Touka ran swiftly, his body growing heavier with every step as the claws of the parasite receded, returning to his human form. Yet, the burning and searing pain gnawing at his body didn't fade. Inside his mind, the parasite's voice continued to echo, forcing him to move relentlessly.
"Stop running, or we'll die!" the parasite's voice screamed.
Touka bit his lip hard, forcing himself to ignore it. "I don't need orders from you..." he whispered hoarsely.
His steps were swift, though exhaustion clawed at his limbs. The rain drizzled lightly, and the sky had turned dark—dusk blending into night. The once-familiar streets now felt like an alien world.
He returned to that place—the spot where he had met Kurogane just hours ago. The bustling streets, surrounded by towering buildings and the hum of life, were now nothing more than ruins. Debris scattered everywhere, the remnants of Omnivorax's destruction. The once-proud structures stood as broken silhouettes, as if abandoned by time itself.
Standing in the middle of the road, he gazed at the rubble where he had walked before. The faint traces of his encounter with Kurogane had vanished, leaving behind only cold, empty ruins. A sharp pang of loss tore through his chest, though he knew better than to expect anything from this desolate place.
"He's gone, and this place is finished," the parasite's voice echoed in his mind. "Why did you come back?"
Touka lifted his gaze toward the darkening sky. Night had begun to pull its shadowy curtain over the city. His body still throbbed with pain, each step a reminder of his battle with the massive Omnivorax. Despite his wounds, his body rapidly healed, the parasite's power surging through his veins.
Furrowing his brow, he gritted his teeth against the unyielding pain. "There's no time for this..." he muttered under his breath. "I have to keep moving."
His legs felt like lead as he pushed forward. From the end of the street, faint noises broke through the eerie silence—a commotion, like a fight.
Drawn by curiosity and unease, he approached the sound. What he found made his blood boil: a group of men surrounding a young girl, barely eighteen. Their laughter rang out, coarse and merciless, indifferent to the girl's silent terror.
A deep anger flared in Touka's chest. Without a second thought, he charged toward them, determined not to rely on the parasite's power. This time, he wanted to fight with his own strength. But his body, still recovering from its earlier wounds, betrayed him. His strikes were clumsy, his movements sluggish.
The men turned their attention to him, their blows landing relentlessly. Each strike sent him crashing to the ground.
Writhing in pain, he felt his body begin to heal. The cuts on his skin closed rapidly, but the healing only deepened the ache within him—an unending cycle of pain and recovery.
The men stepped back, their faces twisted in confusion and fear as they watched his body mend itself.
"What... what the hell is wrong with him?" one of them stammered.
Touka, battered and bloodied, forced himself to stand. His voice came out hoarse but laced with fury. "Don't… touch her!"
His distorted expression made the men hesitate, but only for a moment. With renewed caution, they moved toward him again.
Touka closed his eyes, feeling the parasite's power stirring once more. With a trembling voice, he growled, "You don't know what you're dealing with... You don't know what it's like to survive this pain..."
He stomped his foot into the ground, launching himself at them with the last reserves of his strength. His attacks sent a shockwave that knocked the men backward, scattering them like leaves in the wind.
As they fled in terror, Touka stood motionless, his gaze empty. Their retreat felt hollow—this wasn't victory, just another layer of agony.
---
Scene After the Fight
The group of men left behind only silence and two battered figures in the middle of the road. The wind whispered through the cracks in the ruins, filling the void. Touka and the girl sat on the edge of the street, both breathing heavily. The stillness was suffused with unspoken tension.
The girl bowed her head, her trembling hands clutching the edge of her tattered jacket. Occasionally, her eyes darted to Touka, who, though healed from his injuries, still looked weary. His body, once torn apart, had returned to its human form, but the fiery pain still lingered beneath his skin.
"Th... Thank you... But why… did you help me?" the girl's voice was faint, trembling with fear and disbelief.
Touka met her gaze, his eyes sharp yet filled with a quiet determination. He struggled to find a reason, but deep down, he knew it was simply the right thing to do.
"I couldn't just stand by," he answered bluntly. "Not just because of you... but because I can't let anyone else feel what I've felt."
The girl stared at him, trying to understand his words. Silence hung between them, and Touka could sense the girl's lingering fear—an unshakable shadow even after being saved.
"But... I don't have a home," the girl murmured, her voice quivering. "I… I don't know where to go."
Touka sighed, his eyes drifting to the empty, darkened streets littered with debris. This world could easily swallow anyone whole, dragging them into despair. He knew one thing for sure: if this girl wandered alone, she wouldn't last.
"Look... I'm trying to find a way to fight back against those things that attacked us. If you want, you can come with me. What's your name?" Touka asked firmly, though his heart felt weighed down by uncertainty.
The girl hesitated, her face betraying her fear of the unknown. Finally, she spoke. "My name is Laura. But... I don't know what I can do. I've only managed to survive until now... nothing more."
Touka looked at her, understanding the doubt in her voice. "We don't know what's waiting for us, Laura. But one thing's for sure—we'll never know if we don't try."
After a long pause, Laura nodded hesitantly. Her decision was fraught with uncertainty but tinged with a glimmer of hope. "Alright... I'll come with you."
With that, the two began to walk, leaving behind the ruins and shadows of their past. Together, they ventured into the desolate streets, bound by their shared fate and the choices they had made.