As soon as Kaien stepped over the crumbling wall of the courtyard, everything changed.
The air felt thick, full of the earthy smell of wet ground, moss, and blooming moonflowers. A thin silver mist curled around the huge, ancient trees, their trunks as wide as houses. Soft spirit wisps floated lazily about, their flickering light glinting like eyes in the dark.
Kaien took a deep breath, enjoying the rich, damp scent.
"Ah… this is way better than any air freshener back on Earth," he said, a gleam in his golden eyes.
A sudden rustle to his left snapped him out of his thoughts. He froze and tilted his head slightly. He could feel the energy in his veins stirring, like a cat getting ready to pounce.
He smirked.
"Oh, am I getting a welcome party? That's nice of you," he called out, his voice bouncing off the twisted branches around him.
He stepped forward, moving carefully. His bare feet made hardly a noise on the moist moss, and his body seemed to respond instinctively to what he planned.
He ducked under a low-hanging branch, pushing aside a curtain of moonvine. Ahead of him, a small clearing opened up, lit by the eerie glow of the two moons.
In the center stood two spirit wolves. Their fur shimmered between a ghostly white and smoky gray, with eyes that blazed like hot coals, filled with a hungry malice. Drool dripped from their long, spectral fangs, sizzling as it hit the moss.
Kaien tilted his head, amused.
"Ah… so you guys are the local greeters? Let me guess, no fruit basket?"
The wolves growled low, circling him in a smooth, predatory dance.
Kaien slowly raised his hands, feeling energy crackling just under his skin. His Chaos Demon Vein pulsed, a storm coiled and ready to explode. He let a thin line of energy flow into his fingers—just enough to tease the power without burning himself.
One wolf lunged at him, and he stepped aside just in time, feeling its claws swish through the air where his throat had been a second ago.
Kaien flicked his wrist, letting out a small burst of dark-blue flame. It hit the wolf's flank, and it yelped sharply as it smashed into a tree, steam rising from its singed fur.
"Nice try! You almost made me spill my imaginary tea," Kaien laughed, dodging the second wolf's leap.
This one twisted mid-air, teeth aimed for his shoulder. Kaien ducked low, sliding across the moss. With one swift move, he slapped his palm up, launching a pulse of blackened flame into its chest.
The wolf convulsed before crashing into the earth with a muffled snarl. It got back up, its eyes wild and frantic.
Kaien stood tall, stretching his arms like he was warming up for a jog.
"Mm… still a bit clumsy. But I think I'm getting the hang of this."
The first wolf, singed but not deterred, snarled and charged again. Kaien narrowed his eyes, a sharp grin spreading across his face.
He let more energy seep into his arms, feeling it curl around his veins like a cold serpent. Power surged up his spine, making every nerve tingle.
He darted forward, crossing the clearing in an instant. His fingers transformed into claw-like strikes, demonic qi igniting around them.
With a swift move, he raked his hand across the wolf's throat. The energy hissed as it sliced clean through.
The wolf collapsed, turning into a smoky mist that faded into the night air.
Kaien shivered slightly as leftover energy pricked at his skin.
"Hah… note to self: gotta be gentle with demonic strikes or I'm in trouble too," he muttered, shaking out his hand.
The second wolf hesitated now, ears pinned back. Fear flickered across its burning gaze, a brief hint of regret showing through.
Kaien studied it, tilting his head.
"Poor puppy… you thought you were the predator, huh?" he whispered softly.
He stepped closer, almost casually. The wolf tried to back away, sinking its paws into the moss.
Kaien flicked his fingers, sending a small arc of dark flame towards its chest. The wolf howled in pain before collapsing, its body turning into a fading wisp of mist.
The clearing fell quiet.
Kaien exhaled slowly, feeling sweat trickle down his back. The fight wasn't exactly graceful, but it showed that he was getting better at this.
He took a moment to listen to the way the forest breathed. The tension in his muscles relaxed, replaced by a lazy amusement.
"Two spirit wolves down… no injuries this time… and no HR paperwork," he chuckled softly.
Just as he was about to leave the clearing, he heard a faint noise.
A soft whimper.
His eyes sharpened at once.
Following the sound, he wove deeper into the underbrush. The moonlight grew patchy, slipping between thick canopies like silver water.
There, nestled among twisted roots and moonlit ferns, was a small creature—a fox-like spirit beast, its fur as black as night with streaks of electric blue. One front paw was bent oddly, and shallow cuts marred its sides.
Its sapphire eyes opened wide as he got closer, glowing fiercely despite its pain. It tried to stand but collapsed, letting out a pitiful growl.
Kaien crouched a few feet away, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Well, aren't you a feisty little one?" he said, a softer grin forming on his face.
The fox bared its tiny fangs, little sparks popping along its whiskers. It tried to summon more energy, but its body shook violently with each ragged breath.
Kaien reached into his robe, feeling for a small spirit herb he'd picked up from the courtyard—a Celestial Dewleaf, cool and fragrant.
"Don't get any ideas. I'm not exactly the hero type," he said, holding up the herb. "But I'd rather you owe me than try to nip at my ankles later."
He tossed it forward, letting it land beside the fox.
The little creature's eyes darted between him and the herb. Slowly, it dragged itself forward to sniff at the leaves, and after a hesitant moment, began to chew.
Kaien watched, his golden eyes shining in the moonlight.
"Good kid," he murmured. "Guess you do want to stick around."
As the fox finished the herb, its breathing eased. The sparks along its fur faded, though its glare remained fierce.
It crawled closer, laying down by his foot but still glaring up at him defiantly.
Kaien chuckled and reached down to stroke its soft fur.
"Already looking to be my sidekick, huh?"
The fox flinched but didn't pull away. It leaned slightly into his touch, letting out a low, uncertain whine.
"Alright then," Kaien sighed, sitting cross-legged beside it. "I'm naming you Moki. That's easy enough to shout out when you run off doing something reckless."
Moki let out a tiny huff, eyes narrowing as if offended by the name.
Kaien laughed, shaking his head.
"Perfect. You already hate me. We're going to get along just great."
He leaned back, staring up at the moons, feeling Moki's warm breath against his leg.
In that moment, the voice came back—softer this time, almost a whisper.
Grow stronger. Protect. Discover. Laugh, demon… laugh until the end.
Kaien closed his eyes, a crooked grin spreading across his face.
"Yeah… I'll laugh alright," he whispered to the stars. "And when the whole world's on fire, I'll be the last one cackling."
Moki curled up beside him, its tail twitching. The forest was silent again, except for the gentle rustle of leaves and the distant calls of night birds.
Kaien tilted his head back, soaking in the cold moonlight. His golden eyes glowed softly beneath his lashes, reflecting the twin moons above.
A demon reborn in a realm full of gods and beasts, a little fox curled up at his side, and a storm brewing quietly inside him.
This was just the start.
And he wouldn't want it any other way.