Ambushed in the Park

Three crimson knives flew toward Rei.

Enshin caught them mid-flight, blades locked trembling slightly between his fingers.

Rei’s jaw dropped.

“Wow… nice catch”

Enshin exhaled slowly, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face.

“…Can’t I have one calm day for once?”

Suddenly the knives melted in his grasp.

Red liquid slid between his fingers, warm and heavy. It hit the ground, then moved, crawling like it was alive into the shadows before vanishing completely.

Rei frowned, eyes following it, mind racing.

“Wow… what kind of trick is that? Hidden wires? Magnetism? Tech…?”

Enshin stepped forward, cigarette sparking in the dim light.

“Kid,” he said, smoke curling around his face, voice too steady. ”No matter what happens, I’ve got you.”

Rei stiffened.

“Uh… why?”

Before he could ask anything else, the air shifted.

Two figures stepped out of the darkness. Long cloaks. Oni masks.

One red. One black.

The red mask spun two knives with lazy ease. The black one crouched low, iron claws scraping harshly against the ground.

A chill crawled up Rei’s spine.

Okay.

Definitely not good guys. They looked like villains straight out of a manga.

The red mask clapped once, slow, loud.

“Well played. No wonder they call you the best mage in Tokyo.”

Rei turned, eyes wide.

“Him? Seriously?”

Enshin shrugged, exhaling smoke.

“You know me. But I don’t know you.”

The red-masked man chuckled. Low, amused.

“I’m nobody.”

His gaze slid to Rei.

“But the kid…”

Enshin moved instantly, stepping in front of him.

“Him?” he cut in. “Just a street performer. He has nothing to do with this.”

Rei bristled.

“Hey—”

“Quiet,” Enshin muttered. “Please.”

The red mask tilted his head.

“This is your tenth candidate, isn’t it?”

A pause. Long enough to make Rei’s stomach tighten.

“…Doesn’t look particularly impressive.”

The black mask clicked his tongue.

“Tch… enough with the talking,” he growled.

He lunged.

CLANG—

Steel claws tore through the air, aimed straight for Enshin’s throat. Fire exploded in response. A blade of flame snapped into shape, blocking the strike with a violent hiss as sparks scattered across the ground.

“Run,” Enshin shout, eyes sharp and tense.

Rei hesitated , a second. Then he saw it, how close the claws had been, how real the heat felt.

“…Don’t die, old man,” he muttered, before darting into the shadows.

“Think you can escape me?!” the assassin snarled, trying to follow.

But the exorcist was faster.

Fire erupted in a wide arc, forming a blazing circle around the assassin. The creature snarled, trapped, claws striking uselessly against the wall of heat.

Then Enshin noticed it.

Stitched on the cloak. A crescent moon with a four-pointed star and three drops like blood.

Sekgetsu.

A violent group of demons and half-yokai, infamous for hunting exorcists.

His jaw tightened. Something inside him snapped.

“Why now? And why here? …Don’t tell me this is about the tournament.”

Behind him, the leader laughed.

“You really are the best strategist in Tokyo,” he said.

“Yes. We’re planning something big. And we can’t afford you getting in the way. We’ll kill you first… and then your disciple.”

Enshin’s grip tightened around the burning blade. Knuckles whitening.

“I told you. He’s just a street performer. I met him today. Leave him out of this.”

Hidden in the bushes, Rei listened, heart pounding.

Wait… they really want to kill him? And me too?

What kind of tournament is this?
This is insane…

Flames surged higher around Enshin. Heat pressed against Rei’s chest.

“As long as I’m standing, you won’t touch that kid.”

The assassin snarled and lunged again. Then vanished in a puff of smoke.

Claws rained down. Left. Right. Above.

Enshin barely moved, parrying, twisting, stopping every strike effortlessly.

Rei’s breath caught.

“Wow… they’re on another level. Moving so fast… almost like teleportation.”

“Is that all?” Enshin said casually, ducking another strike, like it was nothing.

“And you?” He glanced toward the red-masked “Are you planning to just watch?”

The leader chuckled. Slow. Menacing.

“Why rush? A good show should be savored.”

The assassin hissed, impatience radiating from every muscle.

“Tch… like he needs to move. I’m more than enough to tear you apart.”

His claws dug into the ground, impatience dripping from every movement.

Enshin tilted his head. A hint of a smile, almost amused.

“Oh really?”

He pulled out red spheres then tossed them

BOOM.

Blinding light.

The assassin raised his arm, smoke curling violently, struggling to teleport. Flames wrapped around him like living chains.

Rei’s eyes widened.

“Chains… from flames… ? How… how is he doing that?”

Enshin smirked, eyes glinting.

“Too bad. Your shadow magic never stood a chance,” Enshin muttered.

“Shit… I’m not done yet,” the demon roared, thrashing wildly. Sparks flew. Smoke choked the air.

Suddenly a crimson blade shot past Enshin’s cheek. Really close.

Startled, he stepped back. In that split second, his focus slipped and the demon seized the opening.

Black smoke burst as he vanished toward his ally

But Enshin was faster.

His fire chain yanked him short. The assassin spat blood, snarling.

“Just wait… I’ll tear your throat out.”

Enshin didn’t answer. He turned to the red-masked man instead, a calm, almost mocking smile on his lips.

“Oh… ready to fight?”

“I have to protect my comrade,” the leader said, calm, but eyes sharp.

Knives shot up. One. Two. Three. Too fast to count now, circling like living beasts.

The exorcist blocked, dodged, spun.

Rei muttered, wide-eyed.

“How… how does he control them so well? Wires? Remote?”

Then he leaned forward, squinting.

Is it just me… or is Enshin moving a little slower?

Sweat beaded on the exorcist’s forehead , he felt it too.

This is bad. I need to finish this battle, fast.

The assassin growled.

“Stop playing with him! Kill him already!”

The red‑masked man laughed softly.

“Ah… my bad. I do enjoy toying with my prey.

The exorcist lunged, trying to close the distance.

But the knives reacted instantly, circling Enshin like hunting beasts, cutting off every angle.

No escape possible.

Enshin stopped , completely still, eyes closed.

The leader scoffed. “Giving up already?”

The knives shot forward all at once.

Rei froze, hands to his mouth

W-Watch out !

But Enshin caught them bare-handed.

Palms burned red, steam rising where metal met flesh. Blades trembled violently in his hand. Then they melted into blood. Flames devoured them until gone.

Rei exhaled sharply, his legs almost gave out.

The leader clicked his tongue.

“Shit… how can an exorcist be this powerful?”

Enshin opened his eyes.

“This joke ends here.”

He pulled more spheres, threw them.

BOOM.

Shockwave tore through the battlefield. Smoke, fire, chaos.

Enshin narrowed his eyes.

Did I hit him?

But when the dust cleared, the red-masked demon stood, blood dripping, forming a crimson shield.

“You missed,” he said , smling

Enshin smiled wryly.

“Are you sure?”

A beat.

“Watch your feet” he said , pointing to the ground.

Spheres twisted into chains, wrapping the leader’s arms and legs.

“Shit… a trap?!”

The demon thrashed, but the chains held.

“Seems I underestimated you… you deserve the title of best exorcist in Tokyo.”

Rei’s eyes widened.

“Wow… they’re incredible. Perfectly mastering misdirection, flawless movement, timing… it felt like real magic. Will I ever reach this level?”

Enshin stepped forward, pulling out sealing talismans from his pocket.

“Game over. I’ll take you to the Bureau. Let’s see what schemes you’ve been plotting for the tournament.”

The demon chief casually slid his hands into his pockets, still bound, still smiling.

“Ah ah… I didn’t want to resort to this,” he said lightly. “But I guess I have no choice.”

His eyes gleamed.

“Time to use my secret card.”

Enshin quickly stepped back, blade ready, eyes narrowing.

The left pocket of the leader glowed red. Suddenly, the chains vanished.

“No way…! What did you do?!” Enshin shouted, panic clawing at his chest.

The clawed assassin teleported right in front of him.

CRACK.

Enshin swung his blade, flames around the edge but it felt… weak. Then they vanished entirely.

Rei’s eyes widened.

“Wait… no way… did he run out of fuel? Now?!”

Enshin gripped his lighter in one hand. The flame flickered, tiny and ordinary.

With the other, he blocked the clawed assassin’s relentless strikes, each blow jolting pain through his body.

“Hmp … not so proud without your fire?” the black-masked sneered.

Something was… off.

Exorcists don’t create elements , they control them. That’s why Enshin use a lighter. But now … even with fire, he couldn’t cast a single spell. No matter how hard he flicked the lighter, nothing happened.

Panic surged.

He didn’t just cancel my spell… he blocked magic itself .

I need to get out of here. Fast. Or I’m done

He darted backward, desperate to escape. But a transparent red sphere bloomed around him, sealing him in.

“Where do you think you’re going?” the demon chief taunted, eyes gleaming.

Enshin tried to break free, pushing and pulling with all his strength, but impossible to cross the barrier. He was trapped.

The clawed assassin stepped forward, ready to finish him.

“Wait,” the red-masked said calmly. “Leave him to me.”

A crimson sword formed in his hands.

Enshin’s chest heaved.

“Shit… I’m… dead,”