Scene Change – The Tunnel
Mahi's body sagged against the wall. Every breath burned. Pain rippled through her limbs as she struggled to move. Her phone buzzed weakly near her side. With trembling fingers, she reached for it, her vision blurring, her strength fading. Somehow, she managed to grip it and press a number.
The line rang. Once. Twice.
Then—
Kaito (over the phone, urgent): "Mahi! Speak!"
Her voice cracked, ragged with pain.
Mahi (groaning, gasping): "K-Kaito… come quickly… h-he… attacked me… left me bleeding…"
Kaito (shocked): "What?! W-where are you?!"
Mahi: "I'm… still in the tunnel…"
Kaito: "Stay there! I'm coming!"
Her grip loosened. The phone slipped from her hand. Darkness swallowed her as her body slumped forward—unconscious.
Far away, Kaito stood frozen on a bridge, phone pressed to his ear. His breath caught, his jaw clenched, and in the next heartbeat he spun and broke into a sprint—racing back toward the tunnel.
---
Scene Change – The Report
Smoke and fire filled the screen. A news reporter spoke frantically into the camera, her voice trembling as she tried to steady her words.
Reporter: "As you can see, the fire inside the building continues to grow… No one knows how it began. Witnesses claim to have seen… creatures… devouring people!"
The cameraman swung to a shaken man, his face pale, his body trembling.
Witness (shouting, panicked): "I—I saw them with my own eyes! There were so many of them! They were eating humans alive! They looked like monsters—monsters straight out of hell!"
Suddenly, the camera jerked upward.
Glass shattered.
Something massive burst through the building's window—a four-legged beast, grotesque and terrifying, crashing into view.
Screams erupted. The feed shook violently.
---
Scene Change – Ryan on the Road
Ryan's lungs burned as he ran. His ears caught a distant sound—an engine, tires grinding against asphalt.
His heart skipped.
Ryan (panting, desperate): "A vehicle… maybe a truck… I need to ask for help!"
He stumbled to the roadside, raising an arm, waving frantically.
---
Scene Cut – The Truck
Moments later, Ryan sat in the back of a truck, surrounded by heaps of hay and crates of vegetables. His body rocked gently with the movement, his mind still reeling.
---
Scene Change – Back in the Tunnel
Kaito's footsteps echoed, sharp and heavy, through the tunnel. His eyes locked on Mahi's collapsed figure. His chest tightened as he dropped beside her.
Kaito (urgent): "Mahi! Talk to me—are you alright?!"
Her eyelids fluttered. Her words were barely audible.
Mahi (weakly): "He… shoved me down. Hard… then ran…"
Without hesitation, Kaito reached inside his jacket and drew a glass vial, liquid shimmering inside.
Kaito: "Drink this."
He lifted her gently and poured it against her lips. Mahi swallowed. Instantly, her wounds began knitting together, strength returning to her limbs.
Kaito (steady, relieved): "Better now?"
Mahi: "Yes… but help me up."
He grasped her hand firmly and pulled her to her feet. His voice dropped, cold and resolute.
Kaito: "Let's find him."
---
Scene Change – The Truck
The driver glanced back at Ryan through the mirror. His teenage son sat quietly beside him.
Driver: "The city road runs straight from here. You'll reach it soon. But tell me—what were you doing way out here alone?"
Ryan froze. I can't tell them about the kidnapping… He forced a small smile instead.
Ryan (hesitant): "I had… some work here. That's why I came."
The driver frowned, then shrugged.
Driver: "Work in a place like this? Strange… Still, it was good meeting you."
Ryan: "Likewise."
---
Scene Cut – Busier Road
Ryan walked once more, this time down a busier road. Noise filled the air—engines roaring, voices shouting, tall buildings rising in every direction. The city pressed down on him like a storm.
---
Scene Change – Kaito and Mahi
The two stepped onto the same road where Ryan had taken his truck ride earlier.
Mahi: "Looks like he came through here. But the road ahead splits into many paths."
Kaito pressed his hands together, chanting under his breath. In an instant, twelve identical clones shimmered into existence, each one a perfect reflection of him.
Kaito (commanding): "Fan out. Search every path. If you see him, don't hesitate—bring him back to me at any cost."
The clones vanished into the streets, scattering like shadows. Kaito turned, gripping Mahi's hand firmly.
Kaito (serious): "Come on."
---
Scene Change – Ryan in the City
Ryan finally reached the city's heart. Green trees lined the roads, vehicles roared, and the towering buildings of steel and glass stretched into the sky.
Then his eyes caught a board.
Bold letters stared back at him: "Tohoku."
His heart dropped.
Ryan (stunned, whispering): "Tohoku…? That means… I'm not in Tokyo anymore. They dragged me outside the city while I was unconscious…"
He clenched his fists, breath uneven.
Ryan (grim, determined): "I don't know anything about this place… but no matter what, I need to find the police station.
THANKS FOR READ MY NOVEL＼(^^)／
___
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