Wicked Yokai Prince

Stolen face

Meanwhile at the manor:

Jiro unsheathed his katana from his scabbard and took and wide swing at the demon.

The faceless demon moved like a blur avoiding Jiro's blade and repositioned himself attached to the ceiling. He rotated his head in an awkward angle and focused on Jiro from above.

Jiro halted gritting his teeth. A pearl of sweat slid from the side of his temple. He's been chasing the faceless demon around his castle for quite a while now. Maybe his speed is slowing down on him since he couldn't even graze the demon with his blade. There's gotta be another way to get to it.

"Get down here!"

"Why don't you make use of your wings and fly up here instead?" The faceless demon challenged.

Jiro snarled but didn't say anything.

The faceless demon laughed eerily watching Jiro's frustration wear him out. "Perhaps I should take your face too." Then shook his head slowly as though changing his mind. "No, I wouldn't want a cursed bird face like yours."

Jiro crouched and redirect all his strenght on the balls of his feet and his wings. He launched himself up spinning halfway like a burrowing arrow and yet, he was still too slow for the faceless demon.

The faceless demon made himself disappear blending to the ceiling.

"Shit!" Jiro hissed.

Jiro could have made sure, the demon is just toying with him. He tried to jog his memory from long time ago but came out empty handed. He could not recall a faceless of demon among the servants of Kannon - sama. He's not her familiar either.

The tip of his wings pressed on the solid surface of the ceiling and pushed to the side to the open space where he could stretch his wings more. Jiro flapped his magnifiscent wings once and flew to the next floor above.

The demon was already waiting for him by the time he emerged from the stairs. "Kannon - sama said you were strong." He cocked his head, showing disappointment on his face. "Here I was so eager for the challenge that I volunteered for the task. But yet, here we are...you could barely keep up with me, like a fat bird too slow for its prey."

The demon lifted his leg and kicked Jiro sending him back with his wings scrapping the floor. The force of his impact broke the wall behind him and again and again until the impact slowed down hitting his back on a pole.

Jiro winced, loose feathers scattered on the floor some are floating like dust moats. "Try getting cursed and turned into a beast! My blood soaked with poison spell. I spent the last forty eight years of my life half sedentary with my nose on scrolls and boring politics, protecting people and waiting for a girl to fall in love with me!" He let out a snarl. "Fight me when the curse has been lifted and tell me how strong I am!"

"Well, you're running out of time Jiro." The faceless oni watched him from a few walls beyond. He touched his face, still wearing Rin's feeling for her features with his fingers, stretching her lips and poking her eyeballs.

"Stop doing that!" Jiro screamed.

The demon paused molesting Rin's face. "Oh? Do you even care for this girl? Or are you just using her?"

Jiro pushed himself up with the help of his wings and his blade. "You are starting to annoy me." And launched himself ahead again.