Not far from there, An Emperor of a Japanese homeland tells his son about a war he fought against an evil, shape-shifting demon named Aku. He tell how Aku arose from the Pit of Hate to ravage land when the emperor was still young. On his own, he was helpless against the wizard's powers. However, he remembered a tale he had heard from his great-grandfather about three monks gifted with mystical powers. The emperor rode to the highest peak of the mountainside where the monks agreed to forge a magical sword for him. Armed with the sword, he battled Aku and defeated him, implanting him into the very wasteland he created in the form of a black tree. Since then, the people have rebuilt the land in hopes that Aku would never return. The Emperor finishes his story with a warning to his son to alwa