The road stretched endlessly before them, swallowed by a thick curtain of fog.
Only the faint glow of the moon tried to pierce through the mist, making the night sky seem even darker.
Akira and Erika walked side by side, their footsteps echoing softly on the empty dirt road.
It was the kind of silence that pressed against the ears, quiet, heavy, almost unnatural.
"Are we sure there's even a demon in this place?" Erika finally asked, her voice breaking the stillness. "There's hardly anyone here."
Akira glanced around, hands in his pockets. "I don't know either. But you heard Raven, right? The demon should be around here somewhere."
Erika sighed in disbelief. "I still can't believe you actually named your crow Raven."
"Raven's a cool name," Akira said flatly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Besides, you named yours Rose. How's that any different?"
"That's completely different," Erika shot back immediately. "You named your crow after a closely related species!"
Akira smirked. "Yeah, but you named yours after a flower. So it's basically the same thing."
Erika pouted, muttering under her breath. "It's not the same thing!"
But, before either could continue, a distant sound echoed through the fog.
Thrum… thrum… thrum…
"Huh?" Erika's eyes darted around. "What's that sound?"
Akira's expression sharpened. "Sounds like… a motorcycle."
The noise grew louder.
THRUM… THRUM… THRUMMMM…
"Wait," Erika said, frowning. "Are there even motorcycles in the Taishō era?"
"Motorcycles were invented in 1885," Akira replied matter-of-factly. "So it's not impossible. But probably only the wealthy owned one."
He narrowed his eyes. "Still… that sound is too modern."
Erika's brow furrowed. "Didn't the demon we're supposed to find ride a 'metal horse' or something?"
Before Akira could answer, the low rumble turned into a roar. The sound was racing toward them, fast. And then two bright headlights pierced the mist, heading straight toward them.
Both instantly took fighting stances. Erika summoned her device the crimson ribbons, églantine, it unfurled from her arms like red serpents, glowing faintly in the mist, while Akira stood calmly, his armor still unsummoned.
"Why didn't you summon your armor?" Erika asked, annoyed.
Akira smiled faintly. "Because you never use all your powers at the beginning of a fight. Otherwise, it'd be over too soon."
Erika sighed, already regretting asking. "There's no changing him".
Suddenly, a manic laugh split the air.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA! I am unstoppable!"
Through the fog burst a black motorcycle, its metal gleaming under the moonlight, looking far too advanced for its time.
And on it rode a demon, his wild eyes glinting in the headlight's glare as he charged straight at them, full speed.
"I've never heard of this demon in the anime," Akira muttered as the roaring engine echoed closer. "Probably an original. Well, first things first, long-range attack."
He picked up a large stone from the ground, his hand glowing faintly as he imbued it with strength. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he hurled it toward the demon at incredible speed.
The air cracked with the sound of the throw, but the stone bounced harmlessly off the motorcycle's front, shattering into fragments as the demon kept speeding toward them.
"HAHAHAHA! I am unstoppable!" the demon bellowed, his laughter echoing through the mist.
"Evade!" Akira shouted.
Both he and Erika leapt to the side just in time as the motorcycle thundered past, the shockwave of its speed kicking up dirt and fog. The demon skidded far ahead, then turned in a wide arc, the engine howling as he came charging back again.
"I threw that stone at the speed of a cannonball," Akira muttered. "But it didn't even slow him down."
"I'll try!" Erika said.
"Wait—!" Akira started, but she was already moving.
Her ribbons flared crimson in the mist as she drew in a deep breath.
"Blood Breathing, First Form: Crimson Throne Prison!"
The ribbons around her arms surged forward, glowing with a bloody light as they wrapped around the demon. Gravity condensed around the crimson strands as she tried to crush him.
Blood Breathing, the style Erika herself had created. Inspired by the flow of blood she could sense as a half-vampire, Its First Form, 'Crimson Throne Prison,' was inspired by the night she first captured Akira, the same night she learned to fly.
But her ribbons trembled and sparked. The demon was unharmed.
Akira's eyes widened. "Erika, release it!"
"Huh? What do you mea…KYAAAAAA!"
Her scream tore through the fog as the motorcycle accelerated again, dragging her along at terrifying speed. Her ribbons, still bound to the demon, stretched and yanked her into the air.
"Spread your wings!" Akira shouted.
Erika did, the wind catching her wings as she was yanked upward, her body swaying in the night air like she was parasailing behind a demonic motorcycle, of all things.
"I can't crush him!" she screamed over the roar. "Something's protecting him!"
Running below, Akira analyzed the situation aloud. "Something's shielding him from external attacks. Probably his Blood Demon Art."
Above them, the demon's laughter echoed through the mist.
"HAHAHA! No matter what you do, I am unstoppable! Me and my motorcycle are ONE!"
He spun the throttle, turned sharply, and charged again. Erika quickly released her ribbons, the sudden force launching her through the air.
"Ahh!" she yelped as she was thrown into the air for a moment before spreading her wings again to steady herself. Luckily, she could fly now.
The demon skidded to a stop, the tires screeching against the road as sparks flew. His wild eyes gleamed under the moonlight.
Then, with a growl, he shouted. "Blood Demon Art—Iron Rush!"
The engine roared like thunder as the demon shot forward once again, his entire form glowing faintly with a dark, metallic aura. The sheer speed was blinding.
Akira stood his ground, eyes narrowing as the monster charged straight toward him once more.
Akira once again leapt aside at the very last second, the motorcycle blazing past him with a thunderous roar. Sparks scattered across the road as the demon skidded, turned sharply, and came charging again, completely undeterred.
Erika swooped back to Akira's side, breathing heavily. "Why don't our attacks work on him!?"
"His Blood Demon Art… It's similar to Juggernaut's powers, you know that guy from X-Men movies," Akira said. "Unstoppable momentum."
Erika looked worried. "Then what should we do?"
Akira's gaze locked on the motorcycle as it sped toward them again. "We just need to run some tests first."
Both of them dodged once more as the demon roared past, the ground trembling beneath its wheels. The air filled with the screech of turning metal as the bike swung around for another assault.
"Does he have any weaknesses?" Erika asked, landing beside Akira as the demon accelerated again.
"Yes," Akira said calmly, eyes gleaming faintly. "His bike."
Erika blinked. "His bike?"
"I can see it," Akira replied, his irises glowing faintly with the light of his Mystic Eyes of Truth. "The bike itself is mostly normal. The demon fused with it, but not completely, which means the bike can be destroyed more easily. That has to be the weakness."
He snatched another stone from the ground and hurled it with immense force.
It struck the front of the motorcycle squarely, only to ricochet off again like before.
"It didn't work!" Erika shouted as both of them dodged the charging demon again, dirt flying in all directions.
Akira frowned. "As I thought, the front of both him and the bike is covered by a forcefield of some kind. Any direct attack just bounces off it." His eyes tracked the demon's movement as it turned for another run. "But what about the rear side…?"
The engine screamed again as the demon spun around for yet another charge.
Akira crouched, picking up another stone, his expression sharpening.
"When I give the signal," he said, glancing at Erika, "capture him with your ribbons."
Erika nodded firmly. "Got it."
The next instant, the demon came barreling toward them again, laughter echoing through the fog. "HAHAHAHA! YOU CAN'T STOP ME!"
Akira waited until the last possible second and then both he and Erika dodged aside in perfect sync, again.
As the motorcycle roared past, Akira spun, eyes locking on the exhaust pipe.
"Now!"
He threw the stone.
It shot through the air like a bullet, striking the exhaust pipe with pinpoint precision. A sharp metallic clang echoed, followed by a sudden sputtering sound. The stone jammed itself deep inside, blocking the exhaust completely.
The engine choked.
Smoke hissed violently from beneath the bike's frame, and before the demon could react, the motorcycle lurched and stopped dead. The momentum, however, threw the demon straight off, sending him tumbling across the ground.
"Now, Erika!" Akira shouted.
Erika took a deep breath. "Blood Breathing, First Form—Crimson Throne Prison!"
Her crimson ribbons shot forward again, twisting around the disoriented demon. This time, they wrapped around him completely.
The demon struggled, snarling and thrashing, but the ribbons held firm.
"Well," Akira said, exhaling, "that went well."
The demon let out a furious scream. "R-Release me! What did you do to my bike, you bastard!?"
Akira crossed his arms, looking down at him with a smirk. "Just as I thought. Your Blood Demon Art depends heavily on that motorcycle. Without it, you're just another monster."
"GIVE ME MY BIKE BACK!" the demon roared, thrashing wildly against the red ribbons that bound him. His veins pulsed with fury, eyes glowing like molten iron.
Akira tilted his head slightly, his tone calm. "Did you make that bike yourself?"
The demon growled, lips curling into a twisted grin. "Yes. In the future, I will make one unlike any other! My creation, my masterpiece! Give it back to me! No one can stop me!"
Akira sighed quietly. The way the demon spoke… There was madness, but also pride. He could tell that the bike truly was his creation, something born of obsession. The machine's design was too advanced for this era, its form almost futuristic. Perhaps the demon had once been a genius inventor.
But that didn't change what he'd become. He had slaughtered travelers on this lonely road, turning their lives into fuel for his mania. No amount of talent or tragedy could erase that.
When Akira turned, he noticed Erika's expression. Her ribbons were still tense, her eyes fixed on the demon. She looked conflicted and hesitant. It was probably the first time she had to kill a demon herself.
"She doesn't want to, but she knows she must", Akira thought silently.
But he knows now is probably not the time for her, so he said. "Erika, can you hold him like that for a bit longer? I want to test my poison."
Erika blinked in disbelief. "Really? Now?"
Akira nodded, dead serious. "Yeah. I have to test it soon, and this is the perfect chance."
He pulled out a syringe filled with a dark purple liquid that shimmered faintly under the moonlight.
Without hesitation, he approached the demon, who spat curses and threats at him, and plunged the needle straight into the demon's neck.
The reaction was immediate.
The demon let out a guttural, blood-chilling scream. Steam hissed from his skin as patches of his body began to melt. His flesh bubbled and tore, black smoke rising as he thrashed in agony.
Both Akira and Erika froze, eyes widening in horror.
"MY BIKE! I WANT MY BIKE!" the demon howled, voice breaking between pain and madness.
Akira frowned, his tone oddly calm despite the horrific scene. "Don't worry… I'll take care of your bike."
The demon's glowing eyes flickered for a brief moment, surprise, then a faint smile.
"…My… bike…"
And then, his body disintegrated into ash, scattered by the night wind.
Silence fell again.
"That's horrible," Erika finally said, breaking the quiet. "What kind of poison was that?"
Akira sighed. "It's Shinobu's wisteria poison… but I improved it. Even I didn't expect that kind of reaction."
"It looked painful," Erika muttered, her gaze softening. "And horrible. Can't you make one that kills them more peacefully?"
"I can try," Akira replied. "But most wisteria-based poisons are designed to burn through their cells. It's… hard to make that gentle."
Just then, two caws echoed from above.
"CAW! CAW! Mission complete! Mission complete!" Raven croaked.
"Follow us! Safe place!" Rose added.
Akira exhaled. "Seems like they're taking us somewhere safe to rest."
Erika nodded. "Then we should follow them, I guess."
"Wait," Akira said suddenly, turning toward the fallen motorcycle.
The bike, despite its demonic rider's end, remained mostly intact, its surface gleaming faintly under the moonlight. Akira crouched beside it, inspecting the intricate gears and metallic plating.
"Looks like it's almost perfectly preserved," he muttered. "This thing's way too advanced for its time."
Erika raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"
Akira smirked. "I'm going to take it."
"Take it? Why would you take that? It's a demon's bike!"
"Because it looks good," Akira replied casually. "And I can fix it, maybe repurpose it. Think of it as… a drop item."
"Got it," Akira said, and with a flick of his hand, the bike vanished into his dimensional inventory with a faint shimmer. "Okay, I'm ready."
Erika stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him from behind, wings unfurling into the cool night air. "Let's go then."
With one strong flap, they ascended into the fog, following the two crows as they guided them toward their next destination.