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Tengu Grasp: The Curse of Forbidden Mastery
Paperback
Mystery & ThrillerGeneral Fiction
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Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Feb 25 2026
Pages: 116
Weight: 0.36
Height: 0.24 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
In the shadowed peaks of Mount Hiei, where ancient cedars whisper forgotten prayers, Abbot Kenzo reigns over Enryaku-ji with unyielding arrogance. Declaring himself beyond illusion and superior to spirits, he mocks the tengu-mythical mountain guardians known for punishing pride. But the mountain listens.
A single black feather marks the beginning. Whispers slither through the grove, shadows with wings haunt the fog, and one by one, monks vanish into the mist. When the daitengu-the red-faced, long-nosed watcher-finally descends at dawn, Kenzo is torn from his chambers and carried into the unforgiving heights. Dropped again and again in an endless, terror-filled fall, he survives only by the creature's cruel whim.
Imprisoned in a cavern of beaks and noses, Kenzo becomes the tengu's unwilling pupil. Lessons carved in blood teach him forbidden martial forms, sorcery of illusion, possession, and flight-arts that surge through his veins like poison. A corrupted blade, hungry for souls, binds him tighter with every kill. Released to test his mastery, he descends upon a sleeping village, leaving rivers of blood and silence in his wake.
Yet power devours. Feathers sprout through skin, his nose elongates grotesquely, golden eyes replace human sight. Visions torment him; pride twists into madness. Another arrogant priest is taken, the cycle repeats. Rivalry, betrayal, and vengeance consume what remains of his humanity. When Kenzo returns to burn his former temple, the last ember of his former self flickers out.
The tengu king delivers the final judgment: not death, but eternal servitude. Transformed into a winged horror, Kenzo becomes both teacher and executioner, carrying new proud souls to the same fate. The mountain waits, always waiting, for the next boastful voice to challenge its silence.
A chilling blend of Japanese folklore, psychological horror, and speculative tragedy, Tengu Grasp explores the seductive danger of forbidden knowledge and the inescapable price of hubris. In the tengu's grasp, mastery is illusion-punishment is forever.
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