The mission was given without details.
Only a location.
A name.
And a warning.
"Do not underestimate it."
Raizen walked alongside the swordsman once more.
The path ahead was unfamiliar.
Rocky.
Dry.
Silent.
"…What kind of demon is it?" Raizen asked.
The swordsman answered,
"One that didn't die."
Raizen glanced at him.
"…You mean you've fought it before."
"Yes."
A pause.
"And lost."
The Ruins
By nightfall—
They arrived.
An abandoned settlement.
Houses broken.
Walls collapsed.
No signs of life.
But something remained.
A presence.
Heavy.
Watching.
Raizen felt it instantly.
"…This is different."
The swordsman didn't deny it.
"Stay focused."
Echoes of the Past
As they moved deeper—
Raizen noticed something.
Marks.
Claw marks.
But deeper.
More controlled.
"…This wasn't destruction."
"No," the swordsman said.
"It was deliberate."
Like someone—
Or something—
Was playing.
The Encounter
A sound echoed.
A slow clap.
From the darkness—
A figure stepped forward.
Tall.
Calm.
Unharmed.
"You came back."
The swordsman's expression changed slightly.
"…You're still alive."
The demon smiled.
"Of course."
Its eyes shifted—
To Raizen.
"…And you brought something interesting."
Raizen stepped forward.
"…You're the one we're here to kill."
The demon laughed softly.
"Kill?"
A pause.
"You misunderstand."
A Different Kind of Demon
The demon walked closer.
Unafraid.
"I've already been killed once."
Raizen's eyes narrowed.
"…That's not possible."
"It is for me."
The air shifted.
A strange pressure filled the space.
"…I don't die like the others."
Fight Begins
Without warning—
The demon moved.
Faster than expected.
Raizen reacted—
Blocked—
But the impact pushed him back.
Stronger.
Much stronger.
The swordsman joined in instantly.
Two against one.
Blades moved together.
Precise.
Coordinated.
But—
The demon smiled.
Regeneration
Raizen struck.
Clean.
The blade cut through the demon's shoulder.
But—
It didn't matter.
The wound closed instantly.
"…Regeneration…"
The swordsman's voice was low.
"Faster than before."
The demon tilted its head.
"I've improved."
Pressure Builds
The fight intensified.
Every strike—
Every movement—
Useless.
Cuts healed.
Damage vanished.
Raizen stepped back.
Breathing heavier.
"…We can't kill it."
"Not like this."
The swordsman's grip tightened.
"There must be a limit."
Targeting the Core
Raizen focused.
Watching.
Not the body—
But the movement.
The timing.
The pattern.
"…There."
A moment.
A delay.
When it regenerated—
There was a gap.
"…Its core…"
The swordsman understood instantly.
"You see it."
Raizen nodded.
Final Plan
"We strike together," the swordsman said.
"One opening."
"That's all we need."
Raizen steadied his breathing.
The shadow responded.
Controlled.
Sharp.
"Shadow Breathing—"
Darkness formed.
"Second Form— Night Step."
He vanished.
The demon reacted—
But too late.
The swordsman attacked from the front.
A distraction.
Raizen reappeared—
Behind.
"Third Form— Black Crescent."
A deep strike—
Through the center.
The demon froze.
For the first time—
Its smile disappeared.
"…Interesting…"
The Limit
Cracks formed across its body.
The regeneration slowed.
Then—
Stopped.
The demon staggered.
"…So this is it…"
It looked at Raizen.
"…You're not normal either."
Raizen didn't answer.
The End
"Finish it," the swordsman said.
Raizen stepped forward.
"Fourth Form— Shadow Execution."
One final strike.
Silence.
The demon split—
And turned to ash.
Gone.
Aftermath
The wind moved through the ruins.
Everything became still.
Raizen lowered his blade.
"…It's over."
The swordsman looked at him.
"…No."
A pause.
"This was only a test."
Final Scene
As they turned to leave—
Raizen stopped.
"…What is it?"
He looked back.
For a moment—
He felt it again.
That presence.
Faint.
Watching.
Ending Line
Some enemies don't disappear—
They wait.