Flames Beneath the Surface

Chapter 2: The Eye of the Storm

Mitsuri POV

When I see him, it's like time stops.

Giyu is standing in the middle of the village square, his back to us, his shoulders rising and falling with heavy breaths. I can feel the tension in the air-it's suffocating, like the entire village is holding its breath. The sky above is dark, swirling with heavy clouds, and there's an eerie silence that follows his every movement.

"Giyu?" I call out softly, taking a cautious step forward.

He doesn't respond. Not even a glance.

Then I see his eyes. They're red. Bloodshot, like he hasn't slept in days. But more than that, they aren't the usual calm, cool blue I've grown accustomed to. They look... wild. Like there's something inside him, something dangerous, that's just barely being held back.

My heart aches, and my grip on my sword tightens. Something is wrong.

Before I can say anything else, he turns and bolts-straight into the forest.

"Giyu, wait!" I shout, but he doesn't stop. He doesn't even look back.

Sanemi POV

"Damn it!" I curse under my breath as I watch Giyu disappear into the trees. What the hell was that?

I've seen Giyu in action plenty of times. He's calm, collected, never lets his emotions get in the way. But just now? That wasn't him. Not the Giyu I know, at least. His eyes... they were off. And that breathing-he looked like he was ready to collapse right there.

"He's running," I mutter, frustration building in my chest. "What the hell is he running from?"

I glance around at the village. The people are huddled in their homes, peeking through windows and doors, fear etched into their faces. This place is falling apart. The walls are crumbling, the streets empty. It's like a ghost town, and Giyu's presence only made it worse.

I don't wait for anyone else. I take off after him. If Giyu's in trouble, I'll drag the truth out of him, even if it means knocking some sense into him.

Kyojuro POV

"Interesting!" I exclaim, my heart pounding with excitement and worry as Giyu sprints away from us. His behavior, his eyes-they are not what I expected at all.

There's a fire in me that always burns bright, but right now, there's a weight in my chest I can't ignore. Giyu is in trouble. Something is wrong, deeply wrong. But why would he run from us, his comrades?

I leap into the trees, following Sanemi's lead, keeping my eyes trained on Giyu's retreating figure. His movements are frantic, desperate, like a cornered animal. This isn't like him. Giyu always faces things head-on.

"Everyone, we must stay together!" I shout, my voice carrying through the forest as I give chase. "Giyu needs us!"

Muichiro POV

He's... running.

I don't get it. Giyu isn't the type to run, not like this. He always faces things quietly, head on. He's calm. But right now, he looks... scared? No, more than scared. Desperate.

I watch as the others rush after him, but something makes me pause. There's an odd feeling in the air, something cold. I look around at the village again-this place is falling apart. The villagers were already scared before we got here, but now it feels worse. It's like the air is heavy with dread, and Giyu was right at the center of it.

I feel like I should follow them. But what if... what if there's more going on than we realize?

Shinobu POV

Well, this is unexpected. Giyu running away from us? That's not like him at all.

But his eyes... red, not the cool blue we're used to. It's strange, unsettling. I wonder what caused it? His breathing, the way he stood in the middle of that crumbling village-something isn't right, not with him and not with this place.

I follow the others, but my mind is racing. Giyu's always been difficult to read, but this? This is different. He's hiding something, and whatever it is, it's terrifying him enough to make him run from his fellow Hashira.

I quicken my pace, darting through the trees. I'll catch up with him, but first, I need to understand what's going on. If something is controlling him, or if he's simply broken under the weight of something we don't yet know, we'll need to tread carefully.

I have to figure this out. Giyu's life-and maybe ours-depends on it.

Tengen POV

Hah, flashy as always, Giyu. Running off into the forest like some kind of dramatic lead in a play. But something about this scene isn't sitting right with me.

I keep my distance as I follow the others. Giyu's eyes, that heavy breathing-it's almost like he's being chased by something none of us can see. And that village? I couldn't help but notice how the buildings seemed to decay faster the closer we got to him. Almost like his presence was sucking the life out of the place.

Whatever's going on, I'm not letting it go without answers.

"Oi, don't run off too far ahead!" I call to Sanemi and Rengoku. They're both so quick to jump in, but this needs more finesse. There's something about Giyu's behavior that's way too suspicious for us to just barrel into this without a plan.

But knowing them, that's exactly what they'll do.

Obanai POV

He's hiding something. I don't trust it.

Giyu's always been distant, but this? This is something else entirely. His eyes were wrong, not just bloodshot-wrong. I don't know what's going on, but the fact that he ran without even acknowledging us says it all. He doesn't want us to know.

I move through the trees silently, watching as the others rush forward. Giyu's fast, but he's leaving a trail. Something feels off about the whole situation, like we're walking into a trap.

I narrow my eyes, tightening my grip on my sword. I won't let my guard down. If Giyu's involved in something dangerous, I'll find out what it is-and stop it.

Gyomei POV

I can feel it.

The earth trembles beneath my feet, the vibrations of the village's collapse echoing through the ground. But it's not just the crumbling buildings. There's something else. A presence, something dark, something unnatural.

And Giyu... I could hear the change in his breathing. Labored, frantic. His eyes were not as they should be.

The others have already moved ahead, but I remain still, sensing the environment around me. The village is in ruin, but there's something more happening here. Something connected to Giyu.

I clasp my hands together, offering a silent prayer. We must reach him before it's too late-for him and for all of us.