Chapter 11 — The Beasts in the Woods
Yuzurei returned from his mission that night, his face unreadable.
"Quite boring," he muttered, brushing blood from his blade before walking past Shioinkin. The old man simply nodded and disappeared into his own room, his heavy footsteps echoing through the quiet house.
Morning came.
Sunlight filtered through the window, soft and faint, as Emily lay asleep beside Jin Yuan. Her arms were wrapped around him, her breathing calm and warm.
Jin Yuan opened his eyes and looked at her peaceful face. For a brief moment, his cold expression melted — his eyes softened, his lips curved slightly into a small, fleeting smile.
Quietly, he slid out of bed and stepped into the bathroom.
Moments later, he emerged — dressed in his usual black suit, fingerless gloves on, his massive blade resting across his back. He glanced once more at Emily before leaving the room.
Outside, Yusikuna was already waiting, grinning from ear to ear.
"Yo! We've got a mission! Sensei said we need to go to Westails — there's something in the forest dragging humans away every night. When they're found… they're already dead."
Jin Yuan raised a brow. "Oh? Sounds interesting."
Yusikuna nodded quickly, his usual energy barely contained.
"Sensei said it's not just one person — three of them! But they don't look human. He said their bodies are… massive."
"Explaining is a waste of time," Jin Yuan said, adjusting the strap on his blade. "Let's go."
Night fell by the time they reached Westails — a quiet rural town surrounded by dense forest. The air shimmered with light from fireworks bursting above the rooftops. The streets were crowded, filled with laughter and the smell of food stalls.
"Looks like a festival," Jin Yuan said flatly.
"Fireworks! Woohoo!" Yusikuna shouted, spinning in excitement.
While the crowd celebrated, Jin Yuan's sharp gaze caught something unusual — a man moving against the flow of people. His movements were stiff, unnatural. Then, without warning, he snatched a young boy from the street and sprinted toward the forest.
"Got him," Jin Yuan muttered.
Both he and Yusikuna leapt into pursuit — but before they could reach the edge of the woods, a shadow blurred past them. In an instant, the child was safe, cradled in someone's arms.
It was Musukoni.
"You're here too?" Jin Yuan asked calmly. "Why?"
"I was assigned to the same mission," Musukoni replied, his tone cool as always. He vanished into the crowd again. Moments later, he returned, his twin daggers glinting faintly under the moonlight.
"The boy's safe. I returned him to his mother."
Yusikuna cracked his knuckles, grinning. "Then let's find those three freaks!"
The trio moved deeper into the forest. The laughter of the festival faded behind them, replaced by the whisper of leaves and the echo of distant growls.
Then they saw them — three towering figures with grotesque, muscular bodies, their eyes glowing faintly in the dark.
Jin Yuan's hand slowly reached for his blade.
The air grew heavy.
The hunt had just begun.