In the depths of the Shimarami forest, Akira and their companions made preparations to venture into the dungeon. As they approached the entrance, a vast cavern loomed before them, engulfed in a shroud of impenetrable darkness. The atmosphere was eerily silent, devoid of any sound save for the whispering winds and the rustling of fallen leaves.
While Akira stretched his limbs, the others meticulously checked their equipment and engaged in their own warm-up routines, readying themselves for the impending descent into the dungeon's depths. Kitsune, however, began to draw nearer to Akira, prompting him to instinctively step back.
Not content with only approaching Akira, Kitsune also attempted to get closer to Volts. Yet, his piercing gaze emitted an intimidating aura, hinting at the necessity of keeping a safe distance. Kazoru let out a resigned sigh in response to Kitsune's persistent behavior, recognizing the futility of trying to manage her.
Seeking refuge from Kitsune's advances, Akira sidled up to Kazoru and engaged in a hushed conversation. "I assume you've already met Volts?" Kazoru inquired.
"Yes, he's a decent person. However, he tends to be somewhat.. aloof. I rarely see him being cheerful," Akira replied.
"Mine was brief and we don't talk much. I saw that you and him talked quite casually. I must admit, I'm quite jealous. I was tryna make friends, alas, he's been rejecting me and ignoring me ever since. How'd you befriend him?" Kazoru confessed, a tinge of longing evident in their voice.
"Let's just say we've talked," Akira responded simply, alluding to the fact that their friendship with Volts blossomed during a time when Akira endeavored to uplift his spirits.
Unbeknownst to them, Volts overheard snippets of their exchange and made a deliberate effort to ignore their discussion.
"Listen up, everyone! We're about to enter this dungeon, and I won't tolerate any of you getting yourselves killed. One thing's for certain: we can't underestimate our enemies, no matter how weak or small they may appear. They're dangerous, and we can't allow them to harm any more people. Got it? Kitsune took charge and called them together.
"HELL YEAH!" they all shouted, ready to go.
Kazoru and the warriors unleashed their badass flame magic to light up the dark cave, ensuring they could see their way. Suddenly, a massive door materialized in front of them. They swung it open and began exploring the area.
For some reason, the room was eerily silent, with only the sound of a squeaking rat echoing through the space. Cobwebs and dust covered the room, giving it a desolate feel. But there was something strange—a peculiar carving on the floor and the wall.
Kitsune's keen nose detected the stench of a human, and it wasn't coming from any of the warriors she was with. She couldn't place the scent. Akira also caught a whiff of it, though he wasn't familiar with the other warriors. Nevertheless, he could smell it from a distance.
Both Akira and the group proceeded cautiously, stepping lightly on the floor to illuminate the room. Akira's ears twitched, and Kitsune shouted at them, "DON'T MOVE!" They listened and halted in their tracks. Unfortunately, one of the warriors unknowingly activated something by stepping on it.
A pressure plate, the trapdoor under their feet then opened. The warriors including Kazoru, Volts, Akira and so was Kitsune, fell.
They were then seperated.
"Ow, ow, ow!" Akira's head smacked against the floor, but he quickly got back up. The impact had disoriented him, and the darkness made it hard to see. As he cautiously moved away, he accidentally brushed against something soft, like a pillow. Curiosity got the better of him, and he gave it a squeeze, only to hear a soft moan.
To his surprise, it turned out to be a woman. He recognized her scent and voice—it was Kitsune. He realized that they had been separated from the rest of the group.
Kitsune used her fiery magic to illuminate the room with a captivating red glow. "Geez, you're so impatient. You could have just told me earlier that you liked my chest," Kitsune pouted.
"I-I'm not—" Akira began to protest.
"Shhh, we'll talk later," Kitsune hushed him by placing a finger on his lips. She sensed that Akira's voice could potentially alert the enemy due to the echoing in the room.
Feeling reassured that the other warriors were safe, Kitsune's attention turned to a door behind Akira. She assumed that the dungeon was infested with monsters, as she could hear their screeches echoing throughout.
With a firm grip on Akira's shoulder, Kitsune guided him in the opposite direction, leading them straight to the mysterious door and into the next room. However, upon opening the door, they were met with emptiness—a series of rooms that seemed to repeat endlessly, adorned only with carved walls and floors.
Suddenly, Akira heard a voice calling out to him. It was Volts, strolling nonchalantly with his hands in his pockets. Akira approached him, concerned about his well-being and eager to find out where the others were.
Despite noticing a strange scent in the air, Akira brushed it off. But then, Kitsune unleashed her flames and yelled, "Stay back, Akira!" Acting swiftly, Akira rolled away, narrowly avoiding the fiery attack.
To his shock, Volts screamed in agony, revealing that he was not the real Volts. "What are you doing?" Akira exclaimed, bewildered by Kitsune's assault on Volts.
"He's not Volts, it's a trap!" Kitsune warned Akira, urging him to be cautious. She had instantly recognized the impostor.
Akira now understood that the scent emanating from the fake Volts gave away his true nature. Moreover, his expression was off—lacking the usual impassiveness. Suddenly, the walls released a blinding gas, impairing their senses. Amidst coughing, Kitsune called out for Akira, her voice seeming to come from all directions.
When the smoke cleared, Akira found himself faced with multiple clones of Kitsune. Grinning, he swiftly slashed through the fake duplicates. He knew her scent well, allowing him to discern the real Kitsune. In response, Kitsune burned down her clones. However, unexpectedly, Akira too fell victim to the impersonation, caught off guard by a clone's trickery.
Kitsune proceeded to burn all the clones, including Akira, much to his dismay. "Hey! Why did you do that?!" Akira shouted, quickly extinguishing the flames by brushing them off his jacket.
"Oh, my, my, I apologize, Akira. It was an accident, fufufufu," Kitsune lied, pretending it was unintentional. In truth, she had deliberately wanted a better look at Akira's body after catching a glimpse of his abs while he swung his scythe. Kitsune then unleashed her flames again, this time to fend off Akira's clones that were attempting to attack from behind.
"Would you quit that!" Akira exclaimed. He knew Kitsune had control over her flames, but she had burned her entire front, knowing that Akira was in the vicinity. Akira's clothes were half-singed, and he could even smell a hint of cooked flesh on himself.
Searching for the culprit responsible for their predicament, Akira scanned the surroundings. Kitsune pointed her index finger directly at the wall. She fired at it, revealing a man who had been hiding behind it. It turned out he was the one casting the illusions.
"Oh my, looks like we've found ourselves some prey~ " Kitsune said, licking her lips with a hint of lust.
"Huh? Don't come any closer!" the man retorted, brandishing a knife and keeping his distance.
"Hmm, can you lead us to your boss or perhaps find a way to get us out of here?" Kitsune attempted to coax information out of the man.
"Why would I tell you?" he sneered.
"Naughty boys who don't do as they're told should be punished. So, answer me..." Kitsune threatened, igniting her flames in an attempt to intimidate him.
"No, what are you going to do with that?!" the man pleaded, fear evident in his voice.
"You'll see... I love to see my prey squirm," Kitsune responded, her eyes glowing red as she smiled in a horrific and sadistic manner.
"GYAAAHHHH!!!" The man's scream reverberated through the room. Akira covered his ears and closed his eyes, terrified by the agonizing punishments inflicted by Kitsune.
Finally, the man relented and answered Kitsune's question. He divulged that there were various rooms filled with people who used magic to deceive those trapped inside. Additionally, there were monsters lurking, driven by their insatiable hunger for human flesh. Kitsune nodded, patting the man's bald, burnt head, and thanked him.
Akira followed Kitsune, feeling uneasy about both the sight of the severely burned man who was still alive and Kitsune's sadistic nature, which had become apparent.
Together, Akira and Kitsune moved on to the next room, hoping to reunite with the rest of their group. Meanwhile, Kazoru, Volts, and a girl named Miyu were engaged in a heated battle against an enemy in their own room.