Chapter 49: New Roads
The morning sun rose slowly over the horizon.
Golden light spread across the sky, illuminating the small survivor camp.
For the first time in days...
Everything was quiet.
No screams.
No gunfire.
No infected.
Just peace.
Temporary peace.
Ragnar and Hoshina had already packed their belongings.
Their bags were secured inside the Jeep.
The engine hummed softly.
Ready to leave.
The rest of the group stood nearby.
Nobody wanted to admit it, but everyone felt strange.
They had only known Ragnar and Hoshina for a short time.
Yet somehow...
It felt like they had known them for much longer.
Ragnar leaned against the driver's door and looked at everyone.
A grin spread across his face.
"Well."
"I guess this is where we part ways."
Aoi folded her arms.
"Yeah."
"Try not to control that temper of yours, and try not to die."
Ragnar laughed loudly.
"No promises."
The group chuckled.
Then his expression suddenly became serious.
His eyes moved across every member of the team.
Especially Tokita.
"You guys need to listen carefully."
The atmosphere immediately changed.
The smiles vanished.
"You defeated an Emissary."
Nobody replied.
"That isn't something you can just walk away from."
Ragnar crossed his arms.
"The Organization knows who you are now."
"They know your faces."
"They know your abilities."
"And most importantly..."
His eyes narrowed.
"They know where you're heading."
A cold silence fell over the group.
"The next Emissary they send won't be like me."
"They'll be stronger."
"Much stronger."
The whole group looked uneasy.
Ragnar pointed directly at Tokita.
"And if they can't capture Nezuko..."
"They'll kill everyone around her."
Nezuko lowered her head.
Her hands tightened slightly.
Tokita remained silent.
Then he finally spoke.
"We'll handle it."
Ragnar stared at him.
Then laughed.
"Yeah."
"I figured you'd say that."
Kaito suddenly stepped forward.
In his hand was a strange device.
A satellite phone.
He handed it to Hoshina.
He blinked.
"A satellite phone?..."
Kaito nodded.
"Whenever you need us."
"Or whenever we need you."
"We can contact each other."
Hoshina smiled softly.
"Thanks."
Ragnar looked genuinely touched.
For a brief moment...
He didn't know what to say.
Then he scratched the back of his head.
"You guys are making it really difficult to leave."
Everyone laughed.
Ragnar climbed back into the Jeep.
But before sitting down completely, he paused.
His eyes landed on Tokita.
"You know..."
"I wish I could stay."
Tokita raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
Ragnar pointed at him.
"Because apparently you're about to teach these idiots how to actually use their abilities."
The entire group immediately turned toward Tokita.
Aoi's eyes widened.
"WAIT."
"WHAT?!"
Tokita sighed.
"I said I had a few ideas and also I don't wanna sound mean but I kinda carried the group this time,I mean I was the one who took down Ragna and a Controlled Kaito..."
Kaito immediately replied "ugh... please don't remind me of that incident."
"Woah woah,I took down Hoshina."Natsuki replied immediately.
"Yeah but I helped too,so..."Aoi replied.
"I mean would you call it a win,you kinda needed both Tokita's and Aoi's help to take me down plus our abilities seriously don't rhyme with each other."Hoshina spoke confidently.
"I still whooped your a*s bro."Natsuki replied with a smirk on his face.
"Okay,fair."
"Okay guys let's concentrate on the current situation here, Tokita's got a few training methods, right Tokita."Nezuko replied while looking at Tokita cheerfully.
"Yeah,Things that helped me improve,last time gonna be different,next time you guys are gonna be the ones on the offensive even when facing an Emissary,you guys have serious potential to grow."
The group's eyes sparkled.
Ragnar dramatically placed a hand over his chest.
"This hurts."
"I'm leaving right before the training arc."
Everyone burst into laughter.
Eventually...
The moment came.
Ragnar started the engine.
Hoshina sat beside him.
Both of them looked toward the group one final time.
Ragnar smiled.
"Good luck,stay safe, don't die."
Hoshina nodded.
"And hopefully..."
"We'll meet again."
"If we're still alive."
Everyone laughed.
Even though deep down...
Nobody knew if that would actually happen.
The Jeep slowly drove away.
Dust rose into the air.
The vehicle became smaller.
Smaller.
Smaller.
Until it vanished beyond the horizon.
Silence followed.
Nobody spoke.
Not for a while.
A few minutes later...
The civilians began approaching.
One by one.
Families.
Children.
Elderly survivors.
People whose lives had been saved by the group.
A woman carrying her daughter stepped forward.
"Thank you."
Another survivor bowed.
"Thank you for saving us."
A little boy pointed excitedly toward Aoi.
"You're superheroes!"
The group immediately froze.
Then burst into laughter.
"Superheroes?"
Aoi laughed.
"Yeah right."
The little boy nodded enthusiastically.
"Just like in my comics!"
Then something unexpected happened.
Mira stepped forward.
Everyone looked at her.
She took a deep breath.
"I want to come with you."
The group blinked.
"What?"
Mira looked directly at Tokita.
Then at Nezuko.
Then at everyone else.
"You guys are heading toward Tokyo."
"Toward the CDC facility."
Everyone nodded.
Mira continued.
"You'll need medical support."
"You'll get injured."
"You'll get sick."
"You'll need someone who knows how to treat infections."
"Someone who knows how to use medicine properly."
Her hands began glowing softly.
"And someone who can heal."
The group fell silent.
Kaito scratched his head.
"She's got a point."
Aoi nodded.
"Actually..."
"She's right."
Mira continued.
"The infected inside the danger zones aren't normal."
"I've seen videos."
"I've seen reports."
"Even ability users die fighting them."
A chill ran through the group.
Then Mira looked toward Nezuko.
"Besides..."
"If your blood really contains antibodies..."
"We may be able to create a cure."
Her eyes shined with determination.
"If we reach the CDC laboratory in Tokyo..."
"We might actually save humanity."
Silence.
Everyone exchanged glances.
Then Tokita finally spoke.
"Guys."
"Mira made her choice."
"We could use her help."
Aoi nodded.
"Definitely."
Kaito raised his hand.
"Yeah."
"Let's be honest."
"Where are we going to find another doctor during the apocalypse?"
The group laughed.
Mira smiled nervously.
Then suddenly—
Aoi threw an arm around her shoulder.
"Welcome to the team."
Kaito grinned.
"Fair warning."
"We attract trouble."
"Lots of trouble."
Nezuko laughed.
"Like..."
A ridiculous amount of trouble."
Everyone laughed again.
For the first time in a long while...
Mira felt like she belonged somewhere.
Soon afterward...
The luggage was loaded.
Weapons were packed.
Medical supplies secured.
The group prepared to leave.
Two Jeeps.
One destination.
Tokyo.
The place that might contain humanity's salvation.
Or its destruction.
Hours later...
The convoy moved along an empty highway.
The morning sun stretched across the horizon.
Inside the lead vehicle sat Tokita.
Quiet.
Silent.
Looking out the window.
Nezuko noticed immediately.
"Red."
Tokita didn't answer.
"Red."
Still nothing.
Nezuko frowned.
"You okay?"
Tokita slowly grabbed his walkie-talkie.
"Guys."
Everyone's radios crackled.
"Yeah?"
"What is it?"
Tokita took a deep breath.
"I have something to tell you."
The group immediately became curious.
The convoy stopped.
Everyone stepped out.
Confused.
Concerned.
Aoi crossed her arms.
"Okay."
"What's going on?"
Tokita looked at them.
For a moment...
Nobody spoke.
Then he finally said it.
"My name isn't Red."
Silence.
Complete silence.
"...What?"
Tokita sighed.
"My real name..."
"...is Tokita Ayuto."
Nobody reacted.
For exactly three seconds.
Then—
"WAIT WHAT?!"
The entire group exploded.
"THAT'S YOUR NAME?!"
Aoi nearly collapsed laughing.
"Tokita?!"
"That's what you've been hiding?!"
Kaito pointed at him.
"Bro!"
"I thought it was gonna be some legendary secret name!"
Nezuko was laughing so hard she could barely stand.
Tokita's eyebrow twitched.
"Seriously?"
Aoi wiped tears from her eyes.
"I don't know what I expected."
"But it definitely wasn't Tokita."
The group continued laughing.
Tokita covered his face with one hand.
Regretting everything.
Eventually the laughter died down.
Aoi smiled.
"So."
"Why tell us now?"
Tokita looked at them quietly.
Then answered.
"Because trust matters."
The group became silent.
For the first time...
Nobody laughed.
A small smile appeared on Aoi's face.
Then Kaito's.
Then Nezuko's and Natsuki.
For the first time...
Tokita wasn't just Red.
He wasn't just the mysterious guy who saved them.
He was their friend.
Aoi grinned.
"Cool."
"Still calling you Red."
"Same."
"Definitely Red."
"Absolutely Red."
Tokita stared at all of them.
"...Seriously?"
"Yep."
"100%."
"No debate."
Tokita pointed at himself.
"My name is Tokita."
Aoi pointed back.
"Red."
"Tokita."
"Red."
"Tokita."
"Red."
"Tokita!"
"RED!"
The entire highway erupted into laughter.
And for the first time since the apocalypse began...
The future didn't seem quite so dark.
As the two Jeeps drove toward Tokyo.