SAI SHINU
The title "godglyph navigator" still echoed in my mind when Taro's voice broke the silence again. His tone was steady, but I could hear the iron underneath.
"Well, there's another matter we can't ignore," he said, folding his arms. "That gate isn't just a hole to another nightmare. Inside it, a godglyph waits. That means someone must step forward to claim it. Someone has to face what lies within and take the power. The question is—" his eyes swept the table, sharp as blades "—who is willing to take it?"
No one answered at first. Jiro's arms were crossed, his jaw tight — he didn't like the odds. Yosuke glanced sideways, restless, like the idea tempted him but his worry for Naemi chained him still. Yuri sat close to me, her eyes flickering with unease, as if silently begging me not to raise my hand.
But I couldn't. I already bore two godglyphs — carrying a third meant risking everything. Risking the balance of nature itself.
The silence stretched on. Then, from the far end of the table, a voice spoke.
"I'll do it." We all turned. It was Namae.
She looked small compared to the rest of us, her hands folded neatly on the table, but there was steel in her eyes.
"If the gate is still open, then the godglyph inside is waiting for someone to claim it," she said. "And if that someone has to be me, then I'll go. I won't stand by and let others bear everything while I do nothing."
Yosuke blinked, stunned. "Namae, this isn't something to say lightly. You've seen what those gates hold — the battles, the illusions. If you step inside, there may be no way back."
"I know." Her voice wavered, but her gaze didn't. "But if no one else is willing, then I will. Maybe this is what I'm meant for."
Taro's brows furrowed, but he nodded slowly, respecting her resolve. "If you truly volunteer, then the choice is yours. But understand—once you take this step, there's no retreat. The gate will test you, and the glyph will mark you forever."
Namae straightened her back. "Then I'll accept that."
I leaned back, conflicted. Part of me admired her courage, but another part tightened with unease. This wasn't a simple trial anymore — this was the moment everything began to shift.
The decision was made.
I looked at her—at the resolve carved into her eyes—and I knew what I had to say.
"If Namae's going in," I said, my voice firm and leaving no room for doubt, "then I'm going with her."
The words hit the room like an arrow, but instead of sparking argument, they brought something else. Agreement.
Yuri nodded first, without hesitation. "Yes. Sai should go. No one else could keep her safe in there."
Taro's lips curved faintly into something between a smirk and a nod. "That makes sense. If you step in with her, it doubles the chance of success."
Jiro crossed his arms and gave a slow, deliberate nod. "I trust that choice."
Even Yosuke, who would usually be the first to object, leaned back in his chair with a quiet exhale. His eyes slid from Namae to me, and for once, he didn't fight it. "…Yeah. That's how it should be."
In that instant, all the tension in the room dissolved into a single, united decision.
I looked at Namae, and she looked back at me. No words were needed. Her strength was her own, her command over the four elements unmatched. But with me beside her, she wouldn't face the gate's horrors alone.
The six of us left the room together. The air outside was cool, still holding traces of dawn's light, but none of us spoke as we made our way through the quiet paths of the village. Every step we took echoed with the weight of what we were about to face.
The gate loomed ahead, inside the same room it had torn open nights ago. Even from a distance, I could feel it—the faint pulse of power radiating from within, like the beating of a second heart against the world itself.
When we entered the chamber, the atmosphere shifted instantly. The air grew heavy, vibrating faintly with a hum that pressed against our chests. There it stood: the portal, swirling with dark light, the mark of an unclaimed godglyph flickering faintly within its depths.
We all stopped just short of the gate.
"This is it," Taro muttered, his eyes sharp but his voice low. "Once you go in, there's no telling how long it'll be before you come out."
Yuri crossed her arms, trying to mask her worry, but her eyes darted toward me. "Sai, be careful. You already carry two godglyphs… don't push yourself past the breaking point."
I gave her a faint smile, more to ease her heart than my own. "I'll be fine. I promised, didn't I?"
Namae stepped forward then, closer to the gate. The glow of the swirling energy reflected in her eyes, and for a moment, I saw the spark of determination burning inside her. She wasn't afraid. Or maybe she was—but she was stronger than her fear.
She turned her head just enough to glance at me. "Ready?"
I nodded. "Always."
The others stayed behind. Jiro placed a hand on my shoulder briefly, firm and steady, as if to pass me his strength. Yosuke kept his gaze on Namae, something unreadable in his expression, but gave a curt nod. And Taro simply folded his arms, silent approval in the sharpness of his stare.
Together, Namae and I stepped forward. The hum of the gate grew louder, pulling at us, wrapping around our bodies like invisible threads.
Then, without hesitation, we crossed the threshold. And the world swallowed us whole