2. chapter the Shapeshifter’s Deception and a new member

The dense forest was silent, too silent. A thick mist slithered between the ancient trees, wrapping around the two adventurers like ghostly tendrils. Tatsuya tightened his grip on his ice sword, his blue eyes scanning the shadows. Beside him, Misaki held her white sword in a ready stance, the tension in the air making her heart pound.

A low growl echoed from the darkness. Then, with unnatural speed, a creature lunged from the fog. Its form was a writhing mass of black tendrils, shifting erratically as if struggling to find a stable shape. Clawed limbs extended from its body, slashing toward Tatsuya. He barely managed to block with his sword, the force pushing him back.

Misaki reacted instantly, wind magic swirling around her blade as she dashed forward, striking at the creature's shifting form. It screeched and recoiled, its body twisting like liquid shadow. Then, before their eyes, it changed.

A human figure emerged from the blackness—slender, with shoulder-length black hair and gentle brown eyes. Tatsuya's breath caught in his throat. It was her.

"Yuki…?" His voice trembled.

She smiled softly, stepping toward him with familiar warmth in her gaze. "Tatsuya… It's been so long."

His grip on the sword loosened. His heart pounded—not from battle, but from the flood of memories crashing over him. The laughter they shared, the quiet moments, the words he never spoke.

"No… this isn't real," Misaki snapped, her eyes narrowing. "Tatsuya, it's tricking you!"

Yuki turned to Misaki, her soft expression twisting into something colder. "You don't belong here," she whispered, and suddenly, the shapeshifter struck.

Misaki barely dodged as a black tendril lashed out, slamming into the ground where she stood. She gritted her teeth and countered with a burst of wind magic, forcing the creature back.

Tatsuya stood frozen, his mind a storm of emotions. Could it really be Yuki? Could she have been reborn here too?

"Tatsuya!" Misaki's desperate voice snapped him back to reality. Yuki—no, the creature—was rushing at him, a twisted smirk on its face.

His hesitation vanished. This wasn't her.

With a roar, he summoned his lightning magic, his sword crackling with power. The moment the creature was within reach, he slashed through its false form. Electricity surged through the shapeshifter, forcing it back into its monstrous state.

"Misaki, now!" he shouted.

She nodded, spinning her sword as a fierce gust of wind surged toward the creature, slicing through its shifting mass. It shrieked, its form unraveling into black mist before dissipating completely.

Silence returned.

Tatsuya exhaled, lowering his sword. His hands trembled—not from the fight, but from the ghost of a love he never confessed.

Misaki hesitated before speaking. "Was she… important to you?"

He didn't answer immediately. Then, with a bitter smile, he whispered, "Yeah… but she's gone now."

Misaki glanced at him, her fingers tightening around her sword. She didn't press further, but in her heart, she made a quiet vow—to be by his side, no matter what shadows of the past tried to haunt him.

Later they went to adventurer's guild and they reserch about that creature but no one knows about that creature

An unknown person who was following them from starting appeared in front of them he said "our lord wants to meet you" they can't refuse because they know that the person in front of them is powerful they followed his lead

They went in forest of anseliya that man took his sword and incanted "O boundless void, tear through the fabric of space! Guide me through the abyss to the throne of the dark sovereign! Abyss Gate: Sovereign's Path!" After that an swirling vortex of dark energy, formed a gateway that directly teleported them in to demon lord's castle

A castle that covered from Dark energy and many demons, tatsuya and Misaki were formed in front of demon lord Nyxarion kurogane, demon lord asked them to join the demon army but tatsuya refused but demon lord was not surprised but he give them 1 year of time to think about the proposal for joining the demon army they were sent to anseliya forest back.

They created an House in anseliya forest and tatsuya confessed his love to Misaki. Misaki was happy, tatsuya give her engagement ring, Just as he was about to give her an engagement ring, a voice came they went to search they found an girl in deep forest they took her to a nearby cave and setup an fire

The crackling fire cast flickering shadows against the cave walls, its warmth pushing back the chill of the midnight air. Tatsuya knelt beside the unconscious girl, his hand hovering over her wounds as a soft, golden glow emanated from his palm. His healing magic seeped into her battered body, mending the bruises and cuts that marred her pale skin.

Misaki watched with concern, her white sword resting at her side. "Who is she…?" she murmured, brushing strands of dark blue hair from the girl's peaceful face.

They had found her deep in the forest, barely clinging to life. The signs of battle were fresh—the trees scorched, the ground torn apart—but no other survivors remained. Whoever she was, she had escaped something terrible.

By dawn, the girl stirred. Her golden eyes fluttered open, hazy at first before locking onto Tatsuya's face. She stared at him, her expression unreadable, then turned to Misaki.

A moment of silence passed before she finally spoke, her voice soft yet certain.

"…Father… Mother…"

Tatsuya's breath hitched. Misaki's eyes widened.

The girl smiled faintly, as if she had just found something she had long been searching for.

"...I finally found you".

And then she get back to sleep

After that they decided to bring her back to home and be her dad and mom. They named her himavari and tatsuya give his surname rikiri. After that day they took care of himavari they went to guild and did paper work for himavari.

When they was about to went to their mission an black fly came to tatsuya and formed in to demon lord they found that the demon lord was no longer demon lord his brother ryouma kurogane took away his throne. He begged tatsuya to give him an room. After Misaki's approval he give him room.

His brother ryouma found out that Nyxarion was living with tatsuya he sended an over powerd mob named Gaiorox, Titan of the Shattered Lands

To be continued....