Panel 1: At dawn outside a hospital emergency entrance, Kimura Ran walks beside Naoki after surviving a supernatural attack during the night. Ran wears a sling after losing her left hand while Naoki, a blind mystic with long white hair and jade beads, carries coffee as police secure the scene behind them. Panel 2: Naoki tells Kimura Ran that the Seekers will secure the hospital building after the overnight supernatural incident. Early morning light and emergency lights mix around the hospital entrance. Panel 3: Close-up of Naoki lowering a disposable coffee cup after noticing Kimura Ran’s missing arm at dawn outside the hospital. Naoki speaks off panel asking about her injury. Panel 4: Kimura Ran tells Naoki she chose losing her hand over losing her life during the night’s supernatural attack. Outside the hospital at sunrise, Naoki reassures her and asks her to come to the temple later to talk.

Panel 1: At dawn outside a hospital emergency entrance, Kimura Ran walks beside Naoki after surviving a supernatural attack during the night. Ran wears a sling after losing her left hand while Naoki, a blind mystic with long white hair and jade beads, carries coffee as police secure the scene behind them. Panel 2: Naoki tells Kimura Ran that the Seekers will secure the hospital building after the overnight supernatural incident. Early morning light and emergency lights mix around the hospital entrance. Panel 3: Close-up of Naoki lowering a disposable coffee cup after noticing Kimura Ran’s missing arm at dawn outside the hospital. Naoki speaks off panel asking about her injury. Panel 4: Kimura Ran tells Naoki she chose losing her hand over losing her life during the night’s supernatural attack. Outside the hospital at sunrise, Naoki reassures her and asks her to come to the temple later to talk.

Transcript

Panel 1
Ran: It’s good you’re here. This situation’s a mess.
Naoki: The hospital called your emergency contact.
Naoki (cont'd): Apparently that’s still me.

Panel 2
Naoki: The Seekers will secure the building.
Naoki (cont'd): No one leaves until they’re examined.

Panel 3
Naoki (off-panel): Forgive me. Your arm?

Panel 4
Ran: Training kicked in. Had to choose… hand or my life.
Naoki: You chose correctly.
Ran: I’m going home. It’s safer there.
Naoki: When you’re up for it, come to the temple. We need to talk.

Dead shall rise – Chapter 3 page 7
Posted on June 29, 2026 by Maho Noir

One small moment I really liked while working on this page: despite being completely blind, Naoki casually nails the coffee cup toss into the trash without even thinking about it. It’s a subtle reminder that his blindness doesn’t make him helpless or disconnected from the world around him-- he experiences it differently. Little details like that help sell who these characters are outside of exposition.