--Two Weeks Later--
Hisashi, along with Jin, Old Man Kai, and Jin's second-in-command, Ren in front of the fog. Ren is a lanky man that is about Jin's age. He was also Jin's second cousin that he was close ever since childhood. For the past month, he has been guarding this current location in case something bad happens along with some of the soldiers from the capital.
He also looks thin and malnourished but they were normal according to the two. As for what he was defending, it was a creature in a demonic clan's hideout. Around them are many of the country's soldiers, some of which aren't stationed here.
…
--Two Weeks Ago--
"For the thing that we need you, it's going to be a pretty dangerous mission… possibly concerning a demon." Jin looks at Hisashi whose fire in the eyes didn't waver. His eyebrows only moved a little but Jin didn't focus much on it. "Since you weren't asking anything, I assume that you don't want to back out." He then pulls out a map and invites Hisashi.
"This is the map of our country, with the right-most being the Death Valley. Old Man Kai told me that he already told you about it, so I won't get to any more details. But in simple terms, we need to kill a creature, an unknown one. It was outside the lair of a demonic clan we discovered on the third layer of the Death Valley, the Void of Hearing."
"Is the clan called the Yami Clan?" Hisashi suggested. "Is that their name?" Jin asks.
"That's the only clan I know that was banished in the last decades and at the same time, have connections with the demons." No, he was sure.
"If you say so, let's refer to them as that for now. Anyways, this creature is said to originate from the Sixth Layer. It's a lot stronger than normal third-layer beasts and monsters. Along with that, we felt a demonic presence inside it with our spiritual chi(JingChi/Ki). We later find out that whenever it goes out to hunt, it would scare a horde of beast away, leading to attacks on towns which happens at least once a week. Leading to massive destruction to nearby towns and even death." Jin elaborates on the mission.
"From the Sixth Layer? How strong is it that you can't kill it? And what type of demon is it?" He asks to the reveal of the information.
"I don't know how to describe it to you in a way that you may know it but if you have a thousand Mai, no, even if you double her strength, they would still lose. Wait, is that even logical?" Jin said as he looks at the Old Man Kai who was also confused at his comparison.
"You don't have to worry at his strength that much since Old Man Kai can hold it off for minutes and you're at least as strong or stronger than him. The thing that's tricky about him, is that he has no form."
"What do you mean?" Hisashi asks.
"The monster's real form is hidden in some darkness that takes some form of shape whenever it moves. It probably took this after being taken by that 'Yami Clan'. This darkness can't be touched but it can attack you. I'm sure about what you're about to ask next and yes, there's a way to kill it."
"And that is?" Hisashi wasn't actually curious as to how to kill it. In his mind, anything can be killed, especially if it's a demon.
"To lure it away from the main hideout. At least to the Second Layer of the Death Valley. As for you…"
…
Now, they are about to execute the mission. He got familiar with the effect of the first two layers by entering it weeks ago. Along with the three, Hisashi is about to enter. The others will enter too but only around the second layer while maintaining their formation with a long rope to not lose those who can't use spiritual chi(JingChi/Ki) which was most of the normal soldiers.
Hisashi thought about his role on the mission for a moment but focused back on the present. The only thing remaining in his mind was whether it really was a demon given Jin and his company's unfamiliarity with actual demons.
They all prepared themselves, checking their supplies, weapons, and scrolls. They all prepared the rope too. Jin looks back to the army and checks on his people, asking his officers with hand signs. He looks at Old Man Kai, Ren, and Hisashi.
"Everyone! Let's go!" He commands as they took the first step to finish killing a monster. Unbeknownst to him, someone was following them at the back, far from their own sense's range.
…
"Only the two of you can use Seismic Sense? How? Why didn't you teach it to others?" Hisashi asks the Old Man. With the four of them leading the way, they're now on the second layer. The old man also just finished killing a monster that charged at them.
"There are some things in life that you can't teach. You have to learn it by yourself. Even if you know how it works, that doesn't mean that you can do it. Sometimes, you can only see what you're looking for after losing something first. In this case, your senses." Old Man Kai said as Jin agrees.
"Then I can't learn it from you?" "Yes, you can't."
"Don't worry Gozu, the first two layers aren't really a problem for people that can use chi. The third can get trippy, the fourth is unsettling, the fifth's creepy, and the sixth is hell for anyone since even Chi is useless there."
"You made it sound easier than it is," Hisashi said. Kicking away a large mutated bear with 5 heads coming their way.
"Probably. Anyway, we're near the third layer. You'll not hear anything from us from… no-" Jin's voice was cut off as they entered an area with thicker fog which involuntarily made Hisashi shake his head.
'This really is trippy.' He voiced out but he only heard it on his head. He took out an apple and tried to smell it but it has no smell. He bit it and there was no sound. And even when eating it, he can't taste anything. He looks at the others and realized that their face is getting less visible. There is also less and less presence of wild and mutated beasts.
The biggest thing that was helping Hisashi navigate was his Ki which he is slowly spreading out the more he loses his senses. Now, it was spreading in a 100-meter radius, not even feeling the army set a kilometer from the second layer. As for why he doesn't spread it even more, it's because the most he can with over-exhausting his brain, especially not before a potential battle.
The fog doesn't just act as a negating entity but as a separate living entity. He can feel the fog too, but he can differentiate its presence from the normal people as it has less. Just when he felt a strong malicious presence enter his Ki range, he felt a touch from his right. He looks and it was Jin, signaling that they were here.
'It's time.' Hisashi said to himself as he puts on his straw hat, take out his wooden sword, and concentrate on his very well-being.