The street stayed tense, but no one moved. Dust drifted through the cracked ground, the air still carrying the weight of what almost happened. The warriors who had been ready to strike now stood at a distance, weapons lowered just enough to show restraint, but not trust. In the center of it all stood Eru, calm and completely unbothered, like the chaos meant nothing to him.
Kairo stepped forward again, more careful this time, his chest still tight from everything that had just happened. Tyouro stayed close behind him, not stopping him now, but ready in case things went wrong again. "We're not here to cause trouble," Kairo said, his voice steady despite the pressure. "We came to find you."
Eru didn't answer right away. His gaze moved slowly, taking them all in, Kairo, Tyouro, then past them to Kimimaru and Yura, like he was measuring something deeper than just their presence. "…You already caused trouble," he said at last.
Tyouro scratched the back of his head, letting out a small breath. "Okay, yeah, that part's true. But it wasn't that serious-"
"It was enough."
The way Eru said it shut him up instantly. The words weren't loud, but they landed heavy. Kairo clenched his fist slightly, forcing himself to stay calm. "…Then tell us what we're supposed to do."
Eru tilted his head just a little. "Why should I?"
The question was simple, too simple. Kairo opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. He didn't have a real answer. Not one that would matter.
Before the silence could stretch any longer, Kimimaru stepped forward, his voice calm as ever. "Because you know something." Eru's eyes shifted to him, and Kimimaru didn't look away. "You wouldn't show yourself like this unless it mattered."
A brief pause followed before Eru spoke again. "…You observe well." It wasn't praise, just acknowledgment.
Yura finally stepped in, her tone quiet but sharp. "We don't have time to play around."
Eru looked at her. "And yet… you came here without a plan."
She didn't respond, because he wasn't wrong.
Around them, the crowd had gone quiet. People were still watching, but from farther away now, as if they could feel the tension settling into something more dangerous. Even the warriors had stepped back completely.
Eru exhaled slowly. "…You're from Reikosha."
Kairo nodded. "Yes."
"…Then you already know what's happening."
"…Not everything," Kairo admitted.
"Of course not."
Eru turned slightly, glancing toward the deeper parts of Grimreach, the darker streets beyond the market where the light barely reached. "Grimreach isn't just a place," he said. "It's where things that shouldn't exist… gather."
Tyouro frowned. "That doesn't sound suspicious at all."
Eru ignored him. "You came because of her."
The air tightened.
Kairo's eyes sharpened. "…Himiko."
Eru didn't confirm it, but he didn't deny it either.
One of the warriors stepped forward again, still uneasy. "Eru… we're just letting them go?"
Eru didn't even glance at him. "Yes."
"They broke the rules."
"And now they won't."
That was enough. No one argued again.
Eru turned back to them, his expression unchanged. "If you want answers, stop acting like students."
Tyouro raised a brow. "What does that even-"
"It means decide why you're here."
Kairo froze for a second. His thoughts rushed, Shougo, the battle, Himiko, everything that led them here. "…We want to stop her," he said.
Eru watched him closely. "Do you?"
The question hit deeper than expected. For a moment, Kairo hesitated, not because he didn't care, but because he wasn't sure if "stop" was the right word.
"She's a threat," Kimimaru said calmly. "That's enough reason."
Eru glanced at him. "For you?"
"Yes."
No hesitation. No emotion.
Yura stepped forward next, her gaze steady. "She won't stop on her own."
"And you think you can make her?"
"I don't think," Yura replied quietly. "I decide."
Even Eru seemed to pause at that.
"…Okay, cool speeches and all," Tyouro cut in, stretching his shoulders, "but can we get to the part where we actually do something?"
Eru looked at him for a moment. "…You're impatient."
"Yeah. And you're talking too much."
For a second, it felt like he'd ignore him, but instead, Eru turned.
"…Fine."
He started walking without another word. "If you're serious, then follow me."
No explanation. No warning.
Just that.
Kairo glanced at the others. Kimimaru was already moving. Yura followed without hesitation. Tyouro sighed. "Yeah… this definitely won't end badly," he muttered, stepping forward anyway.
As they moved deeper into Grimreach, the atmosphere changed. The noise of the market faded behind them, replaced by silence. Fewer people. Less light. The streets narrowed, shadows stretching longer along the walls.
Kairo felt it immediately.
Something wasn't right.
"…What's here?" he asked.
Eru didn't slow down. "Truth."
That didn't make him feel any better.
Behind them, far from the dark streets, one of the warriors watched them disappear, his expression uneasy. "…This is going to get worse," he muttered.
And somewhere ahead, hidden deeper within Grimreach
something was already waiting.