Stair/Case/Rendipity

Synopsis

Kotsujou Eishi (虚妬城 影茨) is hailed as a brilliant prodigy amongst the oni detectives of Buddhist hell. Specialized in dealing with the capturing of lost souls so as to return them to the karmic cycle, oni detective are often seen as being the hands that turn the wheel of samsara. But Kotsujou does not view herself in such a lofty way. Meanwhile, Kotsujou is on her own quest in search of her missing right arm.

While embarking on such a search, she comes across a human girl. While her form was obscured by shadow, Kotsujou recognized that just like her, the girl was missing her own right arm. Had she finally found what she wanted...? But it's shameful for an oni to view humans in such a way. Nothing good would come from attending to such feelings. These encounters are meant to only happen in dreams. So just like a dream, the memory of it will surely disappear quickly, becoming nothing...

Yet the dream continued. Persistently so. Wishing to be recognized as real.

Rumors of a supernatural staircase started spreading around town. Students were inexplicably falling down their schools' stairs. As if they were being pushed. But there was no one to push them. Surely it must have just been caused by a missing step. Not the business of hell's supernatural detectives to deal with.

Yet, all who fell seemed to have inexplicably known their invisible culprit's name...

Ibaraki-san.

The oni of old folklore who lost their arm.

The one Kotsujou Eishi hated being compared to so much.