Nightfall wrapped around them like a shroud as they left the Nexus behind, the Watchers' silent gazes lingering in the depths of Aiko's mind. The weight of their revelation—of what she and Ryou had become—had yet to settle fully. But there was no turning back now.
The journey ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: they needed answers. If their bond had rewritten the rules of the Kyūbi's power, they had to understand how. And the only place that held such knowledge was a hidden shrine deep within the mountains, a forgotten relic of the first Kyūbi's legacy.
"We'll reach the shrine in two days if we keep moving," Mei said, keeping pace beside them. Her tone was steady, but Aiko could hear the curiosity beneath it. Even Mei, as skeptical as she was, couldn't deny that something had changed. "If it still exists, that is."
Aiko nodded but found herself glancing at Ryou. He had barely spoken since they left. His usually sharp focus seemed distant, his jaw set in a way that told her he was thinking—too much.
She knew why.
Ryou had always been her protector, not just in battle but in every unspoken way. He had been the one constant in the chaos of her life. And now, that role had blurred, shattered by something neither of them had expected.
Because he wasn't just her protector anymore.
He was bound to her.
Aiko slowed her pace, falling in step beside him. "You're quiet," she murmured.
Ryou exhaled, his fingers flexing at his sides. "Just thinking."
"That's dangerous."
The corner of his lips twitched, but the half-smile didn't reach his eyes. "Aiko…" He hesitated, and for the first time since their bond had awakened, she saw the conflict in him. "This wasn't supposed to happen."
Her chest tightened. "What do you mean?"
"I was meant to protect you. Not… not this." His voice was low, rough. "I swore an oath to your bloodline, to the Kyūbi. But this bond—this connection—it's something else. Something I wasn't meant to have."
Aiko swallowed hard. "And do you regret it?"
Silence.
The air between them felt fragile, like a thread pulled too tight. Ryou's hands clenched, and for a moment, she thought he might pull away.
But then—
"No."
The word was quiet, but it cut through the night like a blade. Aiko's breath hitched as he turned to her, something fierce and desperate burning behind his dark eyes. "I should regret it. I should want to sever it before it's too late. But I don't. I can't."
She didn't realize she had reached for him until their fingers brushed, the spark of their bond flaring between them. He didn't pull away this time.
"Then don't fight it," she whispered. "We don't know what this is yet, but maybe—maybe it's not something to fear."
Ryou let out a shaky breath, his shoulders finally losing some of their tension. He lifted a hand, hesitating before resting it lightly against the side of her face, his thumb grazing her cheek. "I don't fear you, Aiko. I fear what this means. What it could cost you."
Aiko pressed her hand over his, holding it there. "Then stay. Help me figure it out."
For a long moment, Ryou said nothing. Then, slowly, he nodded.
A promise.
Mei's voice interrupted them before anything more could be said. "Not to ruin the moment, but we have company."
Aiko and Ryou turned as Mei gestured toward the ridge ahead. Figures moved in the darkness, their silhouettes barely visible against the moonlit path. But Aiko felt them before she saw them—an old, familiar presence curling at the edges of her senses.
The Onibane had found them.
Ryou stepped forward, his body instinctively moving in front of Aiko's. But this time, Aiko didn't just let him shield her.
This time, they would fight together.
And as their bond pulsed between them, she knew—with Ryou by her side, she was stronger than she had ever been before.