A deserted area, broken down buildings covered with moss, rusty pieces of metal scattered around certain places.
"This is... the outside..." Erina said as she observed her surroundings, while everyone was walking forward to the outside, behind vehicles which were running slowly as a person's walking speed.
"There aren't even tall buildings that stand out, out here," Jaspher said.
"Not here, there aren't, " Liz said, "those tall buildings have been removed, not long after the walls were built, since it might cause a threat to the wall,".
"Not here..." Jack said, "then are there any further out?"
"Yes, and those buildings are what you need to be wary of when we get there," Liz said.
"by the way, why are we walking when we can ride the vehicles and just get out of here?" Jaspher asked.
"We need to avoid conflict as much as possible, now that we're on our way to city A, and that it's going smoothly so far," Liz said.
Jaspher tilted his head, showing his confusion.
"When it's early in the morning, especially sunrise, Akumas tend to be calm but easly disrupted by what they see or hear," Ying said, "and us walking out of this area as quiet as possible, means that the area inside the walls are not clear yet, and we'd like to avoid causing trouble by not making any loud noise, that might attract or create a horde,".
"I... I see," Jaspher said.
Erina suddenly let out a deep sigh.
Trying to hide her emotions, she put her head down looking on the ground as she continued to walk forward.
"She's that down since yesterday," Jaspher said, "not only her, Layla has been like that too..."
"Not just the two of them," Ryan said, " Look around, everyone has similar faces,"
"Fear, anxiousness, trauma..." Jack said, "grief..."
"Hey!" Ryan said, as he takes caution of Erina and Layla's Emotions.
"what?" Jack said.
"Hey, didn't you lose a friend or two too?" Ryan said.
"so I did," Jack replied.
"Then aren't you feeling the same as them right now?" Ryan said being tensed.
"Calm down..." Jack said, "of course, I feel bad for loosing a comrade, and such a capable one at that. But if I were to start crumbling down now, what good will it do?"
"That's..." Ryan said, unable to think of a reply.
"it's ok Ryan..." Layla said, "he has a point... if we let our emotions get the best of us in our situation and it lead us to trouble, what would be the point of their deaths?"
"That's right..." Erina said, " right now, we should focus on surviving this situation, otherwise... everything... everything... will be for nothing...".
"Erina..." Layla said, not knowing what else to say.
Erina then raised her head, with burning determination in her eyes, "so don't talk about those stuffs... not right now...".
"And I know... Yuji is alive... he has to be," Erina thought, "after all, this isn't the first time he's been through something like this..."
"Looks like this place is good enough," Liz said, as she stopped walking in front of the group, she raised her hands and clenches her fist, signaling the whole group in front to stop.
"Everyone, get in the vehicles!," Gin shouted, taking the attention of everyone, "this far should be far enough for our engine sounds, we can get going from here,".
Everyone chose their respective vehicles, exept for Erina who was required to enter a certain vehicle, which seemed much stronger and secured than the other vehicles in the center.
"Turn the main engine on!" Gin ordered.
The sounds of the vehicles suddenly strengthen, making medium loud sounds.
"..."
Everyone was quiet for a moment as Gin and Liz, who were in the same vehicle, watched their rear to see if any akumas will get out the wall gates.
Gin let out a sigh of relief, "looks like nothings getting out of those gates,".
Liz slouched her back on the vehicles chair, "that's nice, seems like we're in luck,"
"Yeah, there was no way to close the gates without leaving someone behind after all," Gin said.
"Seriously though..." Liz said with an annoyed face, "how many suits are you going to make us bring every time we go on a mission? that one's brand new so I hope that lasts long,".
"Huh? I only burn my upper top depending on the situation," Gin said, "It's not like I ALWAYS burn my top off anyways,"
"Stop talking about it like burning clothes is a casual thing to do," Liz said as she kicked Gin's knees.
"Still though, everythings going so smooth for us right now," Liz said, "I wonder if it's the same for her,"
"hm? oh her..." Gin said, "that girl always has some good luck with her you know? things are probably going smoothly on her end too,"
"yeah, I hope so..." Liz said.
Meanwhile...
"THINGS ARE NOT GOING SO WELL AS I HOPED!" Yukina ranted as she and Yuji was running as fast as they could, in a what seems to be a tight alley road.
Both of them are wearing back packs as Yukina was holding a case, both on each hand and Yuji with a single metal spear on his left hand.
"You got SOME luck don't ya?" Yukina said.
"ha!?" Yuji said, as he was running behind Yukina, "what are you talking about? and why is it necessary for you to bring two cases filled with money!?"
"This never happened to me before when I'm alone, this has got to be your bad luck that caused us this!" Yukina continued to rant.
"Isn't running into akumas in our situation normal?" Yuji said.
"Yeah," Yukina said, "But why did it had to be an upper B class!?" she shouted.
Crash*
Suddenly a seven foot tall Akuma, with four feet and muscular arm like legs, seeming like a gorilla and a dog combined, came crashing down on the ground.
"AAAA, here it comes!" Yuji shouted as both him and Yukina increased their speed running.
The Akuma let out a violent roar, as it continued to chase after them, using it's four arm like legs.
"And I thought going in a tight alley was a good decision too!" Yukina said.
"Let's go right!" Yuji shouted, "we'll be in the open a few seconds after!"
"Alright, lead the way!" Yukina said pacing herself behind Yuji, as Yuji increase his speed taking the lead.
As they continue to run, the Akuma behind them damages everything within the tight space of the alley.
"There!" Yuji said as they both went out the alley and into the open.
Yuji and Yukina both drifted their feet as they get out into the open, and waits for the Akuma to get outside.
They both focused their vision on the exit of the alley as they wait for the Akuma to exit.
Like a predator waiting for a pray to reach it's hunting ground, both of them took a deep breath as drips of sweat goes down their faces.