Soldiers rushed to Iyakari, bracing for the abrupt arrival of the Demon of Iyakari.
"Hold your ground!" the Taisho bellowed. "We are going to bring this demon down!"
"Yeah!" The soldiers raised their fists, shouting with enthusiasm.
Little did they know, a looming threat was about to reveal itself.
A dark wave rippled through the air, sending shivers down their spines. Fear gripped their hearts, inexplicable yet absolute. Even the bravest among them trembled, unable to understand the terror clawing at their souls.
The Taisho, known for his unwavering strength, fell to his knees, his breath shaky.
"What the hell is happening?!" he shouted.
Then, before their eyes, a towering figure emerged. A knight? A swordsman? A soldier? A ghost? A demon?
No. It was a Shogun—a nightmare clad in blood-red Ō-yoroi, his Sōmen mask bearing a terrifying, demonic expression. A Kabuto sat atop his head, its crest gleaming menacingly.
He walked slowly toward the army, his mere presence paralyzing them with fear. His piercing blue eyes glowed beneath the mask, and a dark mist coiled around him like a living entity. His lacquered Ō-yoroi clanged with each step, the plates shifting like the scales of a beast.
The soldiers gripped their weapons in trembling hands, but none could muster the courage to move.
The demon came to a halt and raised his sword, both hands gripping the hilt. The blade glinted in the sun, shrouded in a swirling black mist. In a single motion, he swung—
—and vanished.
A heartbeat later, he reappeared amidst the soldiers. Bodies fell apart before they could scream. Limbs severed, torsos split—carnage unfolded in mere seconds.
"This is a massacre..." the Taisho whispered, struggling to steady himself. Before he could react, the demon materialized in front of him, his misty form coalescing like a nightmare given flesh.
With a single stroke, the Taisho's sword shattered.
And then—his head tumbled from his shoulders.
The Demon of Iyakari had claimed another victory. Thousands of soldiers lay slaughtered in moments.
The demon did not stop. He hunted down every last man, cutting down even those who tried to flee.
The battlefield was drenched in blood and littered with dismembered bodies. Only one messenger managed to escape, riding frantically toward the empire to warn the Emperor.
---
"What was that?" Ryuji clutched his chest. "My heart is still pounding... but why?"
"I... I don't know..." Kaito sank to his knees. "What just happened?"
Satoshi scanned the crowd. "Look around—everyone felt it."
All around them, people clutched their chests, their faces pale with terror.
"Look!" Reiko pointed toward the Emperor's chamber. A man whispered urgently to the Emperor, who gasped and shot to his feet.
A voice rang out across the gathering.
"The tournament is canceled!" shouted the Emperor's Fist, the Emperor's most trusted guard. "Everyone must return to their homes immediately! By order of His Majesty!"
The crowd murmured in confusion. Satoshi and his team exchanged uneasy glances before stepping outside with the other contestants.
"What the hell is going on?" Ryuji muttered.
"No idea," Kaito said. "But if it's an imperial order, we should return to Raigetsu at once."
Reiko sighed. "Guess we lost the tournament. What a shame." He smirked. "Get it? Because the tournament ended too early?"
Satoshi rolled his eyes. "Your jokes are getting old, old man."
As they walked toward the road, they saw waves of ashigaru marching past, their armor clanking, banners fluttering.
"Is another war starting?" Satoshi frowned. "The Hoshimiya War just ended, and now this?"
"Perhaps," Kaito replied.
They hurried to their stable, mounted their horses, and rode swiftly back to Raigetsu.
---
Upon arrival, they were greeted by Shimoto Shazuru, their towering clan chief. His bulging muscles flexed as he strode toward them, his long hair tied in a ponytail swaying in the wind.
"The tournament's over already?" he asked, his deep voice laced with curiosity.
"Technically, yeah," Ryuji frowned. "But it was stopped."
"Stopped?" Shimoto narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"
"We don't know," Satoshi admitted. "But you must have felt it—a dark wave washed over everything. Everyone, even me, was paralyzed with fear."
Shimoto loomed over him. "Fear? Fear of what?"
"We don't know," Kaito said. "Nothing was there, yet we all felt it."
"Are we just going to ignore the fact that the Emperor was so shaken he canceled the tournament?" Ryuji added, crossing his arms.
"Canceled?" Shimoto's eyes darkened. "That has never happened before."
"They said there was a disturbance near Kogarashi," Reiko said.
Shimoto's expression froze. "No… It can't be."
"What's wrong?" Kaito asked, glancing between Reiko and Shimoto.
Reiko took Shimoto aside, speaking in hushed tones.
"You cannot be serious," Shimoto whispered. "Near Kogarashi? Are you certain?"
"Yes," Reiko replied grimly. "Iyakari."
Shimoto's face hardened. "It cannot be... The Hoshimiya War just ended, and now the demon has returned?!" He clenched his fists. "The Demon of Iyakari... Damn you!"
"We should prepare defenses immediately," Reiko said.
"Kogarashi will fall," Shimoto muttered. "But if we fortify Raigetsu, our survival chances increase."
"No!" Shimoto slammed his fist against the table. "I refuse to surrender to that monster! We will defend our home! Gather the warriors!"
---
Satoshi watched them from afar. "Why do they look so worried?"
"Whatever it is, I'm just glad to be home," Ryuji stretched. "I'm heading out. See you guys later."
Satoshi and Kaito walked toward their home. The scent of spring blossoms filled the air, petals drifting like snowflakes.
"So, your first tournament was a disaster," Kaito said, smirking. "But don't let it get you down. There will be another."
Satoshi grinned. "Alright, promise me one thing. If I win the next one, you take me to Tenshu and buy me those heavenly dumplings."
"Oh?" Kaito chuckled. "Not interested in meeting Musume anymore?"
"That deal was for this tournament," Satoshi said. "Besides, I already met her."
Kaito laughed. "Fine, it's a promise. But promise me one thing in return."
"What?"
"Whatever happens—you must grow stronger. Become unbeatable."
Satoshi smirked. "That was already the plan. But fine, I promise."
As the sun shone overhead, the brothers walked forward—unaware that the Demon of Iyakari had returned, and the empire teetered on the edge of chaos.
--
A wave of samurai and ashigaru surged toward the gate, their armor clanking as they moved with urgency. The banners of their lords fluttered in the wind, but even the sight of their symbols of power did little to ease the tension hanging over them.
"Stay ready!" the Shō Taishō barked, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "By the emperor's command, we are not to engage—only to hold our ground and remain vigilant. We must defend our lands from this demon!"
A samurai rode up beside him, gripping the reins of his horse tightly. "It seems Kogarashi is the demon's next target," he said grimly.
The Shō Taishō gave a firm nod. "That is why we must hold Kogarashi at all costs. If we fail here, the demon will move closer… and nothing will stop it from reaching the heart of the empire."
A sudden, panicked cry rang out from above.
"Commander—look! It's approaching!" the guard on the watchtower shouted, his voice laced with sheer terror.
The Shō Taishō turned his gaze toward the horizon.
There, emerging from the mist, was the nightmare itself.
The Demon of Iyakari.
A silent wave of dread crashed over the soldiers, suffocating the battlefield before a single blade was drawn. The stories had not been exaggerated. This was no man, no ordinary enemy—this was a force of nature, a harbinger of death itself.
And it had arrived.