A few minutes earlier.
By the ti they realized what had happened, Namita and Seiji realized that everybody but the two of them disappeared.
Namita's expression shifted, showing a faint frown.
He wasn't worried about himself or their captain, but rather the two other mbers of the squad.
Since he was with Seiji, that ant that Ayase or Akihito were either together, or at least one of them was with the Captain.
But the latter ant that one of them was stranded alone right now in this godforsaken place.
'.... Zold said they should be fine, as long as they followed his advice.'
Namita thought, but even he found it hard to believe.
When they were preparing, Zold had provided them with a few words of advice to survive this mission, in case they were ever separated.
Since he couldn't do anything, Namita let out a sigh.
'The best way is to find them imdiately.'
'Panicking or being emotional in front of a control-type monster that specializes in illusions is asking for death.'
Recalling Zold's words back in the eting, he forcefully kept his composure.
"Namita, the kids…" Seiji suddenly spoke, snapping out of his daze.
Namita glanced at him, seeing his concerned expression.
"We've been separated." He said quietly.
"Huh?! Then…"
Seiji widened his eyes, a deep frown suddenly overtaking his expression.
"This is bad… we have to find them!"
Namita shook his head.
"It's probably not that simple. Calm down."
Hearing that, Seiji's frown deepened, but when he looked at Namita, his expression eased slightly.
"This monster's proto-domain ability is related to illusions. If you look at where we are standing, it's the entrance of Tsumogui… considering the effect of domain abilities, it's more likely that we haven't moved at all, but instead we're under a deep illusion."
The new manual contained information regarding domain and proto-domain abilities, plus with Zold's help, their understanding of Tier II Demon-class monsters surpassed others.
Seiji quickly realized what he ant. "You an we're probably close to each other in real life?"
"Yes," Namita nodded slightly, scanning their surroundings. "All of us should still be at the entrance. Instead, what we need to do is escape this illusion…"
Seeing Namita reason calmly, it made his panic seem reckless in comparison.
Seiji took a deep breath.
"... You're right."
Namita glanced at him, quietly speaking. "I didn't expect you to grow attached to those kids."
"What…" Seiji was startled, his brows creasing. He paused, lowering his gaze, then shaking his head. "It's not like that…"
"Why?" Namita continued casually, as if he hadn't heard Seiji. "I thought you were an indifferent person, but it seems like you're quite caring deep inside."
Seeing Namita continue, Seiji clicked his tongue, feeling embarrassed.
"Stop it."
"Sorry, sorry," Namita spoke casually. "My first impression of you was that you looked like soone who couldn't care less about the people around him, but I guess I was wrong."
Seiji suddenly fell silent.
"... Do I really give that impression?" He asked quietly.
Namita paused, glancing at him. "That's what I think, yes."
"I'm not…" Seiji seed to want to explain, but after thinking about it, he didn't continue. He pursed his lips, looking elsewhere. "It's not like you're wrong, the kids just remind of so people in my life."
Namita raised his brows. "That's a good thing, right?"
"It should be…" Seiji muttered. "That kid Akihito is childish, but he's quite responsible."
Suddenly, as if he recalled sothing unpleasant, he quickly shook his head.
"Nevermind, forget it."
Namita's gaze lingered on him, then he nodded. "I see. What were you doing before applying to be a demon hunter?"
"Huh?" Seiji was confused, but at least the topic changed. He answered. "Didn't I say so before? I was a salaryman working in an ordinary company…"
"Was it a black company?" Namita asked, causing Seiji's expression to change. He quickly added. "Call it a detective's perceptiveness."
"Detectives are scary," Seiji comnted dryly, shaking his head. "Yeah, I guess."
Namita mused. "Were you planning to overwork yourself to death?"
Seiji chuckled awkwardly, falling silent.
After a while, the two of them fell into a brief silence.
Namita suddenly raised his head, seeing Seiji act strangely.
"Seiji?"
"... Huh?"
Seiji's reply was late, snapping out of his daze. He blinked, shaking his head.
"Sorry, what was that? I was…"
"Be careful, you're already affected."
Namita suddenly said, his expression solemn.
Hearing that, Seiji frowned, but didn't speak. What did he an by affected?
Namita stared at him quietly before speaking.
"Where are you going?"
"Where?"
Seiji narrowed his eyes, confused. But then, when he looked around him, he realized that… he was already a few steps away.
He was no longer beside Namita.
"... Keep calm."
Seijo murmured to himself while staring at Namita.
He didn't know if those words were for Namita or for himself.
A thick pale mist covered the town, making the two of them see nothing but the road they were stepping on.
It felt as if the mont they delved deeper into the mist, they would completely lose each other, regardless of whether they were close to one another or not.
Sothing about this town… felt wrong.
No, not felt.
Sothing was wrong.
Seiji didn't know if Namita felt it, but he could sense it.
An almost tempting whisper. A slow gravitational pull. Sothing was luring him deeper into the town.
Seijo felt a shiver crawl down his spine.
"What should we do?" He asked weakly.
Namita paused for a mont, then walked close to Seiji.
"What else? We explore."
Seiji fell silent. Then, almost imdiately, he began walking again.
"Do you feel it?"
He asked quietly.
Namita shifted his gaze.
"Explain."
"It's like…" Seiji continued. "Sothing is calling deep in the mist."
As he said that, silence fell between the two of them again.
"Let's avoid it then," Namita said simply.
But Seiji shook his head, smiling weakly.
"... I can't."
Before Namita could ask, he continued.
"That calling… it's like it's coming from all sides. Every direction I try to step towards, that feeling is there."
Namita furrowed his brows, falling silent.
Then after a brief pause, he nodded slightly.
"Let's go then. We'll see what's calling you."
"Huh?"
Seiji was startled, but before he could say anything, Namita had already begun to walk.
"Wait!"
As he caught up to his back, the mist suddenly cleared slightly, revealing a tall, ordinary wooden house.
Namita stopped, and Seiji also stopped right behind him.
The mont Seiji saw the house, he knew that it was the one calling for him.
The whisper grew stronger, practically yelling at him to enter.
But besides that feeling, he also felt a strange familiarity with the house.
It was as if he had already seen it before.
"... It looks familiar."
Seiji murmured, not able to tell exactly why he felt that way.
At that mont, from the mirror on the top floor, a shadow erged.
Namita shifted his gaze, furrowing his brows.
"Soone is inside…"
Seiji also looked, but the mont he did so, his expression froze.
His entire body started shaking, as if his heart had been taken.
"... N-no, no way…"
"Seiji?" Namita asked, frowning. "What's wrong?"
"No, no…"
Seiji clenched his teeth, averting his eyes. He couldn't help but take a couple step backs, stumbling as he fell to the ground.
Thud.
"This can't be possible… I refuse to believe it!"
Namita looked at Seiji, whose face morphed in fright.
"Seiji!"
"No, this isn't true!"
As if possessed by sothing, Seiji's eyes turned bloodshot. He stood up and imdiately ran inside the house.
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