The night was peaceful—at least on the surface.
The moon hung quietly above the world, casting a soft silver glow over the forest. A gentle breeze moved through the trees, rustling the leaves in a calm, almost comforting rhythm. To anyone passing by, it would have felt like an ordinary night.
But beneath that calm, chaos existed.
Somewhere far away, faint screams echoed through the darkness—humans being hunted, demons feeding. The world never truly rested. It only pretended to.
High above the forest floor, perched on a thick tree branch, Akira sat silently. His silver hair shimmered faintly under the moonlight, blending into the shadows around him. He had been there for quite some time, unmoving, as if he were part of the tree itself.
"…Should I tell them…?" he murmured quietly.
His thoughts lingered on Tamayo.
For a moment, he simply stared into the distance before letting out a soft sigh. Whether he told them now or later didn't matter much—they would eventually find out.
"…Might as well."
With a slight movement of his hand, a faint blue glow appeared in front of him.
| Group Chat |
Akira frowned slightly.
"…No notifications… still inconvenient."
He scrolled through the messages he had missed.
Kanae: I left two days ago with a girl for a mission. What are you all doing?
Shinobu: I just finished mine and I'm about to rest at an inn. Who's the girl?
Mitsuri: I finished too! I'm eating at a restaurant right now!
Kanae: She's an orphan Akira picked up. Her name is Kanao Tsuyuri.
Shinobu: Where did he find her?
Kanae: In an alley in Asakusa.
Shinobu: I see. Since I'm done, can I come with you?
Kanae: Of course. Mitsuri, do you want to come too?
Mitsuri: Yes!
Akira stared at the conversation for a moment, a faint smile forming on his lips.
"…They're getting along."
Without wasting time, he began typing.
Akira: Hello girls, can I say something?
The replies came almost instantly.
Kanae: Of course.
Shinobu: That's rare.
Mitsuri: What is it?
Akira paused briefly. For some reason, he felt a slight pressure on his back, like he was about to step into something troublesome.
Still, he continued.
Akira: I met someone yesterday.
Mitsuri: Someone?
Shinobu: That was fast.
Kanae: Where did you meet her?
Akira's eyes lingered on Kanae's message for a second longer than the others.
"…Why do I feel like I'm being interrogated…" he muttered under his breath.
He continued typing.
Akira: Her name is Tamayo. She's a doctor in Asakusa.
There was a short pause before the next message appeared.
Shinobu: Then why isn't she in the group?
Akira smirked faintly.
Akira: I have to wait three years before inviting another person.
It was an obvious lie—but a convenient one.
Mitsuri: Ohhh… I see.
Shinobu: That's strict.
Kanae: …
Akira noticed the silence from Kanae but chose not to address it directly.
Akira: There's something important I want to tell you about her.
Shinobu: Go on.
Mitsuri: What is it?
Kanae: I'm listening.
Akira's expression turned serious.
Akira: Don't tell her that you know this. She hasn't told me herself.
The chat went quiet.
Akira: She was once controlled by the demon king… Muzan.
For a moment, even the forest seemed to fall silent.
Akira: While under his control, she was forced to kill her own family.
The response came all at once.
Shinobu / Mitsuri / Kanae: What?!
Akira exhaled softly.
Akira: She's not like other demons.
Shinobu: But she's still a demon.
Akira's eyes narrowed slightly at that.
Kanae: …We don't really have a choice, do we?
A faint smile appeared on Akira's face.
Akira: With Shinobu's knowledge, I think something is possible.
Shinobu: What do you mean?
Akira: A medicine… that can turn a demon back into a human.
The chat froze again.
Shinobu: That's impossible.
Akira's gaze sharpened.
Akira: No. I'm sure you can do it.
There was a long pause.
Shinobu: …I'll think about it.
Mitsuri: If it helps people, I want to try!
Kanae: If it's you saying it, Akira… then I'll believe it.
Akira leaned back slightly against the tree, satisfied.
"…Good."
But just as he was about to close the chat, his expression changed.
His senses sharpened.
"…I have a visitor."
Akira: I'll excuse myself for now.
The glowing interface disappeared instantly.
The forest returned to silence.
But something had changed.
The air felt heavier.
Still.
Watching.
Akira slowly stood from the branch, his gaze scanning the darkness.
"I heard demons have been more active lately," he said calmly, his voice echoing softly through the trees.
No response.
But he knew.
Something was there.
"…I think you should come out."
For a moment, nothing happened.
The wind stopped.
The leaves stilled.
The entire forest seemed to hold its breath.
Then—
A presence emerged.
It wasn't loud.
It wasn't aggressive.
But it was heavy.
Ancient.
Akira's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…So it's you."
A figure stepped out from the darkness.
Calm. Composed.
A man.
The atmosphere itself seemed to distort slightly around him, as if the world recognized his existence.
Akira didn't move.
But his mind sharpened instantly.
(Strong…)
(Very strong…)
(But… not hostile.)
The man stopped a few meters away.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then—
"…You're interesting," the man said.
His voice was calm, yet it carried a weight that made the surrounding air feel heavier.
Akira smiled faintly.
"…I get that a lot."
Silence returned.
The tension between them thickened, like an invisible pressure pressing down on the forest.
Neither attacked.
Neither backed down.
They simply observed each other.
Evaluating.
Measuring.
Akira's grip tightened slightly.
"…So," he said quietly, "what do you want?"
The man didn't answer immediately.
Instead—
He smiled.
"…Nothing."
A brief pause.
"…For now."
And just like that—
He disappeared.
Gone.
As if he had never been there.
The forest returned to normal.
The wind resumed.
The leaves rustled once more.
But Akira didn't relax.
"…That wasn't normal."
He exhaled slowly.
"…Lucy."
[Yes, Host.]
"…Did you detect him?"
[Unknown entity detected.]
[Threat level: Undetermined.]
Akira frowned slightly.
"…So even you don't know."
That only confirmed one thing.
Danger.
But instead of fear—
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"…Good."
He looked toward the north, his eyes sharpening with resolve.
"…Kamado family…"
"…Let's see how much this world can change."
The wind blew once more.
The night continued.
And somewhere—
Far beyond his reach—
Fate quietly began to shift.
To Be Continued…