The moon hung low over the cityscape, casting a pale glow over rooftops and flickering streetlights. Most of the world had fallen asleep, but Riku stood on the edge of a crumbling apartment building, hands in his pockets, cloak fluttering in the wind.
His golden eyes reflected the light of the moon like those of a predator, but tonight… they held something softer. He had been following a trail — faint cursed remnants like footprints scattered across rooftops and alleyways. But the real weight pressing on him wasn't a curse. It was something deeper.
A memory.
Or the lack of one.
He sat down cross-legged on the edge of the rooftop and stared up at the sky.
"I used to look at the stars and remember things," he muttered to himself. "Faces. Laughter. Pain. Now it's just... silence."
He pressed two fingers to his temple.
No flashbacks. No voice. Just a quiet ache where a past used to be.
Beneath him, his shadow pulsed. A warm presence. Protective.
And then—two snarling figures emerged.
The Divine Dogs: Totality.
One white, one black, their red eyes glowing softly as they sat beside him, pressing their massive bodies against his sides. Guardians born of his shadow. Not just tools, not anymore.
"I know," he murmured, petting the black one. "I'm not really alone. But I still feel it."
The dogs whined in sync.
He gave a short laugh. "You guys really are smarter than most people I've met."
He laid back, arms crossed behind his head, cloak spread beneath him like a shadow-made mattress. The city lights below flickered, but from this angle, they almost looked like stars.
His thoughts drifted.
Momo.
Her sharp words, blazing confidence, and spark that refused to bow to fear.
Aira.
Quiet, observant, and yet… something wild beneath the surface.
They had looked at him — really looked. And hadn't turned away.
He clenched his jaw slightly.
That was dangerous.
Not for them. For him.
Because deep down, the more they saw, the more he feared they'd see the monster he kept chained beneath his skin.
His fingers curled slightly as cursed energy flowed around him in soft, rhythmic pulses.
Sukuna's power — his power — demanded evolution, control, superiority. But there was a small sliver of Riku that wanted… something different.
Connection. Affection. Peace.
"Maybe I'm the contradiction," he said aloud.
The Divine Dogs perked their ears but didn't move.
He closed his eyes. Let the cursed energy seep into his mind, mapping every detail around him. He could feel five curses prowling in the next five blocks. None strong. Not worth the effort. But useful for testing.
He rose slowly, dusting off his cloak.
"Alright boys, let's go for a walk."
The Dogs vanished back into his shadow as he stepped off the rooftop — not falling, but sinking into the cursed shadow realm and reappearing in an alley five streets away.
The first curse barely had time to react before a Cleave split its arm from its body. Riku didn't even blink.
He kicked the creature into a wall and raised his hand, cursed fire crackling in his palm.
Boom — it exploded in a clean blaze.
One down.
The next four tried to run.
He let the Divine Dogs handle them.
Teeth. Claws. Screams.
Minutes later, it was done.
Riku stood surrounded by dissolving spirit bodies, steam rising from the pavement, and the subtle scent of ash in the air.
The Dogs returned to his side, panting softly, content.
Riku looked down at one of the vanishing cursed corpses.
"They used to scare me," he admitted quietly. "The thought that I might enjoy this."
He reached down and pressed a hand over his heart.
"But now… it's not about pleasure. It's about balance. This power wants blood. But I want… control."
He summoned the Dogs again and scratched behind their ears. "You two help me stay human."
They nuzzled him in return.
He turned toward the rooftops and leapt back into the night sky, soaring between buildings like a wraith.
When he landed again, it was outside the bookstore.
Closed now.
But a soft light still flickered inside.
He could feel Momo's energy. Dreaming. Resting. Bright.
He didn't approach.
Just stood at a distance.
And smiled.
"I'll protect them," he whispered to the wind. "Not because I have to. But because they'll never ask me to."
And as the Divine Dogs curled at his feet, and the moonlight bathed him in silver, Riku closed his eyes.
Not alone. Not anymore.