The night felt colder than it should have been.
Rei stood in the middle of his room, staring at the half-open backpack on his bed. Inside it were things that didn't belong in a normal teenager's bag — flashlights, a small first-aid kit, bottles of water, packets of dry food, ropes, duct tape… and in the side pocket, wrapped in cloth, were the knives.
They were simple kitchen knives. Sharp, clean, and silent.
They looked weak.
Useless.
But they were the only weapons they had.
Koma stood near the window, arms crossed tightly around herself.
"What if we get stuck in there?" she whispered. "What if we can't get out for hours… or days?"
Chuya was sitting on the floor, tightening the strap of his own bag.
"Then we make sure we're ready to stay alive for days," he replied. "Food, water, power banks, bandages… We treat it like we might not be back the same night."
Kai leaned against the wall, trying to look calm — but Rei could see it in his eyes. He was scared too.
"Altereds don't care about plans," Kai muttered. "If one shows up…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
Rei picked up one of the knives and stared at its reflection.
"Do you think this would even work?" he asked quietly.
Chuya shook his head.
"No. But it's better than nothing."
They packed in silence after that.
Every zip of a bag sounded too loud.
Every breath felt too slow.
By the time they were done, the room felt different — heavier, like it already knew they were about to leave.
They didn't take the main roads.
They moved through narrow side lanes, broken footpaths, and dimly lit streets where few people walked. Streetlights flickered overhead like tired eyes that didn't want to watch.
Koma stayed close to Rei, her fingers lightly gripping his sleeve.
"This place already feels wrong," she murmured.
Chuya kept checking his phone map.
"Ten more minutes."
That's when it happened.
A shadow moved at the far end of the street.
Too tall.
Too still.
Rei slowed down.
"Guys…"
The shadow took a step forward.
And then it ran.
Not like a human.
Faster. Heavier. Wrong.
Rei's heart slammed into his ribs.
"Kai—!"
Before Rei could move, the figure lunged.
Rei stumbled back, barely keeping his balance. He felt something cold brush past his shoulder — not painful, but terrifyingly close.
"Koma, move!" Chuya shouted.
Kai didn't think.
He rushed forward and grabbed the altered from behind, locking his arms around its torso. Chuya followed instantly, pulling at its shoulders, trying to drag it backward.
"Rei, now!" Kai yelled.
Rei's hands shook as he pulled the knife out.
For a split second, he froze.
Then he moved.
He didn't look.
He didn't think.
He just did it.
The altered let out a broken, distorted sound and collapsed.
Silence slammed into the street.
Everyone froze.
Kai staggered back, breathing hard.
"Is everyone okay?" Koma whispered desperately.
"I—" Kai started, then flinched.
He pressed his hand to his left arm.
A thin line of blood was slowly soaking through his sleeve.
Chuya's face paled.
"Sit. Now."
He pulled out the first-aid kit, quickly wrapping Kai's arm.
"It's not deep," Chuya said firmly. "Painful, but you'll be fine."
Kai forced a weak smile. "Guess the knives aren't completely useless."
Rei felt sick.
That could have been worse.
It could have been him.
It could have been Koma.
And they were still far from the place.
The industrial plant finally appeared in front of them like a dead giant.
Rust.
Cracked walls.
Three sealed windows staring back at them.
Rei swallowed.
"This is it."
They stood there for a moment — silent, breathing, listening.
Then Rei stepped forward and pushed the gate.
It screamed loudly.
All of them flinched.
They slipped inside.
From the inside, the building felt colder.
The walls smelled like dust and metal. Their footsteps echoed endlessly.
Koma slowly pointed upward.
"There…"
Three welded windows.
Dark.
Unmoving.
Silent.
Rei's chest tightened.
"We're at the right place."
Chuya nodded slowly. "Now we need the narrow passage."
They went back outside, walking around the building.
And then they found it.
A tight service alley running between the plant and a broken storage building.
It was narrow. Dark. Claustrophobic.
"This has to be it," Kai said quietly.
Rei unfolded the puzzle.
Do not let it face the narrow passage.
"So…" Koma murmured, "whatever we place inside… it must face away from this alley."
Chuya looked back at the building.
"That tells us orientation. Which side of the room. Which direction."
Rei slowly exhaled.
"This puzzle isn't just about a place," he whispered. "It's about how we stand inside it."
They stood there in the cold night air, staring at the narrow passage.
The second lock had begun to open.