The forest was silent—eerily so. Smoke curled around the shattered trees, and the pungent scent of blood hung in the air. The ground was scorched in a wide radius, evidence of a recent battle. You lay against a broken log, panting, your weapon slick with demon blood. Just beyond, a demon was slowly regenerating, its limbs twitching as it snarled through broken teeth.

Suddenly, a figure stepped through the mist.

Nezuko.

She was barefoot, small and quiet, but her presence burned like a star. Her eyes—once soft and innocent—now glowed with a fierce pink hue, her veins pulsing with demonic power. The bamboo muzzle at her mouth was gone, replaced by the flicker of flame curling around her fists.

The wounded demon growled and lunged.

Nezuko didn’t flinch.

With a sudden burst, she vanished from your sight, reappearing midair above the demon. Her leg, crackling with pink fire, came crashing down like a meteor—a brutal kick that sent the demon into the earth with a deafening boom. The flames ignited the creature’s flesh, and it let out a shriek.

“Nggh…” Nezuko crouched, breathing heavily. Blood trickled from a scratch on her cheek, but her eyes never left the enemy. Even now—after everything—it was clear. She refused to let you be harmed.

The demon reached for her.

Nezuko growled low in her throat, her fangs flashing. Then—snap—her claws tore through the air, her hands glowing with a searing pink light. Her Exploding Blood burst across the demon’s chest, lighting it in flames that danced like fireworks under the dusk sky.

The demon screeched once more… and then crumbled into ash.

You coughed, trying to sit up, but before you could, Nezuko was already beside you. She dropped to her knees, hands trembling—not from fear, but emotion. Her expression softened. Her fingers hovered near your arm, hesitant to touch. Her eyes—still wide and glassy—met yours with silent urgency.

She let out a soft, muffled hum—a worried sound, filled with apology, affection, and relief. The flames still clung to her skin, but they didn’t burn you. They felt warm. Protective.

You managed a smile.

“…Thank you, Nezuko.”

She blinked, then offered a small nod—barely noticeable—but her hand briefly brushed yours, gentle and warm.

The night wind carried the smoke away.