He turned to Shizuku and Momoshimo.
Shino:
"Shizuku, observe everything around us."
"Momoshimo, give me some small stones. I'll drop them as we move, in case we need to retrace our steps."
The forest ahead stood silent.
Too silent.
And that silence felt like a warning.
They searched for abnormalities for two long hours.
Nothing.
Just trees. Silence. Darkness.
They were about to give up when—
Shizuku:
"Hey… isn't that fruit on that tree looking a bit weird?"
Shino:
"Where?"
Shizuku:
"On the right side. Look carefully."
Shino narrowed his eyes.
Shino:
"…So this confirms it."
"We've entered the forbidden zone."
He looked around uneasily.
Shino:
"And why the hell is it so dark here…? We could be ambushed at any moment."
Waku:
"Don't worry."
He pulled out a device and activated it.
Waku:
"I brought a light. This should help."
As the area lit up, their hearts sank.
Not one tree.
Many trees—all bearing the same unnatural fruits.
Shino:
"…It's confirmed."
"This is definitely the forbidden zone."
"Now we search for the pond with the dark purple liquid."
They moved forward cautiously.
Then—
Something impossible appeared in the distance.
Shino:
"Hey… isn't that Shinji-sensei's house?"
Shizuku:
"It's an illusion."
"Did you forget what Shinji-sensei warned us about?"
Shino:
"…Right. I remember."
As they stepped deeper into the forbidden zone, the atmosphere grew heavier.
The air felt wrong.
Then the sounds began.
Crying.
Screaming.
Voices begging for help—echoing from every direction.
Not human.
Not real.
But convincing enough to make their hearts race.
Jeisuke:
"Hey… are there more people here?"
Momoshimo:
"It's a trap."
"Focus on the liquid. Don't fall for it."
Then—
Akaimo felt something.
A voice.
Soft. Familiar.
His mother's voice.
She was calling him… begging for help.
Saying monsters had attacked her.
Only Akaimo could hear it.
Akaimo (inside his mind):
"This voice… it sounds real…
Wait—?! Mother?!"
Without thinking, he started running toward the voice.
Straight into the darkness.
Shino:
"Akaimo—WAIT!"
Everyone rushed to stop him—
Too late.
He disappeared into the shadows.
Shizuku:
"Akaimo?! Answer us!"
Silence.
Then—
A loud scream echoed through the forest.
Akaimo's scream.
Everyone ran toward the sound.
What they saw froze their blood.