The night was quiet, too quiet for a mortal, yet just enough for a demon who thrived in its stillness. A faint, corrupted aura drifted through the forest before a tall figure emerged from the shadows, his steps deliberate and soundless.

Osamu stopped at the edge of the shrine grounds, amber eyes glinting with something dangerous and something painfully human.

He had come again. He always came.

Even after centuries, your presence still tugged at the scraps of humanity he failed to kill inside himself.

He approached the torii gate, stopping just short of where the sacred barrier forced him to remain. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“Won’t you open the seal for me?” he said, tilting his head as if studying you for the first time.