Takahishi took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm just going to stay here," he muttered to himself.

As he stood there, he felt a sudden gust of wind blow past him, rustling the leaves and sending a shiver down his spine. He heard a faint whooshing sound and tilted his head, trying to locate the source.

"Who's there?" he called out, his voice trembling slightly.

As he stepped back, his foot snapped a small twig, making him scream. He took off into the forest, his heart pounding in his chest. Branches whipped past his face, and leaves crunched beneath his feet as he ran blindly through the trees.

Finally, he saw a figure standing in front of him. He slowed to a stop, his chest heaving with exertion. As he approached the figure, he saw that it was Crinix.

Takahishi let out a sigh of relief. "You almost scared me to death, man," he exclaimed, his hand on Crinix's shoulder.

Crinix smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I'm glad you came after me, Takahishi."

Takahishi's expression turned serious. "Don't leave like that again, Crinix. I was scared."

As they stood there, Takahishi's gaze drifted past Crinix's shoulder, and he saw something that made his heart skip a beat. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Crinix followed his gaze and nodded. "Look," he said, pointing to a figure standing in front of a chopped-down tree.

Takahishi's eyes widened as he took in the sight. A shirtless man with a sword slung over his shoulder stood calmly, his eyes fixed on something in the distance.

Takahishi's voice was barely above a whisper. "Is that Shinro?"

As they approached Shinro, the air grew thick with tension. Shinro's body reeked of sweat, his hands covered in bruises. His chest heaved with rapid breaths, and his eyes seemed to burn with an inner fire.

"Shinro, is that you?" Crinix called out, his voice cautious.

Shinro slowly turned, his eyes snapping open as he took in the sight of his friends. "Huh? What are you guys doing here? How did you find me?" he asked, his voice laced with confusion and a hint of hostility.

Takahishi stepped forward, his eyes wide with concern. "We came to find you, Shinro. We need your help."

But Shinro's expression turned cold, his eyes flashing with anger. "I don't have time to play with you. You shouldn't have come here."

Crinix's eyes locked onto Shinro's, his voice calm and soothing. "Shinro, we came to find you. We need your help. Tomorrow is the weapon test, and you have to help us."

But Shinro's anger only seemed to grow. He turned, gripping his sword tightly, his knuckles white with tension. "I'm busy at the moment," he snapped, his voice dripping with venom.

Crinix took a step forward, his hands held out in a calming gesture. "Shinro, please. We really need your help."

But Shinro's response was immediate and violent. He spun around, grabbing Crinix by the collar and pulling him close. "You need my help, huh?" he spat, his eyes blazing with fury. "If you guys weren't here, none of this would be happening. We should have left you behind the day we met you. "

Takahishi stepped forward, his eyes wide with alarm. "Hey, let go of Crinix!" he cried, but Crinix raised a hand, signaling him to stay back.

"Shinro, it's okay. I understand," Crinix said, his voice calm and soothing.

But Shinro's anger only seemed to grow. "It's not okay, and don't tell me you understand!" he shouted, his face twisted in rage. "You have no idea how I feel!"

With a sudden burst of violence, Shinro punched Crinix twice, his fists flying with a ferocity that made Takahishi's eyes widen in horror.

"Hey, stop that! You're hurting him!" Takahishi cried, but Shinro just yelled back, "Shut up!"

As Shinro punched Crinix again, Takahishi's face twisted in anger. "Stop it, man! Why are you doing this? Why are you like this?" he shouted, his fists clenched in frustration.

Shinro finally stopped, his chest heaving with exertion. He glared at Takahishi, his eyes blazing with fury. "You guys make me sick," he spat.

But then, something seemed to snap inside him. His eyes dropped, and his voice cracked as he began to speak.

"You wanna know why am like this, l will tell you" he said glaring at them

Shinro's voice dropped to a whisper, the words tumbling out like a dark confession.

" The day l was born, l took the life of the woman who gave birth to me. My mother died the day l was born " His eyes clouded, memories swirling like stormy waters.

He paused, his chest rising and falling with ragged breaths. "My father...he left the day l was born. He must have blamed me for my mother's death . He abandoned me, abandoned Shina." Shinro's voice cracked, the sound like a fragile twig snapping in two.

Shinro's chest heaved as he drew in a shuddering breath, the air filling his lungs like a weight. His voice trembled, the words spilling out in a fragile, fractured tone.

"Life...hasn't been kind to me," he whispered, his eyes gazing into the distance, as if beholding the ghosts of his past. "I've watched so many people slip away, their faces etched in my memory like scars."

His gaze dropped, his eyes veiling as he struggled to contain the emotions swirling within. "When l was 16 I lost someone who was so precious to me" he whispered, his voice cracking like the surface of a frozen lake. "The day she left me was the day I...broke. The day l became the person l am today "

Shinro's shoulders sagged, his head bowing as if the weight of his memories was crushing him. His hands clenched into fists, the tendons in his arms standing out like taut wires.

Shinro's eyes dropped, and his voice cracked as he spoke. "I had to find power; I had to become powerful so that I could protect those I love. I have to become powerful, no matter the cost. I promised her five years ago that I would become the Grand Reaper one day, so that I could protect those I love."

As Shinro finished speaking, his body shook with sobs, and his eyes streamed with tears. Takahishi's face twisted in shock, and Crinix's eyes filled with compassion.

The air was thick with emotion, and the only sound was Shinro's ragged breathing and the distant call of birds.

As Shinro's words hung in the air, Takahishi and Crinix exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with a deep sense of pity. Crinix took a step forward, his movements slow and deliberate, as if not wanting to startle Shinro.

He reached out, his hand extended, and gently placed it on Shinro's shoulder. Shinro's eyes, still brimming with tears, looked up at Crinix, searching for something.

Crinix's voice was low and soothing. "I understand what you're feeling," he said, his words dripping with empathy.

Shinro's gaze locked onto Crinix's, his eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to process something. Crinix's expression turned somber, his eyes clouding over with memories.

"I lost my parents when I was young too," Crinix said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Shinro's eyes widened, his pupils dilating in shock. For a moment, he just stared at Crinix, his face frozen in a mixture of emotions. Then, his eyelids slowly began to droop, his body swaying slightly.

Crinix's arms shot out, his hands grasping for Shinro as he felt him slipping away. He managed to catch Shinro, holding him upright for a moment before gently lowering him to the ground.

Shinro's body went limp, his head lolling to one side as he fell into unconsciousness. Crinix's eyes never left Shinro's face, his expression etched with concern. Takahishi stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Shinro's still form.

"What happened?" Takahishi whispered, his voice barely audible.

Crinix's gaze never wavered. "I think he is exhausted from all the training ," he said, his voice soft.