Kashikari stopped pretending.
He walked through the village without reacting.
Without speaking.
Just observing.
Everything was wrong.
People laughed—
too late.
Too early.
Out of sync.
Wind blew—
then stopped mid-motion.
Then continued.
Even shadows lagged behind objects.
— Jinwi.
"…Yes."
— If this is a system…
— then what am I?
Silence.
Longer than ever before.
"…You are the anomaly."
Kashikari stopped walking.
— Explain.
"…You are not behaving as expected."
— Expected by what?
No answer.
Suddenly—
Everything froze.
The entire world.
No sound.
No movement.
No time.
Only Kashikari remained.
Standing.
Breathing.
Aware.
— Jinwi…
"…I am here."
— Why am I the only one moving?
"…Because you are not fully bound."
Kashikari's heart slowed.
— Bound to what?
Then—
For the first time—
Something answered.
Not Jinwi.
Not a god.
A voice.
From everywhere.
From nowhere.
"Because this world…"
"…was never meant to hold you."
Kashikari's eyes widened.
— Who are you?
Silence.
Then:
"Correction."
"…You were never meant to stay."
The sky split further.
The line became a fracture.
Jinwi whispered:
"…Kashikari."
"…We are running out of time."
Kashikari clenched his fists.
— Then I'll break it first.
The world flickered.
Hard.
And for a split second—
He saw something else.
A white ceiling.
A faint beeping sound.
And a body…
that wasn't moving.
Then—
Everything snapped back.
Kashikari stood alone.
Breathing heavier.
Eyes shaking slightly.
— …What the hell was that?
Jinwi didn't answer.