"Those who survive"

Kai's eyes fluttered open.

His body ached, but he was no longer outside—he was lying on a bed, inside a large military tent. The scent of antiseptic filled the air, and medical equipment surrounded him.

Where am I?

Before he could gather his thoughts, the tent flap opened.

A woman in a white coat stepped in—blonde hair, sharp blue eyes. She spoke, but the words blurred in his mind.

Kai barely understood her English.

Noticing his confusion, the woman smiled. "I can speak Korean too, don't worry."

Kai exhaled.

"I'm Sofea, your doctor." She introduced herself.

Kai gave a small nod. "Thank you."

Before Sofea could continue, the tent flap swung open again.

Baek walked in.

Sofea sighed, shaking her head. "Try not to be too harsh, Baek."

Baek simply gave a slight nod.

With a knowing glance, Sofea left, closing the tent behind her.

Now, it was just the two of them.

Kai gripped his dagger instantly, pointing it toward Baek's head.

Baek's eyes narrowed.

"Where am I?" Kai demanded.

Baek crossed his arms, unfazed. "Calm down, kid. You're in a safe place."

Kai didn't lower his dagger at first.

Baek smirked. "Tch. You're quick, but—"

A sudden spike of earth shot toward Baek's face!

With a simple tilt of his head, Baek dodged.

CRACK! The spike shattered against the metal wall of the tent.

Baek exhaled. "This level of attack won't hurt me, kid."

Then, he paused.

Kai was gone.

The bed was empty.

Baek ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "Haaa… I'm too old for this."

Kai ran through the camp, his heart pounding.

He needed to escape.

But as he slowed down, his eyes took in the sight before him.

The camp wasn't just a military base.

It was… a place..a place of survivors.

Children laughed, playing with makeshift toys.

Families huddled together, sharing meals.

Soldiers and civilians worked side by side, repairing tents and building the area to live, distributing food, and tending to the wounded.

Kai's grip on his dagger loosened.

As he stood there, processing it all, Baek stepped out of the tent behind him.

"From the day of Calimity,those power posses us.We rebuild this place as we fighting back those calimity."

"Those people and this place... it's for souls who have nowhere else to go."

Kai turned.

Baek walked forward, hands in his pockets.

"Not just Awakened soldiers, but survivors. People who lost everything. And now, they help each other rebuild what they lost."

Kai remained silent, watching the scene before him.

Baek exhaled. "You're in Incheon now, kid."

Kai's eyes narrowed.

His grip on his dagger lowered completely.

He finally understood.

"...Fine." Kai muttered. "But I need answers. Now."

Baek smirked. "Then follow me."

He turned toward a large military tent in the center of the camp.

"Those guys waiting us."

Kai nodded and followed.

Kai stepped into the tent.

The air inside was thick with pressure.

His gaze swept across the room.

Several Awakened stood by, their bodies radiating different auras—each a different color, intensity, and presence.

Some were calm yet powerful.

At the center of it all, a man stood, giving orders.

The others listened carefully.

Their ranks were high..far from him.

Kai clenched his fists.

He could feel it.

These people weren't just strong.

Baek stepped forward. "we made in time kid."

Kai narrowed his eyes.

Kai felt the weight of the room shift as the large man at the center of the gathering cleared his throat. His presence alone was enough to make the air feel heavier. He was a towering figure, broad shoulders wrapped in a dark military uniform. His face was scarred, his posture disciplined—clearly a high-ranking officer.

The murmurs in the room faded as his voice boomed through the tent.

"All awakened, listen here!"

The atmosphere turned serious in an instant. Conversations halted, and all attention shifted toward the man.

He unfolded a large map of South Korea, pinning it to a wooden board. Several areas were marked in red.

"This," he pointed to the red zones, "is our current situation. We've lost contact with several squads."

A few of the awakened exchanged uneasy glances.

"We need people to go into Danger Zones, Save the Squads." His voice hardened. "We're short on time. Some of you will be assigned to this mission called

"Red Area"

The room tensed. Even among the awakened, know this were considered near-suicidal missions.

A few awakened muttered under their breath. "That's insane…" "Even a full team might not make it…"

But before anyone could protest further, Kai raised his hand.

"I'm going."

Silence.

All eyes snapped toward him. The tension thickened.

Kai stood silently as the Awakened turned their gazes toward him.

Their eyes narrowed, studying him, analyzing him.

One of them spoke first.

"This kid... his aura is empty."

Another murmured, "Yet the System dont recognizes him as one of us..."

"is he just ordinary people?"

Whispers spread among the group.

Curiosity. Suspicion. Confusion.

Kai felt the weight of their stares.

To them, he was an anomaly.

A suicidal without a brain.

Baek merely smirked, watching the scene unfold.

Kai clenched his fists.

A man from the crowd scoffed. "Hey, kid. Do you have a death wish?. You'll be dead the moment you step in there."

Kai smirked. "I know."

The room remained silent for a few seconds. Then, the large military officer let out a deep chuckle.

"Good." His tone carried a mix of amusement and approval. "A reckless one.

He folded his arms. "We're not sending you in unprepared. You'll be geared up properly before deployment. Secure you survive,."

Just as Kai nodded, another voice rang out.

"I'm going too."

Kai turned his head.

A girl stepped forward from the back of the room. She wore a black combat jacket, fingerless gloves, and a katana strapped to her side. Her long black hair was tied into a ponytail, and her gaze was steady.

She was confident—and the way the others reacted, she wasn't just any awakened.

The crowd didn't look surprised by her decision. If anything, some of them expected it.

"It's Yuna…" someone whispered.

Kai's eyes narrowed slightly. Yuna?

The officer gave an approving nod. "Fine. If high rank awakened want in, I won't stop her."

The room's tension eased as people returned to their own conversations, though a few still threw glances at Kai.

As things settled, Yuna walked straight up to Kai.

She grabbed his hand, her grip firm but warm. "Hey, you remember me?"

Kai's eyes locked onto her face. He studied her features—sharp, yet familiar. And then, the memory surfaced.

His school days. His old classroom. A girl sitting near the window, always carrying a book or a notebook. His classmate.

"…Yuna Shea?."

She grinned. "So you do remember. Took you long enough."

Kai exhaled, feeling a strange sense of familiarity in an unfamiliar world. "Didn't expect to meet someone from school here."

Yuna laughed lightly. "Yeah, well, I didn't expect you to raise your hand for a suicide mission either."

Kai shrugged. "Had to do something."

Yuna smirked, then patted his shoulder. "Alright then, partner. Let's go."

Kai could still feel the warmth of Yuna's grip on his wrist as she smiled at him. Her presence was familiar yet foreign at the same time. The last time he saw her, they were just classmates. But now, here she was, dressed in combat gear, standing among hardened awakened fighters, volunteering for a mission that could very well get them both killed.

Yuna let go of his hand and placed it on her hip. "You really just volunteered like that without hesitation? That's pretty bold, Kai," she said, studying him.

Kai met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "I have my thought," he replied simply. There was no need for further explanation.

Yuna's lips curled into a smirk. "You still not change huh,still the same kai back then. Always doing things your own way."

Before their conversation could continue, the large military officer in charge—his name tag read Lieutenant Kang—clapped his hands, gathering attention once more. "Alright, those of you who volunteered, follow me. You'll be receiving your equipment before deployment."

Kai and Yuna exchanged a glance before walking behind him.

The camp was more organized than Kai initially thought. Rows of tents stretched across the field, some acting as barracks while others served as makeshift hospitals. Armed guards patrolled the area, their eyes sharp and their weapons always at the ready. Civilians who had managed to escape the infected zones sat in small groups, their expressions hollow with exhaustion and despair.

Kai took in the sight, feeling the weight of the current world settle deeper in his chest. This was reality now.Survival now wasn't just option.

Finally, they arrived at the armory tent. Inside, crates of weapons and protective gear were neatly stacked. A few soldiers were busy maintaining firearms, while others sorted through supplies.

Lieutenant Kang turned to them. "Since this mission is classified as Red Area, you'll be given equipment suited for your current ranks. Don't expect high-end gear—we can't afford to waste it on those who aren't proven yet." He pointed at Kai. "Especially you., You seem ordinary kid.whats up with that?

Kai didn't argue. He knew where he stood.

A soldier handed him a tactical vest, a small utility bag, and a newly issued dagger. Unlike his old Beast Fang Dagger.

[ Item Received: Karanka Blade (Rank D) ]

Kai fastened the dagger to his belt, then adjusted the straps of his vest to make sure it fit snugly. Next to him.

Kai noticed her looking at him. "What?" he asked.

She raised an eyebrow. "You always had a preference for daggers?"

Kai shrugged. "This weapon suit my fight."

Yuna smirk.,"Well, let's see if you can keep up."

Lieutenant Kang cleared his throat. "Alright, now that you're geared up, here's the mission."

He spread out a map on a nearby table. "Your objective is to reach an abandoned military outpost on the outskirts of the area. There are still valuable supplies left behind, including ammunition, rations, and possibly medical supplies. However..." He tapped a red-marked section of the map. "This area has been classified as Red Area. Scouts

Kai's eyes narrowed. "Those survivors?"

Lieutenant Kang exhaled through his nose. "Thats your mission."

Yuna's expression darkened slightly. "Understood."

Lieutenant Kang nodded. "He folded the map and looked at them. "You leave at dawn. Get some rest while you can."

Kai gave a small nod, then turned to leave. But before he stepped out, Yuna spoke up. "Hey, Kai."

He glanced back.

Yuna tilted her head slightly. "You special kai,dont worry about it."

Kai stared at her for a moment before nodding. "Sure."

Kai exhaled slowly. No plot armor. No guarantees. Just survival.

Tomorrow, the real challenge would begin.

chapter end.