Chapter 46: Ghosts in the Smoke

The team didn't stop running until they reached an old storage shed near the outskirts of the dockyard. Rain poured relentlessly, washing the soot and sweat from their faces, but none of them cared. The adrenaline was still too fresh.

Inside the shed, they collapsed onto crates and broken chairs, catching their breath. The distant glow of the burning warehouse flickered through the cracks in the wooden walls, casting long shadows across the room.

"That," Ryuuji wheezed, "was the most fun I've had in years."

Tora flopped onto his back, arms spread wide. "I feel alive! Let's do it again."

"Let's not," Mira muttered, wiping ash off her face. "We nearly got shot, sliced, and barbecued."

Hotaru sat quietly near the door, her gaze locked on the flames. She wasn't celebrating. If anything, her expression was darker than before.

Sai noticed and leaned against the wall beside her. "What's on your mind?"

Hotaru's voice was soft, but the edge was sharp. "We burned one site… but Wraith was there. They knew we were coming."

Sai's face darkened. "Yeah. Someone leaked our move."

"Or," Hotaru said bitterly, "Kurogane is always two steps ahead."

Mira spoke up from across the room. "What if it's both?"

The silence that followed was heavy.

Tora groaned, sitting up. "Okay, okay. Before we go full conspiracy mode, let's think. Who knew about the plan?"

"Just us," Ryuuji said, waving lazily toward the group. "Unless one of us sleep-talks classified intel, we're clear."

"Or," Kuro meowed, flicking his tail, "they're tracking us directly."

Everyone froze.

"Wait—what do you mean?" Mira asked, eyes narrowing at the cat.

Kuro stretched, completely unbothered by their panic. "Sai, when was the last time you scanned for trackers?"

Sai's face went pale. "I… didn't think to. We've been so busy running."

Hotaru sprang up instantly. "Strip down the gear. Now. Every piece."

Within minutes, the team dumped their weapons, clothes, even their shoes onto the floor. Sai and Tora got to work scanning every item with a small handheld device.

Beep.

Everyone jumped.

Tora held up one of Hotaru's old knives — the hilt blinking faintly.

"They bugged my weapon," Hotaru whispered, her fists clenching.

"That's some next-level tracking tech," Sai muttered. "They embedded it so deep you'd never notice without a full scan."

Mira crossed her arms. "They're not hunting us anymore — they're herding us."

Ryuuji let out a low whistle. "Man, they must want Hotaru back bad."

Hotaru grabbed the knife and, without a word, smashed it into the floor until the blinking light died out. But the damage was done. They had been tracked for who knew how long.

"We can't stay here," Sai said, already packing what little gear wasn't compromised. "We need a base off-grid. Somewhere they can't trace."

"Any ideas?" Hotaru asked.

Sai hesitated, then smiled faintly. "There is one place. But you're not gonna like it."

Mira groaned. "That's never a good sign."

Tora grinned. "As long as it has WiFi."

"It doesn't," Sai said flatly.

Tora gasped like he was stabbed.

"Where is it?" Hotaru demanded.

Sai took a deep breath. "My old master's shrine. Deep in the mountains. No tech. No signals. Just us… and ghosts."

Ryuuji clapped his hands. "Ghost hunting with Hotaru! I'm in."

Hotaru shook her head, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "Let's go, then."

Before they could leave, Kuro hopped onto Hotaru's shoulder, his golden eyes gleaming.

"Meow."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hotaru raised an eyebrow.

Kuro's tail swayed. "It means… this story's just getting started."

End of Chapter 46