Hours had passed since the group crossed that portal, bringing them to a hostile and unknown world. Walking in silence, they traveled until they found a cave near a crystalline lake, surrounded by peculiar and unfamiliar vegetation. Exhausted by the arduous journey and recent events, they decided to take shelter inside the cave. Aware of the lurking danger, they agreed to take turns standing guard, and Shirogami, being the least tired, volunteered to take the first watch.
Sitting by the entrance, Shirogami gazed toward the lake. There was something unsettling about the reflection in the water—a mysterious glimmer in the distance, as if a source of light was calling to him. Lost in his thoughts, the sudden sound of crunching leaves alerted him. Turning cautiously, his eyes met a strange creature: a white-furred rabbit with reddish tinges and a sharp horn on its forehead.
The rabbit and Shirogami stared at each other, each assessing the other. But in a second, the animal let out a high-pitched squeal and lunged at him with impressive speed. The horn aimed straight for his eye, and though he managed to dodge it, he felt a hot sting on his cheek. Blood seeped from the wound, but ignoring the pain, Shirogami counterattacked, striking the rabbit in mid-air and knocking it down. Without giving it a chance to recover, he pinned the creature with his foot and, picking up a nearby stone, struck it until it lay lifeless.
Eriri, Kaori, Raku, and Shizuku woke up to the commotion and ran to him.
"What happened?" Eriri asked, her eyes wide as she took in the scene.
"Don't worry, it was just this... strange rabbit," Shirogami replied, pointing to the bloodied carcass at his feet.
"Shirogami, you're hurt," Eriri said, concerned, noticing the cut on his cheek.
"It's nothing; it's already stopped bleeding," he replied, wiping the blood with his sleeve, downplaying the pain.
The group, still alert, looked at the rabbit's body with curiosity.
"Do you think it's edible?" Raku wondered, looking at the others with a mix of hunger and doubt.
"We'll have to try," Shizuku suggested, shrugging.
With that purpose, they gathered wood and sharp stones. After several attempts, they managed to light a fire and prepare the rabbit. They tasted the meat, which, though without seasoning, was strangely savory, soothing their hunger and fear.
In the following days, they advanced cautiously, following the mysterious light on the horizon. Along the way, they encountered more strange creatures: rabbits, frogs with fluorescent colors, and snakes with iridescent scales. These animals, though dangerous, provided them with food and skins, while their horns and bones served as makeshift weapons.
Finally, one night, Shirogami decided it was time to rest. They set up a simple camp and gathered around the fire, speaking in low voices to avoid attracting unwanted creatures. However, a sudden crackling in the forest alerted them. The group rose, grabbing their improvised weapons, their hearts pounding.
Four figures emerged from between the trees. They were small creatures, with greenish skin and malicious eyes, holding crude, sharp bone swords. Goblins. Their hungry and mocking gazes made it clear that they wouldn't let them escape alive.
"We're surrounded," Shirogami murmured, looking at his companions, who trembled with fear.
Each of them chose an opponent and prepared for battle. Shirogami struck first, wielding his improvised spear as he advanced toward the goblin who grinned at him. The goblin swung his weapon, making erratic slashes, allowing Shirogami to dodge easily and counterattack. With a swift move, he drove the spear into the creature's eye, which let out a piercing scream before collapsing.
Without hesitation, Shirogami turned to Kaori, who struggled to defend herself against her opponent's clumsy blows. In an instant, he ran toward the goblin, driving his weapon into its back, and with a firm motion, broke the bone. Blood splattered on his face, and Kaori let out a sigh of relief.
A few steps away, Shizuku managed to knock down her opponent and, before it could rise, drove her weapon into its neck. As blood spurted, she tried to pull away from the corpse, exhausted and trembling from the intensity of the fight.
Raku was covered in wounds but resisted his enemy's attack. Seeing Shizuku come to help him, he mustered his strength, and together they managed to bring down the goblin, who fell with one last cry of rage.
But Eriri was in trouble. She had managed to corner her opponent, but in a final attempt to survive, the goblin grabbed her arm and, with a growl of rage, tried to plunge its knife into her abdomen. In a desperate act, Eriri used her hand to deflect the attack.
SPLASH!
.
.
Before the goblin could react, Shirogami appeared behind it. In a fierce motion, he cut off its arms and, without hesitation, decapitated it. The creature's head fell to the ground as Shirogami felt his strength waning from the effort.
"Are you alright?" he asked Eriri, his voice filled with concern.
Eriri nodded, though her face was pale and a tear escaped her eye.
"Yes… I think so. Thank you."
The others gathered, exhausted and covered in wounds. Kaori noticed Eriri's arm, bruised from the goblin's violent grip. Shirogami looked at the group, barely standing, and knew they couldn't stay there.
"We have to move…" he said firmly, though he was also hurt and exhausted. "The blood will attract more creatures."
Without waiting for an answer, the group nodded and began to walk silently, gathering the goblins' weapons for later use. The path grew harder, and fatigue weighed on their bodies. But Shirogami had something else on his mind.
During the fight, he had felt something strange. Seeing Eriri in danger, an uncontrollable rage had taken hold of him, and a faint voice echoed in his mind:
"Are you willing to sacrifice everything for a promise?"
The phrase lingered in his head, and before he knew it, an unknown power surged through his body, propelling him to attack with a speed and strength he'd never felt before. But now, as they advanced, that energy had faded, leaving him with a disquieting question within.
As they walked through the forest, Shirogami watched Eriri, who wore a somber expression. The image of her bruised arm and fearful face was etched into his memory, reminding him of the weight of a promise he had made in the past.
After hours of walking, the group reached a clearing in the forest, where the sound of creatures in the distance kept them alert. The moon shone intensely, bathing the ground in a silvery light that seemed more like a warning than a relief. There, exhausted and silent, they decided to stop, hoping to find some peace in that gloomy corner of the forest.
"Do you think we'll ever get out of here?" Kaori asked quietly, looking at her friends with eyes full of hope and fear.
Shirogami looked at the light on the horizon, the same light that had led them there, and closed his eyes.
"I don't know… but we'll keep going until we find out."
Silence enveloped them as they looked up at the sky, aware that the path had only just begun. In the heavy, tense air, they felt the promise of new challenges… and an uncertain fate awaiting them in the shadows of this unknown world.
Fufufu, how long will it take for you to awaken? An eerie echo resounded.