Kikai Banashi – Hanasaka Ikkyuu

Long ago, there was an ayakashi who challenged his victims to a battle of wits. If the subject succeeded, the ayakashi would grant them one wish, but if they lost, he would devour their soul. Only one person has been able to consistently defeat this ayakashi and his tricks: the clever Hanasaka Ikkyuu. The ayakashi follows him, ever eager to eat his soul, but for Ikkyuu, using the ayakashi's power to help others is worth the risk! In this story, he's called on to use the ayakashi's power for healing a sick little boy who's friends with a red-haired goddess from a hanging scroll.