The afternoon sun filtered through the dense canopy, casting scattered patches of golden light across the forest floor.
The four of them walked in silence.
At the front, Tera and Yomi carefully parted the thick undergrowth as they searched for the safest route through the wilderness.
Several paces behind them...
Kairo and Morri followed quietly.
Only the crunch of fallen leaves beneath their feet disturbed the stillness.
Morri glanced sideways.
"...How's your leg holding up?"
Kairo lowered his eyes toward the fresh bandages wrapped around his calf.
"...I'm holding up."
His answer came quietly.
After a brief pause, he looked toward Morri.
"...How about you?"
Morri instinctively rubbed the bandages around his injured shoulder.
"Heh..."
"I'm holding up too."
His awkward smile returned as he shrugged lightly.
"I guess we're both pretty beat up."
Kairo gave a small nod.
For several moments...
Neither of them spoke.
Then Morri scratched the back of his head.
"...Hey."
Kairo looked over.
"What do you think about what Hikari said?"
"...About them already owning a territory."
Kairo's gaze drifted toward the endless forest surrounding them.
Towering trees stretched in every direction.
No landmarks.
No roads.
Only wilderness.
Kairo's eyes wandered across the endless forest.
"...I'm just hoping..."
"...wherever he is..."
"...he's safe."
His gaze lingered among the towering trees.
"This place..."
"...is too dangerous to wander alone."
Morri followed his gaze before giving a small nod.
"...Bobo, huh?"
Kairo looked at him.
Morri smiled awkwardly.
"You're talking about Bobo... aren't you?"
Kairo quietly nodded.
"...Yeah."
Silence returned.
After another moment...
Morri laughed awkwardly.
"...But..."
"...come to think of it..."
He looked toward Kairo.
"You were pretty bold back there."
Kairo blinked.
"...Hm?"
Morri rubbed the back of his neck.
"You know..."
"When you told Hikari..."
"'I'll find Harumachi before he finds me.'"
"Hehe..."
"...That was kind of crazy."
Kairo stared at him for a second...
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As though wondering what Morri was talking about.
Then...
"Oh... That?"
"...Don't worry."
"I was serious."
Morri blinked.
"...Serious?"
"Oh."
Kairo nodded matter-of-factly.
"Oh Yes"
"I was serious."
Morri stared blankly.
Then laughed.
"You know... You're a weird guy Kairo."
Kairo looked at him.
Seeing Morri laugh...
A small laugh escaped him too.
"...You think so?"
He tilted his head.
"...Why?"
Morri simply waved the question away.
"...Ah."
"Don't worry about it."
His smile softened.
"We'll find Bobo."
"And we'll see this examination through together."
For the first time since entering the Dead Forest...
A brighter smile appeared across Kairo's face.
"...Yeah."
He nodded.
"We will."
Up ahead...
Tera suddenly stopped.
Yomi froze beside her.
"...?"
The bushes ahead of them rustled violently.
Both girls instinctively stepped backward.
"T-Tera..."
Yomi whispered nervously.
"...Something's there."
The movement immediately caught the boys' attention.
Kairo and Morri hurried forward.
"...What's wrong?"
Yomi slowly raised a trembling finger.
"...There..."
Everyone followed her gaze.
The bush continued shaking.
Leaves trembled.
Branches shifted.
Silence settled over the forest.
Nobody moved.
Then...
Something slowly emerged.
SSSSSS...
A long green snake slithered calmly out from beneath the bushes.
Its tongue flickered lazily as it crossed the narrow forest path.
The four of them remained perfectly still.
The snake never looked their way.
Without hurry...
It disappeared into the bushes on the opposite side.
Silence.
Morri finally let out the breath he'd been holding.
"...I thought we were dead."
Tera laughed softly.
"Looks like it was nothing."
She smiled toward everyone.
"Come on."
"We should keep moving."
Just as she turned—
"...Wait."
Everyone looked toward Kairo.
He glanced ahead into the thick forest.
"...You two stay behind us."
Tera hesitated.
"...Hm?"
Kairo looked toward both girls.
"If something appears again..."
"...Morri and I should be in front."
Tera stared at him for a moment.
Then... A gentle smile spread across her face.
"Hahaha.... Alright then."
Without another word...
The group continued deeper into the Dead Forest.
.......
Hours passed...
The sunlight gradually faded.
Long shadows stretched between the enormous trees as the forest slowly transformed beneath the orange glow of evening.
The chorus of insects grew louder.
Night was approaching.
Tera finally slowed to a stop.
"...We should rest."
She looked toward a small rocky alcove nestled beneath an overhanging cliff.
"It'll keep us out of the wind."
Everyone silently agreed.
Within minutes... The four of them settled beneath the shallow cave.
Morri collapsed onto the ground dramatically.
"Uuuugh..."
"I'm starving."
He rolled onto his back.
"Tera..."
"...Please tell me you've still got snacks."
Tera laughed apologetically.
"...Sorry."
She turned her backpack upside down.
Nothing edible fell out.
"No snacks left."
She smiled helplessly.
"Looks like we'll have to rely on whatever the forest gives us from now on."
Morri sighed dramatically.
"...We're doomed."
Kairo looked toward her bag.
"...What do you have left?"
Tera reached inside.
One by one... She laid several items upon the ground.
Throwing knives.
A flare gun.
A compact shock taser.
A canister of insect-repellent spray.
Morri's eyes widened.
"...Whoa."
"That's a lot."
Tera laughed as she gently pushed the equipment toward the group.
"Everyone should take something."
"...Just in case."
Yomi nodded.
"I think that's a good idea."
Each of them quietly selected an item.
No one knew what the coming night would bring.
.......
Several minutes later...
Morri looked around.
"...We should probably get some water."
Tera nodded.
"I saw a stream not too far back."
She stood.
"I'll go."
Before anyone could object...
She smiled reassuringly.
"I won't be long."
Then she disappeared between the trees.
Silence returned.
One minute passed.
Then another.
Then—
"AAAAAHHH!!"
A terrified scream shattered the forest.
Everyone shot to their feet.
Morri's face turned pale.
"...What was that?!"
Yomi clutched her hands together.
"...It came from over there!"
Kairo's heart dropped.
"...Tera."
Without another word... He sprinted toward the scream.
Despite the pain shooting through his injured leg... He never slowed.
Morri and Yomi hurried after him.
Branches whipped past.
Bushes snapped beneath their feet.
Then—
The trees opened.
Everyone froze.
Tera lay face-down against the forest floor, one boy knelt over her, pinning both of her arms firmly behind her back. She struggled desperately, "L-Let me go!"
Standing calmly beside him...
Was another boy.
Brown hair.
Folded arms.
Quiet eyes.
None of them recognized him.
Kairo's expression changed instantly.
"HEY!"
His voice echoed through the clearing.
"What are you doing?!"
"Let her go!"
Both boys slowly turned.
Morri's eyes widened.
He pointed immediately.
"...H-Him!"
"It's Hikari!"
The boy holding Tera grinned.
"...Looks like I found you first."
Kairo took a step forward.
"I said..."
"...let her go."
Hikari laughed.
"...Huh?"
"You're giving me orders? .... how dare you!"
The arrogance in his voice dripped with contempt.
Kairo's fists slowly clenched.
The brown-haired boy stepped forward.
His expression remained perfectly calm.
He looked directly at Kairo.
"So..."
His voice was polite.
"...This is Kairo?"
Hikari nodded lazily.
"Sure is."
He pointed.
"The kid with the ponytail."
"And the white streak at the end."
The brown-haired boy smiled faintly.
"...I see."
"So, this is the target."
Hikari smirked.
"Just remember."
"Don't kill him."
"You can break a few bones."
"You can beat him half to death."
"But Harumachi wants him alive."
The boy smiled.
"Don't worry."
"...He'll survive."
Something about that smile... Made the entire forest feel colder.
Kairo instinctively shifted one step backward. His eyes moved toward Morri.
Then Yomi, neither of them could defend themselves.
If a fight started now... They would be caught in it.
His mind reached a decision instantly.
Without warning...
He turned....
....and ran.
Straight into the deeper forest.
"...Huh?"
Everyone froze.
Hikari burst into laughter.
"HAHAHAHA!"
"So that's it?!"
"You're running?!"
"I knew you'd be scared!"
Then his expression suddenly hardened.
He turned sharply toward the brown-haired boy.
"...Don't let him escape."
"For the first time..."
The quiet boy slowly opened his eyes.
A pulse of Seikon surged through his body.
Red...
...and green...
glowed together beneath the veins of both arms.
The air around him began spinning violently.
Leaves rose from the forest floor.
Dust swirled into a tightening vortex.
Hikari looked toward him, "...Danzeki."
The silent boy didn't answer.
The whirlwind intensified.
Without a word...
He vanished.
The storm of air collapsed behind him.
Only silence remained.
.....
To be continued...