The moon hung low over the first floor's artificial sky, its glow casting a silvery hue across the village outskirts. Tyuri led the group along the worn path bordering the eastern wall—short dagger sheathed at his side, every step precise. Behind him followed Aiko, her bow strapped snugly across her back, and Nori beside her, hand resting on her shield's rim. Nariku brought up the rear, quietly alert.
"Another lap and we circle back," Tyuri said, glancing over his shoulder. "Hopefully the monsters realize we're not on the menu tonight."
Nori chuckled lightly. "You say that now. Watch them get brave once you relax."
"Not wrong," Tyuri replied. "Guess it's the calm before the storm again."
Nori looked over at Aiko, who responded with a silent thumbs-up and a slight tilt of her head. Her gestures were subtle, but deliberate—Aiko's way of communicating. She barely spoke, but her presence was sharp, her expressions precise.
"She says we should keep our guard up," Nori translated with a soft grin. "Right?"
Aiko nodded once.
Tyuri grinned. "You've got the Aiko-dialect down."
As they walked, Tyuri's eyes drifted toward Nariku, who had been mostly quiet during their rounds.
"You usually talk more when Rin's around," Tyuri commented, teasing. "Did he program your voice to only respond to him?"
Nariku blinked. "I just don't talk much."
"Fair enough," Nori added. "You observe, we chatter."
The group continued walking, a comfortable rhythm forming in their patrol. Despite the danger that came with the tower, moments like these felt almost peaceful—like a brief lull in a long war.
Nori watched Aiko a moment longer, her expression shadowed with something unspoken.
The group's steps softened as they moved to the outer edge of the eastern side, where tall grass swayed with the simulated wind. Tyuri kicked a pebble idly and let out a half-sigh, half-laugh.
"Strange, isn't it? We've survived four waves already, and somehow this feels more peaceful than back home."
Nori didn't answer right away. Her hand ran over the edge of her shield, thumb brushing the old sakura-shaped hair tie clinging stubbornly to her dark locks.
"I wouldn't call anything peaceful," she said softly. "Not after what I've seen."
Tyuri glanced at her. "Sorry. That was thoughtless."
She shook her head. "No. I just... used to think like that too."
Nariku turned slightly, catching the weight in her voice. Even Aiko looked over.
"I was part of a foster family before all this," Nori said, gaze forward. "Wasn't bad at first. Then things happened—people I trusted stopped being people I recognized. Someone hurt Aiko."
Aiko looked down, her hands clenched around the string of her bow.
"I failed to protect her then," Nori continued. "I promised myself never again. That's why I picked up the sword and shield. Not for me. For her."
Tyuri shifted his gaze to Aiko and frowned thoughtfully.
"You know, Aiko... you look like somebody I knew before the tower."
Aiko glanced up briefly but said nothing, her expression unreadable.
Silence fell for a moment, heavy but understood.
"You're doing a good job now," Tyuri said, voice quieter. "We've survived four waves already, and you've kept her safe."
Nori managed a small, sad smile. "We're still on the first floor. There's a long way to go."
Nariku's steps gradually grew slower, each one heavier than the last. His breath came in shallow gasps, and a distant haze clouded his vision. Suddenly, his knees gave out, and he collapsed onto the dirt, the world fading around him.
Before losing consciousness, he murmured softly, a faint reminiscence in his voice, "Brother…"
Tyuri and Nori immediately rushed to his side, their faces etched with concern. Aiko silently readied her bow, eyes scanning the surroundings for any threats.
Tyuri crouched beside Nariku, his voice steady but worried.
"You okay? Stay with us."
Nariku's body went limp, but his faint whisper lingered in the air, carrying the weight of memories long buried.
Rin stood by the crystal, watching as Tyuri carefully carried Nariku, his brow furrowed with concern. Yet, beneath that outward observation, Rin's mind remained cold and calculating. Sympathy was a luxury he couldn't afford.
Weakness slows us down, he thought, eyes narrowing. If Nariku can't keep up, he'll be a liability soon enough.
Rin stepped away from the crystal, approaching Tyuri with measured calm.
"You think Nariku will recover soon?" Rin asked, voice steady but laced with a sharp edge.
Tyuri glanced up, tired but firm. "He'll be fine, just needs rest. The tower takes its toll on everyone."
Rin nodded slowly. "You carry him like a brother."
Tyuri gave a small, almost reluctant smile. "More like a responsibility. But yeah, I want to see him make it through."
Rin's eyes darkened slightly. "In this place, sympathy can get you killed. Be careful not to let it cloud your judgment."
Tyuri met Rin's gaze without flinching. "Maybe. But sometimes, it's what keeps us human."
A brief silence hung between them, tension mixing with unspoken understanding.
Rin and Tyuri moved quickly but quietly, carrying Nariku between them toward the medbay area. The village was still bustling with preparations, but the urgency in their steps made others part without question.
Tyuri glanced down at Nariku's pale face, concern flickering in his eyes. Rin, however, kept his expression unreadable, his mind calculating every possibility.
"We need to get him checked immediately," Tyuri said quietly, voice steady despite the worry.
Rin nodded. "If Nariku's condition worsens, it could jeopardize more than just him."
The medbay came into view—a modest building, but one of the most important in the village. As they entered, the faint scent of herbs and antiseptics filled the air. Nurses and healers glanced up, quickly understanding the situation.
Natsuro, seated at a cluttered table, looked up sharply when they arrived. "Nariku? What happened?"
Tyuri set Nariku down gently on a cot. "He collapsed while securing the perimeter. Needs a full check-up."
Rin remained silent, watching closely as the healers went to work, his mind already shifting to the next move.
Natsuro's brows furrowed as he leaned over Nariku, checking his pulse and eyes. Sensing that this might be something more serious, he stood up abruptly.
"I'll need help," he muttered, then raised his voice. "Iryosuka! Kusahi! Wake up, now!"
A groggy voice came from behind a curtain. "What time is it…?"
"Doesn't matter. Get over here," Natsuro snapped. "It's Nariku. He collapsed."
Footsteps shuffled in. Iryosuka emerged first, his face looking even more exhausted than usual, dark eye bags drooping, his oversized doctor's coat sliding slightly off his shoulder. Kusahi followed soon after, adjusting his green-rimmed square glasses, eyes still half-lidded from sleep.
"What's the situation?" Iryosuka asked as he approached the cot.
"Unconscious. No visible wounds. Could be mana exhaustion, dehydration, poison—anything," Natsuro replied quickly. "We check everything."
Kusahi knelt beside Nariku and began his scan with a soft green glow forming over his hand. "Heart rate's irregular… might be stress-induced. Or a delayed reaction to something he ingested."
Rin stood in the corner, eyes scanning each healer silently, watching their movements, memorizing their reactions. His gaze lingered on Kusahi a moment longer before shifting back to Nariku.
Tyuri leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "I'm not taking chances. He's part of my squad now."
Natsuro nodded. "We won't let anything happen to him."
After several minutes of quiet examination and overlapping magical diagnostics, Natsuro finally exhaled and stood up straight.
"It's nothing too serious," he said, looking over his shoulder at Tyuri and Rin. "He's just overexerted and stressed. Looks like he's been pushing himself too hard lately… and whatever he ate earlier didn't sit well with his stomach."
Iryosuka grunted, rubbing his eyes. "He'll need rest, fluids, and proper meals. Nothing spicy, nothing weird."
Kusahi added softly, "No poisons detected either. Just natural exhaustion."
Tyuri nodded, visibly relieved. "Good. That idiot didn't even tell me he was pushing himself like that."
Rin gave a faint smile, though his eyes remained unreadable. "Glad he's okay."
Inside, he thought: So even the brother is fragile. Interesting.
As Nariku rested peacefully on the cot, the group slowly disbanded, the tension giving way to a temporary calm—at least for now.
The morning sun cast a gentle light over the village, the air crisp and cool after a long night. Tyuri, Aiko, and Nori made their way toward the medbay, intent on checking in on Nariku before beginning their patrol.
But as they turned the corner, they stopped in surprise.
Nariku was already outside, standing near the wooden fence beside the medbay area, stretching his arms as if trying to shake off yesterday's weakness. He still looked a little pale, but the fire in his eyes had returned—quiet, but steady.
Tyuri blinked. "You're up already?"
Nariku turned and offered a faint smile. "Yeah… guess I didn't want to waste another morning lying around."
Nearby, Iryosuka, with his usual messy hair and deep eye bags, sat on a bench sipping something warm. He glanced at the group and spoke in his half-tired tone.
"That black-haired guy with the sharp eyes? Rin, right? He stopped by earlier. Didn't say a word. Just looked at Nariku for a few seconds, then walked off."
Tyuri raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment.
Nori gave Nariku a light pat on the shoulder. "You sure you're alright?"
Nariku nodded. "I'm fine. Thanks."
The group moved on in silence, the early breeze brushing past them—unaware of the growing weight behind quiet stares and subtle moves already in motion.