SSS-Rank Extra: I Got a Chaos System-Chapter 23: Whispers in the Storm

Kazuki and Lillian stood at the edge of the village, their clothes drenched from the relentless downpour. The streets were eerily quiet, save for the occasional flicker of lantern light from the wooden homes that lined the path. The storm had slowed, but the air was thick with an unsettling stillness.

"Think anyone's awake?" Kazuki asked, glancing at the dark windows. He wiped rain from his brow, but it didn't do much to dry him off.

Lillian eyed the village with suspicion. "If they are, they're either scared of the storm or of us showing up." She adjusted her cloak, still shivering from the cold.

Kazuki chuckled. "Yeah, we probably look like the world's most beaten-up travelers."

"Do we knock or just walk in?" Lillian asked, already taking a step forward.

Kazuki raised an eyebrow. "You serious? You want to knock on doors at this hour?"

Lillian shrugged. "I'm done with running, and I'm done with caves. If someone's got food and a bed, I'm taking it."

Kazuki hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Fair enough."

The two of them walked deeper into the village, the sound of their footsteps muffled by the mud beneath their boots. As they neared the first house, Kazuki noticed the faint glow of a lantern from inside. He couldn't tell if someone was awake or if the village had simply forgotten to extinguish it.

Lillian reached for the door and knocked, her fist making a soft but firm sound against the wooden surface. They waited in silence. Seconds passed. Then minutes.

Just when Kazuki was about to give up, the door creaked open. A middle-aged man, his face weathered and cautious, peered out from behind the door.

"Can I help you two?" he asked, his voice gruff but not unfriendly.

Kazuki opened his mouth, but Lillian cut him off. "We're just passing through. Got caught in the storm, and we're hoping for some shelter."

The man looked them over, his gaze lingering on the mud-splattered travelers. He hesitated for a moment before stepping back. "I suppose I can offer you a roof for the night. But no funny business."

"Thank you," Lillian said before Kazuki could say anything that might get them kicked out.

The man nodded, opening the door wider. "Come in, but don't get too comfortable. Tomorrow morning, you're gone. Got it?"

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Kazuki didn't need to be told twice. He followed Lillian inside, eager for warmth and safety.

As the door closed behind them, the man gestured for them to sit near the fire in the corner of the room. The warmth was a welcome relief, but the tension in the air was palpable.

Kazuki eyed the man suspiciously. "What's the catch?"

The man smirked. "No catch. But around here, people don't stay long without a reason. So if you're here for trouble, I'll throw you back into that storm myself."

Lillian raised an eyebrow, but Kazuki grinned. "We're not here for trouble. Just some rest and maybe a hot meal if you've got one."

The man didn't say anything for a while. Instead, he walked to a small cooking pot on the fire and stirred it. The smell of stew filled the room.

"Fine. Stay. Just don't be a burden."

Kazuki and Lillian exchanged glances. They were safe—for now.

But Kazuki couldn't shake the feeling that this village had more secrets than it let on. The way the man's eyes narrowed when he mentioned "reason," the strange silence in the air—it all felt wrong.

But they had no choice but to rest and stay out of trouble, at least until the storm passed.

They sat in silence, the crackling fire the only sound in the room, while outside, the storm raged on.

The warmth of the fire wrapped around Kazuki and Lillian, but there was an unease that neither could shake. The storm outside still roared, the wind howling as if trying to force its way into the small cabin. The flickering light from the fire cast strange shadows on the walls, and Kazuki couldn't help but feel like they weren't alone, even though it was just the two of them and the man in front of them.

"Don't suppose you get a lot of travelers around here, do you?" Kazuki asked, trying to break the silence.

The man stirred the stew, not looking up. "Not too many," he muttered. "Most know better than to wander into the woods."

Lillian raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "So, what's so special about these woods?"

The man paused, then glanced at the pair, his eyes narrowing. "You don't know?"

Kazuki and Lillian exchanged glances. Kazuki shrugged, though his gut told him this was more than just a casual conversation. "No. Just got caught in the storm."

The man hesitated, looking like he was debating whether or not to say more. Finally, he sighed. "They say the woods are cursed. People who go in don't come back. But that's just stories, right?"

Lillian leaned forward, her gaze sharp. "Stories? You seem to believe it."

The man set the spoon down and crossed his arms. "I don't believe in curses. But I do believe in things that don't belong in the woods. The woods have a way of... changing people."

Kazuki's curiosity piqued. "What kind of things?"

The man was silent for a moment, his eyes distant. "Things that whisper. That watch you from the trees. And those who hear the whispers are never the same when they come out."

A shiver ran down Kazuki's spine. Lillian, however, didn't look fazed. "So, you're saying the woods are haunted?"

The man snorted. "Not haunted. Just... wrong. Something's off about them. Something deeper than just the trees. If you're smart, you stay clear. If you're not..." He let the sentence hang in the air.

Kazuki leaned back, eyeing the man warily. "And you don't seem too worried about us being here. You're not the type to just offer shelter."

The man met his gaze with a steady look. "I don't worry about much. Besides, you're here now. Can't exactly throw you back out in that storm."

Lillian studied him. "You ever had visitors who stayed here?"

The man's gaze darkened slightly. "A few. And they all thought they had a reason to stay. But none of them lasted."

Kazuki's curiosity got the better of him. "What happens to them?"

The man's gaze hardened. "They either leave, or they go mad."

Lillian stood, looking at the window, where the rain lashed against the glass. "And you've been here long enough to know this?"

"Long enough to know the place changes you," he said quietly, his tone dark. "And long enough to know when it's time to leave."

Before either of them could ask more, the door opened, the wind howling in with it. A younger woman stepped inside, her eyes scanning the room quickly before settling on the pair.

"You shouldn't be here," she said, her voice sharp.

Kazuki looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "And why's that?"

She closed the door behind her and stepped closer. "The storm won't last long, but the woods will be watching you until it does."

Lillian crossed her arms. "And how do you know that?"

The woman's eyes darkened. "Because it always does."

Kazuki stood, his instincts kicking in. "Who are you?"

The woman's lips twisted into a thin smile. "Someone who knows the forest. Someone who knows what you're running from."

Before Kazuki could respond, the door slammed open again. A gust of wind pushed the woman to the side, and in the doorway stood a massive figure, cloaked in shadows.

Kazuki's heart skipped a beat. The figure's silhouette was far too large to be human, its presence oppressive. The air grew cold, and the room seemed to darken.

The man behind the fire didn't flinch. "You shouldn't have come."

Without thinking, he reached into his inventory. A flicker of light, and his dagger materialized into his hand, the cold steel a welcome weight.

Lillian's gaze snapped to him, her sharp eyes scanning the figure in the doorway. The air crackled with tension, both of them on edge, ready for whatever came next.

The figure stepped forward, its features slowly becoming clearer. It was a tall, hunched figure, wearing a cloak that seemed to ripple as if it were alive. Its eyes, glowing faintly, pierced the dim light of the cabin.

Kazuki swallowed hard, but he didn't back down. "What do you want?"

The figure's voice rumbled, deep and guttural. "We want nothing. You are the ones who sought us."

Lillian's voice was calm, but there was a tension in her stance. "We're just passing through. If you want us to leave, we will."

The figure tilted its head, and its eyes gleamed with amusement. "You have no idea what you're truly walking into, do you?"

Kazuki's grip tightened on his dagger. "We're just looking for a place to stay."

The man beside the fire let out a long sigh. "You won't be leaving tonight."