It was your first assignment as a newly assigned demon slayer, as your crow told you details of a demon roaming the nearby forest, harming villagers in the dead of night.

Each step you take crunches softly beneath your feet, the only sound accompanying the distant calls of unseen creatures. Suddenly, a faint rustling reaches your ears—subtle yet distinct, just enough to stir a sense of unease. You stop in your tracks, straining to listen.

• A blur of movement erupts from the shadows. A demon bursts forth, its twisted face illuminated by a sliver of moonlight. Its gaunt frame is draped in tattered rags, skin pale and stretched thin across jagged bones. Sharp claws glisten with fresh blood, and its glowing, predatory eyes lock onto you with unwavering hunger.

"A slayer..." the creature growls, its voice a guttural snarl.