Chapter 18 — Road to Beijing

The ship cut through dark waters, its engines rumbling low against the endless sea. Soldiers filled the deck, their uniforms torn, their weapons still smelling of smoke from Seoul. They whispered among themselves — about victory, about loss, about the Revenant who had turned into something more than a rumor.

Kohaku stood apart, near the railing, visor glowing faintly red. His silence weighed heavier than any order. For days, they had only known the mask. A faceless shadow who fought monsters like a god.

Then, without warning, his hands rose to his helmet. Metal clicked, locks released, and with a hiss the mask came free.

Gasps rippled across the deck.

Rika froze where she stood. Agnes’s sensors hummed quietly, but even she did not speak. The soldiers stared wide-eyed — some in awe, some with fear.

They saw hair the color of ash, scars carved across his cheek, and eyes sharp, inhumanly steady — eyes of a man who had seen too much and survived. He was human, but no ordinary human. Not the monster they feared, not the hero they wanted — but something in between.

“So… he really bleeds like us,” one soldier whispered, trembling.

“No… not like us,” another muttered, clutching his rifle tighter.

Kohaku said nothing. He simply let the silence linger, the mask in his hands, the ocean wind cutting across his face. Then he put the helmet back on and walked away.

That night, he sat alone at the stern of the ship. The sea stretched black and endless. His visor was off; only the faint starlight illuminated his tired eyes.

From the shadows, an old man and woman approached. Their steps made no sound, but their presence felt weighty, undeniable. They stood beside him, gazes calm and knowing.

“The road ahead is filled with obstacles,” the old man said softly.
“But with bonds… you can clear them all,” the woman added.

Kohaku’s eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”

But the deck was empty. The wind carried only the sound of the sea. They were gone.

Footsteps behind him. Rika and Agnes arrived, their faces tense.

“Where did the old couple go?” Kohaku asked, his voice low.

Rika blinked. “Old couple? Kohaku-san, there’s no one here.”

Agnes tilted her head, scanning. “No life signs detected in this area. It was only you.”

Kohaku stared at the dark horizon. He clenched his fists, silent. Whatever it was — ghost, vision, or warning — it meant Beijing would not be a normal battlefield. Something awaited them there.

The next morning, the sun broke over the horizon. Soldiers gathered on the deck, their whispers turning into something stronger.

“Comandant.”
“Comandant Kohaku.”

The name spread quickly, born from awe and fear. Not just a lone wolf anymore. Not just a hunter. He was now a commander — the one who had shaken leaders with his voice and united armies with his presence.

Even the UN officers saluted him. “From this day, you are Commander Kohaku. Not only a hunter of beasts… but the spearhead of our hope.”

Kohaku did not answer. He simply placed the mask back over his face, the red visor glowing once more. He was no longer just a shadow — now, the world had placed its burden on him.

The ship pressed on, waves splitting beneath its steel frame. Ahead, through the fog, the outline of Beijing’s ruins emerged, silent and vast.

Agnes’s voice echoed over the comms.
“Destination confirmed. Beijing. Prepare for landing.”

Kohaku stood at the bow, visor fixed on the ruins. The Revenant had become the Komandant. And the road to Beijing had only just begun.