The sun dipped lower in the sky as the group made their way down the mountain, casting long shadows across the rocky path. The tension of the previous battle still hung in the air, but there was a sense of accomplishment as they carried the powerful defense card they had earned. The air grew cooler, carrying with it the scent of the sea as they neared their next destination.
"We've done well so far," Biscuit said as she led the way, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon. "But this is Greed Island. Every step forward brings us closer to greater danger."
Gon, as energetic as ever, bounded ahead of the group, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "I can't wait to see what's next! We're really getting the hang of this!"
Killua, walking beside him with his hands in his pockets, shot him a skeptical glance. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Gon. That last battle could have gone wrong in a lot of ways."
Gon just grinned back at him. "Yeah, but it didn't! That's what matters!"
Tanjiro, walking near the back of the group with Nezuko beside him, watched his friends with a thoughtful smile. The battles had been tough, but they had also brought them closer together. He felt their bond growing stronger with each challenge, and that gave him hope.
As they reached the base of the mountain, the terrain began to change. The rocky paths turned to soft grass, and the sound of ocean waves crashing against the shore grew louder. The coastal village they were headed toward came into view, its small wooden houses nestled along the shoreline, bathed in the soft orange glow of the setting sun.
"There it is," Biscuit said, her tone thoughtful as she studied the village from a distance. "Our next target."
Tanjiro sensed something strange about the place, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. The village looked peaceful enough—fishermen hauling in their catches, smoke rising from chimneys, children playing by the water—but there was a stillness in the air that made his instincts tingle.
"Does anyone else feel that?" Tanjiro asked, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword.
Killua's silver eyes narrowed as he scanned the village with suspicion. "Yeah, something's off. The energy here doesn't feel right."
Nezuko, ever silent but alert, hummed softly in agreement, her glowing eyes flickering as she focused on the distant village. She, too, could sense it—the faint, unsettling presence that lingered just beneath the surface.
Gon, however, didn't seem too bothered. He bounced on his feet, full of energy as always. "It looks fine to me! I bet there's a treasure chest hidden somewhere in the village."
"Maybe," Yūka said quietly, her shadowy aura flickering faintly as she watched the village with a wary gaze. "But there's something strange here. I can feel it."
Biscuit nodded, her expression serious. "It's a trap. Whatever's waiting for us in that village, it's not going to be easy."
Arrival at the Coastal Village
The group moved cautiously as they entered the village, their senses heightened. The wooden houses were simple, with thatched roofs and fishing nets hung along the walls. The villagers seemed to go about their daily business, but there was an eerie stillness to everything—as if the entire place was holding its breath.
Tanjiro's eyes darted around, scanning for any signs of danger. He could feel the presence of nen somewhere nearby, but it was faint, like a whisper carried on the wind. The villagers themselves gave off no nen, but the way they moved—their stiff, robotic motions—only deepened his unease.
"They're acting strange," Killua muttered, his sharp gaze taking in every detail. "Look at how they move. It's like they're not even aware of us."
Biscuit frowned, her arms crossed. "We need to find the source of this. It could be an enemy player using nen to control them."
Yūka's dark eyes flickered as she observed the villagers. She could sense the darkness that lingered over them—a faint shadow that twisted around their movements, subtle but unmistakable. "They're being controlled. But I can't tell by what."
Gon, ever curious, wandered toward a small group of villagers who were unloading a fishing boat. "Hey!" he called out, waving at them with his usual friendly enthusiasm. "Do you know where we can find a treasure chest around here?"
The villagers didn't respond. They continued their work as if they hadn't even heard him, their eyes blank and unfocused. Gon's grin faltered slightly as he realized something was very wrong.
"They're not reacting," Gon said, frowning as he backed away from the villagers. "It's like they don't even see us."
Nezuko stepped forward, her glowing eyes scanning the area with quiet intensity. She could sense something, a faint presence hidden beneath the surface. It was a darkness that she had felt before, something that reminded her of the demons she had fought alongside her brother.
Tanjiro stepped closer to her, his hand resting protectively on the hilt of his sword. "Do you sense it too, Nezuko?"
Nezuko nodded, her eyes narrowing slightly. She pointed toward the center of the village, where an old well sat, covered in vines and surrounded by stone.
Biscuit's gaze followed Nezuko's gesture, her expression sharpening. "The well. That's where it's coming from."
The Hidden Threat
The group made their way toward the old well, their senses on high alert. As they approached, the oppressive feeling in the air grew stronger, the weight of the unseen nen pressing down on them like a heavy blanket. The villagers continued their eerie, robotic movements in the background, oblivious to the group's presence.
"This is definitely a trap," Killua muttered, his nen flaring slightly as he prepared for whatever was coming. "We're walking right into it."
Gon, undeterred, stepped closer to the well, his curiosity getting the better of him. "There's got to be something down there. Maybe the treasure chest is hidden inside!"
Tanjiro, his instincts screaming a warning, stepped up beside Gon and peered down into the well. It was dark—too dark to see anything clearly—but the oppressive nen aura was unmistakable.
"There's something down there," Tanjiro said, his voice low and tense. "Something dangerous."
Yūka's shadowy hatsu flickered around her as she stepped forward, her expression serious. "It feels like the source of whatever's controlling the villagers."
Biscuit, always the strategist, crossed her arms and nodded. "Let's be careful. If there's an enemy player hiding down there, they've probably set up a trap."
Before anyone could move, the ground beneath their feet rumbled, and a low, guttural sound echoed up from the depths of the well. The air grew thick with a dark, suffocating energy, and the nen aura that had been so faint before now pulsed violently.
Tanjiro's eyes widened as a massive, shadowy figure began to rise from the well. Its form was twisted and unnatural, like a living mass of darkness and nen, its glowing red eyes fixed on the group with malevolent intent.
"What is that?" Gon shouted, his fists clenching as he prepared for a fight.
The creature let out a bone-chilling roar, its massive body emerging fully from the well. It was a monstrous beast made entirely of shadows, its form constantly shifting and writhing as if it were made of pure darkness. The nen that radiated from it was suffocating, thick with malice and rage.
"It's a nen-beast!" Biscuit shouted, her eyes narrowing. "Someone's controlling it from the shadows!"
Killua's Godspeed crackled around him as he readied himself for battle. "Looks like we found the source of the villagers' behavior."
Tanjiro unsheathed his sword, his fiery aura flaring to life around him as he faced the beast. The oppressive energy was suffocating, but he refused to back down. "We need to take this thing down fast."
Yūka stepped forward, her shadowy hatsu swirling around her. She could feel the darkness in the beast, the twisted energy that connected it to something—or someone—else. "I'll try to bind it, but we need to find the one controlling it."
Gon, ever eager, grinned as his nen flared brightly. "Leave it to us! We'll find the controller!"
Nezuko, her eyes glowing fiercely, moved to stand beside Tanjiro, her demonic strength ready to strike. She could feel the darkness in the creature, but it didn't scare her. She had faced worse.
With a deep breath, Tanjiro charged forward, his sword glowing with fiery nen as he prepared to strike.
"Hinokami Kagura, Burning Bones, Summer Sun!"
The battle had begun.