Tobin sat on a weathered bench beneath the moonlight, brushing the edge of his newly acquired cloak. His burns had mostly healed, but the training still left a fatigue that ran down to the soul. He glanced sideways.
Kessia stood near the fire pit, her back turned, long twin tails swaying with the breeze. Her ears twitched as if she sensed his stare.
"You should rest," Tobin said. "Tomorrow's another rough one."
She didn't look back. "You act like you care."
"I do."
A pause.
"…Tch. Fine. But only 'cause I'm tired."
She walked over and flopped beside him. Silence lingered for a moment before Tobin broke it.
"Hey. I've been wondering… What are you, exactly? You're not just a beastkin, are you?"
Her golden eyes flicked toward him, guarded. "You noticed?"
"You radiate something different. I've trained with elves, fought vampires, and got beat up by a dragon powered journalist. You're… off."
Kessia's lip curled slightly—something between a smile and a snarl.
"I'm not just a cat-eared girl, dumbass. I'm a Nekomata."
"…Legendary beast?"
She nodded. "Nekomata aren't just rare. We're feared. Not because of our claws or speed—but because we can attack the soul directly."
Tobin blinked. "Like… bypassing the body?"
"Exactly. Physical wounds heal. Soul wounds don't." Her voice dropped lower. "It's why Human kinda hate us."
A chill passed between them.
"There were two villages," she continued, voice barely a whisper. "Felhira—where nobles go to play samurai. And Nyatora. My home. The real warrior village."
She clenched her fists. Her claws lightly scraped the wooden bench.
"It was peaceful. We were training, hunting… Then—one night—screams. Blood. I saw it all. Bodies exploding like overripe fruit. I ran. My family—" Her voice cracked. "I don't know if they're alive. Probably not."
Tobin reached out, gently placing a hand on her arm. "Kessia… I know someone who can help."
She blinked, suspicious. "What, your bread supplier?"
"No." He stood, then turned to the shadows behind a nearby pillar. "I know you're there, Ryle."
From the darkness, a slow clap echoed.
"You're too subtle, Tobin," Ryle said, stepping forward with Thea at his side. "You need to say something flashy, like, 'I summon the World's Strongest Journalist!'"
Thea sighed. "Please don't encourage him."
Kessia narrowed her eyes. "So, you're Ryle. You've got a weird aura."
"Thanks. I moisturize."
Tobin rolled his eyes. "Can we focus?"
Ryle nodded, serious now. "Your story matches recent patterns. Sudden mass deaths. Chaos. Bloods. No signs of conventional magic."
Thea crossed her arms. "Sounds like vampires."
Kessia tensed. "But I would've sensed them. I can tear at souls. That's my specialty."
Thea responded, "That's the problem. Demons don't have normal souls. You can't affect what's not… alive the way we are."
Ryle smirked. "That's why we don't just rely on claws and spirit energy. We use tech."
He pulled something from his coat—a slender blade with a faint red gleam. "Hemlock Steel. Cuts soul and body alike."
Tobin leaned closer. "We have more of that?"
"Nope," Ryle said cheerfully. "Which is why we're heading to Durnath."
A Day Later – Durnath, Land of Technology
The forge of Durnath roared like a hungry beast. Sparks burst in the air as hammer struck metal, and the air shimmered with heat.
Varek Durnath emerged from behind a table, wiping his oil-streaked hands on his apron. "Well, well! Look who's finally decided to visit."
Ryle dropped a bag of gold onto the table. It hit with a heavy thud.
Varek stared. "Ryle. Where did you get this kind of money?"
"The World's Strongest Journalist," Ryle replied with a wink.
Thea stared at him. "Why didn't you use it when Tobin was literally eating moldy bread?"
"I wanted him to suffer."
"I knew it," Tobin growled. "You're the worst mentor."
Varek laughed, sliding the gold toward himself. "This'll get you weapons for everyone. Hemlock daggers, shortblades, even throwing needles."
He waved to a maid, who carted in crates of metal. "Pick your poison."
As Ryle inspected the goods, Kessia leaned beside Tobin. "Why not report to the kingdom? Let them deal with the vampires?"
Ryle overheard and didn't even look up. "Eh. I don't trust people scared of vampires."
Thea added, "Velbrath nobles would rather argue about tea flavors than risk their necks."
Tobin muttered, "Meanwhile, I've been fed stale bread for two months straight."
Ryle smirked. "You're still standing, aren't you?"
"Barely."
Varek handed Kessia a pair of slender twin daggers, curved like fangs. "Lightweight. Soul-cutting. Try not to kill everyone."
Kessia stared at them, then gave a soft, rare smile. "Thanks."
That Night – Outside Durnath
Under a quiet sky, the team sat around a small fire, Hemlock weapons nearby.
Tobin glanced at Ryle. "So what's the plan?"
"We hunt. Quietly. Track vampire movement, confirm who's behind Nyatora's destruction."
Kessia leaned forward, eyes glowing faintly. "If they're still there, I'll smell them."
Ryle nodded. "Good. Because next time…"
He unsheathed his own Hemlock sword.
"…We hit back."