~~~Mouth Of Cango Cave~~~
[South Africa]
Two brave cave divers descended into the depths of Cango Cave — once a jewel among South Africa's tourist treasures. The air, cool and ancient, whispered secrets of a time when footsteps filled its chambers with awe.
Now, in the hush of forgotten echoes, they drifted through cathedral-like caverns where stalactites hung like frozen chandeliers and shadows danced upon silent stone.
What had once been a sanctuary for wonder now lay undisturbed — until their light sliced through the darkness, awakening the slumbering beauty beneath the earth.
"They traveled deep in awe, saying the stalagmites looked like swords — but they were formed from the earth itself, slowly, over centuries," a caver hushed.
"Hah? What?"
A heavy silence filled the air, broken only by the distant drip of water echoing through the caverns.
"They kept moving deeper and deeper, eager to see everything the cave would reveal,"
The first caver continued.
"Hoh?" The second caver listened as the first kept talking.
"For hours, they stayed in contact with the surface team — never losing touch."
The second caver raised a brow.
"I thought they were—"
"Ehp hep hep—shush, let me finish!"
The second caver gave a hesitant nod, a strange look in his eyes.
"O-okay..."
"Around two hours into the cave... suddenly—"
"Ah... here it comes..."
The second caver muttered.
"Boom! Their comms were cut off!"
"Ah..."
"The surface team tried to reach them again for hours — but no response. Finally, a signal came through..."
"How'd you manage to get all this?"
The second caver asked, brow raised.
"They weren't so fortunate after all,"
The first caver said quietly.
The second caver's expression tightened.
"Oh..."
"They had entered an uncharted part of the cave."
The second caver tapped his chin.
"Just like in the movies, huh?"
"Exactly. Then the tunnel collapsed on them. Only one managed to keep contact — but even that didn't last long."
"Sounds like a movie plot, for sure."
"The last thing the diver said on the walkie was..."
A third caver leaned in, eager.
"Hell is unleashed!!"
The first caver shouted suddenly.
A heavy silence fell. Each man sat in the glow of the fire, the weight of those words sinking in.
Then laughter cracked through the stillness.
"HAHAHA! 'Hell is unleashed,' huh?" said the third caver, wiping his eyes.
"Right? Ain't that something!" He grabbed the second caver's shirt with excitement. "Right, right?!"
The second caver looked away. "Yeah... right."
"I wonder what that uncharted part actually looks like," the third caver murmured.
"Well... that's what we're going to find out."
The three stood before the yawning mouth of Cango Cave, firelight flickering across their faces. Their shadows stretched long against the rock as the flames hissed and cracked — and one by one, the lights on their helmets clicked on.
~~~UWDS Africa HeadQuarters~~~
[Kenya]
"That was the last thing they said before they dove into the cave... and were never seen again."
A staff member stood before a dim screen inside the chamber known as The Room That Observes All. Flickering light painted eerie shadows across the gathered figures.
He continued, his voice steady but low.
"This footage is what we managed to recover from a year ago. Apparently, hell truly was unleashed. The cave's collapse—according to the divers—wasn't natural. It was caused by our so-called friends... the Seeles. Their presence must've triggered the creatures to reawaken."
Seven skull-masked silhouettes listened in silence, the faint hum of machinery echoing through the dark.
"The Seeles had been sleeping in that section of the cave for reasons still unknown,"
The staff went on.
"We've also gathered statements from locals who used to work nearby. They said, quote—'We patched this cave for a reason. It was sacred to our ancestors. We hid it from tourists years ago... and we don't know how it reopened.'"
Silhouette 6 scoffed.
"Sacred place? It's just a massive Seele nest."
Bao-Shi chuckled, his voice calm but edged with mischief.
"Oh, come on, Lakmia. You shouldn't mock the locals like that. You've no idea what they might be hiding behind their so-called beliefs."
Lakmia—the sixth silhouette—groaned.
"Alright, alright! You didn't have to drag my name into this."
Bao-Shi laughed quietly, the sound echoing faintly against the metal walls.
The staff cleared his throat and continued.
"Ahem... Moving on. The reawakening of these slumbering Seeles sparked a battle far greater than we anticipated. We've been fighting for a year now. Our men and resources are running dangerously low. The number of Seeles in the cave is far higher than projected. Last month... we lost South Africa entirely. It's become a wasteland—infested."
"Hmm... no real progress to report, then?" asked Silhouette 2.
"Only a little, sir. Our operatives on the ground are starting to question the Skull's leadership. The soldiers are brave—willing to fight—but they're always stuck with what they call... 'shitty commanders.'"
Silhouette 7 sighed.
"Years of low-tier missions have seriously tainted the quality of our officers, haven't they?"
"We have to do something," Lakmia added. "We need those men on the front lines."
"We can't deploy them yet," countered Silhouette 5.
"Better than wasting time," Silhouette 3 hushed.
Silhouette 5 smirked.
"You mean the Aces, Lakmia?"
"Hey! Stop dragging my name through the mud!" Lakmia barked.
Silhouette 7 leaned forward slightly, his tone calm but cutting.
"I'm intrigued. I want to see how capable he is as a leader."
The other skulls turned their gaze toward him.
"You mean... him?" confirmed Silhouette 4.
A short pause followed—heavy and knowing.
"Yeah," Silhouette 7 replied. "Ryo-Ryo Mukori."
~~~Kaba Island~~~
Itoshi's breaths came heavy and uneven as he glanced around the dense, shadowed forest of Kaba Island. Moonlight filtered weakly through the thick canopy, breaking into fleeting silver streaks across the underbrush. The distant calls of nocturnal creatures echoed faintly—indifferent to the turmoil unraveling beneath the trees.
"HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO CARRY TWO DUDES THAT ARE TALLER THAN ME?!"
His eyes darted between Ryujin's unconscious form and Ayro's pale, still body. Both were taller, heavier, and clearly too injured to move on their own. The ache in his arms deepened as reality sank in.
"Ayro... Ayrooo... wake up, man... please."
He shook Ayro's shoulder gently, voice cracking with desperation. But the only reply was the shallow rise and fall of Ayro's chest—too faint, too weak.
"No... no good. He's out cold... and Ryujin... damn it... That wound...."
Itoshi bit his lip, frustration and fear colliding inside him. Leaving one behind wasn't an option—not here. The island itself felt alive, predatory. Splitting up would mean certain death.
"I can't leave anyone behind... but I can't carry both... not like this."
His gaze swept the forest, mind racing. Branches. Vines. Rocks. Anything that could help him build a stretcher, something—anything—to get them moving.
"There's gotta be a way... I just need to think—fast."
He knelt beside Ryujin, resting a trembling hand on his shoulder. For a moment, the world went quiet except for the rasp of his breathing.
"Hang in there, guys... I'll figure this out..."
The forest seemed to hold its breath with him—leaves unmoving, shadows watching—as Itoshi steeled himself for what came next: a fight not against monsters, but exhaustion, fear, and the crushing weight of loyalty.
[Kirashi, Jayu, Aldrin, And Kara]
Kirashi tightened his grip on his weapon, his breath sharp and steady.
"What the hell is that?.. A barrier?"
Aldrin's voice came low, cautious.
"...Seems like it..."
Rain hammered the earth just beyond the invisible wall, each drop striking with relentless rhythm. But inside—silence. Not a single droplet crossed the unseen line. It was as if the island itself had drawn a breath and held it, waiting.
From the thicket across the clearing came a faint rustle. Leaves trembled. Branches shifted. The sound grew louder—closer—until something stepped through the shadows.
A Menschlich-Class Flame-type Seele. Its presence bled heat into the air, an aura of searing red that shimmered against the damp world outside.
Its eyes glowed like molten embers, burning with hunger and rage. Flames licked across its limbs, each motion bending the air in shimmering waves. The creature's body distorted the light around it, its silhouette flickering like a mirage born of hellfire.
Kirashi's expression hardened. Frustration mixed with focus as he tilted his blade forward.
"Ah!.. Great. Another red dude."
The Seele raised its head, eyes locking onto them with feral intent. The barrier held firm—for now—but the pressure in the air was mounting. Something was coming.
A storm, silent yet inevitable.
~~~To be Continued~~~