No one knew exactly when it began, but among young people, a legend started circulating—about a private island said to conceal the world's most valuable treasure.
To prevent others from stealing it, the island's owner had chosen to settle there. Many speculated that the treasure must be priceless gemstones.
For adventurous youths, exploring the island during holidays seemed like a perfect way to kill time.
Today, three college students, bored out of their minds, rented a boat and deliberately chose a calm day to sneak onto the island, landing ashore without any obstacles.
The three young men, still clinging to their chuunibyou tendencies, had once playfully sworn brotherhood like the legendary "Oath of the Peach Garden," assigning themselves ranks: Eldest Brother, Second Brother, and Third Brother.
After scanning their surroundings, Eldest Brother remarked in surprise, "I thought the security on this island would be tight. Turns out there's nothing stopping anyone from coming ashore."
Second Brother added, "This is way too easy."
The island wasn’t large. The sound of waves echoed intermittently through the air, green trees swayed gently, and the golden beach was dotted with umbrellas and lounge chairs. Far from civilization, it was brimming with the scent of nature—a true vacation paradise.
Third Brother immediately spotted the white villa perched on a distant hillside. "Do you think the treasure they talk about is hidden there?"
The fact that such a luxurious villa stood on this tiny island was proof enough that its owner was wealthy. The three young men were now utterly convinced of the treasure’s existence.
Their excitement grew, and they hurried toward the villa.
Yet, after walking through the woods for a long time, they gradually sensed something amiss.
Eldest Brother frowned. "The villa didn’t look that far away. Why does it still seem just as distant after all this walking?"
Second Brother grew uneasy. "I’ve been meaning to say this—doesn’t this forest feel too quiet?"
Third Brother, the boldest of the three, scoffed. "Stop scaring yourselves. Ghosts don’t exist."
Just then, sharp-eyed Third Brother spotted a figure ahead. "There’s someone there!"
His exclamation caught the figure’s attention.
The person turned around—a strikingly beautiful young man with jet-black hair and eyes, dressed in a floral shirt, shorts, and flip-flops, as if he were just another vacationer.
The boy’s gaze swept over them, his eyes curving into a smile. The teardrop mole beneath his eye lent him an indescribable allure, making him irresistibly captivating.
The three were momentarily stunned, then found themselves unable to look away, as if enchanted.
The boy spoke kindly, "Are you lost?"
Eldest Brother answered dazedly, "Yes, we’re lost."
The boy laughed lightly. "That won’t do. If you can’t find your way out, you’ll die here."
A chill ran down their spines.
Third Brother swallowed hard, unconsciously stepping closer. "Hey, are you from this island? We mean no harm—could you guide us out of this forest?"
Second Brother quickly added, "We can pay you!"
Eldest Brother also stepped forward. "We’re just lost tourists. We don’t have any ill intentions!"
Yet, despite their words, they were already drawn to the boy. From the moment they saw him, they wanted to get closer, to touch him, to possess him—to have him all to themselves.
The madness flickering in their eyes betrayed their claims of innocence.
The boy chuckled softly, his beauty growing even more dazzling.
Strangely, no one could pinpoint exactly what made him so captivating. It was as if every part of him perfectly matched their personal ideals of perfection, as though he had been tailor-made to ensnare them.
"This forest eats people," the boy said cryptically, like a mischievous child who had just played a prank. Then, he turned and vanished into the shadows.
Third Brother shouted, "Quick, follow him! Or we’ll never get out!"
They ran after him—less to find an exit, more to seize him before he disappeared.
But after only a few steps, another sound came from behind them—light, cheerful laughter, laced with an eerie magnetism that forced them to turn around.
There stood another boy.
Under the trees, he wore similarly flamboyant clothes, though the patterns differed from the first boy’s. His dark, intense eyes, the perfectly placed teardrop mole, and his pale, exquisitely beautiful face were identical.
The three froze.
They had just seen the boy run ahead—how was he now behind them?
And how could he have changed clothes so quickly?
The boy looked at them as if amused by clowns, his smile playful. "You’re going the wrong way. Be careful, or you’ll die."
Third Brother, nervous, asked, "What do you mean by that?"
The boy’s lips curled, his expression childishly mischievous. "Well, you’re not getting out anyway."
With that, the garishly dressed boy melted back into the shadows, leaving no chance for pursuit.
Eldest Brother muttered, "How… are there two identical people?"
Second Brother stammered, "They must be twins… right? They have to be twins!"
Third Brother, with the sharpest eyesight, trembled as he looked around. Hidden behind the trees were countless figures—all with the same face, only their outfits differing. Their dark, eerie eyes gleamed with identical malice and mockery as they stared at the intruders.
It was as if they were endless copies, like endlessly replicating cancer cells—or a virus that had infected this secluded island.
Soon, Eldest Brother and Second Brother also sensed the wrongness, their bodies shaking, faces pale.
The boys closed in, their voices dripping with honeyed poison.
"Want to leave?"
"Want to survive?"
"Want to be the lucky one who claims the treasure?"
"Then kill each other. Only the last one standing wins."
Their words carried an irresistible magic, eroding the men’s sanity bit by bit.
The three men’s eyes soon reddened, their minds unraveling. When they looked at each other again, their expressions twisted into something vicious—
If they killed the others, they could be the last one alive… the one worthy of the boy’s favor.
