As Ichikawa Reno caught sight of the monster behind him with his peripheral vision, he knew there was no way a human could match its speed. Before he could react, a figure tackled him, sending both of them sprawling across the ground. After rolling a few times, they scrambled to their feet, battered but alive.
"Reno, go! Call the Defense Force immediately!" Kafka snatched up a steel rod from the rubble nearby.
Ichikawa Reno hesitated, his chest tightening at the sight of Kafka's determination. But without a word, he turned and sprinted away to make the call.
Clutching the rod tightly, Kafka faced the monster head-on. Memories of his childhood with Mina Ashiro and his recent encounters with Drake Myers flooded his mind, reigniting his resolve.
"Damned beast!" Kafka gritted his teeth, using the rod to divert the monster's attention and keep it moving.
Though massive—standing over six meters in length and three meters in height—the creature appeared sluggish and lacked intelligence. Kafka's quick thinking allowed him to lead it away, maneuvering through the debris-strewn ruins. But the monster quickly tired of his tricks. With a deafening roar, it lashed out, its claws swiping dangerously close to Kafka.
Though he dodged the first strike, the second landed squarely, sending him crashing to the ground. Pain exploded through his body as blood pooled in his mouth.
The monster towered over him, its contemptuous gaze fixed on the frail human below. It raised a claw for the killing blow.
Just then, Ichikawa Reno returned, wielding his own steel rod. With a defiant shout, he charged at the creature.
"There's no way I could leave you behind, senpai!" Reno shouted. "If I ran today, I'd never forgive myself—and I'd never make it into the Defense Force!"
Despite his injuries, Reno's courage bought Kafka precious seconds. The young man swung at the monster with all his might, though his strikes barely scratched its hide. With a flick of its tail, the creature sent him flying into a wall.
Kafka, now immobilized by his injuries, watched helplessly as the monster turned back to him. His leg was broken, and pain wracked his body with every breath. He clenched his fists, glaring at the beast through gritted teeth.
"Is this how it ends?" he thought bitterly. Memories of his promise to Mina resurfaced—how they had vowed to join the Defense Force together and fight side by side. Now, she was a hero, and he...
"No! I refuse!"
As the monster lunged for the final blow, a blinding flash tore through the battlefield. A massive white tiger pounced from the shadows, ripping into the creature's arm. A moment later, an energy blast pierced the monster's torso, leaving a gaping hole.
"Zone cleared," came Mina Ashiro's cold, authoritative voice as she strode into view. "Target neutralized. Evacuate the injured to the hospital immediately."
Mina passed Kafka without so much as a glance, her demeanor strictly professional. Despite their shared past, she treated him as just another civilian. In truth, she had kept tabs on his life from afar but chose not to interfere.
As Defense Force medics arrived to carry Kafka and Reno away on stretchers, Mina exhaled softly.
"If only all monsters were this simple to deal with," she murmured.
The horizon was ablaze with the setting sun as Mina stood alone, pondering the ever-evolving threats humanity faced. In a few days, even the investigators from the CCG would arrive in Yokohama, further complicating matters.
Later that evening, as darkness fell, Kafka and Reno lay in adjacent hospital beds, their conversation sporadic but comforting.
Elsewhere in the hospital, Drake Myers had already sensed the day's events.
"Fate has a funny way of weaving paths," he mused to himself. Though tempted to intervene, he recognized the importance of letting others rise to the occasion. Heroes needed their moments to shine.
As he chatted with Kikoru Shinomiya, Drake brought up an idea.
"Hey, Kikoru, what do you think about forming a new organization? A special unit dedicated solely to combating monsters?" he asked with a mischievous smile.
Kikoru raised an eyebrow at the suggestion, her usual sharp wit on display.
"An intriguing thought," she admitted. "But do you really think it's realistic?"
Drake chuckled. "Maybe not yet. But who knows? With the right people, anything's possible."
For now, though, Drake had his own plans to set in motion.
The tension in Yokohama grew thicker with each passing day. Somewhere in the shadows, new threats brewed, waiting to test the resolve of humanity's defenders.
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