Extermination order

The Stalking Presence

The air in Hagakure Village was thick with tension. The village, once bustling with life, had grown eerily silent as night fell. Doors locked early. The streets emptied before sundown. Rumors spread like wildfire—talk of missing people, of something lurking in the darkness. Some believed it was a wild beast. Others whispered of an ancient curse.

But deep down, the villagers knew better. Something unnatural was lurking. Something unseen.

Kaito's Unease

A week had passed since the last abduction, and Kaito still felt the suffocating sensation of being watched. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced. It was cold. It was patient. And, worst of all, it was persistent.

The feeling crept up on him when he walked to school, lingering just at the edges of his senses. Even within the crowded classroom, it remained—a silent observer lurking just beyond his understanding. At night, when the village fell into uneasy silence, the presence became almost unbearable. He told himself it was nothing, that his mind was playing tricks on him. But no matter how much he tried to ignore it, the feeling refused to fade.

The only person who didn't seem affected was his father.

Returning Home

The sun had dipped below the horizon by the time Kaito returned home, his school bag slung over his shoulder. The house felt different tonight—quieter than usual. The flickering light from the candles cast elongated shadows across the wooden floor.

His mother, Reika Tenshiro, sat at the table, her fingers lightly tracing the rim of a cup. She was lost in thought, her brows slightly furrowed.

"Mom?" Kaito greeted hesitantly.

She flinched slightly before snapping out of her trance, forcing a small smile. "Welcome home, Kaito."

Something was wrong.

Normally, his mother would Great him the moment he stepped through the door, urging him to study harder instead of wasting time. But today, she barely acknowledged his return.

His unease deepened. "Are you okay?"

She blinked at him, then softened. Stepping forward, she gently kissed his forehead. "I'm fine, sweetheart. Your father is waiting for you in the backyard. You shouldn't keep him waiting."

Kaito hesitated. She had never encouraged his training with his father before—she always insisted that his future lay in his studies, not fighting. So why now?

Still, he didn't push. Instead, he quickly changed into his training gear and headed outside.

Shinzo's Warning

The backyard was bathed in the soft glow of the moon. Standing in the center of the open space was Shinzo Tenshiro, his father. His eyes were closed, his breathing steady. Even from a distance, Kaito could feel it—the overwhelming calm that surrounded his father, as if he were at peace with the world.

Kaito admired him. Despite not understanding why his father pushed him so hard in training, he still respected the man deeply.

As he stepped forward to greet him, that presence returned.

It crashed down on him with a suffocating intensity, stronger than ever before.

Kaito froze. The feeling of being watched wasn't just a fleeting sensation anymore—it was real. He could feel something out there, lurking in the darkness beyond the village. And at that exact moment, his father's eyes snapped open.

The shift in Shinzo's aura was immediate and terrifying. The air grew thick with something indescribable. It was raw, suffocating, filled with an unforgiving malice unlike anything Kaito had ever felt from him.

His father was angry.

Not at him, but at whatever was out there.

Kaito stood rooted to the spot, his heartbeat hammering in his chest. He had never seen his father like this before.

Shinzo's sharp gaze was fixed on the mountains beyond the forest. His muscles tensed, his posture shifting slightly, as if preparing for an unseen battle. The aura he emitted felt like that of a beast ready to tear apart its prey.

Kaito swallowed hard, daring to speak. "Dad…?"

And just like that, the suffocating gaze that had been watching him vanished.

Shinzo held his gaze to the mountains realizing that the beast or whatever that thing is, is has set it's eyes on his son... maybe as it's next target.

Shinzo exhaled slowly, his expression softening in an instant. It was as if nothing had happened.

He turned to Kaito with a gentle smile. "How was school today?"

Kaito was speechless.

Had that just been his imagination? Was his father testing him? No… the fear he had felt was real. He glanced back at the forest, half-expecting something to emerge from the darkness. But there was nothing.

Shinzo clapped a hand on Kaito's shoulder. "Come on, let's start training."

Kaito hesitated but nodded.

Whatever had just happened… he would ask about it another time.

For now, he needed to focus.

The Blade of Experience vs. The Blade of Potential

The backyard of the Tenshiro household was quiet, the only sounds coming from the rustling trees and the distant calls of birds settling for the night. The sun had begun to set, casting long shadows across the training ground. Kaito stood across from his father, the wooden practice sword in his hands feeling heavier than usual.

Shinzo Tenshiro, stood with his practice sword resting lazily on his shoulder. But Kaito knew better. That stance, no matter how relaxed it looked, was as sharp as the edge of a master-crafted blade. His father had taught him that true strength was never wasted in unnecessary movements.

Tonight was different. Kaito could feel it. The air between them was charged with something unspoken. His father's usual patience was absent.

Kaito adjusted his stance. Feet shoulder-width apart. Knees slightly bent. Hands firm but not tense. His breathing slowed as he focused.

Then it began.

Shinzo moved first.

To an untrained eye, it was a simple forward step. But to Kaito, it was a blur of motion. His father disappeared from his vision for a split second, reappearing directly in front of him.

A downward slash.

Kaito barely managed to raise his sword in time. The impact sent a shockwave through his arms. The sheer force made his feet dig into the dirt, his body shaking from the impact.

"Too slow," Shinzo remarked, stepping back.

Kaito's arms burned from the force of the block, but he gritted his teeth and pushed forward. He couldn't let hesitation control him. He stepped in, twisting his body as he swung his sword toward his father's ribs.

Shinzo sidestepped effortlessly, his body flowing like water. His counterattack was instant—a horizontal slash aimed at Kaito's side.

Kaito reacted on instinct. He threw himself backward, feeling the wooden blade graze the fabric of his shirt. The second he landed, he rolled and sprang back to his feet, barely dodging the next strike aimed at his shoulder.

His father was relentless.

Kaito had trained under Shinzo his entire life, but tonight, his father wasn't just sparring with him. He was testing him.

Another strike. This time faster.

Kaito blocked it, but the force made him skid backward. His feet struggled to find grip on the dirt.

Before he could even breathe, a second strike came from the opposite direction.

Kaito had no choice but to twist his body mid-air to avoid it. But as he landed—

Shinzo was already behind him.

"Your movements lack flow," Shinzo's voice carried no emotion, just pure critique.

Kaito turned, trying to raise his sword in defense, but—

Too late.

His father's wooden sword stopped just before it touched his throat. The air between them stood still, the weight of the moment sinking in.

Kaito's breathing was ragged. His heart pounded in his chest.

Shinzo exhaled slowly, lowering his weapon. "Your instincts are improving, but instincts alone won't keep you alive."

Kaito clenched his fists. "I almost had you."

Shinzo smirked. "Not even close."

Despite the exhaustion, Kaito found himself smiling.

Even in moments like this—when he was completely overpowered—he loved it.

He loved the fight.

"Again." Kaito stepped forward, raising his sword.

Shinzo's eyes narrowed in approval.

This time, he wouldn't hold back.

Elsewhere, in the Forest

Deep within the dense forest, Rengoku Itsuya stood at the edge of Hagakure Village. The grandmaster's long coat billowed slightly as he surveyed the surroundings. The reports had been troubling—this wasn't an isolated event. Similar disappearances were happening across different regions. But this village… this was different.

This felt planned.

He stepped forward, kneeling beside a corpse that had been reported earlier that day. The body was torn apart, limbs barely attached, yet no signs of scavenger interference. No blood had pooled around it. No rot.

Rengoku reached out, brushing his fingers against the remains. Immediately, he recognized it.

Essence Consumption.

His expression darkened. This wasn't the work of an ordinary Eldritch Beast. This was something far worse.

His gaze shifted toward the village in the distance.

It's already here.