"I see," Kagerou said as his grip tightened around the hilt of his ninjatō, raising it into the air. There was no mockery in his tone, no killing intent in his eyes, only pity, and a silent prayer in his heart. A hope that when all of this ended, the souls of those who had fallen to the demon before him would finally find peace. "…Then this is where your journey ends"
"…"
"Say your name, demon," Kagerou said again. "... I want to remember the name of the demon I kill on my first official mission"
It wasn't respect. It was simply the understanding that some things in life demand to be remembered.
And Hairo knew that, so he remained silent for a long moment. Then, without lifting his head, he spoke.
"…My name is Hairo... Only that"
"I see… Hairo," Kagerou replied, already settling into his stance. "Then this is the end"
In the next instant, the blade descended, not too slow, not too fast. Not cruel, yet not merciful either. Just fast enough for Hairo to feel it. To recognize it. To remember, in that final moment, what it meant to be human... A being who feared death.
"…Goodbye"
*Swing*
The blade fell.
There was no resistance. No rejection.
Hairo did not struggle. He surrendered completely.
He was not defeated by strength. He simply did not know how to fight an enemy he could not even touch.
He had been a hunter.
But Kagerou and his Smoke Breathing were his worst possible foe.
So he surrendered. Not because he was weak, far from it. He stood on the verge of becoming a Lower Moon.
But there was no path to victory left for him.
And as the blade fell, as death drew near, memories surfaced... And then, beyond them, there was only the void.
*Thud*
Hairo's head separated from his body, striking the ground and rolling once… twice… before turning to ash.
Kagerou stood in silence.
He looked at the ashes, at what remained of Hairo before slowly sheathing his ninjatō.
"…I hope you'll be a better person in your next life," he said quietly.
Then he turned away.
He walked toward the inn, leaving behind the burning house… And the ashes scattered upon the ground.
#A/N: "Flashback? No! Not my style"
---
There was no hurry in Kagerou's steps. If anything, he felt more relaxed than he ever had.
The kiseru rested between his lips, one hand tucked into his uniform while the other moved idly, back and forth between the hilt of his ninjatō and the pipe.
He truly liked the quiet atmosphere of this town. The way the mist wrapped around him, soft and embracing.
If he had no home to return to, no family waiting for him somewhere beyond the mountains, he might have considered staying here.
He knew this calm existed only because of the demon, and by tomorrow, the town would return to normal.
Hairo was dead.
That was why his steps were slow.
He wanted to savor this silence, the stillness of a town that never slept for as long as he could.
*CAW!*
…And there it was.
The sound that shattered the quiet.
Kagerou sighed and looked up.
A Kasugai Crow circled above him, cawing loudly, as if determined to announce its presence to the entire town.
"CAW! Mission complete! The demon in the town has been eliminated! Well done, Rengoku Kagerou! Return to headquarters and await further instruc-"
"Shut up, Kiri," Kagerou said flatly. And for some reason, the Kasugai Crow, Kiri (霧/mist) immediately fell silent.
"I'll stay here for tonight. That's it," Kagerou continued. "Go back and deliver my message to Kagaya. Tell him to send someone to the ryokan I'm staying at and speak with the owner. That's all. Now go"
Kagerou didn't bother waiting for a response.
He simply kept walking through the mist.
Without realizing it, he soon found himself standing in front of the inn.
And there, unexpectedly, someone was waiting.
"…Akari-san?" Kagerou said as he noticed her standing by the ryokan entrance. "What are you doing out here?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing, Kagerou-kun," Akari replied. "What are you doing outside this late at night?"
"…Walking?"
"Like I'd believe that," she said. After a brief pause, her expression sharpened. "…Was that your doing?"
"What?"
"The explosion"
Kagerou didn't answer.
He met her gaze for a long moment, then sighed.
"Let's talk inside"
"Sounds good," Akari replied. "It's cold out here"
Hearing that, Kagerou sighed again. Without a word, he removed his haori and draped it over her shoulders.
Akari froze, clearly not expecting it.
"You know it's cold," Kagerou said as he walked past her toward the entrance, "and you're still standing out here. Are you stupid or something?"
He entered the ryokan without looking back.
Akari stood there for a moment, stunned.
Then she realized he was already inside.
"…W-Wait," she said quickly, turning and hurrying after him.
"Should we drink something while we talk?"
"Is it on the house?" Kagerou asked without glancing back.
"Well~ only this time, okay?"
---
- Afternoon.
When Kagerou woke up, the first thing he felt was pain.
A dull, persistent ache throbbed behind his eyes, spreading through his skull like smoke trapped in a sealed room.
"…Tch," he groaned, clutching his head. "I drank too much…"
As the pain dulled enough for coherent thought to return, something else felt wrong.
Kagerou opened one eye.
Then the other.
"…Where am I?" he muttered.
The ceiling wasn't the one from the ryokan room he remembered. The scent in the air was different, faintly floral, mixed with tea and incense. The futon beneath him was softer. Neater.
His memory refused to cooperate.
"What happened last night…?" he murmured.
Frowning, Kagerou pushed himself upright and pulled the blanket aside... and froze.
"..."
He stared down at himself.
Completely naked.
For a solid three seconds, his mind went blank.
Then-
"…Oh shit"
He sighed, rubbing his face with one hand, surprisingly calm for someone who had just woken up unclothed in an unfamiliar room.
"…Okay," he muttered. "This looks like trouble. Think"
Last night…
Drinking.
Talking.
Akari.
He paused.
"…Akari"
A faint sense of dread crept up his spine. Slowly, very carefully, Kagerou scanned the room. His uniform was folded neatly at the side.
Too neatly.
His haori was nowhere to be seen.
And then-
*Footsteps*
Kagerou stiffened.
Light. Unhurried. Approaching.
The shoji door slid open.
Akari stepped inside, carrying a tray.
She stopped.
Kagerou stopped.
Silence crashed between them.
Their eyes met.
"…Good afternoon," Akari said calmly.
Kagerou stared at her.
Then glanced down.
Then back to her.
"…Turn around," he said flatly.
"…Why?"
"Because I'm naked"
A pause.
"…I've seen it," Akari replied. "What's the problem?"
"That IS the problem," Kagerou said, deadpan, his mind now forming a very unpleasant image of last night. "Now turn around. I want to get dressed"
"If it makes you more comfortable," Akari said mildly, "then alright"
She turned around.
Only then did Kagerou move, quickly pulling on his clothes.
"…So," he said, breaking the silence mid-button, "last night… did we..."
Akari tilted her head slightly. "Did what?"
"…That," Kagerou said. "That thing"
"That thing?"
"…So we didn't?"
"We did"
"…We did?"
"We did"
"..."
Kagerou stopped moving.
The silence stretched.
"…Define did," he finally said.
"You're a beast-"
"Alright, that's enough," Kagerou cut in immediately, holding up a hand. His expression was flat, but the tips of his ears had turned faintly red. "Stop talking"
Akari paused.
Then, slowly, she smiled.