The sun dipped below the horizon, bathing the forest in hues of orange and red. Kaede Hoshino tightened her grip on her wooden staff, her heart pounding as she crept through the dense underbrush. Shadows lengthened around her, and the whispers of the forest grew louder.

"Kaede, don't stray too far," her brother Yuma called, his voice steady but cautious. He held a hunting bow, its string taut with readiness. Kaede glanced back, giving him a reassuring nod. They were just here to gather firewood, but Kaede couldn't shake the eerie feeling that something was watching them.

As they reached a clearing, the sky above them darkened unnaturally. The wind howled, carrying with it an otherworldly chill. Kaede's instincts screamed danger, and she turned to Yuma just as the first crack tore through the sky.

A jagged rip of shadow and light spiraled open in the air, pulsating with a dark energy. Kaede froze, her eyes wide in disbelief. From the rip emerged grotesque creatures—twisted forms with glowing red eyes and sharp claws.

"Demons…" Yuma whispered, his voice trembling.

The largest of the creatures lunged toward them with a deafening roar. Yuma shoved Kaede aside, firing an arrow at the beast. The projectile barely slowed it down. Kaede scrambled to her feet, clutching her staff.

"Run, Kaede!" Yuma shouted.

"No! I won't leave you!" she screamed, but her words were drowned out by the clash of claws against steel. Yuma's blade flashed as he fought to hold the demon at bay, but its strength was overwhelming.

Kaede's legs felt like lead as she watched the demon strike her brother down. His blood stained the forest floor, and the world seemed to shatter around her. The demon turned its gaze to Kaede, its eyes glowing with hunger.

A blinding flash of light illuminated the clearing, followed by a surge of heat. The demon recoiled, shrieking in agony. Kaede shielded her eyes as a figure emerged from the shadows—a warrior clad in black armor etched with glowing runes.

"Stay back!" the warrior commanded, his voice sharp and commanding. With a single motion, he drew a blade that shimmered with light, its edges humming with power. The warrior moved like a storm, cutting through the demon in a blur of motion.

When the creature dissolved into ash, the warrior turned to Kaede. "Are you hurt?"

Kaede shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. "My brother…"

The warrior's expression softened, but before he could speak, more demons emerged from the rip. The warrior stepped in front of Kaede, his blade glowing brighter. "This isn't over. Stay behind me."

Kaede watched in awe as he battled the oncoming horde, his movements precise and unyielding. The demons fell one by one, but the rip above them grew larger, and the air crackled with energy.

"Why is this happening?" Kaede cried, her voice breaking.

The warrior gritted his teeth. "The Twilight Rip. It's spreading faster than we thought."

"Twilight Rip?" Kaede asked, but the warrior didn't respond.

When the last demon fell, the warrior sheathed his blade, the glow fading. He turned to Kaede, his eyes piercing. "What's your name, girl?"

"Kaede Hoshino," she said, her voice trembling.

He extended a hand, his expression grave. "Kaede, the Twilight Rip is the gateway between this world and theirs. It's only going to get worse. If you want to survive—and fight—you'll come with me."

Kaede hesitated, glancing at Yuma's lifeless form. She clenched her fists, her grief turning into determination. "I'll come. Teach me how to fight."

The warrior nodded. "You'll need more than courage to face what's coming. I'm Ryoji Takeda, and from now on, you're part of the Shadow Hunters."

As they left the clearing, Kaede cast one last look at her brother. Silent tears streamed down her face, but in her heart, a fire had ignited.

The rip pulsed ominously in the sky above, a harbinger of the battles to come.