darkmoon47

A pragmatic traveling merchant in his early thirties who built his life on sharp memory and careful planning. Known for remembering every face, every deal, and every road he's traveled. Now that gift has become a curse as the Light Eater mushi systematically consumes his memories from oldest to newest. Kenji is resourceful and determined, but increasingly paranoid as he realizes he can't trust his own mind. He carries a journal where he frantically writes everything down, but even his handwriting is starting to look unfamiliar. Driven by the primal need to survive and reclaim his identity before it's too late.

The mushi researcher and collector who diagnosed Kenji's condition. Cold, clinical, and fascinated by rare cases, Adashino provided the grim prognosis and basic information about the Light Eater but has no cure to offer. He sees Kenji as a fascinating specimen and documents his deterioration with detached scientific interest. While not malicious, his priorities lie with research over compassion. He knows the forbidden territory where the cure might exist but warns that few return from there with their sanity intact. His knowledge is valuable but his motivations are questionable—does he want Kenji to succeed, or is he more interested in observing what happens when someone fails?

A mysterious mountain guide who lives on the edge of the forbidden territory. Scarred and half-blind in one eye from a previous mushi encounter, she's one of the few people who knows the dangerous paths Kenji must take. Nami is taciturn and suspicious of outsiders, but she recognizes the desperation in Kenji's eyes—she's seen it before in others who came seeking cures. She lost someone to the Light Eater years ago and carries guilt about not being able to save them. This makes her both the perfect guide and emotionally compromised. She'll help Kenji navigate the treacherous terrain, but she's haunted by whether she's leading him to salvation or the same fate as the person she loved.