The birds' gentle chirps filled the air, signaling the arrival of the first rays of sunlight.The warmth of the sun slowly crept across the land, a blanket of gold, but it did little to soothe the tight knot in Reika's chest. Her fingers dug into the grass, grounding her in a fleeting moment of calm that felt utterly misplaced. The weight of the day, of the trial ahead, pressed down on her like an immovable stone, suffocating her thoughts.
"If we don't find that crystal…" Reika's voice barely broke the silence, flat and distant. Her words seemed to float in the air, meaningless. Her gaze drifted to the path ahead, though her mind was a thousand miles away.
"I'll be disqualified… And then everything ends."The finality of it all crushed her ribs. The task was one thing, but the expectations? That suffocating pressure to always be the best, to never fail. It was so much heavier than any stone could be.
Ishigo was quieter today, his usual lightness gone. His presence beside her was solid and unwavering, but even his words carried a weight today. "We'll make it," he said, his tone a mix of determination and something else.
Hope, maybe. Reika didn't know if it was hope he was trying to offer her or himself. She didn't answer immediately, simply gave a small, absent nod.
She stood slowly, brushing dirt off her pants, her body moving on autopilot. There was no choice but to go forward—to Tenshiko, the site of their next trial. Even as her feet carried her onward, her mind refused to follow, tangled in what-ifs, in doubt. There was no space for weakness here. Not now.
Just as they began walking, a loud voice shattered the fragile silence.
"You fucking beasts, you want to eat me, huh?"
The harshness of the voice ripped through the forest air like a blade. Reika's spine stiffened, the taunting words jagged in her mind, unnatural.
She exchanged a quick glance with Ishigo. His jaw was tight, his eyes already scanning the clearing, alert.
Ahead, in the center of the clearing, a boy stood—maybe a few years older than them. His posture was unnervingly confident, almost mocking. There was something about him that set Reika's teeth on edge.
His arm twisted unnaturally, bent at the elbow at an impossible angle. It was shifting—morphing—until it became a twisted, gnarled limb, almost like the front leg of a wolf. The creature beneath his control writhed, its cries of agony echoing through the trees. But the boy? He seemed to relish it.
The wolf's tortured whines were met with laughter, an unsettling sound that twisted the air. The boy grinned, wide and unhinged, the laughter ripping through the forest with a manic energy.
"HAHAHA!" His voice rang out, echoing in the dense woods, mocking the pain of the creature beneath him.
"What the hell is going on here?" Ishigo muttered, his voice a mix of disbelief and disgust.
Reika's gaze hardened, her mind racing as she took in the scene. The boy was tall, messy black hair hanging over his eyes, his smile sickeningly self-assured.
That smile. Arrogance dripping from every inch of him. But what unnerved her more wasn't just his demeanor—it was how the wolf's pain seemed to fuel him, how the suffering of a living being was a joke to him.
The boy's grip tightened with sickening force. With a sickening crack, the wolf's cries fell silent. Its body crumpled to the ground, and in the blink of an eye, flames consumed it, leaving behind nothing but ashes.
From those ashes, a glowing stone emerged—strange and otherworldly. The boy snatched it up like a prize.
"Mwahaha! I just killed it! I'm the strongest!" The boy's voice was triumphant, almost childishly gleeful. He danced in circles, arms flung wide, his insane grin stretched across his face.
Reika's stomach churned. The stone. It pulsed with an unnatural light, its glow almost too vibrant, too alive. Her instincts screamed that it wasn't just a stone. It was something far darker. And the boy? His obsession with it was palpable.
"OMG, it's mine! Finally, I've found it!"he screamed, clutching the stone to his chest, his eyes gleaming with madness.
"Totally insane…" Reika muttered under her breath, disgust curling in her gut.
"Hey, kids! What's up?" The boy called, his voice grating, as he swaggered over, eyes flicking between Reika and Ishigo, clearly enjoying their discomfort. "I'm Daigo Yamamoto, the strongest Kageshiki in the world!"
Reika crossed her arms, her face cold and unreadable, but there was no hiding the contempt in her eyes. "Great. Another insane one," she murmured, her voice dripping with disdain.
Daigo tilted his head, a predatory gleam in his eyes. He was enjoying this—his presence, their reaction. It was like a game to him.
"You're a Kageshiki too, huh? But you're so young. Think you can handle me?" He flexed, muscles rippling with unnecessary flair.
Reika didn't bother with a response. Her gaze was unwavering, her voice as sharp as steel. "Yeah, you're strong. Whatever. But I don't have time to waste on you."
Daigo's laughter cracked the air again, loud and wild. "Oh come on! Don't be shy!"He made a show of throwing a mock punch, daring her to engage. "Let's fight! You don't believe I'm the strongest?"
Reika didn't even flinch. Her gaze met his with icy detachment. "I'm not wasting my time on an idiot."
His grin didn't fade. "Don't be so icy!" Daigo teased, completely unbothered. "I'm gonna call you 'Icy' from now on."
"My name is Kagetsu Reika." Her voice was calm, but there was a sharp edge to it. She didn't care for his childishness.
"Icy, I like it better," Daigo said, clearly not hearing a word she said. He then turned to Ishigo, who had been silently observing, clearly uninterested in Daigo's antics.
"Yo, bro! What's your name?" Daigo slapped Ishigo's back too hard, making him stagger slightly.
"Ishigo Nakano." His voice was dry, unimpressed.
"Haha! You were born to be my bro!" Daigo laughed, as if this was the funniest thing he'd ever heard.
"Yeah, real funny," Ishigo replied, his voice flat.
Reika's patience snapped. "Come on, let's go. We need to get to Tenshiko." She turned, cutting him off before he could say anything else.
But Daigo wasn't about to let her go that easily. He quickened his pace, falling into step beside her, his grin never wavering. "Let me tag along, bro!" he said, like the idea was some great privilege.
Reika didn't look at him, but the silence between them spoke volumes. Ishigo sighed heavily beside her. "Fine. But don't touch me."
And so, they walked in silence—well, not quite silence. Daigo's laughter echoed through the air behind them, mocking the very world they were walking through, an uninvited shadow that would never leave them. The jungle had quieted, as if something darker was waiting.
When they reached the gates of Tenshiko, it was worse than they could have imagined.
The gates stood wide open, a gruesome scene unfolding before them. Hooded figures dragged bloody, half-eaten bodies from the jungle. The stench of death hung thick in the air, mingling with the rotting flesh. Reika's stomach churned, bile rising in her throat. This was the price of survival.
"Looks like the beasts didn't finish their meals…"Reika muttered, her voice flat. She didn't know if she meant the bodies or the survivors, but either way, the stench of failure was thick. "Guess that's why they didn't make it."
Daigo's laughter broke the stillness. "Haha, that's funny. Too bad for them!"
It should've been enough to make her snap, but she held it in. The remaining sixty students walked in silent dread toward the academy, their fates already sealed. Reika wondered how many more would make it out alive.
A voice, dripping with sarcasm, interrupted her thoughts. "Well, well. Looks like some of you survived."
Reika's eyes snapped to the figure lounging lazily against the wall. Souta. His silver-white hair fell messily over his eyes, hiding the amusement that flickered in his gaze. He didn't bother with pleasantries.
"Impressive," he said, his voice smooth, mocking. "But there's more to come. Tomorrow, flexibility training. Good luck with that."
Reika felt her stomach drop. Flexibility training? As if things weren't bad enough. But the challenge only fueled her resolve. She'd survive. No matter what. No matter the cost.