December 25th, 2016. Tokyo. Toriyama Estate, Setagaya District. Basement. 4:10 PM.
The basement was a large, windowless room, colder than the rest of the house. It was full of strange things. Unlike the dusty upper floors, this room felt strangely… preserved. Tables were covered in notes, schematics, and odd-looking devices. Bookshelves were packed with old, leather-bound books that seemed to hum with unseen energy.
But what truly caught their eyes was the center of the room. On a large, stone table, a strange symbol was carved. Around it were candles, though long since burned down, and various strange objects: small, intricately carved wooden figures, smooth, dark stones that seemed to absorb the light, and a collection of ancient-looking scrolls, unrolled and brittle. The air here vibrated with a faint, almost silent hum, a feeling that settled deep in their bones.
'This… this isn't just science,' Shiyi thought, her eyes wide as she looked at the symbols. .
'This is… something else entirely.'
Kento walked slowly towards the table, his eyes fixed on the carvings. He reached out a trembling hand, barely touching the cold stone. "He was really doing it," he murmured, his voice filled with awe and a hint of fear. "He was connecting himself to the other world. With… magic and spiritual stuff. Rituals."
The truth, or at least a powerful hint of it, lay before them, glowing faintly in their phone flashlights. It was more real, and far more terrifying, than any of their theories.
Tokisaki Hori stood close to Kento, her hand finding his and squeezing it tightly. She looked at the strange objects. 'Magic? Rituals? This is so far from anything we've ever known. But Kento believes it. And I believe in him.' Her heart was beating fast, not just from fear, but from the amazing newness of it all.
Kaneri Tamiko stood a little behind Shido, her eyes wide with nervous awe. This was like finding a real-life hidden treasure, a mystery from a storybook come to life, but a scary one. She clutched Itsuka Shido's hand tightly, leaning into his side. 'A real ritual? This is terrifying, but also… amazing. What could possibly be on the other side?'
Shido squeezed Tamiko's hand, offering comfort. He looked at her worried face, then at the strange setup. "So, this is what a rich man does when he gets bored?" Shido joked, trying to make the moment less heavy, but his eyes were serious as they looked at the strange setup. 'This is way crazier than anything we imagined. But also… amazing. Kento was right.'
Ryuichi, ever the quiet observer, reached out and picked up one of the dusty scrolls, very carefully. He unwound it, dust falling softly. His eyes quickly moved over the strange pictures and old words. "These are... instructions," he said, his voice a low hum. "For a ceremony. To open a 'gateway' to a 'higher plane of existence'." He put the scroll back down, his gaze meeting Shiyi's. There was a silent question between them: 'Are we really seeing this?'
Shiyi walked over to the table, her mind already working. She read some of the notes scattered around. "And here, notes on 'harmonic resonance' and 'dimensional frequency tuning'," she said, pointing to some messy handwriting. "It looks like he was trying to use both science and these... ancient methods." 'He was trying to mix impossible things. But if he succeeded… what did he find? And what did he leave behind?'
December 25th, 2016. Tokyo. Toriyama Estate, Setagaya District. Basement. 4:30 PM.
As Ryuichi and Shiyi read more of the papers, the truth began to form a clearer, more terrifying picture. It wasn't just a rich man going crazy. Toriyama Akira had been trying to open a door. A door to another dimension. And from the scattered notes and diagrams, it seemed he had succeeded. The strange readings, the energy spikes, the vanished plane – it all pointed to one thing.
"This scroll," Ryuichi said, holding up a larger, more detailed one. "It describes the exact steps. The materials needed. The chant. It even talks about a 'key frequency' to align the dimensions."
"And these symbols," Tamiko whispered, still holding tightly to Shido. "They match the ones in this diagram. It's a complete ritual setup." Her voice was filled with nervous wonder. 'This is like something out of a secret, scary story. We're actually here, seeing it.'
"He wasn't trying to escape," Kento murmured, reading a note scrawled on a torn piece of paper. "'To retrieve what was lost." He was trying to bring something back. Or someone." Kento's eyes hardened with determination. "He opened it. He used this ritual to cross over. And that's how the plane vanished."
Shiyi looked from Kento to the strange setup. "So, he didn't die. He transported himself. And possibly... the entire plane with him? That's insane, Kento. We're talking about breaking the laws of physics."
"But look at the evidence, Shiyi," Kento countered, sweeping his hand over the table. "The impossible data. The missing bodies. The sister's words. And now this. It's all here." He looked at each of his friends, his gaze pausing on Hori, then Shido, then Tamiko. "We came here for answers. And these are the answers. This isn't just a story for the school paper anymore. This is... the truth."
A heavy silence filled the basement. The humming sensation in the air seemed to grow stronger.
"So," Shido said slowly, looking at the symbols, then at Kento. "What are you thinking, Kento?" He already knew the answer.
Kento took a deep breath. "He left everything here. The instructions. The setup. He did it once. What if… what if we can do it again?"
Shiyi's eyes went wide. "You can't be serious, Kento! Perform the ritual? Do you know what happened last time? Seven people disappeared! Who knows what's on the other side? We could die!"
Ryuichi, for once, spoke with more force. "Shiyi is right. The risks are... unknown. The consequences could be terrible. We don't understand the full science, or the magic, behind this." He put a hand on Shiyi's arm, his concern clear.
Tamiko squeezed Shido's hand tighter, her face pale. "It's... it's really scary, Kento. What if something bad happens to us, like to them?" Her voice was a nervous whisper, but she still looked at the table with a curious gaze, unable to fully look away.
"If we can open it, even for a moment," Kento argued, his voice firm, "we can find out what happened. Where he went. Why. This isn't about getting a news story anymore, Shiyi. This is about finding the truth, for us. For Akira. And maybe... for everyone." He looked at Hori, his eyes pleading for her understanding.
Hori looked at the ritual table, then at Kento. She knew how much this meant to him. His quest for truth, his stubborn belief in the impossible, was one of the things she loved about him. "If we're careful," she said softly, "and we do it together. We support each other, no matter what happens." She trusted Kento, and she trusted their bond.
Shido nodded. "We're a team. If Kento's going in, we're all going in. But we do it smart. No rushing." He looked at Tamiko, who, despite her fear, slowly nodded back, clutching his hand. "We'll stay together," he assured her.
Shiyi looked between Kento's determined face, Hori's quiet support, Shido's loyal bravery, and Tamiko's nervous agreement. Then her eyes found Ryuichi's. He gave her a small, almost unseen nod. 'It's dangerous, but it's real,' his look seemed to say. 'And if anyone can figure it out, it's us. Together.'
Shiyi sighed, a long, drawn-out sound, but this time, it was more resignation than protest. "Alright," she said, pulling out her own phone to use as a light. "But if we end up in a world of giant talking mushrooms, I'm blaming you, Kento." There was a hint of a smile at the corner of her lips. She might complain, but she was in. She always was.
December 25th, 2016. Tokyo. Toriyama Estate, Setagaya District. Basement. 5:00 PM.
The group started to get ready. Ryuichi carefully read the scrolls, translating the strange words into Japanese. Shiyi helped him, her sharp mind making sense of the complex diagrams that mixed ancient symbols with modern physics equations. It seemed Akira had been trying to build a bridge between magic and science. 'This is truly a mix of old and new, magic and logic,' Ryuichi thought, a strange thrill running through him. 'He wasn't just a crazy man; he was a genius trying to break reality itself.' Shiyi, looking at the numbers and symbols, felt a deep sense of awe, but also a growing unease. 'He combined two worlds. This isn't just magic, it's a profound understanding of universal forces. But what if the forces are too much for us?' She gave Ryuichi a quick, worried glance, and he returned it with a serious, focused expression.
Kento and Hori collected the needed items listed in the scrolls. Some were already there: old, strange-looking crystals and small, silver bells. Others they had to find in the dusty corners of the basement: old candles, a small, unused brazier, and a bowl for water. Hori worked calmly, her movements sure and steady, a silent anchor for Kento's eager energy.
Shido and Tamiko helped clean the stone table and clear the dust. Tamiko, still clutching Shido's arm, carefully wiped down the table, her hands a little shaky. "This is... really happening," she whispered to Shido. Shido gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Just follow Ryuichi's lead, Tami. We'll be fine."
As the last rays of Christmas Day light faded above ground, the basement room was lit only by their phone flashlights. A quiet, focused energy filled the air. The humming feeling grew stronger, a deep vibration in the floor.
December 25th, 2016. Tokyo. Toriyama Estate, Setagaya District. Basement. 6:00 PM.
Ryuichi finally gave the signal. "We have everything. And the instructions are clear enough. It seems to involve a sequence of lights, sounds, and focusing our… intent."
"Intent?" Shiyi questioned, but a strange, nervous excitement was growing in her. "So, our thoughts matter?"
"The scroll says the 'will of the participants' is crucial," Ryuichi replied, adjusting his glasses. "The stronger the focus, the clearer the path."
Kento stood at the head of the stone table, his eyes shining. "Alright, everyone. This is it. We start by lighting the candles." His voice was firm, but a tiny shake could be heard. Hori reached for his hand again, offering her steady calm.
They placed fresh candles around the carved symbol. Kento struck a match, and one by one, small flames flickered to life, pushing back the deep shadows. The smell of old wax and dust mixed with a strange, sweet scent they couldn't place.
"Next, the bells," Ryuichi instructed, reading from the scroll. "Ring them together, three times, facing the symbol."
Shido and Tamiko picked up the tiny silver bells. They exchanged a quick, nervous glance, then rang them. Tinkle! Tinkle! Tinkle! The sound was surprisingly loud in the quiet basement, echoing strangely off the stone walls. As the sound faded, the air seemed to shimmer, and the low hum deepened. Tamiko's hand was shaking slightly as she held the bell.
"Now, the chant," Kento said, holding up a smaller scroll with a series of strange sounds and words. "Together. And focus."
They gathered around the table, their faces lit by the candle flames. Kento started, his voice a little unsure at first, then growing stronger. Hori joined him, then Shido and Tamiko, their voices a little shaky but steady. Tamiko's voice was soft, almost a whisper, as she tried to match the strange sounds. Even Shiyi and Ryuichi, the most logical of the group, slowly began to repeat the chant, their voices low, joining the others.
The words were not Japanese. They were ancient, twisting, and felt powerful as they spoke them. With each word, the hum in the room grew louder, the candle flames danced wildly even without a breeze. The air felt charged, like a coming storm. The dark stones on the table seemed to pulse with a faint, inner light.
'It's working,' Kento thought, a mix of pure awe and rising panic flooding him. 'It's really working.'
The temperature in the room dropped sharply, making their breaths cloud in front of them. The faint, coppery smell became stronger. The symbols on the stone table began to glow, a soft, unnatural light spreading across the rough stone. The air around them twisted, like looking through heat waves, but without heat.
Then, a low, deep rumble started, shaking the entire house. Dust fell from the ceiling. The objects on the shelves rattled loudly. The light from the glowing symbols pulsed, faster and faster, turning into a blinding flash. A high-pitched, metallic whine filled their ears, growing louder and louder until it felt like their heads would burst.
Suddenly, the world went silent. The light vanished. The hum stopped.
They stood in the dark, blinking, their eyes adjusting. Their flashlights were still on, but the room… the room felt different. The air was still cold, but fresher, somehow. The coppery smell was gone, replaced by something earthy and green. The strange objects on the table were still there, but the room itself seemed… sharper. More vivid. And then, a sound reached their ears from above, a sound that definitely wasn't the quiet Tokyo evening they had left behind.
A guttural, faraway roar.
'What have we done?' Shiyi thought, her logic failing her for the first time. Ryuichi stood beside her, equally stunned, his glasses reflecting the dim light. Tamiko gasped, pressing herself closer to Shido, her eyes wide with open fear now.
Kento slowly looked up, his face pale but his eyes burning with a wild, terrifying understanding. They had opened the door. And something was definitely on the other side.
December 25th, 2016. Tokyo. Toriyama Estate, Setagaya District. Basement. 6:15 PM.
The six friends stood frozen in the basement. They were still shocked from the bright flash and the terrible roar. The air buzzed with strange energy. Tamiko was shaking. She hid her face in Shido's shoulder. Shido held her tight. His eyes were wide with shock. But a strong need to protect her made his face serious.
"What was that?" Hori whispered. Her voice was tight with fear. She gripped Kento's hand so hard her knuckles were white.
Kento, despite his fear, felt a strange mix of being right and being scared. "It's… it's what's out there. Something came through. Or we went somewhere." He looked at Ryuichi and Shiyi. "The papers! Is there anything about what happens after? About what comes through?"
Ryuichi was already quickly looking through the old papers. His fingers shook. "There's so much here. Most of it is about how to do it. Little about what happens." Shiyi was beside him. Her forehead was wrinkled. She looked at every page. Her mind raced to find any warning or a way to undo it. 'This is no longer a school project. This is very scary. And it feels like we're not alone.'
Suddenly, the air in the basement got even colder. The small flames of the candles on the stone table bent and swayed as if an unseen wind was blowing them. Even though the room was closed. A new sound filled the space. It was a low, deep whisper. Not really a voice, but like wind blowing through old bones. It seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.
Tamiko whimpered. Her body became stiff. Shido pulled her tighter. His gaze swept the room. "Did you hear that?"
"It's a whisper," Hori breathed. Her eyes darted around. "Like someone… or something… is trying to speak."
The whisper grew stronger. It was a scary mix of ancient, sad sounds. And then, slowly, from the very middle of the glowing sign on the stone table, a surge of dark energy shot up. It pulsed. It quickly formed a tall, shadowy figure right in front of them. It was made of moving darkness, with a bad-looking green light around its edges. Two tiny points of pure white light seemed to be its eyes. It had no clear shape. Just a scary, powerful presence that made everything feel very cold.
"Fools! You have awakened me!" the spirit boomed, its voice like cracking ice, clear in their own language. "You have dared to play with the very fabric of nature, the balance of what is and what is not!"
Tamiko gasped. She hid her face deeper into Shido's shoulder. She was openly crying now. Shido held her. His eyes were fixed on the spirit. His body was tense, ready to move or fight, even though he knew he couldn't fight a ghost.
Shiyi felt a cold dread stronger than anything she had ever known. Her mind, so used to logic, was screaming at how impossible this was. She looked at Ryuichi, her boyfriend. Her fear was reflected in his wide eyes. 'This is what Toriyama Akira woke up. This… this is pure evil.'
The spirit slowly leaned forward. Its shadowy shape moved like smoke, but its presence felt solid with pure power. The tiny white eyes seemed to burn into each of them.
"Toriyama Akira… he started this disturbance. And now you, with your foolish hands, have finished the stupid act! You have gone against the natural order, seeking what is not allowed!" the spirit growled, its voice low and dangerous. "You sought power? Knowledge? You have only found ruin! You have called forth your doom!"
"We didn't mean to!" Hori cried out. Her voice was shaky but clear.
The spirit seemed to stare at her. A chilling pressure came down on them, pushing them to their knees. "Ignorance is no excuse for what you have done! For disturbing my sleep and breaking the very core of existence, you will pay! I will bother your every step, steal your breath, and take your lives! One by one, I will take you all! There is no escape! There is no return! Your lives are mine!"
The basement got even colder. It became painfully cold. Tamiko shook without stopping. Her teeth chattered. A small cry came from her. Shido pulled her close behind him. He tried to shield her from the spirit's terrible gaze.
Kento felt a wave of hopelessness. This was not a puzzle to solve or a story to find. This was a death sentence they could not avoid. His fault. All of it. 'No escape? No return?' The words repeated in his mind. They took away all his hope.
The shadowy form of the spirit pulsed. Its white eyes flared with strong, angry energy. Then, with a final, chilling whisper—"Your lives are forfeit."—it began to disappear. It did not just fade. It was a fast, swirling burst of dark energy back into the stone table.
--
AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS:
Okay, so… WHAT just happened?? 😱
One minute they're searching for clues about Toriyama Akira, and the next—they're literally staring down a raging spirit threatening to end them one by one!?
Honestly, writing this chapter felt like diving into a slow-burning horror movie. But more than fear, there's this pull—a feeling that something much bigger is coming. And now that the door has opened… well, there's no turning back. 👁️🗨️
Can I just say how much I love these six? They're scared, confused, totally out of their depth—but still, they're standing together. There's something really raw and human in that.
💬 Now it's your turn!
What do you think the spirit is?
Did Akira really succeed in crossing over?
Would you have gone through with the ritual? 😬
(Seriously—I want to know. Drop your thoughts below! Even a single word comment makes my day 💌)
Oh—and hey, if you've followed me from "Naruto: A Change in Timeline"—thank you so, so much for sticking with me 🥹
That story's not over! Just taking a little break so I can give this one the energy it deserves. I promise I'll update Naruto again when I can 💛
For now, welcome to The Whorl Within the Cloud—a little mystery, a little magic, and maybe a few broken hearts along the way.
Till next chapter
The Author✨
SakuraShinomiya
If you're enjoying the story, drop a comment or tap the power stone — I'd love to hear from you!