Scene: Between the Trees – Just After the Battle
The wind rustled softly through the leaves as Ichigo and Tanjiro crouched behind a thick bush, eyes scanning the Mongol trails. The air still smelled of smoke and blood.
Ichigo glanced sideways and noticed Tanjiro staring blankly into the distance, not even blinking.
He whispered, "Oi… Tanjiro… you good?"
No response.
Ichigo leaned closer. "Hello? Earth to Red Samurai?"
Tanjiro blinked slowly and finally murmured, "Ichigo…"
"What?"
"I think I left my rice bowl on the fire… back at the palace."
Ichigo stared at him, confused. "What?! We're in enemy territory and you're thinking about rice?!"
Tanjiro nodded solemnly. "It was perfectly cooked… just the right amount of soy… crunchy onions on top…"
His eyes sparkled with sorrow.
Ichigo smacked his forehead. "Bro, we just killed a thousand people and you're mourning fried rice?!"
Tanjiro suddenly gasped. "Wait! Do you think Kyra would've eaten it? No! She always steals my snacks!"
Ichigo whispered fiercely, "You're the red demon of the battlefield and you're scared of snack theft?!"
Tanjiro sulked. "She doesn't ask… she just takes!"
Suddenly, they heard footsteps.
Both froze.
Then a squirrel popped out of the bushes.
Ichigo sighed in relief. "False alarm—"
The squirrel looked at them, cocked its head… then let out a high-pitched squeak and threw a tiny acorn at Ichigo's head.
"OW!" Ichigo whispered. "Did that squirrel just attack me?!"
Tanjiro whispered seriously, "They've started working with the Mongols…"
Ichigo: "You've finally lost it."
Tanjiro: "Squirrel alliance confirmed. We're doomed."
They both stared at the squirrel, who now proudly raised its tail like a flag and ran off.
Ichigo muttered, "Great… next time we fight, I'll bring peanut butter bombs."
Tanjiro snorted.
They both sat there for a second before bursting into muffled laughter, barely able to breathe.
Their laughter slowly died down, still catching their breath as Ichigo wiped a tear from his eye.
Tanjiro leaned back against the tree, smiling. "Man… we needed that."
But just then—
The wind shifted.
Ichigo's smile faded. "Did you feel that?"
Tanjiro's eyes narrowed instantly. "Yeah. The air… it changed."
The warmth of their laughter was gone, replaced by a sudden chill crawling down their spines.
From deep within the forest—beyond the trees where moonlight couldn't reach—a dark, suffocating aura began to rise. Heavy… old… unnatural.
Ichigo gripped his sword. "That's not a soldier."
Tanjiro's voice dropped to a whisper. "That's something else."
The bushes ahead rustled.
Ichigo threw a flaming ninja star into the darkness—
It lit up for a second, revealing the silhouette of a figure cloaked in shadows. But as the fire passed, the figure vanished.
Tanjiro and Ichigo moved like bolts of fury, weapons glowing—red fire and blue lightning ready to collide with the fleeing shadow.
They closed in.
"Now!" Tanjiro shouted.
Their blades cut through the air, aimed for a killing blow
But—
CLANG!
A wooden staff met their blades, stopping them both in a single, fluid motion.
They were thrown back like rag dolls, crashing into the ground with a stunned grunt.
Emerging from the smoke, standing tall and composed, was none other than Mr. Kael—his cloak fluttering in the cold breeze, his eyes calm but sharp.
Ichigo rubbed his shoulder. "Damn… that's the second time today!"
Tanjiro stared, baffled. "Sensei!? What the hell are you doing out here?!"
Mr. Kael sighed, dusting off his robe. "Saving your impulsive hides."
Tanjiro looked at Ichigo. "He's been doing this disappearing act a lot lately."
Ichigo grumbled, "You got any GPS on this guy?"
Mr. Kael ignored them, turning his back. "We're heading back to the palace. Now. There's no time to waste."
⸻
Scene Shift: Samurai Palace – War Council Room
The mood was tense.
Both kings of the allied kingdoms sat side by side for the first time in weeks. Scrolls were scattered. Maps were drawn. Red markers surrounded the northern border.
Kael stood in the center of the room, his expression grim, lips pressed tightly.
Ichigo and Tanjiro arrived—still sore, still confused.
Tanjiro whispered to Ichigo, "I swear he was gone for a week. What was he even doing out there?"
Ichigo mumbled, "Probably dating some forest spirit. Or wrestling bears. With that guy, anything's possible."
Mr. Kael cleared his throat loudly. "Focus."
Both kings looked at him.
"The enemy has changed strategy," Kael announced. "They're not invading—they're preparing to summon something. Something… not of this world."
Gasps echoed in the chamber.
Tanjiro leaned in, eyes narrowed. "You're not saying—"
Mr. Kael nodded slowly. "They've brought in a necromancer general. One of the old ones. That's who you sensed earlier. And that's why I was in the woods."
Ichigo whispered, "So we did sense something evil… and ancient."
Tanjiro muttered, "Still smells like socks."
Mr. Kael smirked slightly. "Rest now. From tomorrow—we prepare for war. Not just with swords…"
He looked at the scroll in his hand, old runes glowing faintly.
"…but with forgotten magic."
The night outside was cold, cloaked in a deep silence broken only by the occasional hoot of an owl or rustle of leaves. Inside the softly lit guest room of the Samurai Palace, Tanjiro and Ichigo shared a moment of reflection, still trying to grasp the events of the day.
Tanjiro lay on one side of the room, hands behind his head, eyes staring at the ceiling. Ichigo sat near the window, quietly sharpening his sword.
"I still can't believe that shadow burned itself just to escape," Tanjiro muttered.
Ichigo didn't respond at first. Then he turned, his tone more serious than usual.
"Forget the shadow. I wanna know what was going on in your head, saying stuff like 'Kyra in a kimono slapping me awake'—in the middle of a battle. What was that?"
Tanjiro smirked, not missing a beat. "Because imagining Kyra angry at me somehow keeps me grounded. It helps me stay calm. It's my version of meditation."
Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "You're unbelievable…"
"You're just jealous she slapped me first," Tanjiro teased.
Ichigo turned red. "That's not true!"
Just then, a gentle knock came at the door.
It opened—and to their surprise, Kyra stood there, in comfortable palace nightwear, a pillow tucked under her arm. Raiden was behind her, yawning, holding his own blanket.
Kyra looked slightly awkward. "We didn't feel safe in our rooms… Not tonight."
Ichigo blinked. "Uh… okay."
Raiden grunted and immediately tossed his pillow onto the empty bed near Tanjiro. "Don't snore," he warned.
Kyra walked to Ichigo's bed and sat beside him, adjusting her pillow. "I just… needed to feel something familiar."Then Kyra cuddle ichigo and fell asleep.
Ichigo froze, heart thumping louder than any Mongol drum.
Tanjiro gave him a cheeky grin. "Now that's the kind of distraction you don't mind, huh?"
Ichigo shot him a glare. "Tanjiro…"
Tanjiro chuckled and leaned back. "Honestly, though… Mr. Kael's aura felt different tonight. Like he was hiding something."
Raiden added, half-asleep, "He's changed since returning."
Tanjiro's voice softened. "We need to find someone who has answers. Someone who knows the old ways. Before it's too late."
The candlelight flickered as silence settled again. The four lay close—not just allies now, but bound by fate, friendship, and shared fears.
Outside, the shadows still whispered. But for a moment… they were safe.
To be continued....