The afternoon sun had begun its slow descent, dyeing the school corridors in a soft orange hue.
Rito walked down the hallway, his bag slung loosely over his shoulder, the faint echo of his footsteps following him through the now-empty school. His mind still lingered on the rooftop meeting with Hina-sensei—her soft voice, her surprised expression, and that final question that had almost sounded like something deeper.
He couldn't help but smile faintly.
She really took it seriously, huh…
The thought warmed him more than he cared to admit.
As he passed by the stairwell, voices drifted through the open windows—laughter, light and carefree. Peeking outside, Rito caught sight of two familiar figures walking side by side.
Shiina Mahiru.
And next to her—another girl, dark-haired, her posture calm yet cautious.
Rito's brow furrowed slightly. Miko Yotsuya…?
He blinked twice, almost doubting his own eyes. Wait, from "Mieruko-chan"? She's here too?
The oddity of it made his head spin for a second. Still, seeing Mahiru with someone like that… it brought an unexpected relief. She looked at peace—laughing quietly, her expression soft and natural, like an ordinary girl rather than the so-called "angel" of the school.
"Good for you, Mahiru," Rito murmured with a small smile. "You've got a friend here too."
And with that quiet thought, he turned away, heading for the school gates.
By the time he reached the courtyard, the crowd had thinned out completely. The faint chirping of cicadas echoed between the buildings, and the last of the sunlight slipped through the clouds.
Under a tree near the school wall sat a single girl—her platinum hair gleaming faintly under the afternoon glow.
Shiina Mashiro.
A few students lingered nearby, half-curious, half-intimidated, but none dared to approach. She simply sat there, silent and still, her gaze lost somewhere toward the distant sky.
"Sorry, Mashiro! I'm a bit late!"
Rito hurried over, his voice slightly breathless as he skidded to a stop beside her.
Mashiro turned her head slowly, her golden eyes meeting his. Without a word, she shook her head and reached out, clutching his sleeve lightly—her quiet way of saying she didn't mind.
Her hand was small, warm, and strangely comforting.
"Then, shall we go?" Rito said with a small smile.
Mashiro nodded once. Together, they began to walk. The few boys nearby groaned softly in envy, muttering under their breath as Rito passed with the most mysterious girl in school clinging gently to his sleeve.
For a moment, everything felt peaceful again.
Until it didn't.
A faint chime echoed in his head—clear, mechanical, and cold.
Rito froze. His vision flickered, and then the blue glow appeared.
[Instant Quest Generated]
Help Shiina Mahiru & Miko Yotsuya survive.
Reward: 100 System Points + Skill Gacha Token
Time Limit: 14 minutes, 32 seconds… and counting.
The line pulsed once.
Then again.
Each flicker of light felt heavier than the last.
"Survive…?" Rito muttered, his voice barely audible. A chill crawled down his spine.
His mind raced through every possibility—ghosts, curses, entities—all the supernatural horror tied to Miko's world. His stomach twisted at the thought.
He looked up. The quest timer had already dropped to thirteen minutes.
"Damn it…" He clenched his fists, heart pounding. They're in danger right now.
Every instinct screamed at him to run—to turn back toward where he had seen them last. But as he glanced to his side, Mashiro was still there, holding onto his sleeve, her expression as calm and innocent as ever.
Rito's thoughts collided in chaos. I can't take her with me… if something's there, she could get hurt. But leaving her alone isn't an option either.
"Rito?"
Her soft voice snapped him back. They had stopped at a red light, the pedestrian signal blinking slowly in the sunset glow. Mashiro tilted her head slightly, sensing his tension.
He forced a smile. "Ah, sorry, I just… thought of something."
The lie tasted bitter.
The timer ticked—twelve minutes.
He bit his lip, glancing around desperately, until a familiar figure appeared across the street.
A girl with chestnut hair tied neatly behind her head, her schoolbag slung over one shoulder.
"Mikan!"
His voice came out louder than intended, but she looked up instantly, eyes widening when she saw her brother waving frantically from across the crossing.
"What are you doing, Rito?" she asked, frowning a little as she stepped closer when the light changed.
By the time they met halfway, Rito had already made up his mind.
"Mikan," he said quickly, his voice firm yet rushed. "I have to go somewhere—something came up. Can you take Mashiro home for me?"
"Eh?" She blinked, glancing between them. "What do you mean, 'something came up'? You look—"
"I'll explain later," Rito cut in gently. "Just… please. It's important."
Mashiro looked up at him, her fingers still gripping his sleeve. Her usual blank gaze flickered—faint worry, faint trust.
"Sorry, Mashiro. I'll bring your favorite snack later, okay?" he said softly.
There was a pause. Then Mashiro nodded, the corners of her lips twitching faintly. "...Alright. I'll wait."
Rito exhaled, relief mixing with guilt. "Thanks."
Mikan sighed, clearly unconvinced but too used to her brother's impulsive behavior to argue. "Fine, fine. I'll take her. But you owe me an explanation later, got it?"
"Got it."
She reached for Mashiro's hand. "Come on, Mashiro-san. Let's forget about this stupid Rito for now."
Mashiro blinked at her, then gave a small nod, letting herself be led away. The two girls walked together through the fading light, their silhouettes soft against the orange sky.
Rito stood there for a moment, watching them go—Mashiro's silver hair gleaming faintly beside Mikan's chestnut brown—before turning on his heel.
The quest timer flashed again.
[Time Remaining: 10:48]
He tightened his grip on his bag and broke into a run.
The warm sunset air turned cold against his skin as he rushed back toward the direction he had seen Mahiru and Miko earlier, heart hammering in rhythm with the ticking countdown.
Hold on… just hold on.
After taking a quick turn, Rito left. The world around him blurred as he activated Shinobi Rush, the skill humming like lightning in his veins. Memories surged—snippets of another existence, another power—echoes of Sasuke Uchiha.
The moment they surfaced, his blood stirred violently, burning with an intensity that almost scared him. His heartbeat quickened, muscles tightening as his body adapted to the influx of energy. His reflexes sharpened, his vision deepened, and every breath came out smoother, lighter—controlled.
He could feel it, a strange current coursing beneath his skin, coiling at his soles like an awakened serpent. As he willed it toward his legs, the ground beneath him seemed to yield; every step propelled him forward with impossible speed. The wind roared against his ears as the scenery whipped past in streaks of color.
"At the first stage of this skill, I'll only have Sasuke's ability from his early years," Rito murmured under his breath, tone half-focused, half-determined. "Though… even then, he already had his Sharingan… and the curse mark."
The thought brought a faint, knowing smirk to his lips. The curse mark's corruption—its hunger—was gone. What remained was pure strength. Wings of dark energy that once symbolized a pact with a snake now lay dormant within him, sealed away as his trump card.
He clenched his fists, feeling the restrained pulse of that dormant power. Not yet. He couldn't risk using something that flashy—not in public, not when eyes could still see him. For now, speed alone would do.
The sky above began to darken, the once-clear blue swallowed by creeping clouds. The sunlight dimmed into cold silver as shadows stretched across the streets, giving the air an eerie heaviness.
Meanwhile, beneath that brooding sky, Shiina Mahiru and Miko Yotsuya walked side by side.
Their steps were slow, unhurried, the soft crunch of gravel beneath their shoes almost the only sound in the empty street. Mahiru's face carried her usual serene smile, faint but warm, while Miko spoke animatedly about a new cake shop that had opened near the station.
Mahiru listened with her quiet grace, nodding at intervals, her golden-brown hair swaying slightly with each step. Yet, even as she smiled, she noticed the faint tremor in Miko's voice—the way her eyes flicked over her shoulder now and then.
The air had turned cold. The kind of chill that didn't come from the weather, but from something unseen.
Mahiru's hand brushed against her friend's sleeve gently. "Miko? You've been glancing back a lot. Is something wrong?"
Miko flinched, forcing a shaky smile. "Ah—no, it's… nothing. Just… just cold, I guess."
But her voice wavered.
She could feel it again. The same suffocating pressure she'd sensed earlier that morning—the heavy, grotesque presence that had haunted her for days.
Her instincts screamed that it was near. Following. Watching.
Mahiru didn't seem to notice. Or maybe… whatever that thing was simply refused to appear before her. It was strange, almost as if some aura around Shiina repelled the grotesque entities that Miko could see. When she stood close to her, the whispers and distortions dulled to a faint hum, and for the first time in years, Miko could breathe normally.
That was why she'd grown close to Mahiru—why she felt safe beside her. The angelic classmate everyone admired wasn't just kind; she was a natural shield against the horrors that haunted Miko's vision.
But tonight, as the clouds loomed darker, even Mahiru's presence couldn't completely erase that suffocating sense of dread.
Miko swallowed hard, her steps quickening slightly as the two entered the narrow path that cut through the park—a shortcut to her home. The air grew heavier with every step.
Mahiru tilted her head. "You seem in a hurry."
"I just—" Miko hesitated, glancing toward the dimly lit path ahead. "It's getting late. I thought we should—"
Then she froze.
A shadow moved between the trees—no sound, no form, only the sickening distortion of space itself. Her breath hitched as the world seemed to twist.
Something alive was watching them.
Her vision blurred for an instant, and in that haze she caught the faintest glimpse—an enormous, pulsating mass of flesh, its many eyes shifting within folds of muscle, each one staring directly at her.
Her pulse skyrocketed.
Mahiru's voice broke the silence, calm but firm. "Miko."
Miko blinked, snapping back. The distortion was gone. Only the rustling leaves remained. Mahiru looked at her with quiet concern, her gaze steady.
"You don't have to push yourself," she said softly. "If you're scared, we can take the longer route."
Miko opened her mouth to reply, but words failed her. That calmness, that unshakable poise—it made her want to cry. She didn't deserve to make Mahiru walk into danger, but she couldn't leave her either.
"…No," she said finally, mustering a small, forced smile. "Let's keep going. I'll be fine."
Mahiru nodded once, accepting her answer. But as they walked, the black clouds above thickened, blotting out even the faintest trace of sunlight.
Somewhere behind them, unseen, something stirred.
The faint squelch of wet flesh brushed the edge of Miko's hearing, and her shoulders tensed instinctively. Her breath came shallow, her heartbeat loud in her ears.
The park stretched before them, silent and cold.
And though Mahiru's presence still gave her courage, Miko couldn't shake the feeling that this time—this time—it wouldn't be enough.
Fate, it seemed, had other plans.