Page 1 — The Swarm
A quiet city-edge neighborhood.Overgrown plants creep through cracked roads.
Suddenly—
SCREEEEECH
Mutated worms burst from the ground, followed by armored insect monsters.
They swarm toward screaming civilians.
People run.Shops shutter.Chaos spreads in seconds.
"THEY'RE COMING FROM THE GROUND—!"
"CALL THE GUILD!"
"THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!"
A well-built man steps forward, trying to show off in front of his attractive girlfriend.
He stomps down on a worm—
It doesn't die.
More bugs latch onto him.
He screams.
In seconds, he's devoured alive.
Blood splashes.
The girl stumbles backward, frozen in terror—Next in line.
Page 2 — Enter SAIN
CLANG
A spear slams into the pavement between the girl and the monsters.
A navy-blue-haired hunter steps forward.
Tall.Well-built.Trying very hard to look calm.
A massive worm lunges.
For a split second—
His eyes widen.
Sain (thinking):No… worms…
The spear thrusts—
SPLAT
The worm splits open.
Green blood sprays.
Sain flinches.
Sain (quiet scream):"—Tch!"
He jumps back too far, almost slipping.
Another worm lunges—
Sain:"DON'T—!"
He stabs again.Faster. Rougher.
His technique is efficient…
…but his face is screaming even if his mouth isn't.
Page 3 — Fear, Observed
Civilians notice.
One whispers:
"Is he scared?"
Another snorts:
"Why does he look like he's about to cry?"
Sain kills another worm, jaw clenched.
He doesn't look heroic.
He looks terrified—but determined.
Page 4 — Enter MARU (Explosion of Chaos)
Suddenly—
BOOOOOOM
A mace hammer crashes down.
A worm is reduced to paste.
A loud, echoing scream fills the street.
Maru:"AAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!!!"
Maru charges forward.
Eyes shut.Tears flying.
Maru:"DON'T COME NEAR ME—AAAAAAAH!!!"
He swings blindly.
CRASH — a bug explodes.Another leaps—
BAM — crushed into the pavement.
Page 5 — Fear as a Weapon (Comedy Peak)
Maru keeps screaming nonstop.
Maru:"STAY AWAY! STAY AWAY! STAY AWAY!!!"
Bugs shatter.Green blood splashes everywhere.
People peek from hiding places.
One whispers:
"Why is he screaming like that?!"
Sain stabs another monster—
Then glances at Maru.
For a moment—
He almost laughs.
Civilians burst into laughter.
"That guy's fighting like his life depends on it!"
"He's terrified—but unstoppable!"
Sain lets out a short, awkward laugh—
Immediately kills another worm out of panic.
Page 6 — Aftermath
Silence.
Monster corpses everywhere.
Two hunters remain standing—
Both completely drenched in monster blood.
Maru bends over, panting.
Maru:"I hate bugs…I hate worms…"
Sain stands stiffly, spear tip dripping.
His hand trembles slightly.
Page 7 — The Realization
Maru suddenly freezes.
"…Wait."
He looks around.
The civilians are safe.
Not a single injury.
He follows the trail of crushed insects—
All positioned away from the people.
Page 8 — The Awkward Eye Contact
Sain stands there.
Blood-stained.Breathing controlled.
Maru stares at him, mouth wide open.
Sain notices.
They lock eyes.
Awkward silence.
Sain quickly looks away.
Page 9 — First Conversation
Maru walks over, nervous.
Maru:"U-Um… hey… sorry if I scared anyone…"
Sain hesitates.
Sain:"…You were loud."
Maru scratches his head.
Maru:"Yeah… bugs kinda freak me out."
Sain sighs.
Sain:"…Mhm. Worms are unpleasant."
Maru grins.
Maru:"Guess fear works differently on different people!"
Sain thinks.
Sain:"…Perhaps."
Page 10 — Mutual Respect
Sain speaks again, sincere.
Sain:"But your strength…It was extraordinary."
Maru blinks.
"…Really?"
Sain nods.
Sain:"You eliminated the threat faster than anyone I've seen."
Maru smiles.
Maru:"You protected everyone while I was busy screaming, didn't you?"
Sain blushes slightly.
Maru:"I'm Maru!Guild Hunter—uh—still kinda new!"
After a pause—
Sain:"…Sain. Been around a few weeks."
Page 11 — Quiet Bond
Maru:"Hey… wanna not fight bugs alone next time?"
Sain looks at the destroyed street.
Then at the people.
Sain:"…That would be logical."
People begin to thank them.
Sain looks uncomfortable.Maru waves enthusiastically.
Maru:"You did great too, ya know!"
Sain blinks.
Sain:"…That was the job."
A faint smile appears.
Page 12 — The Observers (Zodiac Seed)
From an alley corner—
Ten hunters watch.
One laughs:
"Two scared idiots wiped out a swarm."
Another:
"One screams. One panics quietly."
One whispers:
"Did you see that hammer guy?"
Another:
"And the spear user… his positioning was perfect."
A third smirks:
"They're wasted working alone."
The leader speaks:
"Let's ask them."
FINAL THOUGHT BOX
Fear does not weaken everyone the same way.It can become a weakness…or a great weapon.
Sometimes, the strongest bonds are formed in chaos.