The silence didn't break when they stepped into the village. It thickened, pressing against their skin, crawling into their lungs.
Corjaudo slowed immediately. "…Why does it feel like the air is watching me?"
"Because you're dramatic," Kaito said.
"I'm not dramatic. I'm surviving."
Jenres smirked. "Barely."
Daigo stepped forward. "Stay focused."
Arai crouched, fingers brushing the ground. "…No signs of struggle."
"No blood," Kaito added.
Corjaudo pointed nervously. "Yeah, because maybe it melted."
Kaito sighed. "…Don't say things like that."
Shizuma moved ahead, eyes scanning doors, rooftops, windows. Everything was open, but nothing was broken. Left behind—not escaped.
"…They didn't run," he said.
Jenres raised a brow. "Then where are they?"
A faint breeze passed. shhhhh…
Corjaudo sniffed—then froze. "…What is that smell?"
"Metallic," Kaito said.
"…Venom," Arai added.
Silence.
Corjaudo stepped back. "…We can still leave."
"No," Daigo said.
"…I tried."
creeeak…
A door opened. Everyone turned. A villager stumbled out, eyes empty, veins darkened.
"…Help…" he muttered.
Kaito stepped forward. "Wait—"
"Don't," Shizuma said.
The villager took one more step, then—hack— dark liquid spilled.
ssssss—
The ground melted instantly.
Corjaudo screamed. "OKAY THAT'S ACID."
The villager collapsed, barely breathing.
Arai observed carefully. "…It's inside him."
Kaito frowned. "…He's spreading it through people."
Jenres tilted her head. "Like a disease."
"…No," Shizuma said. "…Controlled."
step… step…
More sounds echoed. Not one direction. Everywhere.
Corjaudo panicked. "…WHY DO I HEAR MORE?!"
Because more villagers appeared. Same hollow eyes. Same slow steps. Same black veins spreading across their skin.
Daigo clenched his fists. "…The entire village…"
"…Is infected," Arai finished.
Kaito stepped back slightly. "…We can't kill them."
Jenres groaned. "That's annoying."
Corjaudo pointed wildly. "They're walking acid bombs!"
One lunged—whoosh— Daigo blocked, holding back his strength. "…They're aggressive."
Another rushed Kaito. He dodged. "Keep distance!"
Jenres flipped back. "They're getting faster."
Arai redirected strikes cleanly, avoiding lethal hits.
Corjaudo barely dodged one, stumbling. "WHY ARE THERE SO MANY?!"
"Because it's a village," Kaito snapped.
"THAT DOESN'T HELP!"
Shizuma stepped forward slightly, observing. Movements. Patterns. Direction.
Then he paused. "…No."
Kaito glanced. "…What?"
"…They're not random."
thump
Everyone froze.
The villagers stopped.
All at once.
Then slowly—
they turned.
Same direction.
Corjaudo whispered. "…That's creepy."
"…They're being pulled," Arai said.
THUMP
Stronger.
The air grew heavier.
Kaito wiped his mouth. "…Yeah I feel that."
Jenres smirked. "Now it's interesting."
Daigo stepped forward. "Then we go to the source."
"No," Shizuma said instantly.
Silence.
Kaito frowned. "…Why not?"
"Because this is controlled. We're walking exactly how he wants."
Corjaudo panicked. "So what do we do?!"
"…We observe."
Jenres sighed. "You always say that."
"…And we're still alive."
"…Fair."
THUMP
The villagers started moving again. Not toward them—away. All of them. Toward the center.
"…He's gathering them," Kaito said.
"…Or preparing something," Arai added.
Tetsuya finally spoke. "…Both."
Shizuma stepped forward. "…We move."
They followed, carefully. The deeper they went, the heavier the air became. Each breath burned slightly.
Corjaudo coughed. "…Yeah this is poison."
"Limit breathing," Kaito said.
"…OH YEAH LET ME JUST STOP."
Jenres laughed. "Die quietly at least."
"YOU'RE ALL TERRIBLE."
They reached the center.
And stopped.
The ground was cracked, blackened, corroded. At the center stood a girl.
Still.
Back facing them.
A faint dark glow pulsed from her arm.
drip…
Liquid fell.
ssssss—
The ground melted.
Corjaudo whispered. "…That's her."
The villagers gathered around her. Not attacking. Just standing.
The girl spoke softly. "…You came."
Her voice wasn't hostile.
It was… tired.
She turned slowly.
Her eyes—
weren't empty.
They were… hurting.
"…Late," she said quietly.
Shizuma stepped forward. "…You're the one spreading this."
She looked at her own hand.
The venom pulsed.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
"…I tried…" she whispered.
Silence.
Kaito frowned. "…Tried what?"
She looked at them again.
"…To fix them."
Corjaudo blinked. "…Fix?!"
Her voice shook slightly. "…They were sick… weak… breaking…"
Her grip tightened.
"…I thought… if I changed them… if I improved them…"
drip… drip…
"…they wouldn't suffer anymore."
Arai's eyes narrowed. "…This is your 'fix'?"
Naosu's expression cracked for a second.
"…It wasn't supposed to hurt."
Silence.
"…It always hurts," she continued softly. "…but healing… needs pain…"
Kaito muttered. "…That's not healing."
She flinched slightly.
"…I know," she whispered.
That hit.
Corjaudo blinked. "…Wait… she knows?"
Naosu looked at the villagers.
"…Every time… I try again…"
Her voice trembled.
"…I get closer…"
The venom pulsed violently.
"…I almost fixed them this time."
Jenres smirked faintly. "You call this fixing?"
Naosu's eyes flickered.
"…If I stop…" she said quietly, "…then what was all this for?"
Silence.
Shizuma stepped forward slightly. "…You're killing them."
Her expression twisted.
"…No."
A pause.
"…I'm saving them."
The ground cracked.
CRACK—
Venom spread outward like veins.
Fast.
Everyone stepped back.
Kaito cursed. "…It's spreading!"
"Don't touch it," Arai said.
A villager stepped forward—
then—
BOOM—
He burst.
Venom splashed outward.
Corjaudo screamed. "WHY DO THEY EXPLODE NOW?!"
Naosu looked at it.
No shock.
Only sadness.
"…They couldn't handle it…"
More villagers twitched.
Unstable.
Her eyes trembled.
"…I was so close…"
She raised her hand slowly.
"…Just a little more…"
Shizuma's voice cut in. "…Stop."
She froze.
For a second.
Then shook her head.
"…I can't."
A tear slipped down her face.
"…Not now."
THUMP
A massive pulse erupted.
All villagers froze.
Then—
turned.
Toward them.
Naosu's voice broke slightly—
but she still spoke.
"…Help me."
Silence.
Then—
"…become better."
Her hand dropped.
"…Spread."
And in the next second—
they all charged.