It was the time for Yami no Utsuri – The Shadow Return – the grand feast held every 666th year in the Yami no Tengoku, the Dark Haven, where all manner of shadow creatures such as Demons, Vampires, Gargoyles, Werewolves, Ghosts, and other forms gather to welcome the new arrivals. During this celebration, there are traditional dances, music, trades for old and new relics, and food from all corners of the realm.
Yami no Utsuri is held at Hiroshi, a region in Yami no Tengoku's inner west.
The event is a perfect opportunity for the Onimashi, the term used to describe either the descendants of Yami no Tengoku or the ascendants of Hikari no Kyo (Light Realm), to make valuable connections and strengthen the bonds of their shared community.
Yami no Utsuri's highlight is the Akiuchigo the gathering of the leaders, Kuromusha, of the different factions guarding different areas of Yami no Tengoku to discuss the threats the creatures currently face and the measures they need to take to protect themselves. The meeting is a chance to share information and devise strategies to defend against danger and secure their place in the world.
Factions are led by the most powerful Kuromusha of the different races in Yami no Tengoku.
After the Akiuchigo, all qualified leaders gather in front of the portal going to Tenseiya, the most sacred palace in Yami no Tengoku where the current Yami no O-Fune (Vessel of the God of Dark Haven) resides, for the selection of the next Yami no O-Fune.
The portal only accepts a Kuromusha with enough power to survive the trials and challenge the Yami no O-Fune.
It is known to the entire realm that once a Kuromusha is accepted by the Machigai Shinden, the portal, their abilities and attributes will be enhanced by a thousandfold.
As the Kuromusha's gather around the portal a sharp ringing sound deafen the area which muted all the sound being emitted by the instruments and silenced all the crowds chatter.
A kabuki sound gradually increasing in volume can be heard from beneath the portal as a cloaked man carrying a lantern slowly emerges from the ground.
"You are all gathered here by the voices of shadows, it is time to test if you are all worthy enough to guide this generation on the forthcoming Malevolent Light." proclaimed by the cloaked man as he raises the spirit lantern. "Machigai Shinden, Let us begin the selection!" he exclaimed. The portal opened in a burst of shadow.
Every faction ecstatically cheered for each of their Kuromusha and the entire Yami no Tengoku was filled with exhilaration and rush.
"Machigai Shinden will present itself when you step in front of it. In order to access the portal you need to break the seal." According to the ancient records a seal created by the Yami no O-Fune is equivalent to twelfth of its power.
Yukio Kenichi, the ghost Kuromusha governing the faction of the northern frigid region of Kazune, presented to be the first to break a seal in the portal.
Every member of the Kazune faction bowed down and took a knee to pay respect towards Yukio.
Yukio pointed at the seal charging a spell and whispered "Hyōtōjin". An immense vacuum started to siphon the air molecules towards her pointing finger.
All of the creatures surrounding the area felt a sudden drop in temperature and began shivering except the members of the Kazune faction.
Suddenly a burst of concentrated energy blasted the seal before it turned frozen and shattered into bits. Everybody was astounded by the force emitted by the beam and the members of the Kazune faction stood up clapping in proper etiquette.
Without a word Yukio entered the portal.
"Well, I guess the show has begun." uttered by Miyu Kiyoshi, the Vampire Kuromusha of the southern bloody Akio region faction.
"It would be delectable to consume such power! Would you recon?" loudly replied by Kokoro Kage, the Soul Eater Kuromusha that encompasses the north-western bountiful region of Kasumi, as he laughs at the annoyance of Miyu.
Akuryōken followed Yukio inside the portal.
"I didn't know that this portal was defective." A member of the south-eastern flamboyant region of Goh said. "I did not accept you in my house to be this oblivious, my child. Look." Kagura Yamamoto, the Demon Kuromusha, whispered as she pointed towards the ground under the portal showing the ashes of the seal presented to Akuryōken.
Kurosai Shihan, the Shapeshifter Kuromusha, stated, "As expected from the Hellhound Kuromusha of the mighty Hiroshi region we didn't even need to see how the seal burned." as he expresses his discontent with Akuryōken's way in breaking the seal.
Akuryōken is known to be hated and at the same time be admired by the other Kuromusha's because of his possession to an extreme power that is said to be already equivalent to half of a Yami no O-Fune.
The third seal has been placed, Katsumi Umezaki, the Banshee Kuromusha, stepped in front of it. Members of the thundering east inner region of Tetsuro loudly cheered.
Katsumi charged her voice as she spoke, "Kaminari no…" and roared "Koe!". A loud deafening voice surged towards the seal and tore it apart.
A louder cheer can be heard from the members of the Tetsuro faction.
"That's more like it!" Kurosai blissfully exclaimed.
Katsumi entered the portal and the next four seals were broken by Kurosai, Kagura, Kokoro and Miyu in succession subsequently entering the portal.
Everybody was in awe. This new generation of Dark Haven broke the record of the current total Kuromushas that was able to break the seal. The history shows that in every Yami no Utsuri only an average of five Kuromushas are able to break the seal with the consistent presence of a Hellhound Kuromusha and in only a few instances where the current Yami no O-Fune being replaced. The present Yami no O-Fune is one of the longest residing rulers of Tenseiya holding its title for about eight Akiuchigos.
There were only five Kuromushas left to be tested by the seal.
It was Kinsei Inari's turn to break the seal.
Kinsei Inari is the Necromancer Kuromusha of Kiyomi found in the south-west region of Yami no Tengoku. A region filled with dark forests and twisted rivers connecting to the other realms outside Dark Heaven. The region is strategically overseen by Kinsei to support his necromancy research.
Ever since the beginning, Kiyomi has had no other inhabitants except Kinsei and his puppet-like army of corpses. Kinsei Inari never participated in breaking the seal since the first time that he failed a long time ago.
Some of the faction group was giggling around and seemed to be mocking because of his inability to be accepted as a powerful enough Kuromusha.
Kinsei never looked at them and silently walked towards the portal.
This would be the second time that he will try to break the seal.
As he stood in front of the seal a voice whispered to him, "Come Forth.".
The cloaked man of the portal revealed himself and raised the lantern. "Kagayaki no Ito!" the spell which translated into "Thread of Radiance".
In a flash,multiple threads bound every non-Kuromusha faction member in the area, immobilizing them and slowly burning their bodies.
Everyone was in shock as they saw that the cloaked man was an angel from the Hikari no Kyo, the realm of light.
While they were experiencing the excruciating pain brought by the shackles of light, Kinsei Inari casted a spell towards the remaining other Kuromushas "Shikabane Chikara!" summoning multiple corpses beneath and forcefully entangling them.
Kai Masaki, the Gargoyle Kuromusha, turned into stone, crushing all the corpses and breaking-free from the spell.
As Kai flew quickly towards the Kinsei Inari with his razor-sharp claws ready to slice him, a beam of light impaled right through his body instantly killing him.
"Kentou Gekiretsu." the sharp beam of light casted by the angel.
"H-how could this be Kinsei?" Hiroshi Senkou, the werewolf Kuromusha stated as he was struggling to get out of the binding spell casted by Kinsei.
"Well, we are all clueless of your intentions until this day." Ryōjutsu-shi, the Wraith Kuromusha uttered. "You know this puny spell won't work with me." mockingly he added.
Ryōjutsu turned his body into a pure Wraith state rendering the spell useless.
"What do you really want to achieve with this?" He asked.
Kinsei disappeared to the shadows.
The angel responded by saying "This world shall be covered in light. A Malevolent Light!" while pulling up a scroll releasing a bright light that sealed the area.
Sensing the imminent death, Mitsuyasu Kōri the Sleep Paralysis Demon Kuromusha traversed towards the sleep realm and disappeared from the area.
An explosion of light burned everything in place and destroyed the portal.
"This is the beginning of a radiant future." the angel proclaimed.