Chapter 48: Paths Diverge
The atmosphere remained tense.
Nobody spoke.
The cold wind swept through the estate as Ragnar stood there, blood still staining his face.
The memory wipe had changed everything.
The information he once possessed was gone.
Erased.
Like it had never existed.
Ragnar clenched his fists.
"If they can erase memories..."
His voice sounded unusually uncertain.
"What's stopping them from erasing everything?"
Everyone looked at him.
Ragnar slowly raised his head.
"What if tomorrow we don't remember each other?"
The question sent a chill through the group.
Nobody had considered that possibility.
Natsuki frowned.
"...Shit."
Nezuko instinctively grabbed her brother's sleeve.
Even Kaito's expression darkened.
For the first time, genuine fear appeared among them.
Then—
"Hold on."
Everyone turned toward Tokita.
The red-haired teenager remained seated against the wall.
Calm.
Thinking.
"I don't think it's that simple."
Ragnar blinked.
"What?"
Tokita folded his arms.
"Every ability has rules."
"Aoi needs physical contact to alter matter."
"Mira needs direct contact to heal people."
"Hoshina can only control one person at a time with Puppeteer."
He paused.
"That telepath should be the same."
The group listened carefully.
"If someone can erase memories from this far away, then there must be a condition."
"A weakness."
"A restriction."
"Something."
Aoi nodded slowly.
"He only erased specific information."
"The information regarding the Eighth Emissary."
Tokita nodded.
"If he could erase everything..."
"He would've already done it."
The tension immediately eased.
Not completely.
But enough.
For the first time since the attack, everyone could breathe again.
Then Hoshina spoke.
"So we're useless now."
The atmosphere changed again.
"We don't have information anymore."
"We can't help you."
Ragnar lowered his head.
"He's right."
"We've become dead weight."
Aoi stepped forward.
Ragnar immediately tensed.
Then laughed nervously.
"Oh."
"I get it."
Nobody answered.
Ragnar swallowed.
"If you're going to kill somebody..."
He pointed toward Hoshina.
"Don't kill him."
Everyone froze.
"He only followed my orders."
"Everything was my decision."
Hoshina's eyes widened.
"Ragnar—"
"Shut up."
"If someone has to die..."
"It should be me."
Aoi looked toward Natsuki.
"Kaito."
The two immediately stepped forward.
Electricity crackled around Natsuki's fingers.
The gravity around Kaito distorted slightly.
Ragnar closed his eyes.
Hoshina did the same.
Neither resisted.
Neither had the strength left.
"So this is it," Ragnar muttered.
SNAP.
A rope suddenly fell apart.
SNAP.
Another one followed.
Ragnar frowned.
Slowly opening his eyes, he froze.
The ropes binding his wrists had fallen away.
Beside him, Hoshina stared at his own freed hands.
"...What?"
Aoi folded her arms.
"We're not killing you."
Silence.
Ragnar blinked.
"...Seriously?"
Natsuki rolled his eyes.
"Don't make us regret this."
Hoshina looked completely confused.
"Why?"
"Because despite everything, you cooperated."
Aoi glanced toward Nezuko.
"And because she asked us not to."
Everyone looked toward Nezuko.
The blonde girl awkwardly scratched her cheek.
"I-I just don't think you're bad people,I mean I know you guys did bad things but everyone deserves a second chance."
Ragnar laughed.
A genuine laugh.
"You've got way too much faith in people."
"Maybe."
Aoi's expression became serious.
"The organization already knows where and who we are."
Ragnar nodded.
"Yeah."
"They do."
"And now that you've betrayed them..."
Aoi continued.
"They'll send stronger people."
The realization immediately hit.
Someone higher-ranked.
Someone stronger.
Someone more dangerous.
Aoi sighed.
"Our paths separate here."
The civilians would head toward the military safe zone.
Ragnar and Hoshina would disappear.
Trying to survive.
Trying to avoid Eclipse Vanguard.
And Tokita's group would continue their search for the hidden CDC facility located in Tokyo.
The only place that might hold a cure.
Ragnar stared at her.
"So this is goodbye."
Aoi extended her hand.
"Looks that way."
After several seconds, Ragnar grabbed it.
A firm handshake.
"Good luck."
"You too."
The handshake ended.
Then Hoshina slowly stepped forward.
His gaze fell on Kaito.
For a moment neither spoke.
Then Hoshina lowered his head.
"I'm sorry."
Everyone looked toward him.
Hoshina clenched his fists.
"For controlling you."
"For using you against your friends."
"For everything."
Kaito blinked.
Then walked toward him.
Hoshina tensed.
Thinking he was about to get punched.
Instead—
Kaito wrapped an arm around his shoulder.
Hoshina froze.
"...What?"
Kaito laughed.
"Dude."
"You look worse than I do."
The group stared.
Kaito smiled.
"You've suffered enough."
"So let's call it even."
For several seconds Hoshina simply stood there.
Then a small smile appeared on his face.
"...Thanks."
Kaito patted his shoulder.
"Don't mention it."
The tension finally disappeared.
For the first time in a long while...
Everyone felt human again.
Then Ragnar raised a hand.
"Oh."
Everyone looked at him.
"One small request."
Aoi narrowed her eyes.
"What?"
Ragnar pointed at his filthy clothes.
"Maybe a shower?"
The group blinked.
Hoshina looked down at himself.
Then immediately grimaced.
"Oh my God."
"We smell terrible."
"And maybe some clothes."
"And maybe food."
Ragnar rubbed the back of his neck.
"We're probably gonna be running for our lives for a while."
Aoi sighed.
"You can have a quarter of our supplies."
Ragnar's eyes widened.
"Seriously?!"
"Thank you!"
"Thank you very much!"
Hoshina looked equally shocked.
"I thought she was going to throw us outside."
"Same," Ragnar admitted.
Aoi ignored them.
Then Ragnar's gaze slowly shifted.
Toward Tokita.
The smile on his face disappeared.
"Hey."
Tokita looked up.
"What?"
Ragnar folded his arms.
"I've been wondering something."
Tokita said nothing.
"The way you fight."
Everyone turned toward him.
Ragnar continued.
"It's weird."
Tokita raised an eyebrow.
"Weird?"
"You fight like someone who's had his ability for years."
The atmosphere immediately shifted.
"...what?"Tokita replied annoyed.
"You don't fight like someone who got abilities after the apocalypse."
"You fight like someone who's been using them long before it even began."
Silence.
Tokita's expression remained unreadable.
Ragnar continued.
"The way you move."
"The way you adapt."
"The way you use your abilities."
"It feels like you've had them much longer."
Tokita remained silent.
Then—
"I didn't get my abilities two weeks ago."
Everyone froze.
Ragnar blinked.
"...What?"
Tokita looked away.
"I've had them for much longer."
The silence became deafening.
Even Hoshina looked surprised.
"Wait."
"You had abilities before the apocalypse?"
Tokita nodded.
Ragnar stared.
Then laughed nervously.
"Okay."
"Now that's suspicious."
Tokita stood up.
"Listen,I don't own any of you an explanation but I don't belong to any organization."
"I don't belong to any faction."
"I was just as surprised as everyone else when the apocalypse started."
Ragnar frowned.
"Then when did you get them?"
Tokita didn't answer.
The silence spoke for him.
Nezuko immediately stepped forward.
"That's enough."
Everyone looked at her.
"If he doesn't want to talk about it, that's his choice."
Ragnar sighed.
"Okay,I get it."
Tokita nodded.
Then turned around.
"I'll go pack our things."
Without another word, he walked away.
But he didn't go far.
Hidden behind the corner of the building...
He listened.
And the conversation continued.
Ragnar crossed his arms.
"That guy is hiding something."
Nobody disagreed.
"He's dangerous."
"Honestly, I think he's had powers longer than I have."
Aoi looked directly at him.
"And?"
Ragnar paused.
"He could be from another faction."
"He could be hiding something huge."
Aoi shrugged.
"Maybe."
Ragnar blinked.
"...Maybe?"
"He had countless opportunities to kill us."
"He didn't, and lets not forget you and your friend tried to kill us hours ago,if it wasn't for Red the situation would have been a lot different from this."Aoi's answer came instantly.
"Fair enough,but you don't even know his real name,I mean "Red" seriousl, he doesn't trust you guys enough to tell you his real name..."Hoshina replied calmly.
"He had opportunities to kill us and take Nezuko."
"He didn't."Aoi replied.
Nezuko nodded.
"He earned our trust,we tested him multiple times and still he earned our trust and I think it's time for us to earn his"Nezuko replied.
Natsuki folded his arms.
"Yeah, we've been so many life and death situations together so yeah,I trust him w-well only a little bit of course."
Kaito laughed.
"Honestly?"
"I trust him,he saved my life even though it would have been quicker to have just killed me when Hoshina took control of my body."
Ragnar looked genuinely shocked.
"Seriously?"
"That much?"
Kaito nodded.
"One hundred percent."
Nezuko smiled.
"So do I."
Aoi crossed her arms.
"We don't know everything about him."
"But we know enough and we hope the kid begins to open up to us too."
Ragnar stared.
The confidence in their voices was absolute.
No hesitation.
No doubt.
Then Hoshina laughed.
"You people really trust him."
"Like..."
"A lot."
Nezuko smirked.
"I guess that's what friendship is."
For a moment nobody spoke.
Then Ragnar laughed.
A tired laugh.
"Maybe."
Hidden around the corner...
Tokita heard every word.
Every single one.
His head slowly lowered.
They trust me...
The thought felt strange.
Unfamiliar.
Warm.
A bunch of gullible idiots.
Yet despite the insult forming in his mind...
A small smile appeared on his face.
A genuine one.
His heart beat slightly faster.
For the first time in a very long time...
Tokita Ayuto felt something he had only gotten from his parents...
Comfort.
And somewhere deep inside him...
A wall began to crack.