The night hung thick with tension, the darkened sky seemingly pressing down on the world below. Kazuichi, Arisu, Ayaka, Lea, and Jurou moved as silently as shadows, their senses heightened by the uneasy quiet that enveloped them. The woods around them seemed to hold its breath, every rustle of leaves and every creak of branches amplified in the oppressive silence.
Just as they were nearing the edge of the forest, where safety awaited, Kazuichi felt a prickling sensation on the back of his neck—a sixth sense honed by years of training. He stopped abruptly, raising his hand to signal the others. They halted, their eyes flicking toward him, questioning.
Snap! The sharp sound of a twig breaking echoed through the still night. They weren't alone.
