Ume took a step back, her breath catching in her throat as she fully realized what stood before her. A demon.
Takahiro had spoken of demons—his dreams filled with images of these monsters—but she had always thought they were just stories.
Now, standing at her doorstep, was one of these creatures, and her body froze with terror.
Her voice trembled as she asked, "Who are you?"
The demon smiled, his sharp teeth gleaming in the dim light. "Just a traveler, looking for a bite to eat."
Ume's blood ran cold. She stepped back instinctively, her mind racing as she tried to think of a way to escape.
"Please... I don't want any trouble," she stammered, her voice shaking.
But the demon's smile widened, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh, don't worry, old woman. This won't take long."
Ume spun around, ready to scream for Takahiro, hoping he might hear her and come running.
But the demon moved faster than her thoughts. In a blur, he crossed the threshold, slashing her throat before she could make a sound.
Ume staggered back, her hand flying to her neck as blood poured through her fingers.
Her eyes widened in horror, her breath choking as she tried to scream, but only a faint, wet gurgle escaped her lips. The demon stood over her, his twisted grin never fading.
"You tried to call for help, didn't you?" he whispered mockingly. "But no one will come. Not in time, anyway."
Ume collapsed to the floor, her body trembling as her life bled out before her. In her fading consciousness, her thoughts weren't for herself, but for Takahiro and Aiko.
Please, let them stay away... let them not come home just yet. The silent prayer repeated in her mind as she fought against the darkness closing in on her.
But the demon wasn't finished with her yet. He knelt beside her, his face inches from hers, watching with twisted delight as she gasped for breath.
"I like it when they fight," he murmured, and with a swift, cruel motion, he slashed off her right hand.
Ume's body convulsed in agony, a silent scream tearing through her as her severed hand fell to the floor.
The demon picked it up and bit into it, the crunch of bone and flesh sickeningly loud in the quiet house.
"Delicious," he said, licking his lips. "Fear always makes the meat taste better." He leaned closer to her, savoring the fear in her fading eyes. "You humans are so fragile. So easy to break."
Tears streamed down Ume's face as her vision blurred. Her thoughts turned to Takahiro, the boy she had raised as her own.
He's strong... but he's still a child. Please... stay away. Her strength ebbed away, the blood loss too great.
She could barely move, let alone defend herself. Her last thought was not of her own pain but of the two children she had loved and protected for so many years.
And then, in the doorway, she saw them.
Takahiro stood frozen, his eyes wide with horror as he took in the gruesome scene before him.
Blood pooled around Ume, her severed hand discarded on the floor, the demon crouched beside her, his mouth still dripping with blood.
Behind Takahiro, Aiko gasped, her small hands flying to her mouth as she let out a broken sob.
Her body shook with terror, her eyes locked on Ume, unable to process what she was seeing. "Granny..." she whispered, her voice barely audible through her tears.
Ume's heart shattered at the sight of them. Her eyes locked with Takahiro's, and for a brief, agonizing moment, the world seemed to stand still.
She wanted to tell him to run, to protect Aiko and get away, but no sound came from her lips.
Her body had failed her, and now she could only watch as the children she had devoted her life to walked into the jaws of a monster.
The demon, sensing the shift in her focus, followed her gaze. He turned slowly, his sharp eyes settling on Takahiro and Aiko. A slow, cruel smile spread across his face.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" the demon purred, licking the blood from his lips. "More guests?"
Takahiro's body trembled. Rage, fear, and grief swirled inside him, but his legs felt like lead.
His fists clenched tightly at his sides, his nails digging into his palms until they drew blood.
Every fiber of his being screamed for him to move, to attack, to do something—but he was paralyzed by the sight of Ume, lying lifeless on the floor.
The one person who had always been there for him was gone, taken by this monster. And there was nothing he could do.
Behind him, Aiko let out a small sob, her knees buckling as she collapsed to the floor. "Granny..." she whispered again, the word barely escaping her lips.
She covered her face with her hands, her body shaking uncontrollably as the horror of what had happened crashed down on her.
The demon stood slowly, stretching his arms as if relishing the tension in the air. "Oh, don't worry," he said, his voice dripping with mockery.
"I'll deal with you two soon enough. But first..." He glanced down at Ume's lifeless body. "Let me finish my meal."
He knelt down again, his eyes gleaming with hunger as he reached for Ume's body.
But before he could sink his teeth into her flesh, Takahiro stepped forward, the sound of his footsteps breaking the heavy silence.
The demon paused, his eyes flicking up to meet Takahiro's. "Oh? You want to fight me, boy?" he taunted, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Do you really think you can stop me?"
Takahiro's heart pounded in his chest, his vision blurred by the intensity of his emotions.
Grief, rage, and helplessness swirled within him, threatening to consume him.
But even as his mind screamed that he wasn't strong enough, that his wooden sword was useless, something deep inside him refused to back down. He couldn't let Aiko die. He couldn't let this monster take everything from him.
The demon stood slowly, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Come on, then," he sneered. "Show me what you've got."
But Takahiro didn't move. His legs trembled beneath him, his fists clenched so tightly that blood dripped from his palms.
His breath came in sharp, uneven gasps as the weight of his helplessness crushed him.
He had trained for years, but this—facing a real demon—was beyond anything he had imagined.
And now, Ume was dead, and Aiko was in danger, and there was nothing he could do.
The demon chuckled, stepping closer to him. "That's what I thought," he said coldly.
"You're just like all the others—weak, scared, powerless." He glanced back at Ume's lifeless body. "And now, you're going to join her."
Takahiro's vision blurred with tears. His body shook with fury, his heart aching with the weight of failure.
He had let Ume die, and now he was about to fail Aiko too. His fists clenched tighter, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he fought against the crushing sense of powerlessness.
Behind him, Aiko whispered, "Taka... please... don't..."
The demon smirked. "Let's get started."
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What do you think will happen? Will he run away leaving her behind or will someone come to save them?
Find out in the next chapter
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