The forest was still as stone. The wind had stopped. Not even the crickets dared to sing.
Sahiru remained kneeling by the river, tears slipping silently down his cheeks. The reflection of his face, cracked by rippling water, stared back—haunted, broken, exhausted.
From the shadows, the group still watched—held breathless by the sight of the strongest among them in a moment of utter vulnerability.
Then—
A gust of sinister wind cut through the trees.
The temperature dropped.
Leaves scattered violently as a presence cloaked in dread emerged from the woods.
Step… Step… Step.
Long green hair, glowing red eyes, horns curling like a twisted crown. Her kimono was stained in red—too dark to be dye. A chained scythe dragged behind her, clinking against the earth, soaked in blood.
Her face was cold. Empty. Only the glowing kanji on her forehead—"ゼロ"—hinted at the depth of her transformation.
"…Hiyori," Sahiru whispered, rising to his feet.
His eyes were wide. Not with fear—but disbelief.
"You…"
The blade in his hand trembled.
She tilted her head. Her voice, when it came, was silk-thin and venom-laced.
"Don't look at me like that, Sahiru. You made your choice to walk ahead alone. I simply found a better path."
His fists clenched. "You let him turn you."
She smiled cruelly. "Muzan showed me clarity. I've surpassed you now… even Suzune, who clung to your side like a child with a broken toy."
Her words hit harder than any strike.
Sahiru's face lowered. His bangs hid his eyes.
The others watching from the shadows felt the shift—his aura grew unstable. Flickering. Shaking.
"Suzune…" he repeated. "Don't speak her name."
Hiyori raised her scythe.
"You can't even hold your sword steady. Shall I end your pain?"
She launched forward like a crimson comet.
The chained scythe tore through the air—aimed straight for Sahiru's exposed chest.
Then—CLANG!
A second blade appeared between them, stopping her assault cold.
A presence even darker than hers stood between them.
Two katana. Six eyes. Towering presence.
"Kokushibo…" Hiyori muttered.
The legendary Upper Moon One glared at her, voice filled with quiet disgust.
"You disgrace both humanity and demonhood. You were once a warrior. Now, you're just a rabid dog playing with shadows."
She snarled. "Don't interfere!"
He didn't move. "You are not worthy of being Upper Moon Zero."
Sahiru slowly looked up, eyes glowing again—no longer trembling.
And from the trees, the others watched, unable to speak—because what stood before them now was a clash of legends…
And a reckoning long overdue.