Renji led the way, every step precise, calculated. Behind him followed Rika, her hand clutching the hem of his jacket like a lifeline. Reina moved with controlled calm, flashlight in one hand, the other tucked near her coat pocket where Renji suspected she carried something sharp and hidden. Mayumi brought up the rear, her athletic frame tense, eyes flicking over every shadow like a hawk....
The System whispered in Renji's mind.
[Quest Active: Unmask the Anomaly.]
[Target Location: Sub-level Records Archive.]
[Warning: Presence Detected. Renji! Be careful]
Renji's jaw tightened. "She's here."
Rika's grip tightened instinctively, her breathing quickening. "I can feel it too. That… heaviness."
They descended into the sub-level, a part of the school most students didn't even know existed. Dust clung to the walls, air heavy with the musk of old paper and mildew. Shelves of forgotten records stretched into the dark, folders stacked high with decades of secrets.
