The moment Hakari, Kage, and the others stepped into the cave, a cold wave hit their faces. It wasn't the chill of wind, but something deeper—like the breath of something ancient brushing against their skin. Still, they ignored it and pressed on.
What shocked them was the size. From outside, it had appeared to be nothing more than a small opening in the rock. But inside—it was vast, an endless hollow stretching further than their eyes could follow.
The deeper they went, the stranger it became. The cave was silent, too silent. No bats. No spiders. Not even a single insect crawling on the stone. It was as if this place had been preserved, untouched, like something divine. Almost as if angels themselves walked here.
"...Kage. Light up," Hakari finally said.
Kage struck a flame, and the glow spread across the cavern walls. What the light revealed froze them. The cave was empty—completely bare—except for one thing. A single place in the distance glowed with a strange aura. It wasn't one color, nor two, but countless hues at once. Shifting, alive, like all colors were merging and collapsing into something new.
Hakari's curiosity burned, and he instinctively stepped forward.
But Kage's arm shot out, stopping him. "Hakari. Don't wander. This place… people call it the Cave of Mysteries and Lies. Don't. Just… stay with us. Stay together."
Hakari hesitated. Excitement still stirred in his chest, but he managed a nod. "…Alright. You're right. I'm sorry."
A voice cut through the silence.
"I don't think so," Yushi said coldly. He glanced at Weller. "What do you think?"
Weller's lips curled. "No. I don't agree either."
Kage's face twisted in confusion. "What?"
"You heard us," Yushi said, his tone sharp. "We don't want to stay together. We're going ahead."
Without waiting, Yushi and Weller began walking toward the shining aura.
Hakari's eyes narrowed suddenly. "…There's something wrong with that light."
Kage turned, startled. "What?"
"Quiet. Let them go," Hakari whispered. "We'll see."
Kage stared at him, shocked. "Wh—why? What are you saying?"
Hakari's voice was low, steady. "When we were walking toward the cave, I saw Weller carrying a bag."
"So what? A bag—what does that mean?" Kage pressed.
Hakari's eyes sharpened. "There were bloodstains on it. And Yushi… I don't know how you didn't notice, but he was wearing a badge."
Kage froze. "…What badge?"
"The badge of Dawn Side. Doer's biggest gang."
Confusion and fear washed across Kage's face. "What? Are you sure? But… why? Why here? What business does Dawn Side have with this cave?"
"I don't know," Hakari admitted. "That's why… just follow me."
The two of them veered toward the darker side of the cave, the path completely void of light. Their steps echoed softly, and soon… they began to hear it.
Whispers. Screams. The faint echoes of people being tortured—both in this world, and somewhere far worse. Hell itself.
On the other side, Yushi and Weller walked across rocks so soft they felt like pillows. Warm light washed over them, and visions of heaven danced before their eyes. They smiled, believing—no, knowing—they were walking the right path.
But suddenly, Hakari and Kage saw a glow ahead. They rushed toward it—only to find a garden. Trees heavy with fruit, the air rich with sweetness.
Kage's eyes widened. "What… what is this? A moment ago we saw hell, and now… this? Hakari, how did you know?"
At that moment, Hakari's voice seemed to blend with Yushi and Weller's.
For Yushi and Weller, the soft ground beneath their feet hardened. The gentle breeze twisted into a hot, suffocating wind. A few steps further, they saw visions—visions of themselves killing a man.
And then—just ahead—their path crumbled into a drop. They stopped at the last second. If they hadn't, they would have plunged straight into hell itself. Fire so hot it burned white and red at once.
Yushi clutched his stomach, bile rising in his throat. Weller collapsed beside him, vomiting violently.
Yushi's voice shook. "Wh… what is this…?"
Weller's face was pale, his eyes wide with terror. "I—I don't fucking know…"
Before them, millions of people were cast screaming into the inferno, burned alive, only to be revived and thrown again, and again, for eternity.
The two of them collapsed to the ground, trembling.
Yushi and Weller collapsed onto the ground, their screams echoing through the emptiness.
"Help! Help, somebody—anyone—please! We've done nothing wrong! Please help us!"
On the other side of the cave, Kage turned toward Hakari, sweat dripping down his temple.
"So you mean… if you hadn't remembered what your mother told you about this place, we would have ended up in hell?"
Hakari's expression remained calm, but his tone was heavy.
"Nah. After one or two hours, the cave disappears and leaves whoever entered behind. But here's the truth… people don't vanish when they come here. It's the cave that devours their minds."
---
Meanwhile, in the "hell side" of the cave, Yushi clawed at the ground, scooping handfuls of dust and shoving it into his mouth as though it were water. His throat convulsed and he spat it out, coughing violently.
"Give me some of that!" Weller begged desperately, before dropping to his knees and licking the dust, as if it were some life-saving drink.
---
Back on Hakari's side, Kage's voice trembled.
"So we're safe then… because we're in the heaven side, right?"
Hakari shook his head. His words fell like a heavy blade.
"There's no heaven in this cave. And no hell. They're nothing more than illusions—illusions stronger than any Code I've ever seen. If we stay too long, even we'll lose our sanity."
Hakari and Kage rose to their feet, ready to head deeper into the cave before it vanished—before the illusions could drive them insane. They had only taken a few steps when a cold hand suddenly gripped them both.
Startled, they turned. Behind them stood a woman.
At first, Hakari and Kage dismissed her presence as just another illusion and moved to ignore her. But before they could react, the woman raised her arms—chains shot out, binding them in an instant.
"What—?!" Hakari gasped.
Kage struggled, wide-eyed. "What just happened?! It was too fast—we didn't even get a chance to think!"
Meanwhile, on the hell side of the cave—Yushi and Weller staggered back to their feet. Rage burned in Yushi's eyes, his despair replaced by something far darker. Whatever it took, no matter the cost—they would do anything to escape this cursed cave.