Whispers of the Rotten City

Kaito stirred awake to the acrid smell of something burning. His eyelids fluttered open to the crackling glow of a small campfire. Choko sat beside him, gently brushing his hair aside. Her narrowed eyes met his as she noticed he was conscious.

— Good morning, Sleeping Beauty, — she teased.

— What are you doing? — Kaito spat, pushing himself up roughly.

— Don’t pretend you didn’t purr in your sleep, — she shot back with a grin.

*Did I?* he wondered.

— What’s this fire for? — he asked, nodding toward the flames.

— I built it last night. It got freezing while you were out cold.

— How? You don’t strike me as someone who can start a fire with her bare hands.

— Ouch! — Choko pouted, cheeks puffed. — But sadly, you’re right.

— Lucky for both of us, the Cosmo manual says my power lets me control insects.

— Cosmo? — he repeated, eyebrow raised.

— Remember the HUD yesterday? — She mimed swiping at thin air. — That’s the Cosmo interface. Think of it as… a librarian of heroic powers.

— Mm.

— Anyway— — she held up her hand. A lone ant climbed its index finger. — single insects are fragile. — With one swift press, she crushed it between thumb and forefinger. — But together, they pull off amazing feats.

— You— you set them on fire? — Kaito’s voice cracked.

*That’s disturbing. But I’d rather admit nothing.*

Choko watched his reaction coolly.

— In short, the Cosmo holds data on every monster and hero ever encountered.

*That will come in handy,* he thought.

— For example, this orc corpse— — she rattled the leather sack at her side.

The sack gurgled like a stomach, then ejected the orc’s body intact—no gore, no blood—just dropped it on the ground.

— That’ll fetch a good price. We can buy supplies in a city.

*She’s thought of everything. I’m pathetic,* he chastised himself.

The fire crackled, and a golden light swept through the clearing. In an instant, he and Choko found themselves back in the endless white chamber, standing before the smiling Human God. Kaito’s fist shot out, grabbing the deity by the lapel.

*Now you’ll pay!*

— Hello again, my young— — the god began.

— DON’T! — Kaito roared, eyes blazing. — Where were you when an orc nearly killed me?

— My apologies… but which part of “gods cannot interfere” did you miss? — the deity’s single eye flickered. — Release me, and there will be no second chance.

Kaito let go reflexively, still scowling.

— Besides, I had to handle an issue— — the god straightened his suit.

— What problem? — Choko pressed.

— Not important, — he replied sharply. — I have relevant intel for you.

— Here we go again— — Kaito muttered.

— Head south until the air becomes almost unbreathable. Pray for guidance, and you will know your next destination.

— As if you can’t help us directly, and now riddles? You’re asking too much, — Kaito scoffed.

— Enough talk. Return to your world. — With a snap of his fingers, the white chamber dissolved, and the cold wind bit at Kaito’s skin. A red glow enveloped him and vanished. He blinked—and was once again before Choko’s fire.

— He said south, right? — Choko asked.

— Not listening again, genius? — he snapped.

— Give it a rest— — she crouched to repack the orc’s corpse. — Then check the new skill requirements.

Kaito summoned his Cosmo HUD and swiped through the skills list.

*All locked except one: Golden Peacock Claw—requires a melee weapon.*

*Great. The only skill I can use demands equipment. As if things couldn’t get worse.*

He swiped further—every other skill remained obscured. After a long moment, Choko stifled a yawn and sat.

— How long is this going to take? — she nudged his leg.

Kaito discovered a “Passives” tab.

*Predator’s Eye?… Oh. That’s neat.*

He glanced at Choko. She met his stare and blushed.

— Why are you staring at me like that? — she whispered, face reddening.

— I can see exactly where your guard drops, — he said, eyes narrowing.

— What do you mean? — Choko twisted her neck, puzzled.

In that motion, he lunged toward her throat—teeth bared—then froze.

— What are you doing? — she gasped, recoiling.

— It’s not my fault, — he stammered, stepping back. — This passive makes me act like a predator when activated.

— Let’s move south— — Choko tried to ignore the moment.

— Fine— — he agreed.

By midday they broke through the forest. At sunset, they crested a hill and spotted a small walled settlement below.

*Could this be it?* Kaito wondered.

As darkness fell, they reached the city gates. Moonlight cast eerie shadows on the heavy wooden doors. Even closed, the air stank of rot. A single armored guard stood watch.

— Merchants? — he asked, yanking a rope. The gates creaked open.

*If it’s so dangerous, why the walls?*

They passed inside and the gates slammed shut behind them. The stench of carrion burned their nostrils; muffled coughs echoed through narrow lanes.

A rat scurried across the street clutching spoiled meat, then disappeared beneath a crooked house. Choko gagged.

— Something’s wrong here, — she whispered.

Kaito walked on in silence until a lone lantern-lit shop came into view—more a convenience stall than a home.

— Let’s try there, — he pointed.

— Fine, but I’ll do the talking, — Choko declared.

— Why? — he bristled.

— Because you’re terrible with people.

— Who says? — he retorted.

She swung open the door. Inside, everything smelled of vinegar and antiseptic. Shelves gleamed with everything from cloth to weapons. Behind the counter stood a man in a white plague doctor mask and woolen robes, feeding a white crow perched on his arm.

*That crow is adorable,* Choko thought.

— Customers at this hour? — the masked merchant crooned, offering seed to the crow.

— I’m Choko, — she introduced herself, gesturing to Kaito— — and this is Kaito. We just arrived.

The merchant’s eyes skimmed their student uniforms, then flicked to the corpse in Choko’s sack.

— You deal in monster remains? Show me.

— Orc— — Choko proclaimed.

— An orc? — He straightened in excitement. — Let me see. They’re rare—and valuable.

In a flash, Kaito crossed the counter and hoisted the merchant by his collar.

— You— — Kaito hissed. — Orcs ARE valuable, and I saw you checking prices yourself!

— Forgive me, sir— — the merchant stammered.

— FORGIVE THIS— — Kaito clenched his fist.

— Kaito, wait! — Choko cried.

He froze mid-punch. The merchant flinched at the gust of air.

— Apologies. I have no coin, — Kaito released him. — But I propose an exchange.

— What kind of trick is this? — Choko spat.

— You give me orc-equivalent goods from your shop.

— Why should we trust you? — Kaito asked.

— My word— — the merchant bowed.

—…Your word? — Kaito scoffed.

— Enough. We’re in our school uniforms, no other shops open, and I’m starved, — Choko muttered into his ear.

— You’re that delicate? — he teased.

— Fine. We accept, Mister—?

— Call me Magnus, wandering merchant— — he said with flourish.

— Wandering merchant? — Choko echoed.

— I roam from city to city with goods from every land.

— Nice! — she clapped.

*He must know a lot of rumors,* Kaito thought.

Choko browsed for clothes while Kaito spoke to Magnus.

— Do you know where we are? — he inquired.

— This is Rottweiler, — Magnus replied— — under the iron fist of Shigen.

*Shigen…* Kaito paused as the Cosmo whispered in his mind:

*Shigen, once the Hero Apostle of the Human God, corrupted by his hunger for control, now rules these lands with an iron puppet show.*

— Got it, — Kaito murmured.

— What was that? — Magnus asked.

— Nothing— — he lied, then lowered his voice— — Find out what the people here most desire.

— I can do that, — Magnus grinned.

— Hurry, — Kaito urged.

— Why? — the merchant hesitated.

— I intend to erase Shigen from this world, — Kaito said, voice icy.

Magnus nodded, eyes wide.

— As you wish.

Just then Choko burst out from the racks in a deep burgundy kimono.

— I love this one! — she cooed.

— Whatever you like, — Kaito mumbled, blushing.

— Stop being so awkward! — Choko tossed him a blue kimono trimmed in gold.

*I love it, but I’ll die before I say so,* he thought.

He changed quickly; the crisp fabric felt warm and clean after so long.

— You look great! — Choko gushed.

— Always have, — he shrugged.

— Thanks, Magnus. We’ll see you around! — Choko waved.

— Wait— — Magnus held up a finger as the white crow alighted on Choko’s shoulder— — Take him. He’ll guide you to a small inn. Not much, but it’ll help.

— Why do you help us? — Kaito asked.

— Because if you succeed, you save not just humanity, but every race in Ninivia.

Kaito nodded. Choko re-secured the orc corpse in her sack. They left the shop; the stench outside was even worse. The crow swooped ahead, reflecting moonlight. Down dark alleys and past crumbling walls, they finally reached a modest inn.

The innkeeper saw the crow and smiled, handing over a brass key.

— On Magnus’s tab. Rest well.

Choko took the key and led the way. The corridors smelled faintly of mold, but the air was far cleaner than outside. She rapped on their door—a single wool bed, stained but serviceable, and a torch sconce on the wall.

— I’m not sharing that bed, — Kaito growled.

— Then sleep on the floor, dummy, — Choko flopped down, already claiming it.

Night fell. Despite himself, Kaito climbed in beside her after a minute of grumbling.

Hours later, Kaito bolted upright at a faint scratching sound.

— Did you hear that? — Choko whispered.

— Yeah— — he grabbed the torch as a makeshift weapon.

— I’m coming too! — she trembled.

They crept outside and followed the noise to a nearby alley. The stench of decay was overwhelming. From the shadows emerged three figures—once human, now hollowed corpses with skulls cracked open, brains replaced by swarming rats.

They advanced with a wet, chittering hiss.

— Get ready, — Kaito whispered, torch held high.