The towering ancient trees stretched high into the sky, their gnarled branches intertwined. Their broad canopies wove a dome overhead, completely blocking out the sky so that not a sliver of light could penetrate.
Combined with the thick, damp, cold layer of humus on the ground, which resembled a swamp and seemed ready to swallow anyone who stepped into it,
this place was a standard horror-movie setting. No actual fright was needed for people to naturally start wondering whether something was hiding amid the dense foliage overhead, or mistake the thick vines on the trees for clusters of snakes.
This Forest of the Death God, much like the impact the Death God's legend had on the locals, imposed immense psychological pressure from the very first glance.
"No wonder this is the Mementos of a village steeped in bizarre legends," Tangze remarked.
Thinking about it that way, Yadaken Makoto's mentality had gradually gone off balance. His descent into such an extreme state—getting plastic surgery and destroying his past life just to grind Shinichi Kudo into the mud—might well have been influenced by Mementos.
Others had no idea where he had gone, but Tangze knew perfectly well. During those six months he had been missing, he had holed up in the mountains, inheriting his dead father's will and dressing up as a ghost to scare people here.
What happened when someone played a key role in a place loaded with symbolism? Just look at Shimabukuro Kimiye.
He had gradually merged with the Demon God from the legend. It would be difficult for him to escape that influence.
"Are we going in? It feels like we'd definitely get lost." Hoshikawa Teru looked around and drew a kunai, gripping it in his hand.
The trees here were simply too tall. Standing beneath them made