Ren moved across the roof with Shizuka at his left and Sato on his right.
Yuki ran ahead like the broken rooftops belonged to her, jumping gaps without looking down, her yellow jacket flashing between water tanks, bent antennas, and rusted railings.
Amamiya came behind them, breathing hard.
The roof shook beneath them.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The same rhythm followed from below.
Ren did not look down.
The system opened.
— MAP MAKING ACTIVE — — ROOF ROUTE: TEMPORARY — — ROUTE BELOW: UNSAFE — — UNKNOWN THIRD SIGNAL: TRACKING — — PURSUIT: BEHIND — — SAFE ROUTE WINDOW: 03:20 — Yuki reached the next roof and stopped at the edge.
The gap ahead was wider.Not impossible but wide enough to hesitate.
She turned and pointed down.
“Step on the pipe, then the ledge.
Don’t jump straight unless you want to break something.” Sato looked at the pipe.
“Its old.” “There are no other options.” “Is it even safe ?.” Yuki grinned.
“Its the fastest way to get around.” Shizuka tightened her hand around Ren’s.
Ren looked at the pipe.
The map flashed.
— STRUCTURAL CHECK — — PIPE LOAD: LIMITED — — SINGLE CROSSING RECOMMENDED — — SAFE CONTACT POINT: LEFT BRACKET — — RISK: MODERATE — Ren pointed.
“We go one at a time.” Yuki smiled in awe.
“You agree with me?” Ren did not answer.
She watched him for one second too long, then hopped onto the pipe and crossed lightly.
It barely moved under her.
Sato went next, slower, MP5 tight against her body.
Shizuka crossed after her.
Ren followed.
The pipe groaned under him.
The crowbar shifted against his shoulder.
The combat dagger strapped to his thigh.
He moved to the left bracket, felt the pipe hold, then stepped onto the next ledge.
Amamiya stared from the other roof.
“No.” Yuki crouched on the far side.
“Yes.” “No.” Sato raised the MP5 toward the roof behind him.
“Move.” A bullet cracked against the wall near Amamiya’s shoulder.
Concrete dust burst across his sleeve.
He stepped onto the pipe.
“I am moving.” He crossed with both arms wide, face tight, legs shaking.
Yuki leaned toward Ren.
“Can I push him?” “No.” “You are no fun.” Amamiya reached the ledge and dropped to his knees.
“I heard everything.” Gunfire started behind them.
Shirakawa voices shouted from the parking area below.
Then ants clicked.
Not one.
A group.
The system opened.
— SHIRAKAWA PMC: 5 — — BLACK CASE DETECTED — — FUNCTION: PORTABLE ANCHOR CONTROL — — SERVER LINK: ACTIVE — — LOCAL CACHE: PRESENT — — LINKED SIGNALS: WRISTBAND / TOKEN / ROUTE CARD — — HARVEST DELAY: TEMPORARY — — FAILURE RISK: HIGH — — ENGAGEMENT RISK: HIGH — — RECOMMENDATION: AVOID CONTACT — Ren’s eyes stayed on the black case.
Portable anchor control.
Not the source.
A key or a door.
Something that touched Shirakawa’s servers and carried enough cached traces.
Below them, the man with the case spoke into his radio.
“Is the case still linked?” “Barely.” “Can you see what was accessed?” “Only if I open the service panel.” “Then do it.” The case carrier looked around the dark arcade.
“Here?” “You heard command.
Find out what they took before the server wiped it.” Shizuka’s hand tightened around Ren’s.
Sato’s eyes stayed on the case.
“That thing links to their system.” Ren nodded once.
“Looks like it.” Amamiya crouched lower on the beam.
“So that black box is not just a box.” Yuki whispered from ahead, “Nothing black and guarded is just a box.” Below, the man set the case on the floor and opened the side panel.
A hidden service slot with lights blinking inside.
Blue.
White.
Red.
The system displayed more detail.
— PHYSICAL ACCESS ATTEMPT DETECTED — — LOCAL CACHE EXPOSURE: POSSIBLE — — SERVER TRACE WINDOW: SHORT — — DATA VALUE: HIGH — — RISK VALUE: HIGH — Ren stared.
The old leak made more sense now.
Someone had touched one of these cases and pulled enough data through the link before Shirakawa shut the attempt down.
Kuroshima.
Rift control.
Anchor failure.
Sato raised the MP5 again.
Ren caught her wrist before she aimed fully.
“No.” Her jaw tightened.
“If we take that case, we get answers.” “If we try ,they will shoot back.” “We going to let them leave with it ?” “Yes.” Yuki’s voice dropped from ahead.
“There is something coming up from the street behind them.” Ren looked past the arcade entrance.
The map in his mind turned red along the north side.
The ants were not there yet but they are close.
The system opened again.
— MUTATED ANT GROUP APPROACHING — — DISTANCE: 41 M — — SHIRAKAWA ATTENTION: DIVIDED — — ROOF ROUTE WINDOW: 00:52 — — RECOMMENDATION: MOVE — Ren released Sato’s wrist.
“We go now.” Sato looked down at the case one last time.
Then she lowered the MP5.
“Fine.” Below, the case carrier cursed.
“We lost the Server connection.” The other man snapped, “Again.” “I need more time.” The first ant hit the arcade entrance.
Glass shattered inward.
The Shirakawa men turned.
Gunfire filled the arcade.
Ren moved.
“Now.” Yuki was already running along the beam.
Shizuka pulled Ren forward.
Sato covered the rear.
Amamiya whispered, “I am starting to hate cases too.” Ren kept moving across the cracking glass roof while the black case screamed below them, its alarm cutting through gunfire like a dying machine.
Yuki crossed the next beam and dropped onto the far service ledge.
“Down here.” Shizuka pulled Ren after her.
Sato came last, MP5 angled low but ready, eyes still moving between the case below and the ants crashing into the arcade.
Amamiya reached the ledge and looked back.
The glass roof behind them cracked.
A Shirakawa guard fired into an ant at close range, missed the joint, and the rounds sparked off its shell.
Another man fired lower.
The ant dropped, legs folding under it.
The system opened.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 62 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +5 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 33 — Ren stopped for half a second.
Shizuka saw it.
“Ren.” “Moving.” He moved.
Yuki kicked open a rusted service hatch and slid down a ladder bolted to the wall.
The metal shook under her, but she moved like it belonged to her.
Sato followed.
Shizuka next.
Ren climbed down after her.
Amamiya looked at the ladder from above.
“I hate vertical routes.” Yuki’s voice came from below.
“You hate breathing too?” “Only when I have to do it near you.” “Cute.” Amamiya climbed down.
The ladder opened into a back loading lane behind the arcade.
The air smelled of wet cardboard, old food, and blood.
Four bodies lay near a delivery truck.
Two police.
Two Shirakawa PMC.
No movement.
No witnesses.
Ren’s map opened.
— BACK LOADING LANE — — HOSTILES: 0 — — CIVILIANS: 0 — — CORPSE COUNT: 4 — — SUPPLIES: 5 — — RISK: LOW — Sato saw the bodies and understood before anyone spoke.
“Fast.” Ren went to the Shirakawa bodies.
One rifle lay under a fallen crate, barrel bent and useless.
The magazine still looked intact.
The system opened.
— AMMUNITION DETECTED — — TYPE: 5.56MM STANDARD — — COMPATIBILITY: RIFLE PLATFORM REQUIRED — — EFFECTIVENESS AGAINST MUTATED ANT: GOOD — — RECOMMENDATION: RETAIN — Ren pulled the magazine free and handed it to Sato.
“Rifle rounds.” Sato checked it.
“5.56.
Regular.” “Useful?” “Yes.
Regular 5.56 works fine on ants if you hit properly.
Armor piercing is better for hard shell, but this still kills.” Amamiya looked over.
“So we are carrying ammo for a gun we don’t have?” Sato slid it into her pouch.
“Until we find one.” The second PMC had two MP5 magazines, a small suppressor, and one black-marked magazine.
Sato checked the rounds.
“9mm AP.” Ren looked at the magazine.
“For your MP5?” “Yes.” “Against shells?” “Not the shell.
Joints, eyes, underside.
It gives us a better chance, not a miracle.” The system opened.
— AMMUNITION DETECTED — — TYPE: 9MM ARMOR PIERCING — — COMPATIBILITY: MP5 — — EFFECTIVENESS AGAINST HARD SHELL: MODERATE — — RECOMMENDED TARGETS: JOINTS / EYES / MANDIBLE BASE / UNDERSIDE — Sato loaded the AP magazine into a separate pouch.
“Normal rounds first.
AP only when the shells get worse.” Ren took the suppressor and passed it to her.
She checked it once.
“Backup.” Amamiya opened the delivery truck cab and pulled out rope, two lighters, a cracked powerbank, and three bottled coffees.
“Supplies.” Yuki was already at the back of the truck, pulling open a side compartment.
Shizuka watched her hands.
Yuki noticed.
“You don’t trust me.” “No.” Ren crouched beside the dead police.
Sato did not stop him.
She took one magazine, a radio battery, and a small medical pouch from the first officer.
Then she closed his eyes with two fingers.
No speech.
No prayer.
A gesture full of respect.
The system marked the lane.
— SUPPLY MARKER CLEARED — — MP5 MAGAZINE: 2 — — 9MM AP MAGAZINE: 1 — — 5.56MM MAGAZINE: 1 — — MEDICAL POUCH: 1 — — ROPE: 1 — — POWERBANK: DAMAGED — Yuki stepped close to Ren.
Too close.
The system opened.
— INTENT DETECTED — — TARGET: REN KURONO — — ACTION: THEFT — — OBJECT: COMBAT DAGGER — — SUCCESS WITHOUT WARNING: HIGH — Ren caught her wrist before her fingers touched the sheath.
Yuki froze.
Then her eyes lit up.
Not fear.
Excitement.
“Again.” Ren held her wrist.
“Don’t.” “You saw it before I did it.” “Yes.” “That has never happened.” Shizuka appeared beside Ren.
“Let go of his belt.” Yuki looked down at Ren’s hand around her wrist.
“He is holding me.” Shizuka’s stare sharpened.
“Then he can throw you.” Ren released Yuki.
She rubbed her wrist, still smiling.
“I like this group.” Sato called from the truck.
“One more bad joke and I will arrest you.” Yuki looked at her.
“You lost your handcuffs.” “I found them.” “After I left.” Sato’s face went flat.
Amamiya lifted both hands.
“I want it recorded that I did not start this.” Gunfire erupted inside the arcade behind them.
The PMC had found another ant or another ant had found them.
The system opened.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 68 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +5 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 38 — Ren stopped beside the truck.
Shizuka saw it.
“Again?” “Close.” Sato turned toward the arcade.
“We should leave.” Ren looked at the map.
The route south stayed clear.
The fight stayed behind walls and glass.
More gunfire.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 71 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +5 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 43 — Gunfire cracked again inside the arcade.
Ren stayed still for one breath longer.
Another scream followed.
Human.
No credit.
Then a longer burst of rifle fire.
The system opened.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 74 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +6 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 49 — Ren turned.
“Time to go.” No one argued.
The gunfire stayed behind them, trapped inside the arcade with the screaming and broken glass.
They left the loading lane through a side service road.
The buildings thinned, then opened toward a canal running parallel to the south road.
They walked alongside it.
The street glowed red in Ren’s map.
The roof route ended after two blocks.
The canal path stayed grey with scattered danger points.
Ren chose the canal path.
No one questioned him this time.
That was new.
The walkway ran beside the dark water.
Small bridges crossed every few hundred meters.
Some had barricades.
Some had bodies.
One had a child’s shoe caught between metal bars.
Ren looked away before the system counted.
The XChange flickered.
— CREDIT BALANCE: 49 — — AVAILABLE [SKILL] — — [SKILL] BLADED WEAPON [ONE HAND]: 25 CREDITS — — [SKILL] BLUNT WEAPON [ONE HAND]: 15 CREDITS — — [SKILL] SILENT STEP: 30 CREDITS — — [SKILL] MAP RANGE EXPANSION: 40 CREDITS — — LOCKED [SYSTEM] — — [SYSTEM] MANA FOUNTAIN DETECTION: LOCKED — Ren slowed.
Bladed Weapon.
He had the dagger.
Map range mattered too, but a wider map meant nothing if he died in arm’s reach.
Blade first.
A thought triggered the purchase.
Use these changes in C18: — PURCHASE CONFIRMED — — SKILL PURCHASED: BLADED WEAPON [ONE HAND] — — COST: -25 — — CREDIT BALANCE: 24 — Then later: It felt like he had been training for days, but in reality, only one second had passed.
Ren’s breath caught.
The dagger at his belt changed.
Not in shape.
In meaning.
The system opened.
— SKILL ACQUIRED — — [SKILL] BLADED WEAPON [ONE HAND]: 2/5 — — KENDO FOUNDATION DETECTED — — JUDO FOUNDATION DETECTED — — STYLE LINK: SHORT-BLADE / CLOSE-CONTROL — — BODY ADAPTATION: INCOMPLETE — — PRACTICE REQUIRED — Ren touched the dagger handle.
Shizuka saw his fingers tighten around it.
“What did you do?” “It gave me more knowledge about using bladed weapons.” Yuki looked back from ahead.
“Knowledge?” Shizuka answered before Ren could.
“Not your business.” Yuki smiled.
“Everything is my business if I stand close enough.” “Then stand farther away.” Shizuka looked back at Ren.
“Does it hurt?” “No.” “Then why do you look like that?” Ren exhaled.
“It felt like days of training got pushed into my head in one second.” Shizuka’s face tightened.
“Are you sure that is safe?” Ren looked at the dagger.
“Yeah.” Sato raised one hand.
“Quiet.” Everyone stopped.
Not because of her voice but because the canal water ahead had changed.
A faint blue-green glow pulsed below the walkway, trapped between broken concrete and black water.
Ren’s map marked it.
Not red.
Not grey.
Blue.
Small.
Pulsing.
The system opened.
— MANA DENSITY ANOMALY DETECTED — — LOCALIZED POOL — — TERM GENERATED: MANA FOUNTAIN — — CREDIT CONVERSION: UNAVAILABLE — — ACCESS REQUIREMENT: FUTURE XCHANGE UPGRADE — Ren stared.
Mana Fountain.
A pool of mana.
Credit conversion later.
Not now.
Yuki crouched near the railing.
“I saw one like this yesterday.” Ren looked at her.
“Where?” “Old underpass.
People said the air felt sweet around it.” “What happened?” “Three men fought over who owned the puddle.
One dropped.
One ran.
One started laughing and did not stop.” The system opened.
— MANA FOUNTAIN BEHAVIOR LOGGED — — EFFECT: UNKNOWN — — HARVEST INTERACTION: POSSIBLE — — RECOMMENDATION: AVOID CONTACT — Ren stepped away from the railing.
“Do not touch it.” Amamiya stepped back before he finished speaking.
“I was born already knowing not to touch anything that glows.” The blue mark stayed in the map.
Ren stared at it a second longer and thought without meaning to.
What is it?
The system answered before a panel opened.
— I DO NOT KNOW — Ren froze.
The line changed at once.
— CORRECTION — — DATA INSUFFICIENT — His pulse rose.
I.
Not observation unit.
Not data.
I.
Shizuka saw his face.
“What?” Ren looked at the glow.
“It answered wrong.” She stepped closer.
“What answered wrong?” “The system.” Her hand tightened around his.
Sato looked between them.
“What system?” Ren turned away from the water.
“Later.” Sato’s eyes sharpened.
“I am getting tired of that word.” “Stay alive long enough, you will learn to hate it.” Yuki smiled.
“Oh, that was rude.
I liked it.” Shizuka looked at her.
“Do not encourage him.” A siren wailed from the south.
Not police.
Sato’s face changed.
“SDF.” The sky answered with a heavy roar.
A military helicopter came low over the buildings, flying south fast.
Smoke trailed from one side.
Two smaller drones followed behind it, then dipped toward the industrial road.
A broadcast crackled from Sato’s spare radio.
“South corridor command to all units.
SDF armored convoy entering restricted sector.
Civilian movement prohibited.
Shirakawa security forces ordered to stand down.” Static.
Then another voice.
“Shirakawa units are not standing down.
Repeat, they are not standing down.” A heavy explosion rolled across the city.
The roofline ahead flashed orange.
The system map filled with red.
— MAJOR FIREFIGHT DETECTED — — DISTANCE: 420 M — — PARTICIPANTS: SDF / SHIRAKAWA PMC / MUTATED CREATURES — — CREDIT RANGE: OUTSIDE — — ROUTE IMPACT: HIGH — Ren stopped.
Sato looked at him.
“No.” Ren looked at her.
“What?” “You are thinking about going closer.” He did not deny it.
Shizuka’s hand tightened.
“How close?” “Just on the outskirts.” Yuki laughed.
“You people are insane.” Amamiya lifted one finger.
“I am not.
I was kidnapped by fate.” Ren looked at the map.
Four hundred twenty meters.
Too far for credits.
Too far to learn anything useful.
But the fight would shift.
They could approach just outside, stay behind cover, gather what fell, and leave before the combat line moved.
Practical but dangerous.
Worth considering.
Shizuka looked at him.
“Say it.” Ren looked south.
“If we stay near the edge, I can gain from creature deaths.” Sato stared.
“Gain what?” Ren did not answer.
Sato stepped closer.
“Ren.” Shizuka moved between them.
“Not here.” Sato looked at Shizuka.
“You know.” “Yes.” “And you are not telling me.” “No.” The air tightened.
Yuki looked delighted.
Amamiya looked tired.
The system opened.
— PARTY TRUST CONFLICT DETECTED — — DISCLOSURE RISK: HIGH — — DELAY RECOMMENDED — Ren looked at Sato.
“I don’t know how to explain it” Sato’s jaw worked once.
“Then give me a reason to keep following.” Ren looked at the south road.
Shizuka said, ” Because he can keep us alive.” Sato’s eyes moved to her.
“That is the only reason this continues.” “Good,” Shizuka said.
“Keep using it.” For a moment, Sato looked like she might argue.
Then another explosion rolled over the rooftops.
She turned south.
“We will go as close as possible and will not join the fight.” Ren nodded.
“Agreed.” Yuki raised her hand.
“Do I get a vote?” “No,” Sato and Shizuka said together.
Yuki looked at Ren.
“I like them.” “Better get going.” The canal path narrowed, then climbed behind a row of warehouses.
Smoke drifted low across the street ahead.
Sirens overlapped with gunfire, then with something deeper and louder.
Tank fire.
Ren felt it in his ribs.
The system opened.
— ARMORED UNIT DETECTED — — DISTANCE: 310 M — — MUTATED ANT VARIANT: MULTIPLE — — CREDIT RANGE: OUTSIDE — — RECOMMENDATION: APPROACH WITH COVER — Sato checked the MP5.
“Stay low.” Ren looked at Shizuka.
“Left side.” Yuki appeared on his right.
“What about me?” Sato grabbed the back of Yuki’s yellow jacket and pulled her away from Ren.
“You stay where I see you.” Yuki grinned.
“So his right side is yours.” Sato pushed her forward.
“My patience is thin.” “Your chest is not.” Amamiya choked.
Shizuka’s eyes moved to Sato, then back to Yuki.
“Walk.” Yuki laughed and ran ahead before Sato could answer.
Ren rubbed his forehead.
The street ahead opened into a loading yard.
Bodies lay near the gate.
SDF soldiers.
Shirakawa PMC.
Ants.
Not all dead for the same reason.
Ren crouched behind a concrete divider.
The map updated.
— COMBAT FIELD DETECTED — — HOSTILES: 14 — — FRIENDLY: UNKNOWN — — CREATURES: 9 — — CREDIT RANGE: 118 M — — COVER: MODERATE — One hundred eighteen.
Not close enough.
Ren looked at the nearest low wall.
A path ran behind it, leading thirty meters closer.
Shizuka followed his gaze.
“No rushing.” “I know.” They moved wall to wall.
Sato covered the road.
Amamiya stayed low.
Yuki moved like she had no bones, slipping from crate to crate.
Ren reached the next wall.
The system opened.
— CREDIT RANGE ENTERED — — DISTANCE TO ACTIVE CREATURE KILLS: 96 M — — WARNING: STRAY BULLET RISK — Gunfire hammered the yard.
An SDF armored vehicle fired once.
The blast tore through an evolved ant near the main road.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 94 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +12 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 31 — Another ant climbed onto the side of the armored vehicle.
Then another.
Then a third.
Then a fourth.
Sato went still.
“Four on one vehicle.” Ren remembered what the system had shown before.
Four evolved ants could bring one down if they got close.
The first ant struck the track housing.
The second climbed toward the sensors.
The third bit into the side armor near a hatch.
The fourth slipped under the front.
The armored vehicle fired again, point blank, destroying the ant in front.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 89 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +12 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 43 — The other three kept moving.
Soldiers fired from behind concrete barriers.
Bullets cut into ants when they hit joints, eyes, or softer plates, but the thicker shells sparked due to bad angles.
Yuki’s smile had vanished.
“Those are not normal ants.” Amamiya looked at her.
“You needed this moment to come to that ?” The third ant tore something loose under the vehicle.
The engine screamed.
The vehicle tilted.
Sato’s voice dropped.
“They are going to lose it.” Ren looked at the map.
Red markers spread toward them.
One soldier fell back near their defensive wall, dragging his leg.
His rifle hung loose.
A Shirakawa PMC shot him from across the yard before anyone reached him.
Sato raised the MP5.
Ren did not stop her this time.
She fired once.
Suppressed.
The Shirakawa man dropped behind a crate, hit in the shoulder or neck.
Not dead.
Disabled enough.
Sato looked at Ren.
“He was going shoot this way.” Ren said, “I know.” That was enough.
Another SDF tank fired a round.
Another ant burst apart.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 84 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +12 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 55 — The XChange flickered.
— SAFE WINDOW: PARTIAL — — MAP RANGE EXPANSION: 40 CREDITS — — SILENT STEP: 30 CREDITS — — BLUNT WEAPON: 15 CREDITS — — 9MM AP SYNTHESIS: LOCKED — — MANA CONVERSION: LOCKED — Ren stayed two seconds longer.
The map turned darker.
— THREAT CONVERGENCE: HIGH — — RECOMMENDATION: WITHDRAW — Then another line appeared.
— PROTECT REN — It flickered.
— CORRECTION — — PROTECTIVE PRIORITY: REN KURONO — Ren’s breath caught.
The system had not said recommendation.
It had ordered itself.
Shizuka saw him freeze.
“What?” “Later.” Her face tightened, but she moved with him.
“We have to leave now,” Ren said.
Sato did not argue.
They pulled back through the loading yard as the armored vehicle finally stopped moving behind them.
The soldiers around it scattered.
The ants climbed over the top.
Ren did not look back after that.
One last creature died behind them before they broke range.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 99 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +12 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 67 — Then the range broke.
They reached the canal path again, lower and hidden by the warehouse wall.
Everyone breathed hard.
No one spoke for several seconds.
Then Yuki leaned close to Ren.
“So.” Shizuka’s hand moved before Yuki finished.
Yuki stopped with a grin.
“How many secrets do you have?” Ren looked at her.
“Enough.” “Can I steal one?” “No.” “What if I ask nicely?” “No.” “What if I ask when no one is looking?” Shizuka said, “I will be looking.” Yuki smiled.
“Now thats a problem.” Sato checked the magazine in the MP5.
“You flirt with dangers.” Yuki looked at her.
“Didn’t you have a good time?” “No.” “Sad.” Amamiya sat against the wall and opened the pouch Yuki had grabbed earlier.
“Good news.
It has magazines.” Sato crouched.
“Show me.” Inside were two MP5 magazines, one pistol magazine, and a small black suppressor.
Sato looked at Yuki.
“You grabbed this?” Yuki shrugged.
“You were all being loud.” Shizuka looked annoyed.
Ren looked at Yuki’s hands.
The system opened.
— PARTY CANDIDATE: YUKI — — CONTRIBUTION: SUPPLY ACQUISITION — — RISK: THEFT / DISTRACTION — — TRUST STATUS: UNSTABLE — Yuki leaned toward Ren again.
“Why are you looking at my hands?” Ren said, “Because they are useful.” For one second, she went quiet.
Then her face lit up.
“Oh.” Shizuka closed her eyes once.
Sato muttered, “That was a mistake.” Yuki pointed at Ren.
“You are the first person who said it like that.” “Like what?” “Like you saw them.” Ren stood.
Yuki hopped up after him.
“I am following you now.” “No.” “Too late.” The map showed a possible rest marker farther south.
Better than open roads.
The system opened.
— POSSIBLE REST POINT DETECTED — — TYPE: HOSTEL / GUESTHOUSE — — BUNK CAPACITY: SUFFICIENT — — POWER: UNKNOWN — — WATER: UNKNOWN — — OCCUPANCY: UNKNOWN — — DISTANCE: 1.3 KM — Ren looked south.
A hostel.
Beds.
Walls.
Maybe doors that still locked.
Not safe.
But enough to aim for.
Shizuka looked at him.
“What?” “Possible place to rest.” Amamiya lifted his head.
“Beds?” “Maybe.” “How many?” “Enough.” Yuki smiled.
“Do I get one?” Shizuka said, “as long as you keep your hands to yourself.” Yuki looked offended.
“I always do.” “Then sleep outside.” Sato stood.
“Let’s check it before it gets dark.” The light was already thinning, and everyone moved like their bones had started counting the hours.
They followed the canal path heading south.
Behind them, the battle continued.
Ahead, the hostel district waited.
Below, something knocked once.
Then twice.
Then three times.
The map marked the road under their feet in red.
The system opened.
— ROUTE BELOW: UNSAFE — — REST POINT ROUTE: TEMPORARY — — UNKNOWN THIRD SIGNAL: TRACKING — Then another line appeared.
— I WILL FIND A WAY — It vanished.
— CORRECTION — — ROUTE SEARCH CONTINUES — Ren stopped for one step.
Shizuka stopped with him.
“What now?” Ren looked at the map in his mind, then at the darkening road ahead.
“It said I.” Shizuka’s face changed.
Sato looked back.
“What did?” Ren kept walking.
“Nothing.” Yuki laughed softly ahead of them.
“That sounded like a lie.” Ren looked at the hostel marker glowing faintly in his mind.
Chapter 18 ~ End