The Box: Fate
Chapter 4 — Truth and Shadows
The forest had become quiet again after the first battle The bodies of the defeated monsters slowly dissolved into strange particles of light as if the world itself was absorbing them
The seventeen players stood there alert but calm. None of them looked frightened Every one of them had already accepted that this world was not normal
Akira wiped the dust from his hands and looked toward the others
"That was just the beginning he said
Axel Hatanaki stretched his shoulders and smiled
"If those were the weakest monsters then this world might actually be interesting
Murasaki remained silent observing the trees carefully Her purple hair moved gently with the wind while her eyes scanned the surroundings for danger
Aaron Moses stood like a wall near the group watching over the others He looked calm but anyone could tell that he was ready to fight again at any moment
Not far away Sharky Bee and Mikochi were discussing the monsters quietly analyzing how fast they moved and how strong they were
But two new players were also watching the scene carefully
Kuro
He stood slightly apart from the group leaning against a tree with his arms crossed His expression was cold and unreadable His dark eyes showed no fear and no excitement He simply observed everyone as if measuring their worth
Beside a broken stone stood another figure
Kyoshiki
Unlike Kuro Kyoshiki looked calm and composed His eyes were sharp and his posture showed confidence He looked like someone who had already accepted the rules of this strange world
Meanwhile behind most of the players Zanaki finally stepped forward
His playful expression was gone
He looked around at the seventeen players for a moment before speaking
"There's something I should say
The others turned toward him
Zanaki rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and laughed once, but this time it didn't sound like a joke
"The box… the one that brought everyone here… I'm the one who shared it in the group chat
The air suddenly became heavy
Some players looked surprised
Others simply stared at him silently
Zanaki continued speaking
"I didn't know what it really was Someone sent it to me and told me to share it with seventeen people I thought it was just some weird internet game or prank So I shared it in the group
He looked at the ground for a moment
"But when everyone started opening it… and we ended up here… I realized what I did
His eyes lifted again serious this time
"So yeah… if anyone here wants to blame someone… that would be me
The forest wind blew quietly between the players
But no one attacked him
Akira spoke first
"We're already here Blaming you won't change anything
Axel Hatanaki laughed lightly
"Yeah Besides… this world looks more fun than my old life
Murasaki crossed her arms
"What matters now is survival
Aaron Moses nodded
"The real enemies are the monsters and the bosses
For a moment Zanaki looked surprised
Then he smiled again but this time there was determination in it
"Good Because I already decided something
He stepped forward confidently
"I'm not letting anyone die here
His voice became stronger
"Since I dragged everyone into this mess I'll fight with all of you If monsters appear I'll fight them If bosses appear I'll fight them too
He pointed toward the dark forest ahead
"And if something tries to kill one of us… it will have to go through me first
Several players exchanged looks
Zanaki energy was chaotic and funny most of the time but there was something genuine about him now
Meanwhile at the very edge of the group someone had been watching quietly the entire time
Kataki
He stood slightly behind a tall stone half hidden by the shadows of the trees His expression didn't change while Zanaki spoke
Whether someone lived or died didn't affect him
At least that's how it seemed
His calm eyes simply studied the players one by one
Akira
Axel Hatanaki
Murasaki
Aaron Moses
Sharky Bee
Mikochi
Kuro
Kyoshiki
And the others
Kataki wasn't interested in attention
He wasn't interested in being a hero either
He only cared about one thing
Understanding this world
Suddenly a loud crack echoed from deep inside the forest
Every player turned instantly
The ground trembled slightly
Something much larger than the wolves was moving in the darkness
Zanaki cracked his knuckles and grinned
"Well… looks like my promise is starting earlier than expected
Akira stepped forward
"Everyone get ready
One by one the players moved into position
Seventeen players
One mysterious world
And the next battle was already coming