The Unseen Truth

The silence was unbearable. Haruki could hear nothing but his own breath, shallow and controlled. The walls of the abandoned research facility seemed to close in on them, the darkness stretching endlessly in both directions. Renji’s flashlight cut through the gloom, but the beam flickered, struggling against the overwhelming blackness.

“We need to keep moving,” Haruki said, voice low but firm.

Aoi clutched his sleeve, her fingers cold against his skin. “But where? We don’t even know what we’re looking for anymore.”

Kisaragi’s glasses reflected the dim light as he held up the files they had found. “We do. We’re looking for the truth.”

Renji let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. “The truth? Doc, I hate to break it to you, but I think the ‘truth’ is about to rip our faces off.”

Natsuki shot him a glare. “Jokes won’t help us right now.”

Renji shrugged. “Yeah, well, neither will standing around waiting for whatever’s in here to—”

A loud crash from somewhere down the hall sent a shockwave of adrenaline through the group. Everyone froze.

Aoi sucked in a breath, her grip on Haruki tightening. “That wasn’t the wind.”

Haruki exhaled slowly, reaching for the knife strapped to his side. “No, it wasn’t.”

Another sound followed, this time closer. A dragging noise, like something heavy being pulled across the floor. Then, the unmistakable click of claws against tile.

Kisaragi whispered, “It’s awake.”

Renji took a slow step back. “Fantastic. Anyone got a plan?”

Haruki scanned their surroundings. To the left, the corridor extended into more darkness. To the right, a heavy metal door stood slightly ajar, revealing what looked like an old control room. He made a split-second decision.

“There,” he motioned toward the door. “Inside. Now.”

Aoi hesitated. “What if it’s a dead end?”

Haruki didn’t have time to answer. The sound was getting closer.

Without another word, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward the door. The others followed, Renji slamming the door shut behind them as quietly as he could. They all stood still, holding their breath.

Outside, the dragging sound stopped.

For a moment, the only thing they could hear was the pounding of their own hearts. Then came the sound of slow, deliberate breathing.

Aoi squeezed her eyes shut. Haruki could feel her trembling next to him.

The creature was right outside.

Renji pressed his back against the wall, fingers twitching over the handle of his weapon. “If that thing comes in here, we’re screwed.”

Kisaragi’s voice was barely above a whisper. “Stay still.”

The breathing continued. Deep. Measured. Then, after what felt like an eternity, the sound of claws against tile faded into the distance.

No one moved until the silence stretched long enough to be certain.

Aoi was the first to let out a shaky breath. “It’s gone…?”

Haruki wasn’t so sure. “For now.”

Kisaragi turned his attention to the room. The control panel was covered in dust, the screens long since broken, but there were papers scattered across the desk. He flipped through them quickly, his eyes narrowing.

“This is it,” he muttered.

Renji leaned over his shoulder. “What are we looking at?”

Kisaragi pointed to a set of diagrams. “The final stage of Project Eden. This wasn’t just about enhancing human abilities. They were trying to create something new.”

Natsuki’s gaze sharpened. “Something?”

Kisaragi adjusted his glasses. “They called it ‘Azrael.’”

The name sent a chill through Haruki’s spine. He had heard it before.

Aoi’s voice was barely audible. “Azrael. The Angel of Death.”

Renji frowned. “Yeah, that’s not ominous at all.”

Kisaragi continued flipping through the pages. “This wasn’t just some experiment gone wrong. It was intentional. They wanted to create the perfect predator—stronger, faster, immune to fear. But the side effects…”

He trailed off, his fingers tightening around the paper.

Haruki stepped forward. “What happened?”

Kisaragi swallowed. “They lost control. The subjects turned on them. They wiped out the entire facility.”

Renji exhaled sharply. “So, the thing outside—”

“It’s what’s left,” Kisaragi finished.

Aoi’s breath hitched. “And we’re trapped in here with it.”

Haruki’s mind raced. The train station had been abandoned. The facility was isolated. No staff. No rescue.

Because no one was supposed to leave alive.

Natsuki studied the files. “Is there anything in here about stopping it?”

Kisaragi turned a page, scanning the text. Then his eyes widened. “There is.”

Haruki and Renji leaned in. “What does it say?”

Kisaragi hesitated. “They created a failsafe. A code to override the creature’s instincts. But…”

Renji rolled his eyes. “Let me guess. It’s not as simple as pushing a button.”

Kisaragi nodded grimly. “It has to be administered manually. Directly into the neural implant at the base of its spine.”

Aoi paled. “That means…”

Haruki finished for her. “We have to get close.”

Silence fell over the group. No one wanted to say what they were all thinking.

Renji finally broke the tension with a heavy sigh. “Alright. Show of hands. Who wants to jab a monster in the spine while it’s trying to kill us?”

No one moved.

Haruki took the file from Kisaragi, skimming through the details. “We don’t have a choice.”

Aoi’s voice was small. “There has to be another way.”

Kisaragi shook his head. “If we don’t stop it now, it’ll escape. And if that happens…”

He didn’t need to finish. They all knew.

Haruki closed the file. “Then we do it.”

Renji smirked, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Well, at least it won’t be boring.”

Haruki met his gaze. “Let’s hope we live long enough to be bored again.”

No one laughed.

The plan was set.

Now, all they had to do was survive.