An anime-style illustration of a 13-year-old girl with messy, sh

An anime-style illustration of a 13-year-old girl with messy, short red hair. She wears a loose, orange poncho-style top with a white stripe down the middle, a short black combat-ready skirt or shorts, and sturdy, well-worn boots. A large, round hat sits atop her head, slightly tilted. Her determined eyes hold a glint of mischief, and she carries a long, antique musket with intricate engravings slung over her back or resting in her grip, exuding both confidence and defiance.

Beside her looms a spectral beast, a monstrous hound formed from swirling black and red smoke. Its muscular body is stripped of fur, its hardened, jagged flesh resembling dried, cracked blood. Its elongated head is sharp like a spear, with ember-like eyes burning deep within its sockets. Faint wisps of shadow rise from its back, and its form seems to shift subtly, never fully solid. It stands at her side, unnervingly patient, its presence both menacing and protective.

The background is dimly lit, with mist creepi