"It happened... But... Why...?"
Kizu's thoughts spiraled, tumbling through the fragments of his fractured mind.
"This is something I dreamed of, isn't it? So why… why does it feel so bitter?"
He stared at his trembling hands, the weight of something intangible pressing down on him like an anchor. The world around him—the lines, the colors, the textures—was no longer familiar. Everything shimmered with a surreal gloss, as though he were trapped inside a dream he couldn't wake from.
"What is this weight? Why does it feel like it's crushing me?"
Questions churned inside him, each one more jagged than the last. He couldn't untangle them, couldn't make sense of the impossibility before him. It was as if the air itself had conspired against him, making every breath a struggle.
The impossible had happened. The fabrications of fantasy had turned into reality. The universe around him was now vibrant, exaggerated, alive. Every detail—every flicker of movement, every shift of light—bore the unmistakable touch of animation.
This was the world Kizu had longed for. The one he had clung to in his darkest hours, a solace when reality had grown unbearable. And yet, standing in it now, all he felt was the sharp sting of dissonance. The dream had come true, but the taste of it was bitter.
Why now? Why, on the precipice of his final act, had the universe handed him this? It wasn't freedom. It wasn't joy. It was something else entirely—a cruel twist of fate that left him hollow and adrift.
He sank onto his bed, staring blankly at the vibrant wall that no longer felt like his own. This was his second chance, wasn't it? A chance to escape the chains of reality. But what did that even mean anymore? What was he supposed to do now?
The apartment was eerily quiet, the unnatural stillness almost oppressive. Kizu had been staring at the floor for what felt like hours, his thoughts caught in an endless loop of confusion and bitterness. He wasn't sure what time it was—what time even meant in a world like this.
Then it came.
A faint vibration, barely perceptible at first, hummed through the air. Kizu looked up sharply, his gaze drawn to the center of the room, where a swirling distortion of light had begun to take shape. The air around it shimmered, distorting reality like ripples across water.
And from that light, a figure stepped forward.
A hooded man. His cloak bore the scars of time—frayed edges, faint burns, and patches that looked hastily sewn. His boots clinked faintly as they met the wooden floor, and though his face was obscured, his presence carried an unmistakable weight. This wasn't just some ordinary figure stepping through the void.
Kizu's throat tightened, his thoughts snapping into focus. "Escape," he murmured, half to himself. "Will I truly escape reality?"
The hooded man stopped, his form motionless, his silence heavier than words. Slowly, he raised a hand, his dark cloak billowing dramatically as the swirling portal behind him pulsed.
And then…
"You're finally awake," the man declared with a voice so deep it practically rattled the room. He crossed his arms, as if expecting applause.
There was none.
Kizu blinked. "What."
Azuto poked his head out from the next room, a half-eaten rice cracker in hand. "Huh? Who's this guy?"
The hooded man froze mid-motion, his stance stiff and awkward. After a beat, he blurted out, "I... am Akifumi!" His voice cracked slightly, and he adjusted his posture in an attempt to look imposing. "The Blade of Etril! The Champion who slayed the Demon King—"
Azuto raised an eyebrow, cutting him off with a skeptical expression. "You're not fooling us with that, you know?" He folded his arms and tilted his head, continuing with mock seriousness, "Or is this just how cliché fantasy is now?" He paused, furrowing his brows as if struck by a revelation. "Wait... how can this guy speak Japanese?"
Akifumi flinched, visibly thrown off. "T-this is real!" he stammered, his voice rising a pitch. "I earned this! T-this is my hard work!" But the way his words faltered, coupled with his fidgeting hands, betrayed any semblance of conviction. His lack of passion only made it look more like a bad performance.
Azuto and Kizu exchanged glances, their expressions blank. The prolonged silence hung heavily in the air, stretching the awkwardness to unbearable levels.
"Fine!" Akifumi snapped, throwing his arms up in surrender. "Okay! It's not real, alright?"
Kizu leaned forward slightly, narrowing his eyes. "Alright, Mr. Made-up," he said flatly. "What are you doing here?"
Azuto, meanwhile, continued murmuring to himself, "Aki... Akifumi... Wait. That's a Japanese name, isn't it?"
Akifumi shifted uncomfortably, pulling his hood lower as if it could hide him from the judgment radiating from their stares. "I'm... actually... supposed to leave without either of you noticing... and just explore this world." He rubbed the back of his neck, his head bowing lower in shame. "But... I got carried away and thought it'd be cool to make an impression..."
His voice trailed off, and for a moment, no one spoke. The silence was excruciating.
Kizu let out a slow, disbelieving sigh. "So, let me get this straight. You were supposed to sneak off without interacting with us... but you decided to... what? Announce yourself like some wannabe RPG protagonist?"
Akifumi nodded miserably, his face a mixture of regret and embarrassment.
Azuto squatted down and studied him like a scientist inspecting a rare specimen. "Wait a second," he murmured, leaning closer. "Are those scars and patches even real? They look like the makeup kind you see in theaters."
"Azuto, please shut up," Kizu snapped, shooting him a glare.
Akifumi groaned, his hands flying up to cover his face. "I thought it'd make me look cool!" he wailed. "But now I've ruined everything!" He dropped to his knees dramatically, tears beginning to stream down his cheeks. "My boss is going to kill me!"
Kizu blinked, momentarily unsure if he should laugh or offer comfort. Azuto, however, seemed unfazed, leaning back with a thoughtful hum. "So your boss is strict? What kind of boss sends a guy like you to—?"
"Azuto!" Kizu shot back, cutting him off again.
Akifumi looked up, his tear-streaked face a portrait of despair. "I just wanted to see what this world was like!" he sobbed. "But now I've gone and made myself look like a complete idiot! You weren't even supposed to notice me!"
The sheer absurdity of the situation left Kizu and Azuto speechless. For a moment, they could only stare at the man kneeling before them, his larger-than-life fantasy introduction reduced to a pitiful puddle of self-loathing.
Kizu rubbed his temple with a groan. "You know, I almost feel bad for you."
Azuto, standing beside him, crossed his arms. "Yeah, almost."
***
The conversation continued as Akifumi gradually calmed down. Azuto sat on the couch, staring intently at the swirling portal while absentmindedly sipping from a mug of freshly brewed coffee. The air was still thick and awkward, but they all tried to push past it as they gathered at the small dining table.
"So..." Kizu began, leaning forward. His voice was steady but lined with tension. "What are you doing here in this world?"
Akifumi hesitated, his fingers drumming nervously on the table. "Well... it's complicated," he said, his gaze shifting to the floor.
"Then explain," Kizu pressed, his tone sharpening. "Explain everything that happened."
Azuto chimed in, his voice laced with a forced casualness. "What? Didn't we just get 'Animefied'? I mean, isn't that—?" He froze mid-sentence when Kizu shot him a piercing glare. The room fell silent again, save for the faint hum of the portal in the background.
"You were the same person in all those places," Kizu said, his words precise, cutting like a blade. "So I want you to answer me, Akifumi." His eyes bored into him, unyielding, as if he could force the truth out through sheer will.
Akifumi's gaze flickered, just for a moment, his expression slipping into something colder, something calculated. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, his voice steady but betraying a hint of tension. "Places? You've been... imagining things. All of it... it doesn't connect the way you think it does."
Kizu leaned forward, his fists clenched under the table, knuckles white. "Stop pretending you don't know what I mean," he growled. "How did all this—everything we thought was impossible, everything we thought was a delusion—how did it become? How did you become real?"
Akifumi hesitated, his lips parted as if to speak, but the words seemed to hang in the air, unspoken. The silence stretched, thick and suffocating, as though both of them were holding their breath for something neither was ready to confront.
Kizu's eyes narrowed, a flash of suspicion clouding his gaze. "Is this some kind of game?" he pressed. "Did you always know what was coming? Did you plan for all of this to happen? Or were you just another part of it—the part I wasn't supposed to see?" His voice wavered with barely contained rage. "What's your purpose, Akifumi? What are you really here for?"
Azuto tried to intervene, laughing nervously. "Hey, Kizu, maybe you should stop with the whole interrogation thing. You're asking—"
"Answer me!" Kizu shouted, slamming his hands onto the table. His voice cracked, raw with desperation.
The sudden outburst made Akifumi flinch, but his expression darkened as he leaned back in his chair. His once-nervous demeanor melted away, replaced by something far more controlled. He spoke with quiet, measured intensity. "You know," he said, his voice calm but dangerous, "you should watch your tone."
The weight of his words was immediate. The room seemed to shrink, the very air thickening as Akifumi's presence grew heavier. Kizu froze, his breath catching in his throat. Azuto peeked out from behind his coffee mug, wide-eyed but silent.
"I get it," Akifumi continued, his tone carrying an edge of warning. "You're confused. You're upset. But do you think it's smart to show that kind of attitude to someone who could..." He paused, narrowing his eyes. "...'kill' you because of this so-called fantasy?"
Kizu's defiance crumbled under the weight of those words. He bit his lip, his gaze falling to the table. His shoulders sagged as he stammered, "I-I'm sorry..." He slid from his chair, bowing his head low in an act of contrition. "I'm sorry for being like that. I was just—"
The words caught in his throat as something deeper welled up inside him. It wasn't just fear of Akifumi's warning. There was something more, something unresolved gnawing at the edges of his mind—a lingering bitterness he couldn't put into words.
Akifumi's expression softened immediately. "Oh no, no, no! I didn't mean to scare you!" He waved his hands frantically, his earlier bravado evaporating. "Really, I was just trying to—uh—make a point! Azuto! Help me out here!"
But when Akifumi glanced toward Azuto, he found him crouched behind the couch, peeking out with a look of pure terror.
"You're on your own, man," Azuto muttered, his voice trembling.
Akifumi groaned, burying his face in his hands. "I shouldn't have said that! I really shouldn't have said that! My boss is definitely going to kill me now!" His voice wavered, teetering between frustration and panic.
Kizu froze, his breath hitching as he stared at the portal. The words he wanted to say caught in his throat, lodged beneath the weight of his spiraling thoughts. I don't get it... I don't get it at all.
The unanswered questions Akifumi had brushed aside earlier gnawed at him, relentless and sharp. What is this thing behind all of this? Why am I still here, in this world?
His fists clenched at his sides as his mind spiraled further. There are so many possibilities—an infinite number of worlds out there. I could've been transported somewhere new, somewhere better. The hope dissolved before it could even take root. But no... I'm still here. Still in this same world.
The shimmering doorway before him seemed almost alive, its light flickering against the walls. To Kizu, it was mocking him. It's like the universe itself is playing a cruel joke. I don't belong here, but it won't let me leave either.
His chest tightened as his thoughts turned darker. The people in my world… They don't understand me. They never have. They suffocated me, hurt me. They made me this way.
Kizu bit his lip, his knees trembling under the weight of his emotions. His gaze flicked to Akifumi, who seemed consumed by his own panic, his muttering growing louder but incoherent. Kizu's blood boiled beneath the surface. This isn't just coincidence—this can't be coincidence. Something is happening, and no one is giving me the answers I need. Why won't anyone just... explain?
A tremor of doubt slithered into his heart as his focus returned to the portal. Its allure felt fragile, its promise hollow. For all its beauty, it's a lie waiting to unravel. A whisper surfaced in the back of his mind, one he didn't want to answer but couldn't ignore: Will fantasy... also hurt me like reality did?
He exhaled sharply, breaking free from his spiral of thoughts, though his chest still felt heavy.
"Mr. Akifumi," he finally said, his tone quiet but carrying the weight of all the emotions roiling within him. He shifted his gaze back to the portal, its shimmering surface still standing ominously in the room. "Where does that portal take us?"
Azuto, lounging nearby with a bemused expression, chimed in, "This guy… He just got way too sincere all of a sudden."
Akifumi paused for a moment, crossing his arms. "Oh, that portal? It just takes you outside the apartment." He then hesitated, a mischievous smirk creeping onto his face as he puffed up his chest. "But you know, it's not just a portal. It's a gateway crafted by yours truly, a master of interdimensional travel!"
Azuto leaned forward, suddenly intrigued. "Mhm… Mhm…! Go on!"
But Kizu wasn't paying attention. His gaze lingered on the portal, its shimmering edges tugging at his thoughts. "Why is it so quiet? Why isn't anyone reacting to something like this?" His mind spiraled as unease began to creep in, a gnawing feeling that intensified with every second. "Something this bizarre—where's the chaos? Where's the panic? Where's the eruption of this world's true nature?"
His fingers twitched restlessly, drawn to the portal as if it held the key to something he could no longer put into words. He took a step closer, his chest tightening in an almost painful anticipation. "Outside," the word echoed in his mind, growing louder, tinged with something like desperation. "I need to see it. I need to know if the world has changed. If this reality... if this place can offer me something different. Something better. A way out of everything that's broken. Maybe this world isn't as trapped as the one I knew."
The questions clawed at him, deepening his need for something more—a shift in the fabric of reality that might provide an escape from the hollow chaos inside his mind. "Outside…" Kizu muttered again, voice barely audible but full of tension. He moved toward the portal with a mix of dread and determination, driven not just by the desire to escape, but by the aching need to see if there was a better version of the world, one where his relentless search for meaning could finally be answered.
Akifumi's eyes widened in alarm. "Wait! Kizu! That portal doesn't lead—"
But before Akifumi could finish, Kizu stepped through. Panicking, Akifumi shot his hand out toward the portal. Its edges began to shimmer and shrink. "No, no, no! He went in! I'm so bad at this!" With a resigned groan, Akifumi conjured another portal at his feet, falling through it just as the first one closed.
Azuto, left behind, blinked. He sipped his coffee and muttered to no one in particular, "What just happened…?"
Above the apartment building, a portal shimmered into existence high in the air, and Kizu tumbled out of it.
"WAIT—WHY AM I MID-AIR?!" His scream was swallowed by the rushing wind. He flailed wildly, the ground rushing up to meet him. "I'm going to die! I'm going to die! WHY DID I DO THIS?!" Panic consumed him as he screamed at himself. "Stupid! Idiot! What kind of moron jumps into an unknown portal?!"
Just as Kizu prepared for his inevitable demise, another portal blinked open below him. From it, Akifumi leaned out, hands raised in desperation. "Kizu! Down here!" he shouted.
But Kizu's panic was too overwhelming to hear Akifumi's voice. His flailing limbs only made his descent more chaotic.
"Okay, fine! I'll just catch him!" Akifumi gritted his teeth, bracing himself as Kizu hurtled toward him.
He missed.
Kizu plummeted past Akifumi, and the hooded man let out an exasperated groan. "I'm an absolute idiot…"
A portal flickered open beneath Kizu, but it shimmered just a hair off-target, causing him to plummet past its edge. Akifumi, perched on the edge of another swirling gateway, gritted his teeth and launched himself forward, his hands weaving desperately. Another portal snapped into existence, yet again just shy of where Kizu was falling.
"Come on!" Akifumi growled, his voice tight with frustration. He dived through his own portal, emerging from another high above, hurtling himself into freefall. His hands moved in a flurry, opening a rapid succession of portals, each one shifting his position by mere feet.
The air was a blur of motion as Akifumi ricocheted between them, his body twisting and turning mid-flight. One portal after another blinked into existence, each calculated to push him closer to Kizu. He skimmed past a particularly narrow opening, nearly grazing the edge, but the momentum kept him moving forward.
Kizu's screams echoed through the air, reminiscent of a certain hapless adventurer's infamous plummet, a chilling reminder of the stakes. Akifumi's heart pounded in his chest, but he forced himself to focus. Another portal appeared just beneath him, and he plunged through it, emerging only a few feet below Kizu.
"Gotcha!" Akifumi roared, his arms outstretched. He snatched Kizu's arm, the impact jolting them both. For a heartbeat, they dangled in mid-air, suspended between gravity and the swirling vortex of the portal below.
Without wasting a second, Akifumi twisted, summoning one final portal beneath them. They plunged through, landing with a thud on solid ground. Kizu's breaths came in shallow gasps, his eyes fluttering as the world blurred around him. His body trembled, teetering on the edge of consciousness.
The two crashed through a portal that spat them out into an alley beside the apartment building. Akifumi landed hard on his back, Kizu sprawled awkwardly across him, half-conscious and groaning in discomfort.
The alley was quiet, save for the faint murmurs of distant city life. Akifumi struggled to his feet, dragging Kizu into a fireman's carry. His knees buckled slightly under the weight, but he managed to prop Kizu against a wall, ensuring he wouldn't collapse entirely.
However, the silence didn't last long. A commotion erupted nearby—voices, hurried footsteps, and the distinct sound of disbelief.
"I swear, I saw it!" a man's voice echoed. "They were flying! And there were portals!"
Another voice chimed in, "I'm telling you, they landed right here. Check the alley!"
Akifumi's eyes darted around. A faint sheen of sweat glistened on his brow as he adjusted Kizu and whispered under his breath, "You've got to be kidding me…"
Before he could react further, a group of onlookers rounded the corner. At the front was a man pointing directly at the alley. "I told you, right there!"
Akifumi didn't wait. With a resigned sigh, he set Kizu down gently and approached the group. As they stumbled into the alley, their confusion turned to collective shock.
"See? I told you there was someone here!"
Akifumi didn't hesitate. Moving swiftly, he struck the first man with precision, knocking him out cold. The others barely had time to process what was happening before they too were incapacitated, one by one, their bodies slumping to the ground in a disorganized heap.
With the group unconscious, Akifumi knelt beside them, muttering to himself, "This is why I hate meddling." He carefully arranged the bodies, positioning them in absurdly exaggerated poses, as if they'd been the perpetrators of some chaotic scene themselves.
Satisfied with his handiwork, Akifumi dusted his hands off, hoisted Kizu onto his back again, and vanished into the shadows.
***
Kizu's mind churned. The events of the past few hours had reshaped his world, not just physically but emotionally. The once-dull gray hues of life were now saturated, animated in a way he could hardly believe. And yet, despite the vividness, a weight pressed on him—a feeling of imprisonment he couldn't shake.
It wasn't freedom. It was suffocating.
This was his world, yet it wasn't. A mockery of what he thought was safe, what he thought was real. And the people—did they not see? Did they not care?
"Chop chop, wake up!" Akifumi's voice jolted him from his spiraling thoughts. Kizu's eyes snapped open, meeting the harsh fluorescent lights of a convenience store ceiling.
"Where are we?" Kizu asked, his voice hoarse.
"Convenience store," Akifumi replied with nonchalance, gesturing with an onigiri in hand. "Thought you could use the ambiance. And food. You're welcome."
Kizu sat up slowly, disorientation lingering like a fog. He rubbed his temples, his gaze drifting to Akifumi. A pang of guilt tightened in his chest. "Akifumi..." he began, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone through that portal. It was reckless... I could've gotten us both killed."
Akifumi waved a hand dismissively, though a flicker of seriousness crossed his face. "Yeah, it was pretty stupid," he admitted. "But hey, I saved your sorry ass, didn't I? No harm, no foul. Just... think before you leap next time, alright?"
Kizu nodded, the weight of his actions still heavy. His gaze shifted to the large glass storefront. Outside, the world buzzed with life—people walking, talking, existing as if nothing had changed.
He pushed himself to his feet, the disorientation still clinging to him. His eyes fixed on the exit, a silent determination etched into his features. Without a word, he began heading straight for it.
"Hey, where are you going?" Akifumi called out, mouth still full. But then, his expression shifted. The casual demeanor faded as a subtle tension settled over him. He paused, feeling something... off.
A strange, faint energy prickled at the edge of his senses, sending a chill down his spine. It was distant yet distinct, an unsettling presence that felt out of place. Akifumi's eyes darted briefly to the store entrance, his mind racing. Someone—or something—had just entered this world.
He swallowed the unease, masking it with a carefree facade as he stuffed the rest of the onigiri into his mouth.
He couldn't risk using his powers again, not after what he'd felt. Whatever—or whoever—had just entered this world, it wasn't something to be taken lightly. Keeping his focus sharp, Akifumi leaned back, silently bracing for whatever might come next.
Kizu didn't respond. He stepped outside, the sharp chill of the air biting against his skin. A bustling street lay before him, colorful and animated as if a team of artists had designed it. Yet, no one paid any mind to it.
Back in the apartment, Azuto exhaled sharply.
The quiet was gnawing at him. He had already finished cleaning his room, washing the dishes, and even rearranging his bookshelf.
"When are those two coming back?" he muttered, flopping onto the couch. He grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, expecting chaos—breaking news, interviews, something acknowledging the surreal transformation of reality.
But the channels showed nothing unusual. Reruns of old sitcoms, bland talk shows, and weather reports scrolled past.
Azuto frowned. "This can't be right."
The unsettling normalcy didn't sit well with him. He had been sure there wouldn't be any college classes today—not after what happened, not after the world had been turned into something unrecognizable. He'd expected the campus to be in chaos, or at the very least, a canceled day as everyone tried to make sense of the "Animification" event. But everything seemed eerily calm.
He grabbed his phone, typing feverishly: Tokyo colleges no classes, bizarre incident, fantasy merges with reality.
No results. No news articles. No trending topics.
"What the hell? No one is talking about this?" Azuto muttered, frustration creeping into his voice. He hesitated for a moment, but then typed Kizu's name instead, feeling the gnawing worry deepen. Kizu Kiyoshi.
What he found drained the blood from his face.
Article after article came up, riddled with accusatory headlines: "The Fall of Kizu Kiyoshi: A Promising Prodigy Turned Pariah?" "Kiyoshi's Controversial Past Resurfaces Amid Scandal" "Public Backlash Against Kiyoshi: Was the Hate Warranted?"
Azuto's throat tightened as he scrolled further. Photos of Kizu flashed across the screen—his face twisted in frustration at press conferences, caught in unflattering angles as reporters bombarded him with questions. Accusations, misunderstandings, and scandals, some of which Azuto knew were fabricated, while others had been blown out of proportion.
He clenched the phone, his jaw tightening.
"They never let him breathe..." Azuto whispered, his voice trembling. He slammed the door shut and leaned against it, his mind racing. The memory of Kizu's exhausted face flashed in his mind—his hollow gaze, the weight he carried in silence.
And now... this bizarre incident, with reality shifting into something unexplainable, and no one else even acknowledging it.
Azuto sat down heavily, burying his face in his hands. "I shouldn't have let him leave like that... Kizu—what the hell is happening to you out there?"
Kizu flagged down a man in a suit, desperation in his voice. "Excuse me! Don't you see it? The world—it's turned into an animation! Everything is different!"
The man blinked at him, clearly startled. "Are you okay? Do you need help?"
Kizu shook his head. "No, no! I mean—this! All of this! It's not how it's supposed to be!"
"I don't know what you're talking about." The man stepped away, muttering under his breath, "Crazy kids these days..."
Kizu turned to another passerby, a woman carrying a bag of groceries. "You have to notice it! This isn't normal!"
She scowled, her grip tightening on her bag as if shielding herself. "Of all people, it had to be you, Kizu Kiyoshi," she spat, her voice laced with contempt.
Kizu froze.
"Wait, isn't he that guy?" another voice chimed in. "The one from the news last year?"
"He's dangerous," someone gossiped.
"He shouldn't even be out in public!"
The whispers multiplied, their words cutting into him like daggers.
From across the street, Azuto stepped out of the apartment building, his heart pounding in his chest. The world around him felt like a fever dream—surreal colors, twisted and distorted animations, all seemingly mocking reality itself.
"This is insane…" he muttered, his hand tightening on the doorframe as if it could steady his racing thoughts. But nothing felt steady—not the world, not his mind, not even his breath. His gaze instinctively sought Kizu among the chaos, his stomach sinking as he found him in the center of the turmoil, caught in the ever-expanding frenzy.
"Kizu?" Azuto's voice cracked, raw with a mixture of concern and disbelief. The name slipped from his lips like a desperate plea, but it was lost in the rising swell of voices and the overwhelming disarray of the crowd.
His feet moved before he could think, pushing through the chaos with only one thought consuming him: he couldn't lose Kizu. Not like this. Not in the middle of whatever nightmare this was.
His pulse raced, dread gnawing at him as the distance between them seemed to stretch. "Kizu!" he shouted again, his voice trembling with an urgency he couldn't contain. Every second that passed felt like an eternity.
Kizu's heart raced as accusations flew at him. His mind spun.
"This isn't real. It can't be real," he thought, his breath shallow and rapid.
Someone shouted, "Call the police!"
Kizu took a step back, his legs trembling. The faces around him blurred into one overwhelming mass of judgment.
"This world…" Kizu thought, tears stinging his eyes. "It's cruel."
Akifumi suddenly appeared beside him, gripping his shoulder firmly. "Time to go, Kizu," he said, his voice steady but urgent.
Azuto, pushing through the crowd, finally reached them. "What the hell is going on?!" he demanded, grabbing Kizu's other arm.
The sound of approaching sirens pierced the air. Akifumi cursed under his breath. "No time to explain. Let's move!"
As the three of them ducked into an alley, Kizu's mind reeled, the weight of the world pressing harder against his chest. This wasn't escape. This was a prison. A mockery.
The cruel irony of it all clawed at him, relentless and unyielding.