Morning arrived timidly.
Pale light filtered through cracks in the wall, thin as threads of silk, painting the ruined house in dull gray. Dust floated lazily in the still air; outside, the world held its breath.
Kuhaku woke first. His eyes opened to the sight of the ceiling's cracked lines, the faint smell of ash still lingering. Sleep hadn't been kind to him—nightmares had chased him until dawn—but the quiet scene beside him stopped the usual restlessness.
Kiana, Mei, and Bronya slept close together, their faces calm, touched by the gray light. For once, they looked untroubled. He didn't want to break that peace. So he sat still, listening to their slow, even breathing, letting time pass.
When they finally stirred, Kiana stretched with a yawn loud enough to wake the ghosts in the walls.
"Morning already? I was dreaming about a mountain of food…"
Mei rubbed her eyes, smiling faintly. "Figures."
Bronya was already sitting upright, expression composed, scanning the room as if the night's terrors had never happened.
Mei looked toward Kuhaku. "You didn't sleep well, did you?"
He forced a small grin. "Yes. But don't worry. I'm fine."
⸻
They decided to prepare before heading out.
The group scavenged what little remained—canned food, dusty bottles of water, a few sealed snacks. The familiar sound of rummaging almost felt normal.
Each chose a weapon.
Kiana twirled a metal rod, declaring it her "Excalibat."
Mei unsheathed the katana she'd found yesterday, its sharp edge now wiped clean.
Bronya flexed her fingers; tiny sparks of blue light traced her skin—her own weapon.
Kuhaku pulled a tanto from a broken drawer, testing its weight. Short, sharp, reliable. "Guess I'm the close-range guy."
They packed quietly. Mei and Bronya carried only the essentials.
Kiana, however, dragged over a massive hiking bag stuffed with snacks, batteries, extra clothes—and, inexplicably, a pillow.
Bronya frowned. "Your packing method defies logic."
"It's called being prepared," Kiana huffed.
"Prepared to collapse under weight," Bronya replied.
Their argument filled the air until Kuhaku sighed, rubbing his temples.
As he wondered how to help, a faint ping echoed in his vision. A soft blue screen shimmered before him.
[Detected: External Object – Large Container]
[Store item in Inventory? Yes / No]
Kuhaku blinked. "…Inventory?"
The girls peered over his shoulder.
He hesitated, then selected "Yes." The giant bag vanished in a swirl of light.
"Wha—?!" Kiana yelped. "Where's my stuff?!"
Kuhaku opened the screen again. The bag's image sat neatly inside a glowing grid.
"It's still here. Just… digital."
Curious, they tested it—placing food, bottles, and tools into the invisible space. Everything disappeared, then reappeared on command.
Checking the details, Kuhaku read aloud:
[Inventory Capacity: Infinite (Non-Living Material Only)]
Kiana pumped a fist. "Finally! I can hoard snacks without breaking my back!"
Bronya nodded once, impressed. "System feature confirmed: spatial storage."
Mei smiled quietly. "At least we can travel light."
⸻
While packing, Mei spotted something under a broken shelf—a battered radio, half-buried in dust.
"This might still work," she murmured.
Bronya crouched beside her, examining the corroded metal and snapped wiring.
"Damaged circuits. Repair possible."
She removed the back panel with a flick of her wrist. The thin copper wires trembled in the air as she lifted them gently using Telekinesis Lv. 2. Her eyes glowed faintly; a thread of flame bloomed on her fingertip—Pyro Control Lv. 5—tiny and steady like a soldering iron.
One by one, she fused the torn lines, sealing the metal with delicate precision. The smell of burning insulation filled the air.
Kuhaku watched in silent amazement. "Didn't know you could fix radios with fire magic."
"Improvised methodology," Bronya said, reassembling the cover.
To power it, she pressed her palm against the case and released a trickle of blue energy—Mana Control Lv. 6 humming softly.
The speaker hissed to life with static.
Mei turned the dials slowly. "Come on… give us something."
White noise answered, thin and empty. She adjusted again—nothing.
Kiana bit her lip. "No one's broadcasting?"
Silence.
For a moment, even the air felt heavier. Then Bronya switched it off, eyes calm. "Signal range limited. We'll try again later."
Kuhaku nodded. "Yeah… later."
⸻
They set out after that.
The streets of Nagazora lay silent under the gray sky. Buildings leaned like old gravestones, cars lay half-melted on the road. The egg-like structure still loomed in the distance, pulsing faintly with red light.
As they moved, Bronya suddenly halted. "Movement ahead. Six entities."
Kiana gripped her rod. "More of those things?"
"Weaker," Bronya said flatly. "Comparable to previous minor type."
They crept to the edge of a broken wall. Six humanoid figures wandered aimlessly in the street—black armor fused to skin, red cores glowing faintly through cracks.
Kuhaku tightened his grip on the tanto. "We can handle this."
"Ok here's the plan."
The plan was simple:
• Kuhaku charged first.
• Mei and Kiana flanked.
• Bronya covered from behind.
⸻
"Ready?" Kuhaku asks them
Kiana thumbs up, Mei and Bronya nodded
"Go!"
He sprinted out, feet silent on the ash. The nearest creature turned just in time to see the flash of steel. Kuhaku's blade cut deep across its chest; it fell without a sound.
A blue text flickered before him:
[Enemy Defeated]
Kiana followed, swinging her metal rod with reckless strength. The impact crushed through armor and bone; the head rolled across the street.
Her eyes widened. "Whoa—strength 7 is crazy!"
Mei dashed past her, sword slicing in a clean arc. Two monsters fell, severed neatly.
A faint glow pulsed near her wrist:
[Skill Unlocked: Blade Flow Lv. 1]
The last two charged. Bronya lifted her hand, releasing a burst of flame that engulfed one instantly. The other lost an arm, staggering forward—
Kuhaku met it head-on, thrusting the tanto into its glowing core.
[Skill Unlocked: Critical Attack Lv. 1]
[Level Up!]
The world went quiet again except for the hiss of burning remains.
⸻
They stood there, panting amid drifting ash.
Blue windows flickered before each of them:
[All Stats + 1]
[Free Points Available: 6]
Kiana lifted her rod over her shoulder, grinning wide. "Team Nagazora 1, victory!"
Mei sheathed her sword with a tired smile. "Let's try not to make it routine."
Bronya crossed her arms, inspecting her hand. "Performance acceptable. Improvement probable."
Kuhaku looked at them—all three, alive, smiling despite everything.
He couldn't help but smile back. "Yeah… we're getting stronger."
Above them, the red clouds shifted, letting a sliver of blue sky peek through for the first time since the world fell apart.
⸻
End of Chapter 1 – Part 12