Haruka's eyelids fluttered heavily, as they refused to open. Darkness pressed quitely from all sides, suffocating her as her vision swam, and in the haze he saw Kaito.
Falling endlessly in a void that was too large, stretching infinitely below. His arms failed trying to grab onto something, regrettably there was nothing to hold on, the fall carried on deeper and deeper. She stretched her arm trying to save him, but he was too far.
The ground beneath her shifted, forming into impossible shapes. She saw his face in one of the core crystals around the plain shifting perimeter. Pale and bruised, his light blue eyes wide and shimmering in fear.
"Kaito!" she shouted, voice breaking sounding like she's miles away, swallowed by the void. He turned toward her, his body shift in impossible ways, and he was gone.
She collapsed on the shifting ground, sobbing endlessly, hoping if somehow just by a miracle she could have saved him. "I.. I can't... I can't reach you Kaito.."
Her eyes finally obeyed, breath ragged and sheets tangled around her like they had tried to hold her back.
"Kaito."
*******
Haruka's foot steps echoed down the corridor of the apartment. Her hands twisted nervously at the strap of her bag while her fingers brushing against the fabric as though the motion could somehow anchor her fraying thoughts. She had been avoiding Mira ever since Kaito's loss. His absence has been weighing like carrying a stone.
She reached the door to 3B and hesitated, hand hovering over the knob.
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
Mira opened the door just in time, her dark black hair tied back, face lighting up with her usaul cheerful smile.
"Haruka!" Mira exclaimed, her eyes sparkling that moment.
"I knew something at the door, for a minute there, I thought it was my brother. Come in! I was just making tea." She stepped aside, gesturing for Haruka to enter.
Haruka stepped inside. Glancing around, catching sight of meticulously arranged furniture. In one of the kitchen chairs, especially the one Kaito used to sit on, she saw him, turning slowly with tears begging for help.
Mira poured tea into two cups, steam rising. "Here," she said, offering one to Haruka. "Don't tell me you are surviving on making food with your powers again. You know Kaito would ground you ground you if he saw you eating garbage." She mirked. Speaking of that genius" Mira added " where is he?"
Haruka took a sip from the tea, then stared at it. She wanted to tell Mira everything, to pour out the nightmare that has been hauting her ever since, but the wordss lodged stubbornly in her throat. Instead, she said, "He's...busy. You know....mission stuff. He's probably fine."
Mira raised an eyebrow, settling into th chair across from her. "Busy? Kaito? That's a new one."
"Yea." Haruka added, sipping the tea carefully. "A very important mission."
*********
16:47 P.M
Core Weilders Society Division 4 's Administrative Block
The atmosphere seeemed more ready to surrender. Smoke passed freely across Takihana's nose, mocking him with intelligence of knowing it's capabilites.
Next to him stood a figure who just came to view. Dark black eyes, black messy hair and a standard physique.Uniform jacket unworn, as if it's a daily habit. His fingers curled around a cigaritte that glowed faintly at the tip.
Takihana cleared his throat. "I thought you quit," he said, eyes narrowing at the familiar habit.
The figure exhaled slowly, letting the smoke drift. "Addiction," he replied, voice low roughened by years of smoking and stress. "Once you get something to hold onto, it's hard to imagine quitting.
Takihana said nothing, as he was annoyed by the smoke playing around his nose. The cigarette glowed again as the figure lifted his lips, taking a compatible drag.
"About Saverance.."
Takihana's gaze shifted toward the smoke passing by. "First division, team 14 is involved in that one?"
"Is that so, what about TGF?"
"One of their leaders is said to be eradicated."
The figure blew another plume of smoke. "Sheesh.. and who's doing is that.
"Second Division Captain Renshiro."
"That idiot, now he's done it, bastard declared war."
"But, there is something I believe would catch the authority's attention."
Takihana ran his hand toward the figure's position, handing him an envelope .
"Hmm.... interesting, report this to the old man's office.
"Understood sir." Takihana obeyed.
*******
"Aaaaaaaaaaarggggggh!"
SHRRRRKKK!
"Shut up," Kaito snarled through clenched teeth. "I'm starving, so you really don't want to piss me off."
Stab!
Stab!
Stab!
[Corrupted Core Spirit Eliminated]
[20 EXP gained]
[Level up]
*****
Kaito has been hunting Corrupted Core Spirits, and success has been befriended him ever since. Unfortunately there was one enemy he couldn't defeat.
Hunger.
With track of time offered by the system, it's been four days after he realized his hungry. So he brought the corpse of the creature he just killed along with him all the way to the cave.
Right after he arrived no time was wasted, tearing the corpse, ripping away the flesh with shaking hands. This unpleasant smell greeted his nose immediately. He took one bit, chewed, gagged and swallowed.
The taste was disgusting, more acidic that it almost made him vomit. He has no other choice, his hands shaking, tears blurring his vision as the system's warning flashed before his eyes.
[WARNING]
[Foreign biological toxins detected]
[Neutralizing...]
The corpse itself is poisonous. Since the system neutralizes toxins, he safe so he kept consuming no matter how awful it tasted. He ignored what the system had to say, it's either consume or being starve to death. From now ,Corrupted Core Spirits became food, he pressed his hand to his stomach.
"Mom would lose her mind if she could see me."
The image of his sister "Mira" flashed in his thoughts. Complaining about eating properly.
His gazed drifted to the bone he always use as a weapon resting beside him.
He picked it up. testing it's weight. "Just hold on a little longer until I get a proper weapon."
"I will get out of this place alive."