"Drown so deeply in their own hearts..."
Tsukikage's voice dropped into a whisper.
"...that they never notice they're already sinking"
The shadows surged.
And the forest once again remembered fear.
---
Unlike Kanae, Kagerou wasn't surprised by the demon's sudden appearance.
If anything... He looked annoyed.
No.
More than annoyed.
Angry.
A subtle emotion, but one that immediately caught Kanae's attention.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Because anger was one of the few expressions she had ever seen on Kagerou's face.
Kagerou was not someone who openly displayed his emotions. Most of the time, his thoughts remained hidden behind a calm expression and measured words. Whether he was happy, troubled, or exhausted, he rarely allowed others to see it.
But now... The anger on his face was unmistakable.
Not loud.
Not explosive.
Not the kind that shouted or raged.
It was quiet.
Terrifyingly quiet.
Like a fire that had already burned through everything in its path and was now searching for something else to consume.
Kanae felt a chill run down her spine.
If that anger had been directed at her, she didn't know what she would have felt.
Fortunately... It wasn't.
Every trace of it was aimed at the figure standing before them.
Slowly, Kagerou rose to his feet.
His colorless ninjato was already drawn, resting loosely at his side. The kiseru hung lazily from the corner of his mouth, a thin trail of smoke escaping into the night air. His free hand remained tucked inside his custom-made uniform.
Then, without a word, he stepped forward.
Positioning himself between Kanae and the newcomer.
Protecting her.
At first glance, he looked completely relaxed.
His shoulders weren't tense.
His breathing remained calm.
His posture lacked any visible hostility.
Yet somehow... That only made him seem more dangerous.
His eyes never left the demon.
Not even for a second.
"You finally decided to show yourself," Kagerou said calmly.
His voice was steady.
Far too steady.
"...What great timing"
The sarcasm in his words was impossible to miss.
Behind him, Kanae slowly pushed herself upright.
Her gaze remained fixed on the demon's face.
Then suddenly, her eyes narrowed.
"...Kagerou"
"Hm?"
"His eyes"
Kagerou's gaze shifted upward.
For the first time since the demon appeared, he looked directly into those crimson eyes.
And there, etched onto the demon's left eye, were two symbols.
The kanji for Lower.
[下]
And below it, the daiji character for Six.
[陸]
For a brief moment, silence filled the forest.
Then Kagerou's grip tightened around the hilt of his ninjato; the leather wrapping creaked faintly beneath his fingers.
Understanding dawned instantly.
This wasn't an ordinary demon. This wasn't some monster hiding within the forest. This was one of Muzan Kibutsuji's chosen demons... One of the Twelve Kizuki.
"...A Lower Moon," Kagerou murmured.
His voice carried no fear.
Slowly, he lifted his gaze to meet Tsukikage's eyes once more.
"...Lower Moon Six"
The forest fell silent.
For a brief moment, nothing moved.
Then...
"Heh..."
A quiet chuckle escaped Tsukikage's lips.
"Hehehe..."
The laughter grew.
Slowly.
Unnaturally.
Until it finally burst free.
"Ahahahaha~!"
His voice echoed through the forest, bouncing between the trees like the cries of a lunatic.
The shadows beneath his feet writhed excitedly.
"That would be me," Tsukikage said with a wide grin. "Why? Are you afraid?"
He tilted his head.
"You should be afraid, right?"
His smile widened further.
"That's normal"
His crimson eyes gleamed.
"An inferior creature should fear a superior one"
His voice dripped with certainty.
With conviction.
Like a man reciting a fundamental truth of the universe.
"So go on"
The shadows around him twisted.
"Tremble"
His grin stretched wider.
"... Fear me"
Silence.
No response came.
Not from Kagerou.
Not from Kanae.
The smile on Tsukikage's face twitched.
Just slightly.
His eyes narrowed.
Because nothing had changed.
Not a single thing.
Kagerou continued looking at him exactly as before.
No fear.
No hesitation.
No uncertainty.
If anything... The anger in his eyes had deepened.
Tsukikage's smile faltered.
"...What?"
His voice lowered.
The shadows around him rippled.
"...No"
The grin slowly began to droop.
"...No, no, no..."
Something ugly flashed across his face.
Confusion.
Then irritation.
Then disbelief.
"This isn't how it's supposed to be"
His voice grew sharper.
"You should be afraid"
The shadows surrounding him began to tremble violently.
"This isn't right"
His expression twisted.
"This isn't right"
The words came faster.
More frantic.
More unstable.
"This isn't right"
His fingers dug into his own arms.
"This isn't right"
The forest seemed to darken around him.
"This isn't right"
The shadows lashed against the ground.
"This isn't right!"
The roots of nearby trees cracked beneath the pressure.
"This isn't right!"
His breathing became uneven.
His pupils trembled.
"This isn't right!"
His voice exploded into a scream.
"THIS ISN'T RIGHT!"
Silence.
Abrupt.
Absolute.
Tsukikage stopped moving.
Stopped breathing.
Stopped speaking.
The forest froze alongside him.
Then slowly... Very slowly... He raised his head.
The madness vanished.
The frustration vanished.
Even the anger disappeared.
All emotion drained from his face.
Leaving behind only emptiness.
His eyes settled upon Kagerou.
Cold.
Indifferent.
Like a predator staring at prey.
"...Ahh"
A quiet breath escaped him.
The corners of his lips curled upward.
Not into a smile.
Into something far worse.
A decision.
"I should just kill you"
The words carried no emotion.
No rage.
No excitement.
Only certainty.
Slowly, Tsukikage spread his arms.
The shadows beneath his feet began to expand.
At first, they covered only the ground around him.
Then farther.
And further.
Like black ink spilling across the forest floor.
Every shadow is connected.
Every patch of darkness merged into one.
The moonlight disappeared.
The trees vanished into blackness.
Even the air itself seemed to grow heavier.
Kanae immediately felt her instincts scream.
Danger.
Every nerve in her body tensed.
Kagerou's eyes narrowed.
The expanding darkness swallowed everything within sight.
Then Tsukikage spoke.
"Blood Demon Art..."
His voice echoed from everywhere at once.
Above.
Below.
Behind them.
Inside the darkness itself.
A smile spread across his face.
"Shadow Domain"
The world disappeared.
---
On the Ubuyashiki estate.
The night was quiet.
A gentle breeze drifted through the estate, causing the wisteria branches to sway softly beneath the moonlight.
Seated upon the engawa, Kagaya gazed toward the full moon hanging high above. Beside him sat Amane, her posture graceful as always, her presence a calm anchor amidst the stillness.
For a time, neither spoke.
Then...
*Fwoosh*
The sound of wings cut through the silence.
A black shape descended from the night sky.
Another followed.
Then a third.
Three Kasugai Crows landed upon the railing of the engawa, their feathers slightly disheveled from the urgency of their flight.
The moment they landed, all three spoke at once.
"REPORT!"
"URGENT REPORT!"
"CONTACT CONFIRMED!"
---
#A/N: "Sorry for the delay, I just lost my aunt a few days ago, so it's just hard for me to write anything, sorry"