The trees loomed tall, their branches entwining like skeletal fingers against the moonless sky. The air was thick, suffocating, and the only sound was the faint rustle of leaves underfoot as Yuna and Kaito moved cautiously through the dense forest. They had ventured deep into enemy territory, far beyond the safety of their camp.

Yuna's hand hovered near her blade, her every muscle tense. Kaito walked beside her, his expression grim, eyes darting through the shadows. Something wasn't right, and both of them felt it. The hairs on the back of Yuna's neck prickled as if they were being watched, hunted.

The silence was unbearable, oppressive. It clung to them like a shroud, amplifying their fear.

Kaito glanced around, his voice low.

Kaito: "You feel that?"

Yuna nodded, her eyes scanning the darkness ahead.

Yuna: "Yeah... something's wrong."

They moved forward, but each step felt heavier, weighed down by an invisible force. Something, or someone, was out there, just beyond their sight.

Kaito glanced over at Yuna, his voice tight with tension.

Kaito: "We need to turn back. We're walking into a trap."

Yuna swallowed hard, knowing he was right. Every instinct in her body screamed at her to retreat. But they couldn't leave without the information they came for.

Yuna: "We need to see who's here. We can't return empty-handed."

Kaito sighed, gripping the hilt of his sword tighter.

Kaito: "Then we need to move fast. This place reeks of death."

They pressed forward, but the air only grew thicker, heavier with each passing second. And then, suddenly, it hit them—a presence so dark, so suffocating, it was as if the shadows themselves had come alive.

Yuna's blood ran cold. She could feel it—a malevolent force that made her heart seize. Whoever—or whatever—it was, it was close. Too close.

Kaito froze, his voice barely a whisper.

Kaito: "Yuna..."

She didn't need to ask. She felt it too. Her breath quickened, and a cold sweat trickled down her back. She'd been on countless missions before, but this... this was something else. This wasn't a normal enemy soldier.

Without a sound, a figure stepped out of the shadows.

He moved with eerie grace, his face hidden beneath a dark hood. His very presence sucked the air from the forest, leaving only an overwhelming sense of dread. Yuna's hand tightened on her blade, but she couldn't move. She couldn't breathe.

The figure stood there, still as death, watching them. He didn't attack, didn't speak. He just watched, his eyes—glinting with twisted amusement—barely visible beneath the hood.

Kaito's voice trembled.

Kaito: "Who... is he?"

Yuna didn't answer. She couldn't. Her throat was dry, her body frozen in place. The fear was unlike anything she had ever felt. This man... no, this thing wasn't just a fighter. He was a predator.

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A slow, sickening smile spread across the man's face as he stepped forward, his movements deliberate, calculated. His voice, when he finally spoke, was soft, almost gentle, but laced with cruel mockery.

Stranger: "You two look lost."

Yuna's heart raced. She knew what he was doing—he was toying with them. He had no need to attack immediately. He was enjoying this—watching them squirm, watching their fear grow.

Kaito shifted, trying to force his legs to move, but the weight of the man's presence pinned him down.

Kaito: "What... do you want?"

The man chuckled softly, a sound that sent a shiver down Yuna's spine.

Stranger: "What do I want? I want to see how long it takes before the fear breaks you."

Yuna's mind raced. This wasn't a normal enemy. He was something far worse. Her instincts screamed at her to run, to get away, but her feet wouldn't move. She was trapped, paralyzed by his gaze.

The man's smile widened as he closed the distance between them. He was so close now that Yuna could feel the coldness radiating off him. He reached out, fingers brushing against her cheek with a terrifying gentleness.

Stranger: "You reek of fear. It's... intoxicating."

Kaito's voice cracked, his desperation clear.

Kaito: "Stay back!"

The man ignored him, his attention focused solely on Yuna.

Stranger: "Do you know what happens when prey freezes? When they know they're about to die?"

Yuna's breath hitched. She wanted to scream, to fight, but her body refused to obey.

Stranger: "They break," the man whispered, his fingers trailing down her face. "Their hope shatters, and then... then they beg for mercy."

Yuna clenched her teeth, fighting against the terror that gripped her. She wouldn't beg. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

The man tilted his head, his eyes narrowing in disappointment.

Stranger: "But you're not ready to break yet, are you?"

Kaito, gathering what little strength he had left, tried to move toward Yuna.

Kaito: "Get away from her!"

The man turned to Kaito, his smile fading into a look of boredom.

Stranger: "Pathetic."

Before either of them could react, he moved—faster than Yuna could follow. In an instant, he was behind Kaito, his hand resting casually on Kaito's shoulder.

Stranger: "Do you know how easy it would be to kill you right now?"

Kaito's entire body tensed, his face pale.

Kaito: "Don't—"

The man leaned in close, his voice a whisper in Kaito's ear.

Stranger: "But where's the fun in that?"

He shoved Kaito forward, sending him stumbling. Kaito hit the ground hard, gasping for air, but the man didn't follow up. Instead, he turned back to Yuna, his gaze returning to her with sick fascination.

Stranger: "You... you have a little more fight in you, don't you?" His voice was soft, almost gentle, but Yuna could hear the twisted pleasure behind it. He stepped closer again, watching her intently, as though deciding whether to break her now or later.

The air around Yuna seemed to freeze, the crushing weight of his presence making it impossible to breathe. Her mind screamed at her to move, to fight, to do something—but she couldn't.

The man smiled again, that sickening, twisted grin that made Yuna's blood run cold.

Stranger: "Not tonight," he whispered, his voice like ice. "Tonight, I'll let you live. But the next time we meet..."

He trailed off, the threat hanging in the air as he turned, his cloak swirling around him as he disappeared into the shadows. His presence vanished as quickly as it had come, leaving Yuna and Kaito gasping in the suffocating silence.

Kaito struggled to his feet, his body shaking.

Kaito: "He... he could've killed us."

Yuna nodded slowly, her hand trembling as she reached for her blade. Her heart was still racing, her mind reeling from the encounter.

Yuna: "But he didn't."

Kaito stared into the darkness where the man had disappeared, his voice shaky.

Kaito: "Why?"

Yuna swallowed hard, trying to steady her breathing.

Yuna: "Because... he wasn't done playing with us yet."

Suddenly, the temperature dropped again. The man had returned, stepping from the shadows with a sinister grin.

Without a word, he lunged toward Yuna, but Kaito moved—his sword raised in defense. He parried the blow with all his strength, the force of the impact reverberating through his arms.

The man grinned wickedly.

Stranger: "Interesting..."

End of Episode