~ Ayano's Pov ~
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"This is your quarters... The bathroom is to your left, and if you need anything, please press the button here. Please take care."
"Thank you for the hospitality," I replied, giving a small nod.
The woman bowed slightly and exited without another word, her footsteps quiet against the stone floor.
The room was… nicer than I expected it to be. Soft lighting, polished wood floors, walls with woven panels that gave it this warm, hand-crafted feel to it. A low table sat at the center, already set with a simple pitcher of water and a few glasses. There were two beds—not just mats, actual beds—and what looked like some kind of wardrobe in the corner. Minimalistic, but undeniably comfortable.
"Despite us being here for only a few hours, we still get our own quarters..." I said, walking a bit further in. "That's quite nice of them to do."
I set my bag down near one of the beds, giving the mattress a quick press with my hand. Firm, but not stiff. Definitely better than I expected for something meant for visitors. I glanced over my shoulder to see Sekai and Renji doing their own inspections too—Sekai lightly running her fingers over the carved patterns in the wall, and Renji poking at the pitcher like it was going to bite him.
"Feels like a peaceful inn more than anything," Renji said, finally settling on a bed near the wall. "I thought we'd be staying in like, cold barracks or something... not an artsy underwater Airbnb."
He was kind of right, I guess. Regardless, I definitely liked it.
"Well, we might as well get ourselves changed soon right? I plan on hitting those beautiful blues." Renji said.
I stopped him right there, "Yeah, you guys are planning to hit the blues. I'll be chilling on the sand and watching the view. That's more than enough for me."
He gave me a look. "Seriously? You're not gonna swim? Dude, it's crystal clear. You saw that water."
"I also saw how suspiciously perfect it is. I'm not about to end up as bait in a fantasy monster flick."
Sekai snorted, already halfway through unpacking. "He's got a point. It's too nice. Like, I'm gonna take a dip, sure, but I'm keeping one eye open the whole time."
"Wow." Renji shook his head dramatically. "Y'all are paranoid!"
"Cautious." I corrected, tossing a pillow at him. "There's a difference man."
We all shared a laugh, and for a moment, it felt… normal.
Just a group of friends getting ready for a trip. Even if that trip happened to take place inside a mysterious underwater civilization hidden behind a hundred plus meter steel wall.
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Katsura had quietly chosen the bed closest to the window—not that there was a proper window, but more like a wide, crystal-clear panel built into the wall that overlooked the gently swaying underwater landscape beyond.
She was sitting there cross-legged, fingers brushing the hem of her skirt as she watched tiny fish-like creatures drift past the glowing coral structures outside. She hadn't said much since we got in. Just… I assumed she was soaking it all in, like me.
When Renji and I were going back and forth, I noticed her lips curl slightly into a smile at our banter. She was listening, just not in the mood to jump in.
"You good over there, Katsura?" I asked, half-turning to face her.
She blinked, then gave a small nod. "Mm. Just… watching the ocean. It doesn't feel real."
Renji tossed himself dramatically onto his bed. "You're telling me. If I didn't know any better, I'd think we were in one of those gaming worlds..."
Katsura looked back out the panel, her voice softer this time. "It's, beautiful… but it's also kind of sad, isn't it?"
That got us all quiet for a second.
"Sad? Sad, how?" Sekai asked, curious.
Katsura turned back to us, resting her chin on her knee. "Just… that something this peaceful has to be hidden away. Locked away behind all, this."
I didn't have anything to say to that. Because… She wasn't even wrong.
After a few seconds, I decided to shake off the heavy atmosphere that formed. "Well," I said, standing up and grabbing my towel, "Whatever the reason, we're here. Might as well enjoy it. The sea's not going to wait for us, right?"
I tossed a look at Renji and Sekai, both of whom seemed to snap out of their thoughts and exchange a quick nod. Katsura didn't seem quite as convinced by it, but she gave a small smile any way.
"Right," she said softly. "Let's, just take it one step at a time..."
Just as we were about to get ready, Renji shot up, "What the hell...? It's even happening here?"
It wasn't everyday I saw Renji react like that, in fact, it was the first. So, I had to ask, "Uhh, what do you mean?"
He just shook his head, "My friend's dog was found dead an hour ago... Something ate it, and left its corpse not too far away from the house."
Oh, that, has got to be rough... "Maybe some wild animal did it... I do feel sorry for him though."
"Yeah, me too... But, I'm not sure about that wild animal part... It's been months now since those attacks on animals have started. At first, the cases were a few major cities away, and now they ended up here."
I frowned, my brow furrowing. "Wait… you're telling me this has been going on for months? And now it's come all the way to our hometown?"
Renji nodded grimly, his eyes were pretty distant too... "Yeah. People thought it was just some random animal attacks at first, but now there's a pattern. It's not like anything I've ever heard of. Some... kind of animal, or maybe something else man, is picking off pets, livestock, anything it can find. And no one can track it down."
Sekai raised an eyebrow. "You're serious? I thought those were just rumors…"
"I thought so too, at first." Renji sat back on the bed with a sigh. "But then the photos started popping up online. Pets, stray animals… even a few livestock. All of them found the same way—like something had just… ripped them apart completely."
Katsura looked uneasy. "And no one's figured out what it is?"
Renji shook his head. "No, no one even has the slightest clue. Some say it's a rogue animal, others think it's some kind of cult thing. Whatever it is, it's been moving closer to town. This latest one? Way too close for comfort."
I exhaled slowly. "That's... rough. I feel for your friend. I can't imagine seeing something like that happen."
"Same," Sekai said softly. "Even if it's just animals, it still doesn't sit right with me."
Katsura's voice was a near whisper. "Do you think it'll come back?"
Renji shrugged. "No way to tell. I just hope someone figures it out before something worse happens."
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"Alright, I think I'll change first." I needed to get rid of this kind of atmosphere, but even I found it a bit disturbing...
I grabbed my bag and stepped toward the bathroom, my mind still partially stuck on the conversation. Even with all the surreal beauty outside, that little thread of dread tugged at the back of my mind. It was weird. I wasn't even there when it happened, and yet…
…I felt, uneasy.
I shook my head. 'No. Not here. This place is too calm to carry that kind of energy.'
The bathroom was surprisingly modern—sleek stone counters, polished fixtures, even a small panel for light and temperature control. I changed quickly, tugging on something comfortable for the beach: An extremely loose, Long-sleeved black top. No need for anything flashy, but the opposite—I wasn't planning to swim anyway.
I caught a glance of myself in the mirror again. I sighed, brushing a hand through my hair before stepping back out...
"Ok, you're up next," I said, tossing my bag to the side. "Try not to take forever, Renji."
He snorted at me. "Me? Please. Weren't you the one who gets dramatic about shirt textures."
"Lies and slander."
Katsura covered her mouth, clearly stifling a giggle, and even Sekai cracked a smile... The atmosphere had lightened a little—thank goodness. That's what I was hoping for.
"Anyway," I said, rolling my shoulders, "Let's go see if the beach here really lives up to how the rest of this place looks. I'm curious."
"Same," Sekai said. "I mean... this place kind of feels like a dream already."
I nodded at that.
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"Seein' all this from up close is awesome!" Renji shouted.
"Can't say that I disagree." I added.
We all ended up on the sand of the beach. It wasn't just us either, almost all the students were playing in the sea with one another...
"Ayano-san... Don't you think what you're wearing is a bit…" Sekai trailed off, eyeing me from head to toe with a look that hovered somewhere between amusement and light judgment.
I blinked and looked down at myself. Loose black top, sleeves that flowed past my wrists, dark swim shorts underneath… not exactly fashion-forward, but it was comfortable, and more importantly, it kept the sun—or, whatever passed for sunlight under the sea—from potentially toasting my skin.
"What? I'm relaxed. That's the whole point, right?" I said, spreading my arms like I was presenting a fine work of art.
I heard laughing coming from behind me, then I realized who it was, being Renji. "Dude, you look like a poet who got lost on his way to a beach photoshoot."
"Yeah, and? At least I'm not gonna burn to a crisp like you gu-"
PING!
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That... That sound? It's the system...
Before I knew it, a blue panel flashed in front of my face...
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MAIN SIDE QUEST: Explore the area a bit...
REWARD: ??????
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'Of course... Just when I thought I could catch a break.'
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END