The streets of Borivali, Mumbai were alive with their usual evening chaos. Rickshaws honked, street vendors shouted, and the air smelled of roasted corn mixed with the faint tang of the Arabian Sea. But tucked away in a quieter corner near the station stood an old café—dim lights, creaking wooden boards, and the comfort of silence in the middle of madness.
Inside, Ishita sat by the window, her eyes following the glow of traffic outside. A cup of steaming cappuccino sat between her hands. Across from her, Rehan leaned back, arms folded, gaze restless. His eyes never stopped moving.
"You always look like you're expecting a war," Ishita teased, sipping lightly.
Rehan smirked faintly. "That's because wars don't wait for the right moment. They just arrive."
Almost as if his words had summoned it, the café door slammed open with a thunderous crack.
Glass shattered. The hinges tore off.
Two figures stepped inside.
The first—Karnal, a towering demon, skin dark like coal with streaks of molten red glowing beneath. His claws scraped the wooden floor, leaving burning marks. His eyes were nothing but pits of hate.
The second—Shyra, lithe and graceful, wrapped in a shroud of black mist that hissed like snakes. Her smile was venomous, her eyes sharp with cruel delight.
The café froze. Customers screamed and scrambled, chairs toppling. But in seconds, Shyra's mist spread, suffocating the room. Civilians collapsed unconscious one by one.
Only three remained conscious.
Rehan.
Ishita.
And the two demons.
Karnal's guttural voice echoed, "Finally. The girl the Lord seeks… we've found her."
Rehan instantly stepped in front of Ishita, his aura igniting like silver fire around his body. His tone was cold as steel:
"You picked the wrong place to hunt."
---
The First Clash
Karnal roared, aura bursting like a volcanic storm. "Move aside, boy! Claw of Oblivion!"
He lunged, his claw slicing downward with enough force to split the café in half.
Rehan's eyes narrowed. "Silver Fang Guard!"
His aura condensed, forming twin wolf-shaped shields that clashed against Karnal's strike. The impact sent shockwaves, flipping tables, shattering glass, scattering coffee beans across the floor.
Shyra laughed, raising her hand. "Pathetic resistance. Black Serpent Chains!"
From her mist, serpentine chains lashed out, wrapping toward Ishita.
Ishita gasped, frozen.
"Not her!" Rehan's voice was sharp. "Lunar Step!"
In a blur, he vanished and reappeared in front of Ishita, slicing through the chains with silver aura blades. The chains dissolved into black smoke.
Shyra's grin widened. "Oh, this one is fun."
---
Reinforcement Arrives
Before Rehan could counter, the café's broken window cracked again. A sharp whistle cut through the chaos.
SLASH!
Karnal's arm suddenly split open, blood spraying.
A figure landed gracefully inside the café—black coat flowing, a long katana shimmering in his grip. His hair was tied back, eyes cold and disciplined.
"I was nearby when I sensed the aura disturbance," the newcomer said flatly. He gave Rehan a brief nod. "You're not alone anymore."
Rehan's eyes flickered recognition. "Akira Tanaka… Weapon Wielder."
Akira drew his blade, aura surging into it until the steel glowed white. "Stay behind me, girl. This won't take long."
---
Battle Ignites
Karnal snarled, licking his wound. "Another insect?! I'll crush you both!"
He slammed his fists together. "Infernal Ravager Fists!"
His claws blazed red, punching forward with volcanic eruptions.
Akira raised his katana calmly. "Moonlit Sever."
One arc slash—clean, precise—met Karnal's explosive fists. The clash detonated like thunder, splitting the café floor in half, creating a burning fissure.
Meanwhile, Shyra hovered above the chaos, her mist swirling violently. "You two focus on strength. I'll play with the girl. Nightmare Mirage!"
Illusions of black shadow-hands crawled up from the ground around Ishita, pulling at her legs, her arms, her throat.
Ishita screamed, struggling.
Rehan cursed under his breath, aura spiking. "Stay away from her! Wolf Fang Burst!"
Silver aura wolves erupted from his fists, tearing through the shadow hands. But Shyra was already in front of Ishita, claws raised.
Then it happened—
A faint red glow flickered around Ishita. Just for a second. A scarlet aura pulse, like her blood itself caught fire.
Shyra froze mid-strike, eyes wide. "…So it's true. She is the one."
Rehan noticed it too. His heart skipped. Scarlet aura?!
But Ishita herself didn't understand. She just shook, terrified.
---
The War Intensifies
Karnal bellowed, fury overtaking reason. "Enough games! I'll kill everyone in this damn café!"
He smashed the ground. "Hellquake Slam!"
The floor ruptured, debris flying, fire bursting from cracks.
Akira leaped into the air, katana glowing. "Heavenly Crescent Cut!"
He descended, his blade slicing clean through the fire, splitting it apart before it could reach Ishita.
Rehan joined him, aura fists blazing. "Silver Comet Strike!" He shot forward like a bullet, smashing Karnal's jaw with a brutal hook. Blood and teeth flew.
Karnal roared in rage, staggering back.
Shyra hissed, "Karnal, retreat! The Lord must know—"
But Karnal refused. He lunged again, claws extending. "Oblivion Rend!"
Akira stepped in, crossing blades with him, sparks exploding everywhere. "You're too slow." "Dragon Fang Guillotine!"
His katana cleaved diagonally, severing Karnal's shoulder in a spray of demon blood.
Karnal shrieked in agony. His massive form collapsed, aura shattering.
Rehan finished it—"Lunar Fang Eviscerate!"
His fists plunged through Karnal's chest, tearing his demonic core apart.
Karnal howled once before collapsing into ash.
The café fell silent.
---
Aftermath
Shyra stood frozen, her eyes locked on Ishita, who still trembled with confusion. That faint scarlet aura flickered once again around her body, then disappeared.
Shyra's lips curled into a dark smile. "…So it's true. The Lord's chosen vessel… the girl we've been searching for."
Rehan's eyes hardened. He took a step forward. "You're not leaving alive."
But before he could strike, Shyra's body dissolved into mist.
Her voice lingered in the air like venom:
"My Lord… the girl you seek… I have found her."
The café was ruined—splintered wood, shattered glass, burning walls. Rehan stood breathing hard, Akira's blade dripping demon blood. Ishita sat frozen in her chair, shaking, her mind reeling.
And in the shadows far away, a Lord of Ghost Demons would soon learn… that his prize had finally appeared in Borivali.