malereader x hells paradise

Chapter 3 An Enigmatic Ally

Chapter 3: An Enigmatic Ally

The stench of blood hung in the air like a thick, nauseating fog, mingling with the humid, oppressive atmosphere of the jungle. The creature I had just slain lay at my feet, its grotesque form slowly sinking into the mud as its lifeblood seeped into the earth. The adrenaline still thrummed in my veins, but the immediate danger had passed. I wiped the sweat from my brow, breathing heavily as I surveyed the scene.

Sagiri was already on her feet, wincing slightly as she flexed her arm where the creature had struck her. The gash was deep, but not fatal, though the blood staining her sleeve was a stark reminder of how close we had come to death.

"You alright?" I asked, sheathing my blade and stepping over to her.

Sagiri nodded, her expression grim but resolute. "I'll be fine. Just a scratch." She glanced at the fallen beast, her eyes narrowing. "But that thing... it was like nothing I've ever seen before. The island’s influence must be warping the creatures here, turning them into monsters."

I crouched beside the beast, studying its deformed features. The twisted, unnatural growths that protruded from its body were unlike anything I had encountered before. Even its eyes—those glowing, malevolent orbs—seemed to radiate a sickly energy that made my skin crawl.

"Whatever it was, it was clearly altered by this place," I said, my voice low. "But why? What kind of force could corrupt a creature like this?"

Sagiri shook her head. "I don't know, but I fear we'll be seeing more of these... things as we go deeper into the island."

She was right, of course. Shinsenkyo was a place of horrors, a living nightmare that twisted everything it touched. And we were only just beginning to uncover the true extent of its darkness.

"We should keep moving," I said, rising to my feet. "Standing around here makes us easy targets. Whoever—or whatever—set that trap might still be nearby."

Sagiri agreed with a nod, and we set off once again, our senses heightened as we navigated the treacherous terrain. The jungle seemed even more foreboding now, the shadows longer, the sounds more sinister. Every rustle of leaves, every distant cry, put us on edge. I could feel the tension between us, a shared unease that we both tried to mask with a stoic exterior.

After what felt like hours of navigating the dense underbrush, we finally reached a small clearing, where the trees parted just enough to let a sliver of light through. It was a brief respite from the suffocating darkness of the jungle, and we decided to take a moment to catch our breath.

Sagiri sat down on a fallen log, untying the makeshift bandage around her arm to inspect the wound. I could see that the bleeding had slowed, but the cut was still deep.

"Let me take a look," I offered, kneeling beside her.

She hesitated for a moment before nodding, allowing me to carefully examine the injury. The flesh around the wound was red and swollen, but there was no sign of infection—yet.

"This will need to be properly treated," I said, pulling a small vial of antiseptic from my pack. "Hold still. This might sting."

Sagiri didn’t flinch as I applied the antiseptic, though I could see the tension in her jaw as the liquid made contact with the open wound. I worked quickly, wrapping the arm with a clean bandage and securing it tightly.

"That should hold for now," I said, sitting back on my heels. "But you’ll need to rest and let it heal. We can’t afford to have you out of commission."

Sagiri’s lips pressed into a thin line. "I won’t be a burden. We still have a mission to complete."

"I know," I replied, meeting her gaze. "But that doesn’t mean you have to push yourself to the breaking point. We’re in this together, remember?"