Day 4 – The Shinjuku Forest Trial
"Ishigo, do you know where we are?"Reika's voice was tinged with unease, her eyes scanning the vast darkness before them. The dense trees stood like sentinels, casting long shadows across the ground, and a faint, unnerving smell lingered in the air.
Ishigo didn't respond immediately. His gaze shifted over the dense forest, his body coiled like a spring, waiting. The air was thick, heavy with the scent of damp earth and something else—something that made his instincts prickle. The forest seemed too quiet. Too still.
"This place..."Reika's voice faltered, a slight tremor in her words. "It's like Kuroyami Forest, but not. Something's different. The air—it's wrong."
Daigo, ever the optimist, flashed a grin that seemed out of place in the growing tension. "Yo, today's gonna be fun, right?" His upbeat tone only made the atmosphere feel more oppressive. How could anyone sound so carefree when the air itself seemed to weigh a thousand pounds?
Ishigo shot him a glance, irritation flickering in his eyes. Daigo's constant chatter was a maddening distraction, an echo of a false reality that made Ishigo long for silence. How could anyone stay so blissfully unaware when death was a breath away?
The group of trainees stood in perfect formation, their bodies rigid, their minds ready for whatever nightmare awaited them. The trainer stood at the front, an imposing figure against the backdrop of the forest, his face unreadable, like a stone statue.
Reika's face was a mask of controlled composure. But Ishigo could see the tightness in her jaw, the way her eyes darted to the shadows. Daigo, oblivious as always, draped his arm over Ishigo's shoulder. It was meant to be friendly, but the weight of it made Ishigo's skin crawl.
"Seriously, Daigo, get off me!" Ishigo muttered, attempting to shrug him off, his voice barely more than a growl.
Daigo only smirked, the grin never leaving his face. "You're such a buzzkill, Ishigo. Relax."
Ishigo clenched his fists. "One day, you'll weigh me down so much, I'll snap," he grumbled, though the words felt hollow even to him.
Daigo chuckled, but there was something unsettling in his eyes—a glint of something darker. "Maybe I'll snap you first."
The trainer's hand rose sharply, silencing the murmurs that rippled through the trainees. A sharp snap of his fingers, and a holographic screen flickered to life in front of them.
Kageshiki Training Program: Survival Report
Total Trainees: 200Disqualified: 70Due to Injury: 33Fatalities in Kuroyami Forest: 37
Current Qualified Trainees: 130
Injury Report:Sustained in Kuroyami Forest: 9During Endurance Run: 15Due to Flexibility Test: 8
Survival remains the ultimate priority.
His cold gaze swept over them, eyes calculating. "This is the result of the last three trials,"he said, voice emotionless, as if discussing the weather. "More than half of you are already disqualified. Many of you have died in Kuroyami Forest. Only 130 of you remain. The objective is simple: survive."
A wave of unease rippled through the trainees. The air seemed to thicken, the weight of those words sinking into their bones.
Reika didn't flinch. She stood firm, her face as impassive as stone. But Ishigo's thoughts were darker, more primal. The more that die, the better our chances. It wasn't just about surviving anymore. It was about who remained, who stood at the end, and who could seize the final victory.
Daigo, ever the twisted optimist, snorted. "Hell yeah! The more that die, the better for us. Let's just hope we're not the ones who bite the dust!"
Ishigo's voice was low, a venomous whisper. "You're insane."
The trainer's voice cut through their murmurs. "Enough talk. Today, you enter Shinjuku Forest." His expression darkened. "The previous forest had beasts, traps, and hidden dangers. But this one... is worse."
A heavy silence fell, and even Daigo's grin faded.
"The Bubi Traps here are automatic," the trainer continued, his eyes cold and calculating. "They test your reflexes, not just your strength. If you don't react fast enough—" He paused, letting the weight of his words settle in. "—you die."
The massive gates creaked open with a deafening groan, revealing the haunting depths of Shinjuku Forest.
The trees loomed like twisted giants, their branches clawing at the sky, casting long, eerie shadows across the forest floor. The soft whisper of the wind was the only sound—until it wasn't.
Reika's sharp eyes narrowed, suspicion clouding her features. "This place... it's a distraction."
Ishigo turned his head, studying her. "What do you mean?"
She inhaled deeply, her voice a whisper. "The air. It's laced with something. Subtle. Designed to dull our senses, make us slip up. And there's something else… something that messes with your mind."
Daigo rolled his eyes, brushing her off with a wave of his hand. "You're overthinking it, Reika. Focus. We're here to survive."
Reika wasn't convinced. "Stay alert. If we lose focus here, we die."
They moved deeper into the forest, the air growing heavier with each step. The smell intensified—sickly sweet and thick, clogging their senses. The forest around them shifted, each tree, each rustling leaf, felt like it was watching them, waiting. The silence became unbearable.
Then—movement.
A flicker in the distance. A glint of metal.
"LOOK OUT!"Daigo shouted, his voice sharp, filled with sudden urgency.
Before Ishigo could react, a thick, metallic cable shot from the trees, slithering through the air like a serpent. His instincts kicked in. He threw himself to the side, feeling the rush of wind as the cable whipped past him—
CRACK!
A sickening sound filled the air. A trainee hadn't been fast enough. The cable wrapped around his torso, yanking him into the air with a violent force. His body snapped like a ragdoll, blood spraying in all directions, staining the dirt beneath him. His eyes were wide in shock, unblinking as his life drained away.
Ishigo's chest heaved. His pulse thrummed in his ears as the horror of it settled in. This wasn't a test. This was death, a slow, calculated predator, lurking in every corner.
Another click. A faint glint of steel.
Knives.
They came from all directions, slicing through the air like bullets.
Reika moved without thinking. Her body twisted midair, narrowly avoiding one blade that sliced through her side. Another cut through her sleeve, grazing her skin. She caught a third, spun it in her hand, and threw it back—
THUD.
A distant cry echoed through the forest. A trainee had fallen.
But there was no time to celebrate.
The trees seemed to come alive. Their roots groaned and shifted, rising from the earth like serpents. The very ground beneath their feet felt like it was alive—twisting, pulling, ready to consume them whole.
Ishigo swallowed hard. His grip tightened on his blade.
This wasn't a test anymore.
This was war.
And only the strongest would survive.