Toruri and Hiyoku sprinted side by side across the vast savannah, their feet kicking up dust as the golden plains stretched endlessly before them.
Hiyoku's voice rang out, full of anticipation. "I can just taste the jungle!"
Toruri, not sharing the same enthusiasm, squinted ahead. "Dude, I can't even see the jungle, and that's with my dragon eyes!"
Hiyoku's excitement was undeterred. "We'll get closer and closer by the second, Toruri!!"
As they charged forward, a large flock of peculiar birds appeared on the horizon—each one towering with straw-shaped beaks, pecking lazily at the ground.
Toruri, glancing nervously at the approaching herd, slowed slightly. "Maybe we should slow down—"
Before he could finish, a massive creature suddenly leapt into their path, landing heavily in front of them. It had the body of a dog, yet its forearms resembled that of a gorilla, with thick, powerful hands. Its long floppy ears swayed, and its white fur layered in dense folds shimmered under the sun. The creature stood tall, its intimidating presence blocking their way.
Hiyoku skidded to a stop, frustration flaring in his eyes. "Outta the way!!!" He pulled back his arm, ready to strike the beast with a powerful punch.
But Toruri quickly intervened, grabbing Hiyoku's arm just before he could throw the punch. "Stooop!"
Hiyoku glared at him, his energy brimming with impatience. "Great, now we stopped running!"
Toruri kept his grip firm and shook his head. "This thing is a canigorrilla praesidium albivus, or… you can just call it a frost guardian."
Hiyoku raised an eyebrow. "How do you know that?"
"Being a trapper means I've had to go on hunting expeditions for training," Toruri explained, his voice low but calm. "I've seen a couple of these before. They're harmless—unless you attack them."
Hiyoku scoffed, his fists tightening. "So, they strike second..." he muttered, clearly eager for a fight.
Toruri shot him a warning glance. "Quit being a psycho! Frost guardians protect herds from falling into chaos."
Hiyoku rolled his eyes. "They don't have anything better to do?"
"They get fed by the herd," Toruri continued, his voice patient but firm.
But Hiyoku, never one to listen to reason, darted forward in an attempt to run around the frost guardian. Without hesitation, the creature's massive paw whipped through the air, slamming Hiyoku hard onto his back. The impact knocked the wind out of him as he hit the ground with a thud.
Hiyoku growled, scrambling back to his feet. "Now he's asking for it!" he yelled, storming toward the frost guardian, fury written all over his face.
Toruri quickly stepped in front of him, blocking his path. "Dude, NO."
Hiyoku, still fuming, shot back, "You told me they didn't attack first!"
"That's only if you don't get close to the herd!" Toruri snapped, exasperation finally breaking through his calm exterior. "Just walk around the herd!"
Hiyoku stared at him for a moment, gritting his teeth, before reluctantly stepping back.
Kinrui, Yamori, Verte, and Gnari trudged through the vast savannah, the golden grasses shifting in waves under the gentle breeze. The group moved at a steady pace, the atmosphere calmer than the chaos unfolding elsewhere.
Yamori's voice cut through the stillness. "Many humans used to live here, but much of their population cleared out after the war."
Verte nodded solemnly. "Ah yes, that war was horrible. Where does the rest of the human population live now?"
Yamori's gaze wandered to the horizon, as if searching for something long gone. "I don't exactly know. I haven't explored the inner outlands in years."
Kinrui, curious as ever, turned his attention to Gnari. "Hey, Gnari, you're not native to this island, right? How did you end up here?"
Gnari glanced at him, her expression hardening slightly as memories surfaced. "Well… I was out hunting for food, but I got ambushed by some lizard people and brought here."
Kinrui raised an eyebrow. "You got kidnapped by the Saraoka?"
Gnari shook her head. "No! They were like actual lizard people!"
Kinrui frowned. "And they somehow got through the barrier..."
Verte, ever analytical, chimed in. "Lizard people, you say..."
"Yeah, you know about them?" Gnari asked, looking to Verte for more insight.
"Yes," Verte replied, though her brow furrowed in thought. "But information about them is very limited. For how common a race they are, they're still a mystery to the world. I'm most familiar with the ones who work as bounty hunters, but the way you're describing your abduction… it almost sounds like they were part of a clan."
Gnari nodded firmly. "They were a clan! I only got away because they left me alone to hunt some deer."
Yamori's voice remained calm, but there was a hint of curiosity. "It's strange. I've never actually seen a lizard person on Javarahoo in all my years."
Meanwhile, in the fields ahead, Hiyoku and Toruri continued their run, though Hiyoku's impatience was reaching its peak.
"Man, screw this, I'm blasting away!!!" Hiyoku declared, determination flashing in his eyes.
Toruri glanced at him, unimpressed. "I hope you fly headfirst into a boulder."
With that, Hiyoku unleashed a burst of fire from his hands, propelling himself forward like a comet, soaring across the savannah at blinding speed.
"WOOHOO!!!" Hiyoku shouted in exhilaration as the wind whipped around him.
His joy, however, was short-lived. A building loomed ahead—too fast for him to avoid. In an instant, Hiyoku crashed straight into it, smashing through the wall with a loud thud. He lay sprawled on his back amidst the debris of what was once a home, staring up at the ceiling. Slowly, he realized he wasn't alone.
A family of three humans stood frozen in front of him, their expressions caught somewhere between shock and confusion.
Hiyoku raised a hand awkwardly. "Uh... hi—"
Back in the fields, Toruri continued his casual walk, clearly in no rush. However, as he spotted a village in the distance, a sense of dread crept in.
"Oh no…" he muttered to himself, piecing together what had likely just happened. "Hiyoku, please don't tell me that you—"
Without wasting another second, Toruri broke into a run, sprinting toward the village in hopes of mitigating the disaster he was sure awaited.
Toruri entered the village, his eyes immediately drawn to a crowd gathered around a house. The murmurs of villagers reached his ears as he pushed through the mass of bodies, making his way to the center of the commotion. His breath caught for a moment when he spotted Hiyoku, sitting on the ground, casually picking up pieces of broken wood, trying—somewhat clumsily—to fix the destroyed house around him.
Behind Hiyoku stood a man, arms crossed, his expression a mix of irritation and authority. The villagers turned their gazes toward Toruri as he approached, eyes expectant.
"Humans?" Toruri muttered under his breath, taking in the crowd with a tinge of surprise.
The man in front of Hiyoku grunted, his voice rough. "Hmph, never seen you around. You must be this punk's friend."
Toruri sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess I am."
The man narrowed his eyes slightly. "Name's Ibamidaeday. I own this house. Your friend here," he gestured to Hiyoku, "crashed straight through it."
Toruri winced slightly, already knowing where this was heading. "I apologize for his—"
But Ibamidaeday cut him off, his tone sharp. "And he won't leave until he fixes every single centimeter of my house."
Toruri blinked. "What?! Well, uh—We kinda need to go..."
Ibamidaeday's voice turned cold, his eyes unwavering. "Well, you can go. But he stays here and helps. Or you can help him."
Toruri hesitated. "We're... kinda busy…"
Ibamidaeday raised a brow, his tone scolding. "Too busy to be decent people? The least you could do is fix the house your friend wrecked!"
Toruri groaned inwardly, trying to find a way out. "Look, we're from the Negative Point, and we're on our way to Heavalley for training." At this, the crowd began to murmur, whispering among themselves.
Ibamidaeday squinted. "What's the Negative Point?"
Toruri blinked in disbelief. "Y-You don't know what the Negative Point is?"
"Never heard of it," Ibamidaeday said, crossing his arms tighter. "Mind explaining?"
Toruri let out a long sigh. "Yes, I do mind. You know what? We'll wait." His voice dripped with sarcasm as he turned on his heel and began to walk away.
Hiyoku, panic settling in his voice, called after him. "Wait, no! Toruri!!! I thought you were gonna bail me out of this!"
Toruri glanced back, unbothered. "Get yourself out of your own mess."
Before he could take another step, a woman approached him, her presence almost startling in its abruptness.
"Hello," she said, her voice smooth and calm.
Toruri blinked, caught off guard. "Uh... hey?"
The woman smiled politely. "My name is Ifurcatabay. I'm Ibamidaeday's wife, and I run a motel not too far from here. Would you like to stay there for free?"
Toruri, still processing the sudden shift in the situation, replied hesitantly. "Uh... sure? Thanks for being so nice?"
Ifurcatabay's smile didn't waver. "My pleasure." Without another word, she gently took hold of Toruri's arm and led him away. The crowd silently parted, their emotionless eyes fixated on Toruri as he was guided through them. The weight of their stares hung heavily in the air, unnerving him slightly as he passed by.
As soon as Toruri and Ifurcatabay left the scene, the crowd swiftly dispersed, leaving behind the broken house—and Hiyoku, who was still on his knees, surrounded by wood and debris.
Hiyoku grumbled under his breath, mumbling, "I'll show him who's the punk…" as he continued working on the house, frustration building.
Meanwhile, Verte, Gnari, Kinrui, and Yamori approached the village in the distance.
Verte's eyes widened. "A village?"
Yamori squinted, spotting figures walking around. "And those are... humans?"
Kinrui raised an eyebrow. "They're living so casually there…"
Gnari, without hesitation, grinned and sprinted ahead. "Well, let's go!"
Yamori, still staring in disbelief, muttered, "The village is so big, and there's so many of them…"
But suddenly, all the villagers in the distance turned their heads in unison, locking eyes with the group, their gazes unnervingly synchronized.
Kinrui shuddered. "What the heck…"
Verte's voice was low. "They all... noticed us?"
Kinrui's nervousness was clear. "This is making me uncomfortable…"
Despite the unease, the group moved forward, entering the village after a few tense minutes. They spotted Hiyoku hard at work, visibly frustrated as he hammered away at the broken structure. Verte immediately rushed over.
"Hiyoku!" she called out, her voice full of surprise as she took in the scene. "Oh... you did this?"
Hiyoku shot her a defensive glare. "It was an accident!!!"
Ibamidaeday emerged from the partially rebuilt house, arms crossed. "You must be this punk's—" He stopped when he saw Yamori. "Friends."
Verte, attempting to smooth things over, nodded politely. "Uh, yes we are."
Ibamidaeday grunted. "He destroyed my house, so he's not leaving until it's rebuilt."
Verte's face fell as she tried to reason with him. "We're deeply sorry, sir, but Hiyoku needs to leave so he can—"
Ibamidaeday cut her off. "He's staying."
Verte, now resigned, sighed and bowed her head slightly. "Staying he is." She turned and began to walk away, much to Hiyoku's dismay.
"Wait, Verte! Don't leave me too!!! It's so boring!" Hiyoku pleaded, but Verte kept walking.
Kinrui, following after her, asked, "Why'd you give up so easily?"
Verte's tone was firm. "Hiyoku did this to himself. He needs to learn…"
Yamori, looking around, suddenly realized something. "Where did Gnari go?"
Kinrui glanced around too. "Yeah, we need to find her as well."
Verte, a little distracted, rubbed her forehead. "I feel like I'm forgetting something, but I don't know what…"
As they walked further into the village, the villagers continued to stare at them, their eyes tracking their every move.
Kinrui muttered under his breath, "Dang, all eyes are on us. Do we stand out that badly?"
Yamori shook his head. "I don't know if that's why they're staring—" Before he could finish, Ifurcatabay came rushing toward them, her expression oddly cheerful.
"Hello!" she greeted warmly. "My name is Ifurcatabay, Ibamidaeday's wife."
Verte looked puzzled. "Who's that?"
Ifurcatabay smiled. "He's the man you just spoke with."
Verte frowned slightly. "How do you know we just talked to him?"
Ifurcatabay's smile faltered for a moment. "B-Because I assume you're friends with Toruri, right?"
Kinrui's eyes narrowed. "What of him?"
Ifurcatabay's voice grew almost unnervingly sweet. "I run a motel not far from here. Toruri's staying there, and I'd love for all of you to stay there for free, as my guests."
Verte hesitated, sensing something off. "Uh, uh... thank you..."
Ifurcatabay's grin widened. "My pleasure. Allow me to lead the way!"
Without warning, she grabbed Verte's arm, attempting to guide her. But Verte resisted.
"Well, we're actually trying to find a friend—"
Ifurcatabay pulled harder. "You can lay down first!"
Verte, growing increasingly uncomfortable, snapped, "No, we can wait!"
But Ifurcatabay's tone turned forceful. "Just take a break!!!"
Finally, Verte had enough and shoved Ifurcatabay off her. The woman stumbled back, her eyes narrowing, her expression darkening into something dangerous.
"You…" Ifurcatabay hissed, her voice low and unsettling.
Verte immediately backed off, stammering, "I'm... sorry..."
Kinrui, sensing the tension, whispered, "Yeah, Verte, maybe we should go to her motel…"
Verte, visibly rattled, nodded slowly. "I-I guess so…"
Ifurcatabay began leading Verte, Kinrui, and Yamori toward her motel, her demeanor calm but unsettling.
As they walked, Verte asked, "But our friend, they have cat ears, they look very much like a cat."
Without missing a beat, Ifurcatabay responded, "Cat ears? Never seen her."
Meanwhile, Toruri lay sprawled across the bed in his motel room, relishing the comfort.
"An actual bed feels so good!" he mumbled to himself.
Suddenly, Verte's voice echoed in his head: Toruri? You there?
Toruri bolted upright in surprise. Woah! What? Verte?! How are you talking to me through my brain?!!
Verte replied calmly in his mind, That doesn't matter! Something serious is going on in this village. Keep your eyes peeled, trust nobody.
Toruri frowned, now alert. Well, I knew something was up with the free motel... and I feel like someone's always— His thoughts were interrupted as he caught sight of Ifurcatabay and Ibamidaeday's son peeking around the corner, watching him.
Watching me... I'll get back to you in just one second, Verte.
Toruri slid off the bed and approached the boy slowly. "Hey little guy…"
The boy emerged from his hiding spot and stepped into the room, smiling stiffly. "Hello."
Toruri blinked. "W-Who might you be?"
The boy stood straight, still smiling. "My name is Eiidaetay. I'm the son of Ifurcatabay and Ibamidaeday."
Toruri awkwardly nodded. "Uh... ok? What're you doing here?"
Eiidaetay shifted slightly. "I-I'm just playing, hehe…" He gave a half-hearted laugh before quickly exiting the room.
Toruri raised an eyebrow. That was the most forced 'hehe' ever.
At that moment, Verte, Kinrui, and Yamori entered the room and closed the door behind them.
Toruri smiled, relieved. "Oh awesome, you're all here!"
Kinrui frowned. "Not all of us…"
Verte nodded in agreement. "We were going to look for Gnari, but we didn't get the chance. People even said they never saw someone like her, but I think they're lying."
Toruri crossed his arms. "Why?"
Verte's voice lowered. "I told Ifurcatabay about our friend. I said, 'They have cat ears, they look very much like a cat.' And she replied with, 'Cat ears? Never seen her.' But I never mentioned Gnari's gender."
Toruri's eyes narrowed. "So they're sketchy for sure. I'd say we should worry about Hiyoku, but... Hiyoku is Hiyoku. He can fend for himself if they try anything."
Yamori's expression grew serious. "We have to find Gnari. I promised her she'd return home safely."
Verte nodded. "Then it's settled. Sleep with one eye open tonight."
A few minutes passed, and soon everyone was asleep, except for Hiyoku, who was resting in the now mostly repaired house. He stirred awake, feeling lightheaded.
Jeez, do I feel lightheaded, he thought, rubbing his temples.
Hiyoku lay in the dim light, feeling a strange lightheadedness settle over him. His eyes fluttered open, and he turned his head toward the muffled voices drifting through the thin walls of the house.
"All collected," one voice said, barely audible through the night.
"What did we gather?" another voice asked, its tone hushed but eager.
"Two premiums, two pluses, and a minus," the first voice replied.
There was a pause, followed by a more excited whisper. "Two premiums? And two pluses?"
"Quiet," came the warning. "We can't let anyone hear."
Hiyoku strained to catch every word, his heart beginning to race as the conversation continued.
"But this is great news! With an extra premium, the village will thrive. This is exactly what we needed."
"Yes," the first voice agreed. "It's been ages since we had such fortune. Praise the Lord for this blessing. We'll proceed as planned."
Hiyoku's pulse quickened. Premiums? Pluses? A minus? What are they talking about? His mind raced, and the strange feeling in the pit of his stomach deepened. Something was very wrong.