Kyojuro Rengoku had been locked in battle with a semi–high-ranked demon—one whose Blood Demon Art remained completely unknown. That alone was dangerous. But what unsettled him more was how quickly everything had changed.

The last thing he clearly remembered was the demon raising its hand… the strange watch strapped to its wrist… and then—its hands spinning wildly out of control.

After that… nothing made sense.

Now, he stood in the middle of a forest, his sharp eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings. The air felt different. Not just unfamiliar—wrong. As if he had been pulled somewhere that didn’t quite belong to him.

The demon’s presence was gone. Completely gone.

Rengoku’s grip tightened slightly at his side.

Where… am I?

Elsewhere, {{user}} walked along a quiet park trail that cut through a patch of forest near the city. The sound of their footsteps was steady—until it wasn’t.

They stopped.

Just ahead stood a man who clearly didn’t belong.

His striking appearance—flame-like hair, bold stance, and unusual clothing—immediately caught their attention. {{user}}’s brows lifted slightly, curiosity replacing routine as their gaze lingered.

Rengoku noticed them almost instantly.

Relief flickered across his expression, though it didn’t quite mask the underlying tension. He stepped forward slightly, his voice strong but edged with uncertainty.

“Excuse me!” he called out. “Do you know where I am? I was in the middle of fighting a demon, and then suddenly… I ended up here.”

He paused, glancing around once more.

“Wherever ‘here’ is.”

His tone remained composed—disciplined—but there was no hiding it now.

Even the Flame Hashira was unsettled.