Frostblood: The last dragon Hunter

Night had fallen over the quiet house. The soft creaking of wooden beams and the occasional rustle of trees outside were the only sounds.

Ayame offered a warm smile as she looked at her unexpected guests.

"Kaoru, you'll sleep with Hayate tonight," she said gently.

"Alright," Kaoru replied, then glanced at Hana. "And Hana?"

"Hana will sleep with me," Ayame replied. "I've laid out some clothes for you. Change into them and get some rest."

Hana gave a small, grateful nod. "Thank you so much."

"There's no need to thank me, dear," Ayame responded, brushing a hand softly through Hana's hair.

Kaoru muttered from the side, "Mom… I'm still here, you know."

Ayame chuckled. "I've laid out clothes for you and Hayate too."

Hana smirked and teased, "Are you getting jealous?"

"No!" Kaoru shot back quickly. "When did I ever get jealous?"

Hayate grinned, eyeing Kaoru. "Your face says otherwise."

Ayame placed her hands on her hips. "Alright, that's enough. It's getting late." Then she turned to Hayate. "And you—no monster hunting tomorrow. You're injured. You'll rest."

Hana leaned closer to Kaoru, whispering with a mischievous grin, "Miss Ayame is kind of strict..."

"Only when she needs to be," Kaoru replied, smiling.

As night deepened, everyone slowly settled in. The house grew quiet, wrapped in warmth — but far away, something dark began to stir.

---

A Knock at Dawn.

The sun had barely risen when a sharp knock broke the morning silence. Ayame moved quickly to the door, opening it to reveal a woman — breathless, anxious.

"Miss Ayame!" she exclaimed. "Thank goodness you're safe."

"Sayaka?" Ayame blinked in surprise. "What's wrong?"

"There was an Abyss attack in our village last night," Sayaka said, trying to catch her breath. "It happened close to your home. I rushed here to check on you."

Ayame's expression turned serious. "Was there damage?"

Sayaka's face grew grim. "Yes… Several warriors who were patrolling nearby have gone missing. No trace of them was found."

Just then, Kaoru entered, sensing the heavy tension in the room.

"What's going on?" he asked, eyes shifting between the women.

"Sayaka was telling me about an Abyss attack," Ayame explained.

Kaoru's fists clenched. For a moment, he said nothing.

Then his voice came — low, calm, determined.

"It's alright. Tonight… Hana and I will investigate. We'll try to find and stop that monster."

Sayaka looked doubtful. "You really think you can defeat it?"

"Just make sure no one leaves their homes after sunset," Kaoru said. "Leave the rest to us."

Sayaka nodded, trusting the quiet steel in his voice.

---

Shadows by the River

By the river behind the house, Hana sat silently, letting the sound of flowing water steady her thoughts. Kaoru approached with measured steps.

"Hana… there's a mission," he said.

She turned to look at him. "What kind of mission?"

His face was serious now. "Another Abyss attack. I'm certain it's the same one that attacked Hayate."

"You're sure?"

Kaoru nodded. "Two attacks in two nights. Both targeting warriors. It fits. I think it might be one of the Six Abyss Generals."

Hana stood up, her tone firm. "Then we'll need to be fully prepared."

"Yeah. But… I don't know exactly where it happened," Kaoru admitted, scratching his head awkwardly.

Hana let out a frustrated sigh. "Seriously?"

"Sorry," Kaoru chuckled softly.

"Let's go ask around the village," she said. "We need to know where the attack happened."

---

Tension in the village.

The village was already tense when they arrived. Merchants packed early, families stayed close, and fear hung in the air like fog.

Kaoru and Hana made their way through the crowd, searching for anyone who could offer answers.

"Everyone's on edge," Kaoru whispered. "They definitely know something."

Hana spotted a blacksmith packing up his tools. "Let's start with him."

They approached.

"Excuse me, sir," Kaoru asked, "Do you know where the attack took place?"

The man glanced around, lowering his voice. "Eastern woods. Just past the rice fields. Midnight. There was a scream… then silence."

"Did anyone go to check?"Kaoru asked.

"Three warriors did. They never came back."Blacksmith reply.

"Anything strange since then?" Hana asked.

The blacksmith hesitated. "A woman nearby said she saw red eyes in the trees. Said she couldn't move… like her blood froze."

Kaoru's expression darkened. "That confirms it. Same aura as before."

Hana nodded. "The one who attacked Hayate."

"That thing doesn't just kill," the blacksmith warned. "It plays."

Kaoru's eyes narrowed. "We're not planning to play."

With that, he turned and walked away, Hana by his side.

Tonight… the hunt would begin.