The electric van moved south in near silence.
That was good and bad.
Good, because nothing heard them coming.
Bad, because everyone inside could hear everything.
The faint whine of the motor.
The tires rolling over broken roads.
Sato checking her rifle magazine.
Shizuka’s thumb brushing the katana guard.
Amamiya opening and closing the toolbox latch until Sato looked back at him.
Yuki breathing too close behind Ren.
Ren kept both hands on the wheel.
His right shoulder still hurt where the ant had thrown him into the divider.
His ribs were not feeling right either.
Every turn pulled another muscle.
The system showed the road in thin lines across his vision.
— MAP MAKING ACTIVE — — VEHICLE ROUTE: SOUTH — — NOISE PROFILE: LOW — — SHIRAKAWA TRACKER: LOOPED — — UNKNOWN THIRD SIGNAL: TRACKING — — SAFE WINDOW: PARTIAL — Safe window again.
Ren glanced at the bag beside his foot.
Inside it, the warehouse held more than any bag had a right to hold.
Damaged anchor module.
Broken rifle.
Compact rifle.
Handgun.
Wrong bullets.
Right bullets.
Cracked radios.
Batteries.
Half-bent suppressor.
Armor plates.
Tools.
Food.
Scrap.
All of it waited for diassesembly.
Sato watched the road from the passenger seat.
“Do you know where you are driving?” “South.” “That is not an answer.” “It is the only direction that is not in red.” She looked at him.
Ren did not look back.
Sato sighed.
Yuki leaned forward between the seats.
“I like it.
Simple.
South means alive.” Shizuka’s voice came from behind her.
“Sit back.” Yuki turned her head.
“I am already sitting.” “Farther back.” “There is a seat behind me.” “Sit in it.” Yuki smiled and looked at Ren.
“Your girlfriend is still angry about the kiss.” Ren kept his eyes on the road.
“She is not my girlfriend.” The van went silent.
Shizuka’s aura changed so fast Amamiya grabbed the toolbox with both hands.
Sato slowly looked out the side window like she had seen something interesting.
Yuki’s smile widened.
Ren realized the mistake one second too late.
Shizuka spoke softly.
“What am I?” Ren’s hands tightened on the wheel.
“Shizuka.” “That is my name.” “I know.” Yuki clapped once.
“Wrong answer.” Ren said, “You are not helping.” Yuki leaned closer.
“That was not help.
That was entertainment.” Shizuka leaned forward.
“Ren.” He looked at the mirror.
Her eyes were calm.
That was worse.
“You are the closest person to me,” Ren said.
The van stayed quiet again.
This time, not dangerous.
Different.
Shizuka looked away first.
“Good.” Yuki made a tiny sound.
Sato muttered, “He survived.” Amamiya whispered, “Barely.” Yuki placed a finger against Ren’s shoulder from behind.
“Still, you said no earlier.” “No.” Her face lit up.
“Fourteen.” Ren’s eyes narrowed.
“Do not do that while I’m driving.” “You said no again.” Shizuka’s katana shifted across her lap.
Yuki looked at it.
“I am only keeping records.” Sato said, “Keep records with your mouth closed.” Yuki smiled.
“That is not how kissing works.” Amamiya closed his eyes.
“Let me out of the vehicle.” “No,” Ren said.
Yuki pointed at him.
“Fifteen.” Ren groaned.
“That was for him.” “It reached me again.” Mizuno sat in the back with the injured civilian.
His face looked pale in the grey light coming through the van window.
“Are they always like this?” Amamiya looked at him.
“It gets worse when we are not fighting.” Yuki nodded.
“True.” Sato pointed ahead.
“Roadblock.” Ren slowed.
The road bent past a row of small warehouses.
Ahead, two delivery trucks blocked the lane, nose to nose.
One had burned out.
The other leaned against a light pole.
No people.
No movement.
The system opened.
— ROADBLOCK DETECTED — — VEHICLE PASSAGE: RESTRICTED — — SIDE ALLEY: POSSIBLE — — CREATURE PRESENCE: LOW — — HUMAN PRESENCE: UNKNOWN — — RECOMMENDATION: STOP / SCAN — Ren stopped the van before the bend.
The motor quieted into a soft hum.
Sato opened a crack in the passenger door.
“Everyone stays ready.” Shizuka slid the katana free by a few inches.
Yuki leaned toward Ren again.
“Can I spend some?” “No.” “Sixteen.” Ren looked back.
“What?” Yuki smiled and held up both hands.
“I mean kiss points.
I have sixteen now.” “You had thirteen.” “You gave me three more.” “That accounting is criminal.” “I am a thief.” Shizuka said, “Do not spend them.” Yuki looked at Ren.
“I do not need her permission.” “You need mine.” Yuki’s eyes brightened.
“Really?” Ren realized the second mistake.
“No.” “Seventeen.” Amamiya whispered, “He is feeding the economy.” Yuki moved before anyone could stop her.
Fast.
She leaned over the center gap and kissed Ren on the cheek.
One.
Two.
Three.
Quick taps.
Ren froze.
Sato turned halfway.
Shizuka’s aura hit the van like the air had turned heavy.
Yuki pulled back and counted on her fingers.
“Fourteen left.” Ren stared at her.
“You spent three.” “Yes.” “You had seventeen.” “Yes.” He closed his eyes once.
“I hate how that math works.” Yuki smiled.
“I am honest when it matters.” Shizuka leaned forward.
“Yuki.” Yuki raised both hands.
“I spent them properly.
No refunds.” Sato rubbed her forehead.
“Out.
All of you.
Before this van becomes a crime scene.” They exited.
Ren took the bag.
The warehouse made it light, but the habit of bracing for weight stayed in his shoulder.
Shizuka stepped beside him.
“You let her.” “I was driving.” “You stopped.” “She moved fast.” Shizuka looked at him.
Ren looked away.
“I will be more careful.” “Good.” Yuki walked past them, smiling.
“You two are cute when negotiating security policy.” Shizuka’s hand moved to the katana.
Yuki sped up.
“Scouting.” Sato checked the blocked road with the rifle raised.
Mizuno stayed near the van, supporting the injured civilian.
Amamiya crouched beside the burned truck and looked underneath.
“Nothing alive under here.” Yuki appeared beside the side alley.
“Alley works.
Narrow, but the van can squeeze through if we move that scooter.” Ren looked at the alley.
The system opened.
— SIDE ALLEY SCAN — — WIDTH: LOW — — VEHICLE PASSAGE: POSSIBLE — — OBSTRUCTION: SCOOTER / DEBRIS — — CREATURE TRACKS: OLD — — SAFE WINDOW: 00:06:20 — Six minutes.
Enough.
Ren looked at the bag.
“Safe window.” Shizuka understood.
Sato looked at him.
“For what?” “Disassembly.” Sato’s eyes narrowed.
“Now?” “Hurry.” Amamiya raised a hand.
“I would like to understand anything if possible.” Ren opened the van’s side door and set the bag inside.
To everyone else, it was just a bag.
To him, it was a doorway.
The system opened.
— SPATIAL WAREHOUSE ACCESS — — DISASSEMBLY TARGETS AVAILABLE — — SORT BY VALUE?
— Ren confirmed.
Items appeared in his mind.
Broken rifle.
Damaged suppressor.
Cracked radios.
Loose cables.
Unknown magazines.
12 gauge shells.
7.62mm rounds.
Damaged anchor module.
The anchor module pulsed black at the edge of the list.
Not first.
Not yet.
Ren chose the broken rifle.
— DISASSEMBLY TARGET SELECTED — — [ITEM] BROKEN RIFLE — — OUTPUT: METAL PARTS / SPRING / BARREL FRAGMENT / TRIGGER GROUP / SCREWS — — BLUEPRINT RECORDING AVAILABLE — — CONFIRM?
— Confirm.
Inside the warehouse, the broken rifle came apart without sound.
Not smashed.
Separated.
Like the system knew every screw, every spring, every surface.
— DISASSEMBLY COMPLETE — — BLUEPRINT RECORDED: RIFLE PLATFORM [DAMAGED] — — MATERIALS STORED — — METAL PARTS: +12 — — SPRING: +2 — — SCREWS: +9 — — BARREL FRAGMENT: +1 — — TRIGGER GROUP: +1 — Ren exhaled.
That was useful.
Very useful.
He selected the damaged suppressor.
— DISASSEMBLY TARGET SELECTED — — [ITEM] DAMAGED SUPPRESSOR — — OUTPUT: METAL TUBE / BAFFLE PARTS / THREAD RING / CARBON RESIDUE — — BLUEPRINT RECORDING AVAILABLE — Confirm.
— DISASSEMBLY COMPLETE — — BLUEPRINT RECORDED: SUPPRESSOR [HANDGUN / PARTIAL] — — MATERIALS STORED — — METAL PARTS: +4 — — BAFFLE PARTS: +3 — — THREAD RING: +1 — Sato watched his face.
“You are doing something?.” “Yes.” “You are not touching anything.” “I am touching the bag.” “That does not count.” “It does now.” Yuki’s voice came from the alley.
“Ren stealing my lines is cute.” Shizuka called back, “Move the scooter.” “Yes, sword wife.” The alley went silent.
Yuki slowly looked back.
Shizuka smiled.
Yuki lifted both hands.
“I meant that respectfully.” Sato muttered, “You never mean anything respectfully.” Ren continued.
Wrong bullets.
Useful bullets.
All of them mattered now.
He selected the 7.62mm rounds.
— DISASSEMBLY TARGET SELECTED — — [ITEM] 7.62MM AMMUNITION — — CURRENT COMPATIBLE WEAPON: NONE — — DISASSEMBLY VALUE: HIGH — — BLUEPRINT RECORDING AVAILABLE — — CONFIRM SINGLE ROUND DISASSEMBLY?
— Only one.
He confirmed.
— DISASSEMBLY COMPLETE — — BLUEPRINT RECORDED: 7.62MM STANDARD — — MATERIALS STORED — — CASING SAMPLE: +1 — — PROJECTILE SAMPLE: +1 — — POWDER TRACE: +1 — — PRIMER TRACE: +1 — Future crafting available.
Ren looked at the line for one second.
Wrong bullets were not wrong anymore.
They were parts.
He selected one 12 gauge shell.
— DISASSEMBLY COMPLETE — — BLUEPRINT RECORDED: 12 GAUGE STANDARD — — FUTURE CRAFTING AVAILABLE — Then one 5.56 AP round.
— DISASSEMBLY COMPLETE — — BLUEPRINT RECORDED: 5.56MM ARMOR PIERCING — — FUTURE CRAFTING AVAILABLE — Then one 9mm AP round.
— DISASSEMBLY COMPLETE — — BLUEPRINT RECORDED: 9MM ARMOR PIERCING — — FUTURE CRAFTING AVAILABLE — The XChange flickered.
— BLUEPRINT LIBRARY UPDATED — — AMMUNITION CRAFTING REQUIREMENT PARTIAL — — [SYSTEM] BULLET MAKING: LOCKED — — UNLOCK CONDITION PROGRESS: 42% — Ren smiled slightly.
Amamiya saw it.
“I do not like when you smile like that.” Ren closed the system.
“Then don’t look.” “I cannot.
Everything keeps trying to kill us.” Yuki returned from the alley.
Scooter moved.
Hands dusty.
Smile dangerous.
She looked at Ren.
“Did I do good?” “Yes.” She froze for one second.
Then her face lit up.
Shizuka turned slowly.
Yuki clasped both hands to her chest.
“He said yes.” Ren looked confused.
“That does not give points.” “No.
It gives me butterflies.” Ren looked away.
“I only answered.” Yuki stepped closer.
“Still counts.” Ren raised a hand.
“No.” “Fifteen.” “You had fourteen.” “I earned one from emotional damage.” “That is not real.” “It is now.” She grabbed his sleeve and kissed his cheek once.
“Fourteen left.” Ren stared at her.
“That did nothing.” Yuki smiled.
“It made Shizuka twitch.” Shizuka’s voice dropped.
“Yuki.” Yuki stepped behind Sato.
“Police shield.” Sato moved aside.
“No.” Yuki looked betrayed.
“Everyone abandons me.” Amamiya lifted the toolbox.
“Sorry, toolbox shield.” A clicking sound came from beyond the roadblock.
Everyone stopped.
Sato raised the rifle.
Shizuka’s katana came free.
Yuki’s smile vanished.
Ren opened the map.
— CREATURE MOVEMENT DETECTED — — SOURCE: MAIN ROAD — — EVOLVED ANT GROUP — — COUNT: 5 — — CREDIT VALUE: HIGH — — DISTANCE: 62 M — — RECOMMENDATION: AVOID OR AMBUSH — Ren looked at the roadblock.
Two trucks.
Narrow lane.
Van behind them.
Alley beside them.
Good choke point.
“Ambush,” Ren said.
Sato looked at him.
“We can leave.” “It’s just five ants.” Sato’s eyes narrowed.
“Just?” “If they hit the van later, we lose it.” Sato watched him.
Then nodded.
“Formation.” Mizuno helped the civilian into the van.
Amamiya crouched behind the burned truck.
Yuki climbed onto the side of the unburned truck and lay flat along the roof.
Sato took position behind the divider.
Shizuka stood near the alley entrance, katana low.
Ren stayed center with crowbar and dagger.
The ants came fast.
Five of them.
Not hard-shell variants.
Normal evolved ants.
Still dangerous.
Still worth killing.
The first climbed over the burned truck.
Sato fired into its joint.
Shizuka moved in as it dropped.
Katana cut.
Ren hit the underside.
Sato finished.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 5 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +22 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 336 — The second came around the side.
Yuki dropped a metal toolbox from the truck roof.
It hit the ant’s head.
Not enough to injure.
Enough to make it lift.
Amamiya fired into the soft line under the head.
Lucky shot.
The ant jerked.
Sato fired.
It dropped.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 9 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +22 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 358 — Amamiya stared at his handgun.
“I meant to do that.” Yuki called from above.
“No one believes you.” “I am choosing to believe me.” The third ant went for the van.
Ren’s body moved before his head finished thinking.
The van mattered.
The bag mattered.
The people inside mattered because moving screaming injured people was harder than keeping them quiet and alive.
He slammed the crowbar into the ant’s leg and felt the shock run up his arms.
The ant turned.
Too fast.
Shizuka cut the joint before it reached him.
Sato fired into the underside.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 3 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +22 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 380 — The fourth and fifth came together.
Bad.
Sato fired twice.
One stumbled.
The other kept coming.
Shizuka could not take both.
Ren saw the line.
He pulled the handgun.
His hand knew almost nothing.
But one star was still something.
Front sight.
Finger off until ready.
Grip tight.
Do not limp-wrist.
Breathe.
He fired twice.
The shots hit shell and sparked.
Useless.
But the ant flinched at the impact.
Shizuka used the half second.
Katana through the leg.
Sato finished it.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 6 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +22 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 402 — The last ant climbed over the hood of the burned truck and dropped behind Sato.
Mizuno shouted from the van.
“Sato!” Sato turned too slow.
Yuki moved first.
She jumped from the truck roof onto the ant’s back.
“Bad idea,” Amamiya shouted.
Yuki drove the utility knife into the gap behind its head.
The ant bucked.
Yuki clung on.
Ren cursed and moved.
Shizuka reached it first.
Katana cut through one rear leg.
Ren grabbed Yuki’s jacket and pulled her off as the ant twisted.
Sato put three rounds into the underside.
The ant collapsed.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 4 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +22 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 424 — Yuki landed against Ren.
Not falling.
Choosing.
Her arms went around his neck.
Ren caught her by reflex.
She looked up at him.
“I saved Sato.” “You almost died.” “But I saved Sato.” Sato lowered her rifle and stared.
“That was reckless.” Yuki ignored her.
“Spend three.” Ren blinked.
“What?” Before Shizuka could step in, Yuki kissed him.
Cheek.
Other cheek.
Corner of the mouth.
Three fast kisses.
Ren froze.
Sato’s eyebrows rose.
Amamiya turned around.
Mizuno stared from the van like he had entered a disaster zone.
Yuki stepped back, satisfied.
“Eleven left.” Ren stared.
“You had fourteen.” “I spent three.” “You also almost got eaten.” “For you, it can be free.” Shizuka’s aura became dark enough that even Sato took one step away.
Yuki raised both hands.
“I saved someone.
Emergency spending.” Shizuka stepped closer.
“You are spending your life next.” Yuki hid behind Ren.
“Ren, your closest person is threatening me.” Ren rubbed his face.
“She has a reason.” Yuki gasped.
“Betrayal.” Sato shook her head.
“We are leaving before someone gets killed.” Amamiya picked up the dropped toolbox.
“I support leaving.” The system opened.
— SAFE WINDOW ENDING — — SHIRAKAWA SIGNAL SWEEP APPROACHING — — RECOMMENDATION: VEHICLE DEPARTURE — They moved.
The van squeezed through the side alley after Amamiya and Yuki guided it past the scooter and debris.
The side mirror scraped once.
Yuki patted the van.
“Still pretty.” Amamiya looked at the scraped mirror.
“Now it matches us.” Ren drove slowly through the alley and out onto a wider south road.
The map opened.
— ROUTE UPDATE — — SOUTH MARKET EDGE — — SUPPLY ZONE PASSED — — VEHICLE STATUS: FUNCTIONAL — — TRACKER LOOP: ACTIVE — — SHIRAKAWA SIGNAL SWEEP: 00:03:12 — Sato looked back.
“Can they still find us?” “Not through the van.” “That means something else can.” Ren did not answer.
The unknown third signal knocked once beneath the road.
Then twice.
Then three times.
Yuki’s smile faded.
Mizuno looked down.
“What the hell is that?” Amamiya said, “The road has a stalker.” Sato looked at Ren.
“Can the system stop it?” Ren looked ahead.
The system opened before he answered.
— UNKNOWN THIRD SIGNAL: TRACKING — — INTERFERENCE ATTEMPT: FAILED — — SIGNAL TYPE: NON-TECHNICAL — — RESPONSE: OBSERVING — Then another line appeared.
— IT DOES NOT USE WIRES — It vanished.
— CORRECTION — — TRACKING METHOD UNKNOWN — Ren’s grip tightened on the wheel.
“No.” Sato heard the weight in his answer.
No one joked.
For almost one full minute, the van was quiet.
Then Yuki leaned forward, slower this time.
“Ren.” “No.” “Twelve.” He glanced at the mirror.
She smiled.
“I did not even ask yet.” “I know.” “That is unfair.” “Good.” Yuki touched the corner of her mouth.
“I can spend one more.” “No.” “Thirteen.” Shizuka turned.
“Try.” Yuki sank back into her seat.
“Saving them.” Her eyes stayed on Ren through the mirror.
“In front of everyone, I am being nice.” Ren did not like the way she said that.
“What does that mean?” Yuki smiled.
“It means cheeks are cheap.” Shizuka’s eyes narrowed.
Yuki leaned back before Shizuka moved.
“When we are alone, I am aiming for your lips.” The van went silent.
Ren’s hand tightened on the wheel.
“No.” Yuki’s smile widened.
“Fourteen.” Shizuka’s voice became soft.
“You will not be alone with him.” Yuki looked out the window, still smiling.
“We will see.” Amamiya whispered to Mizuno, “I have no idea what is happening, but the number went down and up and down again.” Mizuno kept staring at the floor.
“I stopped getting involved after the ants.” Ren kept driving.
South.
Always south.
The road ahead opened past the market edge into a stretch of low houses and shuttered warehouses.
Some doors were open.
Some had blood near them.
Some had nothing, which felt worse.
The system opened.
— CREATURE CONFLICT DETECTED — — DISTANCE: 210 M — — GROUP A: EVOLVED ANTS — — GROUP B: CANINE MUTATION PACK — — GROUP C: UNKNOWN LARGE CREATURE — — CREDIT VALUE: HIGH — — RECOMMENDATION: OBSERVE FROM VEHICLE — Ren slowed.
Sato saw it.
“What?” “Creature fighting ahead.” “Can we avoid it?” “Yes.” “Will we?” Ren did not answer.
Shizuka looked at him.
“You want to clear them.” Ren nodded once.
Sato looked at him.
“Why?” “If they hit the van later, we lose it.” Sato watched him.
Then nodded.
“Fair.” Ren looked at the road ahead.
“Before that, ammo.” Sato’s eyes moved to him.
“What ammo?” Ren pushed his hand into the bag.
Inside the warehouse, the stored rounds lined up in his head.
5.56mm standard.
9mm standard.
5.56 AP.
9mm AP.
Not enough.
The system opened.
— EMERGENCY AMMO CONVERSION AVAILABLE — — REQUIREMENT: RECORDED BLUEPRINT — — REQUIREMENT: STORED STANDARD AMMO — — REQUIREMENT: CREDITS — — BULLET MAKING: LOCKED — — FULL CRAFTING: UNAVAILABLE — Ren selected the 5.56 standard rounds.
— AMMO CONVERSION SELECTED — — 5.56MM STANDARD TO 5.56MM ARMOR PIERCING — — COST: 2 CREDITS PER ROUND — — OUTPUT SELECTED: 20 ROUNDS — — TOTAL COST: 40 CREDITS — He confirmed.
— CONVERSION COMPLETE — — 5.56MM ARMOR PIERCING: +20 — — 5.56MM STANDARD: -20 — — CREDIT BALANCE: 559 — Then 9mm.
— AMMO CONVERSION SELECTED — — 9MM STANDARD TO 9MM ARMOR PIERCING — — COST: 2 CREDITS PER ROUND — — OUTPUT SELECTED: 20 ROUNDS — — TOTAL COST: 40 CREDITS — He confirmed.
— CONVERSION COMPLETE — — 9MM ARMOR PIERCING: +20 — — 9MM STANDARD: -20 — — CREDIT BALANCE: 519 — Ren pulled two cloth-wrapped bundles from the bag.
Sato stared.
“You had more?” “Converted normal rounds.” “You converted normal rounds into armor-piercing.” “Yes.” Sato held his stare.
“That is insane.” “Useful.” He handed her the first bundle.
“Twenty 5.56 AP.
Save them for hard shells.” Sato took it.
Ren handed her the second bundle.
“Twenty 9mm AP.
MP5 or handgun.
For close range.” Sato loaded with quick hands.
Amamiya raised one hand.
“Do I get magic bullets?” Ren looked at him.
“No.” Yuki smiled.
“Eighteen.” Ren looked at her.
“That was not for you.” “It reached me.” Shizuka’s voice went cold.
“Stop reaching.” Yuki raised both hands.
“Saving them.” They stopped the van behind a delivery truck with the side painted white.
Ahead, in the road, four evolved ants fought six mutated dogs around something larger.
The larger creature looked like a boar at first.
Then it turned.
Too many tusks.
Too much muscle.
Back split with dark growths.
One eye missing.
The system opened.
— LARGE MUTATION DETECTED — — CLASSIFICATION: BOAR-TYPE MUTATION — — CREDIT VALUE: 55 — — CONDITION: INJURED — — RECOMMENDATION: WAIT — Ren waited.
No one argued this time.
That was new.
The creatures tore into one another.
A dog died under an ant.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 63 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +8 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 527 — The boar crushed an ant against a shutter.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 60 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +22 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 549 — Two dogs jumped the boar.
One got ripped open.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 58 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +8 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 557 — Sato watched Ren’s face.
“You are counting something.” Ren said nothing.
She did not ask again.
The boar gored another ant.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 55 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +22 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 579 — The last two ants injured the boar badly.
The remaining dogs circled.
Ren opened the van door.
“Now.” Sato loaded the rifle.
Shizuka drew the katana.
Yuki opened the side door and smiled.
“How many kisses if I help?” Ren looked at her.
“None.” “Nineteen.” “You are impossible.” They moved out.
Sato shot the first ant through the joint.
The AP round bit deep.
Shizuka finished it.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 22 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +22 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 601 — The second ant turned.
Ren fired the handgun twice.
The 9mm AP hit harder than the normal rounds.
One shot sparked off shell.
The second hit the softer underside.
Not killing.
Enough.
Sato finished it.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 18 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +22 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 623 — The dogs tried to flee.
Yuki blocked one with a thrown pipe.
Shizuka killed it.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 16 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +8 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 631 — Sato killed another.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 24 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +8 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 639 — The boar charged.
Wounded.
Still huge.
The road shook under it.
Ren stepped back.
“Van.” Sato understood.
She moved left.
Shizuka moved right.
The boar lowered its head and charged straight at Ren.
Ren did not run until the last second.
Then he moved aside.
The boar slammed into the parked delivery truck.
Metal folded.
Its tusks stuck.
Sato fired into the side.
Shizuka cut across the back leg.
Ren moved close and drove the dagger behind the jaw, then jumped away as it tore free.
The boar staggered.
Sato fired again.
It dropped hard enough to shake dust from the shutters.
— CREATURE EXTERMINATION DETECTED — — DISTANCE FROM REN: 9 M — — CREDIT RANGE: VALID — — CREDIT GAINED: +55 — — XCHANGE CREDIT BALANCE: 694 — The system opened.
— CURRENT CREDIT BALANCE: 694 — Ren breathed hard.
Good.
Too good.
The more credits came in, the faster the system opened.
The faster the system opened, the less it felt like a tool.
Yuki appeared beside him.
“You waited until it got stuck.” “Yes.” “That was mean.” “It worked.” “That was attractive.” “No.” “Twenty.” She stared at him.
Then smiled slowly.
“Actually, I have enough.” Ren stepped back.
“Yuki.” She stepped forward.
“Spending nine.” Shizuka moved.
Yuki was faster this time.
She kissed Ren’s left cheek.
Right cheek.
Forehead.
Corner of the mouth.
Then she ducked under Ren’s arm as Shizuka reached them.
For half a second, the delivery truck blocked the others.
Yuki looked up.
“No one is looking.” Ren’s eyes widened.
“Yuki.” She rose onto her toes and kissed him on the lips.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Quick.
Soft.
Bold.
Then she slipped behind Sato before Shizuka arrived.
Nine total.
Gone.
The street went silent.
Ren looked like his soul had left and returned with complaints.
Yuki lifted both hands.
“Nine left.” Shizuka’s smile was colder than the katana in her hand.
“You kissed his lips.” Yuki nodded.
“I said I would aim there when I got the chance.” Sato looked at Yuki.
“You are using me as cover again.” “Yes.” “Stop.” “No.” Shizuka stepped closer.
Yuki hid behind Sato properly this time.
“I spent them legally.” “There is no law for this,” Shizuka said.
Yuki peeked around Sato.
“Then I made one.” Ren rubbed his face.
“Back in the van.” Yuki smiled at him.
“Your lips are worth saving for.” Shizuka’s aura dropped.
Even Sato moved half a step away.
Amamiya looked at Mizuno.
“You see why I sit in the back?” Mizuno nodded slowly.
“I understand nothing, but yes.” The system opened.
— SOCIAL INSTABILITY: HIGH — — PARTY COHESION: FUNCTIONAL — — RECOMMENDATION: CONTINUE MOVEMENT — Ren closed it.
“Back in the van.” No one argued.
They loaded back in.
The van rolled south again, leaving the dead creatures and ruined truck behind.
The road grew wider.
The buildings thinned.
In the distance, the hills showed through the pale morning haze.
Somewhere beyond them, southern Izu waited.
Somewhere beyond that, the restricted site waited.
And under the road, the unknown signal kept pace.
Not fast.
Not slow.
Patient.
The system opened quietly.
— CURRENT CREDIT BALANCE: 694 — — DISASSEMBLY TARGETS AVAILABLE — — BLUEPRINT LIBRARY UPDATED — — SKILL STAR UPGRADE AVAILABLE — — NEW CRAFTING PATHS APPROACHING — Then another line appeared.
— WE ARE GROWING — It vanished.
— CORRECTION — — SYSTEM CAPABILITY EXPANSION CONFIRMED — Ren did not tell anyone.
He kept driving.
The south road stretched ahead.
The van ran quiet.
The bag stayed light.
Yuki had nine kiss points left.
Shizuka remembered every one she spent.
And the system had said we.
Chapter 23 ~ End.