Chapter 13: Against All Odds

The team continued moving forward, killing as many Detroits as possible.

One step after another.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Their steps echoed in the silence of the Hollow.

But Takeru couldn't hear very well.

His chest felt a bit heavy. As if something was pressing from inside.

It wasn't pain. Not yet.

Just... heaviness.

What the hell is this?

He breathed. Slow. Deep.

The cold air entered his lungs.

The sensation was there, but bearable.

This isn't the time to think about it. Keep moving.

He gripped the dagger and continued walking.

In front of him, Kobayashi walked carefully. His eyes scanning every corner.

Behind, Sato and Kenji with the M4A1s ready.

And behind still, Midorikawa. The sniper in hand. Calm. As always.

Takeru looked ahead.

The empty streets of Tokyo stretched before them. Dark buildings. Dark shop windows. Dead traffic lights.

The gray sky above. Unchanging.

Several minutes passed.

They encountered a Detroit.

Large. Slow.

It moved in the middle of the street like a living shadow.

UUUUuuuu.

Kenji raised the M4A1.

Pew. Pew.

Two shots. Head and chest.

The Detroit dissolved.

Dust. Ash. Nothing.

They continued walking.

They found another Detroit.

Small. Fast.

It darted toward them from the alleys.

Krrrr. Krrrr.

Takeru raised the Glock.

He aimed.

Pew. Pew. Pew.

The first shot missed.

The second hit the arm.

The third, the head.

The Detroit fell.

It dissolved.

Takeru lowered the pistol.

His heart beat hard.

It took too long.

I'm slowing down.

But he said nothing.

He continued walking.

Another two hours passed.

They killed more Detroits. One. Two. Three. Four.

Each time, Takeru tried to help.

But his movements were slower. Heavier.

His arms struggled to raise the pistol.

His legs felt like lead.

What the hell is happening to me?

He breathed heavier than before.

His chest began to burn. Slightly. But it was there.

He continued walking.

He couldn't stop.

Not in front of her.

He looked at Midorikawa, who walked behind without fatigue.

Empty expression. Confident steps.

I won't give her the satisfaction.

"Sato, how many have we killed?" Takeru asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Sato looked at the school phone.

"Twenty-four."

"Good. Come on, good."

The words left his mouth, but his voice was weak.

Weaker than he wanted.

Takeru breathed.

His chest was heavier than before.

Much heavier.

A little more. Just a little more.

He took another step.

Then—

The pain exploded.

Strong. Sudden. Atrocious.

As if someone was squeezing his heart with an iron vise.

Takeru stopped abruptly.

His mouth opened. But no sound came out.

His legs gave way.

He fell to his knees.

THUD.

"ARAGIRI-SAN!" Kobayashi shouted.

Takeru brought a hand to his chest.

He gripped his uniform.

The pain was unbearable.

Every breath was a blade sinking into his lungs.

I can't... breathe...

"Guys... stop for a second," he said, his voice broken. "I can't... breathe well."

Sato ran toward him.

He crouched down. Put a hand on his shoulder.

"What happened, Aragiri-san!?"

Kobayashi arrived right after. He knelt on the other side.

Kenji approached, worried.

Midorikawa stayed back. Still. Watching.

"I don't know..." Takeru said, gripping his chest with both hands. "It hurts... a lot... I can barely breathe."

The pain increased.

Each passing second was worse.

What the hell is happening to me?

His face turned pale.

Sweat covered his forehead.

His hands trembled.

"Get out the water, quick!" Sato shouted.

Kobayashi rummaged through the backpack. He pulled out a canteen.

But Takeru couldn't hold himself up anymore.

His body gave way.

He fell forward.

He lay on the cold sidewalk.

The gray sky above him.

Motionless. Empty.

Sato quickly crouched down. He lifted Takeru's head with one hand. With the other he took the canteen from Kobayashi.

"Drink. Come on, drink."

He brought the canteen to Takeru's lips.

The cold water entered his mouth. Went down his throat.

Takeru drank. With difficulty. but he drank.

The coldness of the water helped a bit.

The pain lessened. Slightly.

But it was still there.

He breathed. Heavy. Labored.

In. Out. In. Out.

"Aragiri-san, what do you feel?" Kobayashi asked, his voice trembling.

Takeru opened his eyes.

He looked at the gray sky.

"My chest... hurts... like something is crushing me."

"It's the poison," Kenji said, his voice low.

Everyone turned toward him.

"What?" Sato asked.

"The poison," Kenji repeated. "The one from the knife. It's taking time, but it's taking effect."

Silence.

Only Takeru's heavy breathing.

Kobayashi lowered his gaze. "But... but it's been more than a day..."

"Some poisons are slow," Kenji said. "They act over time. And when they start taking effect, they're hard to stop."

Takeru closed his eyes.

The poison.

That damned poison.

Again.

Always her.

He looked up.

And met Midorikawa's eyes.

She stood there, a few meters away.

She watched him.

Empty expression. As always.

But in her eyes—

Something.

Cold. Calculated.

As if she was waiting.

As if she had always known.

Takeru felt a chill.

She knew.

She always knew this would happen.

That the poison would take effect.

That's why she never fired.

She was waiting.

Waiting for me to collapse.

Anger rose. But he didn't have the strength to say anything.

He breathed again.

The pain lessened a bit more.

After a few minutes, Takeru slowly got up.

Sato helped him. He took him by one arm.

Kobayashi by the other.

"I'm better," Takeru said, even though it wasn't true.

The pain was still there. Less strong, but present.

Like a fire burning slowly inside.

"Are you sure?" Kobayashi asked.

"Yes. Let's keep going."

Sato looked him in the eyes. "Aragiri-san, if you can't—"

"I can. Let's go."

The team resumed walking.

But Takeru felt weak.

Very weak.

His legs trembled with every step.

His chest burned.

But he continued.

He had to.

I won't stop.

Not in front of her.

The hours passed.

And the situation worsened.

Each step was more difficult than the last.

Takeru breathed heavier and heavier. His movements were slow. He struggled to keep pace.

The uniform seemed to weigh double. Each step was an effort.

The cold on his face didn't help. The empty air entered his lungs and burned.

He found another Detroit.

Small. Fast.

It darted toward them.

Takeru raised the Glock.

His hand trembled.

He aimed.

He pulled the trigger.

Pew.

The shot went wide.

What the hell...?

He pulled again.

Pew. Pew.

Still wide.

The Detroit was ten meters away.

Five.

Sato fired.

Pew. Pew.

He brought it down.

The Detroit dissolved.

Takeru lowered the pistol. His hand still trembled.

I can't even shoot straight.

The poison is getting worse.

Sato looked at him. Worried. "Aragiri-san..."

"I'm fine," Takeru said, even though it was clear he wasn't.

The team continued.

Another two hours passed.

For each Detroit they encountered, Takeru tried to help.

But he missed shots. He moved too slowly. He couldn't keep the rhythm.

The others had to cover him.

Sato. Kenji. Kobayashi.

They shot. They killed. They protected.

And the ammunition was running out.

Takeru saw it.

He saw how they looked at him.

With worry. With pity.

I'm a burden.

I'm slowing them down.

I'm putting them in danger.

Anger rose. But not toward them.

Toward himself.

And toward her.

He looked at Midorikawa.

She walked behind. Calm. The sniper still unused.

She hadn't fired even once.

Not one damned time.

She's waiting for me to collapse.

She's waiting for me to die.

After another two hours, the team stopped.

Takeru almost fell. Sato caught him before he fell.

"Aragiri-san, you need to rest."

"No... I have to... continue..."

"You can't continue like this."

Midorikawa approached.

She stopped in front of Takeru.

She looked down at him.

"Give me the pistol," she said.

Takeru looked up. "What?"

"The pistol. Give me the pistol."

"Why?"

"Because you're wasting it. You can't even shoot straight. I'll use it better."

Takeru's blood boiled.

How dare she...

But he knew she was right.

He couldn't use it anymore.

His hands trembled too much.

His vision blurred.

He hit nothing.

He gripped the Glock.

I don't want to give it to her.

Not to her.

Not after what she did.

But he had no choice.

With a trembling hand, he passed it to her.

Midorikawa took it without saying anything.

She checked it. Counted the remaining bullets.

Then she tucked it into her belt.

"Good," she said. And turned away.

Takeru stood there, without a weapon.

Only the dagger at his belt.

Now I'm really useless.

Just a burden.

A damned burden on the team.

The team continued walking.

But now Takeru needed help.

Sato took him by one arm. Kobayashi by the other.

They kept him on his feet. They helped him walk.

Each step was an effort.

His legs no longer responded.

His chest burned like fire.

His breathing was short. Labored.

A little more. Just a little more.

A few more Detroits.

Then it's over.

More hours passed.

The gray sky never changed.

You couldn't tell if it was day or night.

But the school phone told the truth.

Time remaining: 4 hours
Detroits killed: 45/50

Still five.

Only five.

But Takeru could barely make it anymore.

He didn't walk. He dragged himself.

Sato and Kobayashi held him by the arms, practically carrying him.

The uniform weighed like lead.

His chest burned. Every breath was pain.

His legs were dead.

A little more. Just a little more.

He looked at the gray sky.

I can't collapse.

Not yet.

Not in front of her.

At a certain point, they stopped in a building to rest.

An old store. Broken windows. Dark interior.

They sat down.

Takeru couldn't even sit.

He fell on the floor.

He lay down.

He had no more strength.

His body was frozen. But his chest burned.

Kobayashi approached. He pulled out the medikit.

He opened it.

Inside were some medicines. Pills. Bandages. Disinfectant.

But no antidote.

"This is all we have," Kobayashi said, his voice low.

He took some pills. He passed them to Takeru.

"They're painkillers. And some stimulants. They won't stop the poison, but they should help."

Takeru took them with a trembling hand.

He put them in his mouth.

Kobayashi passed him the water.

He drank.

The pills went down.

After a few minutes, the pain lessened.

It didn't disappear. But it became bearable.

His body seemed a bit lighter.

A bit more alive.

"How long will they last?" Takeru asked, his voice weak.

"I don't know. Maybe an hour. Maybe less."

Takeru closed his eyes.

An hour.

I have to hold on for another hour.

Just one hour.

The team decided to sleep in shifts.

One stayed awake. The others rested.

Kenji took the first shift.

He sat near the broken window. His weapon in hand. His eyes on the street.

Sato and Kobayashi lay down.

Midorikawa sat apart. Her back against the wall. Her eyes closed.

But Takeru knew she wasn't sleeping.

Takeru couldn't sleep.

The pain was too much.

Even with the medicine.

But he lay there. His eyes closed.

And tried not to think.

The hours passed.

The shifts changed.

Kenji slept. Sato stood guard.

Then Sato slept. Kobayashi stood guard.

Takeru never slept.

He lay there. Breathing.

The pain increased again.

The medicine was losing its effect.

His chest burned.

His hands trembled.

Sweat covered his face.

Resist.

Just resist.

After twenty hours in the Hollow, the team got up.

It was time to finish.

Takeru could barely stand.

Sato and Kobayashi helped him.

They pulled him up.

His legs trembled. But they held.

Barely.

"Can you make it?" Kobayashi asked.

Takeru nodded. He couldn't speak.

The team exited the building.

They returned to the street.

The gray sky. The silence. The cold.

Everything the same.

As if time had never passed.

They searched for more Detroits.

After half an hour, they found one.

Large. Slow.

Kenji and Sato brought it down easily.

Pew. Pew. Pew.

The Detroit dissolved.

Detroits killed: 46/50

Still four.

They continued walking.

Takeru dragged behind. Sato and Kobayashi held him by the arms.

Each step was agony.

But he continued.

They found another Detroit.

Small. Fast.

It darted toward them.

Midorikawa raised the Glock.

Takeru's Glock.

She aimed.

Pew. Pew.

Two shots. Precise. Lethal.

The Detroit fell.

It dissolved.

Detroits killed: 47/50

Still three.

Takeru watched her.

Two shots. And she killed it.

I wasted ten for a single one.

I'm really useless.

They continued.

They found another Detroit.

Medium. Fast.

Midorikawa fired again.

Pew. Pew. Pew.

It fell.

Detroits killed: 48/50

Still two.

Then another.

Large. Slow.

Kenji brought it down.

Pew. Pew.

Detroits killed: 49/50

Still one.

Only one.

"Almost done," Sato said, his voice tired.

Kobayashi nodded. "One more."

Takeru said nothing.

He had no more strength to speak.

They walked more.

They searched for the last Detroit.

But they found nothing.

The streets were empty.

Absolute silence.

Ten minutes passed.

Twenty.

Thirty.

Nothing.

"Where are they?" Kenji asked.

"I don't know," Sato replied. "But we have to find one. Just one."

They continued searching.

Then, suddenly—

A sound.

Not one.

Many.

UUUUuuuu. UUUUuuuu. UUUUuuuu.

Takeru looked up.

His heart stopped.

And he saw them.

Detroits.

Not one. Not two.

Twenty.

Maybe more.

All large. Tall. Three meters.

They advanced together.

From the street ahead.

From the side alleys.

From the buildings.

Everywhere.

A herd.

A horde.

The team stopped.

No one spoke.

They just watched.

Twenty Detroits.

Maybe more.

They couldn't count them.

They kept coming.

"What... the hell..." Kenji whispered.

Morale collapsed.

Sato gripped the M4A1 with trembling hands. "We can't..."

"SHOOT!" Midorikawa shouted.

Everyone raised their weapons.

Kenji and Sato in front.

Kobayashi beside them.

Midorikawa behind with the sniper.

Pew. Pew. Pew. Pew. Pew.

The shots fired.

Some Detroits fell.

One. Two. Three.

But there were too many.

They continued advancing.

UUUUuuuu. UUUUuuuu.

Midorikawa took the sniper.

She raised it.

She aimed.

BANG.

A shot.

A Detroit fell.

BANG.

Another fell.

BANG.

Another.

The sniper shots echoed in the silence.

Loud. Precise.

But it wasn't enough.

There were still fifteen.

Fourteen.

Thirteen.

They continued advancing.

"RELOAD!" Sato shouted.

They reloaded quickly.

Their hands trembled.

Sweat covered their faces.

They fired again.

Pew. Pew. Pew. Pew. Pew.

More Detroits fell.

But they kept coming.

They never stopped.

UUUUuuuu. UUUUuuuu.

The battle lasted minutes.

Minutes that felt like hours.

They fired. Reloaded. Fired.

The Detroits fell one after another.

Slowly.

Too slowly.

But finally—

The last Detroit fell.

It dissolved.

Silence.

The team breathed heavily.

Sato fell to his knees. His breathing labored.

Kenji leaned against the wall. His hands trembled.

Kobayashi bent forward. He tried to catch his breath.

Midorikawa lowered the sniper. She breathed heavily too.

Ammunition almost gone.

Tired bodies.

But they made it.

Sato looked at the phone with a trembling hand.

Detroits killed: 50/50
MISSION COMPLETED

"It's over," Kobayashi said, his voice trembling. "We did it."

"We can go back," Kenji said, almost not believing it.

Sato smiled. A tired smile. Exhausted.

"We're going home."

But then—

UUUUuuuu. UUUUuuuu. UUUUuuuu.

Again.

Everyone stiffened.

No.

It can't be.

They turned.

And saw them.

More Detroits.

Twenty. Maybe more.

They came from all directions.

From the street. From the alleys. From the buildings.

Like a black wave.

UUUUuuuu. UUUUuuuu. UUUUuuuu.

"NO!" Sato shouted, his voice desperate.

Panic exploded.

"RUN!" Kenji screamed.

There was no other choice.

They had no more ammunition.

They had no more strength.

They had to run.

The team turned and ran.

Kenji was first. He ran fast.

Sato behind him.

Kobayashi tried to keep pace.

Midorikawa ran without looking back.

And Takeru—

Takeru tried to follow them.

But his legs didn't respond.

He took a step.

He stumbled.

He fell.

THUD.

He got up.

His hands trembled.

His legs gave way again.

He got up again.

He ran.

But he was too slow.

Too weak.

The Detroits approached.

UUUUuuuu. UUUUuuuu.

"WAIT FOR ME!" Takeru shouted, his voice desperate.

Sato stopped abruptly.

He turned.

"ARAGIRI-SAN!"

Kobayashi stopped too.

They ran back.

They grabbed him by the arms.

They pulled him up.

They helped him run.

But the Detroits approached.

Too fast.

UUUUuuuu. UUUUuuuu.

One hundred meters.

Eighty.

Sixty.

Midorikawa and Kenji were already far away.

They ran toward the portal.

They didn't look back.

Sato and Kobayashi dragged Takeru.

But it wasn't enough.

The Detroits were too close.

Fifty meters.

Forty.

Midorikawa stopped.

She turned.

She saw Sato and Kobayashi dragging Takeru.

She saw the Detroits approaching.

"LEAVE HIM!" she shouted, her voice cold.

Sato turned toward her. His eyes wide.

"WHAT!?"

"HE'S SLOWING US DOWN! IF WE CONTINUE LIKE THIS, WE ALL DIE! LEAVE HIM HERE!"

"NEVER!" Kobayashi shouted, his voice full of rage.

"ARE YOU STUPID!? DON'T YOU SEE!? WE WON'T MAKE IT WITH HIM!"

The Detroits were thirty meters away.

Twenty.

Sato gripped Takeru tighter. "I WON'T LEAVE HIM!"

"THEN DIE WITH HIM!"

Midorikawa turned and started running.

Kenji hesitated.

He looked at Takeru.

Then at Midorikawa.

Then he ran after her.

Sato and Kobayashi stayed.

They dragged Takeru.

But the Detroits were too close.

Fifteen meters.

Ten.

"LEAVE ME!" Takeru shouted, with all the voice he had left.

"NO!" Sato shouted, tears beginning to fall.

"LEAVE ME, DAMN IT! RUN!"

"WE WON'T LEAVE YOU!"

"IF YOU DON'T RUN WE ALL DIE! GO!"

The Detroits were five meters away.

The long arms rose.

The claws gleamed.

UUUUuuuu. UUUUuuuu.

Kobayashi had tears in his eyes. His voice trembled. "Aragiri-san... we can't..."

"GO! NOW! PLEASE!"

Sato looked Takeru in the eyes.

Tears ran down his face.

He clenched his teeth.

"Forgive me," he whispered, his voice broken.

They let him go.

Takeru fell to the ground.

THUD.

Sato and Kobayashi ran away.

They didn't look back.

They couldn't.

If they looked back, they wouldn't be able to leave him.

They ran.

Tears fell.

Hearts broken.

But they ran.

Takeru was alone.

Lying on the cold sidewalk.

The Detroits approached.

Ten meters.

Five.

He looked up.

Dark figures. Tall. Long arms hanging down.

Sharp claws.

UUUUuuuu. UUUUuuuu.

The sound surrounded him.

Everywhere.

So this is how it ends.

Here. In this dead place.

Killed by these monsters.

Killed by that damned woman's poison.

He closed his eyes.

At least the others made it.

At least Sato and Kobayashi will live.

At least...

The Detroits were above him.

Their arms rose.

The claws descended.

Takeru waited.

He waited for the end.

But then—

Something changed.

The pain in his chest.

It became stronger.

Then hotter.

Then—

It burned.

Like fire.

Like lava flowing through his veins.

Takeru opened his eyes.

What the hell...?

His body began to tremble.

Not from fear.

From something else.

Something inside.

Something waking up.

His muscles pulsed.

His heart beat hard. Harder than before.

Faster.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

What's happening to me?

The heat expanded.

From his chest to his arms.

From his arms to his legs.

Everywhere.

The pain was gone.

Only heat.

Only energy.

Pure. Violent. Wild.

And then, suddenly—

The pain disappeared completely.

Everything disappeared.

Only strength.

Takeru stood up abruptly.

The Detroits were in front of him.

Their claws inches from his face.

But now—

Now it was different.

Takeru grabbed the dagger at his belt.

He pulled it out.

And smiled.

A wide smile. Insane.

"Come on," he whispered.

And he threw himself forward.

[SEVERAL MINUTES LATER]

The portal opened.

The purple light pulsed.

Four figures emerged.

Midorikawa. Kenji. Sato. Kobayashi.

All tired. Dirty. Trembling.

Pale faces.

Empty eyes.

But alive.

They fell on the barracks floor.

They breathed heavily.

The guards approached.

"Did you complete the mission?"

Midorikawa looked up. She nodded.

"Yes."

"Where is the fifth member?"

Silence.

Sato lowered his gaze. His hands gripped the floor.

Kobayashi turned away. His eyes moist.

Kenji said nothing.

"He's dead," Midorikawa said, her voice flat. Without emotion. "Killed by the Detroits."

The guard noted something on the tablet.

"Understood. Go to the infirmary for medical examination."

The team slowly stood up.

Sato walked with his head down.

Kobayashi wiped his eyes.

Kenji followed in silence.

Midorikawa walked in front. Calm. As always.

They moved away from the portal.

But then—

A sound.

A strange sound.

From the portal.

Everyone stopped.

They turned.

The portal pulsed.

The purple light became more intense.

And then—

A hand.

Covered in blood.

Emerged from the portal.

It gripped the floor.

Then an arm.

Covered in cuts. In scratches. In blood.

Then a head.

Dirty hair. Pale face. Tired eyes.

But alive.

Takeru.

He crawled out of the portal.

His body covered in blood. His uniform torn in multiple places.

His face marked by cuts. His hands trembling.

But alive.

He fell on the barracks floor.

THUD.

He breathed heavily.

He looked up.

And saw them.

Sato. Kobayashi. Kenji.

They looked at him with wide eyes.

As if seeing a ghost.

And then he saw her.

Midorikawa.

Still. Motionless.

Her eyes fixed on him.

For the first time—

Surprise.

Real surprise.

Takeru smiled.

A wide smile. Almost insane.

Bloodied lips.

Teeth stained with blood.

"I'M ALIVE, MIDORIKAWA!" he shouted, his voice broken but strong.

"HAHAHA! I'M ALIVE!"

Then his body gave way.

His eyes closed.

He collapsed on the floor.

Unconscious.

But alive.

Still alive.