The "ink" in the back of the alley pulsed. It was a rhythmic, sickening throb that made the air feel heavy, like the atmosphere right before a massive thunderstorm. Konone’s hand flew to her chest, her fingers curling around the cracked Fire Card.
Not yet, she thought, her heart hammering against her ribs. I’m not strong enough to draw them out yet!
She scrambled to her feet and darted out of the alley, nearly colliding with the girl she had seen moments before—the one with the bag of steaming buns and the bright, infectious smile.
"Whoa! Careful there!" the girl exclaimed, balancing her paper bag with practiced ease. She had vibrant, energetic eyes and her hair was tied back in a way that suggested she was always on the move. "That was a close one. You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."
Konone didn't stay to answer. She pushed past, her hood falling back just enough to reveal her silver-tinged hair and the sheer terror in her expression.
"Wait! Hey!" the girl called out. "You’re bleeding!"
Konone didn't look back. She ran toward the local park, weaving through the Saturday crowds. She needed space. If the Void King’s scouts were here, she couldn't let them manifest in a crowded shopping district.
The Sunlit Plaza
Yui Hanamachi stood frozen for a second, looking at the spot where the strange girl had been. She looked down at the steaming pork bun in her hand, then back at the direction the girl had run.
"She looked... really lonely," Yui whispered to herself.
Yui was the kind of person who couldn't ignore a stray cat, let alone a girl who looked like her entire world had just ended. Without a second thought, she adjusted her backpack and took off at a sprint. "Wait up! You dropped your... uh... something!"
She didn't actually see the girl drop anything, but it was the best excuse she had to follow her.
The Central Park Fountain
Konone reached the center of the park. It was a wide-open circular plaza surrounded by cherry blossoms that were just beginning to lose their petals. She stopped, gasping for air, her lungs burning.
The silence hit her first.
The birds had stopped singing. The distant sound of traffic faded into a muffled hum. The families playing on the grass were still there, but they were moving in slow motion, their faces turning blank and glassy.
"No..." Konone backed away. "It's starting. The Despair Induction."
"Hey! I caught up!"
Yui skidded to a halt at the edge of the plaza, huffing. She held out a pork bun like a peace offering. "You ran really fast! Look, I don't know what's going on, but you look like you need a snack. My name’s Yui, and I—"
Yui stopped. She looked around, her "Happy-Go-Lucky" expression shifting into confusion. "Wait... why is everyone so quiet? And why is the sky turning... gray?"
"Run, Yui!" Konone shouted, spinning around. "Get out of here right now!"
In the center of the fountain, the water didn't splash anymore. It turned into a thick, black oil. From the depths of the pool, a creature began to rise. It was a twisted, hollow suit of armor made of jagged glass and shadows, its face a blank, white mask with a single crack down the center.
It was a Void Monster, born from the hidden anxieties of the people in the park.
"A... monster?" Yui’s eyes widened. She dropped her bag of food, but she didn't run. Her feet seemed frozen, not out of fear, but out of a sudden, overwhelming urge to help.
Konone stepped in front of her, the cracked Heart Card beginning to glow with a frantic, unstable red light.
"Stay behind me," Konone commanded, her voice trembling but firm. "If you value your life, don't move. I am a Blazing Girl... and I won't let another world burn."
But as the monster let out a soul-piercing shriek, the shadows beneath Yui’s feet began to creep forward, sensing a heart that was far too bright for the Void King to ignore.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6t3w2JCeWp
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