Somewhere in the city, the sun beat down on a short bridge, casting long shadows on the water below. A man in a black kimono, his hair tied neatly in a high ponytail, stopped to admire the view. This was Ryuuga Genshiro, the Black Dragon God of Shinao's Dragon Grace Lake, a being of immense power and, at this moment, a profound ignorance of city life.
"Excuse me, sir," a voice called out. Genshiro turned to see two giggling girls, their phones in their hands. "Can you take a picture for us?"
Genshiro's face lit up. Ah, the legendary "reverse pickup"! He had read about this in his vast collection of scrolls about the human world. It was a sign that these women were interested in him, a noble man worthy of their attention. He smiled, a confident, slightly arrogant grin. "Of course," he said, taking the phone. "But after I'm done, I'll take you two with me."
A moment of awkward silence hung in the air. The girls' smiles froze, and a bewildered look spread across their faces. Just as Genshiro was about to elaborate on his generous offer, a hand, swift and precise, smacked the back of his head.
"Ow!" Genshiro yelped, rubbing the sore spot. He turned to see Oboro Shinto, his loyal servant, a woman with a kind but stern face.
"My sincerest apologies for my lord's rudeness," Oboro said, bowing politely to the two girls. "He can be... a little dense at times. He will take the picture for you, and that will be all."
The girls, relieved, quickly got into position, and Genshiro, a pout on his face, took the photo. Once they were gone, he turned to Oboro, a hurt look in his eyes. "Oboro, those girls were clearly interested in me. They were seeking a strong husband, a man of power and prestige, and I was going to bless them with my presence."
"My lord," Oboro began, her tone polite but firm. "Those were just ordinary people. They are not suited to be your wife or your concubine. The tradition, as you know, requires a woman who can wield spiritual power, a noble wife candidate."
Genshiro sighed, feeling a familiar ache in his head, a phantom pain from the countless times Oboro had to straighten him out. "You are just a servant," he whispered under his breath. Oboro simply gave him a withering look, a look that said, 'And I am a servant who is here to protect you from yourself.' From an outside perspective, they looked less like a lord and his servant and more like a doting, exasperated older sister and her clueless younger brother.
As they continued to walk, Genshiro's eyes scanned the bustling city. A woman dropped a handkerchief, and Genshiro, quick as a flash, caught it before it hit the ground. "Are you looking for a husband?" he asked, presenting it to her with a flourish.
"No, I dropped my... my handkerchief," she said, confused.
"I see," Genshiro said, nodding sagely. "Then you will be my wife."
"My lord!" Oboro's hand, once again, made contact with his head. Genshiro rubbed the lump forming on his skull, groaning in pain. "Why are you hitting me?! She needs a husband!"
"Those women are not suitable, my lord. We are here for a specific reason," Oboro explained, her voice low and even, as if speaking to a child. "First, for the hot springs, and second, but most importantly, to find a noble wife candidate for you."
They walked on, Genshiro still sulking. As they rounded a corner, they came across two girls. One was a beautiful, serene girl with long, dark hair, and the other was a vibrant girl with a warm smile. Genshiro's eyes immediately locked onto the girl with the long hair. Yuuna.
"So cute!" Genshiro declared, a lovesick look on his face. He moved with a speed that defied human sight, blocking their path. "My name is Genshiro," he said, not mentioning his title. "And you, what is your name?"
Chitose, seeing a weird stranger suddenly appear, immediately pulled Yuuna behind her. "Yuuna, let's go! This guy is a creep!"
Yuuna, however, was flustered and confused. She had never been approached like this before. "I'm... I'm Yuuna," she said, her voice soft.
The moment she said her name, she realized her mistake. A strange man had blocked their path, and she had just given him her name. Yuuna was about to float away, but it was too late. Oboro, ever observant, had noticed the faint spiritual signature around Yuuna. "My lord, she's a poltergeist."
Genshiro didn't care. "Yuuna, what a beautiful name! It's as cute as you are!"
Seeing the two of them getting so close, and Genshiro's declaration of her cuteness, was too much for Yuuna. Unconsciously, her spiritual power flared. A sudden, unseen force erupted, sending Genshiro flying back and landing with a loud splash in the river below.
Yuuna gasped, her eyes wide with horror. "I'm so sorry!" she cried out.
Genshiro, soaked to the bone, rose from the river. "It is as expected of my future wife!" he declared, a wide, triumphant grin on his face. "Yuuna will be my wife!"
Yuuna was stunned. She looked at Genshiro, who was dripping wet but seemed completely unfazed. "But... but I'm a ghost," she stammered, "bound to a specific place. I can't leave."
"It is of no consequence," Genshiro retorted. "It is evident that you have enough spiritual power to remain in this world. If you wish, you can simply relocate your bound to my castle." He began walking toward her, a determined look on his face. "We must leave now to have our wedding in my castle!"
Yuuna, panicking, refused. Her spiritual power surged again, a shockwave of energy that pushed everything around her. Trees bent, and the water in the river churned violently. But Genshiro, unlike before, was completely unaffected. He continued to walk towards her, a smile on his face, as if he were walking through a gentle breeze. Yuuna was taken aback, her power, for the first time, failing to have an effect. Genshiro, meanwhile, felt a sense of rightness, a confirmation that Yuuna was the correct choice.
"Hey! Put her down!" Chitose finally interjected, her voice filled with a powerful, commanding tone.
Genshiro looked at Chitose, and for a brief, fleeting moment, he felt a flicker of terror. The aura around her, though only for a few seconds, was immense. But as quickly as it appeared, it vanished. Genshiro, a master of spiritual energies, realized that Chitose was either not used to her power or that it was a double-edged sword. He saw her as just a little girl, but he knew she was more than that. He didn't feel the same reaction to her as he did to Yuuna, perhaps because she looked so young.
Heeding his instincts, Genshiro turned to Oboro. "Open a portal!" he commanded. Oboro, understanding the urgency in his voice, quickly complied, a swirling vortex of energy appearing behind them. Genshiro grabbed Yuuna, who was still frozen in shock, and they both jumped into the portal.
Chitose, her power just beginning to coalesce, was too late. Their movements were too fast, too instantaneous. They were gone. Chitose stood there, her mind a blank slate. Her only thought was of Ren, and without a second thought, she turned and ran back to Yuragi inn.