Umeji Tatsuya, a former yazuka, hopes to redeem himself by becoming a Guardian. Under the mentorship of legendary tengu king Soujou-bou, Umehi begins training despite the Guardian Council's misgivings. When Ibaraki Douji and his oni army begin to slaughter kitsune in an attempt to rule Japan as Shogun, Umehi must defend himself and his family without the support of the council. After an attack where Ibaraki steals a legendary sword the council blames Umehi, who begins to question his loyalty to them. Umehi must retrieve the sword if he hopes to defeat Ibaraki.

This fast paced story draws on Japanese culture and mythology, featuring plenty of magic and legendary creatures. Unfortunately, I struggled to get through it because it is written in first person present tense. However, I will fully admit this is a me issue, and other readers who don't mind this POV will likely enjoy this much more. Overall, this is a solid fantasy novel that just didn't vibe with me personally.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital ARC.