Chapter 9 — The Wolves of Kyoto

The long road from Aokigahara ended at Kyoto’s steel gates. Once a city of shrines and cherry blossoms, now it was barricaded with scavenged metal, barbed wire, and spotlights sweeping the ruins.

Agnes’s sensors flared. “Kyoto reached. Density of survivors is high. Warning: organized faction presence detected.”

Rika’s violet eyes flickered toward Kohaku. At last, her patience snapped. She unsheathed her katana, pressing the cold blade against his armored neck.

“Tell me why you came to Kyoto, Kohaku. What is your real purpose?”

Agnes froze. “Rika-san, stop! This is reckless—”

Rika’s voice trembled with anger. “You hide behind that mask, behind silence. If you don’t speak, then my blade will speak for me.”

But Kohaku moved faster than she expected. In one swift turn, her sword was deflected, and his katana rested against her throat instead. His voice came low, distorted through the mask.

“And why did you follow me? Wasn’t this your choice, not mine?”

Tension crackled between them—until a third voice cut in.

“Enough. You’ll achieve nothing by cutting each other down.”

A tall woman emerged, white hair cascading over armor that gleamed beneath Kyoto’s floodlights. Her golden eyes burned with command.

Agnes lifted her pistol in reflex. “Identify yourself!”

The woman raised her hands calmly. “Elyndra Eva. Call me Eva. I came to Japan to recruit the strongest for a coming war. And you—” her gaze locked on Kohaku, “—you’re the one they call Revenant, aren’t you?”

Rika lowered her blade reluctantly. Kohaku did the same, though the weight of silence hung between them.

Eva spoke again. “But beware. Kyoto isn’t free. It belongs to a faction called The Hunter. They crush all opposition. Okubo Dorayama, their leader, rules with fear and fire.”

Kohaku finally broke his silence. “Where is Doctor Nagumo Kobayashi?”

Agnes answered, “Signal confirmed. A mechanic’s workshop, near central Kyoto.”

Eva frowned. “Then tread carefully. Even I don’t provoke The Hunters.”

But Kohaku was already walking.

The streets of Kyoto revealed a darker truth. Children begged for scraps. Merchants’ stalls were overturned by laughing men in scavenged armor—Hunters. One child clutched a rice ball; a Hunter tore it from his hands and ate it, sneering.

Rika’s hand shot to her sword. “Those bastards—”

Eva grabbed her wrist. “Don’t. You’ll start a massacre. Not now.”

Grinding her teeth, Rika held back.

Finally, they arrived at the workshop. An elderly man with snow-white hair and piercing black eyes greeted them.

“So, it’s you again. Been a long time, Kohaku. And these companions?”

Rika and Eva introduced themselves. Eva folded her arms. “I came seeking warriors. But Kyoto is drained of them.”

Nagumo’s laugh was bitter. “Warriors? Ha. The Hunters killed or bought them all. Okubo Dorayama rules this city now. Even the brave have fallen silent.”

That night, they found a survivor inn with one working treasure from the old world: a hot spring.

Rika sank into the steaming water with a sigh. Across from her, Agnes slipped into the pool as well, her synthetic body steaming faintly. As heat regulation activated, her hair shifted—now a dark crimson streaked with black, her eyes soft brown.

Rika gawked. “You… you can change like that?”

Agnes tilted her head. “It’s just temperature adjustment. Nothing more.”

“But still… you look almost… human.” Rika whispered.

Agnes smiled faintly and closed her eyes, letting the steam wash over her.

Then Rika’s gaze drifted toward the men’s side. She leaned closer to the dividing wall, curiosity gnawing at her.

Through the rising steam, she saw a silhouette. Broad shoulders. Hair—ashen gray. His helmet and armor rested on the side of the pool.

Her breath caught. “So that’s… his real face…”

But before she could see more, sirens screamed outside. Red light flashed across the misted windows.

Rika pulled back, startled. The shouts of panic and the acrid scent of smoke reached even here.

They rushed to the streets. Flames engulfed Nagumo’s workshop. The old man collapsed to his knees.

“No… my life’s work…”

A girl of seventeen stood nearby, fists trembling, tears cutting through soot on her cheeks.

“Grandfather! They burned it! Those Hunters burned everything!”

Nagumo gripped her shoulders. “Sakura, no! Don’t throw your life away. They’ll kill you.”

But rage blazed in her eyes. Later that night, the crack of rifle fire echoed in the streets.

Nagumo’s face went pale. “…That sound. That’s my gun. Sakura…”

He cursed under his breath. “I told her not to… she’s storming their base!”

The room fell silent.

Kohaku rose, visor glowing crimson in the dark. His voice rumbled low, cutting through the chaos.

“Stay here. I’ll handle this.”

Rika stepped forward. “And what are you planning—”

But he was already gone, hood pulled low, weapons gleaming in the moonlight.

His final words lingered in the air as he vanished into Kyoto’s night:

“Tonight… blood will spill.”