Peace Doesn't Exist

Alone

He heard the ground the crumble behind him. Mujaki turns and draws a kunai. He searches for the cause of the sound. He saw was a huge snake slowly heading towards him. He panics.

"No! No! Scram, I'm not food!"

Mujaki throws the kunai at the snake. It bounced of it doing nothing to it. Shocked, Mujaki trips backward. The snake rises over him peering into his eyes.

"You traveled far sand-dweller." The serpent said. Mujaki was in awe that the snake could speak. He worriedly questions it.

"Are you going to eat me?"

"No, no, no. Human taste dreadful. I wanted to know why you're here."

"I... I'm just passing by."

"Don't lie to me." The Snake went closer to his face, terrifying him.

"W-We're here for answers! Please, don't kill me."

"Answers? Child look what answers did to the lands. It's a shell." The snake begins to slither away rubbing it's long body against Mujaki's chest. "I won't stop you. But be careful of what you are looking for. Ah, and be mindful of the echoes."

The Snake disappears into a small pit. Mujaki was breathing heavily but calms down. He raised up and proceeds towards the hotel holding the Snake's warning in mind.

Mujaki was getting close towards his companions, he just needed to roam across a traditional playground. Suddenly, he heard the laughter of children. They were filled with joy and delight. He could also hear the parents of said children laughing with them. Although the atmosphere of happiness was in the air, Mujaki felt anxious. It was feeling he's used to. It what dismayed him form this New World. Nature behaving differently when it isn't expected to act that way.

He maintains his march forward ignoring all the forgotten voices. From the corner of his eye, he sees a crimson glow from the shadows. That's when he lost his cool. He runs then hides in a corner. He could still hear the echoes but ignores it as he takes out the walkie-talkie.

"Guys, help!" He cries at the radio.

"Mujaki!? What's wrong?" Yūzai hastily replies.

"I think someone's watching me!"

"I'm on my way!" Yūzai yells heading towards his ally.

"Stay put Mujaki. We'll deal with this together!" Samayō announces also rushing towards his side. Mujaki tries to regulate his breathing.

He almost succeeds when from one building a huge brown bear emerges. It was a behemoth, huger than an average bear. The bear notices Mujaki, stands on two and roars. Mujaki screams and dashes away with the bear giving chase. He spins and inhales.

"Wind Style: Devastation!"

Mujaki breathes wind from his mouth trying scare away the bear. But had little to no effect on it. He turns and goes down an alleyway hoping the stairs would slow it down. In his urgency, he slips and tumbles down the rest of the stairs. He was in the ground with the bear rapidly closing the gap between the two.

When Mujaki had given up hope, a figure had dropped in front of him. The bears stop in the presence of the female and rose up. It roars once again but the figure was unmoved. She winds-up her fist and hits a devastating right to the gut. The bear was launched backward. When it pulled up, it turns aside and ascends up the stairs leaving Mujaki and stranger alone.

The stranger faces Mujaki revealing her appearance. She has onyx eyes and hair, which reaches down to her below her shoulders, parts to the right, and tucks behind her ear. Her attire is a red sleeveless qipao shirt, black shinobi sandals, and black a shinobi-style pants with a belt around her waist. On the belt, she had three scrolls of various colors to her side along with small packs and tools. Her left arm had a long black arm warmer, but her right arm was wrapped completely in bandages.