CALAMITY : Legends Of The Chosen

Location: Campfire Ruins – Dusk.

The group sat around the smoldering remains of a ruined Neo-Jinchuan market square. Tents pitched. Wounds healed by Yggdrasil, but not the unease lingering between them and the newcomer.

Zans Keifer sat quietly on an overturned crate, hands clasped, hood down. Kuro — in her humanoid form — leaned quietly against a wall behind him, arms crossed, white eyes glowing softly.

Shojiro crossed his arms.

"You said you were hunting something?"

Zans nodded slowly, then finally spoke.

"I picked up traces of a Stalker-class demon in the ruins. Not powerful, but subtle — it knew how to hide. I was scouting the signal for days… got sloppy."

He looked down, jaw tightening.

"Walked right into a decoy trail. There wasn't just one."

He flexed his hands — still twitching slightly from the trauma.

"There were six. Hiding. Silent. Coordinated."

Enme blinked. "You were ambushed?"

"Yeah. They overwhelmed me. I tried to signal Kuro, but…"

His voice trailed off.

Karl tilted his head. "What happened?"

"I blacked out."

Everyone went quiet.

Zans continued, slower this time.

"When I woke up, every demon in the district was dead. I was lying in a crater of corpses. Blood everywhere. Even the buildings were shredded."

Max whistled low. "She went berserk."

Kuro said nothing, only folding her arms tighter.

Zans nodded. "She lost control. Or maybe I did. I'm not sure anymore."

He then raised his palm. It darkened — not into black mist, but a thin leech-like ripple of shadow that wriggled unnaturally, then dissipated.

"I also… gained something. After the rampage."

Karl leaned forward. "A new ability?"

Zans nodded again.

"Nightmare Leech. I can merge into shadow and steal VYTHRA from others—forcefully if needed."

Leone flinched slightly.

Zans noticed.

"I don't use it unless I have to. And only on demons."

Shojiro gave a small nod. "We trust you."

Zans looked at him, hesitating.

"…You shouldn't."

Everyone tensed again.

Zans exhaled, looking directly at Shojiro.

"I don't remember being knocked out. Which means someone did it hard and fast."

Shojiro raised a brow. "That was me."

Zans chuckled darkly.

"Knew it."

Max smirked. "Clean right hook."

"But here's the weird part," Zans continued. "When I came to… Kuro wasn't in control anymore. That never happens unless I'm on the brink of death."

He turned his head toward Kuro.

"So I asked her. Straight-up. Why didn't she take over?"

Kuro spoke for the first time. Her voice was soft, but sharp. Human in shape. Monster in instinct.

> "Because I saw him hesitate."

Her white eyes locked onto Shojiro.

> "He could've killed us. But he stopped."

Everyone turned toward Shojiro, who said nothing.

Kuro continued.

> "You gave me pause. If I went any further, if I attacked again… you'd all mark Zans as an enemy. I wouldn't let that happen."

Zans looked back down.

"She chose to back off. For me."

Silence again.

Enme nodded faintly. "Then you've got someone worth trusting in your shadow."

Zans gave a small, tired smile. "Yeah. She's my monster… and my only anchor."

Scene: "Demon Cuisine, Anyone?"

Later that night — with peace restored and a small campfire crackling inside the remains of a collapsed noodle shop — Max and Karl roasted skewered demon meat over

Shojiro sat sharpening his gauntlet. Enme hovered tiny barrier spheres like fireflies for light. Morgz was snacking aggressively, unconcerned as always.

And Zans? He was… staring.

Max raised a brow. "What's up, Stalker?"

Zans looked at the meat skeptically.

"This… actually smells edible."

Max handed him a skewer.

"Demon meat. Acid-marinated. Smoke-seared. Guaranteed no corruption — Yggdrasil neutralized it."

Zans took a hesitant bite. Chewed.

His expression didn't change — until it did.

"…This is… good."

Karl snorted. "Yeah? Better than alley scraps?"

Zans gave a bitter smile, still chewing.

"Better than mold bread and rat broth, that's for damn sure."

Shojiro smirked. "High praise coming from you."

But a choking noise interrupted them.

All eyes turned.

Leone, sitting awkwardly near Morgz, had taken a dainty bite of a skewer — and was gagging violently.

Her eyes watered. Her whole body convulsed like she was about to self-destruct.

"I-I-it tastes like b-burnt socks and fear!!"

She coughed. Hacked. Grabbed a nearby gourd and chugged clean water. Her entire face turned red.

"I-I'm f-fine!! I-I c-can adapt! I'm a C-Chosen now!! T-this is f-fine—!"

Morgz was trying not to laugh. Karl wasn't even pretending.

Max wheezed, holding up another skewer.

"You want the crispy part, Leone?"

She made a noise between a hiccup and a wail and collapsed onto Enme's lap.

"T-take it away… it's evil… it's evil…"

Enme gently patted her head. "You tried your best, you little drama sponge."

Shojiro shook his head with a smile. "You don't have to eat it if you hate it."

Leone sniffled and muttered:

"…B-but y-you said we're a team now… teams eat t-together…"

Morgz sighed, handing her a rice ball wrapped in barrier-sealed kelp.

"Try this. Shojiro made it. No demons. Just rice and compassion."

She blinked. Took a bite.

Her expression instantly lit up.

"I-it's… heavenly…"

Zans chuckled for the first time that night.

"I missed this kind of noise…"

Shojiro grinned.

"Then get used to it."