WORLD PARADISE

Yami's breath hitched in his throat, his chest tightening as his body locked in place. He could not scream. He could not move. He could not think. The very fabric of his existence shattered in that moment, witnessing his mother's gruesome death unfold before him in excruciating, gut-wrenching detail.

The beast towered over her limp body, its massive, clawed hands drenched in blood, dripping down in thick, red streams. The scent of iron filled the air, suffocating, pungent, overpowering. With a grotesque grin, it held up Hina's lifeless form and, with sickening ease, ripped her apart.

Her arms first—torn from their sockets with a wet, meaty rip.

Her legs next—pulled off like that of a broken doll.

The beast gnawed on her flesh, crushing bones between its jagged teeth, blood spurting from between its lips, dribbling down its chin as it chewed.

Crunch.

Crack.

Gulp.

The sounds echoed in Yami's skull, the auditory nightmare carving itself into his soul. He felt himself shiver violently, his skin crawling as though maggots squirmed beneath it. His stomach churned, nausea clawing up his throat. His limbs were numb, but his heart pounded with unbearable intensity, as if trying to escape from his ribcage.

Fear.

He had known fear before. The fear of running out of time before sunset. The fear of hiding while night crawlers prowled nearby. But this was different. This was absolute, unrelenting terror, the kind that rooted itself deep into the bones, the kind that stripped away all rational thought.

His mother, his mother was gone.

And he had watched.

He had watched as her blood splattered across the dirt, soaking into the ground, painting the metal beam she had been tied to. He had watched as her limbs were stripped of flesh, her torso ripped apart like mere livestock. He had watched as her head was tossed into the beast's mouth, chewed slowly, deliberately, savoring every fiber of her being.

Five minutes.

Five minutes of pure, undiluted horror.

When the beast finally finished, licking its bloodstained claws, it let out a deep, satisfied sigh and tilted its head to the sky.

And then, it spoke.

"I can sense more of this blood in the village," it murmured, its voice a twisted, guttural rasp, deep as an abyss, reverberating through the air like the low rumble of a storm. It was a sound that did not belong to this world, a voice so ancient, so unnatural, that merely hearing it sent shivers down Yami's spine.

The beast grinned, revealing rows of needle-sharp teeth stained with his mother's remains.

"What stupid villagers," it chuckled. "It'll be a waste for the other humans out there if we feast on so many gems all at once. But I do not care."

Yami's body refused to move, even as the beast raised one clawed hand and pointed.

Twelve houses.

Twelve marked houses.

The chief. The priest. The ship owners.

His house.

Yami's stomach twisted violently. His breath came in ragged, uneven gasps, his mind spiraling into chaos.

"Of all the houses I just pointed out," the beast continued, "those within are of the strongest blood. Those below the age of sixteen shall be left untouched... but the rest…"

It turned its head toward the night crawlers that lurked in the shadows.

"Bring them to me. I shall feast."

But the night crawlers did not move.

The flames still burned at the doorsteps of the marked houses, flickering defiantly. Even these monsters, these creatures that lurked in darkness feared fire.

The beast sighed, shaking its head.

"Ah… I forgot. You are the lowest of the low," it sneered, eyes glinting with condescension. "Creatures who cower before mere flames as if they were divine punishment."

Its mouth curled into a smile, filled with malice.

"I shall bring them out myself. And I shall feast alone."

It took a slow, deep breath, then exhaled.

The flames vanished.

With a single breath, the village's last line of defense was gone.

"Let the feast begin."

The night exploded into chaos.

Screams tore through the air as houses were invaded.

The sickening sound of bones cracking, flesh tearing, and blood spilling became the new melody of the village. The air was filled with the shrieks of the dying, their cries of agony swallowed by the monstrous chorus of devouring beasts.

Some villagers, in their final moments of despair, chose to end themselves rather than suffer the nightmare of being eaten alive.

The beast laughed.

Jigoro's eyes widened in realization. His breath hitched as he turned to his son, sweat drenching his face.

"It's only a matter of time before that thing comes for me." His voice was tight with fear, his hands trembling. He knew he was going to die.

Yami's heart clenched painfully as his father turned to him.

"The basement," Jigoro said urgently. "There's a safe. Inside, there's a guidebook, it will teach you how to set sail with the Hakudo Madu."

Yami's breath hitched.

"The least I can do for your mother… is make sure you live."

Yami shook his head frantically, tears streaming down his face. "No, Dad, you—"

"Listen to me!" Jigoro snapped. His expression was fierce, but beneath the desperation, his eyes glistened with sorrow.

"That beast won't eat you now because you're still young, but if you stay here, they will come for you." He swallowed hard. "You must learn to sail and leave this island. Survive, Yami. For your mother and for me."

Yami's throat tightened. He wanted to scream, to fight, to do something. But he couldn't.

He was weak.

Then, it happened.

The door exploded inward.

Jigoro grabbed his hoe, the only weapon he had. He didn't hesitate. He charged.

The beast chuckled. "Does my presence not instill fear in this one?"

Then, with one casual swipe,

Jigoro's limbs were torn from his body.

Yami witnessed.

His father collapsed. Blood poured onto the floor, his dismembered body scattered across the room. The beast lifted him effortlessly, bringing his broken frame to its mouth.

Crunch.

The bones shattered.

Crack.

Blood dribbled down its chin.

Gulp.

Jigoro was gone.

Yami on his knees, shaking, sobbing, his vision blurring. He could hear his father's final words ringing in his ears.

"Survive, Yami."

The beast turned to him, amusement flickering in its monstrous eyes.

"Your blood is stronger than the rest," it mused. "But you are young. I shall not eat you now… that would be a waste."

It leaned down, its breath hot and rancid against Yami's face.

"But in five years…"

It grinned.

"I shall feast upon you."

Then, it turned and left, disappearing into the carnage outside.

Yami sat there, trembling, surrounded by the blood of his parents.

His nightmare was far from over.

It had only just begun.