The storehouse had grown suffocating. Tension choked the air, every glance poisoned, every silence heavy. Saya barely spoke, her eyes swollen from tears. Rin avoided her gaze, shame written into every tremor of her body. Natsumi lingered on the edge, watching all of them like a cornered wolf, knife never far from her reach.
But the world outside didn't stop to let them wallow.
A guttural roar split the night, rattling the boards of the storehouse. Dust fell from the rafters as the sound echoed through the ruins, too close, too powerful.
Rin was on her feet in an instant, blade drawn, though her knees still trembled from the night before. Natsumi cursed under her breath, snatching up her knife.
Saya froze, staring wide-eyed at the door. "No… no, not now—"
Imura stood slowly, his movements deliberate. His eyes narrowed, and for the first time since his awakening, a faint smile touched his lips that wasn't for the women around him.
"Something interesting is here."
The door shuddered under the weight of a blow, wood cracking. A second roar shook the ground.
Rin swallowed hard, her grip white-knuckled on her blade. "What… what is that?"
Before Imura could answer, the door burst inward. Splinters exploded across the floor.
The creature that crawled through was massive, its body twisted, its flesh blackened with rot. Its jaw unhinged, snapping with teeth too sharp, too many. Its arms ended in claws that scraped gouges into the stone floor.
Saya screamed, stumbling back. Natsumi swore and darted to the side. Rin charged forward with a cry, her blade slashing across the beast's arm—but it barely flinched, backhanding her across the room. She crashed against the wall with a cry of pain.
Imura didn't move immediately. He watched, calm, calculating. Then he stepped forward, his clone flickering into existence beside him.
"Let's see how strong I've grown."
The two of him struck as one, slamming into the beast with fists that cracked bone. The creature shrieked, swiping wildly, but Imura's clone took the blow, dissipating in a shimmer of light.
His real body surged upward, grabbing the beast by its throat and slamming it into the ground hard enough to crack the floor. His smirk widened as it thrashed beneath him, weaker than he had expected.
Rin dragged herself up, blood on her lip, eyes wide. He's a monster… even more than they are.
With a final twist, Imura snapped the beast's neck. Its body collapsed, twitching, before falling still.
The silence afterward was broken by a soft, trembling sound.
A whimper.
All eyes turned to the doorway.
There, half-hidden behind the shattered frame, was a girl.
She looked barely older than Rin—slender, pale, her long black hair tangled and falling in messy waves over her shoulders. Her clothes were torn and filthy, but it only accentuated the soft curves of her body, the pale line of her throat, the trembling swell of her chest as she breathed. Her wide eyes shimmered with tears, reflecting the lantern light.
She hugged herself, shaking. "P-please… don't hurt me…"
Saya's breath hitched. "A survivor…"
Natsumi's eyes narrowed, sharp and suspicious. "Or bait."
Rin staggered forward, blade still in hand, her voice hoarse. "Who are you?"
The girl flinched, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Aiko… my name is Aiko… I was running… from them… and then…" She gestured weakly at the dead beast.
Her knees buckled, and she nearly collapsed.
Imura was there before she hit the ground. His arms caught her easily, lifting her against his chest. She gasped, eyes widening, her face flushing hot as she looked up at him.
He smirked down at her, calm, inevitable.
"You're safe now."
The words were soft, reassuring—but every woman in the room felt the chain slip into place.
Rin's gut twisted with dread. Saya's heart shattered further. Natsumi's jaw clenched, eyes narrowing.
And Aiko, trembling, clung tighter to him.