The air felt suffocating as the group stood before the towering iron gates, their weight pressing down on the trainees like an invisible hand. The gates, black as midnight, groaned under their own silence, intimidating in their sheer size and the promise of death beyond them. A low murmur rippled through the crowd, a hive of nervous energy buzzing, the tension almost unbearable.
At the front, Reika stood like an immovable statue, eyes slicing through the crowd, searching for weakness. She was a predator in a world of prey. Beside her, Ishigo's body trembled, his hands clenched at his sides, his breath shallow as if the very air was suffocating him.
"I… I can't do this, Reika,"Ishigo whispered, his voice breaking, eyes darting around, unwilling to meet anyone's gaze.
Reika's gaze flicked to him for a brief moment—cold, sharp, unforgiving. "Then leave," she said, her tone devoid of pity, sharp as the gates before them. "Fear has no place here. If you're weak, you're already dead."
Ishigo flinched but didn't look away, his voice barely audible, "I can't go back. Not like this."
Reika's lips curled into a grim smile, a flicker of something—disdain, maybe—before she turned her gaze back to the gates. She didn't need pity. She needed survival.
Without a word, a towering figure emerged from the shadows, his massive form blocking out the dying light. The trainer's scowl was a weapon in itself. His voice, low and menacing, carried over the murmurs like a cutting blade. "Yesterday, fifteen were removed after the first round. Injuries.
Weakness. You'll be tested, and if you fail, you'll be left behind." His eyes swept over the group like a hawk, scanning for weakness. "No exceptions."
A hush fell over the group. The weight of his words hit like a fist to the gut. Reika's pulse quickened, but her expression remained as cold as stone. There was no place for hesitation here.
The trainer's voice cut through the silence again, colder, more ominous. "Today's test will be in the Kuroyami Forest. Prepare yourselves. And remember this—if you get injured, you're out. The forest doesn't care."
A collective gasp rose, but Reika's eyes sharpened. The Kuroyami Forest. The place where even the strongest were devoured. It was not just an environment; it was a trial of death.
The trainer didn't stop. "The forest isn't a playground. Wolves. Razor-sharp panthers. Venomous cobras. Crocodiles guarding the river. And Bubi traps—step into one, and you won't leave."His eyes narrowed as he locked onto each trainee, one by one, his gaze penetrating, cold, and unyielding. "The goal is simple: survive."
Reika's breath steadied. Survival was all she knew. Survival was the only thing that mattered.
"At night,"the trainer continued, his voice growing colder still, "you will fight through the night. You will be armed with Nunchaku. Your only tools for survival. These weapons won't guarantee your life. They'll only give you a chance."
The murmur that followed was drowned out by the metallic sound of the gates opening, a deathly groan that signified the end of all safety. Beyond them, only darkness stretched.
Reika's hand slid to the Nunchaku at her side. It was familiar, but now it felt different—like the weapon would determine whether she lived or died.
Ishigo's trembling hand gripped her sleeve, his voice a desperate whisper, "Reika… please… don't let them get me."
Reika turned slowly, her face devoid of emotion. "Survival isn't about saving anyone, Ishigo. It's about saving yourself."
The gates slammed shut behind them, the sound a finality that struck through the bones. The forest loomed ahead, a suffocating wall of darkness. Fog rolled in thick and unnatural, cloaking everything, swallowing the path in front of them.
The trees twisted, gnarled, like skeletal hands reaching from the earth. The silence was overwhelming, broken only by the occasional creak of the branches.
Reika's senses heightened as her eyes scanned the darkness. Every rustle, every snap of a twig, could be a threat. "Do you see anything?"she whispered to Ishigo, her voice as sharp and controlled as steel.
"Not much…" Ishigo muttered, his words shaky with fear.
Reika froze. Her gaze snapped to something half-buried in the dirt—a human skeleton. The remnants of someone who hadn't made it. Her jaw tightened, but she said nothing. She would not be like them.
"Those who failed,"Ishigo whispered, his voice barely above a breath. "The forest takes them."
Reika's heart beat harder, but her face remained a mask. No distractions. Focus. "Stay alert," she said, her tone cold.
The fog pressed in tighter, a suffocating presence. The trees seemed to grow taller, their branches looming like predators, blocking the meager light. The air grew heavy, each second stretching into eternity.
Suddenly, a snap. A twig breaking, the sound loud in the oppressive silence. Reika's heart skipped a beat. She pivoted, eyes darting through the dark, searching.
There—eyes. Glowing gold, piercing through the mist. A massive panther, its fur sleek and dark, its growl reverberating through the ground. The sound vibrated in Reika's chest like an earthquake.
Ishigo stumbled behind her, eyes wide with panic. His breath was shallow, frantic. A twig snapped under his foot, and the panther's gaze snapped toward him, its eyes flashing with fury.
Reika's movements were a blur of precision. She was faster, smoother. With a flick of her wrist, the Nunchaku spun, the chains whipping through the air like a blur of deadly steel.
She closed the distance between herself and the panther with the speed of a striking cobra, swinging her weapon with ruthless efficiency. The blow landed with a sickening crack against the panther's side, sending the creature skidding back with a ferocious snarl.
For a moment, the panther was stunned, but only for a moment. It roared in fury, swiping at the air, its claws raking through the ground with terrifying force. Reika stood her ground, eyes unwavering, calculating the next move.
Ishigo's voice broke through her focus, "I… I'll help!"He swung his Nunchaku in a wild arc, the weapon cracking against a nearby tree with a sharp snap, startling the panther and drawing its attention.
The panther lunged at him with terrifying speed. Ishigo froze, panic flooding his veins. But Reika was already there.
She moved like a shadow, faster than he could blink, her Nunchaku swinging with deadly precision. The weapon struck the panther's throat with a vicious crack. The beast recoiled, snarling in pain, but it had lost its focus.
Ishigo stood straighter now, his hands shaking, but no longer from fear. There was a glimmer of resolve in his eyes. The momentary weakness had been banished. He was adapting.
"Good,"Reika muttered under her breath, her voice low, almost imperceptible. "Focus."
The panther backed into the shadows, its molten eyes still burning with fury. The battle was far from over, but for the first time, Ishigo had found something within himself.
Reika turned to him, her grip on the Nunchaku steady, her mind already calculating the next move. This was just the beginning. The true test had yet to come.