Hiros53 - Three Heroes, One Oni (Asura Oni TG)

With oni power comes a giant oni body of responsibility.

—

The mountain shrine looked exactly like the kind of place where sensible people turned around.

Several red gates leaned across the stone path at worrying angles, their old wood covered with moss and claw marks. Paper charms hung from ropes between the trees, although most had been torn apart by rain, animals, or whatever evil spirit had apparently spent the last month screaming at passing villagers.

Leopold marched through the first gate with his polished sword resting against one shoulder. His bright plate armor caught every scrap of afternoon sunlight, which made him look heroic from the front and painfully easy to spot from everywhere else.

“Fear nothing, my trusted companions, for no wicked spirit can stand against our combined courage,” Leopold declared while raising his free hand toward the shrine.

Bram stopped beside him and planted the end of his spear against the path. His armor was less shiny, his cloak was less dramatic, and his expression carried the deep tiredness of someone who had heard similar speeches before.

“We just spent nearly forty minutes waiting for a goat caravan to cross a bridge,” Bram reminded him while staring up the overgrown steps. "I think that count as them standing against our combined courage pretty well, don't you think?"

“No.” Leopold replied while lowering his hand slightly. "Because those creatures possessed unnatural boldness and a complete lack of honor... and speed."

Tobin climbed the final few steps behind them, breathing harder than either warrior despite carrying less armor. His large wooden hammer was tied across his back, alongside enough holy symbols, incense sticks, bells, candles, and emergency snacks to open a small travelling temple.

“I don't think... the goats were... the problem,” Tobin explained, breathing heavily while adjusting his white clerical robes. “I think the problem... was the dumb safety rule of that bridge.”

“Only one man, one woman and one animal at a time,” Leopold sighed while stepping around a broken stone lantern. "As charitable as I am, even I felt relieve when it was finally our turn."

"We could tell.” Bram nodded as the three continued toward the main building, then looked up. "Welp, at least now we are here. Let's take a look around, shall we?"

The shrine waited beneath a roof of black tiles, with sliding wooden doors hanging partly open. A cold red light pulsed somewhere inside, brightening and fading with the slow rhythm of someone breathing in their sleep.

A low groan rolled through the mountain. making Tobin pause at the entrance and hold up one finger. “That definitely sounded unhappy,” he whispered while peering into the darkness.

“I believe it is safe to say that was what the villagers described as 'the haunted shrine making haunted noises',” Bram answered while tightening his grip around his spear. “Pretty accurate description so far, if you ask me.”

Leopold pulled his sword free and aimed its bright blade into the doorway. “Then let us enter together and bring peace to this cursed place,” he announced while taking the first step forward.

The old floor groaned beneath his boot.

A loose board snapped upward and struck him directly on his head between his eyes, causing a loud 'GONG' sound as it hit the helmet.

Leopold folded around the impact without making a sound. His sword remained raised for several seconds before slowly sinking toward the floor.

“The shrine has landed the first blow alright,” Bram observed while walking past him. "That was fast."

Tobin gently patted Leopold’s shoulder on his way inside. “You sure always find every trap, don't you?” he joked while trying not to smile.

The inside of the shrine was much larger than it had appeared from outside. Thick wooden pillars surrounded a wide central room, while faded paintings showed warriors bowing before a towering red woman with three faces and six arms.

At the far end stood an enormous stone statue of that same creature. She had three stern faces, six muscular arms, with a broad and powerful body dressed in ceremonial robes and heavy armor.

Bram studied the statue for several seconds while pointing his spear toward the carving. Finally he said. “It looks like it has six arms.”

“I can count,” Leopold muttered as he carefully straightened himself.

“My point is that we should probably not touch anything connected to the six-armed demon woman as long as a spooky ghost is around,” Bram continued while turning toward Tobin.

Tobin was already kneeling before the altar beneath the statue. He had placed three candles around himself and was arranging several small bells in a circle.

Leopold sighed through his nose.

“Tobin, what are you doing?” he asked while slowly approaching the altar.

“I am preparing to commune with the spirit,” Tobin replied while lighting the final candle. “We came here to discover why it is angry.”

“You do know that we came here to destroy it, remember?” Leopold reminded him while glancing toward the statue.

“Yes, but destroying things should never be our first answer,” Tobin explained as he placed both hands together. “We should talk first, listen carefully, and then destroy things if the conversation becomes unpleasant.”

Bram looked toward Leopold.

“He has a point,” Bram admitted while lowering his spear.

Tobin closed his eyes and began whispering an old prayer. The bells around him trembled without being touched, and the red glow beneath the altar started growing brighter.

The shrine groaned again.

Every candle went out at once.

A deep voice rolled through the chamber, making the walls shake and sending dust raining from the beams.

“WHO ENTERS MY SACRED HALL?” the voice demanded as red smoke poured from the statue’s mouths.

Leopold immediately raised his sword. Bram lowered his spear into a fighting stance, while Tobin remained kneeling with his eyes still closed.

“My name is Tobin, servant of the Gentle Flame,” Tobin answered while keeping his hands together. “My friends are Leopold and Bram. We have come because the nearby villagers believe an evil spirit haunts this shrine.”

“I AM NOT AN EVIL SPIRIT,” the voice thundered while every loose object in the room jumped.

A small wooden offering bowl rolled off the altar and landed against Tobin’s knee.

“That is encouraging,” Tobin replied while opening one eye.

“I AM THE LAST KEEPER OF THIS SACRED PLACE,” the spirit continued as the red smoke circled the statue. “FOR THREE HUNDRED YEARS, I HAVE GUARDED THE POWER OF THE CRIMSON ONI ASURA.”

Bram leaned closer to Leopold.

“Oni asura, huh?” Bram whispered while watching the smoke. “Yeah, we should probably prepare for violence.”

Leopold nodded slowly. “We shall strike the moment Tobin finishes being polite,” he whispered while holding his sword ready.

“THE SHRINE HAS WEAKENED,” the spirit explained as the red light spread across the floor. “ITS POWER MUST PASS INTO A NEW GUARDIAN DEITY BEFORE IT ESCAPES AND DESTROYS THIS MOUNTAIN.”

Tobin looked up at the statue.

“So you require someone to inherit the shrine’s power?” he asked while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

“YES,” the spirit answered as the altar began glowing beneath his hands.

“And doing so would calm the shrine and protect the village?” Tobin continued while leaning closer.

“YES.”

“And the new guardian would receive the power of this crimson oni asura?” Tobin asked while looking toward the six-armed statue.

“YES.”

Tobin nodded once.

“That seems simple enough,” he concluded while placing both hands upon the altar. “Would it be possible for me to accept this power?”

“Tobin,” Leopold called while taking one sudden step forward.

The altar exploded with red light.

A wave of power pushed Leopold and Bram backward, while Tobin remained kneeling at the center of the room. Red smoke poured from the statue, rushed across the altar, and plunged straight into his chest.

His back snapped upright, making his eyes widened. His mouth opened around a shocked breath as warm energy spread through every part of his body.

“OF COURSE! I HAVE WAITED THREE HUNDRED YEARS FOR THESE WORDS. AT THIS POINT, I WOULD ACCEPT ANYONE.” the spirit announced while the entire shrine began shaking. "THEREFOR REJOICE, AS THE AGREEMENT IS ACCEPTED"

“You could have at least asked what this power was before you accept random deals!” Bram shouted while bracing his spear between two floorboards.

“I thought it would involve spiritual wisdom,” Tobin replied as red light shone through his robes. “Maybe some glowing eyes or a stronger healing spell.”

"From an Oni Spirit?!" Bram retorts in utter disbelief. 

"..yeees~?!" Tobins voice climbed slightly during the final word, making him blink and touch his throat.

The red glow spread beneath his skin, turning his normal pale tone into a deep, rich crimson. It began at his hands, passed along his arms, and flowed beneath his sleeves as though someone were slowly pouring bright paint over him.

His fingers became slimmer while his palms widened. Dark nails pushed from every fingertip, sharp enough to leave marks when he grabbed the altar.

“Tobin, your hands are turning red,” Leopold warned while trying to approach against the growing wind.

“I noticed that part,” Tobin replied while watching the color reach his elbows. “I believe the claws are also new.”

His arms began changing next. Their shape became smoother and more feminine, although the muscle beneath them grew tighter and stronger.

At the same time his shoulders seemed to narrowed beneath his robes. His neck became slimmer, his jaw softened, and the rough hair across his chin simply vanished.

Tobin rubbed his smooth face with both red hands.

“What the...? This beard took seven months to become finally noticeable,” he complained while his cheeks rounded gently. “You could have at least warned me before taking it away!”

Black hair spilled across his forehead and down his back. It grew past his shoulders within seconds, becoming thick, wild, and much darker than his original brown hair.

Two hard bumps rose beneath his hairline.

Tobin touched one carefully.

“Uhm... Tobin?” Bram warned while pointing at his forehead. “I don't think those are just symbolic.”

The bumps pushed outward, parting Tobin’s hair as two curved black horns emerged from his skull. They grew several inches long, swept upward, and ended in sharp polished points.

Tobin stared upward, although his new horns remained outside his vision.

“So yeah... I also think this might be kind of bad.” he admitted while giving them another cautious touch. "...You don't suppose there are humans with horns too, right?"

Thats when the red light moved down across his torso.

His clerical robes pulled tighter as his upper body reshaped beneath them. His chest expanded into two heavy feminine curves, while his waist drew inward with a sudden squeeze.

After a quick wince, Tobin looked down. Then he looked up again.

“Hey, Miss Evil Spirit, ma’am. Is there any chance you would accept not turning me into a demon?” he asked weakly as his belt slid several inches lower.

At the same time his hips spread outward, forcing his robes to change around them. The fabric stretched for several tense seconds before the shrine’s magic took pity and remade it into a wider red-and-white wrap.

His whole body rose from the floor as his legs began growing longer. His thighs thickened with powerful muscle, while his calves developed the tight, athletic shape of someone who spent every morning sprinting uphill for enjoyment.

Tobin tried to keep standing up straight as he rose much farther than expected.

Then his head almost struck one of the hanging shrine bells.

“I am extremely tall now,” Tobin remarked while looking down at his friends from nearly two and a half meters above them.

“You are also extremely female now,” Bram added while examining his transformed shape.

Tobin looked over himself again. His face warmed beneath his already red skin, although he did not seem frightened.

“That can’t be right. I'm not a gi—” he began, before cutting off as his hands darted between his legs and a humiliatingly feminine moan slipped out of him, his face flushing a deep tomato red. For a moment, everyone just stared.

Tobin froze, then cleared his throat as if nothing had happened. “It seems... I am female now,” she said stiffly, attempting composure. “I wish the spirit had explained that before changing me.”

“THE VESSEL REMAINS YET INCOMPLETE,” the spirit boomed through the shrine.

Bram immediately pointed his spear toward the altar.

“What does incomplete mean?” he demanded while the red light became almost blinding.

The spirit did not answer.

Instead, every painting, charm, and rope inside the building tore free from the walls. They spun through the air as the shrine’s remaining power rushed toward Tobin.

Leopold’s cape flew over his face.

Bram slid one step forward.

Then another.

Tobin spread both arms and tried to resist the storm, but the energy continued pouring into him. Her body grew another few inches taller, while her muscles and curves became fuller under the pressure.

“Something is pulling us toward you,” Leopold shouted while driving his sword into the floor. His blade cut through the boards as he continued sliding forward.

Bram hooked his spear around a thick wooden pillar. The pillar cracked, leaned sideways, and began sliding with him.

“Dammit Tobin! What did you get us into again?!” Bram growled while being dragged across the room.

“I did not know this would happen,” Tobin shouted while reaching toward them. “The spirit only mentioned one guardian.”

Leopold crashed into Tobin’s right side. Bram struck her left a moment later, followed by the broken pillar.

For one strange second, the three friends remained pressed together beneath the storm of red light.

Then Leopold sank halfway into Tobin’s side. Bram looked down as his own armor began passing through the glowing body beside him.

“This is way worse than the goats on the bridge!” Bram muttered while continuing to sink.

Their clothing and armor softened like heated wax. Steel plates flowed across the surface of Tobin’s robes, while leather straps and white cloth twisted around one another.

Leopold pushed against Tobin’s shoulder, but his hand simply sank into the red skin. His forearm followed, then his elbow, while his body drew closer against the changing guardian.

“My arm is inside you,” Leopold shouted while pulling uselessly.

“I am aware of that,” Tobin replied while trying to step backward. “I can feel your fingers near my ribs.”

“Please never describe that again,” Bram requested while his own shoulder disappeared into Tobin’s left side.

Their bodies began merging in earnest.

Leopold’s torso pressed into Tobin’s right shoulder, while Bram’s body sank through the left. Their chests and backs stretched, widened, and flowed into the growing body between them.

New shoulders pushed from Tobin’s upper back.

Leopold’s arms emerged from them, still separate but now completely red. Their shape softened into feminine lines as muscle packed beneath the skin, creating a powerful upper pair of arms.

Bram’s arms shifted lower and formed a second pair of shoulders beneath Leopold’s. His hands became broad and clawed, while his forearms thickened with the strength of the oni shrine.

Tobin’s original arms settled into the lowest position.

Six arms spread around their shared body, each pair moving according to a different confused mind.

“Uhm... Guys? I don't think this is good.” Tobin remarked while her lower hands checked their reshaping waist.

“That description lacks urgency,” Leopold complained as his upper hands grabbed both sides of his changing face.

Bram tested his middle arms by opening and closing all ten fingers.

“At least I still control these,” Bram observed while his right hand accidentally slapped Leopold’s nearest arm.

“Control them somewhere else,” Leopold snapped while pushing Bram’s hand away.

Their shared torso expanded with another surge of power. Three bodies folded together beneath the light, combining their strength into one massive feminine frame.

Their chest grew broad and full, while dense muscle formed beneath every curve. Their waist tightened, their back widened, and their hips pushed outward until the joined body had the powerful shape of a giant athlete built according to extremely generous divine standards.

Below their waist, the fusion became considerably more confusing.

For several seconds, six separate legs kicked beneath them. Tobin tried to plant her feet, Leopold attempted to step away, and Bram apparently decided that standing still was the safest choice.

The shrine ignored all three opinions, as their thighs began to touch and flow together. Six legs became four, then three, and finally settled into two enormous red legs beneath their widened hips.

Every scrap of strength from the original bodies poured downward. Their thighs grew thick and powerful, their calves became sharply shaped, and their feet expanded until each one could comfortably crush a barrel.

The joined body rose higher too, making them pass three meters before finally stopping.

All three ex-men could feel the same legs. They could also feel the same narrow waist, broad hips, full chest, and every unfamiliar detail connecting them together.

Tobin tried to move the right foot.

Leopold tried to move the left.

Bram tried to lock both knees.

Their new body twisted sideways and fell directly into the altar.

Stone cracked beneath their combined weight.

“We need rules immediately,” Bram announced while their three voices came from different places.

Their heads had not merged with the rest of the body.

Tobin remained in the center, now wearing the gentle face of a tall oni woman. Her black hair flowed down their back, while her horns curved upward like a dark crown.

Leopold’s head had shifted outward on the right, now being fully female too. Her jaw softened, her face became proud and beautiful, and her golden hair darkened into a long black mane swept behind larger backward-pointing horns.

Bram’s head rose from the left shoulder, being no longer male as well. Her new feminine face kept the same tired expression, while her black hair tied itself into a short practical tail between two forward-curving horns.

All three stared at one another.

Leopold opened her mouth first.

“This is an outrage,” she declared while hearing her new smooth voice. “Something needs to be done about this blasphemy posthaste!”

Her eyes widened slightly, and one of her upper hands immediately moved against her throat. The voice had still carried her usual pride and outrage, but now it belonged to a powerful woman who sounded ready to command an entire battlefield.

Before either of the others could comment, the shrine began glowing again.

“PLEASE REMAIN CALM, WORTHY SUCCESSOR,” the spirit announced as her voice rolled through the damaged chamber. “YOUR BODY HAS FORMED CORRECTLY, BUT YOUR MINDS STILL LACK THE NATURAL KNOWLEDGE CARRIED BY A TRUE ASURA.”

Bram looked down at their tangled legs and the broken altar beneath them.

“That would have been useful several moments ago,” she replied while trying not to move anything.

“I SHALL NOW GRANT YOU ALL THE KNOWLEDGE YOU COULD EVER REQUIRE,” the spirit continued, apparently choosing to ignore her complaint.

“Wait, what exactly does that...” Tobin began while lifting his lowest hands.

The spirit released another flash of red light, causing a whirlwind to tear through all three of their heads at once.

It did not hurt, although the feeling was far from pleasant. Hundreds of strange thoughts, instincts, and memories rushed through their minds in a single breath. Even though it only lasted a few moments, this entire thing felt like it lasted forever.

And just as suddenly as it began, the whirlwind stopped again.

Then their huge body rose from the broken altar.

Suddenly, there was no need to count, argue, or decide which mind controlled which leg. All three simply thought about standing, and their body obeyed as naturally as breathing.

They stepped away from the altar with smooth, perfect balance.

The idea that they might have struggled to walk suddenly felt completely ridiculous. Their six arms stretched around them without touching, while their shared hips and powerful legs moved with a confidence none of them had possessed before.

Bram slowly turned their body in a complete circle.

“Oh wow. That is so much better,” she admitted while every footstep landed exactly where intended.

“We move beautifully,” Tobin added as the lowest pair of arms carefully checked their balance. “It almost feels like we have always shared this body.”

“THAT IS BECAUSE YOU NOW POSSESS THE INSTINCTS OF THE CRIMSON ASURA,” the spirit explained as her fading shape appeared above the altar. “MY DUTY IS FINISHED, AND THIS SACRED PLACE HAS FINALLY GAINED A WORTHY GUARDIAN.”

Leopold looked toward the glowing figure.

“You could have granted us those instincts before allowing us to destroy your altar,” she pointed out while one upper hand gestured toward the rubble.

“THE ALTAR CAN BE REPLACED,” the spirit answered without any concern. “A WORTHY SUCCESSOR CANNOT.”

The last red light gathered around her translucent body. Her expression softened into a peaceful smile as the glow slowly carried her toward the statue.

“GUARD THIS POWER WISELY, THREEFOLD MAIDEN,” the spirit told them while lowering her head. “I CAN FINALLY ASCEND IN PEACE.”

“Wait, we still have several important questions,” Tobin called while reaching toward her with one lower hand.

The spirit vanished and the shrine became quiet.

All three heads stared at the empty space above the altar.

Leopold was the first to break the silence.

“Tobin, do you know any reliable method of turning a demon back into a human?” she asked while turning her head toward the center.

Tobin considered the question for several seconds. She searched through every prayer, blessing, ritual, and religious lesson she had ever learned.

“No,” she finally admitted while giving Leopold an apologetic look. “I know three rituals for turning humans into demons, but none that work in the other direction.”

“...What? Why would you know even one that does that? Let alone three of those?” Bram asked while raising one eyebrow.

“Errr... on second thought, maybe I don't know any rituals that do that. I mean, why would I know stuff like that,” Tobin answered while refusing to look directly at her, then laughed weakly. "Ahaha..."

Their weapons still rested across the floor where the storm had thrown them. Leopold’s sword lay near the entrance, Bram’s spear had landed beside a pillar, and Tobin’s hammer had become buried beneath several broken boards.

The asura walked toward them without the slightest difficulty.

Their upper right hand caught the sword and lifted it with a single easy motion. Their middle hands collected the spear, spinning the long weapon behind their back before settling it across their shoulders. The lowest pair pulled Tobin’s hammer from the rubble and tested its weight.

Holding all three weapons should have been awkward.

Instead, every arm knew exactly where to move. The sword swept forward without touching the spear, the spear turned without striking their horns, and the hammer rested comfortably beside their hip.

One person carried three completely different weapons. Three different people controlled one person. Yet they moved like they had always been one.

Bram studied the spear in her hands, then looked down at their huge red body. The shrine’s power hummed through every muscle, making them feel stronger than they had ever imagined.

“I actually kind of like this,” she admitted while giving the spear an easy practice spin. “I have never felt this powerful before.”

“The inheritance certainly made us much stronger,” Tobin agreed while lightly lifting the hammer. “I believe we could carry our entire camp with one arm now.”

“We could certainly carry the horse with one arm,” Bram corrected while flexing one of the middle arms.

Leopold remained silent for a moment.

Her head turned toward the sword, then toward the wide doorway leading back outside. She clearly disliked the horns, the red skin, the feminine voice, and almost everything else about their current state.

However, she also stood taller than any warrior she had ever met, and somehow both of the other girls knew that she clearly liked that fact quite a lot, even though she wasn't showing it.

Leopold raised the sword proudly while their shared body straightened beneath her command.

“Then I shall accept this burden with courage,” she declared as the blade caught the shrine’s fading light. “Though trapped within the body of a demon woman, I shall remain the noble hero I have always been.”

Tobin and Bram exchanged a glance across their shared shoulders.

“Sure, buddy,” they replied together while turning their body toward the exit.

Leopold frowned as the other two carried them forward before she could finish her pose. Their six arms adjusted the three weapons, their powerful legs stepped over the broken doors, and the newly formed asura walked into the afternoon sunlight.

“So how are we going to tell the rest of our party that we are now the guardian… something of this barely intact shrine?” Bram asked, scratching the back of her head. “Imagine how those three will react.”

“Oh yeah. That reminds me.” Tobin replied, closing her eyes for a moment as she put her hands together. After a moment, she spoke up again. “I… don’t think we are a guardian of this place.”

“We are not?!” Leopold declared in a tone that one could only describe as confused, outraged and thankful all at once.

“No. We have no connection to this shrine. Usually, for guardian deities, they have a spiritual connection to a certain place that they are meant to protect, but I don’t feel anything like that at all coming from us.” Tobin explained, then shrugged their shoulders. “I guess Miss Spirit must have forgotten about that detail.”

“Haha…” Bram let out weakly, holding her head. “I can’t believe that this situation got even dumber than before. Awesome. Though I am kind of glad not being bound for what it’s worth though.”

And thus, the evil spirit had passed on peacefully.

The haunted shrine had been cleansed.

The nearby village had gained a three-headed red guardian goddess, whether anyone had asked for one or not. A goddess, oni, asura type demon spirit triple that, on closer inspection, really had nothing to do with the village.

Besides relieving them of the evil spirit, that is.

Their mission certainly was accomplished in one of the ways of all time.