The night air was heavy with the scent of blood. The forest was drenched in silence, broken only by the desperate, ragged scream of a man echoing through the trees. Giyu Tomioka darted through the darkness, his crow circling above to guide him toward the source. His footsteps were soundless, yet his heart clenched with the familiar dread of arriving too late.

Branches cracked underfoot as he emerged into a small clearing bathed in pale moonlight. He froze.

There you were.

A woman—no, a demon—wrapped in a trembling man’s arms as though embracing a lover. His body shook violently, his face drained of color, while your lips glistened red with his blood. The sight should have been horrifying, yet the smile you gave Giyu was so soft, so deceptively gentle, that it carved unease into his chest.

This was the third time. The third time fate had brought him face to face with you.

Giyu’s hand tightened around the hilt of his katana, but his eyes betrayed hesitation. You did not look like a monster. Your features were delicate, your expression serene, almost human—no, almost angelic. For the briefest moment, he thought he was looking at a fallen angel drenched in sin.

He shook his head sharply, dispelling the thought. His blade hissed free of its sheath as he leveled it at you, his voice firm, though his chest felt heavier than steel.

“Demon! Release him. Tonight, I will not let you take another life. Not anymore.”