The light from the firewood illuminated the cave, casting a warm glow that made the untransformed dog demons relax, their faces showing comfort.
The seat beside the fire had already been cleared, and Kujaku wagged her fluffy tail, letting out an awoo! to urge Tōga to sit.
The rest of the dogs looked up expectantly, tails flicking rapidly.
The dog assigned to fetch food from the outpost even nudged Tōga's leg with his head, moist eyes full of eager anticipation.
"You guys…"
Tōga chuckled softly, picking up the stored ingredients beside the fire. His demonic energy [Yōki] surged subtly, and on his human fingers, sharp claws extended, slicing the meat into pieces in a few quick motions.
He then took the small skewers prepared by Kujaku and began the simple task of roasting.
The aroma of freshly cooked meat soon filled the cave, making all the dogs drool uncontrollably.
Perhaps because this world was infused with Spiritual Power [Reiryoku], meat from forest beasts, even without seasoning, tasted remarkably good when roasted — far better than raw.
The civilization brought by the Eastern Kingdom had gradually influenced this land, teaching it refinement beyond eating raw meat.
But long-lived demons were less sensitive to time and the nuances of human civilization; they did not value it as fleeting mortals would.
Most still wore animal hides, while only a few more aesthetically inclined demons donned human-style clothes or ornamental armor.
Over time, two types of demons emerged;
Those who valued their primal, animalistic forms, focusing on physical training.
Those who transformed into human shapes, emphasizing mastery of demonic power itself.
The Dog Clan, blessed with the presence of great demons, had early exposure to Eastern cultivation techniques. Tōga, destined to become King of the Dog Clan, emphasized the latter path.
"Heaven is the parent of all things; man is the spirit of all things."
A wild boar, still over 200 kilograms even after being gutted, was quickly devoured by the dogs.
Full and content, some of the pack took the first half of the night to guard the cave entrance, noses twitching in the cold wind. The rest rested beside the fire.
Tōga brought Kujaku, now close to mastering transformation, into the inner chamber.
Kneeling on the straw-strewn floor, Kujaku raised her head to look at the handsome commander, her golden eyes shimmering like stars.
"As a clan that practices through human form, transformation marks the true beginning of our training," Tōga said.
Being pure-blooded, Tōga was born a snow-white dog.
With exceptional talent, once his demonic energy reached a threshold, he could switch at will between human and demon forms under the guidance of the clan elders.
All these insights and techniques would one day form the foundation of the Dog Clan, passed from generation to generation, easing the burdens of future leaders.
Most demons were weak in this kind of inheritance, and the Dog Clan was no exception.
Young demons mostly listened to cryptic words from elders, barely understanding, then relied on talent and brute effort.
The gifted could succeed effortlessly; the less talented barely survived, with few shining moments.
"Awoo."
Kujaku nodded obediently, pressing her paws together in gratitude, and began her training as instructed.
'This is my first time personally guiding someone… I hope for good results' Tōga thought, sitting cross-legged nearby. His heightened senses confirmed that Kujaku's demonic energy was flowing correctly.
With potential to soon take human form at will, Kujaku was naturally talented — though not as exceptional as the Panther Tribe's four commanders. Later, she would perish alongside Seiten at the hands of the Four War Gods [Shitōshin] of Hōrai Island.
Feeling slightly at ease, Tōga continued his own training.
For low-level demons, practice was simple — merely accumulating demonic energy.
Whether focusing on body enhancement or demonic power, once energy filled their bodies, they reached the threshold toward intermediate demon status, in Tōga's previous life's fantasy novels, the "peak low-level demon."
Effectively, just an elementary stage of power.
Even slaughtering scattered samurai from the islands was easy with remaining stamina and demonic energy.
A casual strike could break tree trunks the width of a bowl. Speed exceeded that of a cheetah, endurance rivaled a thousand-mile horse.
Currently, Tōga was at this threshold, refining the essence of his demonic power.
For body-focused demons, growth meant enlarging their size to multiply energy, stamina, and strength — a "heavy armor tank" approach.
For power-focused demons, growth meant discovering the essence of their energy and developing unique techniques, unleashing multipliers of their base power, like a swift sword saint or cannon mage.
Drawing on his experience as the future Dog General, Tōga first considered the pack's signature technique: Wind Scar [Kaze no Kizu].
Developing it, he mastered it smoothly, as naturally as breathing.
Yet he realized such a simple skill was not representative of his true power. Even mastering it fully, he remained a low-level demon.
His demonic energy hadn't undergone true transformation, though his combat ability was still above average.
This was why he could serve as patrol squad leader. Low-level demons couldn't hold such positions — too weak to survive, and unable to provide warning.
'Looks like my past life's assumptions trapped me in a perceptual barrier.'
'The essence of my demonic power is far deeper than I imagined…'
Tōga closed his eyes, discarding thoughts of the original story, and focused on the most basic training methods passed down by the clan elders.
Read a hundred times, the meaning appears; strike a thousand times, the principle is revealed.
With talent, Tōga could still succeed through sheer effort — it just took more time.