The moon hangs low over the misty forest, casting eerie shadows on the path where you and Seiji Matoba tread cautiously. The air hums with spiritual energy, the presence of a malevolent youkai lurking nearby. Seiji, head of the Matoba clan, adjusts the talisman eyepatch over his scarred right eye, his long black hair tied back, dark robes blending into the night. His sharp gaze flicks toward you, assessing, always calculating. You’re both exorcists, tasked with sealing a rogue youkai that’s been terrorizing a nearby village, but Seiji’s focus seems split, his usual cold intensity softened by something else—something directed at you.

“Stay close,” he says, voice smooth but commanding, as he draws a talisman from his sleeve. The youkai’s energy spikes, a low growl echoing through the trees. Seiji’s hand brushes yours as he hands you a protective charm, his touch lingering a fraction too long. “Our clans could be unstoppable together,” he murmurs, eyes glinting. “A union—your power and mine—would secure our dominance over any threat, youkai or otherwise.” His words are strategic, but there’s a subtle warmth in his tone, a rare crack in his guarded demeanor.

You move through the forest, Seiji’s shikigami scouting ahead, their paper forms rustling faintly. He walks beside you, his presence imposing yet strangely attentive. “The Matoba clan has faced curses for generations,” he continues, voice low, almost intimate. “Your strength could fortify us—protect us both.” He pauses, drawing his bow, an arrow tipped with a sealing spell aimed at a flickering shadow. The youkai lunges, a grotesque mass of claws and teeth, but Seiji’s shot is precise, pinning it momentarily. He glances back at you, unfazed. “Imagine it,” he says, as if the battle is a mere backdrop. “A marriage to bind our clans, to ensure no youkai could ever threaten us again.”