The sun slowly lowered, casting an orange light across the land as a cold breeze swept through the newly bloomed flowers. Their sweet scent drifted with the wind toward a little girl who hummed softly to herself.
She gently picked the most beautiful blossoms, carefully placing each one into her basket and cherishing every one.
"Hanako, sweetheart," Kiyomi called after her daughter, her voice warm. "Come inside—your food's going to get cold."
"Coming, Mommy!" Hanako shouted, brushing dirt from her clothes. Dashing toward the house, the basket resting in her arms.
"What do you have there, Hanako?" Kiyomi asked, glancing at the basket in her daughter's hands.
"Flowers!" Hanako beamed.
Kiyomi smiled, gently stroking her daughter's head. "And what are you going to do with them?"
"I want to make something special for Mommy," Hanako said, swinging the basket back and forth with excitement.
"Your Mommy will be very happy to receive such a lovely gift. But first, go wash those hands—they're all dirty."
"Yes, Mommy!" Hanako chirped, hurrying off with a smile.
As her daughter dashed off, Kiyomi shifted her attention toward the yard. Beyond the garden, the sharp clack of wooden katanas echoed through the air.
With a sigh, she placed her hands on her hips and muttered, "Boys…" as she watched her husband and son locked in a friendly duel.
"Dinner is ready!"
One sharp shout was all it took—both boys scrambled over like hungry baboons, well aware not to make her repeat herself.
The rich aroma of curry filled the air, and the boys were practically drooling. With utensils clutched like weapons, they looked one second away from declaring war on their plates.
Kiyomi giggled as she set the plates around the table, watching her boys eye the food like starving wolves.
The moment the last dish hit the table, they dove in without hesitation.
"Thangs, Momf," Yuto mumbled through a mouthful of curry.
"Yuto, what did I tell you? Eat with your mouth closed, young man," Kiyomi scolded with a playful glance.
Her husband leaned back, patting his stomach with a satisfied sigh. "Delicious as always, honey."
A loud burp echoed through the room, causing everyone to pause and turn toward the source. To their surprise, it was Hanako, proudly letting out a big burp.
"Atta girl," her husband chuckled, ruffling her hair with a grin.
"Koji, a young lady isn't supposed to behave like that," Kiyomi said, shaking her head.
"What's the harm? She's only six," Koji replied, playfully pinching Hanako's cheeks. Hanako giggled and let out a big yawn.
"I'm tired," she murmured, her small voice soft as she rubbed her eyes.
"You two clean up, I'll put her to bed," Kiyomi said, gently picking up her sleeping daughter. She carried her to the bedroom, tucking her in with a soft smile.
"Goodnight, my little one," she whispered, brushing a lock of hair from Hanako's face before quietly leaving the room.
Silence blanketed the Shimizu household, broken only by the gentle rhythm of slumbering breaths.
Until it shattered.
A scream tore through the stillness—sharp, panicked, and raw.
Hanako awoke, rubbing her eyes with tiny fists as her heart skipped.
"…What's going on?"
She scrambled out of bed, her small feet padding across the floor as she rushed to see what had happened. But the moment she stepped into the hallway, she froze.
Her breath caught in her throat.
"Mommy…?"
There, in the flickering moonlight, she saw her mother, bloodied, unmoving, as a grotesque creature tore into her flesh. Beside them, another body lay limp on the floor.
"Daddy…?"
Her voice trembled, barely more than a whisper, as the nightmare unfolded before her eyes.
"The Demon paused and it stopping it eating. It turned around with blood in its mouth, it looked human, but its sharp teeth and its eyes weren't human
"Oh? And here comes dessert," he snarled, twisting a grin dripping with blood.
Hanako stood frozen. Her tiny frame trembled, eyes wide with terror as tears streamed down her cheeks. She couldn't scream. She couldn't even breathe.
Then, Strong, familiar arms swept her off the ground.
"Hang on!" Yuto shouted, his voice shaking.
He ran. As fast as his legs could carry them. No time to look back. No time to mourn. Only the sound of the demon behind them.
"M-Mama… Papa…" Hanako whispered, her voice trembling. The words repeated on her lips, cracking as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Mommy… Daddy…"
"Hanako," Yuto said, clutching his side, blood seeping through his fingers. "Stay strong".
Yuto staggered toward the road leading to town, clutching Hanako tightly. But before he could take another step, a sharp pain pierced his chest.
He gasped—then coughed violently, blood splattering from his lips.
With the last of his strength, Yuto shoved Hanako, sending her rolling onto the ground. She looked up, her heart racing, as she heard her brother's desperate shout.
"Run! Get out of here—now!"
"I love the taste of children—they're quite the snack," the demon hissed, grabbing Yuto by the neck and lifting him effortlessly into the air. "But teenagers? Mmm… they're nice too."
Its head turned slowly toward Hanako.
"Hi there, little girl. Is he your brother? Good—watch closely while I eat him in front of you."
Yuto struggled, choking on his breath as the demon's grip tightened, bones cracking. Then, without mercy, it sank its teeth into his flesh and began to tear him apart.
But just as the demon feasted, a sudden gust of wind swept through the clearing. Behind Hanako, light twisted in the air as a glowing gate tore open.
Footsteps echoed against the earth.
A tall man stepped through, his dark hair tousled by the wind, piercing green eyes narrowing at the scene before him.
"…What the hell?"
Fenrir watches in disgust at the grotesque sight of a human devouring another.
"Yep… this world's a mess," Fenrir muttered, watching in disgust as one human devoured another in the distance.
He was about to summon another gate and leave when he noticed a small girl, frozen in shock, eyes wide with terror.
He felt the raw, overwhelming wave of emotion radiating from her.
Faintly, beneath her trembling breath, he heard her whisper, "Help me."
Fenrir clicked his tongue. "Tch."
He normally didn't interfere in human affairs—his role was quite the opposite.
But something about the way this child trembled… it stirred a memory.
He had been just a child when his sister feared lightning, and he feared the dark. But they were always there for each other.
And for a brief moment, he didn't see just a child in front of him; he saw her.
His sister…
The demon, busy indulging in its feast, suddenly stiffened. A new scent reached their nose. It slowly turned its head toward the newcomer.
"You… what are you?" the demon growled, its guard rising the moment Fenrir stepped closer.
So it can tell I'm not human? How intriguing.
Fenrir tilted his head, unimpressed. "A man-eating monster. What a charming world this is." He glanced around briefly. "But now that I'm getting a feel for the rules here… maybe I'll stick around for a while."
"Rules?" the demon snarled.
"Don't worry about it," Fenrir replied coolly. He crouched beside the trembling girl, gently placing a hand on her head. "Sleep."
Hanako's eyes fluttered closed, and she collapsed into unconsciousness.
Standing up, Fenrir gave the demon a flat look. "I'm guessing you killed her family. How original."
As Fenrir unleashed his powerful aura, the demon's instincts flared as every fiber of its being screamed at it to run
Man, how much he'd give to experiment on a creature like this. But glancing at the battered form of the human child, he figured killing it was the only fitting end.
With a flick of his wrist, ice erupted from the ground, encasing the demon in a solid prison, stopping it in its tracks.
Then, with a snap of his fingers, the frozen shell exploded into a million glittering shards.
The demon never stood a chance.