The Hawk God and The Pitiful Sacrifice

Crippled by an accident that left him with a permanently impaired leg, Rui is selected by his village to serve as a human sacrifice. Desperate for rain to save their dying lands, the villagers offer him up to appease the gods, forcing him to leave his beloved sister behind. Cast into the afterlife, Rui encounters Murakumo, the local deity, and begs him to grant the rainfall his people so desperately need. Instead of answering his prayers, Murakumo outright refuses and violently forces himself upon the helpless young man. Despite the cruelty he endures, Rui does not break. When Murakumo coldly tells him to leave if he cannot bear it, Rui remains. Though deeply wounded, Rui begins to notice the profound anguish hidden within the god’s pained expression, sparking a quiet curiosity about the sorrow buried beneath such harshness. What begins as a tragic offering slowly transforms into a tender, heartbreaking love story between two radiant souls who ultimately find salvation in each other.