Yuko jolted awake in fear.
The crimson moon hanging in the sky glowed faintly, as if it were watching him. Its eerie light painted the world in shades of blood.
He hadn't slept properly in weeks.
Every night, the same nightmare—
The same woman.
The same fairy tale.
And the same screams.
The woman cried as she read the story, her voice trembling. Then, robed men burst through the door and killed her right before Yuko's eyes.
The screams that followed froze his blood every single time.
— Hey…
Yuko flinched and shot upright, his breath catching in his throat as he scanned his surroundings.
There was no one there.
His heart pounded violently as he swallowed hard.
A hallucination… he thought.
Slowly, he lay back down and closed his eyes.
Darkness took him almost instantly—
and when he opened his eyes again, morning had already come.
— Psst, sleepyhead. Get up. It's morning.
— Huh? Rasona-senpai… just five more minutes…
— No. Get up.
Yuko reluctantly dragged himself out of bed. As he got dressed, the weight of the nightmare still clung to him, refusing to fade.
Soon after, he made his way toward the riverbank as usual. He assumed today would be another combat training session.
But when he arrived, Rasona was sitting quietly beneath the shade of a tree.
— Alright, Yuko. Today, let's talk a little about our history. What do you say?
Yuko blinked in surprise, then stepped closer, curiosity taking over.
— Really? Rasona-senpai?
Rasona nodded slightly.
— Yes. Ask me whatever you want to know.
Yuko hesitated for a moment before gesturing around them.
— Then… those monsters we've been seeing.
Where did they come from?
What do they want from humans?
Rasona's expression shifted.
— First of all, Yuko…
You, me, and the other Ritualists are not human.
Yuko's eyes widened.
— What?
— You shouldn't place yourself in the same category as humans.
She paused briefly before continuing.
— Now, to answer your question…
Those creatures you saw are orcs.
Yuko let out an awkward chuckle.
— Like in video games?
But if they're orcs, shouldn't they be killing humans instead of enslaving them?
Rasona struck Yuko on the head without hesitation.
— You idiot.
These orcs aren't anything like the ones in your games.
Yuko winced, rubbing his head.
— I'm sorry, Rasona-senpai…
So are orcs humanity's only enemies?
— No.
Rasona's gaze hardened.
— Elves. Dragons. Goblins.
And many more.
She continued coldly.
— They all share the same goal:
to stand above everything else…
and to erase the human race.
Yuko fell silent for a moment, then spoke with forced seriousness.
— So… I'm inside a video game.
Rasona raised her fist again, but Yuko quickly waved his hands.
— I'm kidding! I'm kidding!
Rasona sighed.
— Then what exactly do Ritualists do, Rasona-senpai?
Rasona let out a short, humorless laugh.
— It varies from person to person.
Some slaughter everyone for more power.
Others try to help humans.
She paused.
— But I've never seen a Ritualist who truly helps humans.
Yuko's expression hardened.
— Then… how did these creatures appear in the first place?
Rasona cleared her throat.
— Everything began two thousand years ago.
There was a cult leader named Malach.
Yuko swallowed instinctively.
— He performed a ritual…
and made a pact with the devil.
— What happened next?
— The devil deceived Malach.
But Malach realized it at the last moment and made one final move to disrupt the ritual.
A dull ache began to form in Yuko's head.
— Everyone who knew him…
everyone who supported him…
fell into a deep slumber.
Rasona looked directly at Yuko.
— They came to be known as Ritualists.
From that moment on, they were no longer human.
Yuko pressed a hand to his head.
— Then why do Ritualists kill each other?
A disturbing smile crept across Rasona's face.
— For power.
She leaned slightly forward.
— And sometimes…
just to taste the blood of their opponent.
— Rasona-senpai, stop it.
You look like some creepy psycho.
— I'm just trying to make the conversation interesting,
and look at the nonsense you're saying.
Yuko suddenly burst into laughter.
After a brief pause, Rasona found herself laughing as well.
Their voices echoed along the riverbank.
But the ache in Yuko's head never faded.
Chapter 3 — End