Ziro dashed toward the monster, his mind blank to fear, echoing with a single thought:
> Ziro (thought): Saving a friend is more important than accepting an unfair reality. I have to.. have to..have to do it !!
---
Shintaro (shouting): Ziro! What are you doing?! STOP!!
Narration: But Ziro didn't stop—he was faster now. Was it adrenaline? Or the mysterious power of absorbing Aether? It was like a light for him that was sparked in this dark new world .
---
On the other side, Riya, trapped under rubble, struggled to move. Her vision blurred—but she saw him.
> Riya (weakly): Ziro…?
---
Ziro (shouting) Riya! If you can hear me, hold on! I'm coming for you!
just stay still !
---
Riya (crying)No, please don't! It's not safe! That monster… it killed my little sister.I don't want to see anyone else die in front of me! Please stop...
---
Ziro rushed up to her, ignoring everything else.
> Just hold on—I'll save you!
---
Riya (sobbing): Why...? Why don't you ever listen to me? You always do what you want!
Ziro (softly, while lifting the boulder): Because… we're friends. How could I just watch you die? I'm not that kind of person. I won't let you go through this alone—we'll survive this together. Just believe in me..
---
Ziro strains to move the boulder.
> Ziro (grunting)Hrrghh… why won't this boulder move?!
---
Riya (in fear) Ziro…
ziro: wait I will do something!
Riya (terrified) Behind you....
--
Narration: Ziro froze. He felt it—the hot, rancid breath of something enormous behind him. A lizard-like monster towered above, breathing down his neck. Terror filled him. His limbs screamed to run, but his legs refused.
> Ziro (thought): If I move, I die... but if I stay... we both die.
I must move first so that shintaro can save riya ..
---
He took a deep breath.
> Ziro: Riya… I'm going to distract it. You try to move. I know someone who can help you. Trust me.
---
Riya (screaming)No! You idiot, you'll die—just run for your life..RUN!!
---
Ziro is already running—circling the monster, shouting, waving his arms.
without making eye contact he was running like crazy...
> Ziro (shouting) HEY! Over here!! I'm right here come!!!
---
Voice(shintaro) : STOP!
> Voice: Oy, hero—stop running like a lunatic. It's already dead.
---
Ziro froze in place, confused. He turned slowly—and saw the monster's head… gone. Its body collapsed, and standing next to it was Shintaro, blade dripping with dark blood.
Shintaro (coldly): Come here.
---
Ziro stepped forward—SMACK! Shintaro slapped him across the face.
Ziro (stammering): W-Why did you do that?!
Shintaro (snapping): Because this isn't a fantasy world. If you die, you die.
And why didn't you listen to me when I shouted at you?!
Ziro: I didn't think. I just… needed to save my friend.
---
Shintaro turned away and walked off.
Shintaro: If you want to save others, become someone who can save himself first. Making decisions like that is just recklessness and foolish.....
> Ziro watched him walk away, eyes wide with admiration.
> Ziro (thought)Yeah…he isn't wrong.. I was desperate but looking it now I was just a burden...I'll remember that becoming someone that can protect himself...
---
Shintaro: Let's go. It's getting late.
Ziro (kneeling)Riya, lean on my shoulder if your leg hurts.
Riya: It's alright… I don't feel pain anymore.
Ziro (shocked) What?! But you were crushed under a boulder!
Shintaro (calmly)It's self-healing. Her ability probably awakened while she was trapped.
Ziro (blinking) Self-healing? Cool! So… what's my ability then?
Shintaro: Figure it out yourself.
Ziro: Wait—why?!
Shintaro: No questions. Just follow me.
Ziro (groaning): Ughhh, seriously…
---
Narration: They walked towards Jamal, who was sleeping like a horse in the middle of the street.
---
Riya: Umm, Ziro?
Ziro: Yeah?
Riya: Do you know that guy?
Ziro: Who? Shintaro? Of course.
Riya: Is it safe to just… follow him?
Sure. Me and Jamal both verified it.
Riya (frowning): So you don't actually know anything about him, huh?
Ziro: Uh… well, he's Shintaro. The Mist Guy. And… he's strong!
Riya: Wow. You really don't know.
Ziro: Sorry—but he's reliable. Trust me.
---
Ziro paused.
Ziro: …Anyway, I'm sorry about your sister.
Riya (looking down): It's not your fault… We couldn't find our parents. We went outside to look… and that thing, it just tore through the building.
Riya: My sister—she… I couldn't find her until it was too late.she was smiling and saying to run for myself.....how could I ...Her half body was hanging from the lizard's mouth. I… I couldn't do anything…
Ziro put a hand on her shoulder.
Narration: As she broke down in tears, Ziro quietly sat beside her, offering comfort.
---
Meanwhile, Shintaro stood silently on a rooftop, scanning the surroundings. He saw Jamal approaching and quietly said,
> " Don't go near them at the moment.Give them some space.."
---
Jamal looked down at Ziro and Riya, then nodded silently, guilt flickering across his face.
---
After some time passed,
check!check !
Black mist??
Hmm...yes report.
There are many scout are going off signal you have to come back .
Shintaro's voice echoed:
> Shintaro (serious) ziro, We should move now ..
---
Ziro (standing) Yeah… Thanks for waiting.
---
[ TO BE CONTINUED]