A Glimmer of Light in Despair

"Blood Claw" carried the unconscious Ichinose Honami over his shoulder like a sack of goods, moving swiftly through the rugged, slick jungle. His chosen path was extremely tricky, avoiding all possible open areas and patrol points, until he finally reached the entrance of a natural cave completely hidden by layers of vines, dense ferns, and massive boulders. Unless one knew of it beforehand or possessed extremely sharp senses, it would be nearly impossible to discover.

He roughly pushed aside the thick curtain of vines and ducked inside. The cave interior wasn't spacious, but enough to accommodate them. The air was damp and cold, thick with a mixed smell of earth, mold, and metal. Scattered haphazardly in a corner of the cave wall were several opened military ration cans, energy bar wrappers, a portable gas stove with a small, blackened pot, and a few empty water bottles. More conspicuous were the weapons lying on the other side: spare magazines, a few grenades, a gleaming machete, and his signature submachine gun, caked with mud.

"Blood Claw" showed no gentleness as he dumped Ichinose onto the cold, rough stone floor. The girl let out a pained groan but didn't wake.

The thin, simple white cotton pajamas she wore were now terribly disheveled from the rough dragging and the fall. The right thin strap had completely slipped down to her upper arm, revealing a rounded, fair shoulder and a small patch of smooth back skin; the front of her left chest was pulled askew, the collar gaping wide, exposing the delicate line of her collarbone completely, and even hinting faintly at the softer curves below. The hem, originally reaching her knees, was now bunched up to mid-thigh, outlining the smooth lines of her legs, her fair skin strikingly vivid in the dim light. The soaked fabric clung to her body, almost translucent, more clearly reflecting the youthful, graceful yet now utterly fragile silhouette of the girl.

"Blood Claw" panted heavily, rolling his shoulder that was sore from carrying her, and pulled a coil of sturdy climbing rope from his backpack.

He crouched down, roughly twisting Ichinose's hands behind her back, binding her wrists tightly with the rope in a complex sailor's knot. Then he bound her ankles, just as securely. Done, he stepped back, using the faint moonlight filtering through the vine gaps to appraise his "prey" on the ground.

Because of her earlier struggles and being carried, Ichinose's once-neat pajamas were somewhat messy, the collar slightly open, revealing a small section of fair, delicate collarbone. The thin fabric outlined the girl's youthful, graceful curves. Her wet blonde hair stuck to her cheeks and neck, adding to her fragile beauty.

"Tsk..." "Blood Claw" clicked his tongue, his rough fingers unconsciously stroking his chin, his eyes gleaming with undisguised, beast-like appraisal of prey, "This little girl... she's really something." His voice was hoarse and low, carrying a primal desire, "Pretty face, hot body... no wonder she managed to melt that iceberg Kazama In's heart, huh? Hehe..." He let out an ambiguous low laugh.

However, the rationality forged by a life lived on the edge of a blade and "Gray Owl's" earlier warning quickly suppressed the rising evil fire. "Damn it..." He cursed under his breath, forcing himself to look away, "Hostage... if I touch her now, it'll only completely enrage that lunatic 'The Arbiter'... not worth it. After I lure him here and kill him..." The cruel desire reignited in his eyes as he licked his chapped lips, "There'll be plenty of time to slowly 'enjoy' her."

He pulled out an encrypted communicator and tried to contact "Gray Owl."

[Gray Owl, hostage secured. Class B camp. Proceed with plan to lure The Arbiter to Waterfall Area. Over.]

The message sent, but it vanished like a stone dropped into the sea. No response.

[Gray Owl? Acknowledge!]

Still dead silence.

"Blood Claw's" expression gradually darkened. A sense of foreboding weighed on him. Irritably, he grabbed a military ration can, pried it open roughly with his dagger, scooped out the cold, greasy chunks of stewed meat, and shoved them into his mouth, chewing messily. He also took out instant coffee powder, poured it into a cup, mixed it directly with cold stream water, and gulped it down. The bitter, cold liquid barely suppressed some of his agitation.

Time ticked by, minute after minute. The communicator remained silent. Outside the cave, the wind began to pick up, heralding a brewing storm about to pour down.

Waiting, especially waiting without knowing a comrade's fate, easily breeds negative emotions. Irritation, unease, fear of the unknown... and the forcibly suppressed beast called desire, stirred restlessly in the silence and darkness.

"Blood Claw's" gaze uncontrollably drifted again to the bound figure in the corner. Moonlight occasionally slipped through the vine gaps, falling on her fair skin and curving silhouette, like a silent temptation. The cave's chill seemed unable to dispel the heat rising within him. His heavy breathing sounded especially clear in the silent cave.

Just then, the girl on the ground let out a faint moan.

Ichinose Honami's eyelashes trembled violently, her consciousness struggling like a sinking ship to rise from the dark abyss. The ache in the back of her neck, the pungent smell lingering in her nose, and the sharp pain of rough rope cutting into her wrists and ankles instantly yanked her back to reality!

Her eyes snapped open! Her azure blue eyes were filled with the confusion of just waking, then instantly flooded with immense terror!

A strange, cold cave! A thick smell of mold and metal! She was tightly bound, unable to move! And what made her heart stop was the hulking figure sitting not far away, like a mountain! He was staring at her with eyes that gleamed in the darkness! That look... was filled with undisguised, nauseating desire and... killing intent!

"Who... who are you?! What do you want?!" Ichinose's voice trembled and distorted with fear. She instinctively curled backward, but the cold rock and the ropes made it impossible to move. Overwhelming terror flooded her like icy water! She remembered Kazama In's warning, the farewell before that rainy night... Could this be what he meant by "extremely dangerous"?!

"Heh, awake, little beauty?" "Blood Claw" stood up, his tall figure casting a huge, demonic shadow in the cave. He walked toward Ichinose step by step, his heavy footsteps like a death knell pounding on her heart. "Don't be afraid. As long as you behave and cooperate with us to lure your little lover here... I won't do anything to you." His voice was laced with malicious mockery as he leaned down, his rough fingers, with a chilling touch, lightly traced Ichinose's cold cheek.

"Don't touch me!" Ichinose jerked her head away like a frightened animal, tears of humiliation and fear welling in her eyes. Kazama In... Kazama In, where are you?!

In the midst of this extreme fear and despair, a cold sensation suddenly came from the index finger of her right hand!

The ring!

The dark ring Kazama In had given her! It was still there!

Like a drowning person grabbing the last lifeline! A powerful, instinctive will to survive instantly overwhelmed her fear! Kazama In's words echoed clearly in her mind: "If... you feel extremely dangerous... press your thumb firmly against this crystal for three seconds!"

No time to hesitate! That demonic figure was right in front of her! His eyes were growing more dangerous by the second!

Ichinose's heart pounded wildly, almost leaping out of her throat! Suppressing her immense fear, while "Blood Claw's" attention seemed still fixed on her face, her hands, bound behind her back, moved with extreme difficulty and extreme stealth! Her right thumb, trembling yet utterly determined, fumbled for the cold ring on her index finger, finally touching that tiny, deep blue crystal!

Press down! Press down hard! Three seconds!

She screamed inwardly, using all her strength to press down on the crystal! Time seemed to freeze in that moment!

However, the subtle trembling of Ichinose's fingers, uncontrollable from extreme tension, and the instant stiffening of her body and the strange glint of hope and resolve that flashed in her eyes, did not escape "Blood Claw's" beast-like vigilance!

"Huh?" "Blood Claw's" eyes instantly sharpened like knives! He grabbed Ichinose's bound right wrist and roughly yanked her hand in front of him!

When his eyes landed on the ancient-looking, dark, cold ring on her right index finger, and her thumb pressing so hard against the deep blue crystal that her knuckle had turned white—

"Blood Claw's" pupils suddenly contracted! A surge of rage at being fooled and icy killing intent instantly shattered his reason!

"Sneaky move?!" He let out a roar like a wounded beast, shaking the cave with its echo! His massive hand clamped down on Ichinose's slender wrist like an iron vise, with enough force to nearly crush her bones! His other hand shot out like lightning toward the ring!

"You're asking for death!!!"