The battlefield was filled with clashing swords and shattering shields, the ground drenched in blood. Soldiers groaned in pain.
The battle ended with countless dead and many wounded.
And in the center of it all, he moved like a reaper in flesh.
Kurayami — a man without hesitation, without pause.
Each swing of his sword felled another enemy.
No cries. No mercy. Only death.
He cut down a soldier begging for his life.
Another fled — but he was brought down before taking three steps.
The enemy broke before him.
Even his allies dared not meet his gaze.
From behind the ruins of a fallen cart, two guards watched.
Guard 1's voice was bitter. "He is as cold-blooded as ever… no heart, no humanity. I wish he'd met his end. After all, he's the king's dog—bound to obey, to kill, to slaughter without question or mercy."
Guard 2's eyes went wide, and he hissed a warning. "Shhh! Keep your voice down! If he finds out, we're both dead. He's ruthless, and he won't think twice about having us silenced."
A third voice cut through the air. Calm. Sharp as drawn steel.
"What the hell are you two doing here?"
Both froze. That voice—unmistakable. They turned slowly.
Haruto stood behind them. The only man the reaper, Kurayami, might listen to. He was unarmed, relaxed, but his eyes… they cut deeper than blades.
"I asked a question," Haruto said coolly.
Guard 1 straightened nervously. "N-Nothing, sir. Just… checking the wounded."
Guard 2 swallowed hard. "We—we didn't mean anything by it."
Haruto glanced past them. Kurayami still stood out there in the distance, his blade buried in an enemy's chest. Unmoving. Like a statue of war.
"If I were you," Haruto said quietly but firmly, "I'd choose my words more carefully. He doesn't forget voices. And I won't save you if he decides to respond."
The guards nodded quickly, backing away. Haruto watched them leave, then turned his eyes on Kurayami in the distance.
A pause.
"You scare even your own men…" Haruto murmured. "But I wonder—how long before you scare yourself?"
After the Battle – Edge of the Battlefield
The sky darkened, stained red by the setting sun. The moans of the wounded faded into the background as the battlefield grew still. Only the dead remained motionless.
Kurayami stood at the edge of a hill, overlooking the carnage below.
His sword rested in the ground beside him, soaked in blood.
His armor was dented. His hands steady. His expression unreadable.
Haruto approached from behind with slow, deliberate steps. No fear. No hesitation.
"You're not even going to wipe the blood off your blade?" he asked.
Kurayami didn't turn. Didn't answer. Silence hung.
"You scared the piss out of those two," Haruto added with a half-smirk, then quieter, "They almost tripped over each other trying to make excuses."
A beat. The wind rustled ash and dirt across the field.
"Then they shouldn't speak what they can't stand behind," Kurayami said calmly.
"They're fools, not traitors. Big difference," Haruto countered.
"Doesn't matter. The battlefield doesn't forgive either."
Haruto walked up beside him, looking out at the field of corpses. He studied Kurayami's face, but found nothing there—just emptiness.
"How long do you plan to keep this up?" Haruto asked softly.
"Until the king says," Kurayami replied without looking at him.
"And if he tells you to turn that blade on me one day?"
"Then don't give him a reason to."
Haruto chuckled dryly. "You really know how to make someone feel special."
He glanced at the smoldering ruins. "It's done. Nothing left to clean up. Let's go back. We've done what we came to do. Time to report to the king."
Kurayami slowly pulled his sword from the ground. "Understood."
The two began walking side by side.
From behind, the guards whispered.
"He just… follows him like that? Like it's normal?" Guard 2 whispered.
Guard 1 grimaced. "Haruto's the only one who talks to him like a man. Anyone else would've had their throat slit."
"Still… it's like watching a sword walk next to its sheath."
Forest Road – En Route to the Castle
The battlefield was far behind them now. The dirt path wound through a dense forest, the air thick with the scent of rain and blood. Crows cawed in the trees.
"…Why the hell do you keep following me?" Kurayami asked gruffly, without looking over.
Haruto blinked, surprised, then smirked. "Wow. That almost sounded like emotion. Careful—you're gonna ruin your terrifying reputation."
Kurayami said nothing, just kept walking.
"Maybe I enjoy long walks in the company of emotionally constipated murderers. Who knows?" Haruto teased with a grin.
Kurayami let out a quiet, irritated click of his tongue. "Tch."
"Or maybe I just like the way you say 'leave me alone,' like it's supposed to scare me."
"Most people take the hint."
Haruto shrugged with mocking laughter. "Most people haven't seen you snore in your sleep."
That made Kurayami stop. Just slightly. A single step. He slowly turned his head, eyes narrowing.
"…You're lying."
Haruto's grin widened. "Am I?"
They started walking again. The forest grew quieter as the castle walls finally began to appear between the trees.
"They're back!"
"It's the special unit!"
"They did it!"
As they appeared, a roar of applause broke out.
"Haaaarutooooo!" a girl screamed.
"Marry me, Harutooo!! I made you some sushi!!" another shouted, clutching a handmade sign.
Haruto caught the sushi mid-air as someone tossed it toward him, gave a mock bow, and winked. The crowd screamed.
"This is unbearable," Kurayami muttered under his breath.
A child tugged at Kurayami's cloak.
"Mister? Were you there too? Did you fight?" the boy asked, eyes wide.
Kurayami glanced down, slightly startled. A pause. "…Yeah."
"Cool." The child smiled and ran off.
Kurayami watched him go—just for a moment—before returning to his usual stone-faced expression.
"Look at you. Practically glowing," Haruto teased, stepping beside him. "So you got your first fan."
"Shut up."
The celebration had begun to settle. Music faded into murmurs. Torches burned low. The villagers gathered in tighter circles—drinking, eating, whispering.
At one table, a group of young guard students and locals sat wide-eyed as an older veteran teacher—Garan, armor scarred and eyes sharp—leaned over a mug. Garan was the teacher of the swordsman crafting school.
"You kids cheer him like a hero," Garan said in a low voice, "but you don't know what you're lookin' at."
The group fell silent, hooked.
"You mean Captain Haruto?" one young guard asked.
"Aye." Garan nodded slowly. "That one. Haruto the Red Fang. The man who carries the legendary Dragon Ren."
Gasps filled the table. Someone nearly dropped their cup.
"The Dragon? I thought that was a myth," a villager girl whispered.
"Not a myth," Garan said, his voice tightening. "I saw it once. Just once. The sky went black, the wind turned to fire—and his eyes… weren't human anymore. That wasn't a man swinging his blade. That was a god's rage wrapped in flesh."
He lifted his mug again, but his hand trembled slightly.
"They say the Ren is a beast bound to your soul—it shows what you really are. Some have wolves, some have shadows, some just burn out tryin' to tame theirs. But him?" He paused, leaning closer. "He is the dragon. Not just its host—its match."
"Is it true he once melted an entire fortress wall with one swing of his sword?" a villager boy asked, awed.
"Maybe. I saw him drive his blade clean through a knight clad in full steel."
Silence followed. Only the flicker of torchlight and the crackling of embers filled the air. Then footsteps crunched over dirt outside.
Someone peered out the window. "Speak of the beast…"
Haruto walked through the village square, coat slung over one shoulder, casual as ever. Kurayami trailed behind, shadowed, unreadable.
The group at the table watched in silence as Haruto glanced their way—and smirked, as if he had heard everything.
"Pray you never see the dragon lose control," Garan whispered.
"Even though it's terrifying," the villager girl admitted, "it still makes him cool!"
(The Throne Room)
Kurayami and Haruto entered the castle and knelt before the throne.
"How did the mission go, Kurayami and Haruto?" King Raizen asked. "Was it done?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Haruto replied.
Raizen smiled. "I expect nothing less from either of you. You serve without question, without hesitation. That is what makes you valuable to me. You both are the key to achieving my goal—to make me the ruler of all four kingdoms.
This kingdom of mine… Black Fang, Kurokiba—feared for its steel and shadows. But why stop here? Why be content with one throne when four await?"
His eyes gleamed as he rose, spreading his arms as if to claim the world itself.
"Beyond these walls lies the Hidden Demon Kingdom… savage, ruthless, a land that breeds monsters and men alike. To the east, the Moon Ring Kingdom—Tsukiniwa—bathed in silver light, steeped in secrets. And to the south… the Spring Kingdom, a land of beauty and abundance, envied by all.
Four thrones. Four crowns. And I will wear them all. With you at my side, none will stand against me. I will rule not a kingdom… but the world."
The torches flared as if feeding on his ambition, his laughter carrying through the vast hall like a storm breaking.
"We will try our best, Your Majesty," Kurayami and Haruto said together.
The king's smile widened, sharp as a dagger. "Good. Then the age of conquest begins."
Kurayami bowed his head lower, saying nothing.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. With your leave… we shall return to our quarters," he said formally.
"You have done well," Raizen replied, his voice smooth, authoritative. "Rest now, and keep yourselves ready. The realm may call upon you again sooner than you think."
Both men bowed low in unison.
"As you command, Your Majesty," Kurayami said.
The two began leaving the king's castle.
"Well… that went about as cheerful as ever," Haruto muttered.
Kurokiba Prison – A Voice in the Dark
The prisoner dragged himself to the bars, chains scraping against stone. His voice trembled with urgency.
"…Let me see him. My son. Akio. Bring him to me."
At first, there was only silence. Then, from beyond the shadows, a voice answered—low, sharp, and cold.
"Akio? That name is no more."
The prisoner froze, breath catching.
"…What are you saying?"
"Akio… no. That name no longer exists. The world knows him now by another name."
The prisoner's breath caught, fingers tightening around the iron.
"…Another name…?"
The voice stepped back, his shadow stretching across the stones as he turned to leave. His final words echoed like a curse.
"Kurayami" (Darkness).