As the sun started to set, Mazoku walked out of the lagoon looking out and his eyes changing into red shot pupils. He started to scamper trying to find any prey and quarry to nourish his hunger. A sound. A scurry of some rabbits. He started to crawl slowly in the field of plants sniffing the smell of his live hunt.
He then waited for the right time and leapt out his arm changing into the grotesque demonic arm attacking the pack and slashing 10 of them in less than a second. He then placed them in his straw basket as he walked along to the cave as the night drawn.
Mazoku started to eat one of the rabbits and left the rest in his straw basket for rations. He then took a giant leaf out of the basket and placed it over him as he slept.
The sun shone shooting light like an archer as a woman with a bow and a dozen of arrows in her quiver started to walk towards the basket her nose smelling the rabbits inside. She walked gracefully, her slink dandy across the cave floor as she pulled out an arrow to cut the basket and get the rabbit as the sun revealed her red oni mask.
Out of the blue, Mazoku's demon arm outstretched itself to attack the masked woman but to his surprise, she pulled out her bow in an instantaneous reaction creating a tree wall between the two trapping Mazoku as she took the basket with her.
He would fully transform breaking the tree wall as he maddened dashed towards her his claws sharpening and spinning like minute tornados.
She turned, her brown hair turning like a silk dress and shot an arrow into his chest as a tree grown inside him trapping his body like a colossal chain, then she continued to run off.
His body started to transform in a way to escape but it was no use.
"I've fought demons before... You are no different and I expect you to stay here for a while." She said smiling under the mask and she then took it off showing a face seemed like a goddess as she started to skin the rabbit and began eating it.
He looked at her as hope started to be killed in his soul. Will it be all over? Stuck forever and then left for the hunt by the samurai?
The world began to turn black as his original body was the only one to be there looking up to see a tower where a crimson devil stood above it cackling as its hands dripped with blood. It started to throw rocks at Mazoku's head blood starting to drip down his eyes as with every blow he felt himself crack until he fell down with a deadly blow. He soon returned to reality as his demonic form turned into a berserker, demented form and broke the tree-like paper then zoomed to her and began pummeling her until she fell unconscious and then seconds later he changed back to his form unconscious and laid near her.
Meanwhile, Akari walked across with the High Swordsmen to the palace as he was issued by the Empress after his healing on his face. The scar was still fresh though as the three pink slashes covered half of his face as he looked down in shame treading towards the two enormous doors in front of him.
The foot soldiers opened the doors for him as he kneeled before the Empress. "Apologies for my failure, Empress! I have let the fiend-"
"Enough." Said the Empress flatly as she looked at him under her crimson veil towering above him in her throne-like an obelisk. She indicated to her subjects holding a refined lightning katana as he walked over to hand it to him.
"It's been forged with complex enchantment for you Rai Akari. Can I have your vow that you will slay this demon once and for all? Your word of honour to rid this blessed land of this deranged danger to the children of our kingdom?" She started looking at him coldly.
He looked down determined his face stoned as he took the blade and bowed replying "Yes my Empress. I can pledge to that. I vow that by tonight this abomination will be dead!"