As time went by, the group found themselves easing into a more relaxed state, the camaraderie and jokes making the tense situation feel a bit lighter. Laughter echoed around the campfire, and for a moment, it almost felt like they were just a group of friends hanging out—forgetting the chaos and danger that lurked beyond the camp's borders.
But the mood shifted suddenly when Rika, her curiosity piqued, asked Tomoki a question that made everyone pause. "Which gen are you from, Tomoki?" she asked, her tone casual, but her eyes searching for something more.
Tomoki, surprised by the question, answered without hesitation. "I'm from Gen 19. Why do you ask?" He looked around, noticing the sudden change in everyone's demeanor. Rika's expression had transformed from curious to terrified, her face paling as she processed his response. She quickly stood up, her hand going to her gun, which she pointed directly at Kimir. Anya, sensing the tension, mirrored Rika's actions, pulling out her own weapon, while Lukas followed suit.
Kimir, however, remained calm, not even flinching as the three guns were trained on him. He glanced at Tomoki, concern evident in his eyes, but he didn't lose his composure. He'd been through too much to be rattled easily.
"Why did you bring a Gen 19 from Ghost territory here?" Rika demanded, her voice sharp and unwavering.
She stood tall, confident, her finger hovering dangerously close to the trigger. Anya and Lukas stood by her, their eyes filled with suspicion, ready to act if necessary.
In a blur of movement, faster than anyone could react, Kimir was behind Rika, his hand gripping hers, forcing her gun down.
"Before you do something reckless, you should understand the situation first, Rika," he whispered calmly into her ear, his tone polite yet firm.
Rika froze, her breath catching as she realized how quickly Kimir had disarmed her. Anya and Lukas, startled by the sudden shift, turned to see Rika now at a disadvantage, her gun lowered and Kimir standing behind her.
"He must have a Ghost mark! The GHOSTS can locate us!" Rika shouted, trying to pull away from Kimir's grip, her voice tinged with desperation.
She was scared—terrified of what bringing a Gen 19 into their midst could mean for their safety.
Kimir, still holding Rika's hand in place, kept his voice calm and measured. "Trust me, he doesn't have one. If he did, I would have killed him without a second thought. He's different. I don't know why, but he is."
The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. Kimir's certainty in Tomoki's uniqueness gave the others pause. Rika, Anya, and Lukas exchanged uneasy glances, their grip on their weapons loosening as doubt crept in.
The camp was eerily quiet, with the rest of the squad out on their duties, leaving the five of them alone to navigate this tense standoff. Tomoki, meanwhile, was caught in a whirlwind of emotions—fear, confusion, and a strange gratitude toward Kimir. The realization that Kimir might have killed him if things had been different sent chills down his spine, but at the same time, he knew Kimir had just saved his life.
Lukas, unable to bear the tension any longer, shouted, "Leave her now, Kimir!"
Kimir slowly released Rika's hand, stepping back and raising his hands in a gesture of peace. "I hope you understand now. If you want, you can check him yourself. I'm not lying," he said, his voice steady as he looked each of them in the eye.
Rika, regaining her composure, took a deep breath, her hand still trembling slightly as she holstered her weapon. She locked eyes with Kimir, trying to find any trace of deception in his expression, but there was none. He was telling the truth, or at least, he believed he was.
Anya and Lukas slowly lowered their guns, still wary but no longer as ready to pull the trigger. The tension in the air eased slightly, but the underlying unease remained. Tomoki, now fully aware of the gravity of the situation, felt like he was floating in a sea of uncertainty. He was lost in thought, trying to make sense of everything that had just happened.
Kimir, sensing Tomoki's inner turmoil, gave him a reassuring nod. "You're safe, Tomoki. But things just got a lot more complicated. We need to stay sharp."
Rika, still shaken, finally spoke, her voice quieter now. "I… I just want to make sure we're not bringing danger to the camp. We've lost too many people already."
Kimir nodded, understanding her fear. "I know. But we need to trust each other if we're going to survive. That's all I'm asking."
With that, the group slowly began to relax, though the incident had left its mark. Tomoki remained quiet, still processing everything, while Kimir kept a close watch on the others, ensuring that trust wasn't completely shattered.
The campfire's light flickered, casting long shadows on the ground, as the five of them sat together, each lost in their thoughts, knowing that this was only the beginning of the challenges they would face.
The tension in the air gradually settled, though it left a lingering sense of unease that no one could completely shake off.
Rika, Anya, and Lukas slowly relaxed, their hands moving away from their weapons as the gravity of the situation began to sink in. The flickering campfire cast long, dancing shadows around them, the silence thick with unspoken thoughts.
Tomoki, still reeling from the whirlwind of emotions, finally found his voice. He looked at Rika, then at Kimir, trying to piece together the situation. "So... let me get this straight. Because I'm from Gen 19, you all thought I was some kind of walking tracker for the Ghosts? Like they could just find us because of me?"
Rika, now calmer but still cautious, nodded. "Yes, exactly. The Ghosts have been known to mark certain recruits or new people as baits, and those marks make it easier for them to track movements and locate potential threats—or targets."
Tomoki frowned, the weight of her words sinking in. "So you were ready to shoot me on the spot, just because of that?"
Anya spoke up about her earlier anger, which was replaced with a more contemplative expression. "It's not personal, Tomoki. We've had... incidents before. We've lost people because of those marks. It's not something we can take lightly."
Lukas, usually the more laid-back of the group, added, "We've seen good people turn into pawns for the Ghosts. We couldn't take that risk, especially not here, where one wrong move could mean the end for all of us."
Tomoki absorbed their words, a mix of anger and understanding swirling inside him. He shook his head slightly, trying to keep his tone light despite the situation. "Well, for the record, I don't have any marks—or tattoos, if that's what you're worried about. Just a few battle scars, and a lot of bad jokes."
Kimir chuckled softly, appreciating Tomoki's attempt to lighten the mood. "We know, Tomoki. That's why I vouched for you. You're not like the others who've been marked."
Rika, her eyes narrowing as she studied Tomoki, finally relaxed fully and sighed. "I'm sorry for pointing the gun at you. It's just... we've been through a lot. You understand, right?"
Tomoki met her gaze, his usual grin returning. "Hey, no hard feelings. If I were in your shoes, I'd probably do the same thing. Besides," he added with a cheeky smile, "I'm not planning on giving you a reason to shoot me. I'm too valuable—who else would you guys pick on?"
Anya smirked, her earlier tension easing as well. "You're lucky, Tomoki. You've got a knack for getting under people's skin, but somehow, you manage to survive it."
Tomoki shrugged, leaning back against a nearby tree. "What can I say? It's a gift. Though I have to admit, that was a close call. I was starting to think my charm might've run out."
Lukas chuckled, giving Tomoki a playful punch on the shoulder. "Maybe it has, and we're just too tired to follow through."
Tomoki winced in mock pain. "Ouch, Lukas! If you keep this up, I'm going to need more than just charm to survive."
Rika, now fully at ease, shook her head with a small smile. "You're something else, Tomoki. But seriously, we're all in this together now. Just... try to keep the jokes to a minimum when things get serious, okay?"
Tomoki raised his hands in surrender. "Promise. But I can't guarantee a joke won't slip out here and there. It's my coping mechanism."
Kimir, who had been quietly observing, nodded in approval. "Good. We need to stick together, especially now that we know what we're up against. But," he added with a pointed look at Tomoki, "maybe just keep your coping mechanisms in check when we're dealing with life-or-death situations."
Tomoki nodded, understanding the gravity of what Kimir was saying. "Got it, Kimir. I'll save the jokes for when we're not being hunted."
Anya leaned in, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "You better, or I'll be the first to smack you."
Tomoki laughed, genuinely this time, feeling a sense of relief as the group's mood shifted back to something more comfortable. "Noted, Anya. I'll try to keep my face intact."
The campfire crackled as the group settled into a more relaxed conversation, the earlier tension giving way to a sense of camaraderie. Tomoki, still processing everything that had happened, realized that despite the scare, he was starting to feel like he belonged here—like this ragtag group could actually become his friends.
As the night wore on, the conversation drifted from survival tactics to stories of past encounters, some humorous, others tense. Kimir shared tales of previous missions, Lukas and Anya chipped in with their own experiences, and even Rika loosened up, contributing a few stories of her own.
Tomoki listened, occasionally throwing in a quip or two, but mostly just absorbing the reality of his new situation. He knew things were only going to get more difficult from here, but for now, he was content to just be part of something—part of this group that, against all odds, was slowly becoming a team.