They sat in a tight circle, the air suffocating. No one spoke. Every single person was staring at Kito like he was the problem.
Kito's jaw tightened. His eyes snapped from one face to another.
"What?" he snapped. "Why the hell are all of you staring at me?"
Alex didn't hesitate. She leaned forward, her gaze locked onto him.
"Because your behaviour's getting out of control."
Kito let out a cold, humourless laugh.
"Out of control?" he repeated, voice rising. "Say that again."
Alex didn't flinch.
"You heard me. You've changed. Before, you actually acted like part of this group. You and Sam—you made people laugh."
That did it.
Kito shot to his feet, the sudden movement making a few of them tense. He stepped straight toward her, stopping just inches away. His dark purple eyes burned with anger.
"Oh, I get it now," he said, voice low but shaking with rage.
"You want me to smile for you? Crack jokes? Be your little entertainer?"
No one moved.
Kito leaned in slightly, his voice turning sharp, almost venomous.
"I'm not here to make you feel comfortable."
Daniel moved in, placing himself between them.
"That's enough," he said. "Back off."
Kito's head snapped toward him.
"Stay out of this."
"Not happening," Daniel replied. "You're one step away from losing it."
"I already have," Kito shot back.
"And it's getting pathetic."
In a flash, Kito grabbed Daniel by the collar and shoved him against a tree, bark cracking slightly from the force.
"Say that again," Kito growled.
"Pathetic," Daniel repeated, unfazed.
Kito's fist tightened.
For a second, the forest itself seemed to hold its breath.
Then—
Rin rushed in, grabbing Kito's arm mid-motion.
"Stop!" Rin snapped.
Kito glared at him, eyes burning.
"Let go."
"Not like this," Rin said, holding firm. "You hit him, and there's no coming back from that."
Kito tried to yank his arm free—but Rin didn't budge.
Leaves rustled under their shifting feet. The tension was about to snap—
"Do it."
Alex's voice cut through everything.
All three of them froze.
Kito turned his head slightly.
Alex stood there, completely still, eyes cold.
"Go on," she said. "Hit him. Show us who you really are."
Rin's grip faltered—but he didn't step away.
Kito's breathing grew heavier. His eyes flickered between Alex, Daniel pinned to the tree... and Rin holding him back.
For a moment, something cracked in his expression.
Then it hardened again.
"Enough!" Kito snapped, shoving Daniel off the tree and tearing his arm free from Rin.
Sam spoke, "Kito, why?"
Kito didn't respond.
Daniel stumbled but didn't fall.
"You all talk like you understand," Kito said, voice shaking with anger. "Like you know what's going on in my head."
"Then say it," Daniel replied.
"Or stop pretending this is strength," Alex added sharply.
Rin stayed silent, watching Kito closely, ready in case he snapped again.
Kito looked at all of them.
The silent forest.
The unmoving faces.
His expression slowly went cold.
"...Forget it."
He went into the forest alone.
Sam shouted, "Wait."
Followed Kito into the Forest.
Sam shouted, "Guys! Come over here."
The other wet through were Kito and Sam, and they saw something that they were frozen in shock, even Kito and Rin was shock.
In front of them was the part of the river that ended in a huge hole kilometres away; it was like a small sea.
There are 6 pillars they can see; some are close to them and visible, and others are blurred because it is huge but kilometres away, but they can still see them.
Every pillar has a hand chain connected to it, a floating island above, which is not even the size of an island, at least the size of a small nation. The middle was covered in water.