Kajin glanced back at Ito with a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Oi, don't make that face, little bro."
Ito looked up, his expression tense, but Kajin didn't miss a beat.
He stepped closer and gave him a light pat on the shoulder.
"Relax. You're still standing, aren't you? That means you're not done."
Kajin's eyes held a rare seriousness beneath the usual teasing.
"This whole thing—it's not about winning every time.
It's about how long you can keep moving forward."
With a half-shrug, he turned and walked ahead, voice trailing back with a lazy wave of his hand.
"So come on, don't fall behind now. We've got more to do."
"If you're that desperate," Gakurei muttered, eyes still on the magazine, "I guess I can help you get one."
Everyone's attention snapped to Gakurei.
"Huh… really?" Ito blinked, genuinely taken aback.
A hint of cautious hope flickered in his voice. "You're serious?"
"Yeah, I am," Gakurei said flatly, closing the magazine.
"Let's not waste any more time."
Zayden stepped forward, his eyes sharp and determined.
"Wait, then I'm also coming with you."
Zayden stepped forward, eyes narrowing with resolve.
"If you're going, then I'm coming with you."
Gakurei let out a quiet breath, barely glancing at him.
"No," he said plainly, brushing some dirt off his sleeve. "Only the two of us will go."
His voice wasn't harsh — just matter-of-fact, like the decision had already been made.
Zayden blinked, caught off guard by the calm dismissal.
"What? Why?" he demanded, his tone sharpening.
But Gakurei didn't budge. He met Zayden's gaze with a cool stare, unfazed.
"If you want your friend to win," he said evenly, "then stop wasting time arguing.
Tension hung between them, but this time, it wasn't loud. It was quiet. Sharp.
Zayden clenched his jaw but didn't press further.
Zayden exhaled slowly, tension still clinging to his shoulders.
"I don't trust you fully," he muttered, his voice low but honest. "But... if you've got a way, then fine."
As the silence settled, Shion stepped forward, her voice gentle but firm.
"Ito," she said, offering a reassuring smile. "You've made it this far. You can handle the rest."
Sara gave a confident nod, eyes steady on him.
"Don't overthink it. Just do what you always do — keep pushing forward."
Ito looked at them both, the doubt in his eyes slowly giving way to resolve.
He nodded. "Yeah... I will."
As Gakurei moved ahead, Eriska casually matched his pace, arms folded.
She shot him a sideways glance, her voice cool and sharp.
"Don't do anything weird this time, got it… you damn siscon."
Gakurei lazily stuck a finger in his nose, not even glancing at her.
Completely unfazed, he let out a small yawn and kept walking, whistling as if she hadn't said a thing.
As Gakurei started walking off, Shion stepped forward, her tone calm but steady.
"Ito, you've already come this far. Don't second-guess yourself now."
Sara gave him a small smile, eyes warm with quiet confidence.
"We believe in you. Just do what you can—and don't forget, you're not alone in this."
Ito looked at both of them, their words sinking in. He nodded firmly.
"Thanks. I won't let it go to waste."
Without another word, he turned and followed Gakurei, the two vanishing into the thick forest ahead.
As they moved deeper into the forest, Ito glanced at Gakurei, who was walking a few steps ahead.
"So… can you tell me where we're going?" he asked, keeping pace beside him.
Gakurei didn't look back. "You'll know once we reach there."
Ito rubbed the back of his neck, eyes darting away.
"Oh… I see," he mumbled, though it didn't sound all that convincing.
Gakurei came to a stop, his eyes scanning the clearing ahead.
"This spot'll do. We're here."
Ito slowed beside him, glancing around with a puzzled look.
"Huh? But… I don't see any flag around here."
Gakurei pointed his finger sharply at the ground.
"Look down."
Ito bent over awkwardly, peering at the spot with exaggerated caution.
He poked the tiny hole with a fingertip, then quickly yanked his hand back like it might snap at him.
"Huh… you mean that small hole?"
He said, eyes wide and voice a little incredulous, as if he couldn't quite believe the flag could be hidden there.
"What are you waiting for? Put your hand in that hole—the tiny hole, the little hole—just stick your hand right into the a** hole to grab the flag,"
Gakurei said, sounding completely laid-back, as if it were the easiest thing in the world.
"Wait… whaaat did you just saaaay?"
Ito blurted out, blinking rapidly like he couldn't believe his own ears.
"Stop picking at the small stuff." Gakurei lazily stuck a finger in his ear.
"I told you the way—now it's all in your hands."
Ito dropped to his knees and reached into the hole.
His hand slid deeper, rubbing along the narrow sides as he searched.
Just as he was about to grab the flag—
♡"Ahhhhhhhh!"
A strange, moaning sound echoed from the hole.
Ito yanked his hand out and slowly turned to Gakurei, trying to keep a straight face despite the twitch in his eye.
"Uhh… I think I just heard some weird voice back there," he said, voice cracking slightly as he pretended everything was normal.
"Huh… We're in a forest, okay? Probably just some… animal or something," Gakurei said, avoiding eye contact as he shrugged, a bit too casually.
"But… it sounded more like a human voice," Ito muttered, glancing at the hole with a suspicious frown.
"Quit whining already. If you really want that flag, then do what I told you."
Gakurei said, his tone firm but still annoyingly casual.
Ito sighed and hesitantly reached toward the hole again, his fingers sliding in slowly.
Another soft, suspiciously human-like moan echoed from inside.
"Ahhn~…"
"I… don't know who that is, but… I can't really back out now, can I…"
Ito muttered, half-regretting every life choice leading up to this moment.
Ito's hand slid deeper into the hole, his face twisting with discomfort.
From inside, a drawn-out moan echoed faintly.
Ah~….nghh~
Ito's fingers brushed against something thin and firm.
With a quick tug, he pulled it out—a small, folded flag clenched in his hand.
But as he withdrew, a sharp sting ran across his palm.
He looked down to see a shallow cut trailing across his skin, fresh and red.
"…Wait, what? This hole just bit me," Ito muttered, wincing as he clutched the flag, his brows furrowed in disbelief.
"If you've got the flag, then let's move," Gakurei said casually, brushing some dust off his sleeve.
He glanced around briefly, eyes sharp and alert.
"We don't have much time to waste."
"Yes."
Ito and Gakurei began to move away, but Ito's mind lingered on that sharp sting in his hand.
Despite the flag in his grasp, a nagging unease settled deep inside him.