As *Whispers of the Radio* gains traction and readers praise its chilling narrative, Kazuki's health starts to decline. He is plagued by vivid nightmares where his twisted manga characters come to life, tormenting him with cruel intent. Shadows dart across his room, vanishing just as he turns his head, and a sickly sweet odor lingers in the air, making it hard to focus. These occurrences, once subtle, grow increasingly sinister.
His assistants, too, report their own unsettling encounters. One hears disembodied laughter late at night, another sees a ghostly figure lingering at the end of the hallway. Lights switch on and off without explanation, and the once tight knit team begins to fracture. Members leave one by one, unable to withstand the oppressive atmosphere. Kazuki, though shaken, refuses to abandon his dream. He pours every ounce of his being into the manga, his obsession deepening as the shrine's influence tightens its grip. He starts experiencing unexplained bruises, sudden nosebleeds, and a growing paranoia that the shadows are watching him and waiting.