Tokyo city was glowing, all lit up like usual. The kind of night where the buildings lights shine bright making the whole city glow.
Koru, Enix and Nki were in a metro train.
Inside the train Koru sat by himself arms crossed leaning into the window. Across from him, Enix and Nki were absolutely devouring a pizza. Like full zombie mode. Grease on the box, crumbs on their laps, no shame.
Koru squinted at them. "Didn't you two eat anything today?"
They both shook their heads without even looking up.
Enix wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "We did. But you paid for this pizza, so we're gonna finish it. Free food is sacred."
Nki nodded like a wise old monk. "Mhm. Never waste free food."
Koru sighed. "You guys are weired sometimes..."
He sat up a bit straighter and glanced at Enix with a more serious face. "I have some questions for both of you."
They paused mid chew.
"Huh?" Enix said.
"What kind of questions?" Nki asked, crust in her hand.
Koru's eyes narrowed a little, landing on the tiny scar on Enix's cheek. "Enix… that pressure earlier back during the fight… I'm pretty sure it came from you."
Nki blinked. "Oh yeah… I felt it too. It was creepy as hell. Cold. Like a ice dragon breathing on my back."
Enix scratched his head, looking confused. "I don't know man I got scratched by that pencil and just panicked. I didn't even knew that it happened."
Koru gave a slow nod. "Hmm…i see... okay go to Miss Geli later she'll treat your scar...be glad that you didn't get caught by other club or else he would have been experiminted..."
Enix gave a dramatic salute. "Aye aye, sir."
Then Koru turned to Nki. "And you that move you pulled back there with the birds and, what was that?"
Nki looked thoughtful for like one second. Then she gave a wink. "No clue."
"…What?" Koru blinked.
Enix stared. "Seriously?"
Nki shrugged. "I froze. I couldn't move. Then suddenly I remembered this random ritual dance my grandpa used to do at the shrine, and my body just copied it boom birds came out."
Koru closed his eyes and leaned back again. "You two are hopeless..."
Both of them grinned like it was a compliment.
Nki took another bite of her pizza and leaned forward. "Hey big bro, I've got a question too."
Koru opened one eye. "Yeah?"
"How do I figure out what kind of Deviner style I have?"
"Oh,me or someone like me who has the Style of Knowing can appraise you that's how it works" Koru explained.
Nki's eyes lit up. "Then do it now!"
"Nope," Koru said, waving her off. "You need to get it done in front of the high rankers so they can settle things for you. Rules are rules."
"Ugh...so dumb. Who's gonna know if you just do it now?" she huffed.
"I would know," Koru muttered.
"Blah blah, whatever," Nki groaned and leaned back.
Then Enix suddenly glanced around the train. "Guys… does something feel weird to you?"
Nki gave him a side eye. "What? You need to poop?"
Enix glared. "Bruh I'm not like you, eating five meals in one go."
She immediately reached over and pinched his cheeks. "Say that again, trash can."
Before Enix could reply, Koru suddenly stood up. His face was stiff.
"i think he's right."
Both of them looked up at him.
"What do you mean?" Nki asked.
Koru pointed at the digital screen above the door. It was glowing red with the usual.
Next Station: 4.0 km
But it wasn't moving.
Not even a meter.
"…Huh?" Enix and Nki's squinted.
Koru's eyes narrowed.
"We're not moving at all," he said.
The three of them sat in silence.
Then Koru speak and said.
"…We're in Point Zero."
Enix and Nki both jumped up from their seats.
"Not again…" Nki groaned,"I'm still tired from the last one, bro I haven't even digested that pizza yet."
Enix moved to the window and squinted outside. The train was still running rails humming, wheels clanking at full speed but everything outside… was frozen.
Buildings, cars, streetlights completely still. Like a paused video. Not even a single flicker of light movement.
"What the…" Enix muttered, his breath fogging the glass.
Koru stood firm, one hand reaching inside his coat for something. "Keep your guard up. A corrupted soul could show up any second."
Just then.
CLUNK
The door to the next train car slid open on its own.
HSSSSSS
Cold air rolled into the carriage like smoke. They all turned tense.
Footsteps echoed softly... Slow… dragging.
Then he stepped in.
A man.
He was wearing a train conductor's uniform.
His skin was dead pale, almost blue. His eyes were hollow sockets pitch black, dripping something thick and inky. His jaw hung loose broken dangling at a weird angle like it was just barely hanging by muscle.
His torso was split open, clean through. Like something sharp had sliced him from chin to belly and left it gaping. Ribs stuck out at wrong angles. His organs were missing. The inside looked hollow like a tunnel of flesh. His legs were crushed flat at the knees, bones snapped and twisted like he'd been run over.
He dragged himself slowly down the aisle, half limping, half sliding. Every movement made a nasty squish sound.
They all froze.
"…What the fuck…" Enix whispered, his voice shaky.
The corrupted soul suddenly twitched its head snapping toward them with a loud crack.
And it smiled.
Nki turned behind then she vomited.
"Nki!" Enix screamed and put his hand on her back.
"that thing is too disgusting..." Nki wishpeard.
The corrupted soul moving towards them..
Slowly...