Shiku, Houki, and Kasumi stand at the edge of the dense, shadowed forest, its towering trees stretching endlessly into the distance. The air was thick with moisture, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and moss. A thin fog curls between the trunks, shifting unnaturally as if something unseen stirred within.
For the first time in days, Nobori isn't standing beside them.
They are on their own.
Shiku rolls his shoulders, grinning as he stares into the looming darkness. "Alright, time to see if this training actually did anything."
Houki exhales slowly, his expression unreadable. "We should move strategically. We don't know what's waiting for us."
Kasumi's gaze flickers toward the trees, an unease settling in her chest. Something is watching them. She could feel it.
Nobori's final words echo in her mind.
"You're not just surviving in that forest. You're hunting. If you let fear dictate your actions, you're already dead."
She tightens her grip.
"We go together," she says firmly. "No reckless charges, no splitting up."
Shiku scoffs but nods. "Fine, fine. But if I see something ugly, I'm punching it first."
Houki shakes his head. "That's… not reassuring."
The three of them step forward.
The moment their feet cross the boundary into the forest—the air changes.
After walking through the forest in silence for a few hours.
The humidity thickens, and the distant hum of insects and rustling leaves suddenly stops.
Dead silence.
Kasumi's breath hitches. They aren't alone.
Then—
A branch snaps.
Something moves. Fast.
Before any of them can react—
A dark blur lunges from the trees.
Shiku barely has time to register the movement before clawed fingers surrounded by lightning swipe at his face. He twists, dodging at the last second, the wind from the strike whipping against his cheek.
"Damn—!"
The demon lands on all fours, crouching in the shadows, its glowing yellow eyes locking onto them.
Kasumi's stomach drops. It's not alone.
From the trees, more pairs of eyes flicker to life, unblinking, watching.
Houki exhales sharply. "We're surrounded."
Shiku cracks his knuckles, fire sparking at his fingertips. "Good. Saves us the trouble of looking for them."
Kasumi's hands glow faintly with green light, her heartbeat steadying.
The first battle of their survival had begun.
As Houki stands alert, a second demon suddenly springs from the bushes, aiming to deliver a vicious surprise attack. In a split second, Houki deftly teleports behind the creature, positioning himself perfectly for a counterstrike.
With precision and strength, he unleashes a thunderous blow to the back of the demon's head, catching it completely off guard.
The impact sends a shockwave rippling through the air.
The demon's body lurches forward, his limbs seizing up as Houki's strike landed clean. A sickening crack echoes through the forest as the creature collapses, motionless.
Houki exhales sharply, his stance still firm. His teleportation had been instinctive, faster than before.
"I'm getting used to this."
But there was no time to reflect.
Because the others were already moving.
Another demon lunges toward Kasumi from her blind spot—fast, too fast.
Her muscles tense.
But she didn't panic.
At the last second, she twists her body, barely having time to avoid the demon's attack.
Kasumi braces herself as she decides to take the attack head-on.
Her body pulses with a green aura. She instantly heals herself.
Counterattacking with a devastating downward punch leaving a crater in the ground.
"Alright, my turn!"
Shiku barely waits for the next demon to attack. He rushes forward, flames flickering along his fists.
With a guttural grunt, the demon laughs and leaps toward him, eyes blazing with rage.
Shiku grins.
He doesn't dodge.
Instead, he meets the demon head-on.
At the last second, he ducks, driving his fist directly into his gut—flames igniting on impact.
"Ignition strike!"
The impact was explosive—fire bursting from his knuckles, blasting the demon backward.
He tumbles across the dirt, smoke rising from its charred body.
Shiku smiles wide, shaking out his hand.
"Yeah. Definitely getting stronger."
❧
The three of them stand their ground, breaths heavy.
The last of the young demons have been dealt with.
For a moment, there was nothing but silence.
Then Shiku and Kasumi cheer with excitement for their first real win as a team.
As the sun dips below the horizon, casting a warm golden glow over the landscape, they trudge along the winding path for several miles.
With tired but exhilarated hearts, they finally decide it was time to stop and make camp for the night, eager to share stories and stargaze under the vast, twinkling sky.
The campfire crackles softly, casting flickering shadows across the trees as the smell of a roasting pig fills the air. The three of them sit around the small flame, their bodies weary but their spirits high.
Shiku stretches, his muscles aching from the fight. "Man, that was way easier than I thought." He grins, tossing a small stick into the fire. "If those demons are all we gotta deal with, we'll clear this forest in no time."
Kasumi gives him a sharp look. "Don't jinx it."
Houki sits cross-legged, his gaze drifting toward the trees. His senses were still on high alert. "They attacked too suddenly," he murmurs. "And there were too many at once. Something drove them toward us."
Kasumi furrows her brow, edging closer to the crackling fire as its warm glow envelops her. "Let's push those thoughts aside for now. What we really need is some rest," she urges softly, her voice barely rising above the dance of the flames.
The fire's glow flickers against the three warriors as they settle in for the night. The excitement of their victory still lingered, but fatigue was beginning to creep into their limbs.
Shiku stretches out on the ground, hands behind his head, while Kasumi busied herself tending to minor cuts with a faint green glow pulsing from her palms.
Houki sits a little away from them, back straight, eyes watching the darkened tree line.
The forest isn't silent anymore.
Faint rustling sounds drifted through the dense foliage—wind, or something else. Twigs crack in the distance, subtle, deliberate. The feeling of being watched hasn't faded, not entirely.
Shiku yawns loudly. "Man, if every day's like this, we'll be out of here in no time."
Kasumi shoots him a warning look. "You keep saying things like that, and the forest's gonna throw something worse at us."
Houki didn't react to their banter. He didn't like this. The demons they fought were strong, but not overwhelming. Yet the way they moved, the way they attacked all at once…
It felt wrong.
"Houki."
Kasumi's voice pulls him from his thoughts. She was watching him carefully, her brows slightly furrowed.
"You okay?"
He hesitates for a moment, then exhales. "I just have a bad feeling. Those demons didn't just show up by chance. They knew we were here."
The fire crackles, but its warmth does little to ease the tension thickening in the air.
Houki's gaze remains locked on the forest's edge. His instincts screaming at him—something was still out there.
Watching.
Waiting.
Kasumi shifts uncomfortably, gripping her arm. The warmth of her healing magic fades, leaving only the cool night air against her skin. "Do you think something sent them?"
Houki didn't answer. His fingers clenched against his knee, his mind replaying the fight.
As the three of them began to eat, they suddenly heard a crack in the distance. Startled, their attention shifts as the bushes nearby rustled, causing a moment of tension among them.
A slow, creeping dread coils around their chests. The rustling grows louder. Footsteps? Heavy breathing? Their heart pounds—
Then—
A small bunny hops out from the brush, nose twitching.
A wave of relief washes over Kasumi as she watches the little bunny bound away, its fluffy tail bobbing happily with each hop.
The three of them lay down around the fire preparing to go to sleep. Shiku and Kasumi quickly fall asleep but Houki can't sleep instead he stares into the darkness for a while.
Before getting up and wandering around the forest.
Houki moves silently through the undergrowth, his steps light against the damp earth. The moon hung high above the trees, casting pale silver light through the thick canopy. Shadows stretching and twisting, playing tricks on the eyes, but Houki isn't fooled.
Something was still out there.
He stops near a gnarled tree, his sharp eyes scanning the darkness. The distant crackling of the fire was barely audible behind him, his companions resting peacefully—unaware of the unease gnawing at his thoughts.
Those demons didn't attack us on instinct alone. They were organized.
A chill prickles the back of his neck. He turns sharply, his breath steady but his body tense.
Then he hears it.
Not just the rustle of leaves, not the whisper of wind through the trees—something deeper. Something breathing.
Low. Measured. Close.
Houki releases his aura, but he didn't move just yet. Instead, he focuses. His Èlan energy pulses faintly, heightening his senses, and letting him reach out into the abyss beyond sight.
And there it was.
Two glowing red eyes peer at him from the darkness, unblinking.
And there it was.
Houki's heartbeat slows down, his stance shifting slightly. The thing in the shadows didn't charge. It didn't growl or lunge like the lesser demons before. It only watched.
Then, in an instant—
It's gone.
Not a rustle. Not a sound. Just… vanished.
Houki inhales sharply, his hands clenching into fists.
Something isn't right.
Slowly, he turns and walks back toward the camp, his thoughts racing. If that thing had wanted to kill him, it would have. But it didn't.
It was watching. Studying.
By the time he reaches the fire, he found Shiku sprawled on his back, snoring lightly, and Kasumi curled up near the flames, her face peaceful. The warmth of the fire cast a soft flickering light over their sleeping forms.
Houki sits down, still facing the forest, back straight, gaze unmoving.
He wouldn't sleep tonight.
Because whatever was out there…
It isn't done watching them.
And next time, it wouldn't just be watching.
❧