The cave was as cold as the inside of a forgotten tomb.
Sayuri stepped in, the bluish glow on the walls reflecting off the metal of the sword on her back. Her footsteps echoed in steady intervals, mixing with the sound of the wind howling somewhere ahead.
A few meters later, the tunnel opened into a split of white, blinding light.
Snow.
Thick flakes fell from a sky buried under heavy clouds. The temperature changed so abruptly that her body felt the shock the moment she crossed the threshold.
"…Great. Surprise weather," she muttered, adjusting her scarf.
Ahead of her, a snow-covered mountain appeared through the mist. In the distance, the silhouette of a structure stood out, dark walls, rigid lines, something like a modern castle… but with an aura so eerie it made her skin crawl.
Sayuri followed a half-buried trail. Each step felt like slicing through blades of ice.
When she finally reached the long bridge leading to the castle, something cracked above her.
A massive monument, a broken statue covered in strange symbols, collapsed, roaring as it hit the ground.
The fog exploded outward.
Sayuri jumped aside, rolled through the snow, and stood up with the ease of someone who's dodged far worse.
"Seriously? You guys don't even TRY to be subtle."
She brushed snow off her shoulder and went back to the bridge.
That's when something jumped down from above, a huge ice Yokai with long limbs and shards of crystal jutting out of its body.
Sayuri raised her Magnum White Lotus, ready to shoot.
But something else made her stop.
Up high… standing on the edge of a broken window… was her.
A Black woman, skin glowing, long dark-blue hair waving wildly in the wind. Her Order outfit was tight, way too tight, hugging every curve in a way that felt more "forbidden fashion magazine" than any official uniform.
Sayuri blinked, confused.
The woman jumped, landing with such force she buried the Yokai's head in the ground, wrapping her legs around it in one smooth martial-arts move, cracking the ice around them.
Snow shot up in a perfect ring.
She landed gracefully, almost theatrically, one hand on her hip, her body bowed in a sensual angle. Then she looked straight at Sayuri.
Amber eyes. Predatory shine. Blue lipstick framing full lips.
Sayuri kept her Magnum resting on her shoulder, staring at her with her usual expression: the classic "I have no idea what's happening."
Before either of them spoke, more ice Yokai crawled out around the woman.
She only smiled. Slowly. Provocatively. The smile of someone who knew exactly how dangerous she was.
Then she started fighting.
Her body moved like she was dancing ballet, but a twisted, sinful ballet, full of spins and exaggerated curves. Every move made her tight outfit follow the sway of her hips or the bounce of her chest.
She pulled out a curved kunai glowing with silver magic and twirled through the monsters.
Her attacks were fluid, almost choreographed. A spin, cut a throat. A backward fall, stabbed another in the gut. A hip sway, dodged a blow. A high kick, decapitated a Yokai like it was a stage trick.
A deadly dance. A sexy, deadly dance.
Sayuri muttered, unimpressed:
"…Is this for real."
But when she'd nearly finished them, one Yokai leapt behind her with claws ready to tear.
Sayuri didn't hesitate, she aimed and fired.
The shot echoed through the snow. The monster fell headless.
The woman slowly turned, amber eyes fixed on Sayuri.
"I owe you a thank you," she said, voice low and warm.
Sayuri didn't move, her expression flat, gun still raised.
The woman started walking toward her like a runway model, hips swaying, cleavage bouncing slightly with each step.
Sayuri narrowed her eye, suspicious.
"You're from the Order…? Never seen you before."
The woman extended a hand, winking.
"I'm new. Call me Megan."
Sayuri touched her hand just out of courtesy, quick, cold and turned away.
Megan tilted her head, stepping close enough that her breath brushed Sayuri's neck.
"You're Sayuri, right? I've heard rumors…"
"And who hasn't?" Sayuri replied, looking around instead of at her.
"Quite a few people, actually," Megan laughed.
Sayuri finally asked:
"So, what's the issue? Where are they coming from?"
Megan twirled the kunai between her fingers.
"It's weird… no matter how many you kill, more keep appearing."
She slowly slid the kunai back, dramatically into a slit along her exposed thigh. Then stared at Sayuri with a look that screamed "I'm teasing you on purpose."
Sayuri looked away.
"Then I will leave that job to you. I've got personal business to deal with."
Megan took a few steps back, eyes never leaving her, stopping beside a fallen Yokai.
"I will join the others. I'll handle these."
With a graceful arc of her leg, she smashed the Yokai's head, like finishing a dance routine.
And posed.
"May the Savior watch over you on your journey," she said with a sweet smile.
She turned and walked into the mist, swinging her hips deliberately.
Sayuri watched her for a second, then sighed.
"...Huh. Savior…"
She holstered her Magnum.
Then walked, steady and focused, toward the castle's dark entrance, where maybe the answers she wanted were waiting.
Inside, the castle felt like an ancient temple, thick columns, burned paper lanterns, statues of wolf-like guardians and forgotten deities. Despite the frozen exterior, the air inside was still, heavy like melted candles.
Sayuri walked forward, inhaling deeply. Her boots echoed through the hall, like the castle itself was listening.
She climbed the main staircase, passing wooden benches carved like those from a Buddhist temple. There were shattered incense burners, torn sutra papers… and next to one pillar, a shelf full of old books.
Books on philosophy, rituals, alchemy, historical treatises and in the center, a small silver frame.
Sayuri picked it up.
It was a picture of Reigan Hoo, the temple's leader. Younger, but unmistakable, the same calm yet judgmental look.
Sayuri raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't think the old man was into books…"
She was about to put the frame back when she felt it.
A chill crawling up her neck.
Pure instinct.
Sayuri spun around, drawing her Magnum in a single fluid motion, aiming at the darkness behind her.
Someone stood there. Silent. Still.
An Order uniform. Perfect, clean, identical to the veteran hunters. The short sword in its hand shone under the pale light.
But something was wrong.
Sayuri squinted, expression shifting.
"That's a great way to get yourself shot."
The figure didn't speak. Didn't breathe. Didn't move… until it slowly tilted its head, like an animal trying to understand what it was seeing.
Its gaze fixed on her right eye, the one covered by the eyepatch.
Sayuri touched it instinctively, protective.
"So…" she said, turning slightly toward the books again, gun still low but firm.
"Are you after that woman too? Or just hunting monsters?"
Silence.
The figure began to walk. Slow. Deliberate. Its steps echoing like hammers.
Sayuri rolled her eye.
"Silent type, huh?" She smirked.
"Great… that's annoying."
Then the figure lunged.
The blade shot toward her chest.
Sayuri raised her forearm and blocked it, metal ringing out. Even in normal clothes, she didn't budge.
She smirked, mocking.
"You're kidding me, right?"
Sayuri shoved the blade aside and stepped back.
Then drew her sword, pulling the gear cord.
VRRRMMM! The blade buzzed with blue electricity.
"Show me what you've got!"
The figure rushed at her with surprising speed. Clean strikes, precise, like a trained Order hunter. Every thrust meant to kill.
Sayuri dodged by inches. She was fast, but the thing was faster.
A cut slashed her left shoulder. Another grazed her waist.
"Oh, come on," she complained. "I GET it—you're skilled…"
But as it went for another downward strike, Sayuri slipped under it and slammed the sword's handle into its face, knocking it off balance.
She slid across the floor, rose, and swung an electric horizontal slash, blocked, but it pushed the figure back hard.
"Tch," Sayuri wiped a bit of blood from her mouth. "Now it's my turn."
She rushed in.
A diagonal cut, blocked. A glowing thrust, the figure dodged with an inhuman twist. A kick to the stomach, landed, making the armor creak.
The figure staggered.
Then jumped with monstrous speed, preparing a final blow—
…but Sayuri's eye flashed blue.
The world slowed down for her.
In one motion, she spun the sword behind her back and drove it through the figure's chest.
FZZZZT! Electricity tore through the uniform.
It fell to its knees.
And then… began dissolving.
The mask dropped and slid to her feet.
Sayuri crouched, picked it up. Looked inside.
Empty.
With a soft crumble, the uniform disintegrated into light-dust.
The mask evaporated in her hand.
Sayuri stood still for a moment.
Then whispered:
"A monster… wearing an Order uniform."
She clenched her jaw. "That's bad news."
Then a click echoed behind her.
The bookshelf slid aside, revealing a hidden passage glowing with flickering yellow light.
Sayuri flicked her wrist, cleaning the sword's blade, and sheathed it.
"Perfect. More mystery."
She took a breath.
And stepped in.
To be continued…