At the Main Demon Headquarters, twelve figures sat around a grand, dark oak table. The flickering torches along the stone walls cast long shadows, each flame dancing to the rhythm of silent anticipation.
Shigeru, Nao's father and a skilled summoner, sat near one end, his fingers tapping lightly against the table's surface. The sound was steady-measured-but betrayed his unease.
Across from him, Nobuyuki, a half-burned man with fire still licking the edges of his scarred skin, exhaled smoke from a cigarette that burned with an eerie, unnatural glow.
Ken, the exorcist, leaned forward, eyeing the cigarette. "Mind if I take a drag?" he asked with a smirk, though the caution in his voice was unmistakable.
Nobuyuki chuckled, smoke curling from his lips. "If you don't mind your lungs catching fire, be my guest."
Ken raised a brow. "Fair enough. Guess I'll stick to holy incense."
A ripple of quiet laughter passed through the table, breaking the tension for a moment.
Makoto, a towering monk with arms like stone pillars, crossed them over his chest, his spiritual pressure weighing heavy in the air. Yui, ever graceful, fanned herself, her eyes darting between them-observant, calculating.
Hiroshi adjusted his grip on his spear, while Akio's bow rested across his lap, his fingers idly brushing the string. Jin, the Korean shaman, murmured incantations under his breath in a forgotten tongue, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead.
Leo, young and composed, sat upright beside his mentor Ken, his pristine white gloves marking his discipline. Fumika, the spiritual dancer, swayed gently, her aura coiling like an unseen flame. Yuka, calm and mysterious, traced glowing runes in the air, her eyes sharp as a blade.
At the far end sat Renji, the corpse master and father of Hinata. Shadows clung to him unnaturally, his presence alone enough to silence lesser hunters.
Then-
The grand doors burst open.
Takashi, the leader of the Demon Hunters, stepped in, umbrella in hand, his boots echoing across the hall. Every head turned immediately-his presence commanded attention like a storm entering a still valley.
Without a word, he took his place at the head of the table. For a moment, only the crackle of the torchlight filled the air.
"Let's begin," Takashi said at last, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "Five elite demons have resurfaced... stronger, bolder, and more destructive than ever."
He set a parchment on the table, its surface covered with demonic sigils. "Enma-the Fire Demon. Chio-the Blood Demon. Kumogami-the Spider Queen. Shikyoku-the Death Sonata. And Kuchihateru-the Rotting Demon."
The air grew heavier. Even the torches flickered lower, as though recoiling at the names.
"These are not ordinary creatures," Takashi continued. "They are remnants of the ancient seal. And now, they hunt again."
Yuka's voice was steady but cold. "Do we know who broke the seal?"
Takashi's eyes darkened. "We suspect... Enma himself."
Ken muttered, "So it begins again..."
Takashi nodded. "It does. And this time, we can't afford mistakes." His tone hardened as he looked around the table. "Nobuyuki, Yuka, Fumika-you'll take Enma. Expect fire that can melt steel and a rage that can burn cities to ash."
Nobuyuki's burned face twisted, but not into a grin this time. His eyes flickered with a quiet, smoldering hatred. "Fire against fire," he muttered, his voice low and trembling with contained fury. "That's fine by me."
Yuka glanced at him warily. "You say that like you've been waiting for this."
"I have," Nobuyuki said, staring at the table. "Enma killed my father... Isamo. Burned him alive in front of our entire unit." His hands clenched, the faint flames on his skin flaring brighter. "I don't care what it takes. I'll make sure he burns for what he did."
Fumika lowered her gaze, her expression softening. "Then this isn't just a mission for you."
Nobuyuki nodded slowly, his tone steady but seething. "No. This is justice."
Takashi's eyes shifted. "Renji. Shigeru. You're with me. Our target is Shikyoku, the Sound Demon-Death Sonata himself. His music can kill. One wrong note, and your soul shatters before your heart stops beating."
Renji's lips curled. "Then I'll make sure he never gets to finish his song."
Shigeru's expression hardened. "Count me in."
The remaining members-Hiroshi, Akio, Makoto, Jin, Leo, and Yui-were assigned to the other three demons. None objected; they knew hesitation meant death.
When the meeting adjourned, silence returned to the vast hall. One by one, the hunters departed into the night, their faces etched with determination and dread.
Outside, under the moonlight, Ken lit a cigarette, the flickering flame illuminating his tired face. Leo followed, pulling his coat tighter against the wind.
"Got a lighter, kid?" Ken asked, a faint grin playing at his lips.
Before Leo could answer, a spark ignited in the darkness-and a hand emerged from the shadows to light Ken's cigarette for him.
Ken froze. The flame reflected in his eyes as realization struck.
"Wait-" he began.
A low, rumbling voice interrupted him. "You humans never learn."
Enma stepped from the shadows, eyes blazing like molten gold, his body wreathed in fire.
"ENMA!" Ken shouted, drawing his blade.
But Enma raised his hand, and flames erupted like a volcanic explosion. Ken's scream was cut short as fire devoured him, flesh turning to ash in seconds. His cigarette fell and burned out on the stone.
Leo staggered back, rage surging through him. "You monster!"
He ripped off his white glove, blood spilling as he cut into his palm. From the wound, he drew a spiritual dagger, its edge glowing with divine energy.
"Let's see how demon blood burns!" he shouted, charging forward.
But from behind Enma, three shadows emerged-Ekiryu, a slimey demon; Kemono, whose claws gleamed like steel; and Nagatsume, a twisted figure with jagged teeth and long claw-like nails.
Leo swung, his dagger slashing through the air, aiming straight for Nagatsume's heart-
But Kemono was faster. His claws sliced through Leo's chest, tearing muscle and bone. Leo gasped, dropping his dagger, blood pooling beneath him.
Enma's voice was low, cruel. "Pathetic. You think you can stand against me with mortal fire?"
Leo fell to his knees, whispering his final words. "Ken... forgive me..."
The last thing he saw was Enma's burning smile before darkness consumed him.
The demons turned their gaze toward the towering fortress ahead-the Headquarters of the Demon Hunters-and began to advance.