Shingo and the others made their way toward the Sekishou Clock Tower, the reputedly haunted structure that loomed before them. Shingo couldn’t believe that he was here, standing in front of the very tower he had heard so many ghost stories about. He had always been too scared to venture inside, but now he had no choice.

Gale, still shaken from his last encounter with the jiangshis, was nervously fidgeting. Hayato, on the other hand, was brimming with confidence. “I’m here to rescue Reika,” he declared, his eyes shining with determination. “I’ll fight even the devil himself if he’s in my way.”

Chiyo gave Hayato a sly smile. “How boastful,” she teased. “But for once, I like your expression. It’s driven by true love.” Mariko nodded in agreement but also warned that they needed to be careful.

“If the ghosts in there manifest as solid monsters,” she explained, “they can roam during the day too, as long as they’re not exposed to too much sunlight.”

Hayato snorted. “So much for the ‘raid at daytime’ strategy,” he muttered. “But Godfather has instructed me to act at once, so we’ll still proceed. Let’s go! For Reika!”

“For Reika!” the others echoed.

Shingo followed the group as they cautiously approached the tower. He kept his eyes peeled for any signs of Hannya’s aura but detected nothing. Was Hannya not here, or was he just hiding his presence? Shingo couldn’t be sure.

As they entered the courtyard of the tower, they heard strange noises coming from the direction of the clock face. It sounded like gears grinding against each other, and the clinking of chains. Shingo shuddered, wondering what kind of horrors awaited them.

“Stay alert, everyone,” Hayato warned, readying his claws. “This can get ugly.”

The group proceeded forward, entering the unguarded front door and going all the way through the first floor to the stairs.

Just as the group reached the center of the floor, Shingo’s heart pounded in his chest as he faced the onslaught of ghouls. Their haunting moans filled the air, and their pale, ethereal forms seemed to materialize out of the shadows. The group fought with unwavering determination, their weapons and magic techniques blending seamlessly as they engaged in a dance of survival.

Hayato moved with the agility and precision of a predator, his double claws slashing through the air, tearing through the ghouls with lethal efficiency. Shingo followed suit, his katana slicing through the darkness, severing ghostly limbs with each swift stroke.

Gale’s kung-fu skills were a force to be reckoned with. His bare hands struck with lightning speed and precision, his fists and feet landing powerful blows that shattered the spectral beings into tiny fragments.

Chiyo, the painter, channeled her lightning magic, conjuring bolts of electricity that crackled through the air, electrifying and dispersing the ghouls with dazzling flashes of light.

Mariko the priestess, the healer of the group, weaved her light magic with graceful movements. Rays of light emanated from her hands, forming a protective barrier around her comrades, shielding them from the ghouls’ ethereal grasp. Her healing spells mended their wounds, rejuvenating their spirits and bolstering their resolve.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

The battle was intense, and the air charged with the energy of conflict. The heroes moved as one, their movements fluid and synchronized, as they fought their way through the treacherous tiers of the clock tower. With each defeated ghoul, a burst of spectral energy dissipated into the air, leaving behind only faint whispers of their former existence.

Time seemed to blur as the battle raged on. The heroes fought with a combination of skill, strategy, and sheer determination, their actions were driven by their unwavering desire to rescue Reika and put an end to the malevolent forces that had enveloped the tower. Though exhaustion threatened to settle in, their spirits remained unyielding.

As the final ghoul disintegrated into ash, the room fell silent. The heroes stood amidst the dissipating energy, their breaths ragged and bodies covered in sweat and ghostly remnants.

Shingo’s voice broke the silence, filled with a mix of exhaustion and determination. “We’ve made it this far. Reika is counting on us. Let’s press forward, together.”

The others nodded in agreement, their expressions resolute. They knew that the true test of their abilities and the revelations of destiny awaited them in the depths of Sekishou Tower.

With renewed vigor, they steeled themselves for the challenges that lay ahead, ready to face whatever horrors awaited them in their quest to rescue Reika and unveil the secrets that haunted the tower’s not-so-ancient halls.

As Shingo and the group made their way through the treacherous stairs, they encountered several false routes and misleading paths, but they were determined to reach their destination. The air grew colder and colder as they progressed, and their breaths turned into icy plumes.

At last, the group arrived at the top of the clock tower, right at the back of the giant clock face. Old-fashioned clock gears rusted beyond maintenance filled the area, leaving the platform and the floor for people care enough to enter this abandoned site.

Shingo and his team had been searching for Reika, but their search had been fruitless. They had combed through every nook and cranny in the ancient Sekishou Tower, all the way to the top floor, but there was no sign of her. As they stood around on the maintenance platform, pondering their next move, Shingo felt a chill run down his spine.

“This is very strange,” Shingo said, voicing his thoughts out loud. “We have searched every nook and cranny in this tower, but found neither clue nor sign whatsoever of Reika’s whereabouts.”

Chiyo chimed in, “Do we miss anything? Secret chambers, doors behind shelves, anything?”

Mariko shook her head. “None except what we’ve passed through. This tower looks so ancient, yet so calmly bright. I just can’t figure out why the city government wanted to tear it down.”

Gale spoke up, “Maybe they are hiding something that’s more than meets the eye. The ‘town modernization’ was just a hollow excuse, a mask to hide the grotesque face within.”

Mariko agreed, “You got a point there, Gale. However, the dead can’t or won’t speak. It was as though someone or something silenced them. Take it from me, who can hear spirits’ voices.”