As Kaito journeyed deeper into the forest, he stumbled upon a clearing where an injured young woman lay slumped against a rock. She wore a patchwork cloak, and her eyes flickered open as he approached.
"Stay back!" she hissed, weakly raising a dagger.
"I'm not here to hurt you," Kaito said, holding up his hands. "Are you alright?"
The woman hesitated, her eyes narrowing. "Who are you?"
"Kaito," he said simply. "I'm just... passing through."
Her gaze shifted to the katana at his side, and her expression darkened. "That blade... it's dangerous."
"I know," Kaito replied, kneeling to inspect her wound. "But so are the things it's meant to fight. Let me help you."
After a moment, she relented, allowing him to bind her wound with the supplies Ayame had given him.
"I'm Kaede," she said grudgingly. "And you've just made a big mistake."
Before Kaito could ask what she meant, the forest around them began to darken.
The air grew colder, and the once-distant hum of the forest fell silent. Shadows stretched unnaturally across the clearing, coiling and writhing like living things. Kaito instinctively reached for Kagekiri, the katana pulsing faintly as though sensing the encroaching danger.
"What's happening?" he asked, his voice tense.
Kaede struggled to her feet, wincing as she clutched her side. "They're here. The Shade-born. They can smell that cursed blade from miles away."
As if summoned by her words, a guttural growl erupted from the darkness. From the edges of the clearing emerged three Shade-born, their forms flickering between tangible and spectral. These were different from the ones Kaito had faced before—larger, more defined, their glowing red eyes locked on Kagekiri.
"Stay behind me," Kaito said, unsheathing the katana.
Kaede scoffed despite her condition. "You don't even know what you're doing with that thing, do you?"
"I've managed so far," Kaito shot back, raising the blade as the nearest Shade-born lunged at him.
The katana moved almost on its own, guiding Kaito's arms as he sidestepped the attack and slashed upward. A searing arc of light cleaved through the creature, which dissolved into tendrils of smoke.
Kaede's expression shifted, a mix of surprise and something else—recognition. "Alright," she muttered, pulling a small crossbow from beneath her cloak. "Maybe you're not completely useless."
The remaining Shade-born flanked them, their claws glinting in the faint light of Kagekiri. One leapt toward Kaede, who fired a bolt directly into its chest. The creature snarled but didn't falter, forcing Kaito to intervene. He slashed horizontally, the blade carving through the Shade-born's torso with a burst of radiant energy.
The final Shade-born circled warily, its form shifting with the shadows. It let out a haunting wail, and suddenly the darkness around them seemed to thicken.
"This one's different," Kaede said, her voice tight.
"Great," Kaito muttered, gripping the katana tighter.
The Shade-born lunged, faster than the others. Kaito swung, but the creature twisted mid-air, avoiding the blade and raking its claws across his arm. He stumbled, pain flaring as blood seeped through his tunic.
"Focus!" Kaede shouted, firing another bolt that barely slowed the creature.
Kagekiri whispered urgently, its voice sharp in Kaito's mind. "Do not hesitate. Use me fully, or you will fall."
Kaito gritted his teeth, raising the blade again. As the Shade-born charged, he allowed the katana's energy to guide him. Time seemed to slow as he stepped into the attack, slashing downward with a force that sent a shockwave of light rippling through the clearing.
The Shade-born let out a deafening screech as it disintegrated, the oppressive darkness lifting with its demise.
Kaito fell to one knee, panting heavily. His arm throbbed where the creature had struck him, but the katana's glow had already begun to dim, its whispers receding.
Kaede approached cautiously, her crossbow still raised. "You're either the luckiest idiot I've ever met, or that sword really is as powerful as the legends say."
"Maybe both," Kaito replied, wincing as he examined his arm.
Kaede hesitated, then lowered her crossbow and knelt beside him. "Let me see that."
He eyed her warily. "Why help me? You just said this sword is cursed."
She smirked faintly. "Because if you die, they'll come after me next. Besides, I've got questions about that blade of yours."
She pulled a vial of salve from her pouch and began tending to his wound with practiced efficiency. "You're headed for the mountains, aren't you?"
Kaito blinked, surprised. "How did you—"
"Call it a hunch," she interrupted. "That's where all the fools with cursed swords go."
"It's not just a sword," Kaito said defensively. "It chose me for a reason. I'm supposed to—"
"Save the world?" Kaede cut in, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, good luck with that."
Kaito glared at her but said nothing, letting her finish bandaging his arm. When she was done, she leaned back, her expression unreadable.
"Alright, hero," she said, standing and slinging her crossbow over her shoulder. "You're going to need someone watching your back out here. Lucky for you, I've got nowhere else to be."
Kaito frowned. "You're coming with me?"
Kaede shrugged. "For now. Just don't get any ideas. The moment you slow me down, I'm gone."
He sighed, sheathing Kagekiri. "Fine. But don't expect me to carry you if you can't keep up."
Kaede grinned, her earlier weariness momentarily forgotten. "We'll see who's carrying who, kid."
As they set off together, the forest seemed less oppressive, though Kaito knew the danger was far from over. Kaede was a mystery, and Kagekiri was a constant weight on his mind, but for the first time since leaving the village, he felt a flicker of hope.