Ioroi was once known as Ioroi, the Hidden Protector of the Grove. His job was to guard the Chinju Forest and everything in it.
He would often compete with Kitsune Saiguu. She once challenged him to a game of hide-and-seek, which Ioroi believes they are still playing and to that end, awaits her return. Unbeknownst to him, she perished during the cataclysm five hundred years ago, never to resurface. According to Kazari, the kitsune tricked him into playing as to protect Ioroi from evil forces.
As he grew impatient, Ioroi tried to cause ruckus to trick the kitsune into coming back. He even stole a comb used to perform the cleansing sakura ritual. Instead, a human came and sealed him into stone, transforming him into a stone statue and giving him a fear of humans.
