Inside the Sato apartment, the air felt thick with tension and the faint smell of cooked meat. The group sat around the old wooden dining table under the dim glow of a single bulb, the distant screams from the streets below serving as a grim reminder that safety was temporary.
"We have to stay careful before we leave, guys," Mr. Sato said, his voice low and serious as he stared at the map he'd drawn on a piece of scrap paper.
Ren nodded slowly, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "First, we wait for the demons in this area to starve out. Once they start dropping, we move to the nearest mall. We can stock up on food, water, medicine… everything we'll need."
Keito was carefully cleaning his pistol, the metallic clicks echoing softly in the room. He looked up with a wide, almost manic grin, his reflection shining clearly on the polished barrel. "Running through a demon-infested town to raid a mall? Sounds like a fucking adventure movie. I'm in."
Yukiko shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her expression clouded with worry. "How long will it even take to reach the shop? And there's no guarantee we'll find a working car. What if everything's already destroyed or taken?"
Ren offered her a calm, reassuring smile across the table. "Don't worry. The parking lot should still have plenty of vehicles. We grab what we need and get out. Simple as that."
Mrs. Sato walked in from the small kitchen, carrying plates of sizzling wagyu beef. The rich aroma filled the room, a small luxury in the middle of hell. She served everyone with gentle care, then leaned over Ren from behind, her soft, full breasts pressing warmly against his back as she hugged him. "Stop overthinking everything, sweetie," she murmured, her voice soft and affectionate. She tilted his head slightly and gave him a slow, lingering kiss on the cheeks before pulling away with a playful smile and heading back toward the kitchen. "Enjoy the food while it lasts."
Mr. Sato glanced out the window at the darkening sky, his face grim. "We have to stay sharp. This situation is getting worse every single day. Those rifts aren't slowing down."
Suddenly, the door to one of the bedrooms creaked open. A teenage boy stepped out, rubbing his eyes sleepily.
"Toy finally woke up," Keito said with a deadpan expression, not even looking up from his gun.
Mrs. Sato quickly served a plate for the boy. "Stop teasing him, Keito," she scolded gently, pinching Keito's cheek as she passed. She then sat down at the table, her curvaceous figure settling comfortably into the chair.
Mr. Sato gestured toward the food. "Join us, Hikari. We're leaving this town soon. The demons are getting too dangerous, and more rifts keep opening. Staying here isn't an option anymore."
Hikari looked around the table with a confused, slightly arrogant frown. "Why didn't anyone tell me anything about this?"
Mrs. Sato gave him a soft, patient smile. "This is serious, Hikari. Our lives are at stake. If we stay here any longer, we might not survive."
Hikari sighed heavily and dropped into his chair, his eyes landing on Yukiko with clear curiosity. "Who's she?" he asked, pointing with his chopsticks.
Ren kept eating without looking up, his tone calm and matter-of-fact. "I rescued her from the demons earlier. Her aunt was killed protecting her."
Hikari narrowed his eyes at Ren, a sharp edge in his voice. "Of course. You're always playing the hero, acting like you're the only savior in this entire fucking world." He stabbed at his food and started eating aggressively.
Mrs. Sato glanced at Keito with genuine concern. "You're eating so little, Keito. Don't tell me you've started dieting again because that girl rejected your confession?"
Keito dramatically wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand, pretending to sniffle. "Don't remind me… She said I was 'too much.' Can you believe that? In the middle of a demon apocalypse, I'm still getting dumped."
Mr. Sato rolled his eyes so hard it looked painful. "Drama king and drama queen. Just eat your damn food before it gets cold."
Mrs. Sato pouted cutely, then turned her attention to Ren, who was devouring his meal at record speed. "You don't have to eat that fast, Ren," she said worriedly, reaching over to gently touch his arm. "Slow down, sweetie. No one's going to steal your plate."
Yukiko took a small bite and her eyes widened slightly. "This is really delicious," she said softly, offering a calm smile.
Mrs. Sato winked at her, confidence sparkling in her eyes. "Of course it is. I'm a great cook, right? Even in the end of the world, good food keeps morale up."
The group had just finished eating when Mrs. Sato emerged from her bedroom, a bulging backpack slung over one shoulder. She struck a dramatic, over-the-top hero pose in the middle of the living room — one hand on her hip, the other raised in a victory sign — her full chest bouncing slightly with the energetic movement.
"I packed clothes, some non-perishable food, and a few important things," she announced with a confident smile. "We are ready!"
Ren walked over, eyes narrowing at the half-open zip. A pair of lacy panties and several food packets had already slipped out and were dangling conspicuously. He pointed at them with a completely deadpan expression.
"What about that?" he asked flatly.
Mrs. Sato blinked, then followed his gaze. Her cheeks flushed pink. "How could I be that careless?" she muttered, quickly adjusting the bag and stuffing everything back inside while trying (and failing) to look dignified.
Mr. Sato stepped out of his room carrying three old baseball bats, gripping them awkwardly. "We can use these. I'm not very good with spells, and my mana is always too low for anything flashy like a fireball," he said with a nervous little smile, clearly embarrassed.
Hikari walked out next, wearing a simple shirt and jeans, flashing an arrogant smirk. "I'm ready."
Yukiko nodded beside him, trying to sound brave. "Me too."
Ren moved to the front door and cracked it open slowly, peering into the dim hallway. "No one's here," he whispered.
Mrs. Sato leaned in close from behind, her soft, heavy breasts pressing firmly against his back as she peered over his shoulder. Her warm breath brushed his ear. "Should we leave now?" she asked, voice low and a little confused.
Ren nodded, trying to ignore the distraction. "Stairs. Quietly."
Mr. Sato followed right behind, bats in hand, eyes scanning every shadow. "Don't make any sound, everyone," he whispered urgently.
They had only descended one flight when the echo of footsteps suddenly filled the corridor. The group froze instantly.
"Someone's coming," Mrs. Sato whispered, grabbing Ren's hand tightly, her grip warm and worried.
A woman appeared from around the corner, walking cautiously through the hallway. She stopped when she saw them.
"Who are you guys?" she asked, brows furrowed.
Ren let out a small sigh of relief. "I'm Ren Hoshino. These are my friends. We're heading to the shop to stock up and then leave town. You?"
The woman relaxed slightly and gave a small smile. She was strikingly attractive — athletic build, sharp eyes, and a generous figure that her combat-style jacket did little to hide. "My name is Amemiya Sakura. I'm a Striker. I am on D-rank."
Keito's eyes lit up with immediate interest. "Where are the rest of your team?"
Sakura's expression darkened. She sighed heavily. "We got reports of a rift here. When we arrived… a horde of demons ambushed us. Most of my members didn't make it."
Keito gave her a flat, deadpan stare. "So… all of you were weak?"
Sakura's eyes narrowed dangerously. She strode forward and smacked the back of his head — hard. "You can't call me weak, idiot!"
Mrs. Sato shot her a sharp look. "Hey, you can't just hit him like that!"
Ren raised both hands nervously, stepping between them with an awkward smile. "We really shouldn't be fighting right now. We need to focus on getting out of this town as fast as possible."
Sakura exhaled heavily and crossed her arms under her ample chest, unintentionally pushing her breasts up in a way that drew a few quick glances. "Is anyone here a Striker?"
Mr. Sato scratched the back of his head with a nervous chuckle. "I'm not really a Striker, but I can use small spells like fireball. My mana runs out way too fast though."
Sakura nodded seriously. "Then we'll need mana orbs — crystallized energy from dead demons — to awaken or boost your abilities. Unless you already have latent mana capabilities."
Hikari raised an eyebrow. "You mean we have to absorb those glowing orbs that form from demon corpses?"
"Not the only way," Sakura replied calmly. "If you already have mana potential, we can check and activate it without orbs."
Yukiko spoke up hopefully. "Can you check us?"
Sakura nodded and stepped forward. She placed her palm flat on Keito's chest. Her eyes glowed bright blue for a moment.
"Hmm… You do have mana capabilities, but they're very weak. You've never trained them," she said.
She moved to Mrs. Sato next. After a brief check, she smiled. "Yours are quite high."
Mrs. Sato beamed, striking another playful pose. "Of course I'm the best~"
When Sakura reached Ren, she gave him a soft, almost intrigued smile. "Let's see what you've got, boy." She placed her hand on his chest.
Almost instantly, bright blue flames erupted around her palm. Everyone gasped in shock.
"What the—?!" Keito blurted.
Sakura yanked her hand back as if burned, waving it frantically in the air with a terrified expression. "Your mana density is insanely high… My mana couldn't even penetrate it. It pushed me out violently."
Mrs. Sato grinned proudly and patted Ren's back. "I always knew my Ren had something special!"
Sakura stared at him with renewed intensity. "You should try using your mana. Focus on it. Show us what your ability is."
Ren closed his eyes and concentrated hard. Nothing happened. The hallway remained silent except for the distant sounds of chaos outside.
"Nothing's happening," Hikari said, sounding both confused and slightly smug.
Sakura frowned. "That's… very strange."
Ren opened his eyes and shrugged. "We should head to the shop first. We can figure this out later."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Sakura straightened up, confidence returning to her voice. "I'm coming with you. You all need a proper Striker for protection. Especially with mana like that running around unchecked," she added, glancing at Ren.
Ren gave a small nod. "Fine. Let's move."
The newly formed group — now seven strong — began descending the stairs together, the weight of the dangerous world outside pressing down on them.