As Tomoki spoke, Kimir's mind raced, considering every possible outcome, turning each scenario over. He kept thinking, lost, until Tomoki broke the silence again, asking, "Dude, what do we do now?"
Kimir was still deep in thought, his mind swirling with confusion. "Could it be? No... that's not possible. But then, why? I don't understand," he muttered to himself. Finally, he looked at Tomoki, his eyes reflecting his uncertainty. "I think someone has revolted against the Ghosts... and we can't go back. If we do, we'd have to travel 349 kilometers just to get out of Ghost territory."
Tomoki quickly interrupted, "So that makes the revolutionaries our allies, doesn't it?"
Kimir shook his head firmly. "No! This doesn't make them allies—it puts us right in the middle of a war zone," he said, a sudden realization dawning on him. The situation was far worse than he had initially thought.
Tomoki's eyes widened as he processed Kimir's words. The weight of their predicament settled heavily on him. "In the middle of a war zone?" he echoed, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Kimir nodded, his expression grim. "Exactly. If there's a rebellion against the Ghosts, this whole area could turn into a battlefield at any moment. We're caught between two forces, and neither side will care about a couple of wanderers caught in the crossfire."
Tomoki clenched his fists, frustration, and fear bubbling up inside him. "So what do we do? We can't just sit here and wait to be attacked!"
Kimir thought for a moment, his eyes scanning the horizon as if searching for answers in the fading light. "We need to find a safe route out of here," he said finally. "We can't go back, but if we push forward carefully, we might be able to navigate through the contested area without drawing attention to ourselves."
Tomoki nodded slowly, understanding the gravity of their situation. "And what if we can't avoid them? What if we get caught in the middle?"
Kimir's gaze hardened. "Then we fight. But only if we have no other choice. Right now, our priority is to stay low and move quickly. We have to stay focused, Tomoki. We're not here to pick sides in someone else's war—we're here to survive and to reach our base"
Tomoki took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Alright. Let's do this. Lead the way."
As they start moving something happens that both them know will occur, deep down they always known that.
After just a few meters, they were ambushed. Two gunshots rang out, striking the ground near their feet as warning shots. Both immediately raised their hands. "WE AREN'T FROM THE GHOSTS!" Kimir shouted, "Check me, I'm from Nova!"
There was silence for almost a minute, though it felt like an hour. Then, a girl's voice called out, "What is a Nova member doing here?" Kimir was about to speak, but she cut him off. "Answer us, or you'll die." Two laser sights were trained directly on their heads.
Tomoki glanced at Kimir, panic in his voice. "What the hell? They're dead serious," he whispered, but another warning shot silenced him.
"Did I tell you to speak?" the girl snapped.
Kimir quickly responded, "I'm a recon for Nova... it's my job to do spy work."
"Prove it," the girl demanded. Tomoki, now clearly rattled, muttered, "Ahh! I probably shouldn't speak, right?"
Kimir shot him a sharp look. "Are you freaking dumb?" He then continued, "Listen, you're fighting the Ghosts, and we Novas hate them. If you still doubt me, use an info card."
A man standing next to the girl, around 20 years old with white hair and green eyes, nodded and said, "Use one." They did, and the results confirmed that Kimir was telling the truth.
The girl's voice came again. "We'll let you pass, but you'll have to come with us, just in case something bad happens."
Two people emerged from the dense trees, weapons still at the ready, as the river continued to flow quietly beside them.
The first person was a tall, broad-shouldered man with a presence that demanded attention. He appeared to be in his early twenties, his white hair contrasting sharply against the dark greenery. His piercing green eyes locked onto Kimir and Tomoki with an intensity that made it clear he wasn't one to be trifled with.
Dressed in tactical gear, he moved with the precision of someone who had seen more than his share of battles. A rifle was slung over his shoulder, but his hand rested casually on the sidearm at his hip, ready to draw at a moment's notice.
The second figure, the girl whose voice had spoken earlier, was slightly shorter but no less formidable. Her long, dark hair was tied back in a tight braid, revealing sharp, focused features. Her eyes were a deep blue, cold and calculating, scanning Kimir and Tomoki with a mix of suspicion and curiosity.
She wore a lightweight combat suit, designed for both speed and protection and carried a sleek, high-tech rifle that looked like it had been customized to perfection. The red dot of her laser sight danced briefly across Tomoki's chest before she lowered it, though her stance remained cautious.
"So, you're the recon for Nova?" the girl asked her tone flat but with an undercurrent of doubt. "What exactly are you spying on here?"
Kimir kept his hands raised but met her gaze steadily. "I was gathering intel on Ghost movements. We're tracking their expansion, trying to stay ahead of their plans."
The man with white hair stepped closer, his green eyes narrowing. "And you expect us to believe you're just here by coincidence?"
Kimir nodded. "Believe it or not, we didn't expect to stumble into a war zone. But now that we're here, it's clear something big is going down."
The girl exchanged a quick glance with the white-haired man, her eyes briefly softening before she refocused on Kimir. "We've been fighting the Ghosts for weeks now. They've taken too much territory, and we're barely holding the line."
Tomoki, still shaken but trying to steady himself, asked, "And you're not afraid we might be spies?"
The white-haired man smirked slightly, a hint of amusement breaking through his stern demeanor. "We've got ways to deal with spies. But your friend here passed the info card check, so for now, you're safe."
Kimir exhaled slowly, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "We're not your enemies. If anything, we want the same thing—to see the Ghosts taken down."
The girl studied him for a moment longer, then lowered her rifle completely. "We'll see about that. But for now, you're coming with us. We can't take any chances."
The man with white hair stepped aside, motioning for them to follow. "Let's move. We need to get out of the open before it gets dark."
Kimir and Tomoki exchanged a quick look before nodding and following their new companions into the trees, the river's steady flow fading behind them as they disappeared deeper into the forest. The reality of their situation settled in—caught between warring factions, with no clear path forward, they had no choice but to trust these strangers, at least for now.