Whispers of Shikiban:The king walk among us

The birds' gentle chirps filled the air, signaling the arrival of the first rays of sunlight. The warmth from the sun slowly crept across the land, bathing the world in golden light. Reika sat quietly on the grass, the cool morning breeze brushing against her skin, but it did little to ease the tightness in her chest. The weight of the day pressed heavily on her, and the looming trial felt as if it was about to crush her.

"If we don't find that crystal stone…" Reika murmured, the words hanging in the cool morning air, her voice distant. "I'll be disqualified…" The finality of it echoed in her mind, dragging a deep, gnawing emptiness into her thoughts. It wasn't just about the task at hand. It was the pressure, the crushing weight of expectations that seemed to grow heavier with every breath.

Ishigo glanced at her, his usual lightheartedness replaced with a quiet resolve. "Don't worry," he said, though the smile he offered was thinner than usual, his voice steady but lacking the carefree energy he usually radiated. "We'll make it through the test."

Reika didn't respond immediately but gave a small, absent nod. She stood up slowly, brushing dirt off her clothes as her gaze drifted to the path ahead. There was no choice but to move forward—to Tenshiko, the site of their next trial. But even as her body moved, her mind remained elsewhere, tangled in the uncertainty of what awaited them.

Just as they began walking, a loud voice shattered the stillness of the forest.

"You fucking beasts, you want to eat me, huh?"

Reika's spine stiffened, the harshness of the voice cutting through the air like a blade. It was taunting, dripping with arrogance. She exchanged a quick glance with Ishigo, both of them clearly unsettled. Something about that voice didn't sit right with her.

Ahead in the clearing stood a boy, a few years older than them, his posture unnervingly confident, almost mocking. His arm was twisted unnaturally, bending at the elbow in a way that shouldn't have been possible. It was as if his arm were shifting, morphing into the front limb of a wolf, the animal writhing in pain beneath his control. But the boy—he seemed to find it amusing, his grin wide and unhinged.

The wolf struggled, its cries rising in agony, but the boy only laughed louder, as if enjoying its suffering. "HAHAHA!" His laughter echoed through the trees, mocking the creature's pain.

"What the hell is going on here?" Ishigo muttered, his voice edged with disbelief.

Reika narrowed her eyes, trying to make sense of what she was witnessing. The boy was tall, with messy black hair that hung over his eyes. He exuded the kind of arrogance that made it impossible to ignore him, as if the world owed him something. His laughter echoed, deep and unsettling, sending a chill down Reika's spine.

"Some psycho," Reika murmured, her voice flat, as her mind raced. Why is he using his hand like that?

Before either of them could react further, the boy tightened his grip, and with a sickening crack, the wolf let out a final, agonized cry. The boy stepped back, watching the creature's body crumple with cruel satisfaction, before it was consumed by flames. From the ashes, a glowing stone emerged, and the boy snatched it up, holding it triumphantly.

"Mwahaha! I just killed it! I'm the strongest!" He screamed, his arms thrown wide as he danced in circles, an insane grin stretched across his face.

Reika's eyes widened, unease twisting her gut. It wasn't just the boy's laughter or the brutal way he had killed the wolf—it was the stone that had appeared, glowing with a faint, unnatural light. As the wolf's body burned away, the boy held it up like a prized relic, pressing a kiss to it as if it were the most sacred object in the world.

"OMG, it's mine! Finally, I've found it!" he exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with twisted triumph.

Reika's gaze hardened, a flicker of disgust crossing her face. Totally insane...

"Hey, kids, what's up?" the boy called, his grin widening as he approached them, clearly relishing the attention. "I'm Daigo Yamamoto, the strongest Kageshiki in the world!" His voice was loud, brash, and laced with pride.

Reika crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. "Great. Another insane one," she muttered, her voice laced with barely concealed disdain.

Daigo tilted his head, clearly enjoying the shock on their faces. "You're a Kageshiki too, huh? But you're so young. You think you can handle me?" He flexed his muscles, making a show of his strength, his voice playful in a way that was both childish and dangerous.

Reika's gaze remained cold, her voice sharp. "Yeah, you're strong, sure. But I don't have time to waste on some meaningless fight."

Daigo's laughter rang out again, boisterous and deafening. "Oh, come on! Don't be shy!" He threw a mock punch in the air, daring her to engage. "Let's fight right now! What's the matter? You don't believe I'm the strongest?"

Reika met his gaze with a withering look. "I'm not wasting my time on this idiot."

Daigo smirked, clearly unbothered. "Don't be so icy!" he teased. "I'll call you 'Icy' from now on."

"My name is not 'Icy'. It's Kagetsu Reika." Her voice was steady, but a flicker of irritation gleamed in her eyes.

Daigo laughed again, loud and carefree. "Well, I love 'Icy' better. It suits you," he said before turning to Ishigo, who had been quietly observing the exchange.

"Yo, bro! What's your name?" Daigo slapped Ishigo's back a little too hard, causing him to flinch.

"Nakano Ishigo," Ishigo muttered, clearly uninterested in Daigo's antics.

"Haha! You were born to be my bro!" Daigo laughed, as if his words were the funniest thing he'd heard all day.

"Yeah, real funny," Ishigo replied, his voice deadpan, unimpressed.

Reika had had enough. "Come on, we need to get to Tenshiko," she said, her voice sharp, turning away from Daigo without another word.

But Daigo wasn't about to let her go that easily. He quickly fell into step beside her, his grin still wide, his voice too chipper for the situation. "Let me go with you, bro!" he said, clearly eager.

Reika didn't look at him, her gaze fixed ahead, but her silence spoke volumes. Ishigo sighed heavily beside her. "Fine. But don't touch me."

As they continued through the dense forest, Daigo's laughter and words echoed behind them, a constant reminder of the absurdity that clung to him. The sounds of the jungle felt less alive now, as if something darker was lurking just beyond their sight.

Eventually, they reached the gates of Tenshiko. But what awaited them inside was far worse than anything they could have imagined. The gates stood wide open, revealing a gruesome scene. Hooded figures were hauling away bloody, half-eaten bodies from the jungle. The stench of death was thick in the air, and Reika's stomach churned at the sight. It was a brutal reminder of just how high the stakes were.

"Looks like the beasts didn't finish eating them…" Reika muttered under her breath, her voice barely audible. "They're still salty… guess that's why they didn't survive."

Daigo's laughter broke the heavy silence. "Haha, that's funny. Too bad for them!" His amusement was unaffected by the carnage, his voice far too bright for the scene around them.

Despite the death that surrounded them, only about sixty people remained, walking silently into the academy for the next stage of the trials. Reika's mind raced. How many more would make it through the next round?

A voice, smooth and mocking, interrupted her thoughts. "Well, well. Looks like some of you survived."

Reika's eyes snapped to the figure leaning casually against the wall. It was Souta, his silver-white hair covering his eyes, his expression unreadable, as always. His voice was thick with sarcasm as he spoke.

"I did it," Reika said firmly, her eyes narrowing as she faced him. She wasn't about to let anyone question her ability to survive.

Souta's smirk deepened, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Impressive. But there's more to come." He straightened up, giving them all a mocking bow before walking off. "Tomorrow, flexibility training. Good luck with that."

Reika's heart sank. Flexibility training? The idea was absurd, and the thought of failing now, after everything, was unbearable. Her resolve hardened, and despite the unease gnawing at her, she knew there was no turning back now. She would survive. No matter what it took.