The cave remained quiet.
Outside, the relentless rain had begun to lose its fury.
What had once been a roaring downpour was now little more than a gentle drizzle, droplets pattering softly against the stone ledge before trickling down the moss-covered rocks. Beyond the cave mouth, the Dead Forest slowly emerged from behind the curtain of rain, its towering trees glistening beneath the fading gray sky.
Near the center of the cave...
The bonfire crackled weakly.
Its flames had shrunk to glowing embers, casting a warm but fading light across the rough stone walls.
For several moments... No one spoke.
Each of them listened to the quiet rhythm of the rain.
Kairo lowered his gaze, his thoughts drifting far beyond the cave.
"...Once the rain stops..."
His voice was calm, though laced with concern.
"...we'll retrace our steps."
Yomi looked toward him.
"We should be able to figure out where Morri and Tera ended up."
His eyes remained fixed on the dying fire.
"...If we head back to the place where we got separated..."
"...we might find some clue."
Yomi's expression gradually darkened.
She clasped her hands together in her lap.
"...Kairo..."
He looked at her.
She hesitated.
"I..."
Her fingers tightened.
"The last thing I remember..."
Her voice grew quieter.
"...Morri was holding that other boy back."
"He told me to run."
A painful silence settled over the cave.
Yomi lowered her eyes.
"...I'm sorry."
"I left them behind."
For a brief moment...
Kairo simply stared at her.
Then an awkward smile found its way onto his face.
"...Why are you apologizing?"
Yomi blinked.
"...Huh?"
"...Besides..."
"...you did exactly what you were supposed to do."
His smile softened.
"If you'd stayed..."
"...you probably would've been captured too."
"So..."
He shrugged lightly.
"...There's really nothing to apologize for."
Yomi looked at him for several seconds.
The weight pressing against her chest eased ever so slightly.
"...Mhm."
From behind them...
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
A familiar voice drifted through the cave.
"...Even if you went looking for them now..."
"...I doubt you'd find anything."
Both Kairo and Yomi turned.
Toka stood near the cave entrance, hands buried comfortably inside his pockets as he watched the last of the rain fall beyond the stone ledge.
"The rain..."
He glanced toward the soaked forest.
"...probably washed away every trail they left behind."
Kairo looked at him.
A quiet sigh escaped his lips.
"...Yeah."
His shoulders slumped ever so slightly.
"...I know."
For a moment... Neither of them spoke.
Then Kairo narrowed his eyes.
"...So..."
His tone sharpened.
"...What's your deal?"
Toka raised an eyebrow.
"...Hm?"
"Are you looking for a team?"
A crooked smile slowly spread across Toka's face.
"...Looks like you guessed right."
He sat on a rock
"I've been wandering this forest for a while now."
He let out a quiet sigh.
"Not really my style... but honestly...."
"...it's been kind of pointless."
"I've spent more time searching for the territory than actually finding it."
"And every recruit I've come across..."
"...has turned out to be an opponent."
Kairo stared at him.
Then a memory surfaced.
The ruined clearing.
Danzeki.
Toka casually challenging him as though he'd stumbled across someone to pass the time with.
A deadpan expression crossed Kairo's face.
He narrowed his eyes, "...Yeaaah... Right!"
Toka chuckled.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Before Kairo could reply—
Yomi suddenly stepped between them.
Her worried eyes met Kairo's.
"...We don't have much time."
She looked toward the cave entrance, where the drizzle had nearly stopped.
"The longer we wait..."
"...the farther away Morri and Tera could be."
Silence returned.
Beyond the cave...
The final drops of rain slipped from the forest canopy.
The embers of the bonfire gave one last crackle before growing dimmer still.
The Dead Forest waited.
And somewhere within its endless shadows...
Outside...
The rain had almost completely ceased.
Only the occasional droplet slipped from the towering branches, striking the earth below with soft, rhythmic taps.
The cave fell silent.
Then...
Toka turned toward the entrance.
"...Hm?"
Footsteps.
Slow.
Careful.
Two shadows emerged through the fading rain; their movements were cautious.
Exhausted.
As they stepped into the glow of the dying bonfire...
Kairo and Yomi's eyes widened.
"...!"
Tera.
Morri.
Both were drenched from head to toe.
"...TERA!"
Yomi called, hurrying over with a smile of pure relief, her footsteps echoed across the stone floor before she threw her arms around Tera "...I'm soaked enough already."
Yomi let out a tearful laugh "...I don't care."
Kairo let out a quiet breath
"...You guys..."
Morri gave a tired nod.
"...Hey man...."
A small smile crossed his face.
"...Looks like you made it too."
Kairo smiled faintly"...Yeah."
He looked between them.
"...How did you find us?"
Tera glanced at the bonfire.
"...We followed the smoke coming from the cave."
"It led us here."
Morri shivered.
"...Brr..."
"...Can we talk after I stop freezing?"
A small laugh escaped Yomi.
Nearby...
Toka quietly watched the group, his hands resting in his pockets as he observed the reunion in silence.
..........................
Somewhere within the West Territory...
THUD!
A heavy fist crashed into Hikari's face.
Then another.
THUD!
Blood sprayed across the dirt as his limp body rolled onto its side.
A towering subordinate grabbed him by the collar and drove another merciless punch into his jaw.
WHAM!
Hikari offered no resistance.
He simply lay there, bruised and bloodied.
Watching from an elevated stone seat...
Harumachi rested his cheek against one hand.
His expression was one of pure disappointment.
"...Enough."
The subordinate stepped back.
Harumachi slowly rose from his seat and walked toward Hikari.
He crouched down, grabbing a fistful of Hikari's hair before forcing his battered face upward directly into his remaining eye
"...I trusted you man"
His voice was calm
"And this...."
He tightened his grip slightly.
"...is how you repay that trust."
Hikari could only grit his teeth.
Harumachi sighed
."...All because you couldn't complete one simple objective."
His gaze hardened.
"...Not only did you fail..."
"...you left one of my greatest assets..."
"...completely shattered."
A flicker of frustration crossed his face "...Danzeki."
Silence filled the chamber.
He released Hikari, letting his head fall heavily back onto the ground.
Turning away, Harumachi continued,
"When we first fought... I could sense Kairo possess no Seikon flow."
"So, whoever fought Danzeki..."
"...was no ordinary novice."
Behind him, Hikari remained silent, his body too broken to answer.
Harumachi didn't even bother looking back.
"...Take him away."
Two subordinates immediately stepped forward and dragged Hikari from the chamber.
Harumachi's gaze shifted to another figure.
"...Susie."
A young woman stepped forward confidently.
She was strikingly beautiful, with short red hair, a composed expression, and a confident posture.
"...How are the new members coming along?"
Susie; placing her hand on her waist.
"...They don't have much of a choice."
"With our numbers..."
"...anyone part of the West location won't think twice."
Harumachi smiled.
"...Of course they won't."
He slowly began walking.
"...The forest is the real enemy."
"...And once they realize what they've been searching for has already been claimed..."
"...they'll become desperate."
His smile widened.
"...Desperate enough to seek shelter beneath someone stronger."
"...No one survives the Dead Forest alone."
He stopped.
Slowly clenching his fist, he looked toward the darkness beyond the territory.
"...Once everything is prepared..."
"...But first..."
"...Kairo... We have a score to settle"
He glares forward with certainty
"...I've already put my finest piece into motion."
"...Soon enough .... he'll come to me on his own."
A dangerous glint filled his eyes.
"And after that...we'll begin claiming the remaining territories.".
"...Our first target..."
A proud smile spread across his face.
"...will be the East Territory."
To be continued....