Beneath the Moonlight

Bang.

The bullet pierced straight through Eve.

Yumi’s eyes widened in horror.

“No—!”

She instinctively shut her eyes tightly.

But after several seconds passed…

There was no scream.

No blood.

Slowly, Yumi opened her eyes again.

Eve stood completely frozen in place.

Her body trembled slightly as if struggling against an invisible force, but she couldn’t move at all.

Yuka moved instantly.

Before Yumi could react, he rushed forward and drove his sword directly into Eve’s chest.

“EVE!”

Yumi ran toward them in panic and immediately caught Eve before she collapsed completely.

Tears filled her eyes.

Yuka slowly walked closer.

“She’s alive,” he said calmly.

Yumi looked up at him fearfully.

His crimson glowing eyes stared back at her emotionlessly.

Even speaking to him now felt terrifying.

“…Alive…?” Yumi asked in a shaking voice.

“But y-you just stabbed her…”

Yuka calmly knelt beside Eve.

“If you want her back,” he said quietly,

“then let me do my work.”

Yumi looked down at Eve.

Then back at Yuka.

After several seconds of hesitation…

She slowly moved away.

Yuka placed his glowing hand over Eve’s forehead.

The crimson aura around his eyes intensified.

Then suddenly—

Something began emerging from Eve’s body.

A black figure surrounded by a dark red aura.

The same creature Yumi described earlier.

The Yaksha.

Yuka forcefully ripped it out of Eve’s body and slammed it violently onto the ground.

The Yaksha screeched and immediately lunged toward Yuka.

But—

Slash.

Yuka’s blade cut through it instantly.

The lower half of its body remained near Yuka while the upper half crashed several meters away.

The Yaksha desperately tried crawling backward using only its arms.

For the first time—

It looked afraid.

Terrified.

Its entire body trembled while staring directly into Yuka’s glowing crimson eyes.

Then—

Bang.

Yuka fired once more.

The Yaksha’s body completely disappeared.

Silence filled the field.

Yumi stared at Yuka in horror.

Just… what is he?

Yuka ignored her gaze and returned to Eve.

He knelt once again and used his powers carefully.

The stab wound slowly disappeared.

Eve’s breathing became stable again.

“She’s only sleeping,” Yuka said while standing up.

“She’ll wake up soon.”

Then he simply turned around and began walking away.

Yumi remained frozen for several moments before finally regaining herself.

“Wait!”

She quickly ran after him and grabbed his hand.

“Don’t go yet!”

Yuka silently pulled his hand away.

“…Tell me who you really are.”

For a brief moment—

Neither of them spoke.

Then Yuka finally answered.

“Knowing about me is unimportant.”

Yumi stepped back slightly after hearing his cold reply.

But then—

Yuka turned away again.

His crimson eyes slowly returned to normal.

“Before we talk…”

“I’ll explain only what’s necessary for you to know.”

He looked toward Eve.

“First, let your friend wake up.”

With that, Yuka jumped onto the cherry blossom tree nearby and sat silently on one of the

branches.

The moonlight illuminated him from above.

Yumi carefully carried Eve beneath the tree and sat down while resting Eve’s head on her lap.

The peaceful night air contrasted heavily with everything that had happened earlier.

Then—

Yuka closed his eyes once again.

Darkness.

The same endless void appeared around him.

And within it—

The glowing golden sphere floated silently.

Yuka stared at it.

“What should I do?”

“Should I tell them everything?”

The sphere remained quiet for a moment before replying:

“Yes.”

“It should be safe now.”

“Both of them will become targets for the Yakshas eventually.”

“To them… these girls are perfect vessels.”

“Telling them the truth may be better.”

“And perhaps…”

“You may finally gain allies you can trust.”

Yuka lowered his gaze slightly.

“We can’t trust anyone.”

His voice became colder.

“The worst betrayal doesn’t come from enemies.”

“It comes from friends.”

“From allies.”

“We only tell them what they need to know.”

The glowing sphere said nothing more.

Yuka slowly opened his eyes again.

The moon still hung high above the cherry blossom tree.

Below him, Yumi continued secretly observing him.

Trying desperately to understand who he truly was.

Without even looking at her, Yuka suddenly spoke:

“Staring at me won’t give you any answers.”

Yumi flinched slightly.

But her thoughts continued racing.

That thing wasn’t normal…

He called it a Yaksha…

And when he shot Eve… time itself seemed to freeze around her…

Her gaze slowly shifted toward Yuka’s sword and gun.

Those weapons aren’t normal either…

Then finally—

Her eyes returned toward him once more.

No…

He himself isn’t normal.

While she remained lost in thought—

She suddenly felt movement in her lap.

“…Eve?!”

Eve slowly regained consciousness.

Yuka casually tossed a water bottle toward Yumi.

“Use it.”

Yumi quickly helped Eve drink some water.

After several moments, Eve slowly opened her eyes fully.

“…What happened?”

“I don’t remember anything…”

Then her eyes shifted upward toward the cherry blossom tree.

“…Who is he?”

Yuka remained silent.

Still staring quietly at the moon.

Yumi immediately hugged Eve tightly.

Tears formed in her eyes again.

“I’m just glad you’re okay…”

“You don’t need to remember anything right now.”

She smiled weakly.

“But… he saved us.”

Yumi glanced upward once more toward the silent masked boy sitting beneath the moonlight.

“…Though I still don’t even know his name.”