The wind had changed.
It wasn't just a breeze anymore-it carried something heavier. The grass no longer swayed gently beneath their feet. It bent... then stilled, as if the land itself was holding its breath.
Ren walked at the front, his eyes closed as always, his steps steady.
But his head tilted slightly.
"...Do you feel that?" he asked quietly.
Aikari slowed beside him, her gaze scanning the tree line. Her voice was soft-but alert.
"Yeah... it's like the air got thicker."
Daiki cracked his knuckles, a grin spreading across his face.
"Good. I was getting bored walking all damn day."
Shin didn't respond immediately. His eyes were already moving-calculating, watching shadows shift between branches.
Kuroha stood still for a moment longer than the others.
"...We're not alone," she said.
A low sound crept through the forest.
Not a roar.
Not a growl.
Something worse.
A laugh.
The trees trembled.
Leaves fell in unnatural waves as something massive moved between them-too fast to fully see.
Then-
CRASH.
A body slammed into the ground ahead of them, splitting the earth beneath it.
Aikari flinched back.
"...What the hell is that...?"
The creature slowly rose.
Its limbs were long and twisted, its skin dark and cracked like dried stone. Veins of dim red light pulsed beneath its surface, like something burning deep inside.
Its face-
If it could even be called that-
Split open into a jagged grin filled with uneven teeth.
And then it spoke.
"Ahh... fresh ones."
Daiki stepped forward instantly, electricity faintly crackling around his hands.
"Ugly bastard talks too? Good. Makes this more fun."
Shin moved beside him, low and ready.
"Don't rush in. We don't know what it can do yet."
The demon tilted its head, amused.
"You can call me..."
It paused, dragging its claws slowly across the ground, the sound sharp and grating.
"...Gorvath."
The name seemed to echo unnaturally through the trees.
Aikari felt it in her chest.
"...That name..." she whispered. "It feels... wrong."
Gorvath took a step forward.
The ground cracked beneath its weight.
"Fear suits you," it said, grinning wider. "You should hold onto it."
Before anyone could react-
It vanished.
"MOVE-!" Shin shouted.
Too late.
Gorvath reappeared in front of Daiki, its arm already swinging.
BOOM.
Daiki was sent flying, crashing through two trees before hitting the ground hard.
"Daiki!" Aikari yelled.
Ren didn't move.
But his voice came out low.
"...It's fast."
Aikari stepped forward, water already forming around her hands.
"Then we slow it down."
She thrust her arm forward-
A stream of water shot out, wrapping around Gorvath's leg and tightening.
For a second-
It worked.
Then Gorvath looked down.
"...Clever."
It flexed once.
The water shattered.
Aikari's eyes widened.
"No-"
Gorvath was already in front of her.
Its hand shot forward-
CRACK.
Aikari was thrown to the ground, the air knocked from her lungs.
She gasped, pain shooting through her side.
"Aikari!" Ren's voice sharpened.
Daiki forced himself up in the distance, wiping blood from his mouth.
"...Alright... yeah... that one hurt."
Electricity surged stronger around him now.
"This thing's pissing me off."
Shin moved fast-slipping behind Gorvath and slashing across its back.
The blade connected-
But barely cut.
"...Tch. Tough hide."
Gorvath didn't even turn fully.
It backhanded Shin across the clearing.
Kuroha finally moved.
Dark energy pooled at her fingertips, her expression calm-but cold.
"You're loud," she said quietly.
The shadows beneath Gorvath twisted-
Grabbing at its legs.
Holding it in place.
For the first time-
Gorvath paused.
"...Interesting."
Aikari pushed herself up, breathing uneven.
Her hands trembled slightly.
It's too strong...
Her eyes flicked toward Ren.
Still standing.
Still calm.
Still not moving.
He's waiting...
Gorvath began to break free from the shadows.
Slowly.
Forcefully.
Ren stepped forward.
Just one step.
The air shifted.
"...That's enough."
Everyone felt it.
That pressure.
That presence.
Something deeper... darker...
Leaking through him.
Aikari's eyes widened slightly.
"...Ren..."
Gorvath turned its head fully now.
For the first time-
It looked interested.
"...Ahh..."
Its grin stretched wider.
"So you're the one."
Ren lowered his head slightly.
His eyes still closed.
"...Back off."
Gorvath laughed.
Louder this time.
Wild.
Unstable.
"Make me."
The wind howled through the trees.
The ground trembled beneath their feet.
And for the first time-
It felt like something far worse than a demon...
Was about to awaken.