Darkness stretched endlessly in every direction.
A silver fog drifted silently through the void, covering everything like an endless sea of mist.
Within that fog, a lone figure lay motionless on the ground.
It was Sota.
His black hair was scattered across his face, and his fingers twitched slightly.
Slowly—
His eyes opened.
At first, everything before him was blurry.
"Where..."
"Where am I...?"
"Medusa..."
"Mike..."
As those names left his lips, fragments of memory flashed through his mind.
Just moments ago, he had been talking to Medusa and Mike.
So how had he ended up here?
Sota suddenly sat upright.
His breathing became heavy and uneven.
Without moving his head, his eyes darted in every direction.
"This place..."
"Where am I...?"
Sweat ran down his temples.
The darkness around him was completely silent.
No wind.
No sound.
Nothing.
Then—
Sota felt something behind him.
His eyes widened instantly.
A chill ran down his spine.
Before he could react, he felt a cold breath brush against his ear.
His entire body froze.
"Sota..."
"You made me wait for a very long time."
"You'll be punished for that."
The moment he heard those words, Sota's body began trembling.
He opened his mouth to speak—
But no sound came out.
Not a single word.
"I have to run."
"I need to get out of here."
But his body refused to move.
It felt as though all strength had left him.
Then—
Sota felt something entering his body.
His pupils shrank.
A shadowy hand slowly passed through his chest.
It moved deeper and deeper until it reached his heart.
Tears streamed from Sota's eyes.
His mouth hung open.
His face had become completely pale.
"AAAAHHHHHH!"
"Khh...!"
"N-No...!"
His body convulsed violently.
Yet he couldn't move.
He couldn't escape.
The shadow slowly squeezed his heart and spoke in a calm voice.
"You were supposed to arrive sooner."
"Do you understand?"
"It shouldn't take someone this long."
The figure fell silent.
Then it slowly pulled its hand out of Sota's chest.
Sota collapsed onto the ground.
Blood mixed with tears flowed from his eyes and nose.
Desperately, he tried to crawl away.
His arms shook as he dragged himself across the ground.
He couldn't control them properly.
He only wanted to escape.
Then—
A voice echoed from behind him.
Before Sota could turn around—
The shadow kicked his leg.
CRACK—
A horrifying sound echoed through the darkness.
"A person waits for you..."
"And you try to run away without permission?"
Sota grabbed his leg and writhed across the ground.
"AAAHHHH!"
"AHH...!"
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"
Amid his screams, the shadow spoke once more.
"You are so weak."
Then it reached forward and grabbed Sota by the throat.
With one hand—
It lifted him into the air.
Sota's trembling gaze finally landed on the figure.
Darkness covered its entire body.
Its long hair reached the ground beneath it.
The figure slowly raised its left hand.
"Jinki Mountain."
Its voice echoed throughout the endless darkness.
"Get there quickly."
"Understood?"
Then—
Without warning—
The shadow thrust its hand into Sota's chest once again.
Sota's eyes widened.
The pain was beyond anything he had ever felt.
And in the next moment—
The figure pulled his heart out.
Everything became silent.
The shadow slowly began fading into the darkness.
Its form disappeared little by little.
As it vanished, its final words echoed through the void.
"Remember this."
"Silence is the greatest answer."
The darkness swallowed everything.
Sota's vision faded.
His eyes slowly closed.
Then—
They snapped open.
Sota gasped for air.
Medusa and Mike were standing right in front of him.
But the terror remained.
The pain remained.
It was still visible in his eyes.
As if everything he had experienced was real.