The sun sank into the sea, and the island was instantly swallowed by a veil of darkness.
The nameless jungle island fell silent, as if the gates of the underworld had creaked open.
Endy and Cain hid behind a boulder, their eyes fixed on the movements of the mafia's poaching ship.
On deck, crewmen hauled up their fishing nets, their shadows swaying in the moonlight.
"Alright, let's swim over there and sneak on board!"
Endy's voice cracked like a spark tearing through the night.
But Cain silenced him with a sharp glance.
"Hold it. Look closely."
Endy squinted and saw shadows shifting on the surface of the waves.
Crewmen free-diving with nets in hand.
If they swam for the ship now, their silhouettes would stand out in the dark water—they'd be spotted instantly.
Endy exhaled in relief. Reckless action had been narrowly avoided, and a chill of gratitude wrapped around him like the cold sea breeze.
Yet a question gnawed at him.
This island was supposed to be a death forest—teeming with predators and poisonous plants.
And yet not a single beast had attacked them.
It was as if the animals avoided the two of them, staring with eyes full of fear.
A circle of unnatural silence spread at the jungle's heart.
"Hey, Cain… the animals here…"
Endy's voice trembled as he peered at Cain.
The words were no louder than a pebble tossed into the dark.
"…Yeah. Maybe they're afraid of humans?"
Cain chuckled.
That smile was cold, like a blade glistening in moonlight.
A shiver ran down Endy's spine.
Could it be… the beasts feared Cain himself?
Had he tamed them somehow?
A mist of mystery clung to Cain. He rarely spoke, as though his heart was locked shut. His slanted gaze carried scars and resignation too deep to hide.
Endy wondered.
Why had he asked Cain to help rescue Lamia?
He didn't know himself—it was pure impulse.
But later he would learn: this meeting had been fate's cruel necessity.
"You know… it's strange. Feels like we've been friends since we were kids."
At those casual words, Cain's heart faltered. He hid his unease behind a mask of calm.
"What the hell are you talking about? Anyway, the divers are back on deck. If we're going to sneak in, now's the time. You sure about this? There's no turning back."
"Of course. But… this might sound weird since I'm the one who dragged you into it… why are you even coming with me?"
Cain fell silent.
The sea whispered between them.
"Maybe… I wanted to trap myself in a place where I couldn't turn back."
The words fell like a cryptic spell echoing from the abyss.
Endy tilted his head.
"?? What's that supposed to mean??"
"Nothing deep. But instead of sneaking around, why not just storm in? Kill a few, threaten the helmsman, and we'll get to this Lamia woman in no time."
Endy's breath caught.
Cain's ruthless suggestion pierced him like an icy blade.
"What the hell are you saying?! No matter how rotten they are, there isn't a single life in this world that deserves to be taken so easily!"
"There are plenty. The world's crawling with filth. More than enough who deserve to die."
Cain's voice was cold as if the darkness itself had spoken.
Their eyes locked.
Endy's blazed like fire. Cain's froze like ice.
"Fine then. After we rescue Lamia, let's take a walk together!"
"…Huh? The hell are you babbling about?"
Cain was dumbfounded.
Endy's sudden suggestion was like a spring breeze after a storm.
"You hide away in a place like this, that's the problem. I used to be alone too—it was miserable. But once I stepped outside, I found kind people everywhere. The world isn't as rotten as you think. I'll prove it to you!"
"That so? Well… can't wait."
Cain smirked, but the mask cracked ever so slightly.
Endy's dazzling optimism seeped into his frozen heart like sunlight.
"Sure, the world's got its ugly side. But that's exactly why we should change it together! You'll help me, won't you?"
Endy's eyes shone like stars, his smile like a banner of hope.
Cain turned his gaze away, a bitter ache tugging at his chest.
"…Yeah, yeah. Let's move before the ship sails off. Time to board."
The poaching vessel had raised its anchor, ready to depart.
Though only a third the size of an Indus warship, its armored hull looked as sturdy as a sea beast.
The two melted into the night and slipped beneath the waves.
The whisper of the sea carried them swiftly to the ship's side.
Clinging to the hull, Endy hesitated, catching his breath.
Cain surfaced and spotted a crewman tossing food scraps out a porthole.
He waved Endy over.
"Looks like a garbage room. Might be our way in."
"Ha! You're really getting into this. But yeah, no one's gonna hang around a trash room. Let's go."
"Keep it down. You're the one who said we should sneak in."
"Sorry, sorry."
Endy sulked, like a scolded puppy.
They climbed silently up the hull.
The porthole wasn't locked, and just wide enough for their frames.
They slipped inside under cover of darkness.
But the moment their feet touched the floor, a stench slammed into them.
Cain's hunch had been right—it was the garbage room.
The crew had just dumped trash into the sea, so the piles were small, yet the stench was overpowering—like poison distilled from the death forest itself.
"Damn, let's get out. I'm feeling sick already."
"Agreed. First time I've ever sided with you."
They held their breath and eased the door open.
A pitch-black corridor stretched out before them, twisting like a maze.
Their shadows melted into the dark, step by step toward the next door of fate.