Then Baba Yaga said, her voice low and cackling like dry leaves scraping against stone,

"Kiyoshi Rin..." She laughed a bit, the sound rich and amused, echoing off the high, shadowed ceiling of the ancient chamber like breaking glass.

Her long brown hair cascaded like liquid chocolate down her back as she leaned forward, her fair skin glowing in the flickering torchlight, her amber eyes sparkling with dark humor.

The witch’s slender form seemed to coil with delight, her dark robes whispering as she shifted in her chair, fingers drumming lightly on the scarred black marble table.

The room itself amplified her laughter — the tall pillars groaned faintly, the faded tapestries on the walls seemed to stir as if the depicted fallen gods were listening, and the obsidian floor reflected her amusement like a dark mirror.

The other monsters watched in silence, the air thick with sulfur and old blood, the torch flames dancing in iron braziers as Baba Yaga continued her tale with relish.

"He came looking for me at my place in Russia just to fight, and he was just a little boy then.

I barely escaped."

The memory unfolded in her words, painting a vivid picture for the gathered high-ranking monsters.

Years ago, when Rin was only twelve, rumors had reached him in Japan about a terrifying witch in the remote Russian wilderness — Baba Yaga, said to be so strong that even seasoned heroes avoided her domain. The young boy, driven by an insatiable curiosity and a burning desire to test his growing power against legends, had left Japan without telling anyone.

He traveled alone, crossing oceans and vast lands with nothing but determination and his raw talent.

The journey was long and harsh — cold trains, frozen forests, and lonely roads that tested even his young endurance.

But Rin pressed on, his small frame wrapped in a simple coat, blue hair tousled by the wind, blue eyes bright with excitement as he followed the rumors to her isolated hut.

The house Baba Yaga was staying in then in Russia looked so old like an ancient abandoned castle.

It stood alone on a misty, snow-covered hill, its walls cracked and overgrown with dark vines, towers leaning precariously as if the structure itself was alive and breathing.

The roof was patched with rotting thatch, windows like empty eye sockets staring out into the frozen wilderness, and the front door was a heavy, iron-bound slab covered in frost and strange runes that pulsed faintly with dark magic.

The air around the hut felt colder, heavier, as if the building sucked the warmth from the world.

Snow crunched under Rin’s small boots as he approached, his breath visible in the freezing air, his young face set with determination as he knocked on the door with a small fist.

Behold, she opened the door.

Baba Yaga appeared in the form of an old woman, hunched and wrinkled, dressed in ragged, patched robes that smelled of herbs and decay.

Her long brown hair was tangled and graying at the edges, her amber eyes peering out from a face lined with age and cunning.

She saw a young child standing by her door — a boy with deep blue hair and matching blue eyes, small but radiating an unusual aura of power even at that age.

She was like, "Oh hello?? What brings you here?"

Her voice was raspy and sweet, like honey over broken glass, hiding the predator beneath.

In her mind, she thought with dark hunger,

Who is this dumb kid? Didn’t your parents tell you not to wander around this area?? I’ll make sure to savor his flesh... young meat is always the sweetest.

Her amber eyes gleamed with anticipation, imagining the boy as a tender meal to replenish her strength, her wrinkled hands twitching slightly as she beckoned him inside.

She then said, "It’s cold outside, come inside.

Let me get you something to eat."

Her tone was grandmotherly and inviting, the old woman form shuffling aside to let him enter, the heavy door creaking loudly on rusted hinges.

Rin walked inside her home, the interior dark and cluttered with strange artifacts — jars of floating eyes, bundles of dried herbs, and bones hanging from the ceiling like wind chimes.

The air was thick with the smell of stew and something metallic underneath.

She walked him to the dining area, a rough wooden table surrounded by mismatched chairs, and went into the kitchen, returning with a small bowl of food.

The stew looked innocent — chunks of meat in a thick broth — but the smell was off, rich and coppery.

She served it to Rin with an evil smile on her face, her wrinkled lips curving upward as she asked,

"So why are you here? You looking for your parents?"

Then Rin looked at the food and said, his young voice steady and unafraid,

"You expect me to eat this food made from human parts?"

The words cut through the air like a blade, the bowl still steaming in front of him.

Baba Yaga’s smile slowly disappeared, her amber eyes widening in shock.

In her mind, she thought with rising alarm, How could he tell it was human meat?

The old woman form faltered for a moment, the illusion cracking as her true cunning showed through.

Then Rin said to her, his blue eyes sharp even at twelve years old,

"Hmm... well this is the main reason why I’m here i___"

The memory faded as Baba Yaga leaned back in her chair, her laughter echoing again through the chamber, the other monsters shifting in their seats as they absorbed the tale of the young boy who had dared to challenge one of the most feared witches in the world. The ancient castle room felt smaller under the weight of the story, the torch flames flickering as if reacting to the name Kiyoshi Rin, the high-ranking monsters exchanging glances filled with a mix of respect and unease.

The meeting continued, the name hanging over them like a storm cloud, the obsidian floor reflecting their dark forms as they planned their next moves in the shadows.