I glance back at Hana. She's running as fast as she can. Her figure is quickly fading into the dark forest. The storm has settled but it's still night out there—pitch black, with snow-covered ground and biting winds. The thought of her alone in those conditions makes my stomach churn.
What if something happens to her? What if more Oscuros are out there? What if—
"Hey." Hayato's voice cuts through my spiraling thoughts. "She's strong. She'll be fine. Focus ahead."
I blink, looking at him. His eyes are steady, almost unnervingly so, as if he's not even slightly worried.
"She's just a regular human," I say, gripping my fists. "What if she—"
"Takumi," he interrupts, his tone firmer now, "worrying won't save her. She's smart enough to avoid trouble, and she's tougher than she looks. If you want her to be safe, make sure these Oscuros are gone."
He's right. Hana is a strong girl. If anyone can make it through this forest at night, it's her.
I look back at the Oscuros in front of us. Their glowing red eyes burn like flames in the darkness, their inky black forms blending into the shadows of the cave. They're waiting, watching, like predators sizing us up.
"Alright," I say, taking a deep breath and summoning my fire. The flames flicker to life in my hands. Like a steady warmth against the cold. "Let's finish this."
"Hmm."
We step forward together, the air crackling with lightning and fire as we prepare to take them down.
The first Oscuro lunges, swinging its massive arm with terrifying strength. Its movement is slow and predictable, but the sheer force behind it could crush stone.
I sidestep, narrowly avoiding the blow. My flames around my fists deliver a fiery uppercut that engulfs the Oscuro. The flames consume it in an instant, leaving behind nothing but black ash.
"They're stronger in numbers," Hayato says. He stands a few steps behind me, his sword drawn and lightning crackling along its blade. "But we still have the upperhand."
Before I can respond, another Oscuro charges, and then another. Hayato moves like lightning itself—fast, precise, and relentless. He sidesteps an incoming strike, slashing through the Oscuro's inky black form with a single, electrified swing. The creature dissolves into smoke and its red eyes fades.
"Behind you!" I call out as two more Oscuros charge toward him.
He doesn't even flinch. With a single backward thrust of his sword, he skewers one, then flips around to slash through the other. His movements are... graceful.
Meanwhile, I charge at another Oscuro. My fists ignite as I leap into the air, delivering a flaming punch straight to its chest. "Stay down!" I yell as the fire spreads, consuming it. But the moment it collapses, two more appear to take its place.
"They just keep coming!" I shout, stepping back to regroup. "They're like cockroaches,"... "Burn one, and two more crawl out."
We stand back to back now, surrounded by at least ten Oscuros. Their glowing red eyes are fixed on us, unblinking, as they move in closer.
"You got a plan?" I ask, breathing heavily.
"I'm working on it," Hayato replies.
An Oscuro charges me head-on. It's fists smash into the ground as I dodge. I retaliate with a spinning kick, flames trailing behind my foot as it connects with its side. The Oscuro collapses, engulfed in a swirling blaze.
Hayato, meanwhile, is cutting through them like a storm. His sword arcs through the air, bolts of lightning striking down Oscuro after Oscuro. One tries to grab him from behind, but he ducks just in time, sweeping its legs with a low kick before finishing it off with a quick, electrified stab.
"Focus on thinning them out!" he calls out.
I nod, pushing myself harder. My Seishin surges, hotter and brighter with each strike. Another Oscuro lunges at me, and I dodge to the side, grabbing its arm and twisting it. My flames scorch through its inky form as I slam it into the ground.
But no matter how many we take down, more keep coming.
"This confirms it," I say between heavy breaths. "The portal must be here. They're coming straight out of it."
Hayato doesn't respond immediately, too busy slicing through another Oscuro. When he finally speaks, his voice is calm but firm. "Then we destroy it. But first, we survive this."
We exchange a quick glance—a silent agreement. No matter what, we're not backing down.
---
The last Oscuro falls with a heavy thud. The air is thick with the smell of scorched flesh and ozone, and the ground is littered with ash and inky remains.
I stand there, heavy breathing with flames still faintly flickering around my fists. My legs feel like they might give out any second. Every muscle in my body screams for rest.
Hayato sheathes his sword back. His lightning is still sparking faintly along him as if it, too, refuses to completely power down. He glances at me. His face is as calm as ever, though I can see the exhaustion in his eyes.
"Is it over?" I manage to ask.
"For now," he replies, stepping over a pile of ashes. "But we're not done yet."
I groan, rubbing the back of my neck. "Seriously? Look around, Hayato. We've cleared out an army! Can't we just—"
"No," he cuts me off. "We'll rest later. The portal is still active, and that's our priority."
"Figures you'd say that."
The faint glow of dawn starts to enter in from the cave's entrance. It's like painting the snow outside in soft hues of pink and orange. It's beautiful, really, but all I can think about is how much I want to collapse and sleep for a week.
Hayato moves ahead. His steps are steady, despite the long fight. "Come on, Takumi. We can't risk another wave of Oscuros showing up. If they're tied to this portal, we have to destroy it now."
I take a deep breath, forcing myself to straighten up. He's right. As much as my body begs to stay still, the thought of leaving this thing intact—of more Oscuros pouring through and wreaking havoc—makes my stomach churn.
"Yeah, yeah," I mutter, dragging my feet as I follow him deeper into the cave. "But you owe me breakfast after this. A big one. With pancakes. And bacon. Lots of bacon."
He doesn't even look back, but I catch the faintest hint of a smirk. "Deal. But only if you actually survive long enough to eat it."
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence,"
As we move deeper into the cave, the air grows colder. The eerie sensation I felt earlier is growing stronger with each step. My flames are flickering to life again, casting long, dancing shadows on the walls. The portal is close—I can feel it.
The cave stretches endlessly in front of us, twisting and turning like some kind of massive labyrinth. The deeper we go, the darker it becomes. It's almost like the walls are trying to swallow us whole.
"This place feels like a giant puzzle," I mutter with an faintly echoing voice. "Who builds caves like this anyway?"
Hayato doesn't answer. His focus is elsewhere. He stops suddenly, closing his eyes and a faint crackle of lightning sparks at his fingertips.
"I can sense it," he says after a moment. "There's a weird Seishin... coming from this way." He points down one of the many branching paths.
Without hesitation, we head down the route he sensed. It's narrow, the walls are closing in tightly around us, but it leads to... nothing? A dead end.
"What?" Hayato frowns, staring at the solid rock wall in front of us. "That's weird. I swear I felt something here."
We turn to walk back. But wait—. There's something... off about this wall. It doesn't feel right. I step closer, placing my hand on the cold, uneven surface.
"Wait," I call out, stopping him.
He turns back, eyes narrowing. "Hmm?"
I clench my fist and let the faintest hint of flames flicker around it. "I can feel something behind this wall."
Before he can respond, I punch it with all the strength I can muster. The impact sends a shockwave through the stone, and cracks spiderweb across the surface. A low rumble follows, and then... the wall collapses inward, revealing a hidden path.
The air coming from the newly revealed route carries a strange, dark energy. It feels heavy, oppressive, and eerily quiet.
Hayato steps forward cautiously. "You were right. There's definitely something here."
I nod, staring into the darkness ahead. "Let's go."
The two of us march forward. After walking some certain distance, a clearing opens up ahead—a massive underground hall, its ceiling is so high that it feels like a void.
And there it is.
At the far end, a dark, swirling vortex pulses with eerie energy. It's unmistakable—this is the portal. The air around it is thick, oppressive, like it's alive and watching us.
"There it is," I swallow hard and my chest tightens.
Hayato unsheaths his sword, his knuckles white. "No time to waste. Let's destroy it."
We step into the area, but the moment we do, something shifts. Torches mounted along the walls ignite one by one. Their bluish flames cast an otherworldly glow across the hall. The air grows heavier and suffocating.
"What is this place?" I whisper, glancing around.
Hayato doesn't answer. His eyes are locked on the portal. And his usual calm expression is now... hardening.
And then it happens.
Oscuro after Oscuro, Oscuro after Oscuro and Oscuro after Oscuro begin to emerge from the portal. Their black, twisted forms crawl out in droves. The hall fills with the sound of their guttural growls and the scrape of their claws against the stone floor.
The weight of the oppressive air is pressing down on me even harder now. "There's... too many of them," I say.
Hayato narrows his eyes, stepping in front of me slightly. "Again... huh?"
He says it like it's no big deal, but even he can't hide the strain in his voice. The Oscuros are far more in number than before.
My flames ignite around my fists, weaker than usual but still burning. "This is bad."
"Stay sharp,"... "We can't afford to give up now."
I nod, pushing myself. My legs feel like lead. The oppressive air presses harder with every step I take. It's hard to breath in here. But we don't have a choice.
As the Oscuros close in, Hayato shifts his stance. Lightning sparks along his blade. "Don't think about how tired you are. Think about your mission."
Easier said than done. My whole body is screaming at me to stop, to rest, to collapse. But NO. I clench my fists, forcing the fire to burn brighter. "I'm with you."
The first wave charges, and we brace ourselves for yet another fight.