Kujaku, whose birth name is Akira, is a young man brought into the world under a foreboding omen and burdened with an unknown past. Raised by priests within Ura-Kōya, a clandestine Japanese order dedicated to demon hunting, he was trained from an early age as a Buddhist monk and exorcist. His origins are not ordinary: he is the reincarnation of Mahamayuri, the Peacock Wisdom King, a divine heritage that grants him extraordinary spiritual power, and he is destined to stand against forces that seek to plunge the world into darkness.

In everyday temperament Kujaku can appear disarmingly ordinary. He is often light-hearted, driven by earthy appetites, and prone to gluttony and lecherous jokes, traits that make him seem more like a carefree youth than a holy warrior. Beneath that surface, however, lies a resolute and courageous spirit. He feels a profound duty to shield the innocent from supernatural threats and will face monstrous adversaries without hesitation. That commitment coexists with a quiet humility; despite possessing formidable gifts, he does not see himself as a messianic figure but as someone who must simply do what is right.

His primary motivation is twofold. He seeks to safeguard humanity from the demonic, unravel the riddles of his own birth and latent abilities, and thwart the ambitions of those who desire to corrupt his power. Chief among these enemies is Siegfried von Mittgard, a sinister figure who aims to usurp Kujaku’s birthright and rule as the Regent of Darkness. On a broader scale, Kujaku also confronts the secret society Rikudoshu, led by the Teachers of Eight Leaves, whose goal is to revive the Peacock King and Snake Queen in order to give birth to a supreme dark entity.

As the central protagonist, Kujaku travels from one crisis to another, acting as both investigator and combatant. His journey is not a solitary one; it is shaped by a network of intense relationships. His master, Jiku Ajari, is an elderly and knowledgeable priest who raised him but is himself flawed by a taste for drink and mischief. Ashura, a girl chosen by the Asura King, wields pyrokinetic force and openly carries a deep affection for him, often sparking jealousy. Taroja Onimaru, a half-demon mercenary with superhuman strength and regenerative abilities, begins as a bitter rival but evolves into a trusted ally. Ko Kaiho, a young Chinese sorcerer, similarly shifts from enemy to uneasy friend. Kujaku’s twin sister, Tomoko, separated from him in childhood and raised by a neo-Nazi cult as the vessel of Rahu, represents both a painful personal loss and a key to larger apocalyptic designs. Elsewhere, the priestess Tsukuyomi holds a quiet love for him, adding another emotional layer to his interactions.

Over the course of the story, Kujaku grows from a mysterious mystic grappling with his identity into a seasoned spiritual warrior. He learns to master his inheritance, piece together the truth of his lineage, and coordinate with his allies to dismantle the Teachers of Eight Leaves’ schemes, ultimately preventing the birth of the Dark Vairocana. His development is as much about accepting his human frailties as it is about harnessing his divine aspect.

His supernatural abilities are immense and varied. He perceives and communicates with spirits, practices psychometry, and exerts telekinetic control over his surroundings. He can command spirits and exorcise them using a vajra, his signature ritual implement. A powerful protective aura radiates from him, repelling evil beings and shielding those nearby. Underpinning all of this is the raw spiritual force of the Peacock Wisdom King, making him one of the most potent exorcists of his generation.