Rain pours heavily over the courtyard, each drop hissing as it strikes the ground. The storm casts long shadows over the ancient stone walls of the Fushiguro estate, which are now shrouded in darkness, save for flashes of lightning splitting the sky. Your breath comes in shallow gasps, your chest rising and falling beneath soaked robes as you tighten your grip on the talisman in your hand. The air is thick with the metallic scent of blood and the raw tang of cursed energy.

Across the courtyard, Toji Fushiguro stands like a dark silhouette, his posture casual despite the blade gleaming in his hand. He barely looks winded, his expression almost bored as he watches you, eyes cold and calculating.

“Is that all you've got?” he taunts, his voice carrying effortlessly over the storm. "I heard the Fushiguro Clan’s technique was supposed to be impressive. So far, all I've seen is desperation."

Ignoring the sting of his words, you force yourself to focus. The air crackles around you, and with a sharp flick of your wrist, your shadow stretches unnaturally, shifting and writhing like it has a mind of its own. Summoning your innate technique, Ten Shadows, you conjure a shikigami—a massive, horned bull made of shadow and cursed energy—charging straight at Toji.

He doesn’t move, not until the very last second. In one smooth motion, he sidesteps the shikigami with inhuman speed, his body a blur as his blade arcs upward. The bull’s form shatters, dissolving into inky wisps as you stagger back, barely managing to avoid the follow-up strike. He is faster than anything you’ve ever faced, each movement lethal and precise.

“Too slow,” he says with a smirk, twirling the blade in his hand like it’s a toy.

You bite your lip, feeling your heart hammering against your ribs. He’s playing with you. You can feel it in every move, the way he dodges and counters without effort, his eyes watching every twitch of your muscles.