Throughout the trip, Kazuichi pieced every bit of information he heard from the two men into a cohesive picture. Details about the hybrids, hybrid hunting, and the upcoming hybrid auction became clearer to him the nearer they got to the underground stronghold.
At this point, Kazuichi had already freed himself from his restraints, and the thick body bag that encased his body was easily torn by his strong grip and arms. He tried not to move around too much though since the two men might notice him and tranq him again. He moved carefully and slowly so as not to attract any attention.
Once they arrived at the Underground Stronghold, they saw an image of a black pyramid with a skull motif carved into the entrance. This is the symbol of the Underground Stronghold, and it meant that the infected aren't allowed inside. Nonetheless, Kazuichi knew that there were hybrids inside, so the sign by the entrance was actually quite ironic if he could say so himself.
Kazuichi heard the two bodyguards by the entrance counting how many hybrids there are behind the jeep. Before they could see Kazuichi peering through the back, he hid, enclosing the body bag around him once again so they wouldn't be suspicious of a loose hybrid. The two guards eventually left the two hybrid hunters to their devices without them noticing Kazuichi at all. Kazuichi heaved a sigh of relief.
With bated breaths, Kazuichi waited for a few minutes before he emerged from his hiding place to investigate the situation himself. Before they enter the area where the auction will take place, Kazuichi took it upon himself to get out of the jeep.
He set to work by unwrapping the body bag a second time and then folding it so it won't be as noticeable. Before they reached the entrance, Kazuichi slipped through the windows of the jeep in one smooth motion, barely disturbing the air around him despite the speed at which he escaped. He then scaled the entire parking lot, hiding by the corner as the jeep reached the second checkpoint before they could finally be let inside. The two men inside the jeep just saw someone disappear from the window as the jeep rolled towards the entrance of the auction. However, they brushed it off as someone walking past and they didn't even realize that one of their 'products' had already escaped.
"Hybrid hunters, I presume?" The auctioneer approached the two hybrid hunters as he extended his hand. He then sniffed once, immediately getting a whiff of the three hybrid humans on the back of the jeep.
"And there are three hybrids on the backseat, correct?" The auctioneer confirmed.
"Three?! No, you must be mistaken, sir, there should be four hybrids at the back." One of the hybrid hunters let out a chuckle.
"My sense of smell… it doesn't lie." The auctioneer smirked as his eyes turned a deep blood-red color. "Now if you will please follow me inside. I will introduce you to the other hybrid hunters… not that introductions are due of course. I am well aware that connections are always welcome when it comes to your profession."
As the hybrid hunters made their way in Kazuichi heaved a sigh of relief. Even though he was on the edge of the parking lot underground he could tell what was going on inside the auction place thanks to his enhanced senses. He was reminded of the fact that he had already become a hybrid… he wasn't human anymore. And that realization hit him like a truck since he already had a vague idea as to what a hybrid is— thanks to the information gleaned from the two-hybrid hunters who brought him here.
Hybrid hunters are a group of people who specialize in hunting and tracking hybrids. They're an expert at it, and Kazuichi, who had just turned into an infected person, was caught since he didn't know any better. Then again, it's not like he could blame the hybrid hunters. The only one he could blame was himself for being oblivious to the sudden change in the world.
In fact, now that he thought about it. He should be thanking them instead of cursing at them under his breath.
If they didn't shoot him with a tranq back there, he'd have bitten a portion of the hybrid's arm. He'd have turned into a bona fide infected right then and there, with no chance of ever getting his consciousness back or turning into a hybrid. Their interruption was what turned him into a hybrid, pretty much. At the very least, he had retained what little bit of consciousness he had left, thanks to them. They did do it in order to sell him but that's beside the point. Right now, Kazuichi just wanted to focus on the optimistic side since everything had become bleaker than it already is.
"I only ended up in this situation because I don't know anything. Well, that's all thanks to my shut-in life, I guess. For now, I should do what I can to gather information and then get out of here as soon as I can." Kazuichi said to himself, peering from the rows of cars towards the entrance to the action from time to time. He needed to infiltrate the action in order to gather more information.
Also, Kazuichi decided to gain information about the place so that he could determine the best possible escape route for him when he eventually does get out. He didn't plan on staying here any longer since he had no idea how he'd fare against the other hybrids present. He could pick up their scent and he was fairly certain that they could pick up his scent as well.
"And what are you doing here, by any chance?"
The voice made Kazuichi bolt upright. He didn't sense anyone sneaking up on him so he was surprised that someone was right there, casually addressing him as if that was the most normal thing to do in such a situation. "W-who are you?" Kazuichi asked, putting his guard up. For all he knows, he might be fighting the person who addressed him right then and there.
"I'm the auctioneer, nice to meet you. Are you a hybrid hunter or a buyer?" He asked. "It seems like you've had quite a hard time getting here to the underground, I presume. Please follow me for a change of clothes."