The sky of the Shadow World that day was darker than usual, not because of clouds, but because of an unnatural heaviness that pressed down on the group. The air was thick with tension, and every step they took on the jagged stone pathways echoed louder than it should have.
Kaien Mori walked slightly behind Kaida Ren and Haruka, eyes darting to every shifting shadow. The forest—or what could be called a forest in this world—felt alive, almost sentient. Even minor creatures seemed to avoid this path, leaving only an eerie silence that gnawed at Mori's courage.
"Do you feel that?" Mori whispered, glancing at Kaida.
Kaida's expression was tense but composed. "I do. Something's… off. Whatever it is, it's not the regular shadow creatures."
Haruka, walking on Mori's other side, adjusted her hood and scanned the darkness. "It's heavier. It's like the shadows themselves are… waiting."
Mori shivered. The memory of past battles—low-rank creatures, near-death moments—gave him a sense of survival, yet the "weight in the air here felt entirely different."
---
Takuro Hoshigami trailed slightly behind, seemingly calm, though Mori could sense a subtle tension in his movements. The wrist chain glinted faintly, almost hypnotically, catching the dull light from the dim sky.
"Stay alert, Mori," Takuro said softly. "This isn't like the low-rank encounters you've survived. There are things here… beyond understanding. Don't let curiosity get the better of you."
Mori nodded, swallowing hard. "I… I'll try to focus."
Kaida glanced back. "It's not just focus. You have to trust your instincts. Every movement matters now."
Mori's heart beat faster. He felt the trust in Kaida's words—steady, reliable. Then he looked at Takuro. The calm in Takuro's expression made Mori feel secure… yet slightly uneasy.
There was "something Takuro wasn't telling him", Mori sensed, but he pushed the thought aside. Not now. He needed to survive, and "Takuro had always been his guide so far".
---
They advanced further into the canyon, the shadows growing longer and darker. A soft wind whispered through jagged rocks, carrying with it a faint, almost imperceptible vibration.
Mori paused. "Do you hear that?"
Kaida tilted his head. "Yes… that's no ordinary echo. Something is moving in the shadows… and it's bigger than anything we've faced before."
Haruka stepped forward cautiously. "It's like… it's watching us. Waiting."
The group froze instinctively. Mori felt his chest tighten, every muscle taut. He could feel the "Living Shadow presence", though he had never encountered one directly. A shiver ran down his spine.
"Don't panic," Takuro murmured. "It's important you feel this fear. Control it, don't fight it. Survival isn't about strength alone—it's about understanding what's bigger than you."
Mori's eyes widened. Takuro's words carried a weight he hadn't felt before. They were calm, almost instructional—but there was something behind them, subtle, intangible…
---
A movement in the corner of Mori's eye. A shadow detached from the jagged rocks, larger than any creature he had seen before, "dense and impossibly black", as if absorbing the light around it.
Kaida noticed first. "Mori, back! Don't engage!"
The shadow hovered, silent, emotionless. Mori's body froze. Fear ripped through him—not the fear of dying to low-rank creatures, but "something that dwarfed everything he had faced".
Takuro's eyes narrowed. "It's learning from you… testing."
Mori's heart leapt. "Testing?" he asked. "Why?!"
Takuro's lips curved slightly, almost a smirk. "Because the Shadow World isn't safe. Nothing here is what it seems. And some lessons… are unavoidable."
Haruka's voice trembled slightly. "It's… enormous… what is that?"
Kaida's tone remained firm. "It's one of the Living Shadows. These are "rare, almost unmeasurable in strength". Only the most powerful beings even approach them… and they are not merciful. Be aware, Mori. Every step counts."
Mori's stomach churned. He felt a "mix of awe and terror", yet Takuro's presence beside him strangely anchored him. Somehow, despite the fear, he felt he could rely on Takuro.
---
The shadow advanced slowly, silent and deliberate. Mori raised his dagger, hands shaking.
"Don't act rashly," Takuro warned. "Observe. See its pattern. Learn what you can. You may not get another chance."
Mori obeyed. Every movement of the shadow seemed calculated, yet deliberate. Its eyes—or whatever glowed within it—focused solely on him. Mori's mind raced: "could he fight it? Could he even survive?"
Kaida placed a hand on Mori's shoulder. "You trust me, right?"
Mori nodded. "Yes."
"Then stay close. We act as one."
Haruka whispered, her voice calm but firm, "Even when fear rises… we protect each other. Remember that."
---
Mori felt the adrenaline surge. The shadow lunged suddenly, faster than he could react fully. But instinct, honed through low-rank missions, kept him moving just enough to dodge.
Takuro's dagger flashed, intercepting the shadow's movement. The clash produced no sound, yet Mori could feel "the immense force behind the strike".
Kaida's arrows flew silently from the back, striking in perfect timing. Haruka guided movements, predicting paths, pointing out openings. Together, they survived—not by overpowering, but by coordinated precision.
Mori's heart raced. Each movement was a dance between fear and survival. "Every second mattered."
---
After what felt like eternity, the shadow recoiled and vanished into the mist, leaving the group shaken and breathless.
Mori sank to his knees. "I… I almost… I almost died…"
Takuro crouched beside him, voice quiet. "And you survived. That's what matters. Remember this feeling—the fear, the near-death… it's part of the growth."
Mori looked at him. "I… I trust you, Takuro. I trust you and Kaida."
Takuro's eyes softened for a brief moment. "Good. Trust is important. But always remember, in the shadows… trust is also a weapon. You'll learn that soon enough."
Mori's chest tightened, sensing the "hidden layers in Takuro's words", yet he felt safe enough tonight to accept guidance.
---
That night, around a small fire in a cave, Mori reflected. The memory of the Living Shadow lingered. It was "a foreshadowing, a warning of the forces he would face", but the true nature of its appearance and intent remained unknown.
Haruka handed him a small piece of dried rations. "You did well today, Mori. You faced fear and lived. That counts for more than strength."
Mori nodded, exhausted but learning. Kaida patted his shoulder. "We all have moments like this. What matters is rising after each encounter."
Takuro watched from the edge of the firelight, the wrist chain glinting faintly. Mori glanced at it, feeling "a subtle comfort".
And above the fires, shadows shifted in ways no one could fully perceive. A presence had been awakened, waiting. The "Living Shadow's power" was still a distant, terrifying echo, and Mori's journey was far from over.
---