The air in the forest was thick—damp with mist and the stench of blood. Towering trees twisted upward like claws trying to claw the sky. Somewhere deep within, ten demons lurked. Not mindless ones either—these were seasoned killers, lurking in a den of darkness.
The Tokyo Corps was limited. Every swordsman mattered. And so, only two names were whispered for this mission:
Sahiru and Suzune.
Kenta had called them privately.
"I won't lie," the old man said with weary eyes. "The others aren't strong enough for this. If you two fail… the entire Corps might falter. But if you succeed… hope will spread like wildfire."
Sahiru nodded. He didn't even hesitate.
Suzune gave her usual bright grin. "Let's turn this forest into a legend!"
Hours later, beneath the choking fog and ghostlight moon, the silence was shattered by a roar—a demon lunged from the trees.
Sahiru didn't blink. "Facade Breathing, Second Form: Silver Hound Slash!"
His blade shimmered in violet and white arcs, slicing through the beast before its claw reached them.
Another demon came from behind.
Third Form: Earth Breaker!
The ground split as Sahiru's sword cleaved downward, splitting another foe in two.
He danced through the forest like a reaper cloaked in crimson, each form flowing into the next—Red Spider Lily Dance, Riptide, White Tiger Fang—until the trees themselves wept from the cuts of his sword.
Suzune followed with elegance, her parasol fluttering behind her like a banner. Her blade shimmered pink and red with each step, and then—
"Mystic Breathing – Fourth Form: Peacock's Eye!"
A beautiful arc sliced through the mist, painted in hues of green and blue. The form was dazzling—her blade spinning once, then striking with a blossom-like burst of curved lines, striking three demons at once with pinpoint precision. Their bodies exploded into ash.
"Nice one!" Sahiru called out, smiling for once.
She beamed. "I told you I'd make a new one soon!"
By the time dawn broke, silence fell once more.
Ten demons had been slain. Not a single fatal injury between the two of them.
Suzune sheathed her blade slowly, her breath even.
Sahiru wiped the edge of his sword, eyes thoughtful.
They had become more than just swordsmen.
They were a force.