CHAPTER 12 — “Hunted”

  The black jeep cruised down the highway.

  Wind rushed past.

  Tokita rolled the window down slightly, letting the cool air brush against his face.

  He frowned.

  “…Still not enough.”

  He glanced beside him.

  Nezuko sat quietly. Too quietly.

  Her hands rested on her lap, fingers slightly curled.

  “Are you feeling sick?” Tokita asked softly. “Nauseous?”

  She shook her head.

  “No.”

  A small smile.

  A light giggle.

  But her eyes weren’t smiling.

  Tokita studied her.

  “You’re worried.”

  She didn’t answer.

  He leaned back.

  “…Because you’re being hunted?”

  Her gaze shifted away.

  Silence confirmed it.

  He sighed.

  “Don’t worry. Nobody’s touching you.”

  He smirked confidently.

  “You’re sitting next to the strongest Awaken that might ever exist.”

  From the front seat—

  Natsuki snorted.

  “The strongest Awaken? My ass.”

  Tokita clicked his tongue,then said "what's up bro, you tired, wanna switch?"

  In the driver’s seat, Natsuki glanced at him through the mirror.

  “When did we become bros? Don’t talk to me like that, dumbass.”

  He raised his middle finger without looking back.

  Tokita blinked.

  “…Rude.”

  Nezuko giggled.

  Aoi shook her head in the passenger seat.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  Kaito, sitting in the middle row, just sighed.

  The jeep continued forward.

  Then—

  Natsuki’s expression changed.

  His hands tightened on the wheel.

  “…We’re being followed.”

  Everyone went quiet.

  “How many?” Kaito asked.

  Natsuki closed his eyes slightly.

  “…Five.”

  Pause.

  His brow tightened.

  “…No. Ten.”

  The atmosphere shifted instantly.

  “Ability users?” Aoi asked.

  Natsuki shook his head.

  “I don’t feel any aura like ours.”

  Aoi clicked her tongue.

  “Alright.”

  He swerved into a nearby parking structure entrance—

  BOOM.

  The entrance exploded.

  Concrete collapsed, blocking the path.

  “Ambush!”

  Gunfire erupted from rooftops.

  Bullets slammed into the jeep.

  But the windows held.

  Bulletproof military-grade glass.

  The engine roared as Natsuki turned hard, speeding down the open road.

  Motorbikes appeared behind them.

  Riders firing nonstop.

  “Return fire!” Kaito barked.

  Aoi and kaito leaned out the sides with M4A1 carbines, firing controlled bursts.

  Tokita grabbed a FN SCAR-H from beneath the seat and leaned out slightly.

  Shell casings flew.

  Four riders dropped.

  One bike crashed and flipped.

  Five remaining.

  Then—

  They suddenly stopped chasing.

  “…Why’d they pull back?” Nezuko whispered.

  Too quiet.

  Dead end ahead.

  “Reverse!” Aoi shouted.

  Before they could—

  Something floated toward them.

  A grenade.

  Invisible, except for the faint distortion in the air.

  “What the hell—”

  BOOM.

  The jeep exploded.

  Everyone jumped out just in time, rolling across the asphalt.

  Smoke filled the alley.

  Silence.

  Then—

  A sniper shot cracked.

  The bullet barely missed Natsuki’s head.

  He slowly lifted his gaze toward a distant rooftop.

  Their eyes met.

  Even from that distance—

  The sniper flinched.

  His next shot misfired.

  “…He noticed me?” the sniper muttered.

  From the smoke—

  A middle-aged man stepped forward.

  Mask on.

  Holding tear gas.

  “Drop your weapons,” he said calmly.

  “And hand over the girl.”

  His eyes settled on Nezuko.

  “She has a bounty.”

  Natsuki and tokita stepped slightly in front of her.

  “Stay behind me.”

  Kaito stepped forward.

  “I’ll handle this.”

  The man chuckled.

  “Is that so?, just cause your an ability user you think your shit huh?" The man said

  He vanished.

  “…Invisible?” Kaito muttered.

  A slash cut across Kaito’s neck—

  He barely dodged.

  Blood trickled slightly.

  “Sharp reflexes,” the invisible man whispered.

  “But not sharp enough.”

  Another grenade clinked near Kaito.

  BOOM.

  Dust exploded outward.

  Kaito raised his hand—

  Gravity distorted.

  The blast redirected slightly.

  He landed roughly but steady.

  “So you’re a stealth-type,” Kaito said calmly.

  “Fine.”

  He punched the ground.

  Gravity spiked violently outward in a circular shockwave.

  The distortion disrupted space itself.

  The invisible man flickered—

  Then reappeared.

  “…What?”

  Before he could react—

  Someone appeared in front of him.

  Uppercut.

  He was launched through a building wall.

  Concrete shattered.

  He collapsed unconscious.

  The remaining attackers fled.

  Later.

  The man was tied up.

  Natsuki knelt in front of him and lightly pressed his hand against the old man's chest.

  Electricity surged.

  He screamed.

  They removed the cloth from his mouth.

  “Why attack us?” Aoi demanded.

  “You look suspicious,” he coughed. “Military jeep. Armed. And the girl has a bounty on her head.”

  Natsuki stepped forward.

  Punched him.

  Blood spilled.

  A tooth hit the ground.

  “Don’t look at my sister like that again,” Natsuki growled, gripping his hair.

  The man trembled.

  Kaito, lightly bandaged, leaned against a wall.

  “We need another vehicle.”

  “I don’t know,” the man muttered quickly.

  Kaito cracked his knuckles.

  “Then you’re useless.”

  “Wait!” the man shouted.

  “There’s an abandoned military facility nearby. Some gear was left behind. Maybe an EMP-resistant vehicle too!”

  Silence.

  Natsuki narrowed his eyes.

  “He could be lying.”

  The man swallowed.

  “What can I even do against you?”

  Tokita stared at him for a long moment.

  Then—

  “Fine.”

  He turned away.

  “You’re taking us there.” said aoi

  The man’s face drained of color.

  “And if you try anything…” Natsuki said quietly.

  “…you die.”

  The group began walking.

  Behind them—

  Their jeep burned.

  Ahead—

  Unknown Territory