The light enveloped him, undoing his form, erasing his existence. As the Master of Shadows dissipated, memories flooded him with the force of a torrent. He was no longer the imposing being who had sown terror, but a thin, wide-eyed boy named Hiroki.
Hiroki grew up in an isolated village in the mountains, a place where the legends of yokai and spirits were more than just stories. His father, a stern and distant man, was the spiritual leader of the village, a guardian of ancient traditions. From a young age, Hiroki showed a natural affinity for the mystical arts, easily learning the rituals of protection and the summoning of benevolent spirits.But Hiroki yearned for more. Fascinated by stories of dark power, he ventured into the forbidden forests, searching for the places where the most dangerous yokai were said to dwell. One day, he found a cave hidden behind a waterfall, a place imbued with a dark and ancient energy. There, he discovered a scroll with inscriptions in a forgotten language, a language that spoke of unimaginable powers and the manipulation of shadows.Secretly from his father, Hiroki began to practice the teachings of the scroll. He discovered that he could control the shadows, summon creatures of darkness, and absorb the life energy of other beings. With each new power he mastered, darkness took hold of his heart a little more.His father, upon discovering his forbidden practices, confronted him with pain and disappointment. He warned him about the dangerous path he had chosen, begged him to abandon the darkness. But Hiroki, blinded by ambition, rejected his father's pleas. In a fit of rage and dark power, he mortally wounded his father, fleeing the village forever.From that day on, Hiroki became a hermit, wandering the wilds, perfecting his dark skills. Guilt over his father's death tormented him, but his thirst for power was stronger. He called himself the Master of Shadows and vowed revenge on the world that had rejected him.For years, he sought ancient artifacts, places of power, and forbidden knowledge. His power grew with each passing day, as did his inner darkness. He surrounded himself with followers, power-hungry beings who saw him as a leader, as a god.But in the depths of his being, a spark of light resisted. The memory of his father, of the village, of the life he had left behind, tormented him in his dreams. A part of him longed for redemption, but the darkness had consumed him completely.Now, as the light disintegrated him, the Master of Shadows realized the futility of his quest. Power, revenge, darkness... everything vanished before the imminence of nothingness. If only he had listened to his father, if only he had chosen a different path...One last thought crossed his mind before he disappeared completely: the face of Sakura, the young warrior who had defied his power. In her eyes, he had seen a determination and a purity that reminded him of his own lost innocence. Perhaps, he thought in his last moment, perhaps she could bring peace and light to the world that he had tried to plunge into darkness.