"When the lines between human and monster blur… who decides which side you're on?"
Rain lashed against the armored transport van as it sped along the broken highway on the eastern outskirts of the Tokyo Area. Rentarō sat beside Kisara in the front compartment, Enju, Tina, and Hotaru squeezed in the back, silent except for the occasional rattle of the suspension.
They were headed to District 15—specifically, the forest clearing where Koharu had first appeared.
"Perimeter scanners picked up fresh movement," Kisara explained, eyes fixed ahead. "Five Gastrea, three Stage Ones, two Twos. All gathering in the same area we saw that girl."
"Any human signals?" Rentarō asked.
"None we can confirm. But," she glanced sideways, "I've got a bad feeling about this."
Rentarō tightened his grip on the van's safety bar. "Yeah. Me too."
By the time they arrived, the rain had thinned to a cold drizzle. The forest, however, remained quiet—unnervingly so.
Enju hopped from the van first, already alert. "Something's off," she whispered. "No birds. No insects."
Tina raised her rifle's scope. "Thermals… fuzzy. Could be psionic interference."
Rentarō stepped forward, pulling his Varanium pistol free. "We move in pairs. Me with Enju. Kisara with Tina. Hotaru keeps overwatch."
They moved.
Twenty meters in, Enju froze. "Gastrea. Twelve o'clock."
A cluster of Stage Ones stood in a loose semi-circle around the girl—Koharu. She looked just as she had in the footage: barefoot, serene, eyes closed as though in prayer.
But she was not alone.
Standing beside her, draped in a black cloak soaked with rain, was Shōma Nagisawa.
Rentarō's eyes widened. "Shōma?"
The swordsman's gaze met his, calm as a still pond. "You're late."
Kisara arrived at Rentarō's side, eyes narrowing. "What the hell are you doing with her?"
Shōma didn't answer immediately. Instead, he gently placed a hand on Koharu's shoulder. The child opened her eyes, glowing faintly with silver light.
"She speaks for them," Shōma said finally. "And they listen. That makes her dangerous—but it also makes her essential."
Rentarō stepped forward. "So you're working with Grunewald now?"
Shōma's face darkened. "No. Not by choice. He saved my life. That's not the same as loyalty."
Koharu turned toward Rentarō. Her voice was soft, but it cut through the rain like a blade.
"You came. But you're not ready."
Rentarō froze. "Not ready for what?"
"To choose."
The Gastrea behind her growled low, a pulse of psionic tension humming through the air. Tina flinched.
Shōma interjected quickly. "She can sense intentions. You don't lie in her presence, Rentarō."
Hotaru's voice crackled over the comms. "Rentarō, be careful. I'm picking up movement. Big. Fast. It's not alone."
Before anyone could react, the forest exploded.
Four large figures burst from the treeline—Stage Four Gastrea, plated in black chitin reinforced with artificial grafts. Their eyes glowed with controlled aggression.
Behind them, a slow, deliberate figure stepped into view. A man in a crimson trench coat, white-gloved hands folded neatly behind his back.
Dr. Albrecht Grunewald.
"It's been too long, Rentarō Satomi," he said, voice smooth as oil. "I see you've met my new emissary."
Rentarō raised his pistol. "You're not welcome here."
Grunewald smiled. "This is no longer your jurisdiction. Koharu is a vital element in the convergence. The New World cannot begin without her."
"You mean you're going to use her," Kisara snapped. "Just like everyone else."
Grunewald didn't flinch. "She was born to be used. As were we all."
Shōma drew his sword, stepping protectively between Grunewald and Koharu. "She's not yours to command."
Grunewald's smile widened. "And yet you came when I summoned. Your programming is holding, I see."
Rentarō's blood ran cold. "Programming?"
Shōma didn't answer.
The Gastrea growled louder.
Then Koharu spoke again, voice echoing strangely:
"No more blood. Not here."
In an instant, the tension broke. The Stage Four Gastrea halted mid-lunge and recoiled. Grunewald frowned.
"Interesting. Your reach has grown."
Koharu turned to him slowly. "You will not take me."
Grunewald's jaw tensed. "You misunderstand. You are already taken."
Suddenly, the forest lit up—an explosion of psychic feedback surging through everyone present. Enju fell to her knees. Tina staggered, eyes wide.
Only Koharu stood unharmed, eyes glowing brighter.
Then she collapsed.
Rentarō rushed forward, catching her as she fell. She was trembling—skin clammy, pupils dilated.
"She's burning up," he muttered. "We have to get her out of here!"
Grunewald stepped back, seemingly unfazed. "Then run, Satomi. Take your false hope. The convergence has already begun. You're merely delaying the inevitable."
Rentarō turned, lifting Koharu in his arms. "You can try to play god all you want. But I've seen what happens to monsters who think they're kings."
Grunewald chuckled darkly. "Then you haven't been paying attention."
Shōma moved to follow them but hesitated. Rentarō met his eyes.
"Are you coming?"
A long pause. Rain fell again, heavier this time.
Shōma nodded once.
"Yes."