The fog hadn't moved in—it had settled, like it belonged there.
Squad Gamma was already on edge. Not just from the Rift creature—its remains still hissed with faint Rift energy—but from the silence that followed. A silence too thick, too intentional.
They weren't just being watched.
They were being measured.
Jiro didn't speak at first. His hand rested on the hilt of his katana, thumb barely nudging the guard. The blade stayed sheathed, but his posture had shifted—coiled, alert.
He'd felt this before. Not from beasts. Not from rookies. From people who knew how to kill.
"They're still out there," he murmured.
Shiori turned to him, voice hushed. "Same as before?"
"No," Jiro said. "Closer now. Bolder."
No one else could see them—but now and then, the mist seemed to twitch, revealing still figures that stood too long before fading again. Unmoving. Watching.
Then all at once—
Jiro's stance broke slightly. His eyes narrowed.
The pressure vanished.
He stared into the fog.
"Gone," he said. Not confused—calculating. "The presence… just disappeared. All at once."
Shiori drew in a breath. "You think they left?"
Jiro slowly let his hand fall from his blade.
"No," he said. "I think they want us to think they did."
Jiro stared a moment longer at the fog, his grip easing slightly on the hilt of his katana.
"…Welp," he muttered, shrugging off the tension, "we should all just head back and report it."
Jiro turned without waiting for agreement, already walking. "Not our job to chase ghosts."
Jin's voice came quiet but firm behind him. "But they weren't—"
Shiori cut in sharply. "Enough. We're not discussing this out here."
She glanced toward the trees once more before signaling the others to move. "We report. That's it."
The fog shifted behind them like it was listening.
No one spoke.
Not about the figures.
Not about the silence that followed.
Squad gamma just followed as well as Kasen. Jiro at the front, eyes forward, hand still resting on the hilt of his katana.
Even Kaiori didn't say anything.
The trail back was quiet, swallowed by mist and the smell of something burnt.
A bloodbath disguised in fog.
Not a single body left behind.
No proof they'd even been there.
Only the feeling that something had watched them—and decided to let them go.
Kenji walked quietly along the ridge, a little behind the others. The fog still hung low, hiding most of the ground. But he didn't need to see the bodies to know what this place was.
It was a bloodbath left from the Class 4 Rift creature.
He wasn't focused on the scene, though. He was focused on the figures that had appeared behind the squad—just for a second—before vanishing like they were never there.
They weren't Rift creatures. And they weren't ghosts.
They were from Kyokai he thought to himself.
Kenji adjusted his grip on his spear, keeping his eyes forward. He recognized the way they moved—quiet, careful, trained.
And if they were here…
They're not here for the trial. They're here for someone in it.
In that moment, it was clear… they weren't here for a casual visit.
The fog shifted again, swept aside by a low rumble in the distance. Kenji glanced up. Twin spotlights cut through the mist, followed by the thunder of rotor blades.
Two helicopters emerged slowly from the haze, circling once before beginning their descent toward the clearing. One for Gamma. One for Kasen.
Shiori turned her head slightly, the wind from the blades pushing at her hair. "Looks like they're finally here, however I wasn't expecting helicopters." she muttered, voice barely audible over the hum.
"I called them," Jiro yelled. "I didn't want to ride back through destroyed terrain."
Shiori raised an eyebrow, settling into her seat. "Convenient excuse. You just wanted to look cool."
"He brushes off the comment. 'And I'll be riding with you and they just got here.'"
Hannah stepped beside him, squinting up at the choppers. "Took them long enough. I don't want to spend another second out here."
Daigo gave a half-shrug, "At least we're getting out in one piece. That's more than I expected."
Ren didn't say anything, just kept glancing over his shoulder.
Jin, still uneasy, muttered, "Those things we saw…They weren't ghosts".
Jin narrowed his eyes, voice low. Help me out here, Kenji. You saw them too, right
Shiori cut him off sharply. "Drop it, Jin."
Kenji didn't respond. His eyes remained forward, muscles still tense.
Because even as the helicopters descended, he couldn't shake the feeling.
They were still being watched.
The rumble of the helicopter blades kicked up wind and dust as Squad Gamma and Squad Kasen approached the landing zone. The fog thinned as the lights from the crafts cut through the gray.
Boots thudded against metal as they climbed in, one by one.
Nice working with you, Shiori," Hiroshi said, voice level but with the weight of acknowledgment. "Don't let your squad fall behind."
Shiori didn't flinch. She met his gaze and replied evenly,
"We don't plan to. Try to keep up next time."
Daigo passed between them with a lazy grin.
Shiori cracked a small smile and turned, boarding the helicopter without another word—ready to leave.
As the helicopter blades hummed loudly above, the cabin filled with a mix of tension and quiet chatter. But it was Jin's silence that caught the attention of his squadmates.
Shiori, sitting across from him, glanced over at him. "Hey, when did you fully recover?" she asked, her voice cutting through the sound of the helicopter as her eyes narrowed slightly, taking in his stiff posture.
Jin shifted in his seat, trying to hide the discomfort in his face. "About four hours ago," he replied, his tone casual, though the edge in his voice betrayed something more. "They put Tech healing on my arm, but it was a bit too fast for my liking. The surface is fine, but my arm's still weak inside. I can use it, but pushing it too hard could do more harm than good."
Kenji, leaning against the side with his arms crossed, raised an eyebrow. "So, you're telling us you're not fully good to go yet?" His voice was cool, calculated, but there was a slight concern beneath it.
Jin rubbed his arm with a frown. "Pretty much," he muttered. "It's healed enough for now, but I wouldn't push it to the limit just yet."
Hannah, sitting nearby, gave him a knowing look. "So, if we get into something heavy, you're gonna be the weak link?" she teased, her tone light, but with a hint of seriousness.
Jin shot her a half-smile. "I'm not weak, I just don't need another unnecessary injury. I can handle myself."
Raizo, who'd been quietly observing, finally spoke up, his voice as detached as always. "I'd say we should just take it easy for the next mission, then. No need to push it if you're not fully recovered."
Jin glanced over at Raizo, offering a slight nod in agreement. "Yeah, no heavy lifting. Just need to avoid anything that'll stretch my arm too much."
Shiori, leaning back in her seat, crossed her arms. "Understood. We'll keep it light. Don't push yourself if it doesn't feel right, Jin."
There was a brief moment of quiet before Kenji looked at him again, this time his gaze sharper. "You sure you're not hiding something? No shame in asking for backup if you're not at 100%."
Jin looked Kenji straight in the eye, his grin returning. "I'm good, Kenji. Trust me, if I wasn't, I'd say so."
Shiori let out a soft sigh, her eyes scanning the horizon outside the window. "Just don't make me regret trusting you with the heavy stuff," she muttered, half-joking.
The sound of the helicopter's engines continued to fill the cabin as the squad settled into a more relaxed posture, though a few lingering glances still fell on Jin. He might have healed quickly, but it was clear that his squad wasn't letting him forget about the lingering effects of his rushed recovery.
Jiro glanced around at the quiet cabin, his eyes lingering on each member of the squad. He couldn't help but chuckle, his voice breaking the heavy silence.
"And this is only your first day," he said, leaning back in his seat. "Welcome to the Rift Response Division."
The corners of his lips twitched as he laughed softly, almost cynical sound that contrasted with the tension hanging in the air.
Jiro let the quiet hang for a moment, glancing at each member of the squad. Then, with a slight shift in his tone, he spoke again.
"Actually, I have a question for all of you," he said, leaning forward a bit.
The squad turned to face him, curiosity showing on their faces. The easy vibe of a moment ago was now gone, replaced with a sense of anticipation.
Jiro's gaze shifted as he looked around at the squad once more, his smile slipping into something more serious.
"Is the boy who killed that Rift creature on this helicopter? I have a question for him."
The others looked at each other, waiting for a response.
Kenji, however, kept his eyes down, his gaze fixed on the floor of the helicopter. His silence spoke louder than any words could.
As soon as Shiori was about to speak, the helicopter bumped hard, causing the cabin to jolt. The sudden shift caught everyone off guard, and they all instinctively looked out the window.
The skyline of the city unfolded beneath them, but what drew their attention most was the rooftop of the RDD building—where their landing pad was waiting.
The city lights flickering in the distance as they neared the top of the towering structure.
The helicopter engines powered down, Jiro's voice cut through the quiet, breaking the tension that had been building ever since their conversation started.
"Well, I guess my question can wait until next time," Jiro said, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. His tone was light, but there was an edge to it, like he was pressing an unspoken point.
Kenji, who had been speaking a earlier but had now fallen silent, slowly lifted his gaze. When his eyes met Jiro's, he found the older man staring dead at him. The intensity of Jiro's gaze was unmistakable, like he knew something Kenji wasn't ready to acknowledge.
The air between them grew thick. Kenji didn't look away, but a slight unease settled in him, like there was something more to this conversation than he had anticipated. Jiro wasn't just being casual—he was waiting for Kenji to react.
The moment between them held just a little longer before the rest of the squad began to shift, preparing to leave.
Kenji stood, though the weight of Jiro's stare still lingered in his mind. He glanced briefly at Jiro, who hadn't moved, still smirking—though now it seemed less like a joke and more like a quiet warning.
Jiro stood up, stretching his arms nonchalantly as if nothing had happened, the smirk still playing on his lips. He didn't wait for a response, and neither did he acknowledge the lingering tension in the cabin. Instead, he moved toward the helicopter's door and slid it open.
"Alright, time to get off," he said, his voice light as he stepped out.
The rest of the squad followed suit, each of them exiting the helicopter. Kenji took a moment, his mind still wrapped around the intensity of Jiro's gaze, but he pushed it aside for now. They had arrived, and there was no use dwelling on it.
As they filed out onto the rooftop, they all looked toward the adjacent helicopter pad. It was empty.
"Looks like Squad Kasen isn't here yet," Shiori observed, her tone calm but keen, scanning the empty pad for any sign of movement.
Jiro grinned, an almost mischievous glint in his eyes. "Guess they're running behind," he said, his voice still carrying that hint of amusement. "I'm sure they'll show up soon enough."
Kenji nodded, his gaze briefly drifting toward the empty pad as well. He hadn't expected them to be here already. They were probably still out in the field, dealing with whatever mess they were supposed to handle. But something about the empty pad kept his mind churning.
"I'm sure," Kenji muttered, more to himself than to anyone else.
Jiro, noticing the others moving toward the building, waved them off with a casual flick of his hand. "You guys go on ahead," he said, his tone relaxed. "I'll be waiting for Squad Kasen. I want to see what kind of mess they're walking into."
The rest of Squad Gamma exchanged glances but didn't argue. They all began making their way inside, leaving Jiro standing at the edge of the pad, eyes fixed on the horizon where Squad Kasen's helicopter might soon appear.
Kenji was the last to turn away. Before heading in, he looked back at Jiro, who still hadn't moved from his spot. Jiro gave him a lazy wave, an almost mocking smile playing on his lips.
"Bye, Kenji," Jiro called out, his voice tinged with that familiar sarcasm.
Kenji hesitated for a moment, his thoughts lingering on the strange way Jiro had been acting. But with a quiet grunt, he nodded and walked toward the building without another word.