Night. Red flames illuminated the oni village, hidden deep in the mountains. Houses had collapsed, traces of battle remained on the roads, and the smell of burning hung in the air. Ayame Hyakki, who had sensed something was wrong and hurried back to her homeland, stood frozen before the transformed remains of her home.

As if shaking off her sense of dread, Ayame ran through the flames. She rushed down the paths she had walked since childhood, leaped over the burned-down gate, and hurried toward her home. At last, when she arrived, Ayame's feet stopped. "…………" There lay her mother, collapsed and bleeding.