The forest was alive with a symphony of sounds—chirping birds, rustling leaves, and the occasional snap of a twig beneath their feet. The air was damp and carried the earthy scent of moss and rotting wood. The group of five—Josuke, Arthur, Lily, Silver, and Hinata—moved cautiously but with purpose. The deeper they ventured, the more the forest seemed to close in around them, its towering trees forming an almost impenetrable barrier against the outside world.
As they navigated through the thick foliage, Josuke heard the familiar voice of Chaos echoing in his mind.
"Hmm, you know, you humans are truly weird creatures."
Josuke smirked and muttered under his breath, "Humans are weird? Says the guy who keeps forcing Hinata and me together."
Chaos laughed, his voice dripping with amusement. "You'll thank me one day, I promise. But that's not what I mean. What I find odd is your species' obsession with risking life and limb for pointless entertainment. Here you are, a group of rangers who aren't even adults yet, walking into certain danger. For what? Recognition? Bragging rights?"
Josuke rolled his eyes. "Okay, Chaos, are you worried about us?"
The voice in his head took on a mocking tone. "Oh, heavens no. I couldn't care less about a species as pointless as yours. I just find it amusing, that's all."
Josuke's lips twitched into a grin. "Yeah, sure. Hey, Chaos, if I die, would you revive me again?"
Chaos's reply was instant and blunt. "Nope. That's your problem, not mine."
Josuke frowned. "But if I die, you die too."
Chaos responded with a laugh, one that sent chills down Josuke's spine. "No, I wouldn't. The very concept of life and death doesn't apply to me. I am above it. You, however, are not."
Josuke sighed, shaking his head at the cryptic response.
Arthur, walking just ahead, turned around and narrowed his eyes. "Hey, dummy, who are you talking to?"
Josuke blinked, startled. "Uh, just my inner thoughts."
Lily grinned mischievously. "Inner thoughts about who, Josuke?"
At that, Hinata's face turned crimson. She quickly pulled her hood up and stared at the ground, avoiding everyone's gaze.
Josuke panicked, waving his hands in front of him. "No, no, Hinata! It's not about that, I swear!"
Silver raised a hand, his tone casual. "Yo, aren't the other units gonna get ahead of us or something? We're wasting time here."
Arthur nodded, stepping past Josuke. "Silver's right. We need to keep moving. Don't worry, we'll report Josuke's weirdness to Kyle and Maya later."
Josuke let out an exaggerated sigh as the group pressed forward, though the ever-present voice of Chaos refused to let him relax.
"That Lily girl," Chaos said, his tone filled with amusement. "She doesn't miss a chance to laugh at you, does she?"
Josuke rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Why don't you go live in her then?"
Chaos's laughter echoed in his mind. "Oh, I would. But being in you offers me something to gain. Something to accomplish."
Josuke chose to ignore the cryptic remark, focusing instead on the path ahead.
"Say, Chaos," he began hesitantly. "Do you know anything about the Gene Spider that could help us beat it?"
Chaos's tone turned serious, his voice losing its usual mocking edge. "Are you asking for an ability or information?"
Josuke thought for a moment. "Both."
Chaos chuckled, and Josuke could almost feel the smirk behind the voice. "I'll give you one: information. The Gene Spider has six eyes, each giving it an unparalleled field of vision. Normally, these creatures are no bigger than a dog. But this one has mutated, thanks to the high mana density on this island. It stands at a towering 45 feet tall and weighs around four tons. Its body is as hard—if not harder—than diamond, and it's extremely poisonous. One scratch, and you're done."
Josuke muttered under his breath, "You could've just given me the power, but thanks, I guess."
Arthur glanced back, raising an eyebrow. "You say something?"
Josuke waved him off. "Nah, just thinking."
The group trudged deeper into the forest, the dense foliage and twisted roots making the journey increasingly difficult. The light filtering through the trees grew dimmer, and the air grew heavier with tension.
Lily broke the silence. "So, does anyone actually have a plan for dealing with this spider thing? Because it sounds like a nightmare."
Arthur responded confidently. "We'll figure it out when we get there. Right now, the goal is to find the orb."
Silver chuckled. "Classic Arthur. No plan, just vibes."
Arthur shot him a glare but didn't reply, keeping his focus ahead.
Hinata hesitated before speaking softly. "Maybe we can distract it? If it's so big, it probably isn't very fast."
Lily frowned. "That's assuming we can even get close enough to distract it without getting poisoned—or crushed."
Josuke, tuning out the conversation, replayed Chaos's words in his mind. The description of the Gene Spider sent a chill down his spine. A creature as tall as the trees, with a body harder than diamond and venom that could kill instantly. It wasn't just dangerous; it was practically unstoppable.
The signs of the Gene Spider's presence became more apparent as they ventured further. Trees bore deep gouges, as if massive claws had raked through them. Strands of thick, silken webbing stretched between branches, glinting faintly in the dim light. Josuke felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. They were close.
"Keep your guard up," Arthur said, his voice low and tense.
The group nodded, their chatter fading into silence as they tightened their formation.
Josuke glanced at Hinata, who clutched her staff tightly, her knuckles white. He gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Hina. We've got this."
She nodded, her lips curving into a small, hesitant smile. "I trust you, Josuke."
The forest opened up into a clearing ahead, but the air grew heavy with an unnatural stillness. Even the distant chirping of birds had ceased, replaced by an oppressive silence.
Arthur raised a hand, signaling for the group to stop. "This is it," he said quietly. "Stay sharp."
They stepped into the clearing, their eyes scanning the area. In the center of the clearing, the orb sat on a pedestal, glowing faintly.
But the clearing was empty.
Too empty.
Somewhere in the shadows, the Gene Spider was watching.
To Be Continued…