To Wish Is To Sin

At the inverted apex of the Yuyami Kyuden floated a modern mega-building that sat seamlessly above the swirling clouds of the vortex below. Shrouded in a constant, violent storm, the place existed as a storage facility, used to hold a human's deepest desires, desires so strong that they could take physical form.

The building was the place where all wishes could come true. Every wish that is made has a deadly sin associated with it and a price. No individual is free from the allure of lust, gluttony, and sloth, while the sins of envy, wrath, greed, and pride lurk in the individual's void, awaiting the right moment to embed themselves within what is known as the 'Leere' in a web of temptation and despair.

Discreet Carnality, Indulgence of Gourmet, Lullaby of the Dream Craver, Endless Exclusive Riches, Covetous Mask of the Fool, Intangible Tidal Breaker, and the Unreachable Condescending Fortress. These are the titles given out to the highest-ranking officers who reign over Kyushu's virtual world. They are the Envoyers of Dusk, the protectors of the Wish Databank.

Pulling down a black and yellow mask, a slim, humanoid shadow could be seen standing in an elevator, playfully flicking several coins around as if she had nothing better to do. The woman observed the fluid movements of each coin through the eye holes of a second mask, almost like their movements had a hypnotic effect. Stowing the coins in one pocket, she retrieved a long piece of fabric from another. With one hand, the woman skilfully tied a deep red ribbon behind her head. The filigreed gold of the mask covered half her face, leaving only her jaw visible. As the elevator continued to ascend, she began to undo the tie around her neck before popping a button at her throat, revealing a black, inky mark on her skin. 

Arriving at the top of the building, the strange figure strode calmly across the high-ceilinged foyer. Her heels clicked softly as she crossed the tiled room, almost drowned out by the muffled sound of music and laughter that echoed throughout the corridor like a cacophony of tortured souls. The woman continued to walk towards the large door that lay at the end of the corridor, throwing glances from left to right. 

A door to her right was left ajar, exposing a room filled with a lavish spread of culinary artistry. The corners of silver platters gleamed underneath an array of delicacies, each dish a symphony of colours and textures. Towering tiers of pastries glistened with glazed perfection, while succulent roasts exuded a tantalising aroma. Bowls overflowed with vibrant salads, seafood, and fresh ingredients, a testament to nature's bounty. Multiple figures, their forms generously proportioned, could be seen indulging in the endless feast like mindless animals. 

To her right was a room filled with mountains of riches. From its guarded doors, she could see that, from floor to ceiling, shelves and display cases overflowed with jewellery of every conceivable design and style. There were mountains of gold and silver, and piles upon piles of precious gemstones and crystals—a wealth greater than one could ever dream of ever attaining. 

As she marched onward, closing in on the large door before her, she began encountering more similarly strange rooms. One room in particular caught her attention, causing her to stop her stride. The room seemed to resonate with her, with bass-heavy music, haunting vocals, and the animalistic sounds of passion escaping from gaps in the loosely closed doors.

The air hung heavy with a sinful aura that exuded pheromones that fostered thirst for the bodily warmth of another. With an unbridled desire, the room's interior provided the backdrop from another world, one brimming with desire, fetish, and kink. Besides the obvious beds, the room was stocked with many things that fulfilled one's desire for lust. From high-quality leather whips to restraints, gags, vibrators, and other pleasure devices, the room, which had been barely closed, was fully stocked with domination items that brought out mankind's primitive, animal instincts. 

As the doors slipped open wider, the masked woman admired the walls of the room, which were all painted a flat black. Others were coated in the richest damask wallpaper in the darkest, shimmering red. The dampened lighting set off the colour, making it glow as if painted with fresh blood. 

The shadowy figure nodded to one of the girls who crossed her gaze as she confidently and seductively walked past the wide, open doors. As the girl passed, her naked breasts bounced gently. Meeting the gaze of the masked figure, she lowered her head in respect and continued walking until she was out of sight.

Tearing her eyes away from the pleasure room, the woman finally arrived at the final room and opened the large marble doors. As the doors opened wide, a large, rigid figure appeared before her, and in a deep, manly voice, he called out to her.

"You're late, Covetous Mask. Do you know how long we've been waiting for you?" The man, dressed in military attire, said it sternly.

The masked woman ignored the voice and continued her stride into the room, taking her place on one side of the table. The man who had confronted her returned to his spot as well. The table was colossal, and hovered weightlessly in the centre of the room, supported by unseen forces. Its surface, a sprawling canvas of crystal lattice adorned with mesmerising patterns, refracted light into a kaleidoscope of hues that danced across the vast chamber. Above the table hung a dazzling crystal chandelier, whose gentle white glow illuminated only the table and its contents. 

Seven shadowy figures sat around the table, their forms indistinct yet unmistakably humanoid. They seemed to merge with the darkness that surrounded the table, their facial features indiscernible. In hushed tones, the seven figures deliberated, their voices echoing softly in the chamber.

Among them, one figure distinguished itself—a boy with strands of grey hair, his features barely discernible yet exuding an air of authority. He spoke with determination, his words carrying weight in the surreal silence.

"We must find her, now!!" he declared, his voice resonating with conviction. "No matter the cost, she needs protection. I can't stand here and do nothing."

"Keep it in your pants, Zero. I've already laid the bait, and they walked right into it," said a female voice that came from across the table. She sat at her side of the table, cross-legged, with a closed parasol over her shoulder.

"Greed, you bitch... all you're good at is barking orders for your army of simps; without money, you are nothing, just a weakling. And one more thing, I don't give a damn what you do, but you'd better not leave a scratch on her." Said the boy with silver hair. "I want her for later," he said through a grin.

Looking unimpressed by Zero's statement, she clicked her tongue. "We live in a world where money is everything, don't you know that. Therefore, as long as I have my jewels, I will always be at the top." She sneered, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "A single-minded monkey brain who thinks of nothing but intercourse could never understand." 

The masked woman looked on, showing little to no emotion. She was silent in the face of the antics and the ensuing chaos.

"Alright, alright, we get it, knock it off Greed, and you too, horny bastard. Jeez, all this waiting around is pissing me off. Whoever the traitor is, you best wish that I don't find you. I need to fucking vent all this frustration somewhere!" The large shadow next to Zero groaned before slamming both his feet on the table. It was the man in the military uniform from before.

Another voice called from across the table. "All the fuss made about this girl and a traitor. The traitor I can understand, but the girl? Even if she's special, she has no authority in this world. We can let her run free, and nothing will happen," said a voice coming from a strangely large yet disproportionate frame.

"Excuse me, could you all please lower your voices? I'm trying to get some sleep," came the gentle voice of a little girl, punctuated by a sleepy yawn as she lifted her head from her arms resting on the table.

Besides the masked woman herself, all but one of the members participated. A man, dressed in what seemed like a long coat, fiddled with a Shogi board alone at the head of the table. Throughout the whole meeting, he had not contributed once. 'How odd,' she thought to herself.

As they continued their discussion, a sudden disruption shattered the quarrel. A colossal door materialised before them, its imposing presence commanding attention and silence. The shadows' heads turned in unison, their forms shifting with anticipation.

"He's here," the angry man murmured, his words barely audible over the hum of the chamber. The figure who emerged from beyond the threshold bore the weight of authority, his presence commanding respect.

It was Professor Kyushu, the architect of this surreal realm, whose visage was a fusion of wisdom and enigma. As he strode into the chamber, the shadows straightened themselves in their seats at the table, awaiting his guidance, knowing that their fate—and that of the girl with blue hair—rested in his hands.

Upon entering, all the members stayed silent, not a single sound could be heard. 

"Professor," the man in military garb greeted, bowing.

The professor was unfazed and scanned the room for motion. "As you may know already, there is a traitor among us. I myself will handle that matter; you best all be on your guard." His slow voice was distinctive as nails against a chalkboard. "As for the blue-haired girl that is currently roaming free in Yuyami Kyuden, it is in our best interest to find and capture her."

Kyushu scanned the room once again, this time to find a suitable candidate for this mission.

"Esmeray…" Kyushu called. "Go fetch me the girl," he said apathetically. 

"Yes, Professor," the one called Esmeray replied nervously before quickly exiting the room. 

"The rest of you. I want you all to remain on standby in the second Delve and wait for my next order." 

"Yes sir," the Envoyers said simultaneously.

—————————————————————————————————————————

Everything was dark, not because the cave was unlit, but because the virtual particles that mimic blood seeped into her eyes, clouding her vision. Through the crimson veil, Tang-Ji could make out a pinkish-purple light emanating from somewhere above her head, and through her ringing ears, she could make out a faint electronic hum.

"N-no…" Tang-Ji cried weakly as her cybernetic torturer's arm cannon continued to charge. 

The barrel of the cannon was pointed directly at her face. It would be impossible for him to miss her at this distance; her death would be instantaneous and, hopefully, painless. Just as Tang-Ji was about to lower her head in defeat, she noticed a small, rectangular strip of paper around the edge of the cannon. The paper seemed to have something written on it, but Tang-Ji could not read it, whether that be from her injuries or something else entirely. 

Suddenly, the paper talisman began to glow softly, causing the man's arm to twist itself, almost snake-like, and aim itself at its owner's head. "What?! What the fuck?!" The man cried out, confused and angry. 

The cannon's energy slowly continued to approach its maximum power. At that point, the cannon would fire on its own to make sure it would not explode. But this also meant that the man on the other end of the cannon could not avoid his death. In a fit of desperation, the man used his final moments to struggle against the strength of his left arm, but it was too late. In an instant, the man's head was vaporised by a beam of purple energy, exposing his metal skull and bones. His lifeless body collapsed on the floor before Tang-Ji. 

As the corpse of the man sizzled from the residual heat of his own weapon, two blurry figures appeared within Tang-Ji's bloody, obscured vision. "Take that, you cyborg freak!" a familiar feminine voice called.

It was Emiko, who held several of the same paper talismans as the ones on the cyborg's cannon. Beside her stood Kazami, who had a worried expression. Kazami rushed down to help Tang-Ji up, tucking his arm gently underneath hers, and pulling her up from the bloodied cave floor. Once Kazami had steadied himself, Emiko emerged to take the other side. 

"Looks like you've had a rough time. Maybe you should stick to boys from our group," Emiko chuckled. Kazami shot her a glare and frowned, clearly unimpressed by her comment.

"We're going to get you some help, Tang-Ji, so just hang in there for a bit longer," Kazami assured her. 

Tang-Ji grunted softly in response, still bloodied and broken from where the cyborg had beaten her senseless. As the three of them began to make their way to the exit, a combination of wet squelching and metallic whirring could be heard from behind them. Kazami looked towards the origin of the noise and clicked his tongue. 

"That cyborg's up again," he muttered to Emiko. "He shouldn't even be alive after taking a point-blank laser blast."

"Maybe its cause he's a super cyborg with crazy regeneration abilities or something?" Emiko replied diffidently. 

"Well, that's a question for another day. Right now, we've gotta make sure he stays down this time," Kazami said, resting Tang-Ji against the wall of their exit. 

"Of course," Emiko added, readying herself for battle. 

Kazami reached out in front of him and summoned his sword. Unlike the normal, sleek swords that he uses, the one he had just summoned was rough and rugged, as if it were unfinished, abandoned by the one who had created it. The sword was a deep obsidian black and appeared to have dulled edges, making it effectively useless as a slashing weapon. 

As the cyborg pushed himself up, he aimed his cannon at Kazami. But before the cannon could fire, Emiko had covered the vast majority of its length in paper talismans, deactivating the weapon. The cyborg, realising its initial strategy was no longer viable, began rushing Emiko, holding his heavy arm cannon high above his head. 

Before it could do anything, Kazami pointed his sword at the metal monster. "Guard technique, deployment level 3, Multi-Rock Wall," he called, summoning four walls of solid rock around the cyborg, trapping it within. 

"Thanks for the save, we should be good for a bit, right?" Emiko asked. But before Kazami could respond, the hulking cyborg smashed through the thick wall of its short-lived prison.

Kazami took a sharp breath. "Apparently not," he grunted, getting into a battle stance once more. The cyborg was furious and roared, creating a deafening echo that reverberated throughout the whole cave.

Tang-Ji looked on in horror, unable to move her body. If they lost, the cyborg would do the same things to them as it had done to her, and this time there would be nobody to rescue them. From the darkness, a pair of hands grabbed Tang-Ji's arms from behind and began to drag her into the shadows. Tang-Ji lolled her head back and met Ukiyo's cold, familiar gaze. 

From the corner of his eye, Kazami could see Ukiyo dragging Tang-Ji's dishevelled form towards the exit of the cave. "Emiko! I want you to run to the exit!" He commanded. "I'm gonna block this guy in!"

Emiko nodded and dashed towards Tang-Ji, grabbing her legs to help Ukiyo carry her. Both held tightly onto her limbs and began to speed walk out of the area.

Now that the field was clear, Kazami once again steadied himself and pointed the tip of his sword at the cyborg. "Guard technique, deployment level 3, Multi-Rock Wall!" Kazami called, summoning several thick walls of solid stone in front of the cyborg that spanned the entire cave's length. Kazami backed up and positioned himself again. "Multi-Rock Wall!" He called again, summoning three more layers of thick, solid stone.

"It should hold for a bit longer this time…" Kazami hoped as he ran towards the girls.

The cyborg raged on as Kazami ran towards them, creating metallic clangs that boomed as it pounded on the impenetrable stone wall. Kazami muttered a silent prayer as he sprinted closer and closer in the hopes that the metal man wouldn't break free from his stone cage. 

—————————————————————————————————————————

Drenched in a mix of dirt and sweat, Kazami quickly took a few deep breaths before continuing to follow Ukiyo, who was leading the way. 'She seems to know the layout of this place; I guess all I can do now is place my hope in her. Hopefully it doesn't come back to bite me for trusting someone like her.' Kazami was unsure about her story; 'it seems odd for her to also be trapped in this game, something about her presence feels like she's free.' He rubbed his head violently to gather his thoughts, shaking off all the dirt in his hair.

'What am I even thinking? There are more important matters at hand. No point in speculating about her; we got a crazy metal man after us still and we need to somehow find a way out asap.' He gasped before turning his head towards Tang-Ji, who was still in a shamble both physically and mentally. 

'I wish I was stronger—strong enough to take all her fears away.'

Losing their pursuer would be an easy task. It seemed that they were in an intricate system of caverns connected by innumerable tunnels and shafts. These caverns were remarkable; the walls curved upwards to form roofs as high as a cathedral, and the distance between the walls was often so great that at the centre of the cave, Tang-Ji could imagine herself trudging along a sandy beach on a windless and starless night. Her injuries tempted her to succumb and close her eyes so she could rest her battered body. But if she did, she feared she would never wake again.

Amidst the beauty of the caverns, it felt to Tang-Ji that something was lurking in the shadows, causing her to feel a palpable sense of uneasiness. Her fear spread throughout her body, causing her to start scanning the rigid walls of the cave for any signs of the enemy. Instead, she noticed five distinct silhouettes lining the walls of the cave. There was a silhouette that resembled her friends. One for Kazami, which had unique angular lines with broad shoulders; Emiko's and Ukiyo's, on the other hand, had softer, more delicate qualities. 

'There I am…' she waved her mangled hand at the fourth silhouette, casting a shadow of her disfigured limb on the wall. At this point, the pain was so great she had almost felt completely numbed to it, 'and the last silhouette belongs to…' Tang-Ji's thoughts halted altogether, and her body trembled. 'There's only four of us here…' She thought numbly. She started looking around her and began a headcount to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. 

However, there were still only four people. 'Who does the other silhouette belong to?' A shiver ran down her spine before she cast her gaze upon the wall beside her, where she saw it—her own shadow above her own, elongated and distorted by flickers of light. Its features were similar to those of a woman; however, rather than having soft and delicate features, the shadow bore a sinister, inhuman back arch. With a hairy hand, it was gnarled and twisted, reminiscent of the grotesque, claw-like appendage. Her eyes flicked back to her own shadow, where she noticed something that wasn't there before. 

Strings as thin as spider silk snaked out from the disfigured shadow's limbs like tendrils of darkness. Just then, she felt something tugging at her heartstrings, like she was a puppet being controlled by an invisible puppeteer, making her dance mindlessly on the monkey's paw. 'This feels oddly familiar,' she thought; she knew she had encountered something like this before, but her mind now was unable to tell the difference between virtual and reality.

Her eyelids became heavy, and her mind was going numb. "Kazami…" she cried weakly. "Wait… for me." 

—————————————————————————————————————————

Tunnels entered and left the caves at all angles and levels. They would run into a cave at any point between the roof and floor and wind out onto dizzy ledges, which in turn dwindled to nothing at all. The square-mouthed shafts were a continual hazard, it was no place for panic, every corner, every bend, and every opening had to be approached with the greatest caution for fear of an unwanted meeting and an untimely demise.

The darkness itself was the worst of all; the puny light coming from Kazami's torch only accentuated their insignificance, and the feeling of being exposed to unseen eyes grew ever stronger. Somewhere within this labyrinth, someone was hunting them down, and Tang-Ji was never more aware of this than when she broke cover beneath a soaring dome of rock and treaded through the nightmare sand.

Eventually, the sound of metal on rock disappeared, leaving only the soft echo of three racing heartbeats, a fourth weak, and buried beneath the echoes of its peers.

"It seems that we are safe for the time being," Ukiyo muttered through a rough breath. "Still, we cannot afford to drop our guard."

Ukiyo stopped walking and nodded to Emiko to set Tang-Ji down. She cradled Tang-Ji as she gently propped her up against the wall. Tang-Ji laid still and let out a soft, exasperated sigh. Her limbs were bent out of place, and her clothing had several rips where she had been cut and shot. Ukiyo kneeled in front of Tang-Ji and placed her hands just above her chest. 

A faint green glow began to shine as the air hummed softly. "Mending technique, deployment level 2, Harmony." The green light began to grow brighter in Ukiyo's hands. Gently, Ukiyo pushed the light into Tang-Ji's chest, causing her to exhale sharply. 

Tang-Ji's open wounds began to close up and heal, the bloodstains on her clothing evaporating into rainbow crystals. Ukiyo softly bent Tang-Ji's broken limbs back into their rightful place, restoring her body to its pristine, original form. Despite this, she stayed silent, her eyes blank and glassy. 

"Tang-Ji?" Kazami asked softly. Tang-Ji's lifeless eyes slowly looked up to meet his and went wide with fear.

In an instant, Tang-Ji pounced on Kazami, knocking him over. Tang-Ji wrapped her arms around him tightly. Her breathing was ragged and unstable, and she was shivering. 

After a moment had passed, Kazami put his arms around her as well. "You're alright now, Tang-Ji. You're safe now." Tang-Ji closed her eyes and tried to steady her breathing.

Emiko, who was standing nearby, looked on in disgust. "Can you guys, like, stop? Like, get a room, Jeez. Look, even though you're healed and everything, we've still gotta find a way out of here." 

"You aren't wrong, Emiko," he replied. "But something's still wrong with Tang-Ji. She's scared."

Emiko sighed. "She'll get over it," she said nonchalantly, peeling Tang-Ji off of Kazami's chest. "Here, you take her, Ukiyo." 

Ukiyo, catching Tang-Ji, reached for her hand and began to lead the group towards the cave's exit. Kazami made a worried expression but followed Ukiyo nonetheless. 

As the group walked through the cave, Kazami became more and more aware of Emiko's presence at his side. She walked close to him, perhaps a bit too close for comfort, as by this point his left shoulder was already brushing up against the wall. 

"You know, Kazami… I never noticed how big and strong you are," Emiko said cheerfully, looking him up and down. "I'm sure with you here, we'll get to delve 2 in no time!"

Kazami gave her a silent side-eye. 

"This place is sooooo scary! You'll protect me, right, Kazami?" she said through pleading eyes. 

Kazami made a neutral expression. "I'll try my best," he said bluntly, trying to avoid meeting her gaze. 

"What! But you've gotta protect me! If you die, I'll be defenceless!" she cried, clinging onto Kazami's arm. Kazami could feel her gently pressing herself into his arm but pushed down his impure thought.

"I'm just being realistic. We can't deny the possibility of death in a place like this." Kazami looked ahead at Tang-Ji with worried eyes. "Also, you're not defenceless. I know that for a fact. I'm sure you'll survive without clinging to me."

Tang-Ji, who had been routinely glancing back at Kazami, noticed how Emiko was acting strangely towards him as she subtly pressed her curves into Kazami. To her knowledge, Emiko didn't even like Kazami, yet she acted as if they had been this intimate for ages. For reasons unbeknownst to her, Tang-Ji felt a strange feeling in her chest. She could not place what it was, but it was strong.

Foolish girl... I know exactly what you want.

Emiko noticed how Kazami looked at Tang-Ji with concern and care, despite her not even doing anything. She was confused and frustrated. Why did Tang-Ji, who put in no effort, get Kazami's help and attention when she was the one actively pining for his help and protection? It ate her up inside. She was the one who needed him to help her, Tang-Ji would be fine with just Ukiyo.

In an instant, she pushed herself off of Kazami, shoving him into the wall. "Ugh, you've been no help at all," she said with a clear tinge of frustration. "I'll get to delve 2, without you and your useless help! I'm strong, so I don't need you anyway. You can stay here with Tang-Ji and make this place your love nest!" Emiko's face was a mixture of frustration and mockery as she pointed accusingly at both Kazami and Tang-Ji.

Kazami furrowed his brow. "What the hell are you talking about?! Why are you in such a rush to get to Delve 2 anyway?! We just got away from a strong enemy, and you wanna charge ahead to the next one without a plan?!"

"I have a plan! But I wouldn't expect a stupid, horny ape like you to understand it," she yelled. "All you men are only good at thinking about sex! You've got no idea about anything else!"

"Wha-? I'll have you know, sex is not at the forefront of my mind at all times!" Kazami replied in his defence. "And secondly, you shouldn't generalise about people you don't know. It's unfair for the other person."

"Ugh!" Emiko groaned. "Just shut up! I am NOT going to have you act all high and mighty and try and lecture ME!" Emiko pushed past Ukiyo and Tang-Ji, who stood in silence, watching the chaos unfold. "You can take your lecture and shove it, Kazami! I'm going to Delve 2 myself!" 

—————————————————————————————————————————

Emiko began to storm away from the group, her heart burning with wounded pride, muttering something insulting under her breath. 

"Dammit, I can't believe I'm stuck here with these people." She mumbled angrily. 

Kazami was confused, but also angry. "What's her problem?" He grumbled. 'Why was it that Emiko said all those things? Why did she go off on her own?' Splitting up in an unfamiliar environment that had danger lurking around every corner was a stupid idea, one he could never see himself entertaining. Yet Emiko had run off on her own anyway.

He shook his head and tried his best to focus on the present. He still had a mentally broken Tang-Ji and Ukiyo to take care of, as their party was now down one fighter. Kazami couldn't risk letting his guard down now, not when they were so close to the end of the labyrinth. 

A cold chill ran down his spine as he continued walking. "Something's here..." Kazami whispered as he slowly came to a stop. Ahead of the party, just off the path, stood—no, grew—a thin, withered tree. Its pale yellow trunk was only a foot and a half thick and six feet tall, far smaller than the behemoth specimens he'd seen in the forest. However, this tree had shiny crystals adorning its trunk. 

"Detecting a sudden high frequency in danger level." Ukiyo announced almost robotically. 

Suddenly, a high-pitched scream rang out from the tree. The voice was a girl's. It was a familiar tone of voice.

Quickly rushing to the scene ahead, Kazami suddenly stopped in his track in bewilderment. 

A tree seemed to have wrapped its branches around her waist, as if it had grown itself around her figure. It would have been impossible to manipulate the branches in such a way unless the tree itself was alive.

"Azuki-san?!" Kazami called out, making the connection. He summoned his sword and began making his way towards the tree.

However, a single pale light shone from a small knothole in its trunk, causing its branches to stretch out to its sides, waving around like slender claws. The dried-out tree and Kazami stared at each other for a moment, and eventually, it freed itself from the ground and stepped forward, using its thick, sturdy roots as legs. 

With its legs now freed, the tree began making its way towards Kazami. Its wobbling steps soon turned into a full-speed dash. A second knothole opened beneath the other one, and the tree warbled a howl. A large red icon appeared above the monster's health bar along with its name, <Rooted Ghoul>. 

Emiko flailed her arms around, trying her best to break from its grip. "Fuck, both my arms are tied, I can't summon my Leere." 

"Tch," Ukiyo clicked her tongue. "I apologise for the inconvenience. It seems that the Rooted Ghoul has a cloaking ability that makes it invisible to search skills when rooted. It must have used that to avoid my detection."

Kazami cracked his neck. "Doesn't matter now. It's got low health and a weakness to fire." He switched his sword's form to a slimmer steel sword in an instant. "I can handle it."

The sword's blade was reminiscent of a box cutter in that it had a straight edge and multiple grooves at designated intervals along its surface. It seemed that each interval was a small, rhombus-shaped blade that interlocked with each other to make up the blade's form. 

The Rooted Ghoul let out a ghostly howl as it approached. Kazami stared it down and prepared to unleash his skill. "Scattered! Deployment level 4, Rush technique," the space between the grooves began to glow a faint red. "Explosive Flurry of Blades." 

Without warning, the blades shot out tiny steel plates at the monster one by one, each embedding itself within the tree's trunk. With a flick of his wrist, the pieces detonated, sending pieces of scorched wood flying across the walls of the open cavern. The blades that had been shot off quickly returned to their position at the sword's hilt, reforming its lightweight shape. 

Emiko sat at the centre of the blast, coughing, as the smoke began to clear. Kazami sighed and began to make his way over to her. Emiko, who noticed him approaching, put on her best pout and turned her gaze to the wall beside her. 

"Come on, we should get going," Kazami suggested, extending his hand to Emiko. Emiko looked at his outstretched hand for a moment but quickly flicked back to the wall. 

"I don't need your help or your pity," she replied. "After all that big talk and me running off, you probably think I'm a loser now, huh?" Emiko crossed her arms and continued to face the wall. 

Kazami scratched his head and sighed. "I don't care right now if I'm being honest. I'm sure you've got your reasons for what you're doing." Emiko looked down, somehow gloomy but resolute at the same time. 

"But it's better if we do it as a group. Just so we don't end up in more situations like this." He nodded towards a large chip of wood that was blown off the monster. "I've got your back if you've got mine. "And whatever your true intentions are towards us, I still consider you a friend."

Emiko seemed apprehensive and appeared to ponder Kazami's proposal for a moment. 

'What a load of crap! He thinks we're friends? Yeah, right, all men are the same simple minded incompetents that can be swayed by a woman's sexual appeal. Whatever, I guess the more help I can get, the better... They'll be a useful bunch.' Emiko creased her brow. 'But this is humiliating... Going back to them after running off and having to be saved. Pathetic…'

Emiko seemed to have found her answer, and reached for Kazami's hand, pulling herself up off the ground. "Fine," she muttered, still avoiding meeting Kazami's eyes.

'Anything for the recognition as an Aizuki... even if I have to continue to walk this lonely road of betrayal for the rest of my life. If only my wish from back then could come true, perhaps everything could've been avoided.' Emiko thought before grabbing onto her slightly injured shoulders.

"Huh? What is that?" Tang-Ji murmured. 

With Emiko's back facing the rigid walls for a split second, Tang-Ji had hallucinated and saw something terrifying. A shadow of a large spider was behind Emiko. It was fleeting, gone in the blink of an eye, as if the darkness laid baits upon her eyes to twist their remaining perception of reality.

'I must be slowly going crazy…' She wrapped her arms around her shoulders before casting pleas of salvation at Kazami. However, she had second thoughts. 'No, I musn't make him worried anymore; after all, out of everyone here, I am the useless one.' She averted her gaze instantly from him to not make her fear apparent.

'I wish I was more reliable…'

Emiko began to dust herself off as Kazami headed over to Ukiyo, who had been standing on the opposite side of the blast zone. 

"My detection skill shows that there is a large cavern up ahead," she said, pointing in the direction of a large opening. "After consecutive battles, you must be tired, correct?"

Kazami nodded. "We can set up camp and go over what we know so far as well, just so that we're all on the same page." He looked over at Tang-Ji. "I know you've been through a lot while we were gone."

"You better be sure this time that there are no more enemies." She grunted. "Let's make it quick, okay," Emiko added. "I don't want to waste any more time than I have to."

"Yeah," Kazami replied. "If we make it to the exit, maybe we can regroup with the others too."