The neon lights of Shinjuku blurred into streaks of color as Lira revved the engine, weaving effortlessly through the late-night road. The bike hummed with an almost rebellious energy, each twist of the throttle sending them further into the chaos of the city.
Yushiro gripped onto her with one hand, his other clutching the seat, his body pressed against hers as the wind whipped around them. His eyes were wide, but he was surprisingly calm, a slight grin tugging at his lips despite the adrenaline.
"Are you trying to kill us?" Ren's voice cut through the wind, laced with disbelief and frustration. He was clinging to Yushiro for dear life, shoulders tense as they shot past another glowing streetlight.
Lira's laughter rang out, reckless and carefree, the sound mixing with the engine's roar. "C'mon, Ryuu! Live a little! You can't take life too seriously! By the way, we are already dead!"
I DON'T WANT TO DIE TWICE!
Ren shot her a glare, but it was hard to stay mad when his head was already spinning from the speed. His rabbit-eared helmet, ridiculous as it was, barely stayed on his head as they made a sharp turn, zipping past the glowing skyscrapers of Shinjuku.
"Did you ever learn how to drive normally?" Ren barked over the wind, though his words were more for show than anything.
Lira hummed a tune as she swerved through the lanes like a madwoman, the wind whipping past them. "Why drive normal when you can be extra?" she shouted back, clearly enjoying the chaos.
I NEED TO GO HOME!
Ren, holding on for dear life, His rabbit ears on the helmet flopped wildly in the wind, looking ridiculous. He could feel eyes on him as they passed people on the platform, most of them giving him the kind of look you give a train wreck. He wasn't sure if it was a judgmental look or just people wondering if he was actually crazy enough to be riding with Lira.
Someone take me home!
Then, just as he was getting used to the madness, Lira made a sharp turn. The bike almost hit the ground, and Ren's heart stopped for a second. He was pretty sure he aged five years in that one moment.
They passed through Shinjuku and Mitaka... and Ren, completely losing his mind, didn't even bother counting how far they'd come. It felt like they were just flying through a never-ending blur of lights. The world outside was a dizzying mess, and the only thing Ren could focus on was keeping the pink bunny helmet on his head. Was it possible to hate something and love it at the same time?
After what felt like an eternity, Tokyo's familiar lights slowly faded behind them, and suddenly, a massive iron wall appeared ahead, blocking the road. Ren stared at it, completely dumbfounded.
"What is that…?" Ren mumbled, eyes wide in disbelief.
Ah, I think I got seasick even though we're on land!
Lira slowed the bike down and grinned. "It's the Iron Wall."
Ren squinted. "I can see it's made of iron too…"
Lira smirked, unbothered. "It was built to separate Tokyo from the unknown areas."
Behind the wall, was Yamanashi Prefecture, a place beyond the Tokyo border in the "living world." Lira pulled the bike to a stop near the wall and motioned for the two boys to get off.
The area around the wall looked like something out of a dystopian movie. No one was in sight, and not a single living thing could be seen for miles. It felt eerily silent, like the world had forgotten this place even existed.
Lira slowly walked toward the giant iron doors in the wall. She turned back to Ren and Yushiro. "Behind this is Yamanashi," she said, her voice oddly soft.
Yushiro frowned. "What's with the weird lock on the door?"
The lock itself was strange, looking like a tablet-like thing, Ren couldn't make sense of it, but Lira didn't seem to mind.
"Come on," Lira called, still grinning like she was the happiest person alive. "We can't ride the bike from here. Unless you guys are seriously in love with my driving, huh?" She gave them a wink.
Ren stepped off the bike, shaking his head.
No. Just... no.
Lira's grin only grew. "Don't take off your helmets, boys. They're for protection." She gave Ren an almost mischievous look. "And trust me, you'll need them. Obey your leader's words."
When did she become the leader? wait, did we even have a leader?
Ren shot her a suspicious glance, feeling like something was off, but, well, he didn't really know anything about this world. So, with a sigh, he kept his pink bunny-eared helmet on, though he lifted the face shield, letting the wind hit his face.
"I am the most suitable for leadership," Yushiro mumbled arms crossed on his chest.
Nah. YOU TWO ARE THE WORST.
Lira placed her palm on the lock, and Ren could feel a strange energy in the air. With a slight hum, she let a trickle of her mana seep into the lock. It seemed to take a while, like the lock was trying to process something deep inside. Then, with a loud metallic clunk, the giant doors began to creak open, slowly revealing what lay beyond.
The area behind the iron wall was nothing like Ren expected. It was like a world that had never seen a human before, untamed, wild, and full of strange things. The forest stretched out in all directions, but it wasn't your usual green jungle.
No, this place was colorful in the weirdest way. Even in the dead of night, Ren could see that the trees were different shades, purple ones, orange ones, blues that didn't seem natural, and some that glowed faintly under the moonlight. It was as if someone had taken a paintbrush and splashed it across the landscape without caring about the rules.
Ren blinked a couple of times.
"What the heck is this?!" he muttered to himself, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing.
Lira, of course, was beaming, completely unfazed by the bizarre sight. "Welcome to Yamanashi!" she said dramatically, bowing like a showgirl at the entrance of a stage.
She was practically glowing with excitement. Ren was half-expecting her to throw confetti in the air.
The moment they stepped past the iron doors, they slammed shut behind them, like the world itself was locking them in. Ren could hear a faint click, and another tablet-like lock appeared on the other side of the massive gates. It was like they were now trapped in this strange land, no turning back.
Yushiro, on the other hand, was practically vibrating with excitement. His hazel eyes were alight with an adventurous sparkle, the kind you only saw in stories or in people who had no idea what they were getting themselves into.
He looked like your typical high school kid, with a bit of arrogance thrown in like he was ready to take on whatever the world threw at him, even if it was purple trees and weird glowing plants.
Ren? Well, Ren looked like he'd just aged a hundred years. He was exhausted, clearly feeling the weight of this whole situation already. His shoulders sagged, and the uneasy feeling in his gut grew stronger with every passing second.
This isn't going to end well.
Yushiro leaned in closer to Ren, inspecting his face like he was analyzing a rare specimen. "What's with your face?" he asked, his voice dripping with amusement as he looked at the rabbit helmet and then at Ren. "You look like a pervy old man."
Ren's expression twisted into a forced smile, but his forehead veins started to bulge with the building rage.
I should've just tossed this little brat off the bike!
But before he could give in to his darker impulses, he grabbed Yushiro by the wrist to make sure the arrogant teenager wouldn't wander off and get himself lost. Lira, however, was watching them with a smug look on her face, her eyes narrowing like a cat watching a mouse.
Then, without a word, she reached her hand toward Ren, her fingers outstretched.
Ren tilted his head in confusion.
Is she... asking me to grab her hand too?
He wasn't sure. But there was no time to overthink it.
"My hand's hurting, ya know," she said, her brows furrowed as if the world owed her a favor. "Hurry."
Ren's expression was pure confusion, like a man stuck in a never-ending loop of bad decisions. With a long, exasperated sigh, he grabbed her hand with his free hand, trying to ignore the absurdity of the whole situation.
He looked like a father holding his wife and son on a trip they never asked for.
PING!
[Congratulations on your marriage!]
SHUT THE FUCK UP!
Yushiro snickered behind him, clearly enjoying Ren's frustration, while Lira simply looked pleased with herself as if this entire moment was exactly what she'd wanted.
This is my life now, isn't it?
In the middle of the chaos, Ren slowly ventured deeper into the forest, flanked by his two reckless companions. There was no clear path, and they had to push forward, tripping over roots and cutting through the thick grasses to make their way.
The moonlight couldn't reach the ground here, but there was no need for a torch, the trees themselves glowed with soft magical lights. Some were pink, others purple, some a deep, mysterious blue, and a few even shimmered with a silver glow. It was like they had wandered into a strange, glowing paradise.
"I should've gone west instead of south in the past," Yushiro amused by this paradise in the west mumbled to himself, clearly regretting their path choice in the past.
Suddenly, Ren yanked Yushiro toward him, and the three of them stumbled backward as a strange animal jumped out from the bushes. It was a tiny red rabbit, hopping along with no care in the world, completely uninterested in them as it went on its way.
The trio fell in a tangle of limbs, with Ren and Yushiro both hitting the ground in a heap. Lira, however, was quick to act, she ended up underneath Ren, holding him tightly so he wouldn't crash to the ground too hard. She had a smirk on her face as Ren found himself sitting awkwardly on her lap, his arms flailing as if he was hugging Yushiro for dear life.
"Aha~ I think our roles are twisted," Lira chuckled, thoroughly enjoying the situation.
Ren's face turned bright red, and he quickly shoved Yushiro away, scrambling to his feet. "S-sorry!" he stammered, rubbing the back of his neck, embarrassed beyond belief.
"You really are an idiot," Yushiro snapped, getting to his feet with a glare. "That was just a rabbit! A rabbit, like you!"
"I'm not a rabbit!" Ren growled, his face redder than ever, pointing at his helmet. "It's just a helmet, you brat!"
Yushiro scowled, crossing his arms. "I'm a Soul Guard, how dare you talk to me like that, you stupid rabbit!"
Ren's eyes widened, and he nearly shouted back, "I told you, I'm not a rabbit!"
For a moment, an awkward silence fell over the group. Ren could almost hear crows cawing, as if they were mocking him, though, of course, it was just his imagination running wild.
Ah, damn it. I hate crows.
After a beat, Lira broke the silence, her voice filled with mischief. "Maybe I'm wrong... You two look more like a couple than brothers."
Ren and Yushiro both froze. Then, without warning, they snapped in unison.
"You shut up first!" they both shouted at Lira, who only laughed in response.
"What you're doing is a crime! Shipping people when one of them is underage?!" Ren practically shouted, clearly at his limit.
Lira smirked, leaning in as if she had just uncovered the most interesting secret. "Oya~ So that's what you're worried about? Not the fact that the underage one is a man? Ha! Ha!" She laughed, thoroughly enjoying the frustration on Ren's face.
"That's right! Show some respect to your elders, you underage rabbit!" Yushiro added, crossing his arms like he had just won some kind of argument.
Both Ren and Lira froze.
Ren's eyebrow twitched. "Who the heck are you calling underage, you 17-year-old brat?!"
Yushiro snapped, glaring. "Haaah?! 17?! I'm over two hundred years old!" he yelled.
The forest went eerily silent. Even the glowing trees seemed to flicker in confusion. The only sound was the wind whispering through the leaves.
"...What?" Lira asked, genuinely surprised for once.
Ren, however, broke into a slow, amused grin. "Soooo… you're a grandpa?"
"SHUT UP, YOU DAMN RABBIT!" Yushiro roared.
"I'M NOT A RABBIT!" Ren shouted back.
But before their bickering could escalate, Lira's expression changed in an instant. A shiver ran down her spine, a gut feeling, that something wrong was coming. And fast.
She spun around, scanning the glowing forest. Where is it coming from? Left? Right? Or…
Her eyes widened.
"LOOK OUT!" she yelled, jumping back just as the ground beneath them exploded.
Ren reacted without thinking. He grabbed Yushiro by the waist and leaped to the side as the earth shattered. A deafening sound followed, so deep and guttural that Ren swore his eardrums were about to burst. Trees collapsed in waves, their magical glow flickering out as they crashed into the ground. The air was thick with dust and the sharp scent of earth being torn apart.
Then, from the gaping hole in the ground, something massive emerged.
A monstrous earthworm, easily the size of a train, burst out from below. Its skin shimmered oddly in the bioluminescent light, smooth, pulsating as it moved. Its maw opened, revealing layers of jagged, spiraling teeth, and an unnatural clicking noise echoed from deep within its throat.
Ren took one look at it.
[Warning! Rank-D Demon giant earthworm has appeared!]
Ren barely had time to curse before the massive earthworm screeched, its spiraling maw stretching open as it lunged straight at him. He kicked off the ground, dodging just as its enormous body slammed down, shaking the entire forest.
"Lira! Yushiro! Stay back!" he shouted. He didn't wait to see if they listened, his focus was locked on the enemy.
[Passive Skill Activated: Reaper's Reflex]
Time seemed to slow as Ren twisted midair, landing smoothly before sprinting forward. His Crimson Spider Dagger pulsed in his grip, the red blade gleaming under the moonlight.
The earthworm let out a deep, guttural hiss before spewing a thick, green liquid in his direction.
[SYSTEM ALERT: Enemy has released Venomous Acid! Direct contact will cause HP damage over time.]
Ren's instincts screamed at him. He rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the sizzling poison as it melted through the glowing grass.
If that hits, I'm dead.
The moonlight seeped through the broken trees now. Perfect.
[Skill Activating: Mandora Vines]
The ground beneath the worm shuddered. Then, thick, dark vines erupted from the earth, writhing like snakes.
Some had sharp buds, no, mouths, that snapped hungrily, while others coiled like whips, lashing toward the demon's thick body.
The worm shrieked as the biting vines sank into its slimy flesh, tearing chunks away. The strangling vines coiled around its massive form, tightening until its movements slowed.
But the worm wasn't going down that easily.
With a furious screech, it thrashed, ripping through the vines with sheer force. The magical plants recoiled, some snapping apart as the worm lunged straight at Ren.
Too fast!
Ren barely dodged, but the sheer force of its movement sent him flying backward, slamming into a tree. His vision blurred for a second.
[HP: 85/100]
Pain shot through his ribs, but he forced himself up, dagger still in hand.
"Lira! Yushiro!" he called.
"We're fine! Just don't die!" Lira shouted back.
Easier said than done. The worm was already charging up another poison blast.
I need to get in close.
Ren dashed forward, weaving left and right to avoid the acidic spit raining down. His Spider's Step effect activated, boosting his speed for just a second, just enough to close the gap.
He slashed, the Crimson Spider Dagger tearing into the worm's side.
[Critical Hit!]
The venomous effect triggered, and dark veins spread from the wound as Crimson Venom seeped in. The worm screeched in pain, thrashing wildly.
Four more hits...
Ren didn't hesitate. He attacked again. And again. And again.
[Hit count: 4/5]
One more!
The worm suddenly jerked, its tail slamming into Ren's side.
[HP: 60/100]
The impact sent him rolling across the dirt. He coughed, blood in his mouth. But the worm wasn't done, it was already turning toward him, mouth widening for another acid spray.
No time to dodge.
Ren slammed his hand against the ground.
[Skill Activating: Mandora Vines]
This time, the vines erupted beneath the worm, thicker and angrier. They coiled around its body, holding it still. The biting vines sank their fanged buds into its flesh, ripping deeper.
The worm screeched, its acid attack failing as pain overtook it.
Ren seized the moment.
He rushed forward, dagger in hand, and slashed one final time, right across its ugly, spiraling mouth.
[Unique Effect Activated: Blood Bind]
[Next strike ignores 20% of defense!]
He plunged the dagger straight into its head.
The worm convulsed violently. Its massive form trembled, the glowing trees reflecting in its dulling eyes. Then, with a final, shuddering cry, it collapsed.
[Rank-D Demon Defeated!
+2,500 Spirit Coins Earned]
[500KP Earned]
Ren exhaled, stepping back as the worm's corpse slowly dissolved into black mist. His entire body ached, but he was alive.
Lira walked up, clapping. "Not bad, White Reaper."
Yushiro scoffed. "Tch. Took you long enough, rabbit."
Ren turned to glare at him. "Call me a rabbit one more time, and you're next."
Yushiro crossed his arms, smug. "Oh? The little rabbit is mad?"
Ren cracked his knuckles. "Try me, Grandpa."
Before Yushiro could snap back, Lira whistled. "Alright, alright. Save the flirting for later. Ryuu looks like he got steamrolled."
Ren rolled his eyes but winced as he tried to stretch. His ribs ached like hell. The worm's tail hit harder than he thought. And since Ren only used Mandora Vines twice, his MP is not completely drained yet, but if he needs to fight again, he'll definitely have to buy a Mana Potion. Argh damn it!
The effects of mandora vines only last five minutes. It isn't bad, but if they had to face high-level demons, it wouldn't be enough.
Yushiro sighed, muttering, "Ugh, fine. Try not to die next time."
He stepped forward, placing a hand on Ren's shoulder.
[Healing Magic Detected!
HP Restored: 60 → 100]
A warm sensation spread through Ren's body, numbing the pain in his ribs. His breathing became lighter, the bruises fading almost instantly.
Ren exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "That's more like it."
Yushiro smirked. "See? You should be grateful, underage rabbit."
Ren's eye twitched. "You-"
"We should get going," Lira said, scanning their surroundings with sharp eyes. "Those damn earthworms might not have monster underlings, but we caused a huge commotion. Let's move before something else finds us."
For once, neither Ren nor Yushiro argued.
"Yeah, it's dangerous to stay here." Said Yushiro.
Ren exhaled, "For once, you're actually making sense."
Yushiro crossed his arms. "I always make sense. You two just have the intelligence of a tree stump."
I AM NOT TALKING TO YOU, LITTLE BRAT!
Lira snorted. "Says the guy who got princess-carried by a so-called rabbit."
"You shut up first!" Both Ren and Yushiro snapped at her in unison.
Lira just smirked.
But before they could take another step, a chilling breeze passed through the forest. The once-flickering lights of the glowing trees dimmed slightly, and an eerie silence followed. No wind. No rustling leaves. Just an unnatural stillness.
Ren's instincts screamed at him.
Something was watching them.
And he really hated that feeling.