Hikage's life so that he would eventually join him as a yōma, thereby transcending humanity. Maru puts Hikage in a trance and proceeds with Hikage's yoma transformation but he awakes when Aya calls out to him despite being trapped by rock hand formations. Marou, upon seeing his friend's refusal, transforms into a red-eyed wolf-faced yōma. He is joined by Majumi and proposes the two be joined together. Aya wraps her wires around Majumi attempting to stop it, but it dragged her along the ground and stomped on her face, knocking her out. The two demon lords then dissolve and merge into a creature resembling a wolf and a centaur. It is shown to have control over land and can use telekinesis to break objects and hold Hikage in place. Knocking Hikage from a cliff, Marou again proposes that Hikage joins them as a yoma. But when he again refused, a frustrated Marou attacks and blinds him. Hikage manages to cut Maru from Majumi, reverting Maru back to his original yoma. Moaning in pain, Marou reminisces the two of them as kids running through the fields. He remains distracted long enough for Hikage to slice his throat, ending the threat of Kikuga and the yōma. Marou, back in his human form, turns to face Hikage, who warmly smiles and offers his hand. Before Marou can grasp it, he falls over dead, and within moments Hikage collapses as well. The ground beneath the former demon king crumbles and he falls into the darkness, leaving his childhood friend alone and unconscious. Later, Hikage awakens in a hut with a fire burning. He sees Aya just returning with water and speculates that she was the one who carried him back. She is now sporting a large scar on her left cheek similar to that of the original Aya, which was caused by Majumi. She becomes ashamed but is comforted by Hikage who accepts her for who is. In the netherworld, Marou's corpse lays still as Kotone, still possessing Shiratsuyu, comes towards him. A flashback reveals that Marou was her lover. Kotone decides to give Marou her life-force so that he can be reborn and then disappears. Some time later, Hikage and Aya have resumed their travels. They stumble upon a dead woman and her newborn son, who is crying hysterically. Aya picks up the infant and calms him; Hikage stares at the baby boy