greedy, bloodthirsty aura, accompanied by the eerie rustling sounds from above the dungeon ceiling, filling him with dread like a cursed whisper.
The truth was finally revealed on Obanai twelfth birthday.
Seized like cattle, he was dragged by his clan to the family shrine—where, enshrined atop the altar, was a monstrous serpent Demon.
This was the Iguro family secret.
They offered their own children, born year after year, as sacrifices to this Demon.
In return, the Demon "generously" rewarded them with the plundered riches of merchant caravans and ships that passed by Hachijo Island.
This was the source of the Iguro family immense wealth. But Obanai birth had given the serpent Demon an unexpected delight.
The boy heterochromatic eyes made the Demon mouth water, but it suppressed its greed—after all, an infant's flesh was too meager.
So it waited, allowing the Iguro family to raise Obanai until he was bigger, juicier.
This was why Obanai relatives treated him like livestock.
To them, he was nothing more than an offering to the serpent Demon, a tool to secure endless riches.
Even at twelve, Obanai still wasn't enough to satisfy the Demon. It wanted him to grow even more, but its greed could no longer be contained.
The ravenous serpent Demon ordered the Iguro clan to slit the corners of Obanai mouth, drinking a bowlful of his blood.
This was why Obanai face was wrapped in bandages—beneath them were grotesque wounds, mirroring the Demon own monstrous grin.
Refusing to die like this, Obanai, driven by sheer will to survive, stole a hairpin and spent countless days chipping away at the dungeon bars until he finally escaped the hellish family.
Along the way, he met his most important companion—Kaburamaru, a lost white snake.
This was the story of the Igarashi family—a despicable, wretched clan that worshipped a Demon!
Shinichi heart grew heavy.
He had thought the horrors of the Teranishi Village incident were enough to sicken him (as detailed in Chapter 30), but the Iguro family was even worse!
They had been feeding a Demon for centuries!
Upon hearing this story, Shinjuro expression also darkened, his grip on the Nichirin Blade unconsciously tightening.
Should they really send young Obanai back to such a beastly family?
Shinichi thoughts were even more radical—he believed those scum deserved nothing less than hell!
But that was as far as his imagination went, for his Nichirin Blade was meant to slay Demons, not humans.
"Regardless, the Iguro family must pay for their crimes!" Shinichi had already made up his mind, even entertaining bold ideas.
However, his plans were destined to remain unrealized.
Led by Maru-ni, Shinichi and Shinjuro brought Obanai to the Iguro family estate hidden deep within Hachijo Island.
Yet, even from a hundred meters away, the two men detected an overwhelming stench of blood.
Frowning slightly, Shinichi turned to Shinjuro after a moment of thought.
"Rengoku-san, something seems off."
Shinjuro expression was equally grave.
"Indeed. It appears we're too late. This family has already fallen victim to a Demon cruelty!"
With the situation urgent, Shinichi and Shinjuro immediately split up and charged into the Iguro estate.
Outside, Obanai was safe under Maru-ni protection, so there was no need for concern.
The moment Shinichi entered the estate, he was met with a hellish scene—limbs strewn everywhere, the floor caked with dried blood, scattered entrails and lifeless heads with eyes wide open...
Gripping his Nichirin Blade, Shinichi took a deep breath.
"Forest Breathing, Eighth Form: Whispering Forest Eye!"
A verdant glow flickered in his left eye as countless strands of life energy converged before him.
Corpses—corpses everywhere.
It seemed the entire Iguro family had been slaughtered.
Yet, faced with such brutality, Shinichi felt little emotion, only a hint of disdain.
This was karma!
However, as Shinichi passed a collapsed shrine—seemingly destroyed by immense force—he detected a faint pulse of human life beneath the rubble.
After a brief hesitation, Shinichi stepped forward, unsheathed his Nichirin Blade and shattered the debris blocking his path.
From the ruins, he pulled out a frail figure.
The girl once-elegant kimono was now covered in dust, her pretty face marred by dried blood and grime, her hair like brittle straw.
She appeared young, likely around Obanai age.
Terrified, the girl thrashed wildly in Shinichi grasp, screaming incoherently—pleading for mercy babbling about escaped sacrifices and how it wasn't their fault.
Listening to her ramblings, Shinichi pieced together what had happened.
The serpent Demon, enraged upon discovering Obanai escape, had slaughtered every woman in the Iguro family in a fit of fury.
This girl, buried under the shrine wreckage, was the sole survivor.
Dragging the hysterical girl along, Shinichi reunited with Shinjuro, who had also scoured the area.
Together, they confirmed that aside from Obanai and this girl, no one else in the Iguro family had survived.
"Poetic justice, wouldn't you say, Rengoku-san?" Shinichi couldn't help but ask, glancing back.
Shinjuro remained silent, but the bulging veins on the back of his hand betrayed his inner turmoil.
The two men led the girl out of the Iguro family residence.
Outside, a grubby-looking Obanai was crouched on the ground, tentatively reaching out to stroke the plump Maru-ni.
Naturally, Maru-ni didn't resist—for him, having someone rub his fur was quite pleasant.
For once, Obanai felt a rare sense of peace within.
Unfortunately, this tranquility didn't last long.
A piercing shriek shattered the moment.
"OBANAIIIII!!!" screamed the girl, her voice dripping with venom.
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