The Story of "The Nine-Tailed Fox and Tobimaru" Long ago, in the distant village of Nasu, far from the capital, Tobimaru and Tamamo lived together as close as siblings. Misfortune struck in the spring when they turned seventeen. Caught in an ominous storm, Tamamo wandered into Hell Valley, where she was cursed by the Demon King. From that moment on, Tamamo could no longer defy the Demon King's commands. Around the same time, she was noticed by the Minister of the Left, Tadanao, who had come to Nasu for hunting, and Tamamo was taken to the capital to reside in Tadanao's mansion. Soon after, strange incidents began occurring in the capital, followed by disasters. Great fires and droughts plunged the city's residents and peasants into hardship. The one who discerned that the cause of these calamities lay in Tamamo's demonic nature was the master of Yin-Yang arts, Abe Yasunari. Yasunari desperately prayed for rain at the Kamo riverbed, but nothing changed. When Tamamo took his place on the prayer platform, however, rain of salvation fell immediately. Tobimaru could not believe in Tamamo's mysterious power. That night, he sneaked into Tadanao's mansion to bring Tamamo back to Nasu, but Tamamo, fearing disaster, suppressed her longing and withdrew from Tobimaru. If Tamamo wished to live with Tobimaru, there was no other way but to fulfill the Demon King's command. The Demon King ordered her to melt down all the Buddhist statues across Japan to create a giant golden idol. Meanwhile, Tobimaru visited the high priest Unmon of Tōdai-ji and learned that the only way to defeat the Demon King was with a spear engraved with the image of Fudō Myōō. Soon after, soldiers attacked Tōdai-ji to burn down the Great Buddha. From the ashes emerged the spear Tobimaru had been searching for. The demonic giant idol was completed. Tobimaru challenged the giant idol to reclaim Tamamo from the Demon King. At that moment, wind rose, flames erupted, and the giant idol began to move. Tobimaru hurled the spear at the idol's head. The spear struck its chest perfectly, and the giant idol crumbled. But at that very instant, Tamamo also vanished. Peace returned to the world. However, Tamamo, having failed to fulfill the Demon King's command, was turned to stone. Overwhelmed with grief, Tobimaru refused to leave the side of Tamamo, now transformed beyond recognition.