They parted a curtain of hanging vines—and stopped.
There, in a small clearing, lay the wild boar, collapsed and unmoving. Looming over it was something wrong—a dark, twisted creature crouched low, its shape shifting in the shadows. Its body looked like it was made of living darkness, edges blurred and uneven, as if the forest itself rejected its existence.
The creature fed in a chaotic, savage way—no elegance, no mercy—just shadow consuming life. Low, distorted sounds echoed from it, wet and unnatural, sending chills down the spine.
Yukito's breath caught in his throat. His legs trembled, unable to move.
Jack's eyes widened slightly—not in fear, but realization.
"…So this is it," he murmured.
"A spectral."
The creature suddenly paused.
Its head tilted.
As if it felt them.
The forest went dead silent.
Yukito's eyes widened as the dark creature lifted its head fully from the fallen boar. The shadows around its body rippled unnaturally, its form twitching as if it didn't belong to this world at all.
"…What the hell is that?" Yukito whispered, his voice cracking.
The creature answered with motion.
In a sudden burst, it lunged straight at them, its body stretching forward like a living shadow tearing through the air.
"MOVE!" Jack shouted.
They reacted on instinct.
Jack twisted hard to the left, boots skidding across the forest floor as he pulled his sword free in one smooth motion. At the same time, Yukimi leaped to the opposite side, rolling past a tree trunk as the creature slammed down between them with a violent impact.
Leaves exploded into the air.
The ground trembled.
Jack slid to a stop, turning sharply, his black blade raised. Yukito scrambled back to his feet, breathing hard, ears flattened as he locked eyes on the creature now crouched low, ready to strike again.
For a split second, the world felt frozen.
Then the spectral growled—low, distorted, and hungry.
The fight had begun.
Yukito steadied himself, his chest rising and falling as his eyes stayed locked on the dark figure before them. The playful tone he usually carried was gone—replaced by raw seriousness. His ears twitched, sensing the unnatural presence pressing against the air.
"…This must be the creature," Yukito said quietly, voice low but firm.
"The Spectral that Lady Mizuri spoke about."
Jack didn't reply.
He stood still, feet planted, shoulders squared. His hand tightened around the hilt of the black sword, leather creaking softly under his grip. The blade reflected nothing—only swallowing the faint light around it.
Jack's eyes traced the creature's form with sharp focus—the way its shadow rippled unnaturally, the way the forest itself seemed to recoil from it. He took a slow breath, steadying his heartbeat.
"So this is it…" he murmured under his breath.
The Spectral shifted, letting out a distorted growl that echoed between the trees.
Jack raised the sword slightly.
No fear.
Only resolve.
The forest held its breath.
The Spectral's form blurred as it shot forward at Jack, a wave of darkness surging through the forest air. Its movement was unnaturally fast, a shadow tearing itself toward him.
Jack didn't flinch. Instead, he held his ground, eyes narrowing with focus. The Spectral's claws swiped past his shoulder, missing by inches.
With a sudden shift of his body, Jack dodged to the side, letting the creature overcommit. He stepped in smoothly, the black sword slicing through the air.
Swish—
The blade met shadow with a sharp hiss. A streak of golden-black light followed the swing as Jack cut deep across the Spectral's midsection. The creature let out a distorted, high-pitched scream, shaking the leaves above them.
Yukito stumbled back a step, ears flattened, eyes wide. He whispered under his breath, "W-whoa… did you…?"
His gaze shifted to the Spectral's torn belly—and froze. The shadowy wound mended itself instantly, fleshless darkness knitting back together as if the cut had never existed.
Jack's eyes darkened slightly, his grip tightening on the hilt. The Spectral straightened, growling low and unnaturally, its form pulsing with the eerie energy of something that refused to die.
Yukito gulped audibly. "It… it heals?!"
Jack's jaw clenched. "…Yeah," he muttered, stepping back into a defensive stance.
The forest seemed to lean in, shadows stretching, the air thick with anticipation. The battle was far from over.
The Spectral's body twisted unnaturally, shadows compressing around its arms. With a sudden screech, razor-sharp claws extended, glinting like broken glass forged from darkness.
"Yukimi—move!" Jack snapped.
The creature struck.
Yukito reacted instantly, springing backward with a sharp leap, barely escaping as the claws ripped through the space where he stood moments ago.
He rolled across the forest floor and scrambled up behind a tree, heart pounding.
"That was close!" he gasped.
Jack didn't wait.
He surged forward, blade flashing as he slashed straight at the Spectral's core. "Focus… don't rush."
The sword cut through the air—but the Spectral twisted mid-motion, its claws snapping out with brutal precision.
CLANG—!
Steel met shadow.
Jack's strike was deflected, the claws scraping hard against the black blade, sparks of dark energy bursting between them. The impact sent a shock through Jack's arms, forcing him back a step.
"Tch—!" Jack muttered, sliding his foot back to regain balance.
The Spectral snarled, claws crossed defensively, its body pulsing as if learning his movements.
From behind cover, Yukito shouted, "It's reacting fast—like it's adapting!"
Jack narrowed his eyes, steadying his breath. "…Then I'll have to be faster."
The Spectral crouched low.
Jack raised his sword.
Both moved at the same time.
Jack burst forward, closing the distance in a blink. The black sword cut straight toward the Spectral's core—
CLANG!
The creature crossed its claws, blocking the strike with a screech of shadow against steel.
"Tch—!" Jack clicked his tongue.
In that instant, he twisted the sword's grip, changing the angle mid-motion. Instead of pulling back, he dropped low and thrust straight into the Spectral's leg.
The blade pierced through.
The Spectral let out a shrill, distorted scream, its balance breaking as its shadowy form staggered.
"Now!" Jack muttered.
The creature swung wildly in retaliation—but Jack was already moving.
He yanked the sword free while crouching, spun on his heel, and launched upward in one fluid motion. The black blade flashed once—
SLASH.
The Spectral's arm was severed cleanly, dissolving into dark mist as it hit the ground. Flecks of shadowy residue scattered across the grass, hissing faintly before fading away.
The Spectral reeled back, roaring in pain, its form destabilizing.
From behind, Yukito gasped, eyes wide. "J-Jack…!"
Jack landed lightly, sliding back into stance, sword lowered but steady.
"…It can be hurt," he said calmly. "Just not the usual way."
The Spectral shrieked again, shadows writhing as the forest trembled around them.
The fight was reaching its breaking point.
As the Spectral staggered back, shadows twisting wildly around its broken form, Jack took a slow breath.
For a brief—almost imperceptible—moment, his eyes flickered.
A soft golden shade flashed across his pupils, warm yet unsettling, like a hidden flame trying to break free.
Yukito didn't notice it.
Jack blinked once.
The golden light vanished.
His eyes returned to normal as he tightened his grip on the sword, jaw set. Whatever had surfaced, he forced it back down immediately. His breathing steadied, controlled.
The Spectral recoiled instinctively, letting out a low, uneasy growl—as if it had felt that presence for just a fraction of a second.
The forest stirred.
Something had changed.
And somewhere beyond the trees, unseen eyes were now watching far more closely.
Yukito steadied himself, heart pounding—but his fear sharpened into resolve. He planted his feet firmly, hands moving instinctively as a soft blue foxfire ignited around his palms, flickering like living flame.
"…I won't just watch," Yukito said under his breath.
He thrust his hand forward.
"Foxfire—burst!"
The foxfire shot ahead in a spiraling arc, slamming into the Spectral's side with a sharp crackle. The flames didn't burn like normal fire—instead, they seared through the shadow, forcing the creature to recoil violently.
The Spectral shrieked, its form distorting as the foxfire clung to it, eating away at the darkness.
"Nice timing," Jack said quickly, eyes locked on the opening.
Yukito gritted his teeth, pushing more power into the spell. "It reacts to foxfire—looks like shadow doesn't like sacred flames!"
The foxfire flared brighter for a moment, illuminating the clearing in blue light. The Spectral staggered, its movements slowing, its balance thrown completely off.
Jack lowered his stance, sword angled forward.
"…That's my opening," he said calmly.
The foxfire crackled in the air, shadows retreating just enough—
—and the battle tilted in their favor.
Jack surged forward, boots tearing through the grass as the Spectral snapped its head toward him, shadows flaring violently.
"YUKITO!" Jack shouted.
Yukito didn't hesitate.
Blue foxfire erupted around his fist, flames spiraling tightly as he launched himself forward. His expression hardened—no fear, only resolve.
"Got it!"
He drove his fist straight into the Spectral's face.
BOOM—
The foxfire detonated on impact, sacred flames exploding outward. The Spectral reeled back violently, its form warping as its focus shattered, a soundless scream trapped in its throat.
But in desperation, the creature lashed out.
It's claw struck Yukito, sending him flying backward through the air. He hit the ground hard and rolled, foxfire flickering out as he gasped for breath.
The Spectral turned—too late.
Jack was already there.
He moved in a single, decisive motion, eyes sharp, body perfectly aligned. The black sword pierced straight into the Spectral's chest, right where the shadows pulsed the strongest.
The creature froze.
Jack stepped in closer and drove the blade even deeper, his grip unwavering.
The Spectral let out a silent, agonized scream, its body trembling as cracks of light and darkness spread from the point of impact. The shadows around it began to unravel, collapsing inward.
Jack held his stance, breath steady.
"…This ends now," he said quietly.
The forest fell dead silent as the Spectral's form started to dissolve.
Jack exhaled sharply and pulled his sword free, stepping back in one smooth motion.
The Spectral's body shuddered.
Dark fluid splattered across the forest floor as the creature staggered backward, its form losing shape. Cracks of shadow ran through its body, spreading rapidly from the wound in its chest.
It collapsed to its knees.
For a brief moment, it looked up—empty, hollow—before its entire form crumbled into drifting black mist, dissolving into nothingness as the forest air swallowed it whole.
Silence returned.
Jack lowered his sword slightly.
Along the blade's edge, the black metal gave off a faint glow, subtle and fleeting—like it had reacted to something deep within the Spectral. The light pulsed once… then faded, leaving the sword dark and still once more.
Jack glanced at it, eyes narrowing just a little.
Behind him, Yukito slowly pushed himself up, staring at the empty space where the Spectral had been moments ago, chest rising and falling in disbelief.
"…We actually did it," he whispered.
The forest remained quiet—but not peaceful.
Somewhere deeper in the woods, shadows shifted.
And something else had noticed.
Jack's gaze shifted slowly, eyes scanning the treeline.
The forest wasn't silent anymore.
It was watching.
"…There's more," Jack said quietly, his voice low but certain.
Yukito froze.
From between the trees, shadows began to move.
One… then another.
Dark figures stepped out from the woods, their forms blurred and twisted, eyes faintly glowing within the blackness. Leaves crunched under unseen feet as multiple Spectrals emerged, spreading out in a wide circle around them.
Low, distorted growls echoed from every direction.
Yukito turned in place, panic creeping into his expression as his tail stiffened. "W-wait… that's not one or two…"
Jack tightened his grip on the sword, shoulders squared, placing himself slightly in front of Yukito. The faint glow on the blade was gone now—only cold black steel remained.
The Spectrals closed in slowly, deliberately, cutting off every path back to the shrine.
The air grew heavy.
The forest dimmed.
Jack took a steady breath, eyes sharp despite the odds.
"…Stay close," he said calmly.
The circle tightened.
- To Be Continued