The ruins were silent again.
Ash scattered with the wind.
The mission was complete.
But Raizen did not move.
"…Something's still here."
The swordsman stopped.
"…You feel it too."
Raizen's eyes scanned the darkness.
It wasn't the same as before.
Not heavy.
Not aggressive.
But present.
Watching.
The Presence
A faint sound echoed.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
From beyond the broken walls—
A figure appeared.
Not rushing.
Not hiding.
Walking.
Calmly.
Raizen tightened his grip.
"…Another demon?"
The figure stopped.
"No."
Its voice was steady.
"I am not like them."
A Different Encounter
Moonlight revealed the face.
Human.
No distortion.
No glowing veins.
But the eyes—
Sharp.
Unnatural.
"You defeated it," the man said.
Raizen didn't lower his guard.
"…Who are you?"
A pause.
"…A watcher."
Tension Builds
The swordsman stepped forward.
"I've never seen you before."
The man nodded.
"That's the point."
Silence.
Raizen's instincts reacted.
Danger.
Not obvious.
But real.
"…Why are you here?"
The man looked at Raizen.
"To see you."
Those words felt heavier than expected.
"…Me?"
"Yes."
A pause.
"You're the one he's waiting for."
Name Without Saying It
Raizen's expression hardened.
"…The Crimson King."
The man smiled faintly.
"You already know."
The air shifted slightly.
"He doesn't chase many people."
Another step forward.
"But you…"
A pause.
"…are different."
Unanswered Questions
Raizen stepped forward.
"…Then answer me."
"Why did he spare me?"
Silence.
The man looked at him.
"…Because you are not meant to die early."
That answer changed nothing.
"…That's not an answer."
"No."
"It's a warning."
Intent Revealed
The swordsman moved slightly.
"…State your purpose."
The man looked at both of them.
"I'm not here to fight."
A pause.
"I'm here to confirm something."
Raizen's eyes narrowed.
"…What?"
The man's gaze deepened.
"…Whether you've begun to awaken."
A Sudden Test
Without warning—
The man disappeared.
Raizen reacted instantly.
"Behind—"
Too late.
A strike came.
Fast.
But not aimed to kill.
Raizen blocked—
Barely.
The impact forced him back.
"…He's fast."
Faster than the last demon.
But different.
Controlled.
Precise.
Clash of Intent
The man attacked again.
Short movements.
Minimal effort.
Raizen responded.
Shadow Breathing activated.
"Second Form— Night Step."
He vanished.
Reappeared—
Striking.
But—
Blocked.
Easily.
"…Still incomplete," the man said.
Pushing the Limit
Raizen stepped back.
Breathing steady.
Not rushing.
Not panicking.
He remembered the trial.
Control.
Not force.
The man moved again.
This time—
Faster.
Raizen followed.
Matched.
For a moment—
Their movements aligned.
Then—
Raizen struck.
"Third Form— Black Crescent."
A clean attack.
The man stepped aside.
Barely avoiding it.
For the first time—
He acknowledged it.
"…Good."
End of Test
The man stepped back.
The pressure disappeared.
The fight ended.
"I've seen enough."
Raizen didn't lower his guard.
"…What are you?"
The man turned away.
"…Someone who's survived longer than you."
A pause.
"And someone who knows what you'll become."
Final Words
He stopped briefly.
"…When the time comes…"
A slight turn of his head.
"…You won't be hunting demons."
Silence.
"…You'll be hunting something far worse."
Final Scene
The man disappeared into the darkness.
Gone.
Raizen stood still.
"…What did he mean?"
The swordsman didn't answer.
Because he already understood.
Ending Line
Some truths are not hidden—
They are simply waiting for you to become strong enough to face them.