Chapter 24: The battles of survival
The Realm of Darkness was a suffocating void, but the battlefield summoned by Entity 404 was a paradox of light and dread. Eight teams had formed, a mix of children, adults, and men, each bound by the strange fate that had dragged them into this nightmare. Among them was Team Akashi, composed of Kaguro, Kashimo, Kamiko, Alan, and Bachi—five friends united by their past and their unyielding will to survive. Their souls burned with determination, a fire kindled by the trials they had already overcome.
Entity 404's voice echoed through the void, cold and commanding. "Name your teams. I've prepared options, and you will choose." The names were peculiar, arbitrary: Kerimi, Lekki, Techi, Karugi, Kotodin, Akashi, Keien, Kuruki. Team Akashi was the banner under which the five friends rallied, their resolve unshaken despite the surreal circumstances. The other teams—some comprised solely of children, others a mix of ages, and a few all men—chose their names with equal parts reluctance and defiance.
A metal jar appeared, suspended in the air, filled with chits that would determine the matchups. Each team drew one, and Team Akashi, fifth in line, found themselves pitted against Team Keien, a group of teenagers slightly older than them. The matchups were set:
Team Karugi vs. Team Kotodin
Team Lekki vs. Team Techi
Team Akashi vs. Team Keien
Team kuruki vs. Team Kerimi
Entity 404's excitement was palpable, a malevolent glee that sent chills through the gathered fighters. With a chant in the Reamism language—"Abacara lightra kamae. Trata battlefieldo sumero"—he summoned the battlefield. The darkness parted, and a city materialized, bathed in an eerie, unnatural light. It was a sprawling urban landscape, complete with well-paved roads and towering buildings, yet devoid of life—no vehicles, no sounds, just an unsettling stillness. At its heart stood a haunted house, its spire piercing the sky at 500 feet, a monolith of dread that would serve as the arena for their battles.
Kaguro's eyes narrowed as he recognized the chant's cadence. "Is that Reamism?" he asked Entity 404. "What does it mean?"
The entity's voice was laced with amusement. "You're the one who escaped this realm before, aren't you? Yes, it's Reamism. It translates to 'summon an abstract light land. The battlefield, summon it!'"
'oh hey , what if I said the chant which helped me and my friends to go to the real world ?' kaguro asked , as the whole group almost came up with a plan of escape .
'you can't do that now , because I modified this realm according to myself . And now , you all cannot escape this realm , unless if you win these battles' entity 404 said , as the dreams of team akashi to returning the earth failed.
The city was a paradox, a blend of earthly beauty and otherworldly menace. The buildings gleamed as if polished by some divine hand, yet the air carried a nostalgic weight, as if the place held memories that weren't entirely their own. The haunted house loomed at the center, its windows dark and uninviting, its presence a promise of violence.
The rules were simple but brutal: one-on-one combat, with each team voting to select their fighter. No ganging up, no cheating. Entity 404 distributed knives to the first combatants, his instructions chillingly clear: "Kill with your hands or your knife."
The First Battle: Team Karugi vs. Team Kotodin
The inaugural match pitted Team Karugi against Team Kotodin. The chosen fighters stepped into the haunted house, its cavernous interior amplifying every sound—the creak of floorboards, the distant drip of water, the ragged breaths of the combatants. Annastra, a Russian immigrant who had fled to Japan after the 2014 war left him bankrupt, represented Team Kotodin. His opponent, Ryosei, was a Japanese athlete whose career had crumbled under a corruption scandal, leaving him penniless and desperate. Both men carried the weight of their pasts, their dreams of this realm a mistake that had led to this punishment.
The battle began cautiously, both fighters circling, knives glinting in the dim light. Neither struck, their defenses honed by survival instincts. Then Ryosei, from Team Karugi, broke the stalemate, lunging with his knife. Annastra dodged, his movements fluid, evading each slash with practiced ease. The tension was palpable, the air thick with the promise of bloodshed.
Ryosei grew reckless, his frustration mounting. He kicked Annastra, sending him stumbling across the room. Believing victory was his, Ryosei laughed—a manic, unhinged sound—and taunted, "I'll never let you win. I'll be the victor, always!" His arrogance blinded him. Annastra, recovering silently, crept behind him, unnoticed in the shadows of the haunted house.
With a scream that echoed at 30–40 decibels, Annastra drove his knife into Ryosei's stomach. Ryosei gasped, pain and shock contorting his face. He swung his free hand, aiming for Annastra, but the Russian dodged, yanking the knife free and pressing it to Ryosei's throat. "Surrender," Annastra growled, "or die in pain."
Ryosei, defiant, grabbed Annastra's wrist, twisting with enough force to nearly snap the bone. It was a desperate struggle, strength against strength, but Annastra's resolve was unbreakable. With a sudden, violent jerk, he freed his hand and plunged the knife into Ryosei's skull. The athlete collapsed, lifeless, the first casualty of the tournament.
Team Kotodin led 1–0.
The Battles Continue
The haunted house bore witness to three more grueling matches, each a dance of survival and desperation. Knives flashed, blood stained the floors, and the score crept to a tense 2–2. The fifth match loomed, a tiebreaker that would decide the fate of both teams. If either Team Karugi or Team Kotodin lost, their entire team would perish, their hopes of returning to the real world extinguished.
Team Akashi watched from the sidelines, their own battle against Team Keien approaching. All of the members of team akashi were tensed . Everyone didn't expect that there would be such brutal murders . Like one guy stabbed is opponent 50 times to win in the match .
The haunted house stood as a monument to their fears, its 500-foot silhouette a reminder of the stakes. The city around it, with its empty roads and gleaming facades, felt like a trap, a stage set for their destruction. Yet within Team Akashi, a quiet resolve burned. They had faced darkness before—Johnson's madness, the time loop, the trauma that bound them. Now, they would face this new challenge together, their bond their greatest weapon.
As the fifth match between Team Karugi and Team Kotodin prepared to unfold, the air grew heavier, the outcome uncertain. The friends exchanged glances, their unspoken vow clear: they would fight, they would survive, and they would return to the world they called home.
To be continued…