After arriving in Matrewer, the group began their journey on foot towards the town. The place appeared mystical, with thick fog enveloping every alleyway, as if wanting to swallow up any strangers. Without keen instincts, anyone could easily get lost in this white labyrinth.
They entered the town of Waly. The people here dressed very strangely, unlike the real world. While they were observing in bewilderment, a small hand suddenly pulled them into a dark alley nearby. They jumped, looking around, but saw no one.
"Who is it?" Miha exclaimed, clutching her clothes.
"It's me," a childish voice said from below.
"Where?!" Fushima looked around impatiently.
The voice spoke again, impatiently:
"I'm not very tall, so look down!" All four of them simultaneously bent down. Before them stood a little girl with short, shoulder-length white hair, clutching a large, rough canvas doll about half her size.
"Who are you?" Keijy asked, his voice softening slightly.
"Follow me," the girl commanded coldly, without answering, then swiftly led the way.
She led them to a small but exquisitely decorated tailor shop adorned with shimmering silk ribbons.
"Hey, why did you bring us here?" Haruto asked in surprise.
From behind the counter, an old woman slowly emerged. The white-haired girl immediately ran to stand beside her. Miha was stunned when she recognized the old woman's face – it was Mrs. Saki, their former neighbor who had disappeared long ago after moving to Matrewer.
"Mrs... Mrs. Saki?" Miha murmured.
The old woman smiled gently, her kind and compassionate eyes gazing at the group. The girl with white hair then stepped forward to explain:
– "For a very long time, this kingdom has been isolated. Anyone from the real world who infiltrates here while still wearing that uniform will be considered a thief or a spy. You will be hunted down before you even find what you want. Therefore, you need to disguise yourselves."
The group was astonished. It turned out things were much more complicated than they thought. Mrs. Saki nodded, gesturing for them to go behind the velvet curtain.
– "Don't worry, I've prepared costumes for you. This is the 'Court' collection, handcrafted by me, divided into two matching styles for men and women."
A moment later, each person emerged with a completely new appearance, exuding the mysterious aura of the Matrewer land:
Haruto and Fushima, the dynamic duo, stepped out first. Both wore lightweight armor designed symmetrically with a dominant dark blue color scheme. Haruto looked like a dashing young swordsman in a silver-white jacket with stiff shoulder pads, paired with tight pants and silver-studded knee-high boots. Fushima exuded the steadfastness of a leader.
– "The group uniforms look really cool!" – Fushima playfully punched Haruto on the shoulder excitedly.
Then, the curtain lifted again. Miha and Keijy stepped out, leaving the two boys speechless for a few seconds. Their outfits were incredibly sophisticated and elaborate: a combination of delicate white blouses with bows beneath black corsets embroidered with diamond patterns. The highlight was the feminine, flared sleeves and a short skirt in a mysterious dark blue. Knee-high stockings combined with small chains and sparkling gemstone accessories around the waist created a look that was both elegant and slightly bewitching.
– "Wow… Keijy, that outfit makes you look incredibly sharp!" – Miha exclaimed, looking at her friend.
Haruto stood still, staring at Keijy. In her figure-hugging outfit and stylish high socks, Keijy possessed both the beauty of an archer and an irresistible elegance.
– "It suits you perfectly," Haruto said.
Keijy lightly tossed her hair, adjusted the bow sheath on her back, and a confident smile returned:
– "Mrs. Saki's clothes are truly impeccable. Now, we are officially members of Matrewer!"
Mrs. Saki smiled kindly, giving them temporary resident badges to pin on their chests:
– "Go, my children, find what you have lost."
Mrs. Saki took out two antique sword scabbards and a short scepter, giving them to them:
– "Your weapons are your souls. Feel them."
Instantly, a deep blue light flared up on Haruto's sword, giving him maximum speed. Fushima swung his large sword, creating shockwaves that shook the entire room.
It was Miha's turn; the scepter in her hand glowed a pale purple. Tiny threads of light, like spiderwebs, began to emanate from her fingertips. Miha lightly waved her hand, and these threads immediately wrapped tightly around a distant object. With a slight squeeze, it was swiftly cut to shreds.
"I can not only heal... I can also bind enemies," Miha said firmly.
As for Keijy, her bow now shimmered as if woven from silver violin keys. Each arrow she fired carried the resonant sound of a violin, capable of exploding upon impact.
The little girl with white hair – named Kiki – clutched her rag doll tightly, her sharp eyes fixed on the group:
– "Enough. I am Kiki, your commander. Our enemy is The Collector. He is holding Keijy's piano at the Piano Key Castle behind the misty forest. Let's go, before he sucks all the music out of it!"
The group rose simultaneously. Haruto and Fushima shielded them on either side, Keijy drew his bow, and Miha prepared with threads of light in her hand. Under Kiki's leadership, they left the shop and headed straight into the thick fog of the Misty Forest.
The deeper they went into the Misty Forest, the more their vision narrowed. Ancient trees with twisted shapes lurked in the opaque white smoke, creating a chilling atmosphere. After a while, a small sound echoed, making them wary.
Kiki led the way, the cloth doll in her hand trembling slightly.
"Stop. They're coming." – Kiki's voice was cold.
– "Those are the 'Mist Ghosts' – they are invisible in the mist and only reveal themselves when attacking. These creatures have no fixed form, their eyes glow with a bloodthirsty red light. They glide silently, blending into the fog, making them difficult for opponents to track. We must be vigilant."
– "Let me lead the way!" – Haruto exclaimed excitedly.
Relying on his new speed, he darted forward like a dark green arrow. Haruto's sword swung, cutting through the air, but the Mist Ghosts vanished into smoke the moment the blade touched them, only to reappear behind him. In an instant, Haruto was surrounded by dozens of ghosts, their long claws reaching out to devour him.
– "Haruto! Don't be careless!" – Fushima shouted, but he couldn't rush forward in time as another group blocked his way.
At that critical moment, a brilliant pale purple light burst forth from behind. Miha stepped forward, her scepter spinning, radiating mesmerizing power.
– "Light Thread: Millennium Prison!" – Miha yelled.
From her ten fingertips, thousands of thin yet sharp and luminous threads shot out. They weaved through the gaps in the mist, forming a giant net surrounding Haruto. The Mist Ghosts, upon touching these threads, were instantly bound, their bodies burned by the light energy, causing them to scream in agony and preventing them from dissipating.
– "This is your chance, Fushima!" – Miha shouted, tightening the threads in her hands, pulling the monsters to a single point.
– "Understood! Take this, you bastards!" – Fushima roared.
He leaped high into the air, his massive longsword radiating the heavy pressure of a mountain.
– "Gravity Seal: Great Earthquake!" – Fushima swung his sword down onto the ground.
A tremendous shockwave erupted at the very center where Miha had bound the monsters. Under the pressure of gravity, the Mist Ghosts were shattered into tiny dust particles before they could recover.
However, there were still some more cunning ghosts stealthily approaching Miha from behind the ancient trees. They intended to target the "heart" of the group while she was concentrating on controlling the threads.
Whoosh! "Whoosh!"
Two whistling sounds rang out simultaneously. Two arrows of light, carrying the melodious tune of a violin, pierced through the mist, embedding themselves in the heads of the lurking demons and exploding into brilliant bursts of light. Keijy lowered her bow, her eyes sharp as a hawk's:
"Focus on the front, Miha, leave the rear to me."
Haruto escaped the encirclement, somersaulting before landing beside Miha, breathing a sigh of relief:
"Phew... Thank you, Miha! Without your silk, I would have been doomed."
Miha smiled slightly, her cheeks flushed from the exertion of her energy, but her eyes were full of confidence. Her mage's dress, with its silver chains swaying gently with her breath, exuded the proud aura of a true female warrior.
"Don't just stand there praising each other." – Kiki crossed her arms, her cloth doll pointing toward the path that was emerging after the fog cleared.
– "This is just the beginning. Your powers work together quite well, but the bandit… he's waiting ahead."
The four looked at each other, their recent coordination dispelling any doubts. With the protection of Miha's silk threads, the strength of Haruto and Fushima, and Keiji's marksmanship, they confidently ventured deeper into the realm of darkness.
Suddenly, strange sounds erupted. Sounds of agonizing screams, capable of causing hallucinations, filled the air. They covered their ears, the screams tearing through the forest.
– "That's a sound trap." – Kiki tried to speak loudly so they could hear.
Haruto jumped up. Immediately, he used his sword to slash through the bushes of flowers. The shouting ended, and they breathed a sigh of relief. After what had just happened, Keiji realized that this was not just an ordinary world.
"I thought it was just a world with added color. Not only that, this world doesn't just have monsters, it also has its own rules."
At that moment, not only Keiji, but also Haruto-Fushima and Miha realized: Matrewer was not simply a piece of land, but a major obstacle they would have to face.