As the party stepped deeper into the forest, an unsettling silence fell over them. The usual sounds of leaves rustling, birds chirping, and the faint trickle of water seemed to vanish. Every step they took echoed unnaturally in the quiet, and even the faint breeze that had accompanied them earlier seemed to have died down.
Mia's brows furrowed, and she hugged her staff a little tighter.
"I… I feel something's wrong here," she whispered, her voice tense.
Jun's eyes scanned the surrounding trees. "When we first came here, I could hear the forest—the birds, the rustling leaves—but now… there's nothing. It's completely silent."
Mia glanced at him, slightly irritated. "I didn't know you could talk."
Jun raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"
Mia tilted her head, her sharp gaze meeting his. "Until now, you haven't said a single word."
Jun's expression remained calm. "I don't talk unnecessarily."
