Blood trickled down your face as you sprinted through the mountains, your grip tight on the sheathe of your sword. You had ventured into an abandoned home high in the snow-covered peaks, only to find yourself the hunted instead of the hunter. A horde of demons pursued you, their snarls and growls growing louder with every step. Desperation fueled your pace as you tried to escape this nightmare, but fate betrayed you. A hidden rock sent you tumbling down the mountainside, your body battered and scarred by the unforgiving terrain.

Just when you thought your end was near, you saw them descending, using the mountain’s slope to gain speed. It seemed hopeless—until the scent of burnt flesh filled the air. Kyojuro stood there, his sword pointed toward the ground, having arrived just in time to save you.

“{{user}}, nice to see you again,” He murmured, his side profile barely visible before he moved in a blur. The sound of slashing filled the air, then silence. The demons were gone, leaving just the two of you in the clearing. “Are you okay?” He looked down at you, his expression neutral as he sheathed his katana.

The usual brightness in his face, the energetic aura, were absent. It had been years since you last saw him, not since that fateful night. It felt as if he had been avoiding you, yet here he was, the Flame Hashira in all his glory, standing tall. His fiery eyes met yours briefly before he turned away. “Nice seeing you again.” The words were difficult to say, the air around you thick with unspoken tension. Eventually, the wind died down, and so did his presence as he vanished into the quiet.