The moon hung low in the sky, casting its silver glow over the dense, mist-covered forest. The night was eerily quiet, save for the distant chirping of insects and the occasional rustling of leaves. Ryoshi Kaze moved swiftly through the trees, his black kimono billowing in the cold night wind. His grip on the hilt of his katana tightened as he sensed an ominous presence nearby.

His mission was clear—eliminate all demons that threatened humanity. That was the purpose of the Crescent Moon Order, the organization that raised him, trained him, and forged him into a warrior. Tonight was no different. Another hunt, another battle.

His enchanted talisman flickered on his wrist as a voice crackled through it.

"Report, Kaze. Is the target in sight?"

Ryoshi's blue eyes scanned the darkness. "Not yet. But I can feel it."

The talisman buzzed. "Eliminate on sight. No hesitation."

No hesitation. That was the code of the slayers. Demons were monsters—beasts that preyed on the weak, deceiving and slaughtering humans without remorse. At least, that was what he had been taught since childhood.

As he took another step forward, a sound stopped him.

A soft, haunting melody.

It wasn't a human voice, yet it wasn't monstrous either. It was beautiful, filled with sorrow and longing. It came from deep within the forest, carried by the wind like a whisper of forgotten memories.

Ryoshi's instincts screamed at him to be cautious, to prepare for battle. But something about the voice… it made him hesitate. It wasn't the song of a predator—it was the voice of someone suffering.

He stepped closer.

There, standing under the moon's pale light, was her.

A girl with long, flowing raven-black hair and violet eyes that shimmered like amethysts. She wore a delicate white kimono, embroidered with silver crescent moons that seemed to glow faintly. Her bare feet barely touched the grass as she stood in the clearing, looking up at the sky.

Ryoshi's breath caught in his throat.

A demon.

His fingers tightened around his sword's hilt, but he didn't draw it. Something about her was different. She wasn't like the demons he had slain before.

The girl slowly turned to him, her violet eyes locking onto his. She didn't attack. She didn't run. She only… stared.

Silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words.

Ryoshi finally broke it. "Who are you?"

The girl smiled softly—sadly. "You're the first human to ask me that instead of attacking."

His brows furrowed. "Answer me."

She tilted her head, stepping forward slowly. "My name is Siren Suzuki."

The name meant nothing to him. But the way she said it, like it was something fragile that could shatter at any moment, made him pause.

"You're a demon," he said coldly.

Siren nodded. "And you're a demon slayer."

A long silence. The air between them grew heavier.

Finally, she sighed and took another step forward. Ryoshi's muscles tensed. If she tried anything, he'd cut her down before she could react.

But she didn't.

Instead, she reached out, her delicate fingers barely touching the fabric of his kimono. Her touch was impossibly light, like the wind itself.

"Why do you fight?" she asked softly.

The question caught him off guard.

"To protect humanity," he replied automatically.

Siren's violet eyes searched his face. "Even if it means killing without question?"

His grip on his sword tightened. "Demons kill humans. That's the truth."

She exhaled slowly, looking away. "And humans kill demons. That's also the truth."

Ryoshi hesitated. That… wasn't wrong.

He had never thought about it before. He had always believed that demons were mindless beasts, creatures of destruction that needed to be eradicated. But this girl…

She wasn't attacking him. She wasn't running. She was talking to him like a normal person.

Like a human.

The realization unsettled him.

"You're different," he murmured before he could stop himself.

Siren's lips curved into a faint smile. "You are too."

For the first time, Ryoshi felt an unfamiliar warmth stir in his chest. A connection. An understanding.

Then—

A sudden sharp sound tore through the night.

Ryoshi's body moved on instinct, pushing Siren behind him as his katana flashed into his hand. A flurry of dark shadows burst from the trees, their glowing red eyes filled with bloodlust.

Other demons.

They snarled, baring sharp fangs as they circled the pair.

"Stay back," Ryoshi ordered, positioning himself in front of Siren.

But to his shock, she stepped beside him.

"They're not my allies," she said, her voice firm. "They'll kill me too."

Ryoshi didn't understand why, but he believed her.

A silent agreement passed between them.

Back-to-back, a demon slayer and a demon girl prepared to fight against a world that refused to see the truth.

Under the watchful gaze of the full moon, fate had changed forever.

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