In the bustling hallways of Shoyo Middle School, Towa went on with her daily life as usual. She moved with a certain grace that seemed to carry the weight of unspoken thoughts. Several days had passed, and Towa couldn't shake the feeling that she was forgetting something important. She couldn't help but feel a yearning for someone she couldn't quite recall. It was like trying to grasp a distant dream, slipping away as the morning sun rises. The more she tried to remember, the more elusive the memory became.

Tucked away in the recesses of her mind was an image, blurry yet full of emotion – the silhouette of a person who once played a significant role in her life. The memory was fragmented, like shards of a shattered mirror, each piece reflecting a different facet of the forgotten someone.

In a moment of introspection, as Towa sat alone on a bench in the school courtyard, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. And there, in the stillness of her heart, she began to remember something.

"You are part dog demon, as far as I know, dogs are unable to forget a scent."

Towa's eyed widended.

'Who said that? Why can't I remember?'

"If only I could get a hint of where that person's scent is..."Her eyes trailed up until it landed on the school rooftop.

She didn't understand why, but something inside of her kept nagging at her that the answer was there.

✲'*。.❄¨¯'*✲。❄。*。¨¯'*✲

In the midst of a torrential downpour, the world seemed to blur into an impressionist painting, each raindrop a brushstroke creating a masterpiece of movement and emotion. And there, in the heart of the storm, stood a boy, a solitary figure amidst the chaos of nature's tears.

His black hair was soaked and clung to his forehead, dark strands framing a face that was both stoic and serene. Raindrops danced upon his eyelashes, each one reflecting the turbulent sky above, as if the heavens were trying to leave an indelible mark on his soul.

Yet, despite the relentless storm surrounding him, there was a sense of peace in his demeanor. Riei stood firmly on the wet ground, as if he had found an anchor amidst the chaos. He tilted his head slightly upward, his hand holding firmly his unsheathed sword soaked in blood.

"I thought you would never come." Riei said as he sensed the new presence.

In the distance, lightning crackled across the darkened canvas of the sky, illuminating the newcomer's silhouette in flashes of ethereal light. Rikuo, in his day form, stood with a heavy heart as he stared at his son.

"Riei. I told you not to leave. If you were to leave, you'll be branded as a-_" Rikuo was cut off.

"Traitor?" Rikuo's eyes widened.

That was when Riei turned to face his father, his eyes were void of light.

"I thought I asked you already, dad. What will you do if I was really the one behind those killings."

"My son is not a murderer!" Rikuo exclaimed.

"Then what about those people I killed five years ago?"

Rikuo's eyes widened. He knew exactly what his son was talking about. How could he forget the day they had found him and his sister on the snowy mountain five years ago. What transpired inside the underground lab was pure terror. Icicles pierced their body as their blood trailed behind them, forming a torrent of blood.

"You saw what I did to those people." Riei added. "But you buried the fact in the snow."

Riei took a few stepped forward as his cold blue eyes were glarring daggers at the man in front of him. "After all these years, why can't you find the ring leader who took Ritsura's eyes?"

"Riei." Rikuo was lost for words.

"Is it because he's a human? That's why you stopped the investigation?"

Hearing that, Rikuo jerked his head toward his son. "Riei!"

"Do you really think sending me to Tono would erase the scars, dad?!" The icy tendrils of his power lashed out and halted the rain altogether, threatening to unleash a destructive force.

"...!"

Riei pulled back his kimono with force, revealing the scars that etched their way across his skin like a haunting tapestry. "Just look at me! Even if I was a half-demon, the scars did not disappear! It only fades with time but it's a reminder of what the humans did to me AND to Ritsura!"

Rikuo's face etched with a mixture of sorrow and guilt. He was lost for words, unable to express the weight that bore down upon his heart. The silence hung heavy in the air, mirroring the burden he carried.

"Riei... I'm sorry."

Riei walked silently towards his father until they were a few step away from one another.

"I never blame you, dad... But, I needed you to stay put." He whispered.

Just then, Rikuo's eyes widened as he felt a sharp pain through his abdomen. "...?!"

The blade Riei held all those time was embedded in Rikuo's stomach. Warm blood started to trail down his legs to the ground.

"R-Ri..ei...?"

"Sorry, dad. This is what I have to do."

✲'*。.❄¨¯'*✲。❄。*。¨¯'*✲

A/N

Hey guys, thank you for continuing to read this story. It's a short chapter for today but as you can see, I paced this story up a bit. This story is finally reaching the climax. There's only a few chapter left for this arc and I'll probably start the Sengoku arc in another book. I'll try my best to finish up this book before continuing with my other WIP 'See You'. Thank you again for reading! Stay tuned for the next chapter.