malereader x hells paradise

Chapter 17: Beneath the Surface

POV: Y/N

The sun was high above the island, casting a bright light on the dense trees as we trekked deeper into its unknown depths. Our path wound through gnarled roots and jagged stones, each step taking us further from the relative safety of the clearing we had rested in the day before.

Despite the heat, a chill ran down my spine. The island was never silent, but today there was a stillness that was hard to ignore. The sounds of birds and creatures lurking in the underbrush had faded to a distant hum, replaced by an uneasy quiet. I kept my senses sharp, knowing that danger could be waiting around any corner.

“Something doesn’t feel right,” Nurugai said, her voice low but firm. She was walking just behind me, her sharp eyes scanning the forest. “It’s like the island’s... watching us.”

I glanced back at her and nodded. “I feel it too. We need to stay alert.”

Yuzuriha, who was weaving between trees like a breeze, turned to look at us, her face lit with a sly grin. “Relax. You’re all so tense. If we get ambushed, I’ll just charm them into giving us a break. Works every time.”

Sagiri, walking alongside me with her usual seriousness, gave Yuzuriha a sidelong glance. “This is hardly the time for jokes, Yuzuriha.”

“Oh, come on, Sagiri-chan,” Yuzuriha teased, stepping closer to her. “You really need to lighten up. If you keep that sword of yours drawn all the time, you’ll wear yourself out before we even get to the Lord Tensen.”

Sagiri’s lips twitched, though she didn’t fully smile. Her focus remained on the path ahead, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword, as if she could feel the weight of the challenges to come. “We can’t afford to take any chances,” she said, her voice steady. “Not here.”

I exchanged a glance with Sagiri, appreciating her seriousness, but also sensing the tension weighing heavily on all of us. It had been days of relentless movement, always on guard, always anticipating the next threat. If we didn’t take the opportunity to rest when we could, this island would wear us down faster than any enemy could.

Still, I couldn’t help but feel the unease growing within me. Tao Fa was still out there, along with the other Lord Tensen, and they wouldn’t let us leave the island without a fight.

---

After hours of walking, we found another small clearing, one that seemed quiet enough to offer us a brief respite. The sun was lower in the sky now, casting long shadows through the trees.

“We’ll stop here,” I said, glancing around to make sure it was secure.

Everyone agreed without argument. The strain of the day was beginning to show, even in Yuzuriha’s playful banter and Nurugai’s stoic determination. Sagiri kept watch as always, though even she seemed more tired than usual.

As we settled in, I found myself sitting beside Yuzuriha, who was leaning back against a large stone, her eyes half-closed in relaxation. She tilted her head toward me, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“So, Y/N, how long do you think we’ll have to keep up this little game of survival before we find a way off this cursed island?” she asked, her tone light but with an undercurrent of seriousness.

I gave her a wry smile. “As long as it takes. But we’re not just trying to survive anymore. We’re going to put an end to this.”

Yuzuriha raised an eyebrow. “An end, huh? That’s a pretty bold statement. And here I thought you were just along for the ride.”

I leaned back, stretching out my legs. “You know better than that.”

Her eyes flickered with amusement. “I do. But I’ve noticed something. You’re starting to take this all a lot more personally.”

I didn’t respond right away, instead focusing on the distant sound of wind rustling the trees. She wasn’t wrong. Since we’d arrived on the island, my sense of duty had shifted. It wasn’t just about completing a mission or protecting my comrades anymore. It was about something deeper. A connection. To them. To the island. And to what lay ahead.

Yuzuriha’s grin widened. “You’re growing attached, aren’t you?”

I glanced at her. “Maybe I am.”

Her laughter was soft, but genuine. “Careful, Y/N. Attachments can be dangerous in a place like this.”

“They can also be what keep us alive,” I replied quietly.

---

As the fire crackled softly in the center of the clearing, everyone began to relax. Sagiri was sharpening her sword as she always did before sleeping, while Nurugai sat cross-legged nearby, meditating in silence. Isuzu sat on the edge of the camp, staring into the flickering flames, her expression distant.

I stood and walked over to Isuzu, sensing that she had been quieter than usual. As I approached, she didn’t turn to acknowledge me, but I could tell she knew I was there.

“You’ve been distant,” I said softly, sitting down beside her. “Something on your mind?”

She was silent for a long moment before finally speaking, her voice low. “I’ve been thinking about the Tao.”

I looked at her, intrigued. “What about it?”

Isuzu’s dark eyes met mine, a flicker of uncertainty in her gaze. “I’ve always been taught to focus on control. Discipline. But this island… Tao isn’t something you control. It’s something you feel, something that flows.”

Her words hung in the air, and I realized that Isuzu’s quiet contemplation wasn’t just about the island—it was about her own struggles. She had always been disciplined, always focused on mastering her abilities, but this island was forcing her to confront something she couldn’t simply control.

I reached out, placing a hand on her arm. “We’ll figure it out together. None of us understand Tao completely, but we’re learning.”

She nodded slowly, her gaze softening. “Thank you, Y/N. You always seem to know the right thing to say.”

I smiled. “It’s not about knowing the right thing to say. It’s about trusting that we’ll get through this. Together.”

Learning Tao

As the night wore on, the fire casting long shadows across the group, the conversation shifted to the subject of Tao. It had been a mystery to us all when we first arrived on the island, but now, after everything we had faced, we were beginning to understand it.

Yuzuriha, who had the most experience with Tao, leaned forward, her expression serious for once. “Tao isn’t just something you feel. It’s everywhere. In the air, in the trees, in every living thing. It’s a flow, a balance. You can’t force it, but if you learn to move with it, you can control it.”

Nurugai, her brow furrowed in concentration, asked, “But how do you control something that’s always moving?”

Yuzuriha smirked. “That’s the trick, isn’t it? You don’t. You move with it. Like water.”

Sagiri, who had been quietly listening, spoke up. “Tao sounds like something that can easily be turned against us. The Lord Tensen have mastered it, haven’t they?”

Yuzuriha nodded. “They have. But that doesn’t mean we can’t learn. They might be stronger, but we’ve got something they don’t.”

I looked at her curiously. “And what’s that?”

Her grin returned. “We’ve got each other. And we’re stubborn.”

The others chuckled softly at that, and for a moment, the tension in the air seemed to lift. Even in the face of the challenges ahead, we found solace in the fact that we weren’t facing them alone.

As the night deepened and the fire began to die down, I found myself sitting alone, staring up at the stars. The island had changed us all in ways we were still discovering, but one thing was certain: the bonds we were forming were becoming stronger by the day. And in a place like this, those bonds might be the only thing that could save us.