Chapter-58: The Message of Carnage

Xero barked a laugh, his broad grin returning as he adjusted the massive sword on his back. "Fair enough. But don't think I didn't notice you've got a bit of a regal flair going on. Must be all those years of—" 

"You shouldn't argue now. Enemies could attack any time," Kuro said. His calm voice stopped their arguing right away.

Xero turned to him, his grin faltering slightly. "What about you, Kuro? Got any brilliant insights? Or are you just going to keep brooding in silence?" 

Kuro's gaze met Xero's, his expression unreadable. "Just keep your guard up," he said evenly. "People won't come to you straightforwardly as you are thinking.." 

Reika's heart skipped a beat at the weight in his tone. She didn't understand why, but every word Kuro spoke carried a quiet authority that sent a strange warmth through her chest. It was infuriating and reassuring all at once. She forced herself to focus, shaking off the fleeting distraction. 

They kept going, and the heavy feeling of the forest got even worse. It felt like the forest was alive, with shadows moving where they couldn't quite see them. Then, they walked through some thick plants and found something bad—a ruined campsite.

Pieces of torn cloth moved slowly in the light wind. Things were scattered all over the ground, like someone had left in a hurry. Broken weapons and small spots of blood were there, and the air smelled a little like old blood.

"Looks like someone didn't make it," Xero muttered, his usual bravado dimmed as he took in the carnage. His single eye scanned the scene with uncharacteristic seriousness. 

Reika knelt beside a shredded tent, her fingers brushing over the torn material. Her sharp eyes darted over the ground, noting the claw marks gouged into the soil and the patterns of the scattered debris. "This wasn't a fight," she said, her voice steady but cold. "It was a slaughter. Whoever did this didn't just want their scroll. They wanted to send a message." 

Kuro stepped closer, his gaze lingering on the faint bloodstains smeared across the ground. His expression darkened, the weight of his words hanging heavy. "The message is clear," he said quietly. "We're not alone, and our enemies are already moving. They are aiming us." 

Kuro knew what kind of creature was responsible for this devastation. It was the work of the Children of Cerberus.

The three of them stood in silence, the forest around them eerily quiet, as if holding its breath. Reika rose to her feet, brushing the dirt from her gloves. 

"Let's move," she said firmly, her voice cutting through the stillness. "If we linger here, we're inviting trouble." 

Xero nodded, his grip tightening on his sword. "Whoever did this… they're going to regret crossing our path." 

Kuro didn't respond, his eyes fixed on the bloodstains one last time before he turned away. The forest seemed to close in around them as they continued deeper into its twisted heart, every step carrying them closer to the unknown danger that awaited. 

The moonlight filtered faintly through the towering canopy of the Forest of Death, casting fragmented shadows on the forest floor. Somewhere within the sprawling expanse, Team 10 moved cautiously, their steps muffled against the thick underbrush. 

Ino Yamanaka lagged slightly behind her teammates, her gaze darting to the path where she last saw Kuro, Reika, and Xero. Reika's composed demeanor and the way she seemed to take charge of her team lingered in Ino's mind, stirring a mixture of admiration and annoyance. 

"What's with that girl?" Ino muttered under her breath, her brows furrowing. "Acting all high and mighty around Kuro..." 

Ahead of her, Shikamaru Nara groaned, the exasperation evident in his voice. "What a drag! Why do you care, Ino? She's not even on our team. You should focus on surviving this nightmare instead of obsessing over someone else's group." 

Ino shot him a glare. "I'm not obsessing!" she snapped, crossing her arms defensively. "I just don't like the way she acts like she's better than everyone else." 

Shikamaru smirked faintly, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Sure, whatever you say." 

Choji, munching quietly on a bag of chips, chimed in, his tone cheerful as usual. "Maybe she's just confident? I mean, she *does* seem pretty strong. Well and pretty too." 

"Whose side are you on, Choji?" Ino barked, spinning toward him. 

Choji raised his hands in mock surrender, crumbs spilling from his fingertips. "Hey, I'm just saying! No need to get mad." 

Ino huffed, turning back toward the path ahead, though her thoughts remained with Kuro's group. 

Shikamaru gestured for his teammates to stop as they reached a small clearing surrounded by thick undergrowth. He crouched low, surveying the area. 

"Alright," he said, his tone businesslike, "we'll set up here for now. This spot's defensible, and we can use the bushes to hide if someone comes near." 

Ino frowned, clearly unimpressed. "Hide? That's your big plan? We're supposed to find the other scroll, not play hide-and-seek!" 

Shikamaru shot her a pointed look. "And what's your genius idea, then? Charge blindly into the forest and hope we don't run into someone stronger?" 

"Maybe we *should* be a little more aggressive," Ino argued, her tone heated. "If we keep playing it safe, someone else will get to the tower before we even find the scroll we need!" 

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, rubbing his temples. "Look, we don't even know who has the scroll we need. Charging in without a plan is a good way to get us all disqualified—or worse." 

Choji, sensing the growing tension, stepped between them. "Come on, you two. Let's just stick together and figure it out. No point arguing when we don't even know where to start." 

Shikamaru sighed, relenting. "Fine. But let's keep it low-key. No unnecessary risks." 

Ino grumbled but didn't push the matter further. Her mind wandered back to Kuro and Reika, the image of Reika's confident smirk only fueling her irritation.