Ugh... Where am I?
Kaito slowly opened his eyes, his vision blurred and unfocused. A high-pitched ringing filled his ears, accompanied by the warm trickle of blood from his earlobes. He attempted to sit up, but instantly collapsed back to the ground, sharp pain lancing through his body. Glancing down, he saw deep lacerations and burns marring his hands and arms.
I am such an idiot! he berated himself. How could something like that evade me? Airi will never let me live this down once she finds out.
Gritting his teeth against the pain, Kaito struggled to his knees, frustration at his own inattentiveness fueling his movements. With trembling fingers, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, ornate bottle. He tapped the top once and tossed it into the air above him.
Within moments, the bottle burst, releasing a fine, shimmering mist that descended upon him. As the magical vapor touched his skin, Kaito began to glow with a soft, ethereal light. His wounds slowly faded, the mist absorbed into his flesh, knitting torn skin and soothing burns.
As the healing process neared completion, a sound caught Kaito's attention. A soft, distant cry echoed through the air, barely audible but unmistakable.
.. Is that what I think it is...? Could there be survivors? I can't ignore this!
Kaito stood hastily and rushed toward the cries. He followed the sound until he reached a cave surrounded by wilted roses and tulips, starved for light that never came. He paused, sensing the area for any foul intent or bloodlust. The cries grew louder with each passing second, then abruptly stopped. Kaito hesitated, his heart pounding.
"What is that smell?" he murmured, catching an unfamiliar scent.
Cautiously, Kaito proceeded closer to the cave, following the mysterious odor. As he entered and advanced deeper into its trenches, he came across a grim sight - the lifeless form of a grey wolf.
Kaito knelt, examining the animal's injuries with a heavy heart. Its ears and tails were ripped off, paws broken, and rib cage torn open exposing missing organs. The wolf had clearly suffered greatly before its end.
My friend, you've met an unfavorable fate, Kaito thought solemnly. He then carefully scanned the cave, his keen eyes searching for clues. I don't see any trace of the missing organs and body parts. Was it taken? Or...consumed?
He continued his examination, noting the deliberate nature of the wolf's injuries. This wasn't a random attack or a natural predator. The precision suggests intent, but why? What purpose could this have served? What were you protecting that led to this?
Suddenly, the cries resumed, breaking Kaito's concentration. He stood swiftly, following the sound.
This scent... those cries... they're coming from the same direction.
Kaito cautiously followed the mysterious scent and cries until he reached a hidden lagoon. Strange purple and silver flowers surrounded it, their petals blossoming towards the night sky visible through a gap in the cave ceiling.
Are these the same roses and tulips from outside the cave? Kaito wondered in bewilderment. But how could they grow so vibrantly here? Could this explain the scent I smell? Damn it! This doesn't make sense.
The cries stopped. Kaito scanned the cave for movement.
"My name is Kaito Chika," he called out. "I'm the king of the Chika clan. I'm here to help."
In his peripheral vision, Kaito caught slight movements within a flowerbed covered with leaves. Cautiously, he approached. With a gentle breath, he blew a placid breeze, scattering the leaves to reveal...
A CHILD!?
Nestled among the flowers was a newborn infant, its tiny form barely visible among the lush petals. Kaito knelt beside it, his eyes wide with disbelief.
As he leaned closer, the scent that had led him here intensified. "Wait! This scent is coming from... a child?" Kaito shuddered, shocked by the revelation.
Kaito then picked the child up by its ankle, dangling it upside down. As he motioned the child closer to him, an overwhelming scent struck his nostrils.
Wait! This scent is coming from... a child? "
The scent emanating from the child was overwhelming, yet sweet, potent, and deliciously light. It was an attractive fragrance unlike anything Kaito had ever encountered before. His senses reeled from its intensity.
Suddenly, paranoia struck Kaito causing him to swiftly draw his sword. He took a deep breath, centering himself. He closed his eyes, focusing his energy. Waves of power radiated from his body, sweeping through the cave like an ethereal sonar. This unique ability allowed him to detect any hidden presence or threats.
Is this a trap? Kaito wondered, his mind racing as he processed the information flooding his senses.
No. No one except the child and I are here.
Kaito opened his eyes, his gaze falling back on the infant still dangling upside-down his hand. Slowly, he sheathed his sword, still wary but no longer sensing immediate danger.
He leaned closer, examining the infant with growing fascination. "Well, there's no doubt you're a little girl," he murmured, his voice softening. "But that might be the only ordinary thing about you."
His eyes traced over the child's features, noting each unique characteristic. "Your hair... it's this strange mixture of silver, a color I've never witnessed before. And your eyes..." Kaito paused, marveling at their depth. "They're this deep bluish-green and grey, like the sea before a storm."
Gently, he took one of her tiny hands in his. "Your hands and feet are so small and soft." His brow furrowed slightly. "Yet you don't seem to have any visible injuries. How did you end up here, little one?"
As if in response, the baby cooed and smiled, her strange eyes twinkling.
Kaito's stern expression melted into a warm smile. "You're quite a lovely child! What am I going to do with you?" he exclaimed, unable to resist doting on her.
Then, without warning, a sinister hiss echoed. An attack, black as night, whizzed through the air towards Kaito. With lightning-fast reflexes, he instantly dodged the attack with ease, spinning around to face the attacker. From the shadows emerged a serpentine figure - a snake-like Yazumi. Its scales shimmered with an oily, dark iridescence, and its eyes glowed a venomous yellow. A forked tongue flicked out, tasting the air. The child laughs in excitement while still hanging upside down by her ankle within Kaito's grasp.
"Hand over that child!" the creature demanded, its voice a sibilant whisper that seemed to echo from everywhere at once.
Kaito's eyes narrowed as he faced the Yazumi. "Who...or rather what is this child to you?" he asked, his voice steely.
"That'sss none of your concern!" the Yazumi hissed, its coils tensing as it prepared to strike again. "Now die, you filthy human!"
The Yazumi's tail whipped forward, launching another volley of shadowy attacks. Kaito smirked, throwing the child directly above him in the air. In one fluid motion, he drew his sword, its blade gleaming in the dim light as it sliced through the incoming projectiles.
The force of Kaito's counter sent the snake Yazumi reeling backward, its coils tangling momentarily. Before it could recover, Kaito caught the child, placed his sword back in his holster, and in what seemed to be only one step forward, he closed the distance between him and the Yazumi, moving faster than the eye could follow.
Gripping the Yazumi's scaly throat, Kaito's voice was low, dangerous with a hint of annoyance. "Weakling, you dare challenge me and fail?"
The Yazumi's yellow eyes widened, a flicker of fear passing through them as it realized the power of its opponent, quivering as it stared into Kaito's intensely cold eyes, overwhelmed by his imposing bloodlust.
"Sssshut up, you worthleesss..."
Before the Yazumi could complete its words, Kaito let go of its throat, grabbed the flickering tongue, and tore it from its mouth. Blood gushed out, spraying onto Kaito's face and clothing. He threw the tongue to the side and took out his sword.
"You're of no use to me," Kaito said calmly, his voice carrying an undercurrent of disappointment. With a swift, precise movement, Kaito decapacitated the Yazumi. Blood spurts from its neck as it falls to the ground.
The child began to laugh, reaching out for Kaito with her tiny hands. Kaito gently wrapped the infant in his arms, a smile softening his battle-hardened features.
"I wonder why that creature desired you so desperately," Kaito mused, studying the child's unique features. "You don't look like a child of a Yazumi, nor do you give off any energy or aura of one. Actually, I've never quite sensed anything like you before. You're different. No one in the Living Realm even bears any resemblance to you."
The child yawned, eyelids growing heavy as sleep began to take hold.
"So cute!" Kaito couldn't help but coo, his stern demeanor melting away. "It looks like you're coming home with me. I have a son a few years older than you. I'm sure he'll be highly interested in meeting you. As for my wife, I think she'll become quite fond of you as well."
With the child securely in his arms, Kaito stepped over the Yazumi's decreased body and made his way out of the cave. As he reached the cave's exit, his eyes widened in shock. Several mutilated Yazumi bodies lay scattered on the ground, their forms barely visible in the dim moonlight.
"What is this?" Kaito muttered, his grip on the child tightened. I never sensed them!
As if an answer to his unspoken questions, two figures emerged from the dark shadows of the night.
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