The air brushing against my skin as I stepped out of that hiding place was dense, cold, and harsh. My boots crunched against the dry, cracked ground, while the darkness of that world stretched as far as the eye could see. I had finally made it to the surface, but the feeling that washed over me wasn't relief... it was something far more unsettling.
—It's always the same with you... I'm sick of it.
I heard that familiar voice — the one that always seemed glued to me whether I liked it or not.
—Wherever you go, you always want to drag me along —shouted Kogorō, the spirit, with a tone that was somewhere between angry and resigned.
I lazily shook my ears, letting out a sigh as I replied with little interest.
—There's no need to yell, Kogorō... it's not my fault the spear treats you so badly.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the spirit lower his head, letting out a sigh that sounded more like defeat than annoyance.
—Forget it already... —he muttered, silencing his own complaint.
Together, we started walking through that dead world, a wasteland that seemed forgotten by life itself. There were no living trees, not a single sign of animals. Only whitish, broken bones scattered across the land, decorating the earth as if death had signed its presence in every corner. It was a graveyard without graves or names.
Kogorō, who had been complaining at first, now sounded different. His voice trembled, filled with a fear I had rarely heard from him.
—Something tells me that with this whole Spider Queen thing... and this dead world... I think we're next to die if we don't get out of here.
But I didn't answer him. I didn't even turn to look at him.
My mind was elsewhere, trapped in a loop that refused to let go. The story of that boy, his words, the pain he had hidden behind each one… it kept echoing in my chest like a heavy drum that wouldn't let me rest.
Rage, helplessness, and that emptiness I knew all too well. Because no matter how much I pretended, I understood that pain better than anyone.
—I know what it feels like to lose a father...
The thought dragged itself through my mind like a rusted knife, reopening an old wound I thought I had forgotten.
I had gone still, trapped in that sensation, until I felt Kogorō's incorporeal hand lightly push me, snapping me out of the trance.
—Hey, Jiro... didn't you hear me? —he said, his tone a mix of annoyance and concern.
I blinked a couple of times, coming back to awareness, and furrowed my brow.
—Huh...? I don't know... did something happen?
Kogorō huffed, then pointed with a spectral hand at something in front of us.
—Yeees, look.
My eyes followed the direction of his finger, and then I saw them: old stone stairs, covered in dust, winding up to the top of the hill. But not just any hill… that hill. The one the boy had mentioned. The one that held the Spider Queen.
Kogorō floated ahead a bit, hovering above the bones covering the ground.
—You have to stop, Jiro —he said, his voice low now, no longer mocking or angry... just pure concern.
My knees went weak for a second. I looked at him, but my mind remained firm, locked onto that idea I couldn't let go of.
—Why are you stopping me, Kogorō? —I snapped, frowning, my hands clenching into fists.
The spirit looked at me like I had just said the dumbest thing in the world. With that voice of his, always swinging between annoyance and mockery, he shot back instantly.
—What a stupid question, kid... —he grumbled—. Those stairs lead straight to the Spider Queen's lair, just like the boy told us! And you actually want to go up there?
I didn't take my eyes off the stairs, those dusty, ancient steps that seemed to invite me to a sealed fate. My voice came out firm, unwavering.
—Of course I'm going up. I have to. —I gritted my teeth, the fire in my chest growing—. I'm going to defeat that so-called Spider Queen and make her restore the world to what it used to be.
Silence hung in the air for a moment, until I felt the invisible weight of fear pressing down—even on Kogorō, that spirit who rarely showed anything other than sarcasm or apathy.
—You're insane, Jirooooo! —he shouted, his voice cracked with panic—. Don't you get it?!
His words echoed with something I had rarely heard from him... genuine concern. His tone made me glance slightly back at him, as he kept going, almost begging.
—That Spider Queen is way too powerful, Jiro. The boy wasn't joking. She killed this entire world... even its magic. I haven't felt a single flow of mana, not a spark of natural energy since we first set foot here.
Kogorō floated a bit higher, pointing at the hill with his spectral finger. His eye glowed faintly, like he was seeing something I still couldn't grasp.
—Now look... —he said, voice dropping to a trembling whisper—. From here, I can see a stream of dark energy, a pressure so dense I can barely endure it... It's pouring furiously from that hill. I can feel its bloodlust... its malice.
My lips curled into a slight smile, more out of habit than actual bravery.
—So what? Is that supposed to scare me? —I asked, using that confident tone I always wore to cover up everything else.
Kogorō stared at me, with that look that didn't need words to tell me what he felt —but he spoke anyway.
—You still don't get it, foolish kid... That Jorōgumo you see up there isn't just any yokai queen. —he paused, like the words were hard to say—. She's literally a goddess. The power she's releasing is everywhere in this world. There's no trace of any other god here... only her.
The spirit fell silent for a few seconds, as if his mind struggled to find the right words. But the desperation leaked through his voice, no matter how much he tried to mask it.
—Do you realize, Jiro? That woman isn't like any of the enemies you've faced before. This time... you won't stand a chance. We'll die if we stay here, and she might even... erase me forever.
His voice trembled as he said that. That part shocked me the most. Kogorō... afraid for his existence.
—Please, Jiro... listen to me. Let's get out of here —he pleaded, lowering his voice, sounding more human than ever, even if his body was no longer one.
I stayed silent. I lifted my head, locking eyes with his single glowing eye. There was something there that made me hesitate for the first time. Kogorō... was scared.
"It's the first time I've seen him like this..." I thought, feeling a sharp pang in my chest.
But that pang only fed the fire already consuming me. I couldn't turn back. I couldn't just leave and pretend nothing had happened. Not after hearing that boy's story. Not after seeing this world in ruins. If I really wanted to become someone worthy... a hero capable of saving others, I had to prove it —even if it meant facing the impossible.
"Besides..." —I narrowed my eyes, letting nostalgia cut through me like a soft blade— "When I meet my father again... I want to tell him stories of my great feats during my journeys."
Kogorō looked at me, as if he could guess what I was thinking. His voice came out choked, like anxiety pushed him to try stopping me one last time.
—Oh no...
But before he could finish, my legs moved on their own. I leapt to the first step, then the next, and the next. Climbing that rocky path without looking back.
I felt Kogorō's presence get dragged with me, stuck to my back as always, pulled by the force that bound him to me.
The hill awaited us.
I kept climbing the stairs without looking back, as if the weight on my chest vanished with each step, as if through the thick fog I could see an exit — a promise. I don't know how many steps I left behind, but sweat already burned on my forehead, and my breathing was a wild roar.
Then, out of nowhere...
Wham!
I hit something hard. My face slammed against something cold, invisible, and solid like a wall of steel.
—W-what's going on...? —I muttered, my cheek flattened. My words came out distorted by the invisible glass that held me trapped.
Kogorō, behind me, let out a laugh so smug I felt like turning around and punching him.
—HA! Finally! —he said through laughter—. I knew... this would stop him.
And then, as if summoned by his voice, I heard footsteps behind him. I looked up, still pressed against the barrier, and saw Ardan appear from among the trees, with his usual calm and slightly superior air.
—Whew... just in time —he said, as if it were a light coincidence—. Good thing I rushed.
—Ardan? —I stepped back slowly from the barrier, frowning—. How did you get here so fast?
—That doesn't matter —he replied with a seriousness that irritated me—. I came to find you. You need to come back with us. We have to locate the next Loom Temple.
I shook my head without even thinking. The impulse was instinctive, visceral.
—No... I refuse —I said, gritting my teeth—. I already said I'm not leaving this place.
Kogorō, annoyed, came up beside me and shouted directly in my ear:
—Quit this nonsense and listen to Ardan, you stubborn kid!
I felt rage pulsing under my skin, but I held back. I looked at Ardan again. His eyes were sharp as blades.
—You don't understand how serious this is, Jiro —he said in a low, firm voice—. We need to get out of here as soon as possible.
In that instant, I saw Kogorō tilt his head slightly. His ears twitched, and I noticed his expression shift.
—What was that...? —he murmured, though he didn't say it aloud. I heard it like an echo inside his mind.
Ardan narrowed his eyes. His hands trembled slightly.
—Jiro... stop being so childish —he said through clenched teeth, with contained anger—. Remember why we're on this journey.
He clenched his fists and stepped closer to me.
—Our world is in danger. We have less than a year to stop the fragmentation of the Void phenomenon. We don't have time for detours or to save worlds that are already lost.
—This world... —I murmured, still staring at him.
But he interrupted me.
—Look around you! This world doesn't work anymore, Jiro. It's broken, corrupted. It shouldn't even be called a world. It's not our fault it ended up like this, but ours can still be saved. Why fight for a corpse when we still have a living being to protect?
He raised a hand, pointing at me sternly, his face cast in a shadow of desperation.
—We have to fight for what's still beating... not for this miserable world, which doesn't even—
CRACK!
My fist moved on its own.
I didn't think. I didn't hesitate. I just saw him talking, and rage completely took over me.
I punched him with all my strength in the cheek, sending him flying into a tree. The trunk cracked. Ardan hit the ground like a dry leaf.
Kogorō was speechless.
—Did he just punch Ardan...? —he said, barely audible—. I didn't even notice when he moved...
And I... I just stood there, fists still trembling. I felt heat rising up my neck, my breathing fast.
—Don't you dare... —I said, my voice breaking with fury—. Don't you dare say something like that again.
My aura crackled, heavy, in a dark red tone. My eyes... I felt them burning.
—Maybe this world doesn't look good —I said, stepping forward—. Maybe it's not colorful like ours, or full of gardens and clean skies... but that doesn't mean it's dead.
I looked at Ardan, lying on the ground, blood on his lips. And even then, he looked at me with a mix of surprise and respect.
—I'd rather sacrifice the days I have left... to give this world a chance. These people don't need our pity. They need hope. And I intend to give it to them... whether you like it or not.
Silence.
The wind blew through the trees.
—If you want to go to the next world, then go... I can do this alone.
I turned around. My aura slowly faded, but my steps were firmer than ever.
—Because if I can't free this world from the darkness...
—I murmured as I descended the hill—
...then I'll never be able to save mine from the fragmentation.
As I climbed the stairs up the hill, I felt the weight of every step. My body was tense, still resonating with the fury I had just unleashed. Every time my foot hit a new step, I felt something inside me clinging to my decision. I wasn't going to turn back. This world, even if broken, needed to be saved.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ardan still lying against the broken tree. His gaze… empty. There was something in his eyes that unsettled me, something I had never seen in him before. He looked surprised, yes, but also… resigned. He wiped the blood from his cheek with slow, almost mechanical movements, and his lips whispered quietly:
—Then... as you wish.
He was about to leave. I could feel it. But before he took a step, Kogorō, who stood behind us, watched the distance growing between us. The air was thick with discomfort.
—Oh, give me a break… You two are acting like immature kids… —Kogorō said in his usual tone, as if nothing really mattered.
Just then, a girl's scream echoed through the air, coming from the forest.
A scream of distress. As if she were in danger.
My body reacted without thinking. I ran. I couldn't help it. I knew Ardan had moved quickly behind me as well. We both dove into the thick forest, weaving between trees and underbrush. We knew the scream was real, that something was happening. This wasn't the time for more arguments.
And when we arrived... we saw it.
A girl, collapsed on the ground, her kimono disheveled. Her body was surrounded by dark shadows, with ethereal and vague forms. Spirits… or something else? They could've been, but something felt off. It didn't seem like those shadows were actually hurting her. Ardan noticed it instantly. His eyes narrowed as he studied the scene.
—What are they doing to her? —he thought, saying nothing aloud.
Kogorō, who had caught up, stared in astonishment.
—And what the hell is this girl doing alone in this forest? —he asked aloud, confused.
I was ready to act. My crimson power spear appeared in my hand, glowing intensely. Without wasting a second, I slashed through the space in front of me, releasing waves of crimson energy that tore through the shadows, scattering them into the air.
The dark creatures vanished instantly, as if they had never existed.
Ardan rushed to the girl, his face serious, though a flicker of concern shone in his eyes.
—Hey, are you alright? —he asked, reaching a hand out to her.
The girl lifted her head weakly, her deep violet eyes staring blankly for a moment. Then her gaze focused on Ardan, and her lips trembled into a faint, almost forced smile.
—Yes… I'm fine. Thanks to you… my heroes… —she said, her voice soft, as if she were struggling to stay conscious.
Ardan, still surprised, thought to himself:
She's really exaggerating, calling us heroes...
But I… I couldn't understand it. Something didn't add up. I knelt in front of her, examining every detail.
—Hey, how are you feeling? —I asked, keeping my eyes on her.
She looked up with an empty expression, trying to sit up. She looked weak, vulnerable, but… her physical state didn't match the danger she had supposedly just faced.
—Well… those creatures almost killed me… —her voice cracked a little—. So let's say… I don't feel great.
Ardan frowned, watching the scene closely. Something wasn't right.
—Yeah, but… those creatures were just surrounding you. I didn't see them actually do anything beyond that —he said in a slightly analytical tone.
The girl hesitated for a moment before responding, her voice uncertain.
—No… I know… —her voice wavered.
Ardan, trying to make sense of what was going on, began to speak softly as his eyes studied her carefully.
—That's strange… you don't even have any scratches.
Before he could go on, I cut him off, frustration burning in my chest.
—How rude of you, Ardan. Doubting this poor girl after what we just witnessed? —I scolded, my tone stern, but with a hint of compassion toward her.
Ardan looked at me with slight surprise, as if he couldn't understand why I was acting this way. But I didn't care.
Kogorō, watching the situation from behind, sighed like he'd already given up on everything.
—Poor stupid kid… —he muttered, barely able to contain his disappointment.
I didn't care what Kogorō said. I just focused on the girl in front of us, on that strange expression… and the unease hanging thick in the air.
—What do we do now...? —I murmured, still holding the crimson spear with the light dimming in my hand, as I watched the girl in front of us. She was so still... and yet, something didn't fit. That strange scene wouldn't leave my mind. Those shadows didn't seem to be attacking her. They just... surrounded her.
I looked again at Ardan, who still had that doubtful expression. Kogorō was scanning the surroundings, as if expecting something else to attack us at any moment.
—What if we investigate those things more? —I asked again, still focusing on the spot where the shadows had vanished.
But before anyone could answer, the girl suddenly collapsed. She fell as if her body had lost all strength. A dry thud against the leaf-covered ground.
—Oh, she fainted! —Kogorō blurted, wide-eyed, running toward her with messy steps.
I rushed over, kneeling beside her.
—We need to get her down, now —I said, urgency in my voice.
Ardan stood still for a second, perplexed. His voice quickly followed, confused.
—But that was so sudden... I didn't detect any signs of exhaustion in her body... not even an imbalance in her life energy.
—There's no time for your analysis, Ardan! —I snapped, more irritated than I expected. I felt tense, as if something was watching us, waiting for us to let our guard down. We couldn't stay here.
Without wasting any more seconds, Kogorō and I grabbed the girl's arms, while Ardan took hold of her legs. We began to make our way down the hill, slowly, through the damp underbrush and whispering trees.
The air... had changed. Something had corrupted it.
Darkness. A thick darkness wrapped around us like a veil. I could feel it. We were being watched.
And then...
There, among the trees, eyes opened in the shadows.
Multiple eyes. Cold. Intelligent. Inhuman.
A dimonuts spider. A creature almost impossible to detect, even by the sharpest senses. It had been silent, high above, watching. Calculating.
It leapt.
No one noticed. Not even me, and that unsettled me. It landed on Ardan's back with an impossible lightness. Its thin legs anchored themselves as if they were part of his clothes.
And from its eyes, multiple and shining, something else manifested.
The vision twisted. From the creature's perspective, feminine hands appeared, soft but stained with dry blood. A mirror floated between her fingers. In it... the image of Ardan. Unaware of the threat he now carried.
—What a beautiful and attractive boy... —whispered a woman's voice, dark as a broken promise—. Mmm, Ardan... what a pretty name...
Her voice was a poisonous song, soft as silk but lethal as the venom of her creature.
—I wonder what that sweet treat will taste like... when I suck out his vitality...
The scene warped. The mirror reflected a dark ground, covered with dry bodies, without eyes. Men who once screamed, who once fought. Now... they were just husks. Cobwebs hung like curtains of death, marking every corner of that hell.
And as we descended with the unconscious girl, unaware of what was coming, a new game began.
One that had been woven long before.