The clouds had already swallowed half the moon, dimming the light that struggled to pierce through the smoke. Fire blazed around the clearing, its glow painting the chaos in violent orange. The air crackled with heat. The smell of burning bark and scorched earth filled every breath.
Everyone was on the ground, groaning, struggling to rise.
The three binders pushed themselves up, battered and breathless. Their shield was cracked, their blades half-buried in the dirt. Every movement was heavy, like their bodies were made of stone.
Taki and Miko huddled in a corner, trembling. The fire's reflection flickered in their eyes, their shadows quivering against the ground.
They had seen scenes like this before, slaying monsters for ranks, teaming up for missions, hunting for rare weapons, but only in video games. Never in their worst nightmares did they imagine they'd see it in real life.
And the worst part, the monster before them was their best friend.
Deetee's laughter echoed through the forest, sharp and chilling, rising above the crackle of flames. It wasn't Rieko's laugh. It was distorted, like two voices were speaking at once. He still possessed her body, her glowing eyes fixed on the binders who struggled to stand.
"Wow… you binders must be newbies," he sneered. "Look at you all, barely standing after just one blow." His tone was playful, almost amused. "Don't worry, I won't kill you yet. I want to have fun first."
The sound of his laughter spread like poison, bouncing between the trees.
He turned to his twisted peasants lurking in the dark, figures that might have once been human but were now wrapped in shadow. Their skin was cracked, their bones jutting through like stone spikes.
"Take care of those two," Deetee commanded, his grin widening as his glowing eyes shifted toward Taki and Miko.
The peasants' heads snapped in unison, their necks cracking as they turned. Firelight washed over their faces, hollow, cracked, and hungry.
Miko's breath hitched. "They… they're coming towards us, Taki. What do we do?" Her voice trembled as the peasants dragged their feet across the dirt, their footsteps echoing softly like broken drums.
Taki swallowed hard. His hands were shaking, but he forced his voice to stay calm. "We can't run. We need Rieko. It's three or none, Miko."
"But Rieko's gone! That's not her anymore!" Miko's words broke apart, half in fear, half in anger.
"Rieko's not gone," Taki said, voice trembling but firm. "You've seen her. She never gives up. She'll play again and again until she defeats the monster. That's who she is."
Miko glared at him, eyes wide. "That's only in video games, you idiot! This is real life! We're about to be killed or eaten by zombies!"
Taki turned, eyes darting to the binders still struggling on the ground. "So much for that cinematic entrance, huh? I thought they'd save us. Now look at them." He pushed up his glasses with a shaky hand. The gesture was small, but it made him feel braver somehow.
"We're going to die," Miko whimpered. "We're going to die and this time it's for real, ahhh!"
"I hope we get second lives!" Taki shouted as both of them screamed together, their voices echoing into the burning forest.
Then something flickered in Taki's eyes. His breathing steadied. His fear turned into something else, desperation, maybe courage, maybe just denial.
"Wait, we're gamers," he said suddenly, turning to Miko. "We play for fun. We've slayed beasts and demons before, even aliens, and these things, they're just zombies. Low-rank mobs. And low-rank means weak."
Miko blinked, disbelief written all over her face. "Are you kidding me?! This is real life, you jerk!"
But Taki was already standing, brushing off the dirt clinging to his uniform. His knees shook, but he squared his shoulders and made a stance, copying one of his favorite game characters.
"Miko Grimm," he said with mock seriousness, "we are gamers, and right now, we're in a game."
The fire's light reflected on his glasses as he stared down the peasants. For a moment, he almost believed his own words.
Memories flashed in his head, late nights locked in his room, his fingers sore from endless button mashing, the cheers when he finally defeated Rieko in their tournament finals. He remembered the thrill of victory, the joy of challenge, the laughs they shared after every defeat.
If he could win there, he could win here.
"The Demon Boy Mode, activate!" he shouted, voice full of dramatic energy. His stance tightened, eyes blazing with determination.
For a split second, he looked like a hero, a burning aura almost visible around him. The peasants even hesitated, tilting their heads as if confused.
Then one of them swung its arm and slammed him straight into a tree.
"Ahhh, aww, aww, aww! Okay, okay, this is real life! Definitely not fun anymore!" Taki groaned, sliding down the trunk as leaves fluttered around him.
Miko stood frozen, her mouth wide open. "Idiot…" she muttered under her breath.
The peasants crept closer. Their footsteps crunched on the burned soil, their eyes glowing faintly like dying coals.
Miko raised her trembling hands in surrender. "Mr. Zombies, please don't slam me like that, okay? You can do whatever you want, just don't touch the face! My face is my treasure, I so much on skincare just to care for my treasure!"
Her voice cracked halfway through, caught between tears and nerves.
The peasants didn't care. They groaned and split into two groups, half dragging their feet toward Taki, the other half toward her.
Miko's throat went dry. Her hands lowered slowly, hopelessness washing over her like cold rain. Maybe this was it. Maybe this was how she'd die, in a burning forest, surrounded by monsters that she use to slay in video games.
One of the peasants reached out, its cracked fingers brushing her cheek. A faint sting ran across her skin, leaving a small mark.
Miko's breath caught.
Her eyes widened, trembling. Then she whispered, low and shaking, "I said, don't touch my treasure!."
Her voice changed. It lost its fear.
She grabbed the creature's wrist before it could move away. Her fingers clenched, hard, too hard. The peasant's arm twisted, bones snapping like dry sticks.
Then something shifted.
A shiver ran down her spine. Her eyes darkened, the pink fading into deep black. The soft color of her hair melted away, strands flowing like ink under the firelight. The wind seemed to pull toward her, the air heavy, humming.
The peasant didn't even have time to scream. Its body cracked apart, glowing faintly before turning to dust. The others around her froze, their hollow eyes widening. Then, one by one, they disintegrated, crumbling into ash that scattered in the burning wind.
Taki, still half-pinned by two peasants, stopped struggling. His mouth hung open. Even the remaining creatures turned to stare, their heads tilting in confusion and fear.
The flames flickered brighter around Miko. Her shadow stretched long behind her, twisting across the trees. She stood there quietly, breathing slow, her black hair lifting slightly with the heat.