"The Silent Vault"
The thunder groaned in the sky, tearing it apart. The forest was silent, knowing that something terrible was about to happen.
Inside the temple, the broken souls were crying. She was standing near its statue, giving her children to it as if asking it to give them blessings.
When suddenly, his voice was heard—
❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️
It was spring season in Japan. People from around the world had gathered to see the sakura bloom.
The sakura tree stood tall and unwavering, its petals showering like a symbol of peace, beauty, and strength. People who were gathered to admire the sakura bloom didn't know...
That in the city of Kurokawa, something ancient, something horrific that hungers again… is going to wake up. Wake up to spread its terror once again.
Will the police team be able to solve the mystery that was created and left buried, or will they be just like Haruki, who was...
—❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️—
If you solve one puzzle, then another 200 puzzles await you. And then something will break you at the last, something that will tell you things you should never know—something that might even destroy your life completely.
Because the reason is simple— This world is not what it seems. It holds secrets that science could never discover, and even if it did, it could never name them.
So… are you ready to hear this story? And if you do, then be ready. Because not every time does a story get a happy ending.
—❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️—
The sun rose high in the sky, its lightning cloak made Kurokawa City shimmer in gold.
The people of the city had already sent their children off—to schools, to offices.
The Kurokawa Central Police Station stood in the middle of the city, at the corner of Street 4. Adjacent to it, hidden from public view, the Kurokawa Central Experimental Lab loomed too close to the station again.
(Inside the police station – Third Floor)
"HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU NOT TO PUT ALUMINIUM IN THE AVON?!" Aiko shouted. Her voice echoed with frustration and urgency as she tugged harshly on Riku's ear.
"I know, I know—ow ow ow! Please stop pulling my ear!" Riku yelped, trying to twist away from her grip. "I promise I'll remember next time!"
"You said that last time too... Trouble-maker," Kenji said lazily from his seat nearby, his voice cool and teasing.
"You—!" Riku began, glaring, but was cut off mid-sentence by Naomi's voice.
"Enough of this yapping. What are we going to do about the Avon?" she asked, glancing at the broken device on the table.
Her tone was calm, but her eyes held intensity—this wasn't just a technical malfunction. Somehow, the Avon seemed more important than any other case they had recently solved.
As they all huddled over the device, the door to the third floor creaked open. None of them noticed. Not until a sharp voice sliced through the air.
"It seems the officers of the third floor are busy solving such an important case," the captain's voice said coolly, "that they didn't even notice their captain arriving."
The entire room froze.
All eyes turned—standing in the doorway was Captain Ayaka, and beside her, a young boy with sharp eyes and a quiet presence. Silence blanketed the room like fog. No one spoke until the boy stepped forward, coughed lightly—just enough to draw attention and jolt everyone back to reality.
Chairs straightened. Spines stiffened.
"Salute to the captain!" they shouted in unison.
Captain Ayaka didn't move. Her piercing gaze swept across them one by one. Then she slowly turned to the boy beside her, rested a hand on his shoulder, and smiled softly. Her voice turned gentle and warm.
"This is Daisuke Mori, a young comrade who will accompany you on your missions."
Her eyes flickered to Aiko.
"Detective Aiko Tanaka," she said, voice suddenly sharper, "as your captain, I entrust our young comrade to your guidance and care."
The weight in her voice was enough to make everyone's spine tingle.
Aiko stepped forward, calm and composed. "I will, Captain."
Before Captain Ayaka could say more, the door burst open again—this time with a bang.
A breathless officer stumbled in, panic written all over his face. He clutched a piece of paper, and Aiko, already sensing trouble, was the first to respond.
"What happened, Mr. Dai?" she asked urgently.
"It's... it's the Kurokawa Mu-Museum..." he stammered, nearly tripping over his own words. "There has been a r-robbery!"
Kenji's expression darkened immediately. He folded his arms and frowned. "That's not possible. Kurokawa hasn't had a robbery in over 15 years—especially not in the city's main museum."
The entire room turned quiet, the only sound being the soft whirr of the ceiling fan slicing the silence.
Naomi stepped forward, voice steady. "We need to get to the crime scene immediately. Only then will we find answers."
All eyes turned to the captain.
Captain Ayaka inhaled deeply, then nodded. "Go. Investigate. And I expect this case to be closed within a week." She paused as if remembering something. "Take Daisuke with you. Observe how he works."
Aiko gave a sharp nod to the captain and another to Daisuke, who returned it respectfully. The team sprang into action.
As the rest rushed ahead, Daisuke began to follow—but the captain placed a firm hand on his shoulder. He stopped.
Her eyes—usually sharp—now held something unreadable. Her voice dropped to a whisper, heavy and secretive.
"It's still hard to trust you... but if she is really coming back... then please..."
Before she could finish, Daisuke gently cut in.
"You don't have to worry. I'll handle it."
He gave her a reassuring smile before heading out to join the team.
❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️❆️
The morning sun was rising.
It was warm, golden, peaceful. But the peace was about to shatter.
To the northwest of the city stood the Kurokawa Museum—a grand structure, proud and old. One of the city's most treasured historical sites, it had stood tall since 1922.
But today, its ancient silence had been broken.
---
The police convoy neared the museum. Detective Aiko's car was at the front, leading the others.
Suddenly—a figure collapsed right in front of her car.
With a screech, the car struck the figure, sending them tumbling a few meters across the road.
(Inside the front car)
"So… do you understand everything, Brother Daisuke?" Riku asked—until the car slammed to a stop.
"What the—?! Is that person okay?!" Aiko jumped out, followed by the others.
The officers surrounded the figure. The girl lying in the street was covered in blood, clothes shredded, her body limp.
But her injuries—they were brutal. Deep. Precise.
Aiko knelt, trying to see her face. But it was too scarred, almost unrecognizable.
Only Daisuke remained still. His expression unreadable.
"She's still breathing," he said quietly. "Shouldn't we take her to the nearest hospital?"
Aiko nodded. Officers rushed her into a car and drove off. The rest resumed the journey.
---
At the museum, Mahito Kurowan—its owner—stood at the gate, visibly shaken.
Kenji stepped forward. "Mr. Kurowan. Explain the situation. CCTV footage, anything."
"Three items were stolen. Two worth millions. The cameras... saw nothing. Everything was working fine."
Kenji left to inspect the footage. The rest entered the vault.
It was chaos.
Artifacts shattered, glass everywhere.
Aiko examined the mess. "If only three items were taken, why destroy everything else?"
She turned to Mahito. "You mentioned two items. What about the third?"
Mahito's expression darkened. "Just rusted junk. Bad luck. I don't care."
Far across the room, Daisuke froze. Pale. Lifeless. Then he turned.
"Even if it was just rusted scrap, we need every detail."
Naomi stepped in, whispering something to Daisuke.
She turned to Mahito. "Sir, what kind of misfortune? Even small details can help."
Mahito hesitated.
Then Riku burst in. Whispered something to Aiko—her face went pale.
Then Mahito finally spoke.
"The Moon Crimson Blade."
Riku blinked. "What's that, sir?"
---
The name hung in the air like a curse.
Naomi pressed again.
"It was an ancient relic. I bought it in an underground auction two decades ago. They said it was ceremonial. But after it came here… things changed."
The officers fell silent.
Daisuke stepped closer. Something about his presence shifted, as if his soul took a step back to make room for something else. Something colder.
That was far from human understanding. His voice became bold as if the person speaking was not here but someone else. Someone who was totally alien to us.
"WHAT TYPE OF THINGS WERE CHANGING, SIR?" Daisuke asked.
"This museum became alive," Mahito whispered. "Every night, things changed place. The statues... they changed posture. The paintings—the eyes moved. And you won't believe me if I say...
A woman. Black hair. Tall. Beautiful. But her eyes—empty sockets."
His voice trembled.
To everyone else, the old man was speaking nonsense.
Moving objects? Haunted statues? Ghosts with hollow eyes?
Not even kids today would be scared by such a story... but something about the way he said it...
Made even silence feel haunted.
---