Recap (Chapter 1)
Ren, a young boy living peacefully with his parents, spends a normal day with his father in the village.
On their way back home, they are suddenly attacked by a terrifying creature known as a Null.
Despite being injured, Ren's father reveals his hidden Shishou ability—invisibility—and defeats the Null to protect him.
They return home safely… but an unseen danger continues to follow them.
Chapter 2–The Day Everything Changed
Ren and his father finally reached home.
Tenji was in the kitchen, preparing dinner for them.
As soon as they entered—
Ren's father suddenly collapsed to the ground in pain.
"Dad!!" Ren shouted.
Tenji rushed toward them. The moment she saw the wound on his chest, her expression changed completely.
Without wasting a second, she helped him into the bedroom.
She quickly tried to stop the bleeding… and after some effort, she managed to control it. Then, with steady hands, she stitched the deep wound on his left chest.
Ren stood nearby, worried.
"Mom… will Dad be alright?" he asked.
Tenji wiped the blood from her hands with a cloth and looked at him.
"Yes, son… he'll be fine."
Ren then told her everything that had happened.
As she listened, her eyes filled with tears. She pulled Ren into a tight hug.
"I'm glad you're safe…" she whispered.
After making sure her husband was stable, Tenji went to bring dinner.
She fed both Ren and his father with her own hands.
"Thank you, Tenji… you saved my life," Ren's father said weakly.
"Don't worry," she replied softly. "Ren told me everything… thank you for protecting him."
After dinner, Ren and his father fell asleep.
But Tenji stayed awake beside them, watching over them the entire night… until she finally fell asleep late.
---
Morning
Ren slowly opened his eyes as he heard his father's voice.
"Good morning, son."
Ren rubbed his eyes.
"Good morning, Dad…"
He looked around.
"Mom isn't awake yet?"
"She slept very late last night," his father said. "She was taking care of us."
Ren smiled softly. "I love my mom…"
His father chuckled. "Come on, we have a lot of work to do."
---
As they walked through the fields—
"We'll finish the dairy work first," his father said, "then go to the village for food… and after that, sell the milk."
"Then we should hurry up, Dad!" Ren said excitedly.
But then his expression changed slightly.
"But… Dad…"
"Yes?"
"Is your wound okay?"
His father stretched his arm slightly.
"This? It's much better now, don't worry."
---
After finishing their work, they headed toward the village.
As they walked along the road, Ren asked:
"Dad… did you use Shishou yesterday?"
His father glanced at him.
"Yes."
"What is your Shishou?"
His father stayed silent for a moment, then replied,
"Invisibility. I can become invisible… but to do that, I have to stop my breathing. And I can also hide anything I touch while using it."
Ren's eyes widened.
"Wow, Dad! That's so cool!"
His father laughed.
---
Soon, they reached the village.
As they walked through the streets, they suddenly heard someone crying.
A crowd had gathered around a house.
They went closer—it was one of their regular customers.
But what they saw froze them.
The man was brutally murdered.
Ren felt a chill run down his spine.
His father's expression turned serious.
Then he noticed something on the man's forehead—
A mark.
A house stone mark.
House stones were used to keep Nulls away. They were placed by families living away from villages, each with their own unique mark.
But this mark—
It was the symbol of Ren's house.
Ren's father's eyes widened in shock.
Without saying anything, he grabbed Ren's hand.
"We're leaving. Now."
They rushed back home.
---
"Dad… why are you so tense?" Ren asked while running.
"Don't talk right now," his father said firmly. "It's important."
---
When they reached home—
Something felt wrong.
The door… was unlocked.
His father had locked it before leaving.
He immediately turned to Ren.
"Ren, hide behind the bushes."
Ren nodded and quickly hid.
---
His father slowly approached the door.
Just as he was about to touch the handle—
BAM!!
A powerful punch came from inside.
His father was thrown backward, crashing onto the ground.
Blood spilled from his mouth as he struggled to stand.
Then—
That same muscular man stepped out of the house.
"So… finally, doctor… I found you."
Ren's father coughed, blood dripping from his lips.
The man walked closer.
"Oh? You're already bleeding… need some help?"
He kicked him hard in the stomach.
Ren's father gasped in pain, coughing even more blood.
Still, he forced himself to speak.
"W-What… do you want…?"
The man smirked.
"You know very well… doctor."
His eyes turned cold.
"THAT BOY."
Ren's father froze.
---
Seeing the moment, Ren quietly slipped inside the house.
"Mom…?" he whispered.
No response.
He searched everywhere… until he reached the dining room.
The table was beautifully decorated—with flowers and candles—
But now… it was covered in blood.
Ren's heart stopped.
Then he saw her.
His mother… lying on the floor, covered in blood… barely breathing.
"Mom!!"
He ran toward her, tears filling his eyes.
"Everything will be okay! Dad will defeat that man! We'll take you to the hospital… please don't worry…"
With trembling hands, she touched his face.
"R… Ren… run… away…"
"No… I can't! I can't leave you!"
Her hand slowly slipped from his face.
Silence.
Ren's eyes widened.
"No… Mom… no…"
Tears streamed down his face, but no sound came out.
He held her hand close to his cheek… feeling her warmth fade.
Memories flooded his mind—
Her smile… her hugs… her care…
After a moment—
He stood up.
Tears still falling.
He looked at her one last time…
And turned away.
---
He ran toward the back of the house.
But then he stopped.
If I run… he'll follow me…
His eyes fell on a rabbit nearby.
He picked it up and released it into the field.
The movement caught the man's attention.
The man chased after it—
Thinking it was Ren.
Using that chance—
Ren escaped.
---
He ran into the jungle.
Deeper… and deeper…
Until he finally collapsed under a large tree.
He cried.
Alone.
Broken.
Eventually, exhaustion took over… and he fell asleep.
---
Midnight.
Something warm dripped onto his lap.
Ren slowly opened his eyes.
He touched it.
Saliva.
His heart stopped.
He looked up—
A Null was staring at him… waiting.
Waiting for him to wake up.
Ren tried to run—
But the Null caught him.
He struggled… fought… but he was too weak.
The Null attacked.
It slashed his leg.
Then his stomach.
Then his arm.
And finally—
His neck.
---
Ren's body fell lifeless.
Silence filled the forest.