The creak of charred wood was the only sound in the forest, a dry, funereal echo that echoed with every step they took. Around him, trees, reduced to burnt skeletons, stood like monuments to a recent disaster. The stench of smoke, of scorched earth and of something else, something putrid and sweet, made the atmosphere feel heavy, almost unbreathable. Ryuusei moved forward with the group, his senses on high alert, but inside he something had changed, a crack had opened in the trust they had only just begun to build. Ever since he used the celestial weapons in the previous battle, the way his companions looked at him had become different, with an interest that made his nerves bristle.
"Hey, Ryuuusei," Kenta said, approaching his side with his usual carefree air, though his eyes kept staring at the sheath of the daggers that hung from the boy's waist. Your weapons... I had never seen anything like it. I don't know, they seem made for this kind of place.
Haru, limping slightly from the wound in his leg, joined the conversation, his calculating gaze scrutinizing Ryuusei with an intensity that made him feel as if he were being analyzed. "That's true. In this forest, the most you could find would be a rusty sword, broken bows, or even an axe, but those daggers... that pair of hammers... they seem to be taken from an arsenal that does not belong to this world.
"Yes, they are very rare. That edge has a different shine, you know? Kenta insisted, her childish curiosity beginning to sound like a more serious question. "Are they special artifacts?"
Ryuusei felt a chill run down his spine. The questions seemed casual, but the insistence in their eyes was not. It felt as if he was no longer a mere companion to them, but an object of study, a wild card that could benefit or kill them all.
"I found them," he replied in a dry voice, trying to sound indifferent.
Daichi, who had hitherto been in an imposing silence, stopped and turned to Ryuusei. His gloomy gaze was like that of a hunter. "I don't like to be suspicious of my group, but knowing where you found something like that could help us all. We could go and get similar weapons.
"I don't remember where—" Ryuusei murmured, looking away.
It was an obvious lie, and I knew it. The path to the cave was etched in his mind, but the fear of sharing a power that had already claimed a life was much greater. The group was supposed to support each other, but the seed of distrust was already planted. His grip on his sword sheath grew stronger. If they kept insisting, they might soon turn on him. Death had said that "betrayal will be part of the game." Perhaps this was the beginning.
The only one she felt she could still trust was Aiko. The girl was too innocent for the group's intrigues, her fear was genuine, and her need for protection was clear. During a short break, when they moved a little away from the group to check on his wound, he confessed the truth to her.
"Aiko, they... they're starting to suspect me," he whispered, glancing sideways at his companions. The shadow of fear and paranoia crossed his expression, the stiffness on his lips became more apparent.
Aiko looked at him with a seriousness that did not befit her young age. Her silver hair moved gently in the wind. "Yes, I noticed. But don't blame them completely, Ryuusei, either. It is normal that they are interested. Those weapons are not common, and the power you used... It's not something you see every day.
"I can't trust them," he whispered, bitterness in his voice palpable.
Aiko sighed, a sound that reminded her of an older sister. "Look, if you think they'll turn against you, be careful. Protect yourself. But don't close in on yourself. We're still in this together. If what you said is true... There are a limited number of people, remember? And we are a team. If we divide, we will die faster.
The tension in his chest relaxed a little. Aiko was right. His simple, straightforward logic was a balm to his paranoid mind. At least I had someone to trust in this hell. A thin thread of hope.
The group set off again, advancing through the thick of the burnt forest. The moonlight, now a pale crescent, filtered through the treetops, casting long, grotesque shadows on the ground. The atmosphere felt heavy, as if something invisible, an icy presence, was watching them. The smell of burnt flesh intensified, mingling with a sweet, sickly stench.
"Ryuusei, what do those numbers mean?" Aiko asked suddenly, pointing her finger.
Ryuusei frowned. — What numbers?
Suddenly, a mechanical, screeching sound echoed through the sky, causing everyone to look up. Just above them, among the branches, a gigantic screen lit up, flashing with a cold, green light. In it, a list of names that began to disappear, one by one. Every name that faded into darkness, every line of text that was erased, represented a death, a soul lost in this macabre game.
"Shit," Haru muttered, his voice for once without the usual composure. Look at the amount that has already fallen.
"It's like they're reducing the number of players on purpose," Daichi said, his voice deep and worried.
The group held their breath. The screen showed a chilling figure: 12,476 souls remaining.
"Does that mean that... are they dying? Haru whispered, his face pale as a ghost's.
"Yes," Daichi said, grimacing in disgust. We don't know what's behind this, but there are fewer and fewer people alive. We are just a number on your dashboard.
The road they traveled was dotted with the remains of those who were not so lucky. Among the rubble and mud, severed arms, legs twisted at unnatural angles, and pools of blood already darkened could be seen. Ryuusei swallowed hard at the sight of a head smashed against a rock, his eyes still open in a grimace of horror frozen in time. Death was not a symbolic entity. She was a hunter.
Suddenly, a piercing, dry noise echoed through the forest. A deep, guttural roar that was unlike anything they'd ever heard before. The temperature seemed to drop suddenly, and the stench of putrefaction became overwhelming.
"Was that an animal?" Kenta asked, her voice trembling.
From the shadows emerged a grotesque creature, with disproportionate limbs and a mouth full of rows of razor-sharp teeth. Her skin was black and putrid, with pieces of flesh hanging from her body. In its right claw, remnants of what appeared to be a human arm were still dripping. The creature moved with unnatural speed, stalking a group of players in the distance.
"No," Haru said, his voice barely a whisper of terror. That's not an animal.
A laugh echoed through the air, a voice they already knew. Familiar, mocking, and cruel, it seeped into their minds, straight into their thoughts.
"I hope you like my little gift!" This is one of my favorites! said Death. "And don't worry, there are many more where this one came out." Let's see how well they play with it.
The creature let out a roar that made the ground vibrate and charged off. The game had changed, and the hunt had begun.