Prolouge
Silhouettes and shadowed figures rush across slanted eastern roofs; the rapid thumps of feet sprinting across tiles faintly echo into the night. The sounds of pacing across the tiles overlap one another as the silhouettes continue to run and occasionally leap to adjacent rooftops, bathing in the glow of the moon above. Their faces covered by masks but their eyes glowing luminously with differing colors, leaving faint streaks within their sprints.
This is the story of a hero...
“We have visual on the artifact, Jade, you sure this is gonna work?” Was the voice of a spunky high-pitched woman with white streaks radiating from her irises; her position in a slight crouch and arms behind her as she ran. Ahead of them, a mummified humanoid; covered in bandages, talismans, arrows, and rusted katanas. This monstrosity ran shivering breaths and jittering muscles amidst its sprint away from the silhouettes. Its breath cold and putrid, leaving condensation with every shaking breath it took.
In another area of candlelight, another masked figure spoke with a rather deep voice “If you stay on the course I provided there should be no issue—” He said as he watched a map of ink drawn in rough paintbrush strokes constantly move similar to a film, despite being on dormant scroll paper. “Be sure to provide your condolences to Akasha for the parchment once this is over.” The deep voiced man then jolted a bit as he turned his attention towards the corner of the paper “...Look alive! Three Yokai approaching, and fast...” As red paint strokes began to streak along the paper at fast pace.
...A hero who watched the world fall and bled dry before his eyes but still, despite it all, planted his seed of hope...
One of the four masked figures at the front of the formation spoke up with a young adult man’s voice ”Spriggan!” His irises leaving behind a gleaming silver and turquoise. “わかった 「Wakatta!」” Were the words of a slightly deepened voice of a woman, whose enlarged ponytail could be seen constantly bouncing atop her silhouetted figure. She was seen close and to the side of the silver turquoise eyed man before stamping her foot down and swiftly turning, sliding across the tiles while simultaneously shattering portions in a line as she came to a halt.
She came to a slight crouch and reached for her side; a lengthy 7ft katana could be seen at her hip, being loosely held in one of her hands. In that very moment, erupting from the grounds underneath, leaping from the adjacent houses and tearing through bamboo doors, were shadowed beings who roared with mixtures of gargles, shrieks, and hisses. Approaching ‘Spriggan’ in many different angles.
She then, drew her blade, causing rapid, glimmering winds to slice apart two of the shadows; their blood splattering and falling like rain in the blink of an eye. One of the shadows rushed at her from behind only to have its head crashing downwards by a kick from the spunky woman, who screamed “Eagle’s Descent!” The shadow’s skull shattering upon the impact as it crashed and caved into the tiled roof beneath them. ‘Spriggan’ then yelled out ”Dragon!—” In an annoyed groan “—I had it under control! Don’t break formation mid-mission!” Only for the spunky woman to leap in front of ‘Spriggan’ with a smug “You’re welcome~♪...”
The two then focused on the other monstrous shadows before them, ‘Dragon’ continuing “...Don’t you worry your pretty face, besides, Ghost can handle himself, he’s a big boy! We’ll be his backup!” The two women immediately snapping to stances. ‘Spriggan’ flipping her katana around and bringing it horizontally near her face; ‘Dragon’ twirling once with a knee slightly up as the bounced in place on one foot. In the blink of an eye, the two disappeared in a blur of force as tiles shattered in a radius from where they stood—Attacking more of the approaching shadows.
The masked silver-turquoise eyed man continued to run forward despite the combat; chasing the mummified demon. The monster then, clutched at its face and forcefully tore off bandages from its mouth, unveiling a 3-foot long tongue and two rows of ragged shark-like teeth. It’s breathing more clear, with sounds of someone who has suffered severe lung damage.
...A hero who had to slay his own name and walk the shattered world as a “Ghost”...
The bandaged monster then, screamed with the sounds that could be only described as a large demonic inhale, causing nearby birds to rapid fly outwards and for the tiles of the roofs to shake from the volume. As it screamed, it leapt high while ejecting black pools from its body. Venturing across to another roof, grabbing the ledge and sticking its claw-like fingers into the side of the building; sliding downwards and slicing open the wooden structure on the way down.
Three doppelgängers of the monster emerged from the pools and laughed lowly before rushing towards the man. He continued to run despite the approach, as he formed a combination of hand motions while speaking softly “You’re in the way.” Before clapping his hands together, as three orbs of white and black ink-like flames appeared and instantly hovered over the man. The flames slightly radiated enough to where the silhouette of the man’s mask could be seen in the night. A structure of a fox’s face, cover in white with red engravings upon them. “Ninpon : 「暗黒舞踏」 Ankoku Butō.” Causing the white flames to rush forward and erupt against the doppelgängers, causing them to stagger as the man teleported to each one in bursts of white ghostly figured; striking them with altering martial arts strikes before leaping high into the air within the moonlight.
As he leapt, an enlarged fox tail could be seen within the silhouette flowing at the hips of the man; along with an extremely large scarf that gracefully danced even further. The tail then, briefly erupted in a flash, multiplying into nine flowing tails before the man disappeared in an array of blue luminous flower petals.
The bandaged monster was seen running through the eastern town in a more hysterical and wild run with drool flowing down in small puddles from its wide open mouth and long tongue. Sprinting faster than before, coming to a sudden halt as the fox-masked man appeared a few yards away in the teleport of blue blossoms. Silently staring at the monster as their nine-tails stood high and danced slowly like leaves in the soft breeze that blew.
“This is as far as you go, Blade Eater...” The nine-tailed man said as he slowly drew a katana from his back. As the blade slowly revealed itself and reflected the moonlight’s gleam, the bandaged humanoid bent his back upwards to the sky as he hysterically laughed with rapid, empty wheezes. It then, hunched downwards as it flung its torso forward before sprinting at the man; its jaw wide open hungrily in a smile with long claw-like nails tearing through their bandages on their hands. The man in the fox-mask turned the blade backwards in a reversed grip, having it rest against its forearm; standing upright and tall as the demon approached.
The name of this hero is...
