Haruki said, "That's brutal, if what the villagers said is true."
Eran mumbled under his breath, "Huh… it's not that brutal."
Haruki turned to him. "Do you want to say something, Eran?"
Eran shook his head quickly. "No, I'm just a little hungry."
Ronan smiled. "Then why don't we all eat something first? The sun has already set."
Haruki replied, "I'm not hungry. You all go ahead—I have something to take care of."
Yakushi stepped forward. "Shall I come with you?"
Haruki shook his head. "Not right now. Tomorrow, we'll go together to the southern border."
Then he looked at Eran. "Eran, meet me outside the palace after dinner."
Eran nodded. "Okay."
Haruki stepped out silently. Inside, Ronan gave the order for food. Once it arrived, everyone began to eat, though a faint, forced smile lingered on each of their faces. Aanya took only two bites before quietly standing up and leaving the room—she was missing her sisters deeply.
Outside the palace, darkness blanketed everything. Stars shimmered faintly in the sky, but the moon was nowhere to be seen. All the houses were locked, their gates shut tight. Only a few bonfires attached to the walls gave off a dim, flickering light.
Haruki stood quietly, his eyes scanning every corner for anything unusual as he waited for Eran. Then, deciding to do a quick check-up of the village, he dashed off, a blur in the night. In just three minutes, he had swept through every street—everything was silent, empty, and unnervingly dark. Not a single soul roamed the roads.
Just as he returned to the palace gate, Eran joined him.
Eran looked up at the dark sky and said, "It's already so late… time's flying tonight."
Haruki glanced at him, quietly observing. He has so much power, he thought, but still so immature… like someone who hasn't seen the real world yet.
Without changing his tone, Haruki asked, "You know, I've never asked about your past—your family. Will you tell me now?"
Eran stayed silent for a moment, then started walking slowly ahead. "Only if you tell me why you left this village first."
Haruki nodded. "Fair enough. But tell me—what's going on in your head right now? You don't seem like you want to kill anyone."
Eran smirked and replied, "No, no… I still want to kill everyone. But I'll start with you. After fighting you, though, I realized… I need to become stronger first. So once I've got that strength, I'll kill you. Then, the rest of the world."
The two walked on, side by side, under the starlit sky. The streets were silent, shadows dancing with the flame of the distant bonfires. Haruki chuckled lightly and said, "Alright then—just as you wish."
Eran said with a sigh, "Why are we even out here this late at night…"
Before Haruki answered, he suddenly jumped onto a nearby rooftop and called out, "Come on. Follow me."
Eran, slightly annoyed but curious, leaped after him. They sprinted across the rooftops, the wind brushing past their faces. Haruki suddenly stopped and narrowed his eyes. A figure was sitting on a roof in the distance, shrouded in shadow.
"That guy…" Haruki muttered.
As soon as the person noticed them approaching, he bolted. Haruki and Eran immediately gave chase.
By the time they reached the rooftop where the figure had been, he had already vanished into the darkness. But right across from them, something far more disturbing caught their attention—a house, and from its walls and roof, thick black pillars were erupting like twisted vines.
"What the hell…" Eran whispered.
Without wasting time, they climbed down and approached the house. Haruki pushed the door open.
A wave of eerie silence greeted them.
Inside, the house was filled—floor to ceiling—with countless black pillars sprouting from the ground. They were packed so densely there wasn't even enough space to take a step inside.
Haruki stared at them, eyes narrowing. "Just like the villagers described…"
Haruki and Eran climbed back onto the wooden roof, moving cautiously. The rooftop was strangely enclosed—thick wooden walls had been built up around it, sealing it off like a box.
They carefully peered through a narrow crack in the wall.
What they saw inside made their blood run cold.
In the center of the room lay two bodies—a man and a woman. Black, jagged pillars had torn through every part of their flesh, splitting limbs, crushing bones. Blood had soaked into the wood, and the pillars that pierced them were still dripping, as if the violence had happened just moments ago.
Eran took a step back, his voice barely a whisper. "What… what is this…? How did this happen?"
Haruki's jaw tightened. His eyes scanned the room with growing tension. "I don't know… but we need to find the man who was sitting here. The way he ran… he wasn't normal."
"You think he's a demon?"
Haruki nodded slowly, eyes still fixed on the horror below. "Possibly. No ordinary human moves like that