Chapter 13: The Betrayal

The cold night air felt even more suffocating as the reality sank in—Daichi and Yuko were gone.

Kai's gaze lingered on the slightly ajar door, his mind racing to make sense of the situation. His chest tightened with anger and suspicion, but more than anything, the realization that he had missed something crucial gnawed at him. Daichi and Yuko's disappearance wasn't a coincidence.

"They ran," Asuka said, her voice sharp. She stood next to Kai, her eyes narrowed in anger as she stared at the open door. "They left us."

Kai felt his blood boil. It wasn't just that they had run—it was when they had run, during a critical moment when the group needed everyone. A low, simmering rage settled inside him as he processed the implications.

"They must've been with the hunters all along," Asuka continued, pacing as the tension rolled off her. "It explains everything. The ambushes, the timing… they were giving the hunters information about us."

Rina stood near Yuki, her hands trembling as she gripped her bat. "Why would they do this? After everything… after we saved them?"

"They were scared," Yuki said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. She sat huddled in the corner, her face pale. "They probably thought the hunters could protect them."

Kai clenched his fists, anger flaring in his chest. "No, this isn't about fear. This is betrayal. They've been working against us from the start."

His voice was cold, laced with fury. He felt it rising inside him—a need for retribution, for control. Every decision he had made had been for the group's survival, and now, because of Daichi and Yuko, that survival was at risk.

"They have to pay for this," Kai said, his voice low but firm. "We find them. And when we do, they won't get another chance to run."

Asuka crossed her arms, nodding in agreement. "If we don't deal with them now, they'll lead the hunters straight to us. We can't risk leaving them alive."

Rina's face paled further at Asuka's words. "You… you're not serious. You can't mean that."

Kai turned to face Rina, his eyes hard. "This is survival, Rina. If we let them go, they'll come back with the hunters, and next time, it won't just be four of them. It'll be an army."

Rina stared at him, her wide eyes filled with fear and disbelief. "But… but we don't know for sure! Maybe they're just scared—maybe they're not working with the hunters."

"They're traitors," Kai said coldly, his voice steady. "And traitors don't get second chances."

Yuki, who had been silent for most of the conversation, finally spoke up. "Kai's right," she said, her voice trembling but firm. "They betrayed us. They left us when we needed them most. If we don't stop them, they'll lead the hunters back to us."

Rina looked between Kai and Yuki, her lip trembling as she struggled to process what was happening. "This… this isn't right. We can't just kill them…"

Kai's eyes narrowed. He stepped toward Rina, his voice dropping to a low, almost dangerous tone. "Do you want to die, Rina? Do you want to watch them come back with the hunters and kill us all? Because that's what will happen if we don't deal with them."

Rina flinched, her breath hitching as tears welled up in her eyes. "I just… I don't know if I can do this anymore…"

Kai sighed, the cold edge of his anger softening slightly. He needed to keep Rina from falling apart, but he couldn't afford to coddle her either. They didn't have time for weakness.

"You don't have to do anything, Rina," Kai said, his voice a bit gentler. "But you need to understand that this is how we survive. We do what has to be done."

Rina's eyes dropped to the ground, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "I understand…"

Kai turned to Asuka, his face hardening once more. "We move now. They can't have gone far."

The group moved quickly through the darkened streets, the tension thick in the air. The sound of their footsteps echoed off the crumbling buildings, but no one spoke. Kai's mind was locked onto one goal—finding Daichi and Yuko before they could escape or alert the hunters.

His Tactical Awareness hummed in the background, feeding him information about the layout of the streets and potential ambush points, but he knew that the real challenge wasn't the hunters. It was dealing with the betrayal festering within his own group.

Asuka kept pace beside him, her movements quiet and efficient. She hadn't questioned his decision to hunt down Daichi and Yuko—not once. That was something Kai appreciated about her. She understood the stakes. She knew how to survive.

Yuki stayed close to Kai, her eyes wide but determined. Kai could feel her growing dependence on him, her need to feel protected by his leadership. It made her loyal, and loyalty was a valuable thing in this world.

But Rina… Kai glanced back at her as she walked behind them, her face pale and strained. She hadn't said a word since they left the factory, but Kai could feel her emotional collapse looming. He needed to keep her stable—at least until they dealt with the traitors.

After nearly an hour of searching, they found them.

Daichi and Yuko were huddled in an alleyway, their faces pale with fear as they rummaged through their belongings, likely trying to decide what to take and what to leave. The moment Kai saw them, a cold sense of satisfaction settled over him. They hadn't gotten far.

Kai signaled for the group to spread out, surrounding the alley from both sides. Asuka moved with deadly precision, her metal rod ready in hand, while Yuki stuck close to Kai, her bat gripped tightly in her trembling hands. Rina lagged behind, her expression torn between fear and disbelief.

"Daichi," Kai called out, stepping forward, his voice cutting through the silence like a knife. "Going somewhere?"

Daichi froze, his eyes widening in terror as he turned to see Kai standing at the entrance of the alley. Yuko gasped, backing away, her face pale as she clutched at Daichi's arm.

"Kai—wait—please!" Daichi stammered, his voice shaking. "It's not what you think!"

Kai's eyes narrowed as he approached them, his rifle aimed squarely at Daichi's chest. "Then explain why you ran. Explain why you left us to die."

"We didn't—" Yuko began, but Daichi cut her off.

"We were scared, okay?" Daichi said, his voice trembling. "We thought—when the hunters attacked—we didn't know what to do. We thought if we stayed, we'd all die. We just wanted to survive."

Kai's jaw tightened, his eyes cold. "And what was the plan? Run to the hunters? Offer them information in exchange for your lives?"

"No!" Daichi's voice cracked, desperation clear on his face. "We were going to leave the city. We weren't going to the hunters—we were just trying to get out!"

Asuka stepped forward, her eyes blazing with anger. "You left us to die."

Daichi shook his head, tears forming in his eyes. "We didn't mean for any of this to happen! We just—please, you have to believe us! We're not with the hunters!"

Kai's grip on the rifle tightened. His instincts told him to pull the trigger, to end this betrayal right here and now. But a part of him hesitated—just for a moment. What if Daichi was telling the truth? What if they were just scared, running out of fear and not malice?

Rina, standing a few steps behind Kai, spoke up for the first time. "Kai… maybe… maybe they're telling the truth."

Kai glanced back at her, his eyes cold and unreadable. "And what if they're not? What if we let them go and they lead the hunters right to us?"

Rina's voice wavered. "But… we don't know that for sure. What if we're wrong?"

Kai turned his attention back to Daichi and Yuko, his expression hardening. He couldn't afford to take that risk. Not with the hunters closing in on them.

"They ran," Asuka said, her voice cold and sharp. "They betrayed us. We can't trust them."

Yuki stepped forward, her voice trembling but firm. "Kai… we can't let them go. It's too dangerous."

Kai's mind raced, torn between the need for survival and the creeping doubt that maybe, just maybe, Rina was right. But in the end, the choice was clear.

"Daichi," Kai said quietly, his voice cold. "You made your choice when you ran."

Daichi's eyes widened in terror. "No, please—wait!"

But before he could say anything else, Kai pulled the trigger.

The gunshot echoed through the alley, and Daichi collapsed to the ground, his body twitching as blood pooled beneath him. Yuko let out a choked sob, backing away in horror as she stared at Daichi's lifeless body.

Kai turned the rifle on Yuko, his expression hard. "You're next unless you tell me everything. Now."

Yuko, her face pale and tear-streaked, collapsed to her knees, shaking violently. "I—we didn't tell the hunters anything! I swear! We were just trying to leave… please… don't kill me…"

Kai watched her for a long moment, weighing his options. She was terrified, broken. If she had been working with the hunters, she wouldn't be acting like this. He lowered the rifle slightly, but his expression remained cold.

"You get one chance," Kai said, his voice low and dangerous. "You can stay with us, but if I even think you're lying, you'll end up like him."

Yuko nodded frantically, tears streaming down her face. "I swear, I won't—I won't do anything—please…"

Kai turned to the group, his eyes hard. "Let's move. We can't stay here."

As they left the alley, the cold reality of what had just happened hung heavily over them. Rina looked pale and shaken, while Yuki stayed close to Kai, her eyes wide with fear and awe.

But Asuka… Asuka watched Kai with an expression that was impossible to read.

The line between survival and morality had been crossed, and there was no going back.