Chapter 20: The Standoff
The station had fallen into a suffocating silence.
Dozens of rifles were aimed directly at Tokita and his team.
The mercenaries stood in tight formation, fingers resting on their triggers. One wrong move and the entire platform would erupt into gunfire.
The tension was unbearable.
Then, suddenly—
Natsuki leaned slightly toward Kaito and whispered.
"…Hey."
Kaito didn't turn his head.
"What?"
Natsuki lowered his voice.
"Do you think we can dodge bullets?"
Kaito blinked slowly.
Then he turned and stared at him.
"…Dude, what the hell?"
His voice stayed low, but the disbelief was obvious.
"Just because you can emit lightning doesn't mean you're faster than bullets."
He nodded toward the mercenaries.
"Look at their guns. Do those look like pistols to you?"
Natsuki glanced over.
They definitely didn't look like pistols.
Heavy rifles.
Military grade.
The kind that shredded people in seconds.
Kaito continued whispering.
"If they were pistols, maybe we could dodge a few shots."
He shook his head.
"But those rifles? Yeah… no chance."
Natsuki shrugged slightly.
"…Yeah, yeah. Whatever."
Inside Kaito's head, one thought screamed.
How can this idiot be this stupid at a time like this?
Then Tokita spoke quietly.
"Hey."
Both of them looked at him.
"I have a question."
Natsuki raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, What is it?"
Tokita asked calmly.
"How durable are you guys against bullets?"
Kaito stared at him.
"…Are you serious?"
He whispered sharply.
"Do you think just because we have abilities we're suddenly immune to military weapons?"
He gestured toward the mercenaries.
"Those guns are not toys."
Natsuki nodded.
"If they were pistols, maybe we could dodge a few shots."
"But those rifles?"
He shook his head.
"No way."
Tokita nodded slowly.
"Alright. I understand."
Then Aoi spoke from the front without turning around.
"…Can you three shut up?"
Her voice was quiet but firm.
"This isn't the time to plan a suicide attempt."
She glanced back slightly.
"Instead of discussing how to die, try thinking of a way to stall them."
The whispering stopped immediately.
Tokita silently observed his teammates.
So they're not durable against bullets…
His fist slowly tightened.
If he attacked now, he could probably take down several mercenaries.
But his teammates?
They might die instantly.
His grip tightened.
Then slowly…
He relaxed his hand.
For now, fighting wasn't an option.
Across the platform, Hoshina watched them from above.
"Don't try anything funny," he called down calmly.
Then Aoi stepped forward.
Her expression remained calm.
Unshaken.
Hoshina studied her carefully.
Interesting.
Anyone in this situation should be terrified.
He glanced briefly at the others behind her.
Tokita.
Kaito.
Natsuki.
They were tense.
Nervous.
Ready to fight.
But the girl's especially the one in front?
She wasn't scared.
Hoshina smiled.
"Well now…"
"I think I know you."
Aoi raised an eyebrow slightly.
"You wouldn't happen to be that crazy girl with the matter manipulation ability, would you?"
"…The old man wouldn't shut up about you,I think he called you the crazy chick with a katana."
Hoshina chuckled.
"You can call me Hoshina."
"And what's your name?"
"Aoi."
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Aoi."
He paused.
"I'm the Vice Captain."
Behind her, Natsuki whispered.
"…Vice Captain?"
"Vice Captain of what organization?"
Hoshina shrugged.
"That's not important right now."
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"The important thing is survival."
Aoi stared directly at him.
"What do you want?"
Hoshina smiled.
"Well, that's easy."
His gaze shifted across the group.
Then stopped on Nezuko.
"The yellow-haired chick."
Everyone froze.
"My boss wants her."
Aoi's eyes narrowed slightly.
"For some reason," Hoshina continued casually, "she's immune to the virus."
"My orders were simple."
"Bring her back alive."
He shrugged.
"As for the rest of you…"
"You're just dead weight."
Behind Aoi, Natsuki's fingers twitched.
Small sparks began flickering between them.
Electricity crackled around his hand.
His jaw tightened.
Touch her.
The thought burned in his mind.
Just try it.
Lightning flashed between his fingers.
But Nezuko subtly shook her head.
She didn't turn around.
She simply whispered,
"Don't."
Natsuki inhaled slowly.
The lightning faded.
His glowing eyes dimmed as he forced himself to calm down.
Across the station, Hoshina watched with amusement.
"Well then," he said.
"Are you done thinking?"
Aoi looked up again.
"What exactly do you want?"
Hoshina snapped his fingers.
"Ding-dong."
"My boss also said something interesting."
He grinned.
"I'm allowed to bring one of you back to join our organization."
The group went silent.
"One of you survives."
"But there's a condition."
"What condition?" Aoi asked coldly.
Hoshina's grin widened.
"You four,fight each other...To the death of course."
The words landed like a bomb.
"The last one standing wins."
Silence.
Then Tokita muttered,
"…You want us to kill each other?"
Hoshina nodded happily.
"Yes."
Aoi's eyes hardened.
"Well?" Hoshina asked.
"You're the leader."
"So you decide."
"Fight… or die."
Aoi didn't hesitate.
"We're not fighting."
Then she added coldly,
"You can go screw yourself."
For a moment, the mercenaries stiffened.
Then Hoshina laughed.
"Fair enough."
He shrugged.
"Option C it is."
"What's option C?" Kaito asked.
Hoshina smiled.
"You all die...of course by the Boss's hand."
He waved his hand lazily.
"Cuff them."
Immediately the mercenaries moved forward.
Metal restraints snapped around their wrists.
Cold handcuffs locked tightly.
Within seconds, they were restrained and being marched forward.
But as they walked—
Aoi glanced sideways.
For a split second, her eyes met Natsuki's and Nezuko.
Then Tokita's.
Then Kaito's.
No words were spoken.
But they understood.
She was about to act.
Aoi brushed her fingers lightly against a mercenary's bulletproof vest.
The matter shifted instantly.
The vest transformed into a flash grenade.
"Close your eyes!"she shouted.
The team reacted instantly.
BOOM.
Blinding light exploded across the station.
Mercenaries shouted.
Before they could recover—
SNAP.
The handcuffs shattered.
Natsuki immediately grabbed a rifle from a stunned soldier.
Tokita ripped another weapon free.
Kaito knocked a mercenary aside.
Chaos erupted.
Aoi sprinted toward a nearby military jeep.
Hoshina saw her and shouted"you morons! stop her immediately!!"
A bullet fired towards her by hoshina.
But she reached it first.
Her hand slammed against the metal.
The vehicle transformed.
A massive cloud burst outward.
Tear gas.
White smoke flooded the entire station.
Mercenaries coughed and stumbled blindly.
"Where are they?!"
"Regroup!"
"Find them!"
But the team had already disappeared into the fog.
Above them, Hoshina stood on the rooftop.
From his position, he couldn't see anything anymore.
Just a massive cloud swallowing the battlefield.
"…Well," he muttered.
His expression serious,Then he smiled.
"This might actually be fun."
Inside the smoke, Aoi's voice echoed.
"Listen carefully."
Her tone was sharp.
"This time we're not fighting zombies."
"These are trained mercenaries."
"Specialized ex-military."
She grabbed her weapon.
"So stop holding back."
Her eyes hardened.
"Don't try to subdue them."
Her voice dropped.
"Kill them."
Natsuki grinned.
"Now that's music to my ears."
His eyes flared electric blue.
Lightning crackled around him.
Kaito cracked his neck.
"Finally."
His eyes glowed bright orange.
Tokita clenched his fists.
"Alright."
"Time to throw some punches."
The smoke thickened around them.
The mercenaries couldn't see them.
But the team could hear everything.
Their footsteps.
Their breathing.
Their confusion.
Aoi raised her weapon.
Her eyes glowed emerald green.
She looked at her team.
"Remember one thing."
Her voice echoed softly through the smoke.
"Kill…"
A cold smile appeared on her face.
"…or be killed."
In the white fog, three glowing pairs of eyes opened and 5 figures stood silently.
And the battlefield was about to explode.