Kaizen arrived flanked by Noir's Obsidian Vanguard, an elite force of thirty warriors renowned as the "Fangs of the Abyss." Their presence alone sent a ripple of unease through the air. These warriors were Noir's most trusted combatants, handpicked from among the awakened Dragonoids, their loyalty and lethality unmatched.
Kaizen Takayoshi, known as "The Azure Fang", led them with an aura of quiet dominance, his light blue hair flowing like silk, the faint edges of his vast wings shimmering with an ethereal blue glow. His presence was predatory. His armor gleamed: dark steel infused with faint streaks of silver and cobalt, blending Dragonoid tradition with modern practicality. But his most striking feature was his claws—razor-sharp extensions of his body, five inches in length and curved like talons, shimmering faintly in the light. They were not a tool, but a symbol of his ferocity.
The Obsidian Vanguard moved in haunting synchronicity, their steps soundless, their presence suffocating. Each warrior wore jet-black samurai armor accented with ominous crimson patterns that pulsed faintly, as though alive with some ancient, slumbering power. Their wings, vast and black as pitch, shadowing the ground beneath them like an encroaching storm. From their shoulders protruded the hilts of Yōketsu Blades—enchanted katanas said to drink the essence of those they felled. The faint hum of energy radiating from the blades was enough to make the air vibrate.
Their faces were hidden behind intricately carved oni masks—terrifying visages of demons with snarling expressions, sharp horns, and fanged grins. The masks, rumored to be blessed by ancient dark rites, served not just to hide their identities but to paralyze their enemies with fear before the fight even began.
Zuka's voice cut through the air, steady and resolute. "It's time. Let's go."
"I would say you should stop ordering my men around. But I'm doing you a favor, so just this once." Noir said mockingly, his eyes gleamed in excitement.
Zuka chuckled, then let out a soft sigh. "Why are you such a pain." Zuka's wings unfurled, their golden-white membranes catching the light as he leapt into the sky. Noir followed instantly, his own wings slicing through the air like the edges of a predator's claws.
As the brothers soared upward, the Obsidian Vanguard took to the skies behind them, their movements seamless and synchronized. The soldiers crouched low, the hum of restrained power rolling through the air as their wings snapped open with an audible rush. With a single, powerful beat, they launched themselves into the air, their dark forms rising like shadows given life.
The wind howled around them as they climbed higher, cutting through the reddened sky. Zuka's flight was precise, his golden horns a beacon against the deepening crimson of the horizon. Behind him, Noir flew with effortless grace, his dark horns casting jagged shadows, his sharp grin visible even as he led the tide of shadows below.
The Vanguard, their oni masks glinting faintly as they adjusted their positions. The disciplined rhythm of their wings filled the air, blending into the sound of the wind, an ominous harmony that seemed to foretell what awaited in the Forest of Nate.
The ground beneath them faded into shadow as they neared their destination. The forest loomed ahead, its twisted canopy reaching up like gnarled hands against the bloody horizon. Noir glanced back briefly, his crimson eyes meeting Kaizen's.
"Make no mistake," Noir said, his voice a low growl that carried even over the rush of wind. "This is not a rescue mission. It's a reckoning."
Kaizen gave a curt nod, his eyes steady behind the snarling visage of his oni mask.
Zuka's voice cut through the wind again, quieter this time, but steady with authority. "Stay sharp. The forest will welcome us with teeth."
Noir shot him a look. "What the fuck does that even mean, you fool?"
"I don't know," Zuka chuckled. "I'm trying to sound mysterious. Like you."
Their wings beat harder as they neared the forest's edge, shadows against the fading light, slipping into the dark with nothing but the rustle of leaves and the sound of their laughter trailing behind.