A New Day Dawns ( R )

Morning sunlight came through the window, filling the room with golden light. Ryo woke up, feeling tired and heavy, the events of the previous night still weighing on his mind.

With a low sigh, he sat up, his muscles stiff as he moved his legs off the bed.

"What was that monster…?" he muttered, rubbing his face.

The question bothered him. Over and over, his mind went back to the strange creature crawling on the building's walls. It was unnatural. Inhuman. Like nothing he had ever seen.

But thinking about it wouldn't change anything.

Clicking his tongue, Ryo shook his head and pushed the thought away.

He needed a shower first.

Standing up, he walked to the bathroom. The memory of the creature stayed in the back of his mind—a quiet reminder that the world outside was far from safe.

But fear wouldn't help him.

Pushing it aside, Ryo focused on what he needed to do next.

With quiet focus, Ryo went through his morning routine—showering, getting dressed, and making a simple breakfast. The familiar actions helped him feel grounded, giving him a small sense of normalcy in a world that had lost it long ago.

But even as he ate, his thoughts returned to the night before. The creature. The way it moved. The strange glow of its empty eyes. Every detail stayed in his mind, clear and unsettling.

Yet, beneath the lingering fear, something else grew.

A realization.

He had faced the unknown. He had stared into the darkness—and survived.

For the first time since the outbreak began, he felt a spark of confidence. Fear hadn't broken him. He had survived. And no matter what horrors waited outside these walls, he would face them head-on.

Not with panic.

But with purpose.

With strength.

With a strong will to live.

After finishing his meal, Ryo set his plate aside and focused on what he needed to do.

In the corner of his apartment, neatly arranged but always ready, was his collection of weapons. Guns and tools he had found in the ruins of the world. He crouched down, running his fingers over the cold metal of a handgun.

He checked each weapon carefully, inspecting the barrels, magazines, and triggers with skill. Every bullet mattered. Every weapon had to be in perfect condition.

As he worked, his thoughts went back to that night at the police station—when he had first found the hidden stash of weapons in the armory.

A stroke of luck.

No.

More than luck.

It had been survival.

That discovery had saved his life many times, a lifeline in a world where hesitation meant death.

But now, as Ryo looked at his collection of weapons, a strange feeling settled in his chest.

These weapons—cold, But they were also a reminder. A reminder of the world outside, where death waited around every corner, where the line between hunter and hunted had disappeared.

They weren't just tools for protection.

They were proof of how much the world had changed.

And how much he had changed.

With a quiet sigh, Ryo put the last magazine in place and leaned back against the wall.

The world outside hadn't gotten any better.

And he had no choice but to be ready for whatever came next.

There was no time to hesitate. No time to think about the past.

Survival required focus, and focus was the only thing keeping him alive.

Taking a deep breath, he pulled himself together, forcing his mind to stay in the present. The world outside hadn't changed—it was still cruel, still unforgiving. And if he wanted to survive in it, he had to be ready.

Because in a world full of chaos and despair, there was only one thing he could trust—

His own strength.

His unbreakable will to survive.

( End of Chapter )