Renji shoved the shop door open with a grunt, a scowl already tugging at his face.
"Can you ass cracks hurry it up?" he called into the shop.
Silence.
He rolled his eyes, clicked his tongue, and let the door slam shut behind him.
Stepping onto the sidewalk, he exhaled slowly, eyes scanning the bustling Middle District of Laide. This place was the halfway point between royalty and the rotting slums—a glittery transition zone that smelled just faintly of desperation.
People bustled past him, laughing, trading gossip, haggling like their lives depended on it. To Renji, it all looked eerily familiar. Neon signs buzzed overhead, shops stacked side-by-side like dominos, and mannequins stared blankly out of windows like they were waiting to be judged.
He could've sworn he saw a store identical to one back in Tokyo.
Carriages rattled past, drawn by all kinds of creatures—Horses, Ground Dragons, even a lizard the size of a damn motorcycle.
Behind him, the door finally swung open with a ding as the bell overhead rang.
Renji turned slightly, not bothering to hide the irritation on his face. "Took you long enough."
Kairo stepped out first, adjusting a fresh sleeveless jacket with a smirk. "What can I say? Perfection takes time."
Yuna followed close behind, flicking her hair back. "Exactly. We're not walking into the catacombs dressed like back-alley orphans."
She gave Kairo a sideways look and wrinkled her nose. "Especially not with your pit stench. We'd die before the monsters even sniffed us."
Kairo grinned, completely unbothered. "Biological warfare. Weaponized musk. It's a real thing."
Renji groaned and massaged his temples. "Spare me. We've got clothes, we've got gear. Let's move before I stab myself with my own dagger out of secondhand embarrassment."
He spun on his heel and started walking. The other two snickered and fell into step behind him.
Meanwhile, a few hours earlier...
The trio had barely escaped the giant's attack, their hearts still racing as they made their way toward the middle district. Renji was trying to explain himself to Yuna, who was holding her tattered robe up to cover herself.
"So, you said you had 'connections,' right?" Yuna asked, giving Renji a sideways glance.
Renji nodded, his expression unreadable. "Yeah. Turns out I did."
Kairo, his tone dripping with sarcasm, spoke up. "And yet here we are, half-dressed and nearly dead. What happened to those 'connections'?"
Renji sighed, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. "Well, those 'connections' involved me… taking a few things. Let's just say, there were some items not exactly discussed beforehand."
Yuna blinked, raising an eyebrow. "You stole?"
Renji shot her a look that could've melted ice. "Not exactly the word I'd use. But yeah. I may have borrowed something that wasn't exactly up for grabs."
Kairo raised an eyebrow. "So… what exactly did you steal?"
Renji casually lifted the collar of his shirt, revealing a faint green glow emanating from inside. Yuna and Kairo leaned in, their eyes widening in unison. "Woah."
Inside his shirt were at least fifteen gold-grade mana crystals, each pulsating faintly to the rhythm of his heartbeat.
Kairo leaned back, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "That's insane, dude."
Renji shrugged, his face unreadable. "Gotta do what we gotta do to survive."
The trio continued bickering and joking, adjusting their tattered robes and new weapons as they made their way through the middle district. Their footsteps echoed along the cobblestone streets as they searched for the nearest jewelry exchange.
Fast forward a few minutes.
They'd stopped at a jewelry exchange, where Renji had sold his mana stones for eight gold coins. From there, they'd checked into a decent inn for the night, cleaned up, and spent a few hours resting before heading to the clothing shop they had left just moments ago.
Fast forward to the present.
Fully clothed and ready for their next challenge, the trio was halfway to the Royal district, walking toward the catacombs.
Renji walked at the front, his trench coat falling to his knees, split halfway toward the bottom. A dark top hat perched on his head, his white undershirt untucked beneath the coat. Black cargo pants completed the look, with a pair of enchanted boots that muted the sound of his steps—even on water. His twin daggers swayed at his hips with each stride.
Kairo, walking a few steps behind, was dressed in a sleeveless jacket that hung loosely from his back, secured with a few buttons over his black t-shirt. His ripped jeans clung to his legs, and his sword hung at his side, always within reach.
Yuna's outfit was bold, to say the least. She wore a plum bodysuit that dipped low enough to expose a hint of cleavage, paired with thigh-high boots that clicked with every step. Around her neck, a gem necklace glowed softly, providing a mana boost to her spells.
Renji walked ahead of the group, lifting his map every few minutes to trace the red path he'd highlighted the day before. Behind him, Yuna and Kairo bickered playfully, their voices light and carefree.
It was hard for him to believe this was still happening.
No matter how much he tried to brush it off, he wasn't used to any of this. A new body? A new life? No memories? Even the statue of him—once towering, now gone like it never existed.
What the hell had he done to deserve this kind of punishment?
What was he even supposed to do?
He couldn't feel even a flicker of mana—inside him or in the air. His entire plan only reached as far as the catacombs: get the money, escape, regroup. But… what came after that?
He didn't know.
And he hated not knowing.
How could Yuna and Kairo just walk behind him, laughing and teasing like everything was fine? What if the plan failed? What then? They had no backup, no safety net—just a rough fighting strategy to keep themselves alive.
But being alive wasn't good enough for him. He wanted more than just survival. More than just the bare minimum.
He needed answers. Purpose. Control.
Because whatever this was—it wasn't fair. And deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that he didn't deserve it.
He exhaled, eyes drifting to the streets ahead—until something in his peripheral vision made his blood run cold.
A hooded figure. Tall. Dark cloak. Etched with rune markings that etched themselves into his memory the moment he first saw them.
His feet froze. His breath hitched. His head snapped toward the road.
Yuna and Kairo noticed his sudden halt and quieted behind him.
Renji scanned the crowd, eyes darting from carriage to alley, from sidewalk to storefront—but nothing. No sign of the figure.
But he knew what he saw.
Why here? Why now?
The noise of the district dulled around him, like the world itself was holding its breath. His hand moved instinctively toward his daggers, but it felt like he was moving through sludge.
His grip trembled. The daggers clinked softly in their sheathes.
No… no, no. It can't be.
What the hell were they doing here?
Kairo placed a hand on Renji's shoulder, snapping him out of whatever mental void he'd just dropped into.
"You good, bro?" he asked, voice low. "You dropped the map."
He bent down and picked it up casually, brushing some dirt off the edge.
Renji blinked, staring at him like he hadn't even realized he was there. His knuckles were pale white, clenched tight around the hilts of his daggers.
"Yeah… I'm—" He swallowed. "I'm fine." The lie barely held together in his voice.
Kairo gave him a quick side-eye, then unfolded the map, squinting at the red-lined path. "You actually mapped this pretty well," he muttered, eyebrows slightly raised in approval.
Renji tried to relax, forcing his grip to loosen. He took another breath, dragging calm over his panic like a blanket over fire.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm the one who tra—"
He froze mid-sentence.
His eyes locked onto the corner of the parchment—so faint it could've been a smudge, but no.
He recognized that symbol.
He knew that symbol.
Everything inside him went cold.
Before Kairo could react, Renji's hands shot out. Twin daggers flashed through the air, slicing straight through the map like it was paper-thin smoke. He jumped back, eyes wide, breathing sharp and erratic.
Kairo jerked as the map split in half, torn clean down the middle.
"What the hell—?!"
His words barely escaped before the map shredded completely, fragments dancing in the wind before vanishing into the street.
His confusion twisted into rage. He grabbed Renji by the collar, yanking him forward.
"The hell is wrong with you?!" he snapped. "Are you out of your damn mind?!"
Renji didn't respond. Couldn't. His breath came in ragged bursts, eyes wide and unblinking. His fingers clenched around his daggers like they were the only thing tethering him to reality.
"I-It… w-was—" he tried to speak, but his voice broke.
"Spit it out!" Kairo barked, yanking his collar tighter.
Renji gasped, choking slightly as the grip stole his breath.
Yuna rushed between them. "Hey—HEY! Let him go!" she snapped, grabbing Kairo's arms. "He wouldn't freak out like that for nothing!"
Kairo growled under his breath, but finally shoved Renji away. "Then explain. Now."
Renji stumbled back, trying to swallow air and panic at the same time. His voice was barely a whisper.
"I-It… was… t-them…"
Kairo's scowl didn't fade, but his eyebrows creased. "Them? What the hell does that mean?"
Yuna turned to him, puzzled, but her expression shifted when she looked at Renji.
His hands were still shaking. His eyes hadn't moved.
She placed a hand gently on his shoulder, lowering her voice. "Whoever they were… they're not here now."
She shot Kairo a look that could cut steel. "Back off."
Then back to Renji—
"It's okay," she whispered, her touch soft. "You're safe now."
But Renji's panic didn't ease. If anything, it deepened.
Because in his head, he knew—
They were never gone.
They were watching.
Yuna glanced at Renji. He still hadn't calmed down—his breathing uneven, gaze distant.
She looked up. The sun was dipping low, bleeding orange into the sky.
She sighed. "Let's call it. He's not walking any further."
Kairo scoffed. "And where exactly are we staying? The dirt?"
Yuna slipped under Renji's arm, hoisting him onto her shoulder. "There's an inn nearby. I've been here before."
She started walking without another word. Kairo hesitated, his eyes narrowing at Renji. That panic… it wasn't just fear. It was trauma. "Them," he'd said.
Still, Kairo moved beside them, slinging Renji's other arm over his shoulder.
He didn't say anything more. He didn't need to. Even he could tell something was seriously wrong.
They walked in silence—about a kilometer—before turning a narrow corner.
The inn came into view.
It was a modest, blocky structure of stone and brick. Too angular for the rest of Laide's rustic charm. Ghost-white walls, chipped paint, and steel window frames made it feel almost... foreign.
Modern, in a world that shouldn't know that word.
Inside, it was quiet.
Four tables sat near the entrance—two on each side—each with mismatched chairs like someone had scavenged them from other taverns. Only one was occupied.
A man sat alone, cloaked in a dark purple robe, a strange emblem stitched across his chest. He looked up as they entered. His eyes lingered on Yuna for a second. He gave a small nod… then turned back to his drink.
Yuna returned the nod, her expression unreadable, and approached the front counter.
She dropped their last gold coin with a soft clink.
The innkeeper was hidden behind a wide newspaper, only the top of a head barely visible above the counter. No movement—until a tiny hand silently snatched the coin.
A moment later, three silver coins floated up and dropped gently onto the wood.
Yuna pocketed them.
"Floor two," came a small, tired voice. "Rooms three and two are open."
Renji shuffled beside Yuna, each step stiff, like his body was moving on delay. His eyes stared ahead, glassy. His hand brushed the wall as they climbed the stairs, and on the third step, his foot caught.
He stumbled.
His body tilted forward—too slow to catch himself.
Yuna's hand shot out and yanked his collar, dragging him upright before he could eat the stairs.
"No you don't," she muttered, steadying him with a soft grunt.
A few minutes later, they settled into their rooms. Kairo took room three alone, grumbling something under his breath, while Yuna gently led Renji into room two.
She guided him to the single bed tucked in the corner. He sat without resistance, like a marionette with cut strings. Yuna lowered him back, watching his face. His breathing was still uneven, fingers twitching now and then like he was fighting off a memory that wouldn't leave.
She lingered beside him for a moment, biting her lip. Her eyes drifted to his hands—still stained with phantom tension. Whatever he'd seen back there… whatever they were… it had shaken him down to his core.
She sighed quietly, brushing a hand over his forehead. It was clammy. Feverish.
"I don't know what scared you like that," she whispered, "but it's gone now."
She held her hand there for a few seconds longer, as if trying to push the panic away through touch. Then, with one last glance, she stood up and headed to the bathroom.
The door clicked shut behind her.
A moment later, the sound of running water filled the silence—soft, steady, like a lullaby trying to wash the day away.
Renji shifted on the bed, placing himself down with a dull thud. He let out a deep sigh and covered his every with his forearm. His eyelids shut, too tight to open. Slowly, yet surely, his mind drifted off.
The sound of the gentle wind outside seemed to hypnotize him to a slumber, which he eventually succumbed to.