Chapter 27

A small ray of sunlight broke through the boarded-up window. It slid along the wooden boards, creating lengthy shadows on the dusty floor that danced like ghosts without sound. The light peaked further, exposing cobwebs that hung like curtains from the shelves and paint that had once been brilliant but was now peeling like old skin. The only sound heard was the gentle creak of the building sinking.

Kai's face was swept by the sunlight, and he swiftly adapted to the low light. His puffy eyelids were a sign that he hadn't slept well. He cast a quick glance at Kaori, who was still sound asleep, her expressions filled with fatigue. Kaori's eyebrows were tightly pressed together, suggesting that she was experiencing an uncomfortable dream.

After observing her for a while, Kai debated waking her but ultimately decided against it. Kaori needed to rest well enough, especially in light of the next assignment.

Rising from his bedroll, Kai moved toward the boarded-up window, taking care not to wake Kaori who was fast asleep. Gazing at their next move, he stood in the weak beam of sunlight, his look serious.

Unease began to seep into Kai's heart as he gazed out onto the wreckage of the city. Even though the sun had risen, the shadows continued to appear, clinging to the building's borders and moving like living beings along the ground.

A familiar feeling swelled in Kai's chest as his gaze scanned the surrounding wreckage.

He could make out the skeletal remnants of the neighborhood market in the distance—the same one he and his sister used to frequent when they were little. Frequently, they would peruse the vibrant booths, trying out various products and engaging in conversation with the nearby merchants.

As Kai peered at the spectral form of the market, he felt a twinge of nostalgia and sadness. He reminisced about sliding past the stalls with his little sister , their laughter blending with the shouts of the vendors. But now there was silence and decay, a hollow shell of what it had once been.

He glanced at another building as he kept scanning the wreckage. The damaged structure of a once-grand building stood out among the ruins in the distance. It was the former museum, where Kai and Shiro had explored deeply into its artifacts for several hours. After hours, the two of them would slip in, their bones tingling with the excitement of finding something new.

Kai felt a twinge of sadness at the memory of Shiro, a harsh reminder of her unfortunate fate.

Kai's attention was drawn to another building beyond the ancient museum - the clock tower, a towering monolith that had once stood sentinel and tall at the heart of the city. It was now little more than a ragged ruin with the hands of the clock still pointing to the exact instant the Yomigaeri struck. The clock seemed to be locked in time.

Kai remembered the day he and Ren climbed the spiral staircase of the tower, their jaws dropping at the breathtaking view below. It seemed like a lifetime ago, yet it had been a beautiful and hopeful moment.

Kai shook aside the memories and concentrated on the here and now. The task was important, and every little thing counted. They needed to go acquire supplies. In the unlikely event that something went wrong, he felt prepared to face the yomigaeri.

The light from the sun intensified, filling the room with more brightness. After inhaling deeply, Kai went back to Kaori's side. He tapped her shoulder tenderly and gave her a little shake.

"Kaori, it's time," he murmured.

She moaned gently and rubbed the sleep from her eyes as her eyes fluttered open. "Is it already morning?" she questioned, raising herself up on her elbows.

Kai gave a nod. "We need to move. Our chances are better the earlier we begin.

Kaori nodded and stretched, her expression changing from sleepy to focused in an instant. Their weapons packed with efficiency, every move a rehearsed pattern born of necessity.

"We head east, through the old residential district," Kai instructed. "From there, we should be able to cut through to the market without too much trouble."

Kaori nodded, her face set in a grim expression. "Let's do this."

With their footsteps resonating in the deserted streets, the two left the abandoned building. The remnants of the city stood as a quiet witness to the destruction that had been caused, and the air was heavy with the stink of decay.

They made their way through the ruins, Kai leading the way and keeping his senses on high alert.The prospect of failing their objective was a hard pill to swallow, and he could feel its weight weighing down on him.

They made their way the old residential district, where the buildings and homes had long since been looted and abandoned.

As they moved forward, it appeared as though the sun was being engulfed by the darkness, with the shadows appearing to lengthen and the light in the sky diminishing.

The silence was depressing and weighed down by decay and death. As they made their way through the ruins, Kai's nerves were on edge, and he was straining to hear the slightest sound.

The two moved in uncannily similar ways to the yomigaeri, who stalked the ruins with their slow, dragging gaits. The smell of rotting meat filled their noses as they trekked through the debris, smearing themselves with the decomposing flesh of the dead.

The yomigaeri were rigid and unnatural in their movements, their eyes empty as they walked the streets. Their limbs jerked and twitched as they surveyed the area for new victims, moving like puppets on strings.

The yomigaeri scuttled around Kai and Kaori as they crept forward, their yellowed teeth showing in savage smiles. Every inch of the air was heavy with the stink of their rotting flesh. It was nearly unbearable.

However, Kai and Kaori maintained their composure, their steps steady and exact as they carried on with their sluggish, lumbering march through the rubble. Their limbs were stiff and jerky as they mimicked the movements of the creatures around them, moving with the same strange stride.

They shuffled across the ruins, passing within inches of the creatures, their eyes never meeting. The rotting flesh of the yomigaeri reeked in the quiet air as they snarled and growled, looking for their next meal.

However, Kai and Kaori remained focused, keeping their eyes on the road ahead as they moved in the direction of the market.

Kai and Kaori could feel the tension in the air building as they kept moving. They were surrounded by the stink of decay, with the creatures closing in on them from every angle.

However, they wouldn't give up. They refused to give up.