Takahishi's eyes locked onto Niski's, searching for answers. Niski's smile grew wider, his eyes glinting with amusement.

"Takahishi, Crinix, you guys are my friends, and I don't want you getting in trouble because of me," Niski whispered, his voice barely audible.

The room fell silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the four occupants. Takahishi's eyes never left Niski's face, his mind racing with questions. Why had Niski done it? Why had he confessed to something that would put him in danger?

Kinski's face turned beet red with rage as he glared at Niski. "I hate to ruin your friendship moment, but Niski, do you realize what you've just done?" he snarled, his voice low and menacing.

Niski's eyes widened, his expression clueless. "What did I just do?" he asked, his voice laced with innocence.

Kinski's eyes bulged, his face twisting in anger. "Not only did you break my rule, but you almost put the Shadow Realm in danger by freeing the Ghost Reaper! And look around this house, everything is a mess!" Kinski shouted, his arms flailing wildly as he gestured to the destruction around them.

The hallway was a disaster, with broken bricks and dust covering every inch of the floor. The rooftop had even collapsed, leaving a gaping hole in the ceiling.

Niski's face fell, his eyes dropping to the floor. "Oh, I'm sorry, brother," he muttered, his voice barely audible.

Kinski's glare intensified, his eyebrows narrowing. "Niski, you think a sorry is going to cut it?" he yelled, his teeth gritted in anger.

Niski shrugged, a sarcastic smile spreading across his face. "What do you want me to say, brother? Do you want me to say sorry a hundred times? Will that make things better?"

Kinski's face turned an even deeper shade of red, his eyes blazing with fury. He took a step forward, his fists clenched, but just as he was about to unleash his wrath, a knock at the door interrupted him.

The four of them turned swiftly, their eyes narrowing as they stared at the door. Kinski strode towards it, his movements swift and purposeful. Crinix, Takahishi, and Niski followed closely behind him.

Kinski's hand closed around the door handle, and he yanked it open. But instead of the expected visitor, a group of Grim Hunters stood outside, their faces stern and worried.

"Captain Narukami, is everything under control? We felt the presence of a grim in your house," one of the Grim Hunters called out.

Kinski's expression smoothed, his anger forgotten in the face of duty. "I've already dealt with the situation. Everything is under control now. You guys can go," he told them, his voice firm and authoritative.

The Grim Hunters nodded, their faces relaxing, and then they disappeared into the night.

Kinski turned, his gaze snapping back to Niski, Crinix, and Takahishi. "You see what you kids have done now? You've got the entire Shadow Realm panicked," he said, his voice stern.

Takahishi and Crinix lowered their heads, their voices barely above a whisper. "We're sorry, Mr. Kinski."

Kinski's expression softened, a small smile playing on his lips. "You boys don't have to apologize. You're both fine."

His gaze shifted to Niski, his eyes narrowing. "As for you, Niski, you've got a lot of cleaning to do. That will be your punishment."

Niski's face fell, his eyes widening in dismay. "But brother, it's already late. Can't I do it tomorrow?"

Kinski's smile grew wider, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Tomorrow is far. I need this house cleaned today. Look at the mess you made."

Niski's gaze dropped, his eyes scanning the destruction around them. The hallway was a disaster, with broken bricks and dust covering every inch of the floor.

Crinix stepped forward, his voice filled with concern. "Hey, we can help you if you want, Kinski."

Kinski's smile faltered, his expression turning serious. "That's so sweet and generous, but Niski needs to do this on his own."

Niski turned, his eyes locking onto Crinix and Takahishi. "It's okay, guys. I'll manage. I'll be just fine. You don't need to worry."

Takahishi's eyes narrowed, his gaze scanning the destruction around them. "Are you sure you're going to manage to clean all of that?" he asked, his voice laced with doubt.

Niski nodded, his smile faltering for a moment before he regained his composure. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

Kinski's voice cut in, his tone firm. "You boys should probably get going now. It's getting late."

Crinix and Takahishi exchanged goodbyes with Niski, their voices filled with concern. As they stepped outside, Kinski called out, "You boys get home safe, and you're both welcome to visit anytime."

Takahishi glanced back, his eyes locking onto Kinski's smiling face. But deep down, he wasn't smiling. We'll see about that, he thought to himself. Am never setting foot in that creepy house again.

As Crinix and Takahishi trudged through the front door of their house, the silence between them was palpable. They didn't exchange a word, their faces etched with exhaustion and trauma. Without a word, they headed straight for their beds, the events of the day still fresh in their minds.

The darkness of the night swallowed them whole, but sleep eluded them. Takahishi's eyes refused to close, his mind haunted by the memories of being trapped inside the book. He tossed and turned, his sheets drenched in sweat as he relived the terror of being confined in that dark, endless space.

Crinix, too, struggled to find solace in sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, the Ghost Reaper's menacing face appeared, its chains snapping wildly as it laughed maniacally. Crinix's heart racing, he wondered if they would ever survive the Hunter Survival Test.

Before they knew it, the first light of dawn crept through the windows, casting a pale glow over the room. Takahishi sat up, his eyes sunken, his face pale. He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the fatigue. Crinix, already up and dressing, caught his gaze.

Takahishi's body shook like a leaf, his arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders. Crinix's expression softened, concern etched on his face. "Hey, Takahishi, are you okay?" he asked, his voice low and gentle.

Takahishi slowly raised his head, his eyes locking onto Crinix's. "How can I be okay after everything that happened yesterday?" he whispered, his voice trembling. "I just can't get that picture out of my head."

Crinix took a step closer, his hand reaching out to comfort his friend. "I know you're scared, Takahishi, but I'm scared too. You'll soon forget about it."

Takahishi's gaze dropped, his voice barely above a whisper. "Crinix, I don't think I can forget that thing. When I got trapped inside that book, everything was dark. I could swear I was dead. It was like I was trapped there for years, and there were these...things."

Crinix's eyes narrowed, his curiosity piqued. "Huh? What things? What happened in there?"

Takahishi's hands tightened around his shoulders, his body shaking uncontrollably. "I don't know what I saw, but I heard painful, mournful sounds. And that's when I saw the most dreadful things ever. The things I saw inside there looked like humans, but at the same time, they weren't."

Crinix's face paled, his eyes wide with concern. He sat down beside Takahishi, his hand on his shoulder. "What did you see, Takahishi?" he asked, his voice soft and gentle.

Takahishi's eyes locked onto Crinix's, his voice barely above a whisper. "The things I saw looked like living dead humans. They had been drained and sucked of their life."

Crinix's grip on Takahishi's shoulder tightened. "Takahishi, I don't know what you went through, but I promise you'll be fine."

Takahishi's voice trembled as he spoke. "Are you sure I'm going to be fine? I don't like this Shadow Realm place. Everything has been messed up ever since we got here."

Crinix stood up, his movements swift and reassuring. "Hey, Takahishi, I don't like this place either, but you'll be fine, okay? That's why we have to go to Hunter Academy, so we can learn to fight those things." He slipped on his jacket, his eyes locked onto Takahishi's. "For now, get dressed, so we can leave."