Whispers of Shikiban:The king walks among us-Chapter 6 --

The air was thick, almost suffocating, as the group stood before the towering iron gates. Their presence felt like an invisible weight pressing down on everyone, and the silence around them was suffocating. The gates, black as midnight, creaked under their own stillness, like they were alive and waiting. No one spoke, but the murmur of nervous voices buzzed through the crowd.

Reika stood at the front, unmoving, her eyes scanning the group around her. She was a hunter, watching for signs of weakness. Beside her, Ishigo was practically shaking, his hands balled into fists at his sides. His breath came out in shallow gasps, like the air itself was closing in on him.

"I... I can't do this, Reika," he whispered, voice breaking. He couldn't even bring himself to look anyone in the eye.

Reika shot him a brief glance, her gaze as cold and unfeeling as the gates ahead of them. "Then leave," she said, her words sharp, without a trace of sympathy. "Fear doesn't belong here. If you're weak, you're already as good as dead."

Ishigo flinched, but didn't look away. "I can't go back. Not like this."

For a moment, Reika's lips twisted into something that might have been a smile, but it was nothing but cold amusement. She turned her attention back to the gates. Pity wasn't going to help anyone here.

Without warning, a massive figure stepped forward from the shadows, blocking out the last bit of sunlight. The trainer's face was set in a permanent scowl, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Yesterday, fifteen were removed after the first round," he growled. "Injuries. Weakness. You'll be tested today. If you fail, you'll be left behind." His eyes scanned the group, searching for any sign of fear. "No exceptions."

A hush fell over the crowd, and Reika's pulse quickened, but her face remained unmoving. There was no room for hesitation here.

The trainer's voice rang out again, colder now. "Today's test is in the Kuroyami Forest. Prepare yourselves. And remember—if you get injured, you're out. The forest doesn't care."

A collective gasp swept through the trainees, but Reika didn't flinch. The Kuroyami Forest. Even the strongest didn't survive it. It wasn't just a test of physical strength—it was a test of whether you could stay alive. Simple as that.

The trainer didn't pause. "It's not a playground. Wolves. Razor-sharp panthers. Venomous cobras. Crocodiles guarding the river. And Bubi traps—you step into one, and you won't leave." His gaze was cold, calculating, his eyes scanning each recruit like he could see right through them. "The goal is simple. Survive."

Reika steadied her breath. Survival—it was the only rule here.

"At night, you'll fight. You'll be armed with Nunchaku. These weapons won't guarantee you anything. They'll just give you a chance."

A murmur rippled through the group, but it was drowned by the eerie sound of the gates creaking open. The groan was like a warning, and the darkness beyond promised nothing but danger.

Reika's fingers curled around the Nunchaku at her side. It felt familiar, but now it was heavier, like it was the one thing standing between her and death.

Ishigo's hand gripped her sleeve, his voice barely a whisper. "Reika... please, don't let them get me."

She turned slowly, her expression unreadable. "Survival isn't about saving anyone, Ishigo. It's about saving yourself."

With a slam, the gates closed behind them, the finality of it ringing in the air. The Kuroyami Forest stretched out before them, thick fog rolling in, swallowing everything in its path. The trees were twisted, their limbs like gnarled fingers reaching out from the earth. The silence was almost deafening.

Reika's senses were on high alert. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig felt like a threat. She whispered to Ishigo, her voice as sharp as the wind, "Do you see anything?"

"Not much," he muttered, his voice shaky, fear clear in every word.

Reika froze, her eyes catching something half-buried in the dirt—a human skeleton. The remains of someone who hadn't made it. Her jaw tightened. Not me.

"Those who failed," Ishigo whispered, his voice barely audible. "The forest... it takes them."

Reika's heart hammered in her chest, but she didn't let it show. She wasn't going to be like them. "Stay close," she ordered, her voice cold.

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The fog pressed in, thick and suffocating. The trees loomed higher now, blocking what little light the sky offered. The air felt heavier, every second dragging as if time itself was slowing down.

Then, a snap. A twig breaking, loud in the silence. Reika's heart skipped a beat. Her eyes darted around, searching.

And then—eyes. Golden, glowing, cutting through the mist. A massive panther, sleek and dark, its growl vibrating through the ground, shaking the earth beneath their feet.

Ishigo stumbled, his breath quick and panicked. His foot hit a twig, and the panther's eyes snapped to him, its hunger palpable.

Reika didn't hesitate. She moved like lightning, her Nunchaku a blur in her hands. She closed the distance with the panther, her weapon landing a brutal crack against its side, sending the beast skidding back with a guttural snarl.

For a moment, the panther was stunned, but only for a second. It roared in fury, swiping its claws through the air with terrifying speed. Reika held her ground, calculating her next move, every part of her focused on survival.

"I-I'll help!" Ishigo shouted, swinging his Nunchaku wildly. The weapon cracked against a nearby tree, drawing the panther's attention.

The panther lunged, faster than anything Ishigo could react to. He froze, terror gripping him. But Reika was already there, a blur of movement, her Nunchaku striking the panther's throat with deadly precision. The panther staggered, its roar cut off as it stumbled backward.

Ishigo stood straighter now, his hands still trembling, but his fear had shifted. There was something different in his eyes now—determination, maybe. The panic was gone.

"Good," Reika muttered under her breath. "Focus."

The panther retreated into the shadows, its golden eyes still burning with fury. But the moment was theirs. Ishigo had found something within himself—a flicker of survival.

Reika didn't speak again, her mind already calculating the next step. This was just the beginning.