It had been just ten minutes since Kamiko had sent the group a casual message. None of them knew it would haunt them for days.
> Kamiko:
"Hey again. So… my brother told me about this weird dream he had. He said he was transported to another dimension by some humanoid creature — thin, sickly, with antennae on its head. It said, 'I am just the starting. My king will beat you up.'
Apparently, it was part of some ritual belief… something about Fujism? It's a religion where they believe in a single god, named after Mount Fuji."
They all read the message.
They all ignored it.
"Dreams are just that," Kaguro said with a shrug. "I once dreamed I was married to a pigeon."
Bachi snorted. "Next thing you know, Kamiko's brother will say he met God."
They laughed, brushed it aside, and moved on.
They shouldn't have.
Five Days Later — Morning at School
Kaguro was the first to arrive, hands in his pockets, his usual bored expression intact. A familiar voice caught his attention.
"Yo, Kaguro!"
He turned. Bachi was waving at him.
"Alive and breathing," Kaguro said, smirking. "You?"
"Barely. Teachers gave us double homework."
Before Kaguro could reply, Bachi's eyes darted behind him.
"Look behind you."
Kaguro turned just in time to dodge a swing — a half-serious slap from none other than Kashimo.
"Kashimo!" Kaguro chuckled. "You're trying to kill me or just wake me up?"
Kashimo laughed. "well I was doing this as a prank but a little bit of both. You excited for the trip?"
"Sure," Kaguro said. "But hey… remember that thing Kamiko said about her brother's dream?"
"Oh, come on," Bachi groaned. "Still thinking about that? Dreams aren't prophecies."
Moments later, Kamiko and Alan stepped into the classroom.
Alan looked… different.
His eyes darted around nervously, like he wasn't sure where he was. Or who he was.
"H…h-hi," he stammered. "Who was I again? I… I think I'm Mitonka."
Kaguro's brows furrowed. "Bro… you're Alan."
Kamiko stepped in quickly. "Ignore him. He's been... unstable since that night. Multiple personality syndrome. Trauma-related."
Alan looked blank. Then murmured, "Alan…? That sounds familiar."
Kamiko's voice softened. "We've taken him to a psychologist. He's getting better, bit by bit."
Kaguro fell silent.
He couldn't look Alan in the eyes.
Was this my fault?
I said yes to going to his house. I was there when everything started. Why does it feel like I pulled the first thread?
Later That Day — On the Bus
The air was thick with anticipation as the bus rolled through the countryside toward Mount Fuji.
"Let's make this trip legendary," Kaguro said, trying to shake the gloom.
"I've got a plan," Bachi grinned. "We sneak out at 3 a.m. and play in the resort's playground. Just like the old days."
Kamiko and Kashimo nodded in unison.
"I'm in," said Kaguro.
Mount Fuji Resort — Night One
The official rules were clear:
Lights out by 10:30 p.m., wake-up at 8.
But for this group, 3 a.m. was just the beginning.
3:00 AM — Forbidden Hour
Kaguro crept through the corridor and tapped lightly on the others' doors. One by one, Kamiko, Bachi, and Kashimo opened their doors — all wide awake, ready.
Outside, the night was silent. The stars blinked above Mount Fuji like ancient watchers. The playground was soaked in moonlight, the air crisp and quiet.
They ran barefoot on the soft ground, laughing quietly, careful not to wake the other students.
But something didn't feel right.
Kaguro stopped. His breath caught in his throat.
"Where's Kashimo?" he asked, scanning the dark field.
Kamiko and Bachi froze.
"He was just here…" Kamiko said.
"Maybe hiding?" Bachi offered, though his voice lacked conviction.
"No," Kaguro said, a chill crawling up his spine. "He's gone."
In the secret realm
Kashimo blinked. The world around him had changed.
He stood in an infinite void. Colorless. Still. Unbreathing.
In front of him was the very creature Kamiko had described. The one from her brother's dream.
It was even worse up close — emaciated, pale gray skin stretched over long limbs, head crowned with twisted antennae. Its eyes were vacant. Its voice, mechanical and cold.
"You've entered forbidden grounds," it said. "I am the first gate. But I am not your judgment."
Then — something moved behind the creature.
A figure.
It stepped forward, shrouded in swirling mist and endless shadow. Its eyes glowed with a sickly red hue, its cloak whispering like wind over bone.
"You… the human who dared to defile my sacred land," the voice rumbled.
"I am the guardian of silence. The eternal keeper of Mount Fuji's sanctity."
"I am the one feared in chants, buried in ritual, whispered in madness."
"I… am the Midnight Demon."