After several turns through the quiet, dimly lit alleys of the night, their footsteps echoed softly on the old stone paths. The village grew more silent with each step, the laughter and music of the tavern now a distant memory.
Ahead, a faint glow flickered gently—just enough to break the darkness.
Haru narrowed his eyes. "Is that the Shadow Prison?"
Chimaru smiled without opening his eyes. "Haru-san… you need to calm down. We're going to save your friend either way."
Haru said nothing, only letting his gaze linger briefly on Chimaru's back before shifting forward again.
As they reached the source of the glow, it revealed itself — a firelight, soft yet burning without flicker, unmoved by the breeze around it.
Chimaru stared at it with a small smile. "Amaterasu…"
Haru raised an eyebrow. "Amaterasu? Is that what this is?"
Chimaru gave a slow nod. "Yes. An eternal flame… I sensed it within that Henji guy you travel with."
Haru's thoughts stirred in silence. So that's why you didn't fight back…
Haru spoke up, "So what happens next? How do we reach Chimaru?"
Chimaru smiled with his eyes closed, each puff of smoke stretching wider. "We... die till we get there?"
Haru rolled his eyes at him, but before he could even register it—
an arrow blitzed through his heart.
He looked down at his chest, the arrow still burning ferociously as if his body was fuel.
Haru collapsed onto his back, eyes wide open—lifeless.
Then, in an instant, he was back on his feet in the same stance as before, gasping for air as if surfacing from deep water.
Chimaru turned his head slightly toward him. "Uh? Looks like you died already..."
This time, Haru sensed it—dodging the incoming arrow just in time with a quick sidestep. He turned to face Chimaru, his voice sharp.
"What is this?"
Chimaru closed his eyes as he explained calmly, "In the Shadow Prison, souls aren't held because they broke the laws of the afterlife—but because they wander. As long as a soul can sense its body, or find a way to reconnect with it, it can escape… forcibly."
Haru's voice remained flat. "So jailbreaking is possible?"
Chimaru pointed a finger toward him. "Correct, Haru-dono. But to do that, you'll need help from the other side. The Shadow Prison can be accessed through several techniques. However, once you're inside with whatever method you used, you'll continue to die... again and again."
He opened his eyes, serious now. "This realm exists beyond time and space. Each time you fall, it resets. Over and over—until you finally reach the soul you came to save. Only then does the death trigger shift."
Haru stood appropriately. "I see. Depending on how deep we go inside this zone, the chances of dying increase drastically… This is a test for anyone who wants to save a soul. The will to accept death—and weaken your own soul in the process."
Chimaru walked slowly ahead, hands behind his back. "Yes, yes... You're smart, Haru-san. I look forward to seeing just how smart you remain in the future."
Haru didn't respond. He simply advanced, his expression unreadable, stepping past the eternal black flames of Amaterasu without hesitation.
Chimaru smiled and jogged after him.
Before long, they arrived at a vast open field—stretching endlessly, with patches of Amaterasu flickering atop ancient torch stands, their black flames swaying gently.
Suddenly, more fires sparked to life—one by one—circling around them.
Their eyes trailed the flickers as the entire field lit up with a strange rhythm, the green grass below painted in dark orange and shadowed flame.
Chimaru said, "This is it. Haru Iminaqo... welcome to Chimaru's Shadow Prison."
He spread his arms wide, embracing the flickering lights surrounding them.
Haru stared at him with that same detached expression, unimpressed.
"So what happens here?"
Chimaru chuckled, the sound echoing through the glowing field.
"Here... here, you die. You die a lot, Haru-san."
Haru scanned the area, his eyes shifting from one flame to the next. Despite Chimaru's dramatic stance, the place looked more like a grand stage than a battlefield.
His gaze flicked left and right, absorbing every detail. Something wasn't adding up.
Chimaru, still captivated by the surrounding flames, whispered almost reverently, "Shidō..."
Haru rolled his eyes.
Chimaru continued, marveling at the firelight, "Multiple collections of the Amaterasu... I only see this when the Laki spirit allows it. The abundant eternal flames that consume anything in existence… magnificent."
Haru remained silent, not even flinching at the mention of death.
His thoughts, however, raced.
If he's right about dying repeatedly... that means I'll be forced to endure the pain of actual death, again and again. That could shatter my soul… even erase the core of my being. But I'll see it through. I have to. Here, time and speed are irrelevant. Only raw instinct will carry me. But what exactly causes death here? Let's think… the flames… yes. If those flames touch us, we die. Death through the eternal fire—Amaterasu."
"How will the death come true with just flames... The flames can't just come directly at us… I think the spot where we stand is the real reason we'll die.
Haru looked down, eyes narrowing at the ground beneath him—dry, green grass that looked untouched yet fragile. He crouched, letting his fingers brush against the brittle blades.
He continued to think.
We'll die by burning. The flames will drop, and the grass beneath us will catch. That fire will swallow us whole. It means… each death here is triggered by a specific condition. The last time—I stepped into a trap. That's what caused my death. So then… survival depends on understanding the setup before it happens. Recognizing the trigger. If we can read the situation, maybe… just maybe… we can avoid dying.
Chimaru, who had been basking in the flickering glow of Amaterasu, paused. He tilted his head toward Haru, squinting curiously.
"Uh, Haru… what are you…"
He blinked, realization dawning.
"Wait… you already figured it out?" A smirk crept onto his lips. "Cool."