The wind howls like fate on a lonely flute.
I, Ren Arashi—light of the eastern skies, defender of the sevenfold seal, preferred client at at least four inns—step foot into the land of shadow. The demon lands.
The cursed soil rejects the sun. The trees are black, the air bitter with corruption, and even the birds are on fire. I mean literally. One flew past us ten seconds ago and combusted mid-flap.
A fitting stage… for destiny.
"Stop narrating out loud," said Aria flatly.
I turned to my last surviving party member—bard, support mage, and resident eye-roller—whose lute was slung across her back like a resigned apology.
"You used to find it inspiring," I said.
"I was fifteen. You gave a speech about climbing a staircase."
"And we did climb that staircase, didn't we?"
She sighed and pushed aside a thorny vine. "You took a wrong turn and stabbed a mimic disguised as a stair."
"An evil stair."
"A mop. It was a janitor's mop, Ren."
I sheathed my blade dramatically. "Sometimes fate wears mundane faces."
We passed the last of the human outposts two days ago. Since then, it's been corruption this, miasma that, and a cursed squirrel that tried to sell us demonic insurance.
The landscape was a wreck of dead trees, cracked earth, and occasional rock formations that moaned when you looked at them. We saw a demon patrol once—marching in precise formation, armored like nightmares. Aria cast an illusion to distract them.
The illusion was a talking bird that quoted tax law.
It worked.
We pressed on, following the leyline distortion Aria tracked through her enchanted compass-lute.
I, of course, remained vigilant. Every step could trigger a trap. Every shadow might hide a corrupted beast.
Aria tripped over a root and face-planted into demon moss.
"Danger is everywhere," I intoned, offering her my hand.
She slapped it away.
It happened as we crested the ridge over a ruined plaza—stone torn apart by age and magic.
There, standing in the center of a crater surrounded by scattered demon corpses, glowing sigils, and one still-burning food cart, was a familiar figure.
Tall. Cloaked. Wearing too many belts.
His back was turned. The wind caught his coat just as he pointed his hand at the sky and said:
> "Darkness answers when the world forgets its name."
Aria squinted. "Is that...?"
"Kuroblade," I whispered.
Kuroblade Nightshade turned slowly, cloak rippling, cardboard sword catching the glint of despair.
"Ren," he said, voice deep and filled with longing. "You have come."
Aria blinked. "Is he... taller than before?"
"Must've leveled up," I said proudly.
"I walk the path of voids," Kuroblade said solemnly.
"I ride the light of dawn," I responded.
"Our fates converge once more."
"Let them spiral into legend."
Aria: "This is painful."
Kuroblade looked down at the ruins. "I was tracking whispers. A demon councilor lies hidden within this blighted sector."
"So are we," I said. "Fate pulls us by the same thread."
Kuroblade nodded. "Then let us test our resonance once more."
Aria paled. "Wait. No. You two are NOT—"
We'd already taken ten paces back from each other.
"Battle initiation confirmed," I said.
"Synchronize on impact," Kuroblade added.
"Ready…"
"...Duel!"
Our blades met.
Well—my rapier met his illusionary pressure wave, because he never actually drew his cardboard sword.
Light spiraled from my thrust.
Shadow exploded from his runes.
Dust blew outward in every direction. The ruined plaza cracked further. A nearby building collapsed. One poor demon who'd been hiding screamed and ran headfirst into a pillar.
We clashed again.
And again.
And finally—
Kuroblade caught my wrist mid-lunge.
I caught his incantation mid-chant.
And we stopped.
"Resonance confirmed," he said, panting.
"Synergy optimized," I replied.
Then we high-fived.
The shockwave flipped a cart.
Aria fell to her knees and whispered to herself, "They're going to bring down the moon."
"You've grown," I said.
"So have you," Kuroblade replied. "You no longer talk in haiku."
"I do," I said. "I just hide them better now."
He nodded in approval. "Mature."
Aria stood up, dusting herself off. "Great. You've reunited. Can we please focus on surviving?"
Kuroblade turned to her. "I sense strength in your silence."
"I'm not silent."
"That was the strength I sensed."
I sighed happily. "I missed this."
With Kuroblade now joined, our next step was clear: locate the demon official controlling this region.
If we took him out, we'd cut supply to the Demon Lord's western flank and make ourselves absolute menaces.
Aria looked over the map.
"I give it two days before the capital itself sends someone to kill you."
"Or praise us!" I said.
She just stared.
Kuroblade raised a hand and traced a rune in the air. "Then let the hunt begin."
And the air shimmered with cursed glyphs.